Caitlin Murray wants to know why we are frothing at the mouth to enroll our kids in every single extracurricular activity? When did over-scheduling our kids become the norm? Parents of the 80s and 90s were also busy shuttling kids from thing to thing but the activities they were engaged in were close to home, not very serious, and didn't interfere with downtime and play. With a cameo from economist Emily Oster, Caitlin explores the benefits of extracurriculars but also how overcommitment can...

Emily Tisch Sussman, former political strategist, mother of 3, and host of the podcast She Pivots, joins Caitlin to discuss how motherhood forced her to leave her high-powered career and carve out a new path. Emily reflects on her initial fear and doubt about motherhood, the pressure of family expectations, and the realization that her pre-kid version of success was quickly becoming unsustainable. Emily talks about the profound loss she felt in her article, My Children Killed My Career But...

In this refreshing monologue, inspired by one of her most viral reels, Caitlin Murray shares her dirty little secret about what she really craves as a mom of three: alone time. Not just any alone time. It's alone time given to her by her husband. It doesn’t require childcare or coordination or the pressure to be productive. Her mind can be at ease knowing her children are cared for by a parent. And she doesn’t want him to have it easy. She wants him to immerse fully into the chaos and...

How often do you inquire about your child's feelings and emotions during the day? In this episode, Caitlin delves deeper into one of her most recent viral reels: why we worry so much about our children's feelings and why we're always preoccupied with the idea that what we say or do might negatively impact them. This attentiveness is well intentioned. We want to shape our kids into confident, well-adjusted, and resilient adults. But it's frankly exhausting sometimes. Caitlin suggests that...

Our guest today is the iconic Cris Cavallari, owner of ICCON, a Philadelphia-based fashion studio and online boutique. Cris shares her story navigating motherhood for the second time, 16 years after giving birth to her first child when she was 16-years-old. Cris expected the second time around to be much smoother because she was an adult and had a partner. But soon into her pregnancy she realized she was going to be alone in her journey. In this conversation, Cris discusses her co-parenting...

Our storyteller today is writer Mal Wrenn Corbin, a cherished friend of Caitlin Murray’s mom. Mal grew up in Worcester, MA a town riddled by poverty, addiction, and violence. Mal grew up in an unsafe home, witnessing domestic violence, alcholism, and drug abuse. Her childhood was tossed in and out of the foster care system and she found solace at school and in her friendships. After a youth marked by neglect and loss, she escaped Worcester and ultimately persevered. She went on to Dartmouth...

Caitlin Murray was a late bloomer and at fourteen she yearned to have big boobs. In this episode, Caitlin shares an embarrassing story from high school orientation aboard a sailboat when she accidentally exposed her little t*****s out of the side of her speedo bathing suit in front of her classmates. Caitlin reflects on how embarrassing moments from our youth leave imprints on us and how as we grow older embarrassment becomes somewhat inconsequential and maybe even funny. This is all to say...

Our storyteller today is one of our podcast listeners, Alex from Washington state! Alex shares the shocking and dramatic story of being held hostage by a customer while working at Tiffany's and Company. At the time, she minimized the event as a crazy and adventurous brush with danger. Soon after, she suffered from panic attacks and other mental health issues but never connected them to the hostage fiasco. A couple years later she was diagnosed with PTSD which popped the lid on having to...

You may wonder why Caitlin so confidently makes fun of her kids, bemoans the trials and tribulations of nonstop parenting, dances her ass off in the kitchen like a lunatic, and rattles off pep talks to all the weary moms.  Today, we’re re-releasing Caitlin’s first podcast episode from 2021 when no one really knew she had a podcast. You will giggle and shed tears as Caitlin describes the life-changing event that inspired her to start blogging, posting on Instagram, and podcasting.  In...

Today we’re talking about identity, divorce, shame, imperfection and the gift of blowing it with psychologist Dr. Aliza Pressman who is a mother of 2, a clinical and academic wiz, and host of the widely praised parenting podcast Raising Good Humans. In this conversation, Dr. Aliza Pressman discusses how the parenting advice industry has turned into gobbledygook and why she felt it important to write her book, ’The Five Principles of Parenting,’ which teaches parents a manageable framework...

Milano Buckley is the epitome of resilience. Born to a mentally ill homeless woman named Kat, Milano’s unstable childhood in New York City was marked by unexpected refuge by two unofficial foster parents, an African woman from Ghana and her elementary school teacher. Milano’s grit through uncertain times led her down a path of triumph over adversity. After graduating from Princeton and starting the picture-perfect family of her dreams, she thought attaining such success would free her from...

Today we welcome self-proclaimed over-sharer Renee Reina, the host of the Mom Room podcast. Renee holds a Ph.D. in psychology and is known for her outspoken conversations about motherhood. She isn’t afraid to discuss taboo topics, challenge parenting practices, and ask the hard questions.  In this episode, Renee discusses her whirlwind story of becoming a content creator and why her unfiltered and unabashed approach turns some people off. Renee and Caitlin discuss all the hot topics of mom...

Vagina economist Emily Oster is a world-famous data scientist who researches topics related to women’s health, pregnancy, and parenting. Emily translates confusing scientific data and jargon into digestible knowledge that helps parents make better and more relaxed decisions.  Emily is a professor of economics at Brown University and the author of 4 books: Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm, and The Unexpected. She also hosts the Parent Data podcast and writes a popular newsletter...

Anxiety, stress, and angst are inevitable as we traverse the wilderness of parenthood. So how do we make sense of it and how do we tame the tension? Caitlin is joined by John Delony, a mental health expert who offers guidance on relationships, anxiety, and wellness. Over the past 20 years, John learned through research, personal experiences, and working with clients that there are six daily choices people have to make to create a non-anxious life. In this episode, John shares his discoveries...

Many of us struggle with the fact that one day our kids will grow up and not need us as much. They will inevitably blaze their own independent lives outside the warm cocoon of our arms. Caitlin welcomes Erin O’Connor to the podcast to discuss secure attachment and why it’s never too late to strengthen the bond we have with our kids. Erin is an academic wiz and a force to be reckoned with in the field of child development. She’s a professor and director of the New York University’s Early...

The dads of the Milkless Podcast, Matt Naylor and Max Valverde, are here to grace the airwaves with this refreshingly honest conversation about fatherhood and how manly it is to take on more responsibilities as a parent. Tune into this dynamic conversation between Caitlin and the dads as they explore topics like masculinity, equity in the home, scorekeeping, mental load, division of labor, and how men can show up more equally in the parenting game.  @milklesspodcast @bigtimeadulting The...

Today on the podcast we welcome actress, television host, author, and mom of two Tiffani Thiessen! After Caitlin shakes off being a little starstruck and Tiffani returns the admiration, they reflect on Tiffani's past as a teen idol and the many ways it impacted her life. They dive into her upbringing and how her family helped her stay humble and grounded amidst the Hollywood hustle. They discuss her love of cooking and how she came to pivot her career towards food. Tiffani recently came out...

There’s no shortage of parenting advice today, and it can often feel overwhelming, causing us to second guess ourselves constantly. Today on the pod, we have clinical psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy, who needs no introduction because she was dubbed the “millennial parenting whisperer” by TIME magazine, and has sparked a parenting revolution. Dr. Becky believes that everything we need is already inside us and she wants to help us move from uncertainty and self-blame to confidence and sturdy...

Even though dads today are taking on more housework and childcare than in past generations, moms typically carry ALL the mental load for the family, a term referring to the cognitive logistics, worry, and decision-making involved in managing a household and family. The mental load can be described as an unending mental checklist that anticipates every need for the family and home. This might include strategizing meals, researching schools and the best eczema cream, remembering to schedule...

Moms with young kids increased their alcohol consumption by nearly 325% during the pandemic according to a study by RTI International. The term "mommy wine culture" is used to describe moms drinking wine as a way to cope with parenting stresses. Caitlin welcomes professional chef, sommelier, and life coach Molly Zemek to the podcast to talk about the connection between parental stress and booze consumption. Molly shares her story of how over-drinking and over-eating led her down a painful...

Perimenopause is top of mind. Hollywood is talking about it. Vaginal creams and supplements are being sold for it. But still, what the hell is going on? As we sail through midlife, how are our fluctuating hormones impacting our bodies and minds and what do we do about it? Dr. Shieva Ghofrany, an OBGYN and insta-glorious expert on all things women’s health, sits down with Caitlin to discuss the predictably unpredictable hormonal shifts of perimenopause. Actual menopause occurs, on average,...

Today on the pod we are doing something a little different. Caitlin was recently a speaker at the MTHR Collective Retreat in Cape Cod with fellow IG sensation Nicki Marie. They sat on a panel to discuss the unique paradox of motherhood: love and rage. In this episode, Nicki and Caitlin reflect on the special weekend, how it felt to meet for the first time in person, and how they experience and view their own anger, rage, frustration, and burnout.   About MTHR Collective: An intersection...

Today, we have the luminous Nicole Sachs, an LCSW, speaker, writer, podcaster, and psychotherapist who has dedicated her work to the treatment of emotional and physical chronic pain. In this episode, Nicole shares her fascinating story of healing her own debilitating back pain through mind/body medicine inspired by Dr. John Sarno who encouraged her to journal about her repressed emotions. Nicole reflects on the watershed moment when she wrote the words, “I hate being a mother,” a proclamation...

We are delighted to welcome author Elise Loehnen to the pod today. Elise is the former chief content officer of GOOP and the host of the podcast Pulling the Thread. She is here to talk about her new book On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good. The seven deadly sins are likely not on your radar, but they are subversively controlling and distorting women’s lives. They are pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, sloth, and anger, all qualities women deny...