Dear Listeners, I have some both exciting and a little bit sad news to share with you in today's episode.  First, the exciting news is that we are expecting our second child due in April.  We are both excited and nervous to be taking this journey all over again.  My daughter will be 4 in February, and I started this podcast over 3 ½ years ago when she was just a couple months old.  It’s truly been a labor of love. Now, for the a little bit sadder news. In an effort to practice what I preach...

Today it was so fun talking to Michelle Beckner! Michelle is a mom of two who is passionate about real food and educating new and expecting moms on how to stay happy and healthy so that they can raise happy and healthy babies. She was working as a chemical engineer and pregnant with my second child when she decided to go back to school to become a certified nutrition coach in 2016. Since then, she's taught courses on starting solids and how to be a Calm Mom. Now, she mainly work with...

Today I SO enjoyed chatting with Rebecca Egbert. Rebecca was a practicing midwife for nearly 10 years and is now the Founder and CEO of The Mother Love, a company building inclusive technology and connected communities to improve women’s health. Often told she has the energy of 7 people, hard work is part of her cellular body. After starting many businesses, she committed deeply to her entrepreneurial and innovative spirit deciding to take a giant leap away from clinical care, into the health...

Today I so enjoyed chatting with Bianca Sprague and Natasha Marchand of bebo mia inc. Bianca is a birth doula and lactation educator and has supported hundreds of families through their pregnancy, birth and postpartum periods. She feels particularly passionate around maintaining the family's relationships and mental wellness. As a queer woman she advocates for inclusive language in the birthing space. She lives in Toronto with her spouse, Alana, and their daughter, Gray. Natasha is a pre...

Today I enjoyed chatting with Carole Kramer Arsenault, RN, IBCLC. Carole has devoted her career to infant and pregnancy care, and worked for many years as a delivery nurse, including at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She founded and runs Boston Baby Nurse, a home health agency offering specialized support to families with babies. She lives outside Boston. In her episode we chat about: ·      Her work as a labor and delivery nurse and how that played a role in her birth and...

Today I so enjoyed chatting with Betsy Schwartz. She is a pioneer and a visionary. She began her career in 1991, working for one of the oldest postpartum doula services in the country. In 1994 she established Tenth Month Doula Services, the first of its kind in South Florida. Betsy is a founding member of the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services, where she served on the Board for two years. Her most recent accomplishment is the creation and publication of Down the Canal – The Game of...

I so enjoyed chatting with Arianna Taboada. Arianna is a maternal health consultant who works with experienced entrepreneurs who are becoming first time mothers, helping them customize their maternity leave plan and return to work. She is deeply committed to providing on-going, multi-faceted support that meets the professional, physical, mental, social, and emotional needs of entrepreneurs as they babyproof their business and navigate new motherhood. Prior to her consulting practice, Arianna...

Apologies friends, it's been radio silence over here!  My plan was to take a break from the podcast during this busy month of August and reset in the Fall starting mid-September. But then I got super sick and was unable to record this minisode to let you all know my plan! I will be back September 12th with a brand new interview episode and I have some fab guests lined up for the fall.  In the meantime, I am running my semi-annual iTunes ratings & review giveaway! Just Leave a Rating...

Today I so enjoyed chatting with Dr. Erica Zelfand. She is a family physician specializing in integrative and functional medicine. After graduating from medical school, completing a midwifery apprenticeship, and finishing a family practice residency, she then completed four additional years of post-doctoral training in pediatrics under the tutelage of Paul Thomas, MD, the author of the acclaimed book The Vaccine-Friendly Plan. She sees patients of all ages in her family practice in Portland,...

    Today I so enjoyed chatting with Kate Turza. Kate is a mom of 3 and postpartum doula. After navigating difficult postpartum periods with each of her children, she realized that there needs to be better support for new moms. She began her postpartum doula training when her youngest was 3 months old, and has been practicing for over 2.5 years now. She moderates an in-person new mom support group in her area, as well as a Facebook group for new moms, she's also created a directory of...

Today was a special day because I got to chat with my best friend from childhood, Emma Shaffer. Emma is a part time marketing consultant as she makes a career change into teaching Elementary School and is a single mom of 1. She, like myself, grew up in Truckee, CA and now lives and works just across the state line in Reno, Nevada. Emma is one of the strongest mothers I know, and I am so fortunate to be able to do this whole parenting thing with her, so I’m so excited to share her story with...

Today it was such a joy to talk to my dear friend Lori O'Donley! Lori is a public affairs specialist for the US Air Force, has a master's degree in communications, served in the Air Force herself for 4 years and is mom to two kids. Lori and I met when we were both starting that master's degree program when she had just had her second baby.  She is someone I will always have to thank for the career path I ended up on because of her encouragement to look into my birthing options when I was...

oday I had so much fun chatting with Lori Jill Isenstadt of the All About Breastfeeding Podcast.  Lori is an internationally board certified lactation consultant and has spent much of her adult life working in the maternal health field. Once she became turned on to birth and became a childbirth educator, there was no stopping her love of working with families during their childbearing years.  Lori became a Birth doula and a Postpartum doula and soon became a lactation consultant.   Lori...

Today I had a wonderful conversation with Samantha Montpetit-Huynh. She is the mother of two beautiful girls, a certified pre and postnatal exercise specialist with over 15 years experience and the co-founder of Bellies Inc., the creators of the AB Tank Complete System, the most comprehensive, holistic system that combines restorative exercises and abdominal wrapping to help women build core confidence from pregnancy through motherhood. In her episode we chat about: The myomectomy she had...

Today I enjoyed chatting with Batya Sherizen, AKA Batya the Baby Coach.  Batya is mom to 5 kids, and a child sleep expert.  She has been helping parents help their babies sleep for over a decade.  She offers one-on-one coaching - no matter where you are in the world! - free trainings and has even created a free gentle guide to baby sleep that you can find here: http://batyathebabycoach.com/postpartumpodcast In her episode we chat about: Parenting 5 children! Living in Israel for most of...

Today I had so much fun chatting with another one of our local Sacramento doulas, and friendBrooke Lonergan of Birthlight Doula . Brooke is a birth and postpartum doula trained through DONA and certified by Heart and Hands. She is also Rebozo certified, a Lactation Consultant Assistant and has doula support training with Hypnobabies. She fell in love with birth and the prospect of being a doula through supporting women in my life who courageously ventured into parenthood. Watching them...

I so enjoyed chatting with Jolie Ankrom, aka @becomingjolie, on today's episode! Jolie is a small business owner of Brim Papery, an online stationery shop that specializes in hand lettered products. She works out of home in Columbus Ohio with her husband and two children. When she's not working, she loves to go out on walks, cook, and thrift. You can follow along with her life on Instagram at @becomingjolie where she discusses food, feminism, family, and feelings. Lots of feelings. In her...

Today I so enjoyed chatting with local midwife, Chelsea Fredlund.  Chelsea is a Licensed Midwife and Certified Professional Midwife at Placerville Midwifery. Her practice offers full-scale midwifery care for women who choose to birth at home, including prenatal visits, home birth, and postpartum visits. She also offers Birthing from Within childbirth education classes for clients and other families planning a natural childbirth in or out of the hospital.  She is mom to one 4 ½ year old girl...

Today I had a great time talking with Jessica Turner of The Mom Creative, author of The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You and creator of the Stretched Too Thin E-Course for Working Moms.  Additionally, she is an an award-winning marketing professional and freelance writer. She has been featured in numerous media outlets including The Today Show, O Magazine, Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens and Inc.com. She and her husband, Matthew live with their three young...

Today was such a great conversation with Kimberly Johnson of Magamama.  I had heard Kimberly speak on another podcast and I loved her shared passion for helping and supporting new moms, so I knew I had to have her on!  Kimberly is a yogini nomad, bodyworker, doula, postpartum women’s health specialist, and single mom to 8 year old, Cecilia. She is the creator of Magamama. Magamama is a community and resource hub for new moms who want natural, empowering solutions to the physical pain and...

Today I had so much fun chatting with one of our local birth workers, Kaelyn.  Kaelyn owns Serene Relaxation and is a birth doula, postpartum doula, lactation educator, massage therapist and more! In her episode we talk about: The benefits of having a birth plan in place - shooting for the stars! The benefits of massage both prenatal and postpartum What does a postpartum doula do? The benefits of massage during labor When infant massage can be done How belly binding can be helpful...

Today I really enjoyed chatting with Ashlee Wells. Ashlee is a Chicago based photographer, feminist and storyteller. Mama of three, including two living super kids with special needs, she is also an advocate for visibility and differing abilities. Ashlee is the founder of the 4th Trimester Bodies Project, owner of Windy City Pin-Up and always excited to share her message of positivity and self-love. We talked about so much in this episode but the highlights were: Navigating the prematurity...

I could not post a regular episode this week without acknowledging the United States Election last week.  Personally, it has left me trying to find what I can do to help more, be of more service, and be more inclusive. My goal with this podcast has always been to support ALL moms, and share ALL moms' stories. By having this platform I want to make sure I include as much diversity of women, mothers and parents as possible. Diversity of birth and postpartum experiences and situations but also...

Today I chatted with Lisa Chin. Lisa is a holistic mama to a happy two year old girl. Motherhood has profoundly changed who she is, how she sees the world and the mark she wants to leave. She seeks to live an inspired life of mothering, writing, and pursuing what calls to be created. When she's not wrangling spreadsheets or her toddler, she can be found writing for her blog, Lisa for Real, where she share her thoughts on fierce femininity, eureka moments and lessons in self-awareness. Her...