Finding Your Village: Recent Episodes
Amanda Gorman
The goal of this podcast is to make the early days of parenting more connected. In show I focus on: birth, postpartum and parent mental health. This podcast is for soon-to-be-parents and parents of babies and toddlers. Each week this show will provide tips and resources to help you take care of yourself and your little ones.
Thank you so much for listening to this episode today. This episode is really just to express my gratitude and provide a conclusion update to everyone. It's a quick one, and I'm here to announce that I've decided to end this season of my life in podcasting. As a result, there will be no new episodes of the Finding Your Village podcast. However, all 137 episodes will remain available for you to listen to anytime as resources.
I just want to take the time to say thank you. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has listened to one episode, all 137 episodes, or anywhere in between. I appreciate you and the opportunity to have recorded these episodes over the past three-plus years. This podcast has been a jumping-off point for me in pivoting my career and helping me settle into parenting. It has been a significant outlet for me to process my experiences as a parent, especially since I launched the podcast in February of 2020 and entered the global pandemic and parenthood the following month. This podcast has been with me through the ups and downs of parenting, the pandemic, and my recovery journey. I'm incredibly grateful for it, but I've come to the conclusion that the time has come for me to end this season.
I also want to say thank you to every single guest who has appeared on this show. The connections I've made through interviewing guests have been phenomenal and way more than I expected. Some guests have become close personal friends, important members of my parenting village and support system, business partners, and more. Some conversations have shaped the next chapter of my life, especially as a parent. I just wanted to express my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to every single guest and listener.
While I feel both sadness and peace with my decision to stop recording new episodes, I'm also excited to move on to the next phase of my development as a birth worker. This podcast was the jumping-off point for me to pivot from my previous corporate job to now working with Postpartum Support International and Birthing from Within. It's now my job to help support parents as they embark on their parenting journey, and I can't express enough how grateful I am for that.
If you'd like to stay in touch and see what I'm up to, I'm not going anywhere—I'm just pivoting where I show up in life and online. You can find me mainly on TikTok at Finding Your Village, as well as on Instagram at Finding Your Village, and on my website at findingyourvillage.com. My contact information is available there, so feel free to email me at amanda@findingyourvillage.com.
To wrap this up, I just want to say thank you one last time. I appreciate you all, and I sincerely hope that you stay healthy, safe, and connected.
Get in touch with me:
- Take the 4 Day Birth Class
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find past episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Sign up for a class here!
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening, in today's episode, I'll be discussing the concept of being a "good enough" parent. This idea might be surprising to some, but it's an essential perspective that can help relieve the pressures and anxieties that often accompany parenthood. So, let's dive in.
The term "good enough parent" was first introduced by British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott in the 1950s. The concept suggests that parents don't need to be perfect; instead, they simply need to provide a loving, nurturing, and safe environment that allows their children to grow and develop into healthy, well-adjusted adults. It's important to recognize that no parent is perfect, and that's okay. All parents make mistakes, and the key is to learn from those mistakes and strive to do better moving forward.
So, what are some practical tips for becoming a "good enough" parent? One of the main aspects is being present and attentive to your child's needs. This means listening to them, empathizing with their feelings, and validating their experiences. Emotional connection is crucial for your child's well-being.
Setting boundaries are also important components of the "good enough" parenting model. Setting boundaries creates a safe and secure environment for your child, helping them understand the consequences of their actions and teaching them important life skills.
In Birthing from Within birth classes we do an exercise about what a good enough parent is. I’ll summarize it and feel free to join in. To start, think about the term “bad parent”, now write down or think of some words associated with what it means for someone considered to be a bad parent. Next, think about the term “good parent”, and write down or think about the words or phrases you associate with what it means to be a good parent. Finally, think about the term “good enough parent” and jot down or think of the phrases that come to mind. Do you find that the phrases associated with being a good enough parent are somewhere in the middle of the first two, perhaps closer linked with being a good parent? Maybe they are a step down from being a good parent. For instance, if you thought of reading to your kids everyday as something associated with being a good parent, perhaps you could think of reading to your kids every other day or every week as a good enough parent alternative.
In conclusion, remember that being a good enough parent is about progress, not perfection. Give yourself grace and be patient with yourself as you navigate the ups and downs of parenthood. Your love, support, and presence are what truly matter to your child. I hope that you found this episode enlightening and that it helps you on your journey towards becoming a "good enough" parent.
Get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a live virtual birth class in April or May
- Take the 4 Day Birth Class
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Sign up for a class here!
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. In today’s episode, I interview Dr. Sam Rader, who is a former psychologist who took what she learned about childhood development, personality, and growth and turned it into a new healing modality called Source Code. Source Code allows us to peel back the curtain on why we are the way we are, and what we can do about it. It helps us understand how our negative patterns get formed during childhood, and shows us that we can let go of our outdated defense mechanisms to reveal more of who we really are--our true essence of joy, ease, and love. We can use Source Code to recode ourselves and to parent our children differently, so that we enjoy happier, healthier, more beautiful lives.
How to follow Dr. Sam:
- Website
- Parenting as Love Course
How to get in touch with me:
- Take the 4 Day Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Prevention Leaders w/ Dave Closson
Prevention is better together.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Sign up for a class here!
Support the show
Today, I’ll be introducing a new preparation method that I have been working on for awhile now! I call it the LEAP Method and it is a four-component system for preparing to have a baby.
I have taught birth classes over the years, created pregnancy and postpartum content and worked with hundreds of birth and parenting professionals and my takeaway from all that work is that there are four main things that parents can do to prepare for the arrival of their new baby.Those four things became the LEAP Method, a four-component system designed to help new parents prepare for the arrival of their baby.
So here is what LEAP stands for. LEAP represents the four things that all parents can focus on to prepare to bring home a new baby. L stands for Learning, E is for Emotional awareness, A is for Administrative tasks, and P is for products:
- Learning:
- Importance of acquiring knowledge and skills for baby care, postpartum self-care, and coping strategies
- Adapting the learning process to suit individual family needs
- Emotional Awareness:
- Recognizing and navigating the emotional challenges of new parenthood, including hormonal changes and mood swings
- Importance of understanding perinatal mood disorders for both parents
- Resources available to help cope with these emotions
- Administrative Tasks:
- Planning for and completing necessary tasks before and after the baby's arrival, such as doctor's appointments, maternity/paternity leave, and finding a pediatrician
- Importance of staying organized for a smooth transition into parenthood
- Products:
- Identifying essential products and services for new parents, including physical, digital, and service-related products
- Balancing priorities and budget while choosing products
- The role of professionals such as doulas, lactation consultants, and postpartum doulas in your support system
Links mentioned:
- Get the Confident New Parent Class!
- Click here to take the 1 minute podcast survey
- Contact form
Get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a live virtual birth class in April or May
- Take the 4 Day Birth Class
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Sign up for a class here!
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about play therapy, a treatment modality for children experiencing emotional, behavioral, or adjustment issues. We discuss the benefits of play therapy, how to find a play therapist, and when it might be appropriate for your child. Our guest is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Doctor of Educational Psychology (EDD), Lindsey Epstein Webster. Lindsey is a therapist who has been in practice now for 12 years. She specializes in working with children and families and has been trained in attachment based non-directive play therapy. She is also the parent to a beautiful 5 year old little girl. Prior to the pandemic Lindsey did play therapy in office and now predominantly works with parents on offering dyadic strategies to help improve their children's ability to identify and express emotions and improve overall behavior in both the home and academic setting.
In this episode we discussed:
- Definition and explanation of play therapy
- First session expectations for parents and children
- Age recommendations for beginning play therapy
- Explanation of various terms: non-directive play therapy, dyadic therapy, and adjustment disorder
- Duration of play therapy for children
- Signs that a child might benefit from play therapy
- The role of parents in the play therapy process
- Finding a play therapist
- Challenges of play therapy during the pandemic and alternative options
- Importance of play therapy techniques for parenting
Key Points:
- Play therapy is a primary modality for treating emotional, behavioral, and adjustment issues in nonverbal to early elementary age children.
- Non-directive play therapy allows the child to guide the session while the therapist observes and interprets their play.
- Dyadic therapy involves the parent and child working together with the therapist.
- Adjustment disorder is a general diagnosis used when a change in a child's life is causing emotional or behavioral problems.
- The length of play therapy can vary depending on the child's needs and external factors.
- Parents can find play therapists through the National Association for Registered Play Therapists, insurance providers, or word of mouth.
- Play therapy techniques can be beneficial for both the child and parent in navigating emotional challenges.
How to follow Lindsey:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Take the 4 Day Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Sign up for a class here!
Support the show
In episode 128, we talked about the phases and stages of labor and we mainly focused on the mother’s experience. In today’s episode, we are going to focus more on the baby’s experience and what gets labor going.
In this episode we discuss:
- What Starts Labor:
- The uterus goes through hormonal and physical changes to prepare for labor and delivery.
- The baby's maturing organs produce surfactant, which sends signals to start labor.
- Oxytocin hormone causes uterine contractions that lead to cervical dilation and birth.
- Baby's Experience During Labor:
- The baby is gently pushed down into the pelvis and moves through the birth canal.
- The baby's head may mold and change shape to fit through the narrow opening of the pelvis.
- Hormones produced by the mother's body can provide natural pain relief and promote bonding.
- After birth, the baby takes its first breath, may cry, and is often placed skin-to-skin with the mother.
- Click here to take the 1 minute survey to give me feedback on what topics you'd like to hear in future episodes
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Sign up for a class here!
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. Today I am talking to Heidi Mills about what we have been noticing on social media in the birth world. There is a lot of division between doulas and OBGYNs and/or clinicians and non-clinicians over spreading misinformation on social media. Heidi and talk about what we have noticed and how it can impact pregnant people.
Heidi Mills is a Certified Birth Doula, owner of Bloc Births LLC, and content creator at the handle "whatadoulado". As a hospital-based doula, she has had the opportunity to support a wide range of births, from unmedicated deliveries to planned c-sections. Heidi is passionate about expanding doula care to be accessible to all birth experiences, so every family can have the support they need during this pivotal experience.
In this episode, we discuss the growing division between the more holistic, natural-focused world of doulas and alternative practitioners and the more medically-centered care providers. The episode emphasizes the importance of collaboration between medical professionals and doulas to lead to the best possible outcomes for parents and their babies.
We discussed:
- The growing division between the holistic and medical approach to pregnancy and birth
- The role of social media in perpetuating this division
- The importance of vetting sources on social media and seeking balanced and collaborative care
- Avoiding divisive language and focusing on helping pregnant individuals
- Being mindful of raw emotions when creating content for social media and taking a step back to process them properly
- Understanding the intentions of content creators on social media and using the "not interested" button or blocking them if necessary
- The role of doulas in providing physical, emotional, and informational support during childbirth and the importance of never making absolute statements
- The need to focus on building skills to provide better support to pregnant individuals.
How to follow Heidi:
- TikTok
How to get in touch with me:
- Take the 4 Day Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Prevention Leaders w/ Dave Closson
Prevention is better together.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Sign up for a class here!
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. Today I have invited a friend back to talk about why gentle parenting is so hard. Marisa Hughes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Reparenting and Parenting Coach and mom of 2. She specializes in trauma therapy and is certified in perinatal mental health. Marisa is passionate about helping moms reparent themselves so they can break generational cycles and parent their children with authenticity and intention.
How to get in touch with Marisa:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Take the 4 Day Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Prevention Leaders w/ Dave Closson
Prevention is better together.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Sign up for a class here!
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about the transformation that happens when you become a parent and how that can impact your decision making abilities. Our guest to discuss this is Marin Laukka.
Marin Laukka is a decision coach and speaker with a Master's Degree in positive developmental psychology and certifications in budget coaching, life coaching, and yoga. As the business owner of Yes&, Marin passionately supports women with 1:1 and group coaching programs to overcome exhausting patterns of perfectionism and self-doubt so they can make confident decisions that lead to authentic meaning and freedom for their life. Over 276 clients and audiences around the United States have applied Marin’s coaching to end procrastination, overthinking, indecision, and regret so they can clarify what they want, strengthen self-trust, and experience true happiness.
Marin is also the #1 New Release author of Ready Enough: Your 7-Step Guide for Life's Hardest Decisions. For an introduction to her work, preview chapter 1 for free at www.yesandbymarin.com/readyenough.
How to get in touch with Marin:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Take the 4 Day Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Prevention Leaders w/ Dave Closson
Prevention is better together.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Sign up for a class here!
Support the show
In today’s episode, we are talking about the phases and stages of labor.
What do I mean by phases and stages? There are four main stages of labor, these are the big catagories. Then within the first STAGE of labor, there are 3 phases within that.
So I’ll start with an overview of the four main stages, then I’ll go into detail for each one.
- The first stage of labor is what most people think of when they of a person being in labor. It’s when a birthing person’s cervix dilates to 10 centimeters.
- The second stage of labor is the pushing phase.
- The third stage of labor is the delivery of the placenta, or what I call the most forgotten part of labor.
- The fourth and final stage of labor is called involution. This is when the uterus contracts back down to its pre-pregnancy size and this is the longest stage of labor as it takes about 6 weeks.
- Three phases of the first stage of labor:
- Phase 1: early labor
- Phase 2: active labor
- Phase 3: transition
Here is the Four Day Birth Class I talked about in the episode
How to get in touch with me:
- Take the 4 Day Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
For 20% off your first Mommy Makeup order use the code: FindingYourVillage
or use the link: mommymakeup.com/findingyourvillage
Support the show
In today’s short episode, we are kicking off season 6 of the podcast.
I am planning on getting more intentional about the podcast moving forward and trying to align my content into more of a topic based focus.
One thing I am thinking of incorporating is sharing birth stories. If this is something that interests you, I would love to hear from you. I have created a 60 second survey to go along with this episode, and it will be available in the show notes of this episode and on my website. If you like the idea of hearing birth stories on the podcast or if you would like to share your birth story on the show, please click the link below and take 1 minute to fill out the survey letting me know if you would like to hear birth stories and whether or not you would like to share yours!
Click here to take the 1 minute survey!
Another thing I am considering adding to the podcast episode repertoire is guided meditations for birth and postpartum. If that is something that interests you as well, please let me know in that survey.
I really love hearing from you. Its challenging to do that with podcasts because they are so disparate in how people listen to them, unlike social media where I can say “leave a comment” so I would absolutely love to hear from you in the survey. I will leave an area in it too for open input on topics that you’d like to hear about.
What I have in store for this season is:
- Understanding where we learn about birth at a young age and how that impacts us in preparing to give birth to our own babies in adulthood
- What starts labor, what our body is doing during the process and what baby’s experience is like
- Fetal positioning and physiology
- Pain coping practices and relaxation techniques during labor
- The phases and stages of labor
- All about pushing and all about cesarean births
- A partners role during labor and birth
- What happens right after baby is born
- How to advocate for yourself and baby
- Lots of postpartum topics, like getting into a routine with baby, caring for yourself in the days after delivery, newborn care and making a postpartum plan
I am also going to change up this season by having a mix of both solo episodes and guest episodes annnnd I am hoping to hear some of you on here too share your birth stories!
I’m looking forward to this season and for making this change that is more aligned with my overall vision for finding your village. Thank you so much for listening and if you have one minute to take the survey, it would help me out a lot. Thank you!
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
For 20% off your first Mommy Makeup order use the code: FindingYourVillage
or use the link: mommymakeup.com/findingyourvillage
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about communication between couples in the early days of parenting. Our guests to talk about this are Meagan and Jeremiah Conley. They are married with three kids and host a podcast, called The Minivan Years, that focuses on improving family relationships.
This will be the last episode of Season 6! We are taking a short break for the holidays and will kick off Season 7 in early January. Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
In this episode we discussed:
- The Conley’s background and history of their communication as a couple
- The difficulty of communication when you have babies and toddlers
- The difference between having a baby in your early twenties and early thirties
- Episode 7 of the Minivan Years
- The Conley’s tips and communication advice for new parents
How to get in touch with Meagan and Jeremiah:
- Podcast
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
For 20% off your first Mommy Makeup order use the code: FindingYourVillage
or use the link: mommymakeup.com/findingyourvillage
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about baby wearing and our guest is Carly Flemming, who is one of the founders of the Fourth Trimester Foundations. They are registered nurses who found their passion working in the postpartum & newborn speciality. They met working at work and identified that most of their patients, especially the first time moms, were completely uninformed about what would happen to their own healing bodies after birth. They decided to change that narrative together by founding Fourth Trimester Foundations.
They’re also moms of many littles, so they’ve been right there on the other side of the bed too! (They’ve got 5 children between them) They know the transition to motherhood, even if it’s not your first baby, is beautiful, messy, transformative, and full of growing pains.
In this episode we discussed:
- Baby wearing 101
- Safety
- Types of carriers
- Video of Carly putting on a carrier
How to get in touch with Carly
- Website
- TikTok
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
For 20% off your first Mommy Makeup order use the code: FindingYourVillage
or use the link: mommymakeup.com/findingyourvillage
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about alternatives to screen time for toddlers and preschoolers. Our guest to talk about this today is Bradley Morris. Bradley is the founder of Majik Kids (alongside his son, Sauryn). His mission is to raise the Spiritometer on Planet Earth by spreading joy to the world via Majik Kids' magical audio stories, illustrated books, imagination meditations & music (the first ever Fair Trade Publishing company). To date, Bradley has written and published 12 children's books and incredible audio stories . As a homeschooling dad, he believes in fostering imagination, creativity & curiosity in kids, so they grow up to be empowered, confident, caring grown-ups. For fun, he plays professional golf.
In this episode we discussed:
- Screen time recommendations
- Alternative options for screen time
- Audio stories and activities for kids to spark their imagination and creativity
How to get in touch with Bradley:
- Website
- Blog
- Spotify
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Visit AeroflowBreastpumps.com/FindingYourVillage to view your insurance eligibility today!
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. Today we are talking about healing trauma with Holographic Memory Resolution. Our guest to discuss this is Lenora Edwards, who was on the show a couple weeks ago. Our guest to talk about this Lenora Edwards and she is an ASHA Board Certified Speech Language Pathologist
Resources for healing trauma:
- Holographic Memory Resolution
- EMDR
- Books mentioned in the episode
- The Body Keeps the Score
- Waking the Tiger
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Visit AeroflowBreastpumps.com/FindingYourVillage to view your insurance eligibility today!
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. Our guest today is Lou-Ann Wattley Belk. As the creator of Well Worth Watering, Lou-Ann's goal is to empower parents with soulfully-curated childbirth education classes and postpartum services that honor each unique birth journey. At the core of Well Worth Watering’s mission is the belief that the birthing year offers seeds of self-discovery that bloom for the rest of our parenting lives. She also believes in creating space for the telling and holding of powerful stories, specifically those of black birthing people as heard on her podcast.
How to follow Lou-Ann:
- Website
- Podcast
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Visit AeroflowBreastpumps.com/FindingYourVillage to view your insurance eligibility today!
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about making speech therapy more affordable and accessible. Our guest to talk about this Lenora Edwards and she is an ASHA Board Certified Speech Language Pathologist working with Better Speech. She works with individuals of all ages from little toddlers and children who are learning to understand and express themselves.
In this episode we discuss:
- What speech pathology is and what a speech pathologist does
- Why early intervention is so important
- Guidelines on screen time for toddlers
- How Better Speech makes speech therapy more affordable and accessible
How to follow Lenora:
- Website
- YouTube
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about why it is so important to vote in the midterm elections in the US, and how you can do it even if you are a postpartum mom. Our guest to talk about this is Emily Tisch Sussman is a podcast host, women’s empowerment and family policy advocate, leading democratic political strategist, contributor to Marie Claire and Parents, and mother of three. She has made over 250 appearances on MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, HLN, and CBS. Season 2 of her podcast She Pivots is set to release in Spring of 2023.
In this episode we discuss:
- Emily’s story of having 3 kids, close together and how it impacted her career as a political strategist
- Why it is so important to vote in this midterm election
- The decisions about women’s healthcare that are on the ballot
- How difficult it is for a parent, especially a mom, to vote while they are postpartum or have little kids
- Resources to help you get out and vote:
- Vote.org
- Swingleft.org
- Runforsomething.net
- Emilyslist.org
How to follow Emily:
- She Pivots the Podcast
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
Support the showThank you to Nastéri Baby Gear for being a sponsor of the podcast!!
Support those who support the show by grabbing their Portable Diaper Changing Pad!
Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about a lesser discussed topic, which is Postpartum Psychosis. Our guest to discuss this is Megan MacCutcheon. Megan is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Perinatal Mental Health practitioner who helps overwhelmed moms find a sense of balance while raising young children. As a busy mom of three, Megan knows that motherhood is a juggling act. She loves teaching tools and strategies to help moms de-stress and embrace self-care so they can better navigate challenges associated with parenting.
She is passionate about spreading awareness regarding the various and very common perinatal mood and anxiety disorders women can experience, and enjoys supporting moms through healing and finding fulfillment in their journeys. She is the co-founder of Perinatal Place, a resource to help women in her community get access to all the resources they may need during pregnancy and postpartum.
In this episode we discuss:
- What Postpartum/Perinatal Psychosis is
- How it differs from Postpartum OCD
- Resources that are available for help and support
- Megan’s blog about the topic
- Megan’s training video
How to get in touch with Megan:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
Support the showThank you to Nastéri Baby Gear for being a sponsor of the podcast!!
Support those who support the show by grabbing their Portable Diaper Changing Pad!
We are replaying one of my favorite episodes this week...my interview with Dr. Christy Matusiak discussing one of my favorite topics!
In the episode today we are talking about approaching postpartum from a natural and holistic perspective. Dr. Christy Matusiak is a holistically-driven chiropractic physician practicing in Wilmette, IL. She is writing a book, to be published by July 2021. This is for the newly postpartum mother, struggling with finding herself and gaining the mental clarity to be present for her growing family.
In this episode we discuss:
Christy’s background
- How Christy got started in her field
- What muscle testing is
The importance of prioritizing yourself along with your family
The seven best “doctors” you can implement today to support your health:
- Sunlight
- Fresh Air
- Diet
- Exercise
- Water
- Sleep
- Joy
Make a “Wellness Toolbox”
- Write down a list of things that you enjoy doing or that bring you joy
- Divide this list by time and by things that you can do by yourself or with others
- This creates a “cheat sheet” for you to go to whenever you have a few minutes (or hours!) to yourself
Hormones:
- "Normal" vs "Common"
- PMS, PPD, Anxiety...etc.
- Placenta encapsulation
Neuro-Emotional Technique:
- Helps with overcoming stress and limiting beliefs
- Organ-emotion-muscle relationships
- We all need support sometimes
How to get in touch with Christy:
- YouTube: Dr. Christy Cares
- Email: christymatusiak@gmail.com
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
iMOM Podcast
If you need a mom friend right now, you’ve come to the right place.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be listening to Angela’s story about her journey to motherhood and how she found her village.
Angela is the founder and lead doula of Simply Potomac Postpartum, a company that utilizes a holistic wellness approach to all things postpartum. She strives to help mamas and their families function in harmony. With over 15 years of experience in the perinatal field, Angela created this company and its all-encompassing services to fill in the gaps and meet the needs of mamas with children of all ages. She believes that it is never too early and never too late to start building your village... You deserve it! Angela is on a mission to help empower mamas to take charge and prepare for their unique postpartum journey.
How to get in touch with Angela:
- www.simplypotomacpostpartum.com
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
iMOM Podcast
If you need a mom friend right now, you’ve come to the right place.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
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Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about using a Mother’s Helper as a childcare alternative to a babysitter. Here to talk about this with me is Taran Conwell. Taran is a mom of 3 and she has utilized the help of a Mother’s Helper with her kids as an affordable childcare solution. She also hosts a podcast and writes a blog called the Undomestic Mom and she is on a mission to dismantle the watered-down version of self-care in today's motherhood. She takes millennial moms from survival to thrival mode by teaching them to expect more and do less. She helps them create and implement their own restorative self-care routines and find fulfillment outside of motherhood.
In this episode we discuss:
- Taran’s journey on becoming a mom of 3 and how getting help was essential to her thrival
- What is a Mother’s Helper?
- Why a mother's helper is an affordable solution bringing back some sanity into your life
- They are a lot more budget-friendly than you think
- How to find a Mother’s Helper
How to get in touch with Taran
- Website
- Podcast
- Cheatsheet
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
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Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about Nourishing Your Postpartum Body with Herbs. Our guest to discuss this is Sara Marie Miller. Sara is a postpartum doula, clinical herbalist, nutritionist., artist and podcast host of Thyme in the Studio. She is passionate about supporting womb wellness and focuses on boosting perinatal wellness with nourishment, rest, creativity and self-compassion. She is also an overnight doula and baby whisperer and is great at helping newborns learn to sleep better.
In this episode we discuss:
- Sara’s background and how she got into herbalism
- Helpful foods and spices to incorporate into your postpartum diet
- How postpartum can impact your nervous system
- Some herbs and adaptogens that are helpful for postpartum people
- Shatavari
- Red raspberry leaf
- Motherwort
- Chamomile
- Oat Straw
- Seaweed
- Make some herbal sprinkles!
- Recommendations on where to buy quality herbs
How to get in touch with Sara:
- Website
- Podcast
- Making Food Your Medicine Course!
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
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Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about intrusive thoughts, particularly during postpartum. Our guest to discuss this is Megan MacCutcheon. Megan is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Perinatal Mental Health practitioner who helps overwhelmed moms find a sense of balance while raising young children. As a busy mom of three, Megan knows that motherhood is a juggling act. She loves teaching tools and strategies to help moms de-stress and embrace self-care so they can better navigate challenges associated with parenting.
She is passionate about spreading awareness regarding the various and very common perinatal mood and anxiety disorders women can experience, and enjoys supporting moms through healing and finding fulfillment in their journeys. She is the co-founder of Perinatal Place, a resource to help women in her community get access to all the resources they may need during pregnancy and postpartum.
In this episode we discuss:
- Postpartum Anxiety and Depression
- What intrusive thoughts are
- What you can do when you experience intrusive thoughts
- What Postpartum Psychosis is and how it differs from PPA and intrusive thoughts
- Resources that are available for help and support
How to get in touch with Megan:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Molly Whiskers and the Blue Tentacle
A hilarious, big-hearted comedy caper for kids of all ages.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
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Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about finding time for creativity during the early days of parenting. This is really important, especially for those parents who are entrepreneurs or who work in fields where creativity is necessary. My guest to talk about this is Jeff Fajans, who is a creative performance & leadership coach who works with creators, entrepreneurs, and business owners to help them bring their biggest ideas to life and become better leaders. Jeff is also an avid music creator & guitar player - creating a new style of “Beastie Boys for Babies” kids music that captures the authentic, wild ride of parents and their little kids experiencing the world together.
In this episode we discuss:
- What “Beastie Boys for Babies” is
- The importance of creativity
- How to be deliberate with scheduling time for creativity
- Why it is important to schedule time for creativity even though it seems counterintuitive
- Our kids watch us and notice when we spend us time on things that light us up
How to get in touch with Jeff:
- Website
- Music on Spotify
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Click here to see the Soothic Sitz Bath!
Use code: FYVILLAGE10 for 10% off!
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Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about how to make birth better in our culture. Our guest to talk about this is a fellow Birthing From Within educator, Marissa Mignone. Marissa is also a Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, and Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga Instructor in the Truckee/Lake Tahoe, CA area
In this episode we discuss:
- How impactful a birth experience can be on someone
- What isn’t working in birth in our culture today
- What is working
- What might make things better
How to get in touch with Marissa:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Click here to see the Soothic Sitz Bath!
Use code: FYVILLAGE10 for 10% off!
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Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about the validity of all birth stories and the importance of talking about and sharing birth stories. Katharina describes herself as a writer of individual birth stories: her mantra is that every story is worth to be told. Every mom should have a safe space to talk about everything that happened -- from orgasmic to traumatic birth experiences. And every mom should have the option to have her story written down as a story of trust, love, and compassion.
In this episode we discuss:
- The importance of sharing birth stories
- Why it is important and gratifying to tell your birth story to someone
- Katharina’s process of writing individual birth stories for families
- The power of processing your birth story
How to get in touch with Katharina:
- Blog
- Birth Story Offer
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Click here to see the Soothic Sitz Bath!
Use code: FYVILLAGE10 for 10% off!
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Thank you so much for listening. In today’s show we are going to be talking about teaching toddlers emotional intelligence. Our guest Alyssa Blask, is an emotional development expert with a master’s degree in early education. She is also the founder and CEO of Seed & Sew, an organization committed to giving parents, teachers and caregivers the tools to raise emotionally intelligent humans.
In this episode we discuss:
- What emotional intelligence is
- How you can introduce it to kids (and improve upon it yourself)
- What the CEP Method is (Collaborative Emotion Processing method)
- How early can you start introducing these concepts
How to get in touch with Alyssa:
- Links to Free downloads, workshops and courses
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Click here to see the Soothic Sitz Bath!
Use code: FYVILLAGE10 for 10% off!
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Thank you so much for listening, in this episode we discuss setting compassionate boundaries in the early days of parenting. My guests for this episode are Tina Hallock and Serena Ward. They are both mothers and together they host the No Need to Explain podcast and they call themselves the Mental Health Mamas.
Setting boundaries is such an important topic, so I really think this episode will have a lot to offer many people. Thank you for listening.
In today’s episode we are discussed:
- What compassion resilience is
- What compassion fatigue is
- How to set compassionate boundaries
- Why boundaries are so important
- Our favorite Brene Brown books :)
How to get in touch with Tina and Serena:
- No Need to Explain podcast
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Click here to see the Soothic Sitz Bath!
Use code: FYVILLAGE10 for 10% off!
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening, in this episode we discuss setting expectations with your partner when you have a newborn. And I had the pleasure of speaking with Damon and KaToya Sumner about this topic. They describe themselves as, “a couple who’ve been married for fourteen years who desire to laugh and share our experiences with others. Their aim is to empower marrieds to enjoy marriage one convo at a time!”
In today’s episode we are discussed:
- Setting expectations in your relationship when expecting a new baby
- Intentionally working on your relationship when you have an infant
- Tactics that parents can take to “fight for each other” during the often stressful season of becoming new parents
- Handling moments when you disagree on how to parent in a specific situation
- What to do when you reach an impasse with your partner
- reminding each other than you’re on the same team when you are in conflict
- Take a pause
- Listening to each other and letting the other person know that you hear them
- Giving yourself grace and a break
How to get in touch with Damon and KaToya:
- Podcast
How to get in touch with me:
- NEW: $29 Birth Class
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Click here to see the Soothic Sitz Bath!
Use code: FYVILLAGE10 for 10% off!
Support the show
Welcome to Season 5 of the Finding Your Village podcast!
Thank you so much for listening, in today’s episode we are discussing how a difficult birth can impact breastfeeding and my guest to talk about this is Katie James. Katie James is a registered Midwife and Lactation consultant. She has worked for the last 20+ years in clinical practice and education in the UK, Australia, and of course now virtually all over the globe, supporting women through pregnancy and postpartum. Her passion lies in education, whether of women, their families, or student midwives and birth workers. Her specialty lies in the field of lactation and the postpartum period, as well as supporting young teenage pregnant women, women with alcohol , drug, and/or mental health issues during pregnancy. She currently produces and hosts the podcast The Midwives Cauldron with her co-host and old friend Dr Rachel Reed.
In today’s episode we are discussed:
- How difficult or traumatic births may impact breastfeeding
- Triple feeding
- If you are experiencing any issues with breastfeeding, please seek out a lactation consultant
- “Put the baby in the kitchen” - Skin to skin contact is so important for newborns!
How to get in touch with Katie:
- The Midwife’s Cauldron Podcast
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Habit Masters
Take daily steps toward your biggest dreams by mastering the art of building habits.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
The Zen (ish) Mommy
Educate Empower Laugh ConnectA place where moms can slow down, be authentic, and take...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
Support the show
I am taking a break for 2 weeks and I will be back with Season 5 on July 10
Please take good care of yourself and be safe.
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
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Thank you so much for listening to today’s show and Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there. Today’s episode is very special to me personally, we are going to be talking about the international event that Postpartum Support International runs each year called Climb out of the Darkness. The event is happening all over the world and in most states, including Georgia, this coming Saturday, June 25th 2022. To talk about this event and the Georgia Chapter of PSI, I have invited my friend and fellow board member, Shontel Cargill to come on as a guest. Shontel is the President of PSI-GA, a therapist specializing in perinatal mental health and the Regional Clinic Director, Thriveworks. Shontel has a lifelong commitment of being a catalyst for change in maternal mental health as a survivor, advocate, and perinatal mental health professional.
In this episode, we discuss:
- PSI-GA
- The Climb Out of the Darkness event
- Common types of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADS)
- like Postpartum Depression
- and less common types like Postpartum PTSD or Prenatal Depression
- Resources that are available to parents through PSI
- How to donate to PSI-GA
- Help for Dads
How to follow Shontel and PSI-GA:
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening to today's episode, we are talking about what it is like to give birth in a free standing birth center. I interviewed Vanessa Treaster, a midwife at the Atlanta Birth Center. Vanessa is a mom of two in addition to being a midwife. I had my second baby at the Atlanta Birth Center, which I have talked about a lot in previous episodes. In this episode, Vanessa talks about how free standing birth centers differ from hospital maternity units and I add a little bit about my experience as a patient at a birth center. I hope you enjoy the episode!
In this episode we discuss:
- Wwhat is the typical prenatal appointment structure like at a birth center
- How is this different from a typical OBGYN
- group classes
- nutrition review
- What typically happens when a birthing person goes into labor
- Wwho is typically in attendance at the birth
- How are birth center births different than hospital births
- Why Vanessa loves being a birth center midwife
Where to find Vanessa:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
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In today’s episode, we are discussing what it means to discipline your toddler and how young you can start. My guest to talk about this is Ann Kaplan, who is a mom of 4, a parent coach and she has a unique holistic approach to parent work that includes emotional support, home management skills AND effective discipline that empowers children while improving behavior.
In this episode we discuss:
- What is discipline exactly?
- When can you start this with toddlers
How to get in touch with Ann:
- Website
- Getting Kids to Listen The First Time
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Use code: FYVPODCAST to save 15% on the Postpartum course at www.pregnancytopreschool.net
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In today’s episode, we are discussing being mentally healthy as a new parent. My guest to talk about this is Dr. John Delony, who is a mental health expert with two PhDs in Counselor Education and Supervision, and Higher Education Administration from Texas Tech University. Prior to joining Ramsey Solutions in 2020, John worked as a senior leader, professor and researcher at multiple universities. He also spent two decades in crisis response, walking with people through severe trauma. Now as a Ramsey Personality, he teaches on relationships and emotional wellness.
In this episode we discuss:
- The importance of community
- Processing your experiences in life and then taking the next right step
- Where and how to find people to include in your community during the early days of parenting
Where to find John
- Website
- YouTube
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening to today's episode, we are going to be talking about how to set yourself up for success when preparing to breastfeed, especially in light of the current formula shortage. Now, this episode is geared towards people who want to breastfeed, have the ability to and have a desire to. And I'm holding space for all of the moms out there that cannot breastfeed or choose not to breastfeed and are going to be relying on formula. This episode is not to make you feel like you should be breastfeeding. So, I just wanted to be very, very clear about that. This is really just to help those moms that are expecting right now that are thinking I wanted to breastfeed before and now the pressure is on what if it doesn't go well? Here are some tips and resources to help support you in your breastfeeding and postpartum journey. And my guest today talking about this subject with me is Melissa Wirt. She is a mom of six She is also the founder of Latched Mama which is a company that makes clothing for nursing parents. I hope you enjoy the episode!
In this episode we discuss:
- We have a formula shortage in a country that is already not set up to support new parents
- Tips for moms preparing to breastfeed:
- Advocate for yourself
- Find resources
- Take a breastfeeding class while you are pregnant
- Make a list of potential lactation consultants who can help you, here are some places to find one:
- https://uslca.org/resources/find-an-ibclc/
- https://lactationnetwork.com/
- https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/bfhelp-find/
- https://nestcollaborative.com/breastfeeding-support
- https://www.llli.org/get-help/
- When you have your baby, keep these things in mind:
- Baby’s tummy is tiny
- They need to feed often, but in small amounts
- Breastfeeding is supply and demand, the more you stimulate the breast and empty the breast, the more milk you create
- Bring them to the breast at least 8 times per day in a 24 hour period, 12 times is ideal
- Do skin-to-skin with your baby as much as possible for at leas the first 6 weeks of baby’s life
- Keep in mind that this season when baby is feeding around the clock and when it is difficult…it is temporary, it won’t always be like this
- Keep in mind that you are doing a great job, whatever you choose! Nothing is black or white, you can change your mind at anytime and you don’t need to be a perfect parent, but instead be a good enough parent
Where to find Melissa:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening, in today’s episode we are going to be talking about when to start saving for college.
Brad Baldridge is a financial expert, College Funding Specialist and host of the Taming the High Cost of College podcast who has helped thousands of families plan and save for college with smart and proven strategies to save time, money and stress.
In this episode we discuss:
- when new parents should start putting money aside for their child’s education
- the tactics that parents can take to do this
- how higher education is changing
- the shifts we may see in the future when the next generation becomes college aged.
How to get in touch with Brad
- Podcast
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Support the show
Episode 100!! Happy Mother’s Day and Introducing Solids to Baby: Interview with Madison Holden
Thank you so much for listening to this very special episode today. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there and to all of the moms-to-be. I hope you have a wonderful day where you feel honored and recognized for all that you do. Today’s episode is extra special because this is the 100th episode of the Finding Your Village podcast. It is hard to believe that I have created 100 episodes of this podcast and that people listen to the show and keep showing up 100 episodes in! Thank you to everyone who has listened to one episode or all 100. I appreciate you so much and you are the reason why I show up every week.
To commemorate the 100th episode of my podcast and as a Mother’s Day gift to all of the expecting moms out there, I am offering $5 birth classes this week. They will be live on Facebook and I will do one class starting tomorrow, Monday, May 9th at 12 noon EST and then there will be another class at the same time on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Each class will focus on a different aspect of labor and birth preparation. You can take just one of the classes individually for $5 or take all four for $20. To sign up, grab the link in the shownotes of this episode, which will route you to Facebook to register and pay for each class individually there. I hope to see you there this week!
Register for the $5 Birth Classes here!
In today’s episode we are talking about introducing solids to baby and our guest is Madison Holden, who is a pediatric nurse and certified postpartum and baby nutritionist , and a mom of two. Her goal is to empower and provide knowledge to new moms to help nourish and replenish themselves after labor. So this episode is going to focus on doing just that.
In the episode we discuss:
- When to introduce solids to baby
- What is more important than baby’s age is readiness signs
- What the readiness signs are!
- Using nutrient dense food that are gentle on the digestive system
- What kinds of food and texture to introduce to baby
- Following baby’s cue
- Add spices (not too spicy or salty!) to your baby’s mood
How to get in touch with Madison:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Register for the $5 Birth Classes here!
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Support the show
In this week's episode we are talking about how to prepare your toddler for the arrival of a new baby sibling. Our guest to talk about this is Devon Kuntzman. Devon is the original toddler parenting coach and the founder of Transforming Toddlerhood. As a toddler expert, she is on a mission to transform the myth that toddlerhood is terrible. Devon empowers toddler parents to overcome the challenges of toddlerhood, nurture development and create confidence in their skills by being the Loving Leader & GuideTM through using positive, respectful and developmentally appropriate parenting tools. As a result, parents are able to transform their parenting, their toddler’s behavior and their overall experience of toddlerhood creating a foundation for a relationship that lasts a lifetime with their child. Devon has supported thousands of parents and caregivers across the world to transform their parenting and their toddler’s behavior. She holds a degree in psychology and child development and is an ICF certified coach. When she isn’t working with parents and toddlers, Devon can be found on her yoga mat, riding her bicycle or drinking kombucha (not all at the same time!)
In this episode we discuss:
- how to prepare your toddler for the arrival of baby
- introducing your older child to the new baby
- Common traps that parents fall into during this transition
- How to reframe negative toddler behavior
How to get in touch with Devon:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Support the show
I am doing a podcast swap in today’s episode. Laura Froyen and I sat down and talked about the things that don’t get talked about enough regarding perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. This episode is going to air both here and on Laura’s show, The Balanced Parent podcast.
Dr. Laura Froyen has her PhD in Human Development and Family Studies with a specialization in Couple and Family Therapy. Laura combines trauma-informed practices with the latest in child development research to help families find more peace, calm, & connection. She teaches conscious parenting & communication with heaping doses of grace and compassion through her podcast, The Balanced Parent, & her courses and programs.
In this episode we discuss:
- Rage as a symptom of a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder.
- What parents can do outside of therapy for their mental health
- The occurrence of Dad’s and partners getting postpartum depression and that their mental health struggles are often not focused on
- Find a Postpartum Support International Support Group here
- Check out Self-Compassion.org
- Book recommendation: Man Enough
How to get in touch with Laura:
- The Balanced Parent podcast
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Support the show
In today’s episode we are discussing birth photography! Our guest today is Linnéa Geiger. She describes herself as an emotional storyteller rather than a photographer. She captured the real moments of connection, love, joy and sweetness within families.
In the episode we discuss:
- What a birth photographer does
- What to look for in a birth photographer
- The importance of asking for consent, especially within a birth space
- How people process their birth stories
- Linnéa and I also share things we took away from the births of our children
How to get in touch with Linnéa:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Support the show
Hello, thank you for listening to this episode of the Finding Your Village Podcast. My name is Amanda Gorman and I’m your host. My goal for this show is to make the early days of parenting more connected and my mission in life is to help parents who are pregnant or postpartum find their parenting village. I am also a mom and understand how important this is.
Today’s episode is sponsored by the Pregnancy to Preschool Postpartum Class. I teamed up with my friend, Amanda Israel, to create this class because we know that the first few weeks after birth can be especially overwhelming as you adjust to caring for your new bundle of joy. Our Postpartum Course is designed to help you navigate this period, providing essential information and support so that you can take care of yourself and your baby.
You'll learn about topics like breastfeeding, sleep deprivation, postpartum recovery and much more. So whether you are expecting your first and don’t even know what questions to ask or you are expecting your second and want your postpartum experience to be better this time around, we want to help you feel prepared for this exciting time.
We are offering a 15% discount to all podcast listeners!
Go to www.pregnancytopreschool.net and use the code FYVPODCAST to sign up now and give yourself and your baby the best possible start in life.
In this episode we discuss:
- How we decided to start a education for new parents business
- Why we started with creating the Postpartum Course
- The feedback that we heard from so many new parents that they wish someone had prepared them for postpartum and all the things to expect when baby arrives
Don't forget to download our free Guide to Tummy Time: https://pregnancytopreschool.ck.page/tummytime
How to get in touch with Amanda Israel:
- TikTok
How to get in touch with me:
- TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Thank you so much for listening!
Support the show
In this solo episode, I am going to dive into the mission of Finding Your Village, which is to guide new parents in finding experts and resources to add to their villages.
Get the 7 Experts to have in your Parenting Village Guide for free here!
I started my Finding Your Village Podcast in 2020 — it sprouted from my passion for being a parent and connecting with other parents. There is so much information out there, and it can be really overwhelming.
I felt compelled to share topics about pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood because they are so important, and we need to be talking about them. So, I started conversations on my podcast, that grew into my online birth classes, which evolved most recently into creating self paced online courses and partnering with other providers to help even more parents.
Everyday I am fueled to do this work because, I think many of us experience an entire identity shift once we become parents, starting with our pregnancy journey.
Our screens are saturated with cute outfits, colorful plates of baby food, and Magnolia-level nurseries. But for some reason, no one highlights the significant transition you undergo while giving birth, or how much you might hate being touched by your husband after breastfeeding for 6 months straight, or how your anxiety might express itself as bitter anger, and maybe even rage. The scary thoughts, your changing body, and the spiritual stamina it takes to become a parent...no one told me about those things.
I’ve felt shame at several points in my life since having kids. Had these issues been normalized, or at least discussed — maybe I could have turned that shame into humility a little bit sooner. I am learning to have grace, and to treat the things that trigger me as clues to growth.
But this has taken time, and plenty of people in my corner to help me get to this place. I want you to have all the tools you need, too and for you to find your own village.
So I am going to share a list of 7 experts that you can include in your prenatal and postpartum village and for easy access, I also have created a PDF with this list in it that includes links to find an expert to help you.
Here is my list of 7 experts to have in your prenatal and postpartum village:
- Birth Doula
- Perinatal Mental Health Provider
- Birth Educator
- Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist
- Sleep Consultant
- Lactation Consultant
- Postpartum Doula
If you would like to download a PDF version of this list, click here!
Thank you so much for listening to the show today!
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Support the show
In today’s episode we are talking about postpartum nutrition and our guest is Madison Holden, who is a pediatric nurse and certified postpartum and baby nutritionist , and a mom of two. Her goal is to empower and provide knowledge to new moms to help nourish and replenish themselves after labor. So this episode is going to focus on doing just that.
In the episode we discuss:
- The importance of Postpartum Nutrition
- Using nutrient dense food that are gentle on the digestive system right after birth
- Postpartum nutrition is important for both parents!
- People who just gave birth should continue to take their prenatal vitamins after giving birth
- Prenatal vitamin brands that Madison recommends:
- Ritual
- Needed
- Perelel Health
How to get in touch with Madison:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Support the show
In today’s solo episode I am talking all about Tummy Time: what it is, why it is important, how to do it, when to do it and how to help babies to enjoy it
If you would like to save a guide to Tummy Time, you can download for free here!
In the episode I discuss:
- What is it: allowing baby to spend time on their tummy when they are awake and alert
- The history behind Tummy Time: NYTimes article that I referenced: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/13/parenting/baby/tummy-time
- It is important to help baby develop gross motor skills, overall development and to prevent against brachycephaly, plagiocephaly and torticollis
- In 2020, the AAP published a meta analysis that reviewed the effectiveness of tummy time and it found that tummy time was positively associated with gross motor, total development, a reduction in BMI, it helped prevent brachycephaly, and helped babies develop the ability to move while on their belly, while laying down, roll and crawl https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/145/6/e20192168/76940/Tummy-Time-and-Infant-Health-Outcomes-A-Systematic
- How to do it: When baby is awake and alert, place baby on a clean swaddle blanket that is laid out on the floor.
- A parent or caregiver should always be present and awake.
- You can also put baby on your chest while you are laying back
- How long to do it: The World Health Organization recommends 30 minutes per day, an easy way to remember this and get close to it is 5x5, five times per day for five minutes
- How to make it more enjoyable for baby: Join baby on the floor by laying on your side or belly and talk or sing to them
- Put black and white images in front of baby or a baby mirror
- Add toys in front of baby
If you enjoyed this episode and would like to download a free, printable guide to Tummy Time to save for later, you can download it here
Thank you for listening!
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Support the show
In today’s episode we talk about cord blood banking and our guest is Kathryn Cross. Kathryn Cross is the founder of Anja Health, which she founded in memory of her brother, Andrew, who had cerebral palsy.
In the episode we discuss:
- What cord blood banking is
- How cord blood cells can be helpful
- How you can store your baby’s umbilical cord blood, cord tissue and placenta
- What cord blood donation is
- What delayed cord clamping is
How to get in touch with Kathryn:
- Website
- TikTok
- Anja Health discount code: Village
How to get in touch with me:
- Get the Postpartum Online Class!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Download for free: https://pregnancytopreschool.ck.page/tummytime
Support the show
Announcement: My online Postpartum Class is available now! You can still get early access to the course (including the early access discount) until March 31st, find out more here: www.pregnancytopreschool.net
Additionally, I would love to hear your feedback as a listener of this podcast: Here is the link to the feedback survey!
In today's episode we are discussing how to get the postpartum support that you need and deserve. My guest today is Royah Loie. She is a certified doula, childbirth educator and lactation education counsellor by day and a landing page, web and graphic designer by night. She's also the creator of Insider Mom, a resource for uplifting tips and information for modern moms. Her path to becoming a doula began after the birth of her daughter and realizing the critical need for professional care focused on maternal health. Through her work she's witnessed the interconnectedness between maternal, infant, community and environmental health. As an advocate for moms, she understands the need for greater community support for mothers; support which includes time for family, rest and healing.
In the episode we discuss:
- Lamaze childbirth classes
- Getting paid as a birth worker, why it is important and why many women feel a certain way about it
- How to get the postpartum support that you need
How to get in touch with Royah:
- Website
- Insider Mom VIP
- Time Saving Guide (scroll to bottom of page)
How to get in touch with me:
- Take the online Postpartum Class
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Download for free: https://pregnancytopreschool.ck.page/tummytime
Support the show
I am celebrating two huge milestones today. The first is that Finding Your Village has turned two! The second is that the online Postpartum Class that I have been working on with my partner, Amanda Israel, is live and available for families to take!
I would love to hear your feedback about what you would like to hear more about in this podcast. I would also like to hear about the season of life you are in, how I can best support you in that and if you have a specific podcast episode length that you prefer. The survey will only take a couple minutes to fill out!
Here is the link to the feedback survey!
Thank you so much for being a listener of the show. You are the reason why I show up every week and do this!
If you would like to learn about the Postpartum Class that I launched today, here is the link: www.pregnancytopreschool.net
Thank you so much for listening to this special episode today!
Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Download for free: https://pregnancytopreschool.ck.page/tummytime
Support the show
In today’s episode we are discussing baby temperament and specifically, we talk about alert babies or live wire babies. Our guest to talk about this is Macall Gordon. Macall is a researcher, author, sleep coach, and mom of two. She has a B.S. in Human Biology from Stanford and a master’s in Applied Psychology from Antioch University Seattle. She has conducted research on sleep, temperament, and parenting advice, and has worked with thousands of parents of alert, intense, sensitive non-sleepers.
In this episode, Macall talks about what characteristics babies with this temperament have and gives tips on what parents can do.
In the episode we discuss:
- What baby temperament is
- What makes up their temperament
- Alert babies aka spirited babies aka “live wires”
- Things that parents of live wires say all the time
- Tips for parents with alert babies
- This temperament can be challenging in the beginning, but it is also a blessing
How to get in touch with Macall:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Get early access to the Postpartum Online Course!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Download for free: https://pregnancytopreschool.ck.page/tummytime
Support the show
In today’s episode we are discussing how you can support your partner’s mental health during the postpartum period. Our guest today is Zach Watson, who lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Alyssa and their 5 month old daughter. He is a teacher, self published author, a YouTube creator and a TikTok creator. In today’s episode we are going to be talking about his journey as a new Dad and how he has supported his wife and her mental health as they experienced the postpartum period together.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Expectations for new parents vs. reality
- Zach’s advice: keep expectations low and calendar open
- Parents don’t always fall in love with their baby immediately after they are born
- Ways that husbands/partners can support new moms during postpartum
- Meet your spouse where they are
- Understand your partner’s goals and what they are committed to
- Listen to issues without immediately jumping to problem solving
- Postpartum depression can occur in Dads too
- Zach’s choice to abstain from drinking alongside his wife during pregnancy
- Being curious to understand others’ perspective and the importance of empathy
How to get in touch with Zach
- TikTok
- Youtube
- Book
Announcement: I am launching a new online course to help prepare parents for postpartum. This class will be self paced and my partner and I are looking for a few expecting or new parents who are interested in getting early access to the course, to join us when we release it in late February as the Founders Round. If you are pregnant or just had a baby and are interested in participating please send me an email at amandagorman@pregnancytopreschool.net to find out more info or click this link to sign up!
How to get in touch with me:
- Get early access to the Postpartum Online Course!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Download for free: https://pregnancytopreschool.ck.page/tummytime
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening to the episode today. We are going to be talking about how to reduce stress during pregnancy. Our guest is, Cheryl Furer, is a practicing midwife who has empowered hundreds of clients throughout their pregnancy, birth, and the first year postpartum. Her signature brand, Your Thriving Pregnancy, is helping to bring midwifery to pregnant women, so that clients discover their innate power and confidence, flourish through every transition, and celebrate changes with a community.
I really enjoyed this episode and think you will too.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Foundations for wellness: sleep and nutrition
- Mindfulness and Meditation
- Movement and Exercise
- Individualized care
- Chronic stress
- Managing stress helps prepare you for birth and the postpartum period
How to get in touch with Cheryl:
- Website
- Get the App
Announcement: I am launching a new online course to help prepare parents for postpartum. This class will be self paced and my partner and I are looking for a few expecting or new parents who are interested in getting early access to the course, to join us when we release it in late February as the Founders Round. If you are pregnant or just had a baby and are interested in participating please send me an email at amandagorman@pregnancytopreschool.net to find out more info or click this link to sign up!
How to get in touch with me:
- Get early access to the Postpartum Online Course!
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Download for free: https://pregnancytopreschool.ck.page/tummytime
Support the show
In today’s episode, we are talking about baby massage. Our guest today is Helen Thompson. Helen has spent more than three decades working with babies and toddlers and currently lives on the beautiful North West coast of Tasmania, in Australia. She qualified in the United Kingdom as a nursery nurse/childcare educator. In 2010, Helen heard about baby/infant massage for the first time and decided to train to become an instructor after seeing how it helps build a magical bond between baby and parent whilst helping babies with conditions such as colic and constipation. Helen enjoys teaching mums via her online Zoom workshops. In her spare time Helen enjoys reading and the great outdoors via cycling and walking. She also enjoys getting away from technology and exploring the many delights of Tasmania.
In this episode we discussed:
- What baby massage is
- What the benefits are and why parents might want to do this with their baby
- When you can start with baby massage and how to get started
- The importance of asking permission/asking your baby for consent before you start to massage them or really do anything with their body
- Here is a video of Helen demonstrating different positions and techniques of baby massage
How to follow/get in touch with Helen:
- Website
- First Time Mums Chat podcast
- All other link/cheat sheets are linked here
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Download for free: Seven Experts to have in Your Parenting Village
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Jody Thomas, who is a licensed clinical psychologist, and specialist in pediatric medical illness and trauma. She is an internationally known expert on pediatric pain, she is also a founder and CEO of the Meg Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering kids and families to prevent and relieve pain and medical anxiety. She is the former Clinical Director of the Packard Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Center at Stanford, and a former Assistant Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Though she now lives in Denver, CO, she still serves as Adjunct Faculty for Stanford, providing supervision and teaching. She is passionate about bringing together the power of medical science, technology and design to transform the way we think about kids and pain and ensuring kids have a positive relationship with healthcare.
In this episode we discussed:
- The importance of pain mitigation strategies for infants and children
- The SuperMeg coping plan builder for kids.
- Resources for parents: Pain Champions Guide for parents
- The Be The Boss Of Your Brain video that Dr. Thomas did for Stanford. It’s being used in several different hospitals, and they have conducted some great pilot studies looking specifically at parent self efficacy around procedures.
- ImaginAction is a self hypnosis project that Dr. Thomas did for Stanford
- The Provider Kit that parents can share with their pediatrician
- Here is an article written by Dr. Thomas talking about this further
How to follow/get in touch with Dr. Jody Thomas
- Website
- Meg Foundation Website
- TikTok
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Download for free: Seven Experts to have in Your Parenting Village
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, I had the privilege of interviewing Marisa Hughes, who is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Perinatal Mental Health Certified Therapist. She specializes in trauma and maternal mental health. She has created a protocol called Repairing While Parenting that helps parents reparent themselves so that they can parent their kids with intention. She is passionate about cycle breaking and helping her clients heal.
I got so much out of this conversation with Marisa and I hope you will too.
In this episode we discussed:
- What Marisa’s proprietary process Repairing while Parenting is all about
- One big goal of Repairing while Parenting is learning to tolerate your children’s big feelings so that you can stay calm and respond rather than react
- Reparenting is: getting in tune with your triggers and the underlying roots related to them, so that you can heal them at the source, instead of letting them leak into your relationships with your family
- Marisa’s communication process called VOC, which stands for Validate, Orient and Choose, is a technique to help you talk to yourself and your kids
- How trauma can get passed down from generation to generation, but we can heal and patterns can be unlearned
How to get in touch with Marisa
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Download for free: Seven Experts to have in Your Parenting Village
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode we are discussing baby sleep and that it is a skill! Our guest is Sierra Dante, who is an experienced Pediatric Sleep Consultant known for her simple, loving, and effective method and her belief that sleep is supposed to be easy. Sierra has helped over a thousand families make sleep easy for their newborns, babies, and school-age children with a 100% success rate.
How to get in touch with Sierra:
- Website
- Facebook group
- Cheat Sheet!
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Download for free: Seven Experts to have in Your Parenting Village
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode I had the privilege of speaking with Leslie Abraham, who is a French perinatal osteopath DO and exercise specialist with over 12 years of international experience. She is the founder of Bonjour Baby, the creator of the Postpartum Body Solution program and the host of The Bonjour Baby podcast. When she moved to the US in 2016, Leslie was shocked by the differences between prenatal and postnatal care in Europe and in the US. And we are going to discuss many of those differences in today’s episode.
How to get in touch with Leslie:
- Website
- Podcast
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Download for free: Seven Experts to have in Your Parenting Village
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, we discuss the importance of preparing for feeding baby before baby arrives. Our guest is Nicole Schwartz, who is a licensed and registered International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She serve families in person in the Atlanta area and worldwide via telehealth. Her goal is to empower families along their baby’s feeding journey by providing compassionate and evidence-based lactation support.
How to get in touch with Nicole:
- Website
- Virtual Breastfeeding Support Group
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Download for free: Seven Experts to have in Your Parenting Village
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, I interview a fellow podcast host about her experience giving birth abroad. My guest is Rebecca Potts Aguirre, she is an artist based in Los Angeles. In addition to her work as an artist, she founded and hosts Teaching Artist Podcast, coordinates the Teaching Artists' Lounge in collaboration with Victoria Fry, and runs Play + Inspire Gallery in partnership with Maria Coit. Rebecca is also a K-12 Curriculum Designer for The Art of Education University. She lives in Hawthorne, CA with her daughter and husband.
How to get in touch with Rebecca:
- Website
- Podcast
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Download for free: Seven Experts to have in Your Parenting Village
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode we are talking about preparing for your emotional and mental needs after baby arrives. Our guest today is Claryed Rasmusen and she is a listener mama just like you! When she’s not soaking up stories and information about all things motherhood, she is found with her high school sweetheart, two littles, her young students, or in her indoor jungle! She is always seeking ways to be more connected to herself and those around her.
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Download for free: Seven Experts to have in Your Parenting Village
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. We are talking about postpartum recovery for working moms, particularly those in the Air Force. Our guest today is Technical Sergeant Caleb Pearson, who has served in the United States Air Force for 16 years. In 2017 he created a program for postpartum active duty mothers to get back into war fighting shape. The program is called: Postpartum Rehabilitation and Reintegration Exercise Program or PRREP for short.
The program is designed to educate, improve overall health and ensure that postpartum Airmen are able to pass the Fitness Assessment within 12 months of birth and so they can safely and effectively return to mission ready status.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Caleb’s background
- How the PRREP program got started and how Caleb got involved in this work
- The missed opportunity of organizations when they don’t consider women reintegrating back into the workforce postpartum
- PRREP and Pear Sports
How to get in touch with Caleb:
- The Ignite Podcast
- Video of Caleb talking about the PRREP Program
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Download for free: Seven Experts to have in Your Parenting Village
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. We are talking about baby sleep on this Daylight Savings Time morning! Our guest today is Erin Junker, she is a mom, sleep consultant and host of the Sleep Cues podcast.
Erin is passionate about children’s sleep. She firmly believes that a well-rested family is a happier, healthier family. She is committed to working with tired parents to help them help their little ones get the healthy rest they need – that means getting amazing, uninterrupted nighttime sleep, and taking proper, restful naps, all within a supportive and guided two-week program!
In today’s episode we are focusing on one of the most common baby sleep issues: early morning wake-ups.
In this episode, we discuss:
- What defines an early morning wake-up: anytime your baby/toddler wakes up before 6am
- Solutions for early morning wake-ups:
- Pay attention to awake windows and only allow your baby to be awake for the appropriate amount of time for their age
- If your child relies on sleep props/crutches to fall asleep try to wean them off of them
- Sleep environment: make sure the room is very dark for both naps and nighttime sleep and use a sound machine
- Don’t start your day before 6am
How to get in touch with/follow Erin:
- Podcast
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Today’s episode is special for me because I had the chance to interview my chiropractor, Dr. Pam Stone. In the episode, Dr. Pam talks about the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy and I share a little bit about my experience receiving this care during my second pregnancy.
Pamela Stone, DC, DACCP owns a family wellness salutogenic-based chiropractic practice in Kennesaw, GA and has been certified in the Webster Technique since 1999 ( a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment, primarily for pregnant women). She has attained her diplomate in pediatric and prenatal care through the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics (DACCP certified). She is also an instructor for the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA), teaching “Perinatal Care with Webster Technique Certification” to chiropractors across the country.
In this episode we discuss:
- What the Webster Technique is
- The benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy
- My experience receiving prenatal chiropractic care
- What chiropractic adjustments are like for pregnant people
- The benefits of chiropractic care for newborns and infants
- Clarifying misconceptions about newborn and pediatric chiropractic care
- Where to find a Webster Trained Chiropractor: https://icpa4kids.com/find-a-pediatric-chiropractor/
How to get in touch with Dr. Stone:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, I had the honor of interviewing a fellow podcaster and new friend, Lisa Anderson Shaffer. Lisa is an artist, psychotherapist and mental health advocate and educator. She is author of the book, These Three Things - a daily writing meditation journal, and host of the psychologically minded podcast, Joy is Now. Outside of her work in the wellness and mental health realm, Lisa is the Founder and CEO of the jewelry brand, Zelma Rose, creating sustainably handcrafted, exquisitely refined statement jewelry.
Today Lisa shares her very personal story about going to multiple miscarriages and how she navigated that journey on her way to motherhood.
Thank you so much for listening to this really important episode.
How to get in touch with Lisa:
- Website
- Joy is Now Podcast
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, I am speaking with Jon Gustin, who is a part time stay at home Dad, Personal trainer, and he makes parenting comedy skits on Tik Tok @the.tired.dad.
In this episode, Jon and I talk about stereotypical gender roles for parents that are still very much in existence today, but how parenting during the pandemic is helping to make a paradigm shift in this area. I hope you enjoy the episode!
In this episode we discuss:
- A trend going around TikTok this week is: Why is it that moms who work are called working moms, but dads who work are just called dads?
- The parenting conundrum: you can love your kids and dislike them at the same time
- Stay at home parents get stereotyped negatively in our society, especially Stay at Home Dads
- Dad guilt and Mom guilt
How to get in touch with Jon:
- TikTok
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, we are discussing how to create a mental wellness plan. Our guest today is Stefanie Poole, who is a Mental Health Doula,™ counsellor, educator and mental wellness advocate who supports families to create and maintain a healthy heart and mind. She is the founder of Mumma Bees ™, (Peer Support and Training for Birthing Families), Birth Education For A Healthy Heart & Mind, ™ and Kindred Clubhouse.
Stefanie is going to share with us what a mental wellness plan is, the importance of taking the time to create one and how to do it. I know you’re going to love this episode!
In this episode, we discuss:
- Clarifying the meaning of mental and emotional health and what it means to you
- Mental fitness
- Why mental wellness planning is important
- What is a mental wellness plan?
- Who should create one
- When to create your plan
- What to consider in your the plan
- How to create a mental wellness plan
How to get in touch with Stefanie:
- Website
- Mumma_bees
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening to the show today. In this podcast swap episode, Ali Wolf and I will discuss the challenges and triumphs that go along with running a business while raising babies and toddlers. Ali is a wife and mom to an adorable and energetic 11 month old girl. After spending nearly a decade as a TV news reporter and anchor in California and NYC, she became a mom during the pandemic. While navigating the postpartum stage, she created a successful Etsy shop, launched a website and started a podcast. She loves connecting with and supporting other women navigating the beautiful and challenging transition into mom life.
In this episode we discuss:
- Our journey to creating our business/creative endeavors while also parenting young children
- Tips on creating while balancing motherhood
- Managing mom guilt while working on a passion project
- Knowing when the timing is right
- How following your passion and interests can make you a better mom
How to get in touch with Ali:
- Mom’s Calling Podcast
- Facebook Group
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening to the show today. In this episode, we are talking about teaching children emotional health through the use of music. Our guest is Rachel Davis, she is the Founder of LaLa Tigers, a TEDx Speaker, NLP Practitioner, Hypnotherapist, Songwriter and mama of 2 boys, who she has raised single handedly for the last 7 years. Through her online intentional parenting programme Raise a Tiger, Rachel combines her experiences of personal growth, mental & emotional health, parenting strategy and NLP, with the universal languages of of music and play, to help parents reclaim themselves and raise emotionally healthy children who love, trust and believe in themselves.
In this episode we discussed:
- Rachel’s background in music and NLP
- What NLP is: Neurolinguistic Programming
- How Rachel combines her passion for music with her knowledge of the internal world that she learned from her studies in NLP
- Emotions all have different levels of frequencies
- Her goal is to shift all elements of fear into elements of love
- Encouraging children to understand and listen to their inner voice
- Stay tuned to the end to hear one of Rachel's songs!!!
How to get in touch with Rachel:
- Listen to her music!
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening to the show today. In this episode, I had the honor of interviewing Ataahua Tukaramaene, who goes by Tah for short. Tah is a new parent, cycle breaker, and mental health advocate on a mission to encourage and support mothers in their journey. In this episode, Tah shares her personal journey with both becoming a mother and breaking the stigma of mental health issues.
I hope you enjoy the episode!
In this episode we discuss:
- Tah’s story of battling mental health issues and dealing with the stigma surrounding it
- How her family, who was skeptical at first, came to be her greatest champions
- Her journey to motherhood and how the work she put in to break generational cycles set her up to provide her daughter with the healthiest parenting possible
- How she has now become a mental health advocate and has helped others close to her recover from their own mental health struggles
How to get in touch with Tah:
- Website
- Facebook Group
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Thanks for listening to today’s episode where we will be talking about prenatal yoga. Taking a prenatal yoga class can be so beneficial if you are pregnant. It is a good form of exercise for both your body and mind. It encourages you to practice mindfulness on the mat and you can use what you learn on the mat during labor, birth and postpartum.
Our guest today is Kate Baran. She started the Nimble Yogini, where she teaches virtual prenatal yoga classes. In the episode today, Kate talks about her background and how she came to get certified as a yoga instructor and then a prenatal yoga instructor. Kate enjoys fostering connections between students and encouraging confidence and resiliency through practice.
Kate and I have partnered with each other's businesses to offer a prenatal yoga and childbirth education class package! If you are interested in learning more about our offering, check out the link in the show notes for this episode or go to to learn more.
I hope you enjoy the episode!
In today’s episode we discuss:
- Kate’s background and how she became a prenatal yoga instructor
- What the benefits of prenatal yoga are
- The difference between prenatal yoga and other types of yoga
- The Nimble Yogini’s class schedule and membership options
- Kate and I offer a prenatal yoga and childbirth education class package!
How to get in touch with Kate
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- My Virtual 4-week online Birth Class
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
This weeks episode is a replay of one of my earliest episodes!
In today’s episode I will be comparing what its like to give birth with an epidural vs. without any pain medication. My goal is to give you insight into what you can expect in both scenarios.
Takeaway:
Both births were great, epidurals are great, birthing naturally is great, there are pros and cons with both. I have my own personal reasons why I chose to try giving birth without pain medication with my daughter and I have reasons why I chose to give birth without pain medication with my son. What you choose to do will be personal for you and no one should make you feel guilty for the choices that you make. You should feel empowered during your birth!
Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode I am trying out something new: I am doing a short RAVE solo episode where I rave about something or someone that is great.
Today I am raving about Postpartum Support International!
Total disclaimer: I am the new Treasurer of the PSI Georgia chapter Board of Directors. So, I am totally biased, but one of the reasons why I volunteer with this organization is because of the wonderful work that they do in the world.
I love PSI because of their mission and vision and because of the work that this organization does to help people struggling with perinatal mood disorders.
Mission: “The mission of Postpartum Support International is to promote awareness, prevention and treatment of mental health issues related to childbearing in every country worldwide.” (https://www.postpartum.net/about-psi/)
Vision: “It is the vision of PSI that every woman and family worldwide will have access to information, social support, and informed professional care to deal with mental health issues related to childbearing. PSI promotes this vision through advocacy and collaboration, and by educating and training the professional community and the public.” (https://www.postpartum.net/about-psi/)
PSI Helpline: 1-800-944-4773
Find a mental health provider: https://psidirectory.com/
Online support meetings: https://www.postpartum.net/get-help/psi-online-support-meetings/
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Announcement: Registration is open for the September Finding Your Village Birth Class. The classes are on Wednesday nights starting on September 8th at 7pm EST. You can register or find out more info at www.findingyourvillage.com/classes
In today’s episode we are discussing the topic of Mamas in training. Our guest today is Jessica Lorion. Jessica has spent the past 10 years as a professional actor and voice over artist in New York City. Now, as the Host and Producer of the Mamas in Training Podcast, she supports pregnant women and aspiring moms on their journey into motherhood.
What makes her show different from other pregnancy and motherhood podcasts is that she is NOT yet a mom. An autoimmune disease has delayed her journey into motherhood and she has decided to learn right alongside her audience.
With a background in performing on stage, in front of camera, as well as being a professional singer, her mission is to spread the importance of studying motherhood. She intends to use her voice and desire to connect with women everywhere, to share the lessons she has learned and give community to those in need.
In this episode we discuss:
- The reason Jessica is learning about motherhood before she is a mom
- Becoming a parent can feel like drinking through a firehose as times
- The main takeaways that Jessica has learned from interviewing new moms:
- the importance of advocating for yourself
- make a plan and be ready for it to change
- the importance of setting up a community and support system for yourself
- The words that we use is so important, especially when framing in terms of "absolutes"
How to get in touch with Jessica:
- Website
- Premium Membership
- Facebook Group
How to get in touch with me:
- Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Announcement: Registration is open for the September Finding Your Village Birth Class. The classes are on Wednesday nights starting on September 8th at 7pm EST. You can register or find out more info at www.findingyourvillage.com/classes
In today’s episode we are discussing setting boundaries during pregnancy and postpartum. Our guest is Trisha Goodall, she is a Mom Strategist, postpartum doula, life coach, and speaker. Trisha helps busy moms move from overwhelmed to joyful through customized strategies and virtual coaching!
In the episode we discuss:
- Definition of Boundaries - neither kind nor unkind, like a fence designating what we will or will not allow
- The importance of knowing ourselves to have solid boundaries - what is our "why" that we can lean on when we receive pushback?
- The difference between boundaries and control (ie. "My partner can't go out with friends" vs "I need some time in the evening where I get a break from the baby" - how this can open up to meaningful, vulnerable conversations where both partners are solving the problem together rather than the pattern of mom having to figure it all out).
- How to communicate boundaries and when might you not need to communicate them explicitly
- People can't read our minds - don't assume it's a lack of respect.
- Clear is kind.
- My classic example is the postpartum phase when everyone wants to visit and moms can sometimes get overwhelmed and annoyed at people, while not communicating that.
- Instead let people know the plan for a certain time interval (for the next 2wks, etc)
- Have conversations during pregnancy with family
- Designate a friend as the point of contact so that you're not doing everything as a new mom.
- Despite family pressures, societal messages, and all of it - you are the mom and you are allowed to set boundaries to protect your sanity and mental health.
How to get in touch with Trisha:
- Facebook Group
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- My Virtual 4-week online Birth Class
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
This weeks episode is a replay of one of my most downloaded episodes. I also recently uploaded a video of the ab approximation exercise discussed in this episode on my TikTok page. Click here to follow me on TikTok and to watch that video: https://www.tiktok.com/@findingyourvillage
In this episode we discuss:
Shelley’s background as a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist
- Shelley is a PT at Sports Rehab at Brookhaven
- She also teaches entry level Physical Therapists at a medical school in Atlanta
What does a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist do?
My story with a Pelvic Floor PT:
- helped me heal from pain using the restroom after having a vaginal birth
- helped me heal from Diastatis Recti...twice, after both of my pregnancies
- Part of the program was visits to see a PT regularly and doing exercises comprised of ab approximations for 30 minutes a day
What is Diastasis Recti?
When a PT is checking you for how wide a separation you have they should be checking in 3 places
- Above belly button
- At belly button
- Below belly button
Just wearing a splint, brace, wrap or doing ab contractions will not bring the linea alba close together enough to heal. Doing ab contractions and crunches will actually make your DR worse
The only true way to FULLY heal from DR is to approximate your rectus abdominus muscles while you do rehabilitation exercise. How to do this:
- Lay on the ground, push your fingers down into the sides of your belly, then squeeze your fingers and belly skin/muscles toward each other, then contract your abs in and hold for 10 seconds
- Repeat this for 3 sets of 30
- Sign up for my newsletter here to see a video of me demonstrating this exercise. Including my adorable belly donut!
Exercises and activities to avoid when you have a Diastasis Recti:
- Planks
- Crunches
- Ab exercises without doing an approximation first
- Most mainstream forms of yoga and pilates
How to find a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist
- You may need a referral from your OB, midwife or other practitioner, depending on your state and insurance
- Ask for a referral at your 6 week postpartum visit
- Go to www.apta.org to find a Pelvic Floor PT in your area
How to get in touch with Shelley
- Email: shelleydicecco@gmail.com
How to get in touch with me:
- My Virtual 4-week online Birth Class
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s solo show I discuss how breath awareness helps during labor, and really during any uncomfortable or painful experience.
In the episode I go over:
- The difference between pain and suffering
- A quote from Pam England’s book Ancient Map for Modern Birth
- What the “monkey mind” is
- What breath awareness is (hint: it does not teach you how to breath)
- The foundation for breath awareness
- An exercise to practice breath awareness
- An exercise to deepen the breath awareness practice with an “ice contraction”
I would love to hear your feedback about the breath exercise, please reach out:
- Via Instagram
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Review and rate this episode on Apple Podcasts or anywhere else you can leave a review on a podcast player
How to get in touch with me:
- My Virtual 4-week online Birth Class
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Announcements
First: Big shoutout and congratulations to Christi Matusiak, she was a guest on the show in episode 44 and she just published her first book! It is called Coordinating the Chaos, and it's a holistic take on balancing hormones postpartum and cultivating the energy to show up as the exceptional, nurturing mother you want to be. This book is available for pre-order right now on her website and I have linked to it in the show notes for this episode: https://www.christymatusiakdc.com/shop
Second, I have created a free download about 7 experts to have in your prenatal and postpartum village. You can download it here: https://www.findingyourvillage.com/7-experts
This week’s interview is with another Amanda Gorman. I found Amanda after learning about Amanda SC Gorman, the poet laureate and I realized that this third Amanda Gorman is also a podcast host and is in the postpartum support industry. Crazy small world.
Amanda is a mother of two and a Board-Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She founded Nest Collaborative after experiencing the lack of available resources for nursing parents both professionally in her primary care practice and personally, as a mother who struggled to breastfeed. She brings a passion to Nest Collaborative to expand access for parents to accessible, affordable and preventive breastfeeding support.
In this episode we discuss:
- Amanda’s background
- She noticed a lack in the ability and resources to support breastfeeding moms in postpartum care
- She started Nest Collaborative in 2017
- Use telehealth/virtual visits to bring Board Certified Lactation support to people who otherwise have trouble accessing it
- Use insurance and make sure the support is affordable
- Common breastfeeding issues
- Latch and positioning issues
- Concerns about how much baby is getting and if baby is getting enough
- Jaundice
- Is breastfeeding supposed to be uncomfortable
- How the use of IV fluids during labor impacts establishing a breastfeeding relationship
- Supplementation
- Breastfeeding is a supply and demand process
How to get in touch with Amanda:
- Website
- Breastfeeding Unplugged podcast
- Email: info@nestcollaborative.com
How to get in touch with me:
- My Virtual 4-week online Birth Class
- Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Welcome to Season 3 of the Finding Your Village podcast. I am so excited to be kicking off a new season with one of my favorite parenting experts, Kim West! Before I introduce Kim and the topic for our show today I wanted to let you know what I have been working on in the past few weeks while the show has been on summer break!
I have been able to spend some quality time with my family and have fun one on one time with my kids.I have opened up my virtual 4 week online childbirth classes and if you are interested in taking a birth class with me you can check out more info on my website: www.findingyourvillage.com. I have also been doing some professional development to make this podcast even better for you. Finally, I downloaded another social media app that you may have heard of...its called TikTok. I have been sharing labor and postpartum information on there, connecting with other birth workers and parents and have started making Weird Al like parody songs based on pregnancy and postpartum struggles. If you have jumped on the TikTok bandwagon, follow me at findingyourvillage.
Ok, now that you’re all caught up with what I did over summer break, I get the distinct honor of introducing our guest for today!
KIM WEST, LCSW-C, is a mother of two daughters, best selling author and a licensed child and family therapist. Known as The Sleep Lady® by her clients, she has personally helped over 20,000 tired parents all over the world get a good night’s sleep without letting their children cry it out alone.
Kim is the author of three books: “The Sleep Lady’s Good Night, Sleep Tight: Gentle Proven Solutions to Help Your Child Sleep Well and Wake Up Happy”, “ The Good Night, Sleep Tight Workbook” and “The Good Night, Sleep Tight Workbook for Children with Special Needs”.
In today’s episode we are discussing how to lengthen short baby naps. We also talk about Kim’s background and how she came to be the Sleep Lady and my personal story of how Kim’s work helped me.
In this episode we discuss:
- The history of sleep training methodologies
- There is no science to support sleep training babies under 4 months old, you can set up proper sleep hygiene with younger babies, but true sleep training shouldn’t take place until babies are at least 4 months old
- There are really 3 main sleep training/coaching methods
- Extinction (cry-it-out)
- Graduated extinction (Timed checks or controlled crying)
- Fading (The Sleep Lady Shuffle)
- What is a disaster nap?
- A short nap that isn’t a complete sleep cycle that is enough to take the edge off the exhaustion but isn’t enough to be restorative
- What can parents do to lengthen a baby’s nap?
- You can start to work on lengthening baby naps when they are at least 5 months old
- Make sure you are paying attention to baby awake intervals and sleep cues to put them down for a nap at the appropriate time
- Work on baby getting to sleep on their own at bedtime first, then work on naps
- Common baby sleep cues
- Sucking hands
- Disengaging/looking away
- Zoning out
- Yawning
- *Some babies don’t show sleep cues!
- Kim’s new podcast: The Gentle Parenting Show
How to get in touch with Kim
- Follow her on Instagram
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- My Virtual 4-week online Birth Class
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at:
Support the show
Today’s episode will wrap up the end of season 2 of the Finding Your Village podcast. I am taking a vacation from the show as I prepare to launch by birth classes on July 7th! Season 3 of the podcast starts on July 18th!
In today’s episode we are talking all about cloth diapers! I had the pleasure of talking to Gigi Vera Vincent, who is a postpartum doula, mother to three toddlers, including twins, and a wife to her high school sweetheart. As a former teacher, her love languages are planning and handouts; she brings realistic, evidence-based, and actionable advice. She founded A Simple Home to help parents find their way to raise babies, so they can thrive in the fourth trimester and beyond.
Cloth Diapering 101:
Pushbacks:
-
Partner / Caregiver / Daycare doesn't want to
-
Find what will convince them
- Make a routine and give direction
- Walk the walk
-
Let them do it their way, even if it means disposables.
-
Gross
-
They aren't much better or worse than disposables.
- Solids in disposables should be placed in the toilet as well.
- Use a diaper sprayer and save clean up for once or twice a day.
Benefits:
-
Save money
-
Cloth diapers are around $500 and can be resold or used for multiple children.
-
Help the Environment
-
Over 20 billion diapers are thrown away in the US every year.
-
With cloth diapers, you'll save disposables from entering landfills, sewers, and waterways.
-
Improve your baby's health
-
Disposable diapers have harmful chemicals like bleach, dioxins, phthalates, and fragrances.
-
If your baby has sensitive skin, natural fibers in cloth diapers are much better.
-
Are more practical
-
You'll never run out.
- You'll have fewer blowouts.
- You won't need to deal with size changes.
Types:
-
Diaper + Cover
-
This diaper has two parts: an absorbent diaper and a waterproof cover.
- They're called flats, prefolds, and fitteds.
-
These are great for people who want a small, minimal, easy-to-wash diaper.
-
Diaper + Insert
-
This diaper has two parts as well: a waterproof cover with fabric inside and an insert that absorbs liquid.
- They're called pockets, all-in-twos, and hybrids.
-
These are best for people who want to customize their diaper.
-
Complete System
-
This is one piece with the cover and absorbency all sewn together.
- They're called all-in-ones.
- These are a good choice for someone who has others caring for their baby or wants a diaper most similar to disposable.
Freebie: Step-by-Step Cloth Diaper Routine
How to get in touch with Gigi
- Follow her on Instagram
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Birth Class!
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
Support the show
In today’s episode we are discussing Postpartum Hormone imbalances. This is a very cool episode for me because I had the chance to opportunity to interview a friend and the wife of my husband’s cousin, Erica Hull! Erica is a board certified Physician Assistant, mother of 2 and lives with her husband and sons in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is so knowledgeable about conventional and integrative medicine, how the body responds to stress and what we can do to get back in balance.
In this episode we discuss:
The difference between conventional medicine and integrative health
- Integrative medicine focuses on getting to the root cause rather than just fixing the symptoms
Hormones impact on a postpartum person’s overall health
- Many women have hormone imbalances postpartum due to underlying conditions or deficiencies
Stress impacts the body at the cellular level and it can be created by deficiencies
- Supplements, nutrition and functional medicine practitioners can help
- You can get functional medicine tests or sub-clinical tests to find imbalances or deficiencies.
You can do this testing with a local functional medicine provider or with online testing companies like:
- Everlywell
- Equalife
- Thorne
The core supplements that most people, especially postpartum people, should consider taking as a foundational approach are:
- Multivitamin
- B Complex (in methylated formulation)
- Magnesium (Magnesium Glycinate or Magnesium Oxide if you struggle with constipation)
- Vitamin D3
- Vitamin C (in the form of ascorbic acid)
The quality of the supplements that you take is very important, you want to look for a company that does third party testing of their products
- Pure Encapsulations
- iHerb
Give it at least 9-12 weeks to start taking a supplement before you decide if it is helping or not
How to get in touch with Erica:
- Follow her on Instagram
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
Sign up for a 4 week online birth class with me
Follow me on Instagram
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillage.com/podcast
Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
I have been working toward and waiting for the right time to share this episode with you.
I am a recovering marijuana addict. I am sharing my story today for two main reasons: first is to not keep this a secret anymore. Second, I would like to share my story of recovery, redemption and freedom in hopes of encouraging others.
I started smoking weed in college, I liked it better than drinking. I have a lot of anxiety and it calmed me down. By the time I was 22 I was smoking everyday from morning to night. I didn’t think I had a problem since I was still so productive, was a hard worker and accomplished a lot
After I graduated college I met my husband, Chris and weed was part of our entire dating relationship. When we got married, we decided to stop smoking, it took me longer than Chris, but I eventually did. I am a Christ follower and my experience was that I started going to church again, started praying again and I heard quite clearly from God that if I wanted to be mother one day I had to stop smoking weed. So I listened. I stopped smoking for a year before I got pregnant with my daughter and stayed sober from weed for 3 years until after I was done breastfeeding.
I started smoking again after I stopped breastfeeding and I looked at it as a substitution for my nightly glass of wine. Then I quit again so that I could get pregnant again and I did.
When our second was eleven months old, we invited our favorite distraction back in. We had every intention of indulging for a few months and then quitting again. But then the global pandemic happened and that was all the excuse I needed to keep smoking. Life became survival. My old habits had snuck back up on me, but this time the stakes were so much higher, no pun intended. I was a mother and had two little kids to take care of.
Most people who smoke weed do not become addicted to it, but 9% of us do. I am one of those 9%ers. Just like most people can handle having a drink now and then, but some people cannot and are alcoholics.
When things started to get out of control in my life I realized there were three things that I had to do to heal and put my life back together.
- I had to decide to finally like myself and chase after self-compassion
- I needed to invite curiosity back into my life
- I had to get sober and stop my toxic habit with marijuana
Quitting was really hard, because I was numbing myself to all of my feelings, so when I got sober, all of the feelings that I had been suppressing came bubbling up and I had a tremendously hard time. Thankfully, I found Marijuana Anonymous online meetings and went to a treatment facility to heal. Being away from my children for 18 days was the hardest thing I have ever done. It broke me. But I needed to be broken in order to start repairing.
The healing that I have experienced has been more incredible than I can put into words. I still have hard times, but now I have tools to cope with those difficult moments.
I celebrated 8 months of sobriety on June 4th and am now at a place of doing all this work that I am ready to share my story. I am sharing my story because I am proud of myself and all of the work that I have done and if I can do it, anyone can. So my final reason for sharing is in case just one person out there were to hear my story and is positively influenced in their own addiction or healing journey...that is worth it to me to be vulnerable and dare greatly.
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
Support the show
In this week’s episode we round out our series on birth preparation classes and discuss Hypnobabies. I was honored to interview the Founder and Director of Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis, Kerry Tuschhoff last week.
Kerry is a nationally renowned speaker and writer on a wide range of women's pregnancy and childbirth concerns. Her subjects include prenatal and childbirth choices, informed consent issues, health and low-risk status concerns, comfort in childbirth, the power of birth language and midwifery advocacy.
I hope you have enjoyed this series on the different philosophies on childbirth preparation methods and I think you are going to love this episode with Kerry.
Thank you for listening!
In this episode we discuss:
- How and why did you create Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis?
- What is Hypnobabies?
- What is the class structure like?
- Class 1: Hypnosis basics, demonstration and introduction to "Light Switch Technique"
- Class 2: Introduction to Stages of Labor, hypno-anesthesia
- Class 3: Information about birthing choices and Doulas
- Class 4: How labor starts and Peace Cue
- Class 5: Transformation and birth of baby
- Class 6: Birth rehearsal and newborn and maternal care
- Who would be a good fit for Hynobabies?
Kerry is offering a discount code for Finding Your Village podcast listeners to those that are interested in the Hypnobabies Home Study Courses!
Get 20% off with code: FindingYourVillage20
How to get in touch with Kerry/Hypnobabies:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode I had the pleasure of speaking with a husband and wife childbirth instructor team! I had the chance to interview Brent Caldwell and Michelle Gabrielle-Caldwell about their experience teaching the Bradley Method childbirth class.
Michelle and Brent have been married since 1997, they always knew they wanted children. Blessed with two great kids, they didn't realize how impactful the birthing experiences were until sharing theirs with friends and family. Michelle's first pregnancy was normal and perfect, she wanted the same for the labor and birth...normal, natural. She took Bradley Method Classes, hired a doula and had a low intervention, natural hospital birth. Second time around she was older and wiser, birth two would be at home on Christmas night...same birth team!
Both of them were inspired to teach The Bradley Method and they have been doing so since 2006.
Michelle is also a Certified Labor Doula, Evidence Based Birth Instructor and National Black Doula Association Doula Trainer & Mentor. In her spare time she loves supporting The Birth Center of NJ as their Doula Coordinator and Childbirth Instructor.
In today’s episode we discuss:
- Michelle and Brent’s background and how they started teaching birth classes
- History of the Bradley Method
- What is the the Bradley Method Childbirth education philosophy?
- The role of a childbirth coach and a doula
- What the 12 week class structure is like
- Class 1: History of/Intro to Bradley Method and Get to Know your Instructors
- Class 2: Nutrition
- Class 3: Gestation
- Class 4: Coaching class for partners
- Class 5: Introduction to 1st Stage of Labor
- Class 6: Introduction to 2nd Stage of Labor
- Class 7: Birth Plans
- Class 8: Variations and Complications
- Class 9: Advanced 1st Stage
- Class 10: Advanced 2nd Stage
- Class 11: Advanced Coaching
- Class 12: Newborn care, Breastfeeding and Postpartum
- Who would be a good fit for a Bradley class?
How to get in touch with/follow Michelle/Brent:
- Website
- Follow her on Instagram
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, I am focusing on a newer childbirth preparation program from Evidence Based Birth. I had a chance to sit down with Cat LaPlante, who is the Director of the Instructor Program at Evidence Based Birth®. She is a certified childbirth educator, certified doula, and an Evidence Based Birth Instructor. Cat's passion is empowering birthing people and their partners through evidence based education and supporting their informed choices.
In this episode we discuss:
The history of Evidence Based Birth
How Cat got involved with EBB and became the Director of the Evidence Based Birth® Instructor Program
What the EBB Childbirth Education Class is like:
- Three pillars are: comfort, evidence and advocacy
- Starts with an online orientation, there are two models now depending on where you are: in person and online
- Teach about birth statistics and how to look them up for their care provider
- Online class is comprised of videos for parents to watch and then are followed with online calls with instructors
- The class goes over: comfort measures, interventions and the evidence on both and how to advocate for yourself or your partern
- There is also a postpartum section that goes over: delayed cord clamping, skin to skin, circumcision, diaper and washing baby and postpartum care plan
Who would be a good fit for EBB Childbirth Class:
- For the parent who wants to know it all
- Those who want to know the evidence and practice comfort and relaxation techniques
Don't forget to see the special cohorts and other classes being offered by EBB Instructors both virtually and in person in your area at www.evidencebasedbirth.com/parentclasses/
How to get in touch with Cat:
- Website
- Follow her on Instagram
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, I continue this month’s podcast series on childbirth preparation programs. I had the opportunity to interview Sara Rossi, who is a Hynobirthing Instructor. Sara started as a prenatal yoga instructor and In 2007 she got certified in Hypnobirthing, the Marie Mongan Method and as an Infant Massage Instructor by the International Association of Infant massage.
Drawing on her experience as a mother, a prenatal yoga teacher, childbirth and infant massage educator, Sara looks to establish a safe and effective journey for pregnancy and beyond.
In this episode we discuss:
Sara’s background as a prenatal yoga instructor and how that led her to become a Hypnobirthing educator after the birth of her daughter
What Hypnobirthing is
- A philosophy and method created by Marie Mongan
- Dedicated to providing birthing women and their partners a proven method of birth education that not only guides and prepares women for birth, but also is a program that considers the psychological, spiritual and physiological well being of mother, partner and baby
- Built on a framework of breathing, relaxation, visualization, meditation techniques and positive body toning
Tools
- Allow you to enter an altered state of consciousness
- Enables you to access the beta, alpha, delta and theta waves that allows you be in a deep relaxation between surges
Class Structure: 5 units that are 2.5 hours each
- Unit 1: history of birth, physiology, the language of birth and how to use breathing techniques, visualizations and affirmations
- Unit 2: bonding with baby, hypnosis techniques, how to communicate with care providers, and how to harness the power of the mind to reframe fear in birth
- Unit 3: Deepening visualization and hypnosis techniques, how to prevent inductions, birth preferences, how to prepare body for birth through nutrition and movement and emphasize your body’s design for birth
- Unit 4: How birth companion can support the birthing person, and how they can assist and advocate for the birthing person
- Unit 5: optimal positions for baby during labor and birthing positions, bonding after birth and they touch on breastfeeding and the 4th trimester
The difference between a birth plan and birth preferences
- You cannot plan birth
- You can learn what your options are, what procedures are and then you can decide what your priorities are and write them down for you, your partner and birth team to be able to read
Who would be a good fit for Hypnobirthing:
- It is for anybody
- Those who want to eradicate their fears and doubts about birth
- Anyone who wants to have a conscious, empowered and educated birth
- Those who really want to include and bond with their partner through birth
- Anyone who think of birth as a celebration and a huge transformation
How to get in touch with Sara:
- Website
- Follow her on Instagram
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode I am kicking off the series about childbirth preparation classes. I am featuring a different type of birth education program each week in the month of May.
I had the privilege of interviewing Nikki Shaheed and she is a certified Trainer, Mentor, and Doula for Birthing from Within, as well as the author of Heart Centered Pregnancy Journal. Nikki is passionate about bringing balance and self-compassion to the childbearing year. She lives in San Antonio, TX with her husband and three amazing children.
In this episode we discuss:
Background of Birthing From Within
- Created by Pam England, who is the author of Birthing From Within
- Her birth experience led her to ask herself: what did I need to know as a mother that I didn’t know as a midwife?
- That question inspired her quest to find self compassion and a way to help people to have more realistic and holistic expectations before they give birth
What is the BFW "unmethod"?
- There is no way to get it wrong with Birthing From Within, it is not outcome based
- It is all about developing self love, self acceptance and doing what the moment calls for without being held back by conditioning or judgment
Words we use in birth
- The words we use are powerful and create imagery
- The term “natural childbirth” makes Cesarean or medicated birth seem “unnatural”
You cannot plan out your birth
- You can prepare for birth, but you cannot control birth outcomes
- Center preparation around the foundational concept that you are stepping into the unknown
- Nikki likes to call Birthing From Within the “self compassion buffet”
- Self compassion is the most important thing to pack in your birth bag
What will parents learn about childbirth, as well as themselves?
- Parents will learn the “nuts and bolts” of birth
- Stages of labor
- Common procedures that can occur during birth
- How to prepare the for the unknown
Birth Art
- Embodied experience that allows parents to practice figuring out what to do when they don’t know what to do
- Wise and compassionate mentor is there to encourage them to keep going
Emphasis on the postpartum journey is a big differentiator between Birthing From Within and other birth preparation programs
Find a Birthing From Within Birth Education Mentor
How to get in touch with/follow Nikki
- Heart Centered Pregnancy Journal
- Follow on Instagram
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
Thank you so much for listening to the Finding Your Village podcast, before I get into the details about today’s episode. I wanted to let you all know that in the month of May, I will be publishing a series of podcast episodes all about childbirth preparation classes. As I finish the last steps of getting certified to become a childbirth educator myself, I wanted to feature different preparation philosophies and some popular classes.
My opinion about birth preparation is that it is important, but it is also not one size fits all. I compare it to exercise programs. Exercise is important for everyone, however, not everyone likes the same kind of exercise class. Some may prefer yoga, another person might like Crossfit and another may be a pilates gal. Similarly, I believe that birth preparation is important, no matter how you are giving birth and that some people may resonate with one philosophy over another. So I will be featuring an interview with a birth education from Birthing From Within, Evidence Based Birth, Hypnobirthing, The Bradley Method and Hypnobabies. So tune in for that series in May!
In today’s episode, I speak with Kathryn Courtoy of 3 Hearts Doula. Kathryn has 3 children that she calls her 3 hearts and named her business after, a son, a daughter and an "angel daughter". She is a Cappa Certified Labor Doula offering Childbirth Support in the North Metro Atlanta area. Kathryn believes there is no great transformational time in a person's life than bringing another human in the world and that every birth has a story. Kathryn and I discuss what labor doulas do and how they support all birthing people.
In this episode we discuss:
- Labor Doulas are for every birthing person who would like support
- You do not have to be planning an unmedicated birth or a vaginal birth to have support from a Labor Doula
- What a Labor Doula does before and during birth
- “Doulas catch the mom and Midwives catch the baby”
- I think of Labor Doulas as “birth consultants”
- Doulas don’t just get paid for being present during labor, but for all the support and expertise that they provide before labor starts
- The difference in roles between the support Partner and Labor Doula
- What holding space means
How to get in touch with Kathryn:
- Website: www.3heartsdoula.com
- Follow her on Instagram
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, I am doing another Podcast swap! That means that this episode is also airing in the near future on my guest’s show, which is called Inside Out Podcast Today Eden Hyder and I are discussing attachment theory and EMDR.
Eden Hyder is a licensed therapist, psychology teacher and mother of two who is passionate about helping others understand themselves, their relationships and their kids from the inside out. She does this through her counseling practice Inside Out Collaborative, her 5-star podcast Inside Out, and her online psychology courses - all of which you can find through her website edenhyder.com
In this episode, Eden and I discuss attachment theory and talk about how EMDR therapy can help people with insecure attachments heal from their wounds and trauma. I share part of my story and get vulnerable in hopes of encouraging others to know that healing is possible. I hope you enjoy the episode and maybe even find encouragement and hope.
In this episode we discuss:
What is Attachment Theory?
- A way of understanding people’s behavior and motivations through our relational patterns.
- Those patterns develop from day one between the primary caregiver and infant. This core relationship gives us the rules that we apply to all relationships
- Attachment is essentially a bond that we create for the purpose of safety
The four Attachment Styles:
- Secure
- Anxious
- Avoidant
- Fearful-Disorganized
What is EMDR?
- Eye Movement Desensitization Reprograming: a way of reconnecting to a memory that creates stress or a traumatic experience
- EMDR allows you to access those memories and allows you to process it and get “unstuck” from that experience
How EMDR can help an insecurely attached parent?
- We have core attachment needs. Those with insecure attachments didn’t get some of those core needs met and that can result in distorted beliefs about ourselves
- EMDR can help resolve those unhelpful beliefs and integrate a helpful resource to help us develop more secure attachments with others
I can discuss a little bit of my own story, having a disorganized attachment, what it has been like to parent while healing my own stuff with EMDR and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Recommended books:
- Happiest Baby on the Block
- The Whole Brain Child
How to get in touch with Eden:
- Website: edenhyder.com
- Follow her on Instagram
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
This is episode 50 of the Finding Your Village podcast!!! I am so excited to have released 50 episodes and I would like to thank everyone who has listened to an episode and to all of the wonderful guests who have shared their time and expertise on the show.
In today’s episode, I talk to Kaitlin McGreyes who is a mom, Doula and the Founder of Be Her Village, which is an online Baby Registry for parent services and support, rather than physical baby products. It is like the “Honeyfund” for birth.
In this episode we discussed:
- Revolutionizing the traditional baby registry
- Parents don’t need as much stuff as they need support like: a Doula, Prenatal Yoga Classes, Lactation Consultant, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, Postpartum Doula, etc.
- The “savior complex” that comes up for some people who work in Birth Work
- Be her Village allows communities to support new parents so that they can focus on their new baby
- They also have a wonderful Registry Guide for both parents and gift-givers
How to get in touch with Kaitlin:
- Website: www.behervillage.com
- Follow her and share about Be Her Village on: Instagram and Facebook
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode we are discussing what to consider when choosing a preschool for your child.
Joining me today for the conversation is Zahra Kazem. She is a certified Montessori teacher and ran a Montessori school pre-Covid. She then became a certified parenting coach through the International Coaching Federation and began helping working moms navigate the challenges of balancing a full time job with motherhood.
Because Zahra’s background includes both Montessori and parent coaching, we are going to touch on the Montessori philosophy, but we are going to also discuss different types of preschools, what might work best for your family and what the preschool registration process might look like.
In this episode we discuss:
The Montessori philosophy:
- It’s a multi-aged grouping so kids are in the same classroom (3-6) and they learn to help each other and be nurturing from a young age.
- They come into a “prepared environment”. The classroom is set up in the areas of: Practical Life, Sensorial, Math/Language, Geography and Science.
- The materials are all Montessori Materials. They are mainly made of wood and are self-correcting.
- Teachers are facilitators to learning. The child gets to choose what he/she wants to “work” with. They do this after the teacher has introduced the child to the material and given a lesson on it. They also learn at their own pace. Once the child has mastered one material and shows readiness for the next the teacher will invite the child to a more complex lesson.
- Children learn to self regulate in a Montessori classroom at a very young age. They learn to concentrate on their own tasks and not be distracted about what others in the classroom are doing. This is a great skill to have when entering a public kindergarten program or transitioning into a non Montessori traditional school.
What to consider when choosing a preschool
- A curriculum based structure or more of a daycare structure?
- Requirements for children at particular ages (do they need to be potty trained)
- Take a tour of the classrooms, would you want to spend time there?
The child’s age that parents should start thinking about registering their child for preschool
- Depends on your area and availability of preschools
- There is no mandate on when kids need to start preschool, could be ages 1-4
The registration window typically starts at least 6 months before the upcoming school year
How to get in touch with Zahra:
- Website: https://www.coachzahra.com/
- Email: coachzahrakazem@gmail.com
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode we are talking about Lactation Consultants! I had the honor of interviewing Courtney Miller who is an IBCLC. Courtney’s passion for breastfeeding began after giving birth to her son in March 2019, when she quickly realized there wasn’t enough breastfeeding education and support readily-available. Now she says she has found her calling of helping moms and their families along their breastfeeding journey! Courtney regularly uses her personal breastfeeding experience, along with evidence-based research, to help educate and support the families she works alongside.
In this episode we discuss:
- IBCLC stands for: International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
- CLC stands for: Certified Lactation Consultant
- What the difference is between and IBCLC and a CLC
- How Lactation Consultants can help
- Where they help: in hospital vs in home/virtual
- Free or low cost resources: support groups, WIC, La Leche League, Instagram
- Seeking a Lactation Consultant even if you do not have problems, they can help with transitions, pumping, weaning, etc.
How to get in touch with Courtney:
- Email: courtney@betterboob.com
- Follow her on Instagram
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode we are discussing parent burnout. I had the honor of interviewing Shelley Kemmerer for this topic. Shelley is the founder of Run Tell Mom, L.L.C. and in her business she assists new / expectant parents with navigating their transition into parenthood by providing customizable resources to optimize their parental experience. Shelley prioritizes parental wellbeing in order to avoid parental burnout. We are going to get into the details of that in today’s episode.
In this episode we discuss:
- Shelley’s background and how she started her parental wellness consulting company
- Modifiable factors to slow things down, i.e. moderate social media use
- What parental burnout is and how it happens
- Adrenal fatigue and stress overdrive
- The importance of creating an ecosystem of parental resources
- The importance of breath work and what it does for our autonomic nervous system
- How the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system works
- What my goal is with Finding Your Village
- BRAIN acronym when considering a proposed medical intervention/procedure: Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Interval/Intuition, Next best thing
How to get in touch with Shelley:
- Website: www.runtellmom.com
- Follow her on Instagram
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode we are discussing the very current topic of parenting while working from home. To discuss this topic, I had the privilege of interviewing Shari Medini and Karissa Tunis, who are the co-authors of Parenting while Working from Home: A Monthly Guide to Help Parents Balance Their Careers, Connect with Their Kids, and Establish Their Inner Strength. They are also the co-owners of the popular parenting website, AdoreThemParenting.com. With six kids between them and over a decade of work from home experience, they love sharing strategies that help fellow parents minimize the overwhelm while trying to juggle it all.
Shari and Karissa are going to share their expert advice on how to balance working from home and parenting.
In this episode we discuss:
- Time management with babies and working from home
- Do the things that mean the most
- i.e. baby wear while taking a walk or doing chores
- Work in chunks of time/work blocks
- Focus on one area each day and rotate: House, Family, Work
Shari and Karissa’s new book: Parenting while Working from Home
How to get in touch with Shari and Karissa:
- Website: www.AdoreThemParenting.com
- Follow them on Instagram
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, we are considering the choice of circumcision.
I had the great honor of talking to Dr. Christiane Northrup, who is a visionary pioneer in women’s health, a board-certified OB/GYN with more than thirty years of clinical experience, former assistant clinical professor of OB/GYN at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, and a three-time New York Times bestselling author. In 2016, she was named one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100, a group of leaders who are using their voices and talent to awaken humanity.
Internationally known for her empowering approach, Dr. Northrup embraces medicine that
acknowledges the unity of mind, body, emotions, and spirit, and teaches women to create health by tuning into their inner wisdom. Dr. Northrup acknowledges our individual and collective capacity for growth, freedom, joy, and balance. I hope you will find our conversation about the choice of circumcision enlightening and informative.
In this episode we discuss:
- Dr. Northrup’s background
- The history of circumcision in the United States
- Typical reasons why parents choose to circumcise their sons?
- The risks associated with circumcision
- Circumcision is not medically necessary
How to get in touch with Dr. Northrup:
- Website: www.drnorthrup.com
- Newsletter: For health and lifestyle tips that Dr. Northrup recommends, sign up for her FREE biweekly eNewsetter. You will get up-to-date-information, and learn about events that can put you on your path toward better health and vitality. To sign up for her FREE biweekly eNews visit https://www.drnorthrup.com/newsletter/
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
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In the episode today we are talking about approaching postpartum from a natural and holistic perspective. Dr. Christy Matusiak is a holistically-driven chiropractic physician practicing in Wilmette, IL. She is writing a book, to be published by July 2021. This is for the newly postpartum mother, struggling with finding herself and gaining the mental clarity to be present for her growing family.
In this episode we discuss:
Christy’s background
- How Christy got started in her field
- What muscle testing is
The importance of prioritizing yourself along with your family
The seven best “doctors” you can implement today to support your health:
- Sunlight
- Fresh Air
- Diet
- Exercise
- Water
- Sleep
- Joy
Make a “Wellness Toolbox”
- Write down a list of things that you enjoy doing or that bring you joy
- Divide this list by time and by things that you can do by yourself or with others
- This creates a “cheat sheet” for you to go to whenever you have a few minutes (or hours!) to yourself
Hormones:
- "Normal" vs "Common"
- PMS, PPD, Anxiety...etc.
- Placenta encapsulation
Neuro-Emotional Technique:
- Helps with overcoming stress and limiting beliefs
- Organ-emotion-muscle relationships
- We all need support sometimes
How to get in touch with Christy:
- YouTube: Dr. Christy Cares
- Email: christymatusiak@gmail.com
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, we are discussing safe co-sleeping or bed sharing practices. Our guest to discuss this topic is Gail Root. With a life devoted to teaching, counseling, and guiding new parents into their most important role as loving caregivers, Gail Root has the perfect combination of child development knowledge and Perinatal Psychology experience.
I've heard it said before that co-sleeping is like teenagers having sex. We can tell them not to do it, but at the end of the day many of them are going to do it anyway, so you might as well teach them how to do it safely.
In this episode we discuss:
Questions to consider concerning sleep for your family
- Child’s temperament
- Your gut instinct
- How you sleep
Attachment Parenting: can mean many things, most consider it to be an approach to raising children by listening to the cues of your child and responding to those cues
- Being responsive and sensitive
- Nurturing child through touch
- Holding/carrying baby a lot
Co sleeping/bed sharing: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns against bed sharing, but it has quadrupled in US in last 25 years. AAP position, understandably, seeks to keep babies as safe as possible, appears to emerge from an abundance of caution
Breastsleeping: coined by Dr. James Mckenna, PhD, Director of the Mother-Baby Sleep Lab at University of Notre Dame
- Cuddle curl: breastfeeding parent lays on side with knees up and stacked with arm tucked under head and curled around baby to create a protected space
Safe way to co-sleep/bed share:
- On a flat and firm surface
- With blankets away from baby
- In cuddle curl position
- Breastfeeding parent must be free of mind altering substances (alcohol, etc.) and should have not smoked cigarettes either
- Moms with long hair should have their hair pulled back into pony tail
- Ensure there is no gap between the bed and the bed frame
- A dock-a-tot is not recommended/considered safe
This is a way that the nursing parent can nurse during the night in the side-lying position
Gail’s Recommended Book List:
- Good Nights, the happy parents guide to the family bed (and a peaceful nights’ sleep) by Gordon & Goodavage
- Safe Infant Sleep, Expert Answers to your cosleeping questions by Dr. James McKenna
- Managing the mother load, a guide to creating more ease, space and grace in motherhood by Borucki
- The Bottom line for baby by Bryson
- What no one tells you, a guide to your emotions from pregnancy to motherhood by Sacks & Birndorf
How to connect with Gail:
- Website: www.rootsandwingsparentcoaching.com
- Email: gail@rootsandwingsparentcoaching.com
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode you will hear the great conversation that I got to have with Micah Johnson. Dr. Johnson is a sociologist and serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy at the University of South Florida. Dr. Johnson’s research centers around childhood trauma, behavioral health, and juvenile justice. Dr. Johnson trains, speaks, and teaches internationally on topics related to trauma, poverty, antiracism, and sustainable peace. Dr. Johnson recently published a children’s book entitled “Never Had a Friend.”
In this episode we discuss the topic of explaining tough topics to your kids. This is such an important conversation and I find it very fitting to release it today, on Valentine’s day, because our discussion and Dr. Johnson’s work is all about promoting love and making this world a more compassionate and caring place.
In this episode we discuss:
Dr. Micah Johnson’s background
- Goal: building peace and investing in young people
- Passion is to use creativity and art to deal with adversity
Dr. Johnson’s new children’s book: Never Had a Friend
Discussing tough topics
- Empowering parents to have hard conversations with young kids
- Even as early as in pregnancy parents can start discussing with each other what moral foundation they want to establish for their family
- Parents can get used to talking about difficult topics with each other
Age appropriate ways to introduce these topics
- Books!
- Don't make it a huge deal or one time conversation
- Explain things as they come up and look at this as a lifelong discussion
How to get in touch with Dr. Johnson:
- Website
- Email: DoctorMicahJohnson@gmail.com
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
In today’s episode, I had the privilege of interviewing Nicole Johnson: founder of The Baby Sleep Site! I am particularly excited about this interview because I have been following The Baby Sleep Site for several years and it was very cool to get to interview Nicole who started it all! In this episode, Nicole provides us with tips and advice on how to transition your toddler from a crib to a toddler bed. We had a great conversation and Nicole explains what readiness signs to look for, how to transition smoothly and what to do when pitfalls arise.
I am also really excited today for another reason...this week marks the one year anniversary of the Finding Your Village podcast! I launched this show on February 4th of 2020 and cannot believe that it has been a year already. I love getting the chance to discuss birth, postpartum and parent mental health topics with other advocates and educators in the hope of making the early days of parenting more connected. Thank you so much for listening to this show!
In this episode we discuss:
Nicole’s background and how she came to start The Baby Sleep Site:
Advice on how to transition a toddler from a crib:
- Age range recommendation: 2-4 years old
- Readiness signs to look for: can they follow directions and are they interested in a bed
- Use a ready to wake clock, like: The Hatch
- Use a lovey or an attachment object
- Make sure that sleep is going well in the crib and you have good baby sleep habits before you transition them
- Climbing out of crib: you do not necessarily need to transition them right away if they start climbing out! They might only do it once. Transition them if it seems dangerous!
Common pitfalls and how to handle them
- Try not to stay in the room with them for too long after doing the bedtime routine
- Start naptime routine 20 minutes earlier in the beginning and expect them to test the limits at first
- Don’t give up on naps if they are under 3!
Potty training and crib transition!
- If night training while potty training, either transition to a toddler bed a few weeks before
- Or keep them in the crib if your potty trained child still needs your help going potty at night
How to get in touch with Nicole
- Website
- Email: nicole@babysleepsite.com
How to get in touch with me:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
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The topic of today’s episode is: VBACs or Vaginal Birth After Cesarean. I had the honor of interviewing Jen Kamel for this episode. Jen is the founder of VBAC Facts.com. In this episode Jen shines a light on the misconceptions about the safety and risks associated with VBACs and we discuss ACOGs current recommendation as well as the data surrounding this topic.
I hope this episode educates and encourages any parent who has previously had a Cesarean birth and is considering their options for their next birth.
In this episode we discuss:
Jen’s background and how she came to start VBACfacts.com
What is a VBAC?
- Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: when someone has a Cesarean section birth in a prior pregnancy and then they decide that they want to labor and have a vaginal delivery with their subsequent child
Language is important! Patients/clinicians should use the phrase: “Planning a VBAC"
What risks are associated with Laboring After a Cesarean?
- The risk of uterine rupture after 1 previous low transverse Cesarean birth without induction or augmentation is 0.4%
How do the risks of a VBAC compare to the risks of complications from a Cesarean?
- Both are associated with rare adverse outcomes
- The most talked about risk associate with VBAC is: uterine rupture after 1 previous low transverse Cesarean birth without induction or augmentation is 0.4%
- A major risk associated with Cesarean is placental abnormalities like Placenta Accreta, this increases with each prior C-section
Do the risks differ with a first VBAC vs. VBA2C or multiple C-sections, or babies?
- Risk of uterine rupture decreases after a first VBAC
- VBA2C stands for: Vaginal Birth After 2 Cesareans
What steps can you take in pregnancy and labor to increase chances of having a VBAC?
Find out if your provider is supportive of VBAC
- Ask questions
- Ask for evidence
- Research your options for second opinions or finding another provider if your provider is not supportive of your choices
Mindset
- Surround yourself with a bubble of peace and supportive people
- Have a mindset of: I am going to Labor After Cesarean
Arm yourself with the facts
- You can talk confidently about your choices
- Advocate for yourself
- Familiarize yourself with the evidence
How has COVID affected C-section rates in general, in the US?
- Jen is hosting a panel to discuss this in the VBACfacts professional membership next month
How to get in touch with Jen and VBACfacts.com:
- Website
How to get in touch with me:
- Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
- Monthly Newsletter
Support the show
For those of you listening to the show for the first time, let me introduce myself. My name is Amanda and I live in the suburbs of Atlanta with my husband and two kids who are 4 and 2. I am currently training to become a childbirth education mentor and my goal of this show is to make the early days of parenting more connected. Please follow the show on Instagram @findingyourvillage to see more about birth, postpartum and parent mental health.
Today we are discussing the topic of how to find childcare, especially if you are a first time parent. My guest is Shannon Parola, who has spent the past 15 years as a career nanny, newborn care specialist, and now mom of a beautiful one year old baby girl. As a mom and childcare provider, she has a unique perspective and insight for parents and nannies. Due to COVID, she’s opened a Childcare Coaching service to help parents navigate the various childcare options available to them.
In this episode we discuss:
Things to discuss with your partner before baby arrives:
- What your childcare expectations are
- What your budget is
Two different ways to find a nanny:
- Research yourself, put out ads yourself and manage the interviews yourself
- Hire an agency (extra fees associated)
If you are going about it on your own, where to start looking:
- Care.com
- Sittercity.com
- Your neighborhood/local community Facebook groups and Moms groups
Nannies vs. Daycares are like Apples and Oranges!
- Listen for Shannon’s fantastic analogy
- It often comes down to budget
Process for hiring a Nanny:
- Spell out your expectations in a job description: hours, pay, vacation time etc.
- Create an ad and post to the above areas to look
- Schedule and conduct interviews with applicants
- When you find someone that is a good fit, have them come over for a trial day or week
- Create a contract
How to get in touch with Shannon:
- Website: www.theviparolaz.com
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In this episode, I had the honor of interviewing my Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, Shelley DiCecco. I met Shelley a month after having my first baby and she helped me in so many ways. She helped me heal from pain using the restroom after having a vaginal birth. She helped me heal from Diastatis Recti...twice, which is the focus of today’s episode. Also, I have an announcement...I am launching a monthly FYV newsletter that will recap the episodes from that month and a few other helpful resources about birth, postpartum and parent mental health. For those that sign up for the newsletter on my website, you will get access to a video of me demonstrating the ab approximation exercise that I used to heal my Diastasis Recti after both of my pregnancies. Sign up using this link!
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In this episode we discuss:
Shelley’s background as a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist
- Shelley is a PT at The Sports Rehabilitation Center
- She also teaches entry level Physical Therapists at a medical school in Atlanta
What does a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist do?
My story with a Pelvic Floor PT:
- Helped me heal from pain using the restroom after having a vaginal birth
- Helped me heal from Diastatis Recti...twice, after both of my pregnancies
- Part of the program was visits to see a PT regularly and doing exercises comprised of ab approximations for 30 minutes a day
What is Diastasis Recti?
When a PT is checking you for how wide a separation you have they should be checking in 3 places
- Above belly button
- At belly button
- Below belly button
Just wearing a splint, brace, wrap or doing ab contractions will not bring the linea alba close together enough to heal. Doing ab contractions and crunches will actually make your DR worse
The only true way to FULLY heal from DR is to approximate your rectus abdominus muscles while you do rehabilitation exercise. How to do this:
- Lay on the ground, push your fingers down into the sides of your belly, then squeeze your fingers and belly skin/muscles toward each other, then contract your abs in and hold for 10 seconds
- Repeat this for 3 sets of 30
- Sign up for my newsletter here to see a video of me demonstrating this exercise. Including my adorable belly donut!
Exercises and activities to avoid when you have a Diastasis Recti:
- Planks
- Crunches
- Ab exercises without doing an approximation first
- Most mainstream forms of yoga and pilates
How to find a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist
- You may need a referral from your OB, midwife or other practitioner, depending on your state and insurance
- Ask for a referral at your 6 week postpartum visit
- Go to www.apta.org to find a Pelvic Floor PT in your area
How to get in touch with Shelley
- Email: shelleydicecco@gmail.com
Thank you so much for listening and don’t forget to sign up for my monthly newsletter to see a video of the ab approximation exercise!
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In today’s episode I speak with Christa Bevan of The Radical Mother Village about dynamic self care!
Christa is a Dynamic Self Care Coach for Radical Mothers. She is also a TRE (Trauma Releasing Exercises) Provider and a Trauma Informed Yoga Instructor. What in the world are Radical Mothers, you might ask? Those moms who are doing work to break cycles of generational trauma by doing work on themselves to heal from their own wounds so they can model healthy behavior for their children! If you are curious about what exactly dynamic self care is listen to the rest of this episode and I hope you can learn how to integrate this concept into your life.
In this episode we discuss:
- Dynamic Self Care which is made of 3 pillars:
- self awareness
- self love
- self compassion
- Dynamic Self Care is how you can care for yourself and nourish yourself on a deep level.
- She differentiates “Dynamic Self Care” from “Pinterest self care”
- “Dynamic Self Care” are the activities to reset your nervous system and that nourish you on a deep level
- It enables you to mother from a place of feeling calm, collected and in control
- Christa shares her Awakening to Love story
- Her realization between the link between her autoimmune condition, Celiac Disease, and her realization that she did not have self-love
- Nervous System Responses
- Everything that your nervous system does is in service of survival
- The types of stress responses that your body goes into:
- Social Engagement stress response
- Fight or Flight stress response
- Freeze response
- How to use the Dynamic Self Care model to discharge stressful energy
- Be self aware about the times that you feel activated, then notice things that make you feel nourished afterward vs. feel distracted
- When you are aware that you are in this state you can use activity to discharge the energy:
- Exercise
- Physical movement
- Crying
- Laughing
- Speak to yourself positively, imagine what you would say to a best friend and say that to yourself
- Cultivate a radical self acceptance of who you are
- We discussed the Enneagram as a way of knowing insight about yourself as a place to start
How to get in touch with Christa:
- Website: www.christabevan.com
- Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theradicalmothervillage
- Podcast: Christa’s Podcast is launching on January 21st! Look for it and subscribe where you listen to your podcasts: The Radical Mother Village
Follow me on Instagram
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
Email me at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
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Today to kick off the new year I have a really special episode for you. This week I am doing a podcast swap with Tracy Wilson of The Melanated Mom Podcast. This episode will be airing here on Finding Your Village and later this week on her show The Melanated Mom Podcast.
I had a great conversation with Tracy about hard topics. We talked about social injustice, the Super Hero complex that many of us moms get lost in, we discussed race and white privilege and the thread that took us through it all was the idea of finding joy in the midst of injustice. While that is very difficult to do and takes a brave and vulnerable person to do, it is really important, especially now and for parents to model for their kids.
I think this conversation is a really important one to start the year off with and I am so grateful and honored to have had this conversation with Tracy. Thank you so much for listening!
In this episode, we discuss:
- The importance of making time for yourself as a mom
- Super Hero Syndrome
- Race and white privilege
- Tracy shared a personal experience that she had within her neighborhood
- Anti-racism resources
- We also recommend following Ebony Janice on Instagram to find out more about sustaining joy in anti-racism work. She is @ebonyjanice
- How we met
- Through Lisa Sharon Harper’s Instagram Live video
- We both found her by watching a conversation that she had with Jen Hatmaker, which we both highly recommend that everyone watch: White Women’s Toxic Tears
- The importance of cultivating self compassion
- Joy for us has been created through: making connections, letting go of guilt, letting go of the Super Hero Syndrome and cultivating self compassion
- I shared my biggest lesson in my quest for knowledge and understanding of racial reconciliation: accepting the need to listen to difficult stories from the past and getting comfortable with our horrific and really uncomfortable history
- One resource that really helped me on my journey is reading Be The Bridge by Latasha Morrison and then joining a Be The Bridge Group
- The importance of talking to our kids about the history of racism in this country
- To truly experience joy, we have to let go of our “safe space” and get vulnerable
How to connect with Tracy:
- Instagram: @melanatedmompodcast
- Website: https://melanatedmom.com/
How to connect with me:
- Instagram: @findingyourvillage
- Website: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
- Email: amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
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Today I am talking to Mallory Millet about all things bottle feeding. Mallory is a Speech Language Pathologist and the founder of the Feeding Mom. In this episode we discuss the need for resources and support for bottle feeding parents. Mallory is going to give us five recommendations for what parents should know about bottle feeding to encourage optimal oral development.
In this episode we discussed:
- Who is The Feeding Mom?
- Moving past the notions of “breast is best” vs “fed is best”
- What are the gaps in service for bottle feeding parents
- Mallory’s top 5 recommendations to encourage optimal oral development:
- Buy at least 3 different types of bottle nipples to allow your baby to try to see which one they prefer
- Use the paced feeding strategy and the elevated side lying position
- Have baby elevated and lying on their side
- Watch your baby’s cues for when they need to suckle rather than drink
- Check out Mallory’s videos on Instagram to see an example of how to do this: @infant.feeding.specialist
- Learn your baby’s cues for when they are hungry vs. full
- Pay attention to how many ounces baby drinks in a 24 hour period rather than at each feeding
- The amount will change depending on the time of day
- Create a routine rather than a schedule
- Reach out for help if you are experiencing any issues
- How to get in touch with Mallory:
- Instagram @infant.feeding.specialist
- Website: www.thefeedingmom.com
Thank you so much for listening to the show today. Please feel free to reach out to Mallory on Instagram or via her website, and I have linked to both in the show notes on Findingyourvillagepod.com.
I wanted to say Happy Holidays to everyone. My family celebrates Christmas and I am going to take a break this coming week to spend time with my family and celebrate this holiday. I will be back with a new episode on January 3rd. I have some great content lined up for 2021. Also, I have a question for you listeners: what pregnancy or postpartum topics are you interested in hearing about this next year? Please send me a DM on Instagram at FindingYourVillage or send me an email at Amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com.
Have a happy holiday and stay safe and healthy!
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In today's episode I am talking to Taryn Rioseco about building a strong parent-child connection. Taryn is a certified Hand and Hand Parenting educator and she is here today to explain what Parenting by Connection is and she is going to give us five tips on how to better connect with your toddler.
In this episode we discussed:
- How she got started with supporting parents at A Mother’s Haven in Los Angeles
- What is Parenting By Connection?
- When a child is having a hard time, like having a temper tantrum for example, the Parenting By Connection model helps your child feel more connected to you. When a child is in an escalated emotional state, they need their parents help them regulate their emotions and they need a parents presence and support
- Parenting experts that Taryn and I recommend:
- Janet Lansbery
- Dr. Laura Markham
- Alfie Kohn
- Lawrence Cohen
- Dr. Harvey Karp
- Five tips on how to connect better with your toddler
- Stay Listening: listening to your childs upset all the way through. Hear them out and let them know that you are there to support them through that hard moment.
- i.e. I can see that you are really upset I am going to sit here with you and I that it is really hard when you feel upset
- Setting Limits: creating boundaries with support and not letting your child walk all over you.
- Play Listening: focusing on playful parenting. The goal is laughter, a way to turn a hard moment around into a playful, funny moment.
- Special Time: a short period of time that you have with your child with no distractions. Set a timer, put your phone/computer away and give them your full attention for 10-15 minutes.
- Listening Partnerships: this is a parent to parent tool. Find someone you don’t know super well to take turns weekly to vent to each other about whatever is going on in your life. This is not therapy, your listening partner is just there to listen, not give advice. Set a timer and take turns sharing/venting. Find out more:
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/1737277509854586/
- https://www.handinhandparenting.org/2016/01/how-to-find-a-listening-partner/
- How to get in touch with Taryn:
- Instagram: @herewegrowatl
- Website: http://www.here-we-grow.com/
- Family music classes
Thank you so much for listening to the show today. Please feel free to reach out to Taryn on Instagram or via her website!
Also, I would love to hear from listeners, please send me a DM on Instagram @FindingYourVillage.
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Before I share about today’s wonderful podcast topic I wanted to give an update on a change that I am making in this show. When I first started this podcast I thought a lot about the bigger picture, how I wanted to serve the podcast community and new parents. The first thing I came up with was: making parenting easier. I had good intentions, however, I have realized along my parenting journey, and my podcasting journey that that was a bunch of baloney sandwiches. Parenting is hard. End of story. No amount of tips and tricks will make it easier. That is the difficult news, the good news is that we are all in it together. So, my new goal of this show is to make parenting more connected. That honestly is what parenting in a village is all about, being connected.
In today’s episode I connected with another podcasting mom, Cara Romanik. In talking with Cara I learned so much about today’s topic, which is clubfoot. Cara from the Glow Up Gals podcast joined us to graciously share about her son’s journey with Clubfoot. It is the most common birth defect and affects about 1 in 1000 children. One of my favorite things that Cara shared in this episode is that she got to witness how resilient her son was from the day that he was born. That touches my heart and makes me feel so proud to be a fellow mother alongside her.
In this episode we discuss:
- What is Clubfoot?
- a birth defect that about 1 in 1000 children will be diagnosed with
- How is it treated?
- Used to be surgical
- There is now a less invasive method called The Ponseti Method
- The Ponseti Method consists of 3 steps:
- The casting phase, which slowly moves the foot week by week
- A tenotomy, which is a surgical release of the achilles tendon, which is performed with local anesthesia
- Boots and Bar, the final phase (and longest) of treatment, in which the child must wear a brace for 23 hours a day at first and then only at night by about 6 months of age
- Cara shared her story of finding out about her son’s Clubfoot during her 20 week anatomy scan
- She also shared how she found a great community of supportive parents online. She recommends connecting with the following Facebook groups:
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/clubfeetsupport
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/719176721569640
- If you would like to learn more about Clubfoot, Cara recommends the following resources:
- miraclefeet.org
- hopewalks.org
- clubfootclub.org
How to connect with Cara:
Instagram: @caraconnects and @glowupgalspodcast
Email: glowupgalspodcast@gmail.com
Thank you so much for listening to the show today!
If you would like to connect with me I am on instagram @findingyourvillage.
Let me know what you have thought of the show so far or if you have any episode ideas or would like to come on the show as a guest. You can also email me directly at amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com.
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In today’s episode I spoke with 3 Pediatric Sleep Consultants about baby sleep. I have compiled a list of common baby sleep questions that new parents have and our experts have answered those questions today!
Our Sleep Consultants:
Amanda Israel: Lullaby Magic Sleep Consulting
- IG: @LullabyMagicSleepConsulting
- www.lullabymagic.com
Steffi Edwin: Jolie Sleep Consulting
- IG: @JolieSleep
- www.joliesleep.com
Shannon Buhera: Nights and Naps
- IG: @Nights_andnaps
- www.nightsandnaps.com
Baby Sleep Questions:
How do you get a baby to sleep in their own crib instead of in their parents bed?
- Parents must be ready for this transition
- Choose the right sleep training method: for instance the Sleep Lady Shuffle
- Make a plan and be consistent!
- Establish bedtime routine and safe sleep environment
What do you do when your baby has their days and nights mixed up?
- Open your blinds during the day to help your baby identify awake-time
- Create a consistent bedtime routine
- Wake up your baby from a nap after 2 hours
How do you get a baby to stop waking up multiple times at night?
- The goal is for your baby to fall back asleep on their own
- When your baby wakes up give them a chance to fall back asleep on their own for a minute
- Break a negative sleep association (don’t nurse or rock them to sleep)
- Get a video baby monitor
When do you stop swaddling an infant and how do you help them fall asleep and stay asleep without the swaddle?
- Ways to transition them:
- Swaddle with their arms up with elbows tucked in
- Swaddle with one arm out
- Cold turkey
- When to transition them:
- The AAP recommends to stop swaddling at 8 weeks of age
- Stop swaddling when your baby rolls over for the first time
- Swaddle transition products:
- Merlin Sleep Suit
- Zipadee-Zip
- Halo Sleep Sack
- Nested Bean Zen Sack
- Don’t give up on the swaddle!
- If your baby fusses try rocking them, on their side and saying shhhh close to their ear. They will likely calm down quickly.
- Try to a SwaddleMe to more easily swaddle your baby
How do you get your toddler to stay in their bed?
- The Silent Return:
- When your toddler comes out of their room, you silently walk them back to their room and put them back in bed
- Do this as many times as it takes, be consistent!
- Pick only one phrase to say to them and say nothing else: I love you, it is time to sleep
- Get an ok-to-wake clock, like the Hatch
Reach out to Amanda, Steffi or Shannon to hire them as a Sleep Consultant if you would like one on one help!
Also, all of the consultants that you heard today trained with Jayne Havens, founder of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management. If you are interested in becoming a Sleep Consultant yourself Jayne has offered all FYV listeners a $150 discount off her certification course. Just use the code: FYV150 at checkout when you register for the course at thecpsm.com.
Thank you so much for listening!
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Welcome to Season Two of the Finding Your Village Podcast!!
I am so thankful to Samantha Ecker, who is our guest for today’s show, which is about how you can encourage your child’s speech and language development. Samantha is a speech-language pathologist and a mom of three. She is the creator of Toddler Talking Tips and she believes that, with a little guidance, parents are capable of making a huge difference in how their toddlers communicate.
In today’s episode we discuss:
Samantha’s experience as a mom with her children’s speech development
- First child delayed with gross motor but ahead with language skills
- Second child delayed with language, ahead with motor
Key principles all parents should know about language development:
- Input-Output Principle: the more language they hear, the more they learn
- Low-Pressure Principle: fewer questions and quizzing
- Primary Skills Principle: there’s a hierarchy to language learning
- Back Up Principle: meet your child where they are, build on strengths
Early Intervention programs
- Comprehensive list of all Early Intervention Programs by State
Ways to learn from Samantha:
Freebies
- Language Milestones Handbook: www.toddlertalkingtips.com/milestones
- How to Avoid Communication-Related Tantrums: www.toddlertalkingtips.com/tantrums
The W.A.N.T. IT Way Course*: Teaches parents how to help their toddlers communicate without frustration: https://learn.toddlertalkingtips.com/courses/wantitway
- Which-One
- Anticipation
- Non-Verbal Communication
- Temptations
*Use code: VILLAGEPOD to get $30 off the W.A.N.T. IT Way Course!
How to get in touch with Samantha:
- Instagram: @ToddlerTalkingTips
- Facebook: @ToddlerTalkingTips
- Facebook Group: MyTalkingToddler
Thank you so much for listening!
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In today’s episode we are discussing pediatric functional medicine. Our guest is Juliana Nahas MD, who is a board certified integrative pediatrician and functional medicine expert. Her practice is in Covington, GA where she and her team use conventional and functional medical knowledge to treat diverse symptoms and conditions in children.
Today, she and I are going to discuss what functional medicine is and how it can be especially helpful for children with chronic medical conditions.
In the episode we discuss:
- What functional medicine is
- How it differs from conventional practices
- Functional medicine practitioners are like detectives!
- The gut microbiome and how important it is for it to be established well
- Probiotics for infants
- Dr. Nahas’ recommendation for an OTC probiotic is: BioGaia
- Dr. Nahas prefers and recommends supplements from www.fullscript.com
How to get in touch with Dr. Nahas:
Website: www.covingtonpediatrics.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CovingtonPediatrics/
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Today, we are talking about traveling the world with babies in tow! I am so fortunate that David Hoffman joined me as a guest a few weeks ago to discuss his journey into parenthood. David is a former classmate of mine from Northwestern and before the pandemic set in, he and his wife Liv spent a lot of their time traveling while working and raising their two daughters. The goal of the show today is to share David’s perspective of traveling and living in different cities around the world with a toddler and a baby!
In this episode we discuss:
- David’s background: co-founded Next Big Sound and after it was sold to Pandora, he met his wife, Liv
- David and Liv’s adventures traveling with their newborn
- What it was like to live in Air BnBs with a baby
- Traveling and pregnancy during the time of Zika
- Living in Quito, Ecuador at the beginning of their second pregnancy
- How to find a babysitter in a new city!
- How the pandemic has informed their decision for where they are living now.
David and Liv’s baby gear recommendations:
Books: Home Game by Michael Lewis for the big picture
Mom's On Call for schedules
Stroller: Bugaboo Cameleon for 1 kid
Uppababy Vista for 2 kids if you're in a city
Thule Chariot for towing behind our bikes, taking on walks and hikes
Travel Bassinet: Babyhome Bassinet
Travel Crib: Guava Family Lotus Travel Crib
White noise: Spotify White Noise Rain
Bag: The KAOS Diaper Bag (my wife sells it on our store and it's our go-everywhere bag)
Thermos: a good Thermos for milk! (clean it ASAP or it gets nasty)
Travel Diaper Pails: Munchkin Toss Portable Disposable Diaper Pail
How to get in touch with David:
http://david-hoffman.com
Blue House: Seriously, Liv’s shop is beautiful. Check it out.
Thank you so much for listening to the show today! To hear past episodes of the podcast, go to www.findingyourvillagepod.com or subscribe anywhere you listen to podcasts!
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In today's show we are discussing baby sleep again! Today, I talk to Anna Clifford, who is a Cincinnati based Sleep Consultant, that specializes in Gentle Sleep Training. Anna went through the Sleep Consultant Certification Program created by previous FYV podcast guest, Jayne Havens. Today, Anna differentiates between Gentle Sleep Training methods and other methods that include Extinction or Crying It Out.
The goal today is to explain what gentle sleep training is, debunk the misconception that all baby sleep training programs involve “Crying It Out”. We also discuss what it is like to work with a Sleep Consultant who specializes in Gentle Sleep training methods.
In the episode we discuss:
- Anna’s background in gymnastics and how she became a Sleep Consultant
- Anna also shares about her experience with getting her own babies to sleep!
- We share our “Binky Fairy” & “Paci Fairy” stories!
- What exactly is Gentle Sleep Coaching/Training?
- You teach your baby how to fall asleep independently, but you will give them assistance and help them calm down so that they can learn how to fall asleep on their own. You slowly decrease the amount of assistance that you provide over time.
- What happens typically when you start working with a Sleep Consultant
- Parents fill out intake form
- Sleep Consultant learns about families routine, habits, information about the child and their current sleep habits
- Sleep Consultant creates custom sleep plan for family and discusses the plan over the phone
- Sleep Consultants usually offer different packages or tiers of service offerings depending on what each family needs
How to get in touch with Anna:
If you are interested in becoming a Sleep Consultant, like Anna, she was certified by the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management. If you are looking for a Sleep Training certification course, you can use code: FYV150 at checkout to get a $150 discount off the course at thecpsm.com.
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Today I have the privilege of airing the interview that I did with André and Kayleon Elliott about their experience with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). September is NICU awareness month and the Elliott’s story is a great one to share during this time.
André and Kayleon live just outside of Charlotte, North Caroline with their little girl, Ariah. They both have a background in Ministry and Kayleon is the founder of By Grace Not Perfection. In today’s show, André and Kayleon share their story about having their baby prematurely and spending her first 45 days of her life in the NICU. The goal of our conversation is to bring awareness and advocate for NICU parents. Lets jump into the interview:
In this episode we discuss:
- Kayleon shares about Ariah’s birth story
- The Elliott’s experience in the NICU
- How they got into NICU advocacy
- Kayleon has created:
- NICU Keepsake Journal
- NICU Moms Planner
How to get in touch with André and Kayleon:
Two Hosts are Better website: https://www.twohostsarebetter.com/
Two Hosts are Better podcast: https://www.twohostsarebetter.com/podcast
Instagram:
- https://www.instagram.com/twohostsarebetter/
- https://www.instagram.com/bgnpllc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bgnpllc
Thank you so much for listening to the show today. This conversation was particularly impactful for me because my middle sister, Lauren, was born prematurely and with a complication that required surgery and a month long stay in the NICU. I was only 4 years old when she was born, but I remember it being a very scary and stressful time for my family. I’m so glad that the Elliotts are doing the work that they are for NICU advocacy. If you are interested in doing more or finding out more, I would encourage you to check out their resources listed above, as well as March of Dimes.org.
Thank you for listening to the show today!
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This week I spoke with Lara Elfstrand, who is a family resilience coach and postpartum doula, about how to create a resilient family! Lara calls herself a new parent sanity specialist and the goal of the show is to give you some tools on how to build resiliency in yourself as a parent and in your children as well.
What we discuss in this episode:
- What is Resilience coaching and what can families hope to achieve
- The Gottman Institute
- Bringing Baby Home Class
- The KALM method
- KALM Baby Class
Lara has generously offered all listeners a 10% discount off her classes. Just use code FINDINGYOURVILLAGE at checkout at: www.little-elf.org
How to get in touch with Lara:
Website: www.little-elf.org
Free consultation: www.little-elf.org/appointments
Thank you so much for listening to the show!
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Today we are discussing a very important topic: Postpartum Depression.
Ronnisha Anderson is a mental health professional and certified professional life coach. Her mission is to provide her clients with support so they can flourish and empower themselves! Today, she and I share about our personal experiences with Postpartum Depression (PPD). Additionally, Ronnisha will discuss the intersection of PPD and Marriage and Family Therapy.
In the this episode, we discuss:
- How Ronnisha realized she had Postpartum Depression
- The importance of self-awareness and doing inner work
- How she remedied her PPD:
- therapy
- self-care and being intentional with her time
- self-compassion, grace and kindness
- Ronnisha discussed how she decided to become a therapist
- she hadn't gone to therapy herself until college!
- I share about my experience with PPD as well
- what it was like to experience this with a second child, but not the first
- The intersection of Postpartum Depression with Marriage and Family Therapy
How to get in touch with Ronnisha:
Website: https://www.ronnishaalaine.com/
Use code: FYV40* to get 40% off of Ronnisha’s coaching services!
Facebook: @ronnishaalaine
Instagram: @ronnishaalaine
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Today I spoke with Laura Siddons about the 4th trimester. The goal of the show is to explain the concept of the fourth trimester and to promote support for new moms during this sacred postpartum period.
Laura Siddons is the founder of The Nesting Place and The 4th Trimester Support Circle Program.
In this episode we discuss:
- What the 4th Trimester is:
- "The fourth trimester is a period coined by Dr. Harvey Karp as the first 3 months of a baby’s life after birth."- Happiest Baby
- I highly recommend his book: Happiest Baby on the Block
- What babies need during this time
- What moms need during this time
- Rather than only register for baby items, parents can register for care services, postpartum support packages as well as breastfeeding and parenting classes!
- https://behervillage.com/
- https://theflourishfund.com/
- The 4th Trimester Support Circle Program more in depth
- How someone can join
- New Virtual Support Group starting on September 16, 2020
How to get in touch with Laura:
Instagram: @ThenestingplaceliWebsite: https://thenestingplaceli.com/
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Today we are talking about baby and child sleep today! I am so happy to share this interview that I did with Jayne Havens!
I have talked about my experience with a sleep consultant in the past and I have shared the nuggets of information that I learned about baby sleep...but today I am actually bringing you information from an actual Sleep Consultant.
Jayne Havens started Snooze Fest, which is a sleep consulting service that works with families all over the US. Jayne also started the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management where she created a Sleep Consultant Certification Course.
My goal is that you can understand some of the misconceptions about baby sleep training as well as get a better understanding of how a sleep consultant could help you and your family. Plus, as a bonus, if you are someone who is very interested in child and infant sleep...we want to let you know about Jayne’s wonderful sleep consultant training program. And for any listener who is interested in becoming a sleep consultant, Jayne has very generously offered to give you a $150 discount off the certification course. Just use the code: FYV150 at checkout when you register for her course at thecpsm.com
In the episode, Jayne and I discuss:
- Her experience becoming a Sleep Consultant
- Why she decided to launch her own Sleep Consultant Certification Course
- The difference between Gentle Sleep training and Gradual Sleep training
- Gentle Sleep training does not mean No Crying!
- The different types of sleep training methodologies that are out there:
- Extinction aka Cry It Out
- Timed Checks aka The Ferber Method
- The Sleep Lady Shuffle
- No-Cry Sleep Solution
- Silent Return aka The Super Nanny Method (for toddlers +)
- The fuzzy definition of Sleeping Through the Night
- Jayne's advice for sleep deprived parents!
Baby Sleep Books that Jayne and I both recommend:
- The Sleep Lady’s Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West
- Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth
- Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems by Dr. Richard Ferber
- Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracey Hogg
- Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp
How to get in touch with Jayne:
Sleep Consulting Website: https://thesnoozefest.com
Center for Pediatric Sleep Management: thecpsm.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snoozefestbyjaynehavens
Thank you so much for listening to the episode today!
Remember Jayne has offered all listeners a $150 discount off her certification course. Just use the code: FYV150 at checkout when you register for the course at thecpsm.com.
Thank you so much for listening today. Take care and stay safe!
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Today I am talking about going past your due date in pregnancy. The goal of the show today is to tell you about my own personal experience with being overdue and to give you some suggestions on what you can do with that time!
In addition to talking about my experiences going past my due date with each of my pregnancies, I also talk about how I was introduced to my favorite podcast, The Longest Shortest Time.
The difference between going overdue the first and second time was night and day! I had been there before, but what did I do differently?
- The biggest difference was my mental framework:
- Having a list of things I could do with my time
- Setting expectations that he wouldn’t be born until 42 weeks
- I planned ahead!
- I made a Can Do list instead of a To Do list!
- Everyday that I woke up pregnant I had a list of things that I could do that day
- Then it was a win-win
- If I was still pregnant, I got stuff done
- If I wasn’t...I had my baby!
The average first time mom goes into labor at 41 weeks + 1 day!
To be clear, I am not recommending that no one get induced!!! One of my goals in my pregnancy was to have as few medical interventions as possible, especially getting induced. That was important to me! Each birthing person, baby and pregnancy is different. If you are interested in reading about what the evidence shows about the pros and cons of going past your due date vs. getting induced, here is a great article by Evidence Based Birth: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-on-due-dates/
My recommendations for creating your own "Can Do List"
- You aren’t giving yourself a list of tasks to accomplish
- You are thinking of Self Care activities to do while you are waiting
- I suggest making a few different lists depending on what you are in the mood for!
- Connecting
- Spend time with your spouse: have date nights, discuss preparing for the birth and parenting
- Spend time with family and friends, even if this is over FaceTime!
- Spend time with yourself:
- Go for a walk
- Listen to this song
- Journal
- Listen to your favorite music
- Watch your favorite movie
- Productivity
- Make freezer meals for you to eat after baby arrives
- Clean your house or dust the baby’s room
- Do some Spinning Babies exercises to get your baby in the optimal position
- Write your baby gift Thank You notes
- Find postpartum support!
- Postpartum doula
- Find a support group: Here is the link to the one I host
- Find a lactation consultant to support you after birth if you want to breastfeed
- Resting and Restoring
- Do a guided meditation
- Feeling anxious or scared? Make a telehealth appointment with a therapist
- Read this article
- Connecting
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Today Danielle with Wholeheartedly and the Host of the Failing Motherhood podcast is going to talk about a Family Business Plan! She is going to tell us what exactly a Family Business Plan is and why we would benefit from having one!
What we discussed in the episode:
- A Family Business Plan is made up of:
- A family mission statement
- Core values
- End goals
- Why it is important to create a Family Business Plan and how you can create one
- Check out Wholeheartedly to find out the nitty gritty and Danielle has support options to help you: www.parentingwholeheartedly.com/family-business-plan
- Advice for parents with littles during the pandemic:
- Meet your kids’ need and YOUR needs!
- Give kids autonomy and consistency with their own calendar!
- Pick your battles with your kids and be kind and gentle to yourself
How to get in touch with Danielle:
- On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parent_wholeheartedly/
- Danielle offers one on one Parent Coaching!
- Managing Big Emotions download!
Let me know what you think of the episode today!
- Rate the show on Apple Podcasts
- Find me on Instagram @FindingYourVillage
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Today we are discussing the topic of Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER). I interviewed Sara Muender, host of the Motivation for Moms Podcast, about her experience with D-MER.
The goal of today's show is to share about Sara's experience with D-MER and to educate breastfeeding people about this lesser-known topic.
Sara Muender is mom to three, the host of the Motivation For Moms podcast, and creator of The Mama Miracle. Her no B.S. approach to personal development helps moms break through the challenges and limitations of motherhood that they THINK hold them back from reaching their goals, living their best life, and fully stepping into their divinely anointed role as mom, queen of their tribe, and leader in their family.
In the episode today we discuss:
- D-MER: has one common characteristic - a wave of negative or even devastating emotion just prior to letdown...The breastfeeding mother experiences this surge of negative emotions about 30-90 seconds prior to her milk release when breastfeeding, pumping or with spontaneous MER. (D-MER.org)
- Sara explains her experience as being a very severe feeling of dread, anxiety and panic whenever she experiences a let down
- How Sara came up with the Mama Miracle Worksheet
- After hitting rock bottom of mom life
- Helped her get control back in her household
- Fed is best!
- Moms love talking about their birth stories: birth is the most common miracle on earth!
- D-Mer Support Facebook Group
- BAA: Breastfeeding Aversion and Agitation: BAA or ‘aversion’ is a phenomenon that some breastfeeding mothers experience, which includes having particular negative feelings, often coupled with intrusive thoughts when an infant is latched and suckling at the breast (Kellymom.com)
- Forceful Let-Down
- Sara's Planner Makeover Course
My favorite things that Sara mentioned today:
- What can I learn from this challenge that I'm facing right now?
- Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional!
Get the life-changing worksheet, The Mama Miracle, for FREE at www.themamamiracle.com
Send Sara a DM on Instagram and let her know that you heard her on the Finding Your Village podcast with Amanda Gorman! www.instagram.com/saramuender
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In today's episode, childbirth educator, Guina Bixler, discusses Birthing From Within and explains what Birth Story Listening is.
The goal of today's episode is to explain why birth story listening is so important and how it can help you heal from birth trauma.
For almost two decades Guina has nurtured birthing people and their partners. As a Birth Story Healer I help birthers, partners and birth professionals see what may feel like a traumatic experience in a new way so they are able to move forward with a healed and full heart. In addition to being a Birthing From Within Mentor, Guina is a Doula, Birth Story Listener and Grandparenting Educator.
In the episode today, we discuss:
- What Birthing From Within is and how it differs from other birth education programs?
- my personal experience with taking the Birthing Again class
- Birth Art
- Birth Story Healing
- what it is
- book a session
- Why it is so important to share birth stories?
- Grandparenting Education
How to get in touch with Guina:
Website: www.birthingfromwithinatlanta.com
Email: guinabixler@gmail.com
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Today’s episode is a really special one for me because in this episode I got to interview my 6th grade teacher!
In today's episode I also talk about watching Hamilton for the first time. Go watch it!
Callie was my 6th grade teacher and she and I talk about that in the interview. In addition to being a teacher, Callie is a wife, mother, writer, Anne Arbor, Michigan resident, and the author of The Teacher Diaries, and Twirl: My Life With Stories, Writing, and Clothes.
Callie and I re-connected via Facebook 10 years ago and I have been following her career since then. In that time, I have seen her post pictures of her two girls as they grew from toddlers to pre-teens. I have also seen Callie post blogs that she wrote, then books that she contributed to, then a book she wrote herself and another book she wrote herself. As I have had my own babies while simultaneously started my own independent creative endeavor in starting this podcast, I have kept Callie’s journey in the back of my mind. So, I thought it would be really fun and cool to invite her on the show and get her take on her journey first hand!
The goal of our conversation is to let young moms know that you can be a fantastic mother and follow your passion at the same time!
In our discussion we talk about:
- The story of how Callie started writing
- The idea of being selfless and being a good mother as two separate ideas
"creativity and parenthood are two things that you don't know how it will turn out in the end"
- Setting small goals
- The story of Callie's husband, Jesse, encouraging her to follow her passion for writing
"You're always a mother, you're not only a mother" (Jesse's fantastic quote that launched the whole thing!)
- Coffee and Crumbs
- Writing her books: The Teacher Diariesand Twirl: My Life With Stories, Writing, and Clothes
- Teaching writing workshops
- Exhale
- How to get in touch with Callie:
- www.calliefeyen.com
- calliefeyen@gmail.com
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The goal of the episode today is to give expecting parents a list of questions to ask potential doulas that they are considering including at their birth and to discuss why having a doula at your birth is important.
I was so excited to interview my Doula today, Shari Aizenman! In addition to being a Doula, Shari is also a Craniosacral Therapist and Massage Therapist. Shari knows everything there is to know about birth and babies! In our episode today Shari discuss what a Doula is exactly, she shares her journey to becoming a Doula and finally we share our Doula interview questions.
Some of the topics we cover:
- A Doula is: someone who supports and educates families in the childbearing year and beyond. They are a supportive, non-judgmental and non-medical member of a birthing person's birth team
- Don't be afraid to change healthcare providers while you are pregnant if your provider isn't meeting your needs or doesn't share your values
- "The Baby Guides the Birth"
- There is no room for you to care about anyone else's feelings while you are in labor!
- Midwife model of care vs. Midwives who work under a Medical model of care
Below are the questions that Shari and I created for you to ask a potential Doula:
- Are you available to take me on as a client? (ideally you ask this before an interview!)
- Why did you decide to become a doula?
- What keeps you coming back to birth support?
- What are your fees and why do you charge what you charge?
- What is included in your service? Do we meet in person, how often, how do you like to communicate, via email, phone, text?
- What resources (articles, books, emails) do you provide/recommend to your clients? What topics are important for you to share with clients?
- How do you manage your client load?
- Who are your backup doulas should you not be able to attend my birth and who pays that person?
- Can you tell me about the most challenging birth you have attended?
- Where did you receive your training?
- What is your birth philosophy?
- Have you worked with my provider before/been to a birth where I am choosing to deliver? What were your experiences like with either?
- At what point in my birth do I contact you and will you come to my home while I labor?
- How long will you stay with us after I deliver? And what is your role during that time?
- Do you have any references or testimonials?
How to get in touch with Shari:
Website: www.bodyworksatlanta.com
Email: bodyworksatlanta@gmail.com
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Today we are discussing the alarmingly high rate of black women who die from childbirth in the United States today. We are going to be diving into the concept of unlearning. I am honored to have Cachet Prescott on as my guest today. She is the host of the All Things (Un)learned podcast. Cachet explains what unlearning is and then we are going to discuss how everyday racism ties into the disparity of the rate in which black mothers are dying in childbirth, particularly compared to white mothers.
The goal in the episode today is to understand how we can unlearn everyday racism, specifically when it comes to prenatal and postnatal care in the U.S. so that no more preventable childbirth related deaths ever happen again.
“Black women are three to four times more likely to experience a pregnancy-related death than white women” National Partnership for Women and Families
“African-American, Native American and Alaska Native women die of pregnancy-related causes at a rate about three times higher than those of white women, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Tuesday (May 7, 2019).” NY Times
“Black women’s heightened risk of pregnancy-related death spans income and education levels” National Partnership for Women and Families
Today, we discuss:
- What is unlearning?
- Limiting beliefs
- What does everyday racism mean? What does it look like?
- Implicit bias and confirmation bias
- Microaggressions
- Cachet shares with us part of the birth story for two of her daughters
- Be your own health advocate
- Check out: Aviva Romm’s podcast and website
- Informed Refusal Form
- Steps forward:
- Acknowledge that this is happening.
- Take steps to challenge your own biases and unlearn everyday racism
- Onus is on healthcare system: educating on implicit bias
- Teach your children about race: Cachet has created a free course on this exact topic! Please take this wonderful, educational course: How to Teach Your Kids About Race
- If you are a pregnant mom, please hire a doula!
- https://www.blackdoulas.org/
- https://doulamatch.net/
How to get in touch with Cachet:
- Listen to the All Things (Un)learned podcast
- Instagram: @allthingsunlearned and @cachetprescott
- Facebook: @allthingsunlearned and The Community Group
- Website: http://cachetprescott.com/
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The goal of the show today is to serve as a reminder to myself and anyone else who needs to hear that we are the example for our children. Whether we like it or not, it is still true that our children watch everything that we do. Therefore, if we want to keep any negative cycles from repeating themselves in the lives of our children we have to be the example and make a change in ourselves first.
Today I am going to discuss the importance of self-awareness and making positive changes in your life as a parent. I am specifically going to touch on this in 3 key areas: weight management, divorce and racism. What do all 3 of those topics have in common? The biggest impact on all of them is Parent Influence.
I have also selected those three areas to discuss today because those are all areas that I need to make positive changes in. I will be honest, today’s episode is the result of my processing the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. The past two weeks have been a wake up call for me as a white woman living in the U.S. The reason why I have chosen this specific topic today is because I can relate my recent realizations that I have had about my own racial biases back to two other issues that plague me that I more easily identify issues with and that is: issues with food and issues with my spouse. I do not want to pass on my negative traits/habits or limiting beliefs about any of these topics to my children. We know from studying each of these topics that if we are not intentional with our self-awareness and our actions that we will pass on negative traits/habits and beliefs.
I am an anti-racist and I just showed up to the party two weeks ago. I am really not proud of that, but I’ll humble myself and admit it. I did not honestly realize that I had racial biases. Why it took me this long to see it, I don’t know and I’m not proud of that either
I recently watched a live podcast where Cachet Prescott, host of the All Things Unlearned Podcast interview Dr. Maryam Jernigan-Noesi. In the interview they discussed racial trauma.
In the episode Dr. Jernigan-Noesi touches on the white racial identity development model that was developed by her mentor Dr. Janet Helms
If you are a white parent who is interested in becoming an ally, I will point your attention to racial justice leaders and below are several resources that I have found to be helpful:
- All Things Unlearned podcast episode
- https://blog.fracturedatlas.org/resources-for-white-people-to-learn-and-talk-about-race-and-racism-5b207fff4fc7
- http://www.raceconscious.org/
Finally, please contact me and let me know what you think about the show today.
- Instagram @FindingYourVillage
- Facebook @FindingYourVillagePod
- Email me at Amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com
Have a great week and stay safe!
Edit: I said in the episode that I heard the saying about humility from my pastor, Andy Stanley, this is true. However, I realized after I released this episode that the original quote is by C.S. Lewis from the book Mere Christianity, the quote is, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less."
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The goal of this episode is to encourage parents to show their kids appropriate ways to respond to difficult situations/seasons. Parents often think that they need to be perfect or maintain a strong front in front of their kids during hard times. However, its not only ok to let your guard down and have an authentic response...your kids need to see this!
I was thrilled to interview my cousin-in-law, Marie Gorman! Marie is a wife and mother to two precious little girls! She is also a licensed psychotherapist, clinical social worker and a trauma-informed yoga instructor. She has combined all of these skills and has started her own private practice in northwest suburbs of Chicago where she helps others through both counseling and yoga classes that are designed to ease the intensity of mental health symptoms.
In this episode we talk about:
- Trauma Informed yoga
- Demonstrating dealing with big feelings/negative feelings in a healthy and safe way for our children
- Be aware of your child’s emotions
- Recognize your child’s expression of that emotion as an opportunity to teach them something
- Listen with empathy and validate their feelings
- Give their emotions a name
- Escalation and de-escalation
- How to stop the cycle
- Notice triggers in yourself
- Figure out what coping skills work for you
- How to stop the cycle
- Mothering and Mental Health
- Being in the midst of a pandemic mental health issues can become heightened
- Don't be alarmed if you are experiencing this...if there is something going on in your head, it is probably related to the pandemic/quarantine
- Telehealth options are available
- Most insurance companies have expanded their plans to include Telehealth counseling if they didn't cover it before
- There are free or low cost/sliding scale therapy options available
- Where to find a therapist:
- Psychology Today
- Open Path Psychotherapy Collective
- Book recommendations
- Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman
- The Body the Keeps the Score - Bessel Vanderkolk
- The Whole Brain Child - Siegle
Best way to get in touch with Marie:
Marie’s Private Practice: Embody Mental Health
Website: embodymentalhealth.com
Instagram: @embodymentalhealth
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Today, I’m talking about baby sleep. My first sleep episode was focused on newborns, in this episode I am shifting my focus to talk about babies ages 3-9 months. My goal in this episode is to help you and your baby get more sleep!
What I'll cover:
- Discuss sleep regression and sleep training
- Introduce what a sleep consultant is and talk about my experience with one
- How to hire a sleep consultant
- Review my rules for sleep
- Recap resources
Sleep regression
- Definition: From the Baby Sleep Site
- As baby’s brain matures, sleeping patterns change
- Cycling more often, like an adult
- Baby's new sleep patterns produce more night waking and short naps
- Once she’s up, she will need help falling back asleep
- If your child has established a sleeping crutch like nursing or rocking, you are going to have to break them of the habit and sleep train them
Sleep training
- What it is: training your baby to fall asleep on their own and/or go back to sleep on their own
- Sleep Training Methods: this article has a great breakdown of the various sleep training methodologies, categorized by “gentleness”
- Choosing An Approach
My Experience
- Wasn't interested in Cry It Out at all
- Read several books, but it seemed confusing
- So, I hired sleep consultant
- Thankfully with my son, I didnt have to worry about sleep training...because with him I did it right from the start!
What is a Sleep Consultant?
- Person to "hold your hand" while you sleep train your child
- Work with you virtually (usually) to figure out sleep plan that is right for your family
- They walk you through as you execute the plan
- Daily text messages/emails
- Phone calls
Cost
- $200-$300 for custom sleep play + virtual support for 2 weeks
- Same price as one night at a hotel!
- It is worth it!
- Budget friendly options:
- Less "hand holding"
- Taking Cara Babies Classes
My recommendation for dealing with an infant who is having sleep issues (short naps, waking up frequently at night) is:
- Follow my Rules for Sleep for a couple weeks
- If things are not improving, consider hiring a sleep consultant
- (Or just go ahead and hire a sleep consultant right away!)
Rules for sleep
- Know the appropriate awake interval for your baby’s age.
- Don't let them take a nap longer than 3 hours during the day
- Create a comfortable sleep environment
- Create a consistent bedtime/naptime routine and do it every time
- Avoid creating sleep crutches. Don’t nurse or rock your baby to sleep (try not to, its hard when they are so little)
Join my new Facebook Group for Parents!
Stay healthy and have a great week!
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This week, Allie Kibler, a life and goal coach for moms, joined me to talk about why it's important to establish a morning routine!
- Why does it need to be the morning specifically?
- Gives you a chance to recharge and refuel before she’s bombarded with all of the other responsibilities of the day.
- Gives you a good start so she’s feeling positive and productive right away.
- Strategy:
- Get up at least 30 minutes before your kids do
- Be intentional about what you are going to do with your time in the morning!
- No scrolling or checking email.
- Skip the snooze button and choose to make a new choice for yourself.
- Morning Routines are for Self Care
- Definition of Self Care: The intentional actions to care for our mental, emotional, and physical health
- Self-care does not need to cost anything!
- Not doing laundry, or making breakfast!
- Examples:
- Gratitude journal
- Meditation
- Going for a walk
- Devotional
- Exercise
- The process I teach for creating the morning routine is simple.
- Think about the feelings you want to have after you’ve completed your routine, then determine what actions create those feelings.
- From there select 2 or 3 that you can fit into that 30 minute window of time.
- Examples: if you want to go into your day feeling peaceful, an action that might create that is meditation or journaling or enjoying your coffee in silence.
- Energized: workout or go for a walk
- Thoughtful: gratitude practice or journaling
- What is going to happen after you establish your morning routine?
- Better able to deal with the random things that pop up because your cup has been refilled each day.
- You’ll get more accomplished because you’ll be feeling better.
- Your mood and overall life enjoyment will be so much better.
- How you can get in touch with Allie
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/startthrivingmama
- https://alliekibler.com
- Note from Allie: I also do free mini-sessions for any mama that is struggling and wants to move forward and make changes in her life, so if you’re tired of survival mode and ready to start feeling good, feel free to book a call with me. It’ll be an open conversation about where you are right now, where you want to be, and what’s stopping you from getting there now.
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This week I had a chance to speak with Celia Kibler and wow...what a great interview this was! The goal for the show that we put together for you is to teach you how to parent without yelling! I hope you get as much out of this episode as I have!
Celia is a Family Empowerment coach and has spent 30 years coaching parents and 37 years being a parent!
Celia has a two-fold mission to empower the next generation through empowering their parents and to stop 1,000,000 parents from yelling at their kids!
The 5 Steps to stop yelling at your kids
Step 1: Establish family meetings (15 minutes)
- Create a mission statement for your family
- Start every meeting with compliments
- Bring up one issue
- New business (plans for the week)
- Announcements
- To close out say something nice about someone in the family (something nice that someone did for someone)
Step 2: Be intentional with words and mannerisms
Step 3: Say it one time and be done
Step 4: Recognize triggers
- Hunger
- Thirst
- Sleep
- Overwhlem
Step 5: Be consistent
Getting in touch with Celia:
- Become a member of the Pumped Up Parenting Group!
- Send a Facebook Message to Celia Kibler and tell her that you listened to this podcast and she will send you the Family Meeting Agenda!
- Schedule a coaching consultation appointment with her: www.Talkwithcelia.com
Stay safe and have a great week!
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This week I interviewed Maryanne Tranter with The Healthy Child Concierge! In today's episode Maryanne and I are going to provide strategies on how to get kids to eat healthy at home and on the go.
Maryanne Tranter, PhD, APN has 25 years of experience in pediatric primary and
urgent care settings with families from multiple different cultures and backgrounds in an elite hospital in the country. She specializes in caring for infants and children and is the creator of The Healthy Child Concierge. Maryanne’s mission is to walk parents from panic to peace by providing current research and accurate information to empower parents to raise a healthy child.
The best way to get kids to eat healthy is to model healthy eating habits!!!
- Introducing solids to babies
- Breastfeeding and formula recommendations
- AAP and WHO recommendation is to exclusively breastfeed baby until they are 6 months old
- Signals that baby is ready for solids
- Holding their head steady while sitting up
- Double birth weight
- Eyeing and reaching for food
- Tongue-thrust reflex disappears
- Introduce high-allergen foods before babies are 12 months old
- Introduce new foods one at a time every 3-5 days
- Breastfeeding and formula recommendations
- You can make your own baby food!
- You do not need to feed your kids store-bought purees
- It is easy and not very time consuming to make purees out of food that you are already making for the rest of the family for dinner
- Make large batches of purees and freeze them in 1-2oz portions
- Silicone baby food tray
- Getting your child to eat
- Offer repeatedly; 5-15 times
- Do not pressure, gentle encouragement is best
- Model behavior
- Make mealtime a time of attention
- Some children struggle with texture
- Hire a feeding specialist if needed
- Check for a tongue-tie as well if there are eating issues
- A great place to read how much and what types of food to feed your kids is: Myplate.gov
- Whole foods are best/the less processed the better!
- Kids do not need anything added to their food!
- Keep in mind that kids’ portions are really small!
- Eating at restaurants
- The options on the kid menu have very few nutrients
- Right now while we are at home, let's practice eating at the table with kids to stretch their patience
- Restaurant strategy
- Share portions with kids
- Order from side menu
- Bring steamed veggies from home to eat while they wait for their food
- Don't give bread
- Don't let them get too hungry that they are melting down
- Distract with crayons, books, a screen as a last-ditch effort
- Share portions with kids
Getting in touch with Maryanne:
https://www.maryannetranter.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HCCDedParents/
Email: mbt@healthychildconcierge.com
Thank you so much for listening and have a great week!
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Episode 09: What (Unplanned) Unassisted Home Birth is Like: Interview with Karissa McCallum
This week I was honored to interview my friend, Karissa McCallum! She shared with us about her birth stories of her three children, all of which were born at home and unassisted at that!
My goal for this week’s episode is to round out our conversation on different ways that you can give birth and to shed light on the option of having a home birth.
I think getting this information out there is more important than ever! I have seen a lot of articles this past week about how a lot of expectant mothers are considering having a home birth during the COVID outbreak. There is a lot of fear right now, about the Coronavirus and about home birth in general. I am so fortunate that Karissa agreed to talk to me and share her experience.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Considerations when choosing where to give birth
- Homebirth providers and prenatal appointments
- Precipitous (fast!) labor
- The 4-1-1 rule during labor
- Unassisted birth: what it is like to give birth without a medical provider
- An “unbirth” story!
- The Fetal Ejection Reflex
- What happens after a home birth delivery
- Great advice for pregnant moms about staying calm and managing fear
In addition to being a wife and mom of three, Karissa works as an acupuncturist and herbalist outside of Chicago. If you are interested in getting in touch with Karissa, you can email her at karissa@familytreeholistichealth.com.
A big thank you to Karissa! Thank you so much for sharing your story. My hope is that another mom hears this and that your story calms her fears of having a home birth or an unassisted birth.
Thank you all very much for listening today. Have a great week and stay home and stay healthy!
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Episode 08: What a Cesarean Birth is Like: Interview with Amanda Avery
I had the privilege of interviewing one of my best friends, Amanda Avery! We discussed the surprise C-section delivery of her sweet 9 month old little girl, Caroline.
My goal for this episode is to continue our conversation about the different ways you can give birth, we are discussing a cesarean section today and my friend Amanda is going to talk about her experience so that you can hear what it is really like to have a belly birth.
In the episode, we talk about:
- Having a healthy pregnancy
- Preparing for labor and breastfeeding by taking classes
- Having a suspected big baby and considerations to think about in this situation
- The importance of hiring a Doula
- Being GBS positive and taking that into account with your birth plan
- Bring several towels for the car ride to the hospital if your water breaks at home!!
- The importance of advocating for yourself and asking questions when things start to go “off plan”
- What you can expect when recovering from a c-section
- The importance of processing your birth after your baby is born
One thing we meant to discuss, but didn’t get to is the importance of optimizing your baby’s gut microbiome. You can do this by breastfeeding, if this is possible for you, and by giving your baby daily probiotics. This is especially important if you were given antibiotics during labor if you were GBS positive and also extra important if you had a c-section!
Here are the three probiotics that Amanda and I have given our babies:
- Humarian Probonix
- Evivo
- Ther-Biotic by Klaire Labs
Thanks again to Amanda for sharing your story today. My hope is that another mom hears this story and it calms her fears of having a c-section.
Thank you all very much for listening today. Have a great week and stay safe!
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Given our current state of crisis...feelings are on my mind a lot this week. Specifically, little kids’ feelings. My goal this week is to relay the importance of listening to your little ones, especially when they have big feelings, acknowledging their feelings and not trying to change their minds.
This week has been hard for me personally! The Coronavirus pandemic is happening, my husband went out of town yesterday to go snowboarding in Lake Tahoe and I have been struggling with anxiety.
Throughout my preparation for Chris leaving and going through this Coronavirus situation one thing has become really clear to me: I need to focus on my kid’s feelings right now.
The other night, I put Grace to bed and had a major lightbulb moment. She was upset about Chris leaving and she said she was going to have a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day! I laughed at this at first and said it was going to be a fantastic, great, wonderful, very good day. She said no, she wanted to have a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day. I said I’ll make it as good as I can. She said, don’t do that, I don't want you to make it good! I WANT to have a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day. I finally got it!
She didn’t want me to fix it or to suppress her feelings. She was sad because Daddy wasn’t going to be home. She wanted to feel sad, she wanted to have a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day in order to process her sad feeling and I needed to be ok with that. Thankfully, I got it and said ok, you are going to have a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day.
I feel like a lot of adults feel uncomfortable when kids express negative feelings. This probably has to do with crying, when babies can’t talk yet, they express their negative feelings with crying. As they get older and start talking, this transitions, but I bet the feeling of dread/alarm/concern rolls over from crying into verbalizing negative feelings. Also, when kids express negative feelings, this is often comes with tantrums or yelling.
I have been having a hard time with my daughter’s behavior recently. I've been reading a lot about how to get your child to listen to do, to obey. All the books I have read have a common theme. They all basically say, firstly, that young children’s brains are not developed like our adult brains, their primitive brain develops first. This is why they are impulsive, cry, hit, yell and why reasoning with a toddler usually gets you nowhere. Secondly, when your child expresses a negative emotion you should repeat back to them what they said.
For example, if your child says, "I don’t want Susie to play with my doll!"
Just say, "you don't want Susie to play with your doll".
Don't reason at this point, just listen. Repeat it a few times until they start to calm down. This makes them feel heard and it validates their feelings. After they calm down, then you can re-direct them. Dr. Karp
When we ignore our kids feelings or try to convince them that their feelings are wrong, like I did, we are sending the message that something is wrong with them for feeling that way. Feelings are ok, but bad behavior is not.
Let's try to be really gentle with ourselves, our partners and especially our kids this week. Try repeating their comments back to them and see how it goes. In my experience, its pretty powerful stuff. It has really turned the temperature down in my house in the last 2 days.
Let me know how it goes, check out my Facebook page.
I hope everyone stays safe, healthy and sane in these next coming weeks!
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Episode 06: Unmedicated vs. Epidural Birth
In today's episode I will be comparing what its like to give birth with an epidural vs. without any pain medication. My goal is to give you insight into what you can expect in both scenarios.
Takeaway: Both births were great, epidurals are great, birthing naturally is great, there are pros and cons with both. I have my own personal reasons why I chose to try giving birth without pain medication with my daughter and I have reasons why I chose to give birth without pain medication with my son. What you choose to do will be personal for you and no one should make you feel guilty for the choices that you make. You should feel empowered during your birth!
The two birthing classes that I mentioned in the show are:
- Birthing from Within
- The Bradley Method
Thank you so much for listening!
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Episode 04: How to prevent recurrent plugged ducts
Goal: help you to keep plugged ducts from happening
You should focus on 5 things to keep plugged ducts from being a reoccurring issue:
- Don't wear underwire bras (until you are done nursing)
- Don’t go too long without nursing. (Stay on your typical nursing schedule and if you have to skip a nursing session then try to express milk as soon as you can by pumping or hand expression)
- Switch up your nursing position at least once a day
- Hand express for 30 seconds after you pump, every time that you pump!
- Try to manage oversupply issues
According to KellyMom.com a plugged duct is: "An area of the breast where milk flow is obstructed."
What causes them:
- Failure to remove milk
- Going too long in between nursing sessions
- Pressure on the area (example: wearing an underwire bra)
If you are getting recurrent plugged ducts, I recommend seeing a Lactation Consultant, specifically an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant), in addition to the recommendations below:
Don't wear underwire bras (while you are nursing)
- Obvious advice that you hear a lot of places
- Why risk it?
- First plug i got was after i wore an underwire bra
Don’t go too long without nursing.
- Clogged ducts are caused by the failure to remove milk from your boob
- Makes sense that going to long will cause a clog
- Stay on a nursing schedule
- If you nurse on demand, which is what i recommend, don’t deviate from your routine too much
- Express by hand or with pump if you are in a situation where you have to skip a feeding
- Or nurse ASAP after a skipped feeding
- Also, don't cut your nursing sessions too short
- If you get milk flowing and then stop the flow before your boob has been adequately drained it can cause a clog
- Keep track with the Sprout app
- Try to nurse for at least 5 minutes each side
Switch up your nursing position at least once a day (if you typically do cross-cradle, then for one daily session do the football hold)
- It stimulates different milk ducts
- Made a big difference for me
- A lactation consultant helped me figure this out
- Remind yourself to change it up once per day
Hand express for 30 seconds after you pump, every time that you pump!
- Never found this advice online in all my research
- Really helpful if you travel or pump at work
- You’ll get more milk too
- Video from Stanford Medicine about hand expression and pumping
- Also, massage your boobs while you pump
Oversupply issue
- If you have an issue with oversupply, that can lead to plugged ducts as well
- A IBCLC can help resolve oversupply issues
- Website to find an IBCLC in your area
To recap, to prevent plugged ducts from reoccurring:
- Don't wear underwire bras while nursing
- Don’t go too long without nursing. And don't cut your nursing sessions too short
- Switch up your nursing position at least once a day
- Hand express for 30 seconds after you pump
- Try to manage oversupply issues
Thank you for listening!
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Episode 05: Coping with Prodromal Labor
The goal of today’s episode is to help you cope with prodromal labor!
What is prodromal labor:
- A common part of the labor process that happens leading up to the start of early labor. Not every pregnant woman will experience prodromal labor.
- You will have contractions, they will be:
- Painful, but like a period cramp
- Spaced out and not in regular intervals
I experienced prodromal labor twice
- During my most recent pregnancy with my son Cooper I read the best article about prodromal labor: Mother Rising Article
- If you are experiencing prodromal labor right now or pre-labor, I highly recommend that you read this article!
The article differentiates between:
Braxton Hicks contractions and prodromal labor:
- The main difference is that BH are not painful, they:
- Make your stomach tight and uncomfortable, but doesn’t hurt
- Prodromal labor contractions are painful, but not very
- BH also go away with rest, sleep, hydration, prodromal contractions typically don’t
Prodromal labor and early labor:
- Both are painful and timeable contractions, but early labor contracts become longer, stronger, and closer together and the biggest difference is that early labor contractions dilate your cervix to 6 cms!
Prodromal labor and false labor
- False labor contractions are basically more intense BH
- Not quite painful, but they stop and make you notice and go hmmm these are a little different than they have been
Prodromal labor and pre-labor
- Biggest difference is that pre-labor contractions fizzle out and stop completely and you are able to sleep!
The Spectrum of labor chart in the article is great! It is a great visual and it lays out all these terms in order of progression of “early stuff” to labor
Another great take-away from this article is: when you are experiencing the “early stuff”, you should always try to rest rather than try to “ be in labor”
One of the last things that this article touches on is speeding up the prodromal labor process and positioning of baby
- Resting your body and properly nourishing your body in preparation for the marathon ahead is priority #1
- If its not the middle of the night and you have rested as much as possible, then focus on getting baby in a favorable position, try:
- Spinning Babies
- The Miles Circuit
In conclusion, the main take-aways from this article on prodromal labor is:
- If you are experiencing mildly painful, noticeable and timeable contractions, AND things don’t fizzle at night or when you lay down: you are experiencing prodromal labor.
- This will only last a day or two
- While this is happening, as frustrating and uncomfortable as it may be: if it is nighttime you need to try to sleep or at least rest as much as you can. Do not try to be in labor. During the day, go about your normal daily routine and try not to focus on labor, instead focus on self care!
- If you are rested and taking care of yourself, check out the Miles Circuit to encourage optimal positioning for your baby
- Prodromal labor is just a variation of normal in childbirth. Its part of the spectrum of “early stuff” that leads up to labor. Repeat this to yourself: this will not last forever and you will meet your baby soon!
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Episode 03: How to Unplug a Plugged Milk Duct
You need to do 3 things over and over in order to unplug a plugged duct:
- Express milk often (nurse your baby more, pump and hand express)
- Put a warm compress on the area (specifically a moist warm compress, my favorite compress is a clean diaper, filled with water, warmed in the microwave 1 minute)
- Massage: massage your boob focusing on the affected area. Try to massage it toward your nipple, but honestly you just need to massage the crap out of the entire area going any which way you can. Also, use a vibrator to massage it out!
According to KellyMom.com a plugged duct is: "An area of the breast where milk flow is obstructed."
What causes them:
- Failure to remove milk
- Going too long in between nursing sessions
- Pressure on the area (example: wearing an underwire bra)
What does it feel like:
- It hurts!
- It feels hard
- If its red in appearance and if its warm to the touch: it might be mastitis.
- Symptoms are the same, but it is also accompanied by the area looking red and being warm to the touch, as well as you feeling like you have flu-like symptoms.
My experience:
- Started getting them when my daughter was 3 months old
- Got them weekly for 6 months
- I researched and tried everything to get them out and keep them from recurring
Warm compresses:
- My favorite warm compress is a diaper that you fill with water, fold up and heat in microwave for 1 minute
- At the first sign of a clogged duct, apply a warm compress right away and use it on the area frequently
- Alternate applying the compress with massage.
Massage:
- It will hurt and you wont want to touch the area
- You need to massage the area to help break up the clog and to encourage milk to flow from the duct that is plugged.
- You should massage before expressing, during and after
- Use a vibrator to massage your affected boob, it is often more effective than just your fingers
- There are Lactation Massagers on the market too
Expressing:
- Express as much as possible by nursing, hand expressing and pumping
- Do not neglect the boob that doesn’t have the clog, or else you could get another clog in that boob.
- Follow your normal schedule of nursing your baby,
- I recommend always starting your nursing session on the boob that you have the clog in
- If you pump, you need to hand express after you pump
- Also, when you pump I recommend using the LactaMed Simplicity Hands Free Bra, you can massage more effectively while you pump with this type of bra
Other things to keep in mind:
- Some take an hour, some 4 days
- Don’t panic if it does take several days, just keep repeating the process everyday!
- Plugged ducts reduce milk supply temporarily
- When clogs come out it will be obvious in most cases!
- The hard as a rock feeling goes away
- Milk will be able to flow like it did before
- It will feel bruised for awhile after
To recap, to get a plugged duct out:
- Express milk often
- Put a warm compress on the area
- Massage your boob focusing on the affected area
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After parenting for only a few years, I deeply understand the saying, It Takes a Village to Raise a Child! Having supportive resources around you to help you maneuver through each step, milestone and bump in the road is so important. However, today, most of us don’t live in that village model. Even though we are more physically isolated than we have ever been, we are more connected to the rest of the world than we have ever been through technology.
I think we have an opportunity to build our own villages in the form of help from books, friends, doulas, pediatricians, online communities, mother support groups and any resource that you can lean on when you have questions or need help.
I started this podcast to be a helpful resource to new parents as well as to start conversations about topics that I find really important and not discussed enough. My goal with this show is to make parenting a little bit easier!
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Finding Your Village
Episode 02: Set Yourself Up for Success with your Newborn's Sleep Habits
In today’s episode I will be discussing newborn sleep habits.
Goal: Provide you information on how you can get yourself in a rhythm that sets you and your baby up for successful sleep habits
The 5 most important factors for baby sleep are:
- Paying attention to how long a baby is awake for in between naps and bedtime and making sure you dont let them stay awake too long
- Awake intervals by age chart
- For newborns to 2 months old its 45 minutes to 1 hour. That’s it.
- Start getting them ready for their nap 5-10 minutes before the awake interval is over.
- Also, learn baby-tired cues, if you see your baby do this, even if its only been 35 minutes, start that nap routine and get them dow
- Try to avoid on the go naps as much as possible
- Don't let them take a nap longer than 3 hours during the day
- Newborns generally only get one long period of sleep in a day, make it happen at night!
- Create an optimal sleep environment for your baby in a dark, quiet room, in their own crib/bassinet with nothing in the crib except for a tight fitted sheet on the mattress
- Dark room
- Quiet (Get a sound machine)
- Room temp between 68 and 72
- In the same place for naps and bedtime
- Create a consistent bedtime routine
- Keep it simple
- Shorter for naps: change diaper, swaddle, sing a quick lullaby, turn on sound machine and turn off lights
- Avoiding creating sleep crutches, things that babies get used to relying on in order to fall asleep like nursing or being rocked to sleep
- Pacifiers are ok
- Good for babys between 1-6 months old for SIDs prevention
- If they dont want it, dont force it
- If they cry when you put them down reassure them for a few seconds with gentle pats and a lullaby or shhhhing sounds
- There is a difference between crying and fussing
- Let them fuss for a minute or two, if they cry then go comfort them
- Pacifiers are ok
My Experience
- Didn't know what I was doing with my daughter
- Sleep regression
- I couldnt handle letting her cry
- I hired a sleep consultant
- With my son, I started out the right way
- He hardly ever cries when I put him to bed
- Never had to sleep train him
Point of clarification: ROUTINE vs. SCHEDULE
- I do not believe that infants should be put on a schedule, especially if you are breastfeeding.
- Follow their hunger cues
- So important to establishing good supply and encouraging good weight gain
- A routine is not a schedule
- Routine is an order in which you do things or a predictable pattern of how things are going to go in a day
- The times those things happen will vary day by day (not drastically)
- Follow the EASY order when baby wakes up: Eat, Activity, Sleep, You time!
Recommended reading:
- Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracey Hogg
- The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West
If you follow the basic principles of baby sleep your issues will be mitigated and it will be much easier to correct an issue for a baby who isn’t overtired and tied to a sleep crutch
Thank you for listening!
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Finding Your Village
Episode 01: Create Your Baby Registry from Your Couch
In today’s episode I will be talking about making a baby registry without even leaving your house! So if you are not into the idea of spending hours in a store clicking on products with a registry gun, this episode is for you!
Goal: To help you easily register for the baby products that meet the safety and cost requirements for your family.
What is Baby Bargains:
- Review book that organizes the recommendations by product
- Gives a grade to each product
- Then summarizes their recommendations at the end of each chapter by good, better and best
Why I love this book and why I trust this brand:
- They accept no money from baby-product manufacturers
- Created solely based on feedback from parents
- They check recall information and publish a new version of the book frequently
- They also have a website to supplement the book, so if there is a new product that they reviewed, they will put it online before the updated version of the book is published
- https://www.babybargains.com/
My experience:
- I completed my entire baby registry in one weekend from my couch, with the exception of the car seat and stroller
- I still used the book to help me pick those, I just wanted to feel those items, pick them up and practice closing and opening the stroller
- I still use this book occasionally
- i.e. when I needed to buy a new carseat!
My favorite baby items:
- Baby Bargains book
- Happiest Baby on the Block book or movie
- SwaddleMe Sleep sack
- Sleep sack (wearable blanket)
- Sound machine
- Jammies that zip!
- Ergo Baby Carrier and Moby wrap
You can skip:
- Wipes Warmer
- Pee pee tee pee
- Crib bedding
- Too many clothes for one age group
- Rock n Play
- Multiple baby “containers”
Recap:
With baby bargains you can register for 90% of all the baby items that you will need right from your computer! I do recommend going to a store to physically touch and feel some items like the crib, stroller and car seat!
Thank you for listening!
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