The New Mamas Podcast: Recent Episodes
Lina Forrestal
Host Lina Forrestal brings you the New Mamas Podcast, a space created to give first time moms a voice and to have honest and raw conversations about motherhood. Lina and her guests are normalizing conversations around traditionally "taboo" topics: post-partum depression, SIDS anxiety, surviving the newborn phase, body image issues, and more. This podcast is meant to feel like a big virtual hug for moms everywhere. INSTAGRAM: @linaforrestal @newmamaspodcast CONTACT: lina.forrestal@gmail.com
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In this episode, I am fired up! Here's what I'm sounding off on in this episode:
- Being a "pro-screen time, anti-tablet" parent
- Being a millennial and growing up in AOL chatrooms
- "Raw-dogging" summer break
- Questioning whether to go to kindergarten or skipping straight to 1st grade
- Homeschool vs public school, hot take home school kids have a lot of opportunities for socialization
- Celebrating my son's 5th birthday!
- Struggling having a small house with no storage
- Sounding off on "therapy speak"
- Sounding off on the whole "not telling our kids we're proud of them"
- Fostering a summer of independence for my 5-year-old
What do you think? Leave me a comment or send me a DM on my Instagram if you have any strong feelings about my hot takes.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
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In this grab bag episode of topics, I'm taking you on a rollercoaster ride of all my inner thoughts:
- Boundaries with in-laws (I have some hot takes that might piss you off)
- In the body positive movement, no one should shame you for wanting to lose weight
- Saying no to business travel at the moment
- How disappointing people sucks but you have to do it sometimes
- Spicy thoughts around The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (we all need a little pop culture therapy, okay?)
- ...and other things!
If you're a new mom, toddler mom, or just a woman figuring out how to juggle it all, this episode is your reminder that you’re not alone.
PS. Check out my episode on my other podcast, Can I Be Honest, all about marriage and relationships!
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
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I’m keeping it real about life with a toddler in this audio journal style solo episode. My 17-month-old daughter has officially entered her villain era, and I’m feeling all the challenges of the baby-to-toddler transition. Tantrums, power struggles, the emotional rollercoaster of weaning, I’m talking about why this baby/toddler stage feels SO HARD!
If you’re a new mom navigating toddlerhood and just trying to survive the chaos, this episode is for you. Tune in for an honest, unfiltered take on motherhood and learning to love (OR NOT LOVE) this messy, wild, unpredictable season.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
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This episode is a voice note-style vent sesh from one mom to another. I’m sharing the unfiltered truths I never thought I’d say out loud:
- I resent my dogs after becoming a mom (hello, postpartum rage!)
- I want to quit breastfeeding cold turkey (breastfeeding burnout!)
- I went from in-law drama to actually having a healthy relationship with them (yes, it’s possible!).
Whether you’re breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, rage-cleaning, or hiding in your car for five minutes of peace — this one’s for you.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
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In this episode, I chit chat about:
- Why does Easter feel so commercialized now
- Wanting to give my kids the childhood I never had
- Introducing chores and piggy bank to my almost 5 year old
- Mom guilt about feeling annoyed with my kids sometimes
- Mindset shifts that help my day-to-day
- Weaning update
- Poking fun at "sad beige moms"
- ...and more!
Let me know if you liked the car voice memos or if the audio quality was so bad it was hard to listen to.
Until next week!
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
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Pop singer Chappell Roan is going viral for going on the Call Her Daddy Podcast and saying all her friends with kids are in hell and that she doesn’t know anyone who’s happy and has children. Let's talk about it.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
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I'm back, YAY! I'm excited to catch up with all of you. In this episode I talk about:
- What it was like juggling a baby and working full-time
- My work trip in October where I brought my baby and my mom
- How I ended up exclusively breastfeeding
- The complicated emotions of weaning
- How I made the decision to wean
- The process of weaning and how it's going
I'll be back at a limited capacity with weekly episodes! They'll be mostly shorter solo episodes to start off with because it's a lot of work scheduling guests, preparing for interviews, etc. so the podcast will be just me and you and the mic to start off with :)
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this episode, Lina elaborates on how hard it's been coming back from maternity leave and juggling her 4-month old daughter. She discusses the challenges of exclusively breastfeeding, childcare costs, quitting her job (and how it's not gonna happen), and a little bit about the behind-the-scenes of podcasting.
The podcast is on a break but will be back soon! In the meantime, stay in touch with Lina on Instagram.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Niki became a mother and motherless in the same breath. Her journey to motherhood was filled with uncertainty and trauma when we went through recurrent pregnancy loss and learning that her mom was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer at the same time.
She is a wife and mom of two living in Minnesota. She is a business owner by day, a podcaster by night, and a dedicated mom 24/7. When she finally got her triple rainbow baby pregnancy, my mom’s cancer progressed and she lost her when she was just 5 weeks postpartum. Years of grief and loss shaped her motherhood journey and how she choose to put turn that pain to purpose. It’s one of the many reasons she started her podcast: Moms of the Night
Connect with Niki: @momsofthenightpodcast
Moms of the Night, is a space to help combat loneliness in motherhood. The podcast brings together moms to share stories, vulnerable conversations, and uplifting messages. Unlike many parenting podcasts, there's no experts, or advice to add to the overwhelm - just moments for all of us to sit in solidarity as we live out our motherhood journeys.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Lina and Linnea gave birth around the same time and both have toddlers and newborns. They have a fun and dynamic friend catch-up about having two young kids.
In this episode they talk about:
- Division of labor between partners
- Mom guilt
- Going back to work
- Childcare
- Hypnobirthing
- Breastfeeding
Linnea's first pod appearance: Hypnobirthing and How To Hire a Doula with Newborn Mom Linnea
Connect with Linnea: @linneakayak
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Almost 60% of marriages end in divorce. Mikki checked every box to guarantee a happy life- but what felt like an instant the life she thought she had was gone. Divorce was the healthiest option for their relationship. Parenting can be alienating with little ones and when you get divorced it's another level of alienation. Mikki is a mentor and coach for women who are currently going through this journey.
In this episode, Lina and Mikki talk about:
- Talking to young children about divorce
- Letting go of the shame of divorce
- How to start a healthy co-parenting process
- Navigating holidays and birthdays
- Managing conflict
Listen to Mikki on other shows:
- The Moms Moving On Divorce & Co-Parenting Podcast
- The Stepmom Diaries Podcast
- The Parenting Coach Podcast
Mikki Gardner is a Conscious Parenting Coach, the host of Co-Parenting With Confidence Podcast, and a mom to her son! After learning how to navigate life post divorce & using it as a catalyst to her own transformation, Mikki now helps moms move past the divorce drama to become calm, confident co-parents. She is on a mission to help women navigate the emotional and practical difficulties of divorce and co-parenting while creating an intentional, joy + ease-filled life after divorce.
Connect with Mikki:
- Website
- Mikki’s Podcast “Co-Parenting With Confidence”
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Lina hired her postpartum doula, Katie, to aid her in her first few months postpartum with her second baby, Evelyn. In this episode, Lina and Katie have an informal chat on what it was like working together. This is a great episode for anyone who's considering hiring a postpartum doula!
Connect with Katie on Instagram: @lifeinbloomwellness
To learn more about my postpartum doula Katie, check out her website: https://www.lifeinbloomwellness.co/
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this episode, Lina invites bestselling author and podcaster Jo Piazza on to discuss trad wives and why they are problematic for our nation's youth. In this episode, they talk about:
- The definition of a trad wife: how is she different than a stay-at-home-mom
- Why glamorizing the lifestyle of a trad wife through social media is creating a false narrative
- Feminism, financial independence, and what we really want out of a marriage
- Working motherhood and decision fatigue
- The problem with Disney princesses (why does everything end in a wedding!?)
- Booktok: specifically, A Court of Thorns and Roses
- The book of the year: The Sicilian Inheritance, written by Jo herself!
You can pre-order The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza right now: https://amzn.to/43jvUg3 It comes out April 2, 2024
Meet Jo in person and come to the book launch in Philly: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jo-piazza-the-sicilian-inheritance-tickets-822933234457?aff=oddtdtcreator
Connect with Jo Piazza: @jopiazzaauthor
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this episode, Lina gives a 3 month postpartum update. Just Chatting episodes are meant to emulate a your mom bestie leaving you a long voice note. In this episode Lina talks about:
- How her maternity leave is ending and her thoughts on going back to work
- Transparency on the costs of childcare and what she can realistically afford
- Public versus private school
- How she's managing as a mom of two, specifically around the nights when she has to solo parent
- Baby-wearing and brands she loves
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Katherine is a creative homemaker and mom of four. While she doesn't identify as a "trad wife", she believes that by other people's standards she would be considered one. Lina and Katherine have a thoughtful discussion how the criticism of trad wives can be demeaning towards SAHMs and domestic labor. They also have a candid discussion about feminism, racism, and the complexity of raising children in today's society.
Connect with Katie on Instagram: @katherinelouisedegroot
Subscribe to her Substack: @katherinelouisedegroot
Visit her website: https://katherinedegroot.com/
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Have to breastfeed on American Airlines? Think again. When first-time mom Ashley Copperstone was flying out of Grand Rapics, MI she didn't think twice when she was breastfeeding her daughter at the gate. It's something a lot of us moms do, especially trying to soothe a cranky baby. A crew member from American Airlines felt the need to publicly approach and shame Ashley and tell her to cover up for breastfeeding her 15-month old daughter. When Ashley complained to American Airlines for the interaction, their response was less than acceptable. Shame on you, American Airlines!
Connect with Ashley @joyfulhopevirtualservices
As of August 2021, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands have laws that allow breastfeeding in public or private settings. Additionally, 31 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws.
Learn more about Breastfeeding State Laws here.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
"Life is not happening to you but FOR you." A lot of us lose ourselves in motherhood. In Lina's conversation with former Superior Court Judge Shelyna Brown, they discuss how you can come back to yourself and how to find that purpose and passion again.
Connect with Shelyna: @svbconsultingpreside
Check out Shelyna's book, Preside: Biblical Principles for Personal Growth and Taking Command of Your Life—A Judge’s Verdict
In Preside, you will learn how to:
- Discover your authority as a steward over your life
- Master the stewardship mindset
- Banish unproductive thought patterns and limiting beliefs
- Understand your jurisdiction so you know when to exercise your authority and when to wait on the Lord
- Experience the abundance God has ordained for your life
Watch Shelyna's TEDx Talk here.
Shelyna Brown: Visionary Leader and Advocate for Justice
Spanning two decades, Shelyna Brown's career is a testament to her unwavering commitment to justice and community empowerment. Her journey from a passionate public defender to a respected Superior Court Judge in Santa Clara County is a narrative of determination and impact.
Armed with a Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University and a degree from the University of California, Davis, Shelyna has been pivotal in reshaping the legal narrative. Her influence extends beyond the courtroom, notably as a co-founder of the Equality and Social Justice Committee and an advisor at San Jose State University. Here, she mentors the next generation of leaders, championing progressive change.
Renowned as a charismatic TEDx speaker, Shelyna's eloquence on leadership and justice has resonated on both national and international platforms. With the upcoming release of 'Preside,' Shelyna is set to ignite a new spark of inspiration. This book is a call to action, encouraging readers to take the helm of their lives with purpose and passion. Shelyna’s story, emblematic of resilience and visionary leadership, makes her a true role model in every sense.
As we introduce 'Preside' to the world, we are not just sharing a book; we are sharing Shelyna Brown's legacy – one that inspires each of us to embrace empowerment, pursue justice, and lead with conviction.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Happy Valentine's Day! In this special episode, Lina shares what she LOVES most about motherhood and marriage and also shares what YOU said you love too! If you want to contribute to the listener feedback episodes, give Lina a follow on Instagram (@linaforrestal) and keep an eye on her Stories where she polls her audience.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Host Lina Forrestal and her friend and fellow podcaster Engrid Latina sit down for a thought-provoking chit chat about jealousy and comparison in motherhood.
Engrid Latina is a personal trainer and strength coach (CSCS) based out of Ohio. She has trained clients both in-person and online for nearly a decade. Engrid's personal history with an eating disorder has helped develop a training model that invites a deep appreciation and respect of the body.
Engrid curated a 6-Week Postpartum Training Programdesigned to help postpartum moms regain strength, energy, and confidence.
Connect with Engrid on Instagram: @livengproof
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this episode, Lina mentions a few more things about her postpartum experience so far that she forgot to mention in the last recap episode. She also breaks down the Kyte Baby controversy with her friend Alyssa Bolanos.
Check out Nourish to Heal organic and healthy meal delivery in Central, New Jersey: https://nourishtoheal.com/
Connect with Katie of Life in Bloom Wellness: https://www.instagram.com/lifeinbloomwellness/
Check out Katie's "Postpartum Mindset Workshop": https://www.lifeinbloomwellness.co/workshops
Connect with Alyssa Bolanos: https://www.instagram.com/casabolanos/
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this episode, Lina talks about how her postpartum experience is going so far: how her mental health has been and how she's been juggling newborn life with a toddler in tow.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
23-year-old Brittani got pregnant unexpectedly with her daughter. While she is the best thing Brittani could ever ask for, new motherhood was a difficult adjustment. She worked in an OBGYN when she got pregnant and loved her job, but due to lack of childcare had to quit and become a stay-at-home-mom.
In this episode, Brittani also shares her positive birth experience!
Connect with Brittani: https://www.instagram.com/brittyy__c/
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this episode, Lina and twin mom Engrid Latina talk about getting moving again after having a baby (or two)! As a mom of twin toddlers, she understands the challenges and changes that come with postpartum recovery and curated a 6-Week Postpartum Training Programdesigned to help postpartum moms regain strength, energy, and confidence.
Join her January group starting January 8th! Use code NEWMAMA at checkout for an additional 15% off by 1/7/24
Engrid Latina is a personal trainer and strength coach (CSCS) based out of Ohio. She has trained clients both in-person and online for nearly a decade. Engrid's personal history with an eating disorder has helped develop a training model that invites a deep appreciation and respect of the body.
Connect with Engrid on Instagram: @livengproof
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this SPECIAL episode, Lina Forrestal tells her positive birth story with her doula, Jenna Toulantis. Jenna helps recount the story from her perspective, adding in professional explanations for why certain things did and didn't happen. Lina's mom also pops in on the episode, discussing how things have changed in 34 years when it comes to pregnancy complications.
Lina's favorite part of the episode is an audio recording of birth and hearing Evelyn's first cry.
Lina mentions how she listened to the book "HypnoBirthing, the breakthrough natural approach to safer, easier, more comfortable birthing" She highly recommends this book to anyone who's pregnant.
Check out the birth photos on Lina's blog: https://www.linaforrestal.com/blog/evelyns-birth-story
Jenna Toulantis is a certified doula, photographer, and community builder in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Connect with Jenna on Instagram: @jmtnjphotography
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
After Julissa delivered her first baby in the hospital, she decided she wanted a more natural experience and sought to have a home birth. After working with a team of professionals, she designed a home birth and safely welcomed her second child into the world.
Connect with Julissa on Instagram: @julissa.edwards_counseling
Julissa Edwards is a licensed psychotherapist, retired adjunct psychology professor, positivity expert, and mindset coach. With a passion for positive psychology and holistic healing, Julissa takes a holistic approach to counseling and coaching, incorporating various techniques to help individuals achieve their goals. She firmly believes that the power of the mind is one of the best skills you can hone in on to achieve any accomplishment in life and overcome hardships. Drawing upon her years of experience as a therapist and teacher, Julissa guides clients to strengthen their resiliency and develop a positive mindset that can transform their perception of the world. Her goal is not only to help clients heal, but to also empower them to create better tomorrows for themselves.
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
My daughter, Evelyn, was born last week on November 27th! I recorded this episode with my postpartum doula, Katie, back in October. I'm super excited for her to start with our family next week!
Katie is a mom of four and a postpartum doula who is passionate about health and wellness.
In this episode, we talk about:
- What is a postpartum doula?
- What is a postpartum doula's most important job?
- What has Katie learned from her own motherhood experience that she takes into doula care.
- How far in advance should someone book a postpartum doula?
- How much does it cost to hire a postpartum doula?
- How long does “postpartum” last? How long can a family hire a postpartum doula for?
- How does she talk to moms who she recognizes might have some postpartum anxiety or even postpartum depression symptoms?
- Where she notices families need the most help
- How much a postpartum doula costs
More about Katie: Katie has been a student of yoga for 20 years and became a trained 200RYT in 2012 in Vinyasa flow. As a yoga instructor, Katie is able to bring her knowledge of the body and mind to help clients find balance in their transitions into motherhood and beyond. Katie is also passionate about Chinese medicine, meditation, the law of attraction, astrology, and babywearing.
Life in Bloom Wellness
Instagram: @lifeinbloomwellness
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this special Holiday themed episode, host Lina Forrestal is joined by Mariela de Santiago of Mama Wears Athleisure Podcast and they share tips and tricks for minimizing Holiday overwhelm from a first-time mom perspective.
Link to Christmas Ornaments Organizer: https://amzn.to/3SXQr70
Gift Ideas Mentioned in this Episode:
- Bombas Socks https://refer.bombas.com/x/42W15n (Get 25% off your first purchase by using this link)
- Kinetic Sand
- OurPlace Pans and Pots
- Magnetic building blocks
- Green Toys
- Car detailing gift card (for husbands)
- Carhartt flannels (for husbands)
Connect with Mariela: @mamawearsathleisure
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Hello friends! I'm excited to share this bonus solo-episode with you all. The truth is I miss uploading twice a week, it was so fun to be able to talk to you more often about the things I care about and the things going through my mind! I hope to do more of these while on maternity leave-- which ps. I'm not going anywhere! I will still have weekly episodes (if not twice a week).
Some of the things I chat about in this episode:
- How I'm feeling at 37 weeks
- Endless doctors appointments (NSTs, ultrasounds, etc.) because I'm "high-risk"
- How some of my friendships changed after I became a mom
- Becoming an adult and setting boundaries around who I want in my life (and who I don't)
- My relationship with my doula (@jmtnjphotography)
- Feelings around applying for free pre-school and Archie changing schools
- How the Holiday season used to make me feel sad because of my childhood
- Why I'm excited for Christmas now
Related Episodes:
- Just Chatting: 30 Week Pregnancy Update - Gestational Diabetes, Hiring a Doulatog and PostPartum Doula, & Thoughts About My 2nd Birth
- Just Chatting: I had to put my 12-year-old dog down
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
With the holidays just around the corner, Lina sits down with the Consumer Reports Baby Safety team to discuss which baby products parents should avoid purchasing for their little ones or as gifts for others.
Articles mentioned in this episode:
- 5 Dangerous Children’s Products Parents Should Avoid
- Are There Still Heavy Metals in Baby Food?
- Baby Bottles With No Detected BPA, Lead, or Phthalates
Other links mentioned:
- https://www.saferproducts.gov/
Support the show
Connect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
Follow the @newmamaspodcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal participates in a LIVE COACHING SESSION with Parenting Coach, Stephanie Agnew of Parents Place which is part of Jewish Family and Children Services. Lina is concerned about adding a newborn to their already solid family of 3 and seeks practical advice and tips for a smooth transition.
Timestamps:
00:00 - 07:55 - Introduction to Parents Place and Stephanie Agnew
08:25 - 52:15 - Live Coaching Session with Lina and Stephanie
- What is Parent Coaching? Parent Coaching is a collaborative process between an experienced parent coach and you. Coaches provide a safe space for you to explore your concerns, identify strengths, and develop effective parenting strategies tailored to your family’s dynamics.
- What does a Parent Coach do? A parent coach provides clear, immediate strategies to address whatever you are grappling with. We take the time to get to know your family history, dynamics, and values, then create a roadmap just for you.
- Schedule a FREE 20-minute phone consultation to find out if parent coaching is right for you: https://ccy.jfcs.org/schedule-consultation/
Relevant Episodes:
- Just Chatting: My Husband and I Get Vulnerable Talking Marriage, Another Baby, and Answering Listener Questions
- My Husband and I Reflect on a Year of Parenthood
Stephanie Barry Agnew, B.A., Assistant Director, Parents Place - Stephanie has an extensive background in Early Childhood Education with over 20 years of teaching experience in Palo Alto area schools. She was trained at Bing Nursery School while getting her degree at Stanford and has taught all preschool age groups from Toddlers to Young Fives. She owned her own small preschool in Palo Alto for 5 years and worked as a parent educator at The Children’s Health Council where she was also the director of the Parent Education Program. Stephanie has been teaching and consulting for Parents Place since 2002. Stephanie’s specialties include young child behavior management, social skills development, Kindergarten readiness, school choices, preschool/childcare consultation and preschool teacher training and support. She teaches parenting classes, gives one session talks, leads teacher training workshops, observes children at home and at school, and offers individual parents information and support about a wide array of parenting issues. She has two adult daughters and four young grandchildren. For an individual consultation please contact Stephanie at StephanieA@jfcs.org or 650-688-3046.Connect with Center for Children and Youth on Instagram: @centerforchildrenandyouth
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[RATED EXPLICIT] This episode has some explicit language! If you have little ones around it might be a good idea to pop in headphones or listen to it at another time :)In this episode, Lina and Amanda Gurman of Honest as a Mother Podcast enjoy a cathartic episode together where they share their biggest mom rants. They tackle everything from marriage to in-laws and everything in-between. They react to mom rants that their listeners submitted as well!
Check out Amanda's book: Honest as a Mother - Book 2: Personal Essays That Will Make You Feel Like You're Not Alone in Motherhood
Connect with Amanda on Instagram: @amanda.gurman
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Aimee is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist and mommy to 3 boys. She is the owner of Oceans Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry with her husband and practices in Westfield, New Jersey. Listen to our first episode with Aimee: Teething, Pacifiers, & Early Oral Health Habits with Pediatric Dentist Dr. Aimee Leibowitz
Helpful Notes from this Episode:
- How many times should a toddler brush their teeth a day? Twice is ideal, however if were being more real mama realistic it might be once — but make sure you make that ONE time NIGHTTIME bc after a full day of eating breakfast lunch dinner snacks etc you def don’t want them going to bed with dirty teeth, saliva isn’t slowing as much when we sleep, and that food/plaque will just sit overnight on the enamel causing decay. Morning brush would be great but I know in my house mornings are a hot mess most of the time so something as simple as putting the age appropriate amount of toothpaste on the brush and giving it to your kiddo and letting them do their thing is A-OK and way better than skipping it all together
- Toothpaste with fluoride or without fluoride? The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends an age appropriate amount of fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first tooth erupts. It's been proven with extremely good high quality studies that fluoride prevents cavities. If you are looking for a fluoride alternative brands like Risewell or Boka are HYDROXYAPETITE toothpastes that act in a similar and more natural way to fluoride to strengthen teeth.
- What kinds of foods support teeth health? Low carb foods i.e. your crunchy leafy veggies, cheese, nuts, meats, water, now let's be real mama realistic again for hot sec - is this a typical diet for most toddlers — no however encouraging them and exposing them to these foods from the get go will help establish healthy habits, rather than the chicken finger and mac cheese diet. Other great choices fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, popcorn. For sweets: dark chocolate and ice cream are a way better option than fruit snacks, candy or cookies.
- What is the least worst Halloween candy? Chocolates are a keep as they wash away off our teeth faster, gummies and sours etc. are a trash as they stick and cling to the teeth long after you’ve finished eating them.
- How do we talk to our toddlers about candy? I love to use the term “sugar bugs” to talk about cavities. For Halloween: I tell parents let your kids go crazy that night, eat what they want and after that GET RID OF IT. FREQUENCY is way worse than QUANTITY. Meaning if you having pieces of candy every single day over months its more like to cause cavities than if you had a whole lot all at once right on Halloween.
Connect with Aimee on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oceanswestfield/
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Gabi Day is an identical twin mom (17 months) and also the CEO, Founder, and Formulator of Bright Body and Bright Body Baby, a nontoxic + refillable personal care brand dedicated to creating clean products.
Lina and Gabi discuss:
- The mindset around the "just wait" phenomenon
- A quick overview of her traumatic birth
- Gabi and Lina's reaction to the talcum powder recall in April 2023
- Article, "Is Any Kind of Baby Powder Safe to Use?"
- Safe alternatives to baby powder
- Which ingredients should NEVER be used on babies
- Simple alcohols
- Synthetic fragrance OR nontransparent fragrance (trade secret)
- Sulfates + harsh surfactants (cocamidopropyl betaine)
- Phenoxyethanol, parabens, aldehydes, isothiazolinones
- Harsh detanglers: cetrimonium and behentrimonium chloride, behentrimonium methosulfate
- Dyes
- Propanediol/propylene glycol - filler
- What are some sources or apps that moms can turn to
- EWG
- Think Dirty
- Yuka App
- What are PFAs?
- perflyoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Natalie Crawford
Connect with Gabi on TikTok: @itsgabiday
Shop Bright Body: https://mybrightbody.com/
Shop Bright Body Baby: https://mybrightbody.com/pages/bright-body-baby
Connect with Bright Body on Instagram: @mybrightbody
Connect with Bright Body Baby on Instagram: @brightbodybaby
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Lina is now in her third trimester at 30 or 31 weeks! She can never remember how many weeks she is but her due date is coming up on December 10. In this episode she catches up with her listeners about everything from house projects, to financial concerns, her pregnancy diagnosis and thoughts around birth.
Talked about in this episode:
- How Lina switched rooms for her office, giving Archie and Baby E a shared room
- Umbilical hernia
- Gestational diabetes and some of her go-to meals
- A doctor's appointment gone wrong
- The process of hiring a doula and why Lina decided on a doula/photographer (aka doulatog)
- Hiring a postpartum doula
- Lina's thoughts around birth, the epidural, birth "elitism" around drug-free births, etc.
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When Katy and her partner Will found out they were pregnant, they were ecstatic. Katy and Will have a blended family of 4 young kids that they co-parent with their biological mother. They shared the good news with their friends and family and started to prepare their journey into having a child together. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned and Katy experienced a missed miscarriage.
In this episode, she shares her experience in having to make a decision between a d&c procedure or taking an abortion pill. She also discusses the process of getting her baby's remains and how difficult it was both logistically and emotionally.
Katy feels called to help moms and parents who have experienced loss and hopes that she can help those who are grieving feel less alone.
Katy owns a farm called Sticky Holler Farm in Arkansas. She's on Instagram as @stickyhollerfarm
Katy's Fundraising Link for Molly Bears: Custom Weighted Teddy Bears
Molly Bears Website: https://mollybears.org/
Molly Bears Instagram: @mollysbearsorg
Listen to Katy's 1st Episode: Divorce, Step Moms, and Getting Along for Your Kids with Bio-Mom Abi and Step-Mom Katy
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Former NYC mom and professional organizer Jaclyn King is pregnant with her second baby. Both Lina and Jaclyn's kids are around the same age and they have an honest chat about what they're excited for, what they're not excited for, their concerns, and how they're organizing their small country houses for a new baby!
Talked about in this episode:
- How both Jackie's babies are IVF babies
- Anxiety (both perinatal and postpartum anxiety)
- Baby products that both Jackie and Lina want this time around
- How we're preparing our toddlers to have a sibling
- How pregnancy feels different this time around
Listen to the first episode with Jaclyn: How to Stay Organized as a New Mom with Professional Organizer, Jaclyn King from Sort of Space
Connect with Jaclyn on Instagram: @sortofspace
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Brook had a normal pregnancy up until about 19 weeks when she was admitted to the hospital. Her team discovered that she was severely preeclamptic and developed HELLP syndrome.
HELLP Syndrome is a life-threatening pregnancy complication usually considered to be a variant of preeclampsia. It stands for Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets.
Connect with Brook: @the.gonzales.home
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If a parent isn't watching, do you discipline their child? Do you bring toys to the pool? When there's conflict at the playground, do you step in or let the kids "figure it out"?
This episode is all about UNSPOKEN MOM RULES! A lot of listeners "rules" contradict each other because a lot of these are unspoken. We all have our own set of unspoken mom rules and this can be tough, especially when it comes to other peoples kids and public spaces.
Timestamps:
- 00:00 - 05:55 Setting the scene and mini podcast update about episode frequency
- 05:56 - 15:59 Lina tells a personal story that kicks off the episode with her BIGGEST unspoken mom rule
- 16:00 - 56:41 Main episode with listener "unspoken mom rule" submissions begin
Mentioned in this episode:
- Overthinking Kids Birthday Parties + Listener Thoughts
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Wisconsin mom Paige Beaudoin's path to motherhood wasn't easy. She found out about her daughter's congenital heart condition (double aortic arch) at her 20 week anatomy scan and talks about her journey through endless tests, birth, and her daughter's surgery.
Discussed in this episode:
- How Paige found out she was pregnant and what her pregnancy was like
- Finding out about her daughter's DiGeorge syndrome (22q11 deletion) at the 20 week anatomy scan
- Getting a fetal echocardiogram and what that was like
- Paige's birth experience
- Her daughter's NICU stay
- Newborn life and how Paige and her fiance juggled responsibilities
- Her daughter's surgery
Connect with Paige on Instagram: @paiging.paige
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Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
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Young moms aren't usually seen as high risk, but 23-year-old Jerrika Latham experienced numerous complications throughout pregnancy that she suspects was due to her endometriosis.
By 28 weeks, she started to dilate, went into labor at 32 weeks, and stopped it until she needed to be induced and then sent for an urgent C-section at 35 weeks. Her daughter will be 9 months on April 30th and is doing great given the circumstances surrounding her birth.
In this episode she shares how she advocated for her herself and her baby, and wants all moms going through the birth process to know that it's okay to ask for help.
Connect with Jerrika on Instagram: @jerrikaluna_
Connect with Jerrika on TikTok: @jerry.babyc
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In this episode, we dive into the world of newborn, infant, and baby products that live up to the hype! Lina is joined this week by Mariela DeSantiago, host of Mama Wears Athleisure and they talk about all the stuff they loved -- and in retrospect wish they had -- in the first 12 months of motherhood.
Some products mentioned in the episode:
- ZippyJamz Organic Sleeper Footed Onesie Pajama
- Owlet Smart Baby Monitor
- Muslin Burp Cloths
- Nursing Tops
- Lovevery Newborn Play Gym
- UPPAbaby Vista V2 Stroller and Basinet
- Baby Foam Climbing Blocks
- Boppy Nursing Pillow
- BabyBjorn Bouncer Bliss
- RadioFlyer Stroller Wagon
- Wireless Breast Pump
- Elvie Breast Pump
- Momcozy M5 Hands Free Breast Pump
- Nursery Recliner
- Nurture& Nursery Glider
- Nursery Recliner
Check out Mariela's Amazon Store Page: https://www.amazon.com/shop/mariela.desantiago
Winning At Wealth
Your down-to-earth resource for developing thoughtful financial habits, learning about...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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In this heartwarming Just Chatting episode, we dive into the GOOD PARTS of pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. Hosted by Lina Forrestal, this episode aims to discuss the joyous moments, personal growth, and profound emotions that come with becoming a mom.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Jon and Kate + 8: Family Circus VICE Documentary
- First pill for postpartum depression approved: Zurzuvae
The good parts of pregnancy:
- Seeing baby on ultrasounds and watching their development
- Learning how strong the woman body truly is
- Feeling the baby move
- Nice comments from strangers
The good parts of birth:
- Seeing baby for the first time
- When baby latches for the first time
- Realizing that yu're much stronger than you ever thought possible
- Instinctual strength and power from birthing a human
The good parts of motherhood:
- Watching them grow and hit milestones
- Watching their personality blossom
- All the nostalgic moments reminding you of your own childhood
- Their little laughs and hugs
- The unconditional love
Hope you enjoyed this episode! Thank you for listening.
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About 30% of live births are cesarean sections, also known as C-sections. In this episode, registered nurse Carly answers frequently asked questions about c-sections and walks new mamas through what they should expect.
Discussed in this episode:
- The 3 types of circumstances around C-sections: planned/scheduled, emergency, deemed necessary in the moment
- What your experience having a c-section will generally look like
- Ways you may emotionally feel
- What happens with baby
- Basics of immediate recovery
- Incision care
- Why pelvic floor care still matters
Whether you're an expectant parent or simply curious about the miracle of childbirth, this episode promises to enrich your awareness of this unique and life-changing birth experience!
Connect with Carly & Meg of Fourth Trimester Foundations: @fourthtrifoundations
The Drop
Join us as we dive deep into the world of beauty & aesthetics!
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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Massachusetts mom, Kim Lima, is a working stay-at-home mom. In this episode, Lina chats with Kim about her journey into new motherhood and what the first 5 months postpartum have looked like for her.
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Learning the gender of your baby is one of life's intimate milestones. In this episode, Lina candidly talks about her second baby's gender and shares her thoughts and concerns.
Although she's excited, there's a lot she's worried about, a lot of the stuff stemming from her childhood experiences. Lina shares the wide array of emotions she experiences in learning her baby's gender. She shares her insecurities, memories from her adolescence, and the connection she feels with her baby after learning their gender.
She also talks about the decision on whether or not to have a third child. She gets raw about how her desires don't currently match up with her needs to be able to have a third child, mainly concerning childcare and local family support.
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Children are a mirror to ourselves. Julissa Edwards had a began a spiritual journey in her first pregnancy in healing her generational trauma. In this episode, Julissa chats with host Lina Forrestal about how entering motherhood can often spark the desire to heal trauma.
Julissa is a licensed Therapist and Mindset Coach and is passionate about helping mothers heal through the journey of motherhood and expand that healing to their children and family.
Talked about in this episode:
- How trauma is defined
- Julissa's personal experience with generational trauma
- Lina's personal experience with generational trauma
- How we see generational trauma pop up in motherhood
- Ways to break from old patterns and changing our mindset and experience
- The concept of "conscious motherhood"
- How we begin to heal generational trauma
- The benefits to healing generational trauma
Connect with Julissa on Instagram: @julissa.edwards_counseling
- Masterclass: Mastering Mother's Intuition and Dissolving Anxiety
- (FREE) Mama's Rescue Kit: 33 Quick and Effective Stress Busters
- More resources here
Julissa Edwards is a licensed psychotherapist, retired adjunct psychology professor, positivity expert, and mindset coach. With a passion for positive psychology and holistic healing, Julissa takes a holistic approach to counseling and coaching, incorporating various techniques to help individuals achieve their goals. She firmly believes that the power of the mind is one of the best skills you can hone in on to achieve any accomplishment in life and overcome hardships. Drawing upon her years of experience as a therapist and teacher, Julissa guides clients to strengthen their resiliency and develop a positive mindset that can transform their perception of the world. Her goal is not only to help clients heal, but to also empower them to create better tomorrows for themselves.
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In this episode, Lina and her friend Fallon talk about what they've been obsessed with lately: from food to books to mom hacks and fun things to do with your kids in the summer, they talk about it all.
Fallon Santiago is a mom of 2, blogger, artist, and Pure Barre instructor. Connect with her on Instagram: @casadefallon and @readwithfallon
This episode was inspired by A Beautiful Mess and their podcast episode: Favorite Summer Things (Deep Dive)
Things mentioned in the episode:
- Pitaya Foods Passion Fruit
- TikTok Blueberry "Icecream" Dessert
- Fallon's Chickpea Recipe: Marinated chickpeas from Trader Joes, micro greens, and garlic bread cheese from Trader Joes
- Lina's Mediterranean Recipe: Pasta Salad with Lemon and Dill, Falafel from Trader Joes, Hummus and Tzatziki
- Tonies Box
- Drive-In Movies as a the perfect date night for moms of newborns
- Nuuly: use my link for $20 off your first month's subscription: http://fbuy.me/ruacV
- Anthropologie Somerset Dress
- Fallon's Book Recommendations:
- Anything by Taylor Jenkins Reed
- Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reed
- The Spectacular
- The 90s Series: 1996, 1997, 1998
- Finely Donovan is Killing It Series
- Poppy Perkins Series
- The Four Aunties
- The Fourth Wing
- SkipHop Waterproof Blanket for picnics
- Summer Lofi Playlists on YouTube
- Jamie Devergillo's Kitchen Cabinet Painting
- Ikea Bunk Bed for siblings to share a room
- Our opinion on Threads
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Postpartum depression can happen to any new mom and it happened to Christie. In this episode, mom of two talks about her experience:
- When did she first experience symptoms of PPD and PPA?
- Specific examples of her postpartum depression symptoms
- How long she experienced those symptoms before getting help
- What the therapy process looked like
- What kind of tools therapy gave her
- If she took any medication to alleviate her symptoms
- Practical advice to new moms struggling with PPD and PPA symptoms
Christie Rocha is the host of Sass Says, a podcast to guide women on how to heal, educate, and empower themselves through therapy and real-life stories of resilience. She interviews mental health professionals, experts, coaches, and women who share her mission to debunk the stigmas and misconceptions about therapy and mental health. Christie is known for asking the “but how” questions so that her listeners walk away from each episode with actionable steps on what to do next when it comes to relationships, motherhood, body image, ambition, and what she calls, the Intangible. Self-care is also a hot topic on her show. She and her husband live in New Jersey with their two toddlers.
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In this Just Chatting episode, host Lina Forrestal invites her husband, John Forrestal, on the podcast to catch-up about their son turning 3 and adding another baby into the family come December.
Lina and John talk about:
- John's apprehension about Archie having a sibling and where it comes from
- Lina's thoughts about sibling relationships
- John feeling like he'll have a hard time bonding with baby number 2
- If having a child changed their relationship
- Feelings on the gender of their second child
- Navigating complicated family dynamics and extended family dysfunction
- How we balance time between being parents and a couple
- Talking about "the spark" after having a baby
- What we're doing different to prep for baby number 2
- How we juggle parenthood, work, the farm, and life
- If we've ever disagreed on parenting style
- What we appreciate about each other since becoming parents
Related Episode: My Husband and I Reflect on a Year of Parenthood
Thank you to our listeners who submitted all the thoughtful questions! Hope you enjoyed the episode :)
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In this fun episode, Lina and Heidi talk about creativity and art. Heidi discusses how her son is autistic and how to encourage children who aren't interested in traditional art activities.
Connect with Heidi: https://www.helloheidifiedler.com/
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In this Just Chatting episode, Lina discusses her complicated feelings around her ever-changing body. She gained weight after her first pregnancy, then lost the weight, and is now gaining it again with her second pregnancy. Although she feels blessed for her pregnancy, she's not loving the process of gaining weight again. Lina shares about how radically accepting her body changing has helped in navigating the complex feelings around weight gain.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Eating to Get Pregnant and Fertility Myth Busting with Nora Debora, Preconception Health Coach
- Solo Episode: My Eating Disorder Journey and How It's Affected Motherhood
- Nuuly Code: http://fbuy.me/ruacV Use my link for $20 off your first month's subscription
Content Warning: This episode includes discussions around weight loss and weight gain. If you're sensitive to those topics, please be mindful :)
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Hayley is a first-time mom and full-time working mom that lives in San Diego, California. She has always had a passion for fashion, body positivity and empowering women to feel BEAUTIFUL and SEEN- no matter what their size.
In this episode, Lina and Hayley chat about navigating their ever changing bodies, especially postpartum. In this episode, they talk about:
- Hayley's experience with being a mid-sized/plus-sized mom
- Navigating body image throughout pregnancy and postpartum
- Hayley's style and her favorite places to shop
- Gestational diabetes
Catch up with Hayley here: @songbug92
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This week, I had to put my 12-year-old dog down. The grief in this episode is specific to losing a pet. It’s therapeutic for me to share everything that I learned about grief in the last few weeks:
- How grief brought my husband and I closer
- How grief feels like mental gymnastics
- Navigating tough conversations: when is the right time to put a dog down?
- Coping mechanisms and how I managed my grief
- Trying to turn my grief into gratitude
The biggest lesson was that I had to learn how to manage my grief because I still had to be a mom. Even though my world felt paused, life still moves around me and I have to show up.
Thanks for listening and if you had to go through the process of putting a dog down, I am so sorry and I know how hard it hurts.
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In this episode, we're talking having a "Vaginal Birth After a Cesarean" delivery, also known as the acronym, VBAC. Doula and unmedicated VBAC mama, Sarah Marie Bilger, shares her experience and tips for moms who are looking to have their VBAC experience. She’s also an engineer and the host of the Entering Motherhood podcast.
Topics in the episode:
- What is a doula
- How do you hire a doula
- Why are a lot of doctors discouraging VBACs?
- How Sarah had a successful unmedicated VBAC
- Can you still have a VBAC if you have to be medically induced?
- How does a doula help moms prepare for a VBAC?
Follow Sarah Marie Bilger on Instagram: @entering_motherhood
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In May, Netflix dropped a Bridgerton prequel spin-off, "Queen Charlotte" that focuses on the marriage between Charlotte and King George III. In this Just Chatting episode, Lina invites her friend and fellow blogger, Ayzia, to discuss the show with her.
They talk about:
- The history of the real Queen Charlotte
- Charlotte's character arc
- Lady Danbury's marriage to Lord Danbury
- Lady Danbury's heart-breaking affair with Lord Ledger
- The relationship between the Dowager Princess and Queen Charlotte (aka a contentious mother-in-law relationship)
- Why representation in media matters
- Charlotte and George's marriage
- George's mental illness
- Charlotte as a mother
Connect with Ayzia on Instagram at @ayzia_ and read her blog: Ayzia a la Mode
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Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
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Planning a trip to Disney can be super intimidating. In this episode, Disney expert and travel agent Chelsea Runaas gives us the 101 on how to book a trip to Disney. She also answers the tough questions:
- How much money should a family realistically budget for?
- Where to cut corners to save money
- How many parks should you aim to do in a visit?
- How far in advance you should book
- General tips for going to Disney with babies and toddlers
Connect with Chelsea:
- Request a booking and a quote: https://calendly.com/chelsearunaas/client-meeting?month=2023-06
- customtravelprofessionals.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howfarillgotraveling/
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Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
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Like any teenager in love, Londyn never thought the first time she was intimate with her boyfriend would get her pregnant. However, when Londyn found out she was pregnant at 17 years old, she began a journey through self-discovery and navigating relationships with her support system. In this episode, she shares her journey through pregnancy to postpartum and offers up words of support for any other young moms going through the same thing.
Check out Londyn's blog: lovelaughmom.com
Connect with her on Instagram: @llondnn
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Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
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In this episode, Lina gets emotional on the mic (again) but this time talking about how her anxiety is getting worse as time goes on. She shares how she woke up with a panic attack the other night and what her intrusive thoughts were about.
Lina talks about how although she feels lucky that she hasn't had any nausea or food aversions, she's been experiencing perinatal anxiety and pregnancy insomnia. She talks about she believes that sleep in the foundation to having good mental health and how the second sleep deteriorates, everything else seems to go too.
Lina talks about why she's interested in hypnobirthing for her 2nd baby. For her first delivery, she suffered from a full body allergic reaction that her doctors and dermatologists couldn't diagnose. Through self-diagnosis, she suspects that it was PUPPP (pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy) that turned into a postpartum condition. She thinks the postpartum condition could have been caused by the amount of medication she was given between induction and the epidural and how her body was oversensitive and just started to attack itself.
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In this episode, host Lina Forrestal has a chat with mom of 4 and author Amber Trueblood about the 5 anxiety styles and some practical tips for new moms to get unflustered and manage their anxiety.
Amber is a mom to four boys, an author, a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) and married to a former Hollywood photographer. They traveled extensively across the country supporting their two oldest boys as they starred in the hit musical The School of Rock. She picked up some lessons on the road, from travel to homeschooling, that eventually made their way into her new book, The Unflustered Mom.
Read more about Amber and her book, The Unflustered Mom: How Understanding the Five Anxiety Styles Transforms the Way We Partner, Parent, Live, and Love at https://ambertrueblood.com/theunflusteredmom/
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In this episode of Just Chatting, Lina talks about her pregnancy and comparing her first trimester when she was pregnant with her first and how it's been different.
She talks about her first few ultrasound appointments, how she felt, and how she wants to use this experience to reclaim the newborn stage.
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You're a devoted mom who is doing her absolutely best. And if you're like Carly, then you tried ALL the things. But you still find yourself lying on the floor of your child's room at least a few times a week.
In this episode, Carly and Lina talk all things toddler and preschooler sleep! Lina chats through her current challenge: her toddler sleeps in the bed and although it works for their family, she has concerns over what happens when baby number 2 comes along. Carly shares great tips, tricks, and facts that can help start new moms on their journey to better sleep.
When Carly's first child was born, she was exhausted and had no clue how to get the rest she desperately needed. So when her second daughter was born, she invested in a newborn sleep course and everything changed. This spearheaded a passion in Carly to learn everything about sleep. Now, she's a mom of two who both happily sleep 11-12 hours a night in their own beds. And now it's her passion to help you achieve the same!
Learn more about working with Carly: https://goodnightguide.com/toddlers
Connect with Carly on Instagram: @the.goodnight.guide
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In this episode, Jenna Hermans comes on the podcast to share with Lina and her listeners how a huge breakdown after her 4th child helped start a journey within herself in figuring out who she was again. This journey led her to discovering that there are 5 steps in dialing down the chaos of normal life:
- Efficiency, Habits, Communication, Community, and Self-Care
Jenna and Lina breakdown each of these and share tips from their different perspectives in how to make daily life more manageable for new parents.
Buy her book: Chaos to Calm: 5 Ways Busy Parents Can Break Free from Overwhelm
Chaos to Calm is a guide for busy parents that will help them streamline the endless tasks they face every day. By creating more time and less stress, they can spend more hours appreciating their family, making sure they have what they need, and giving themselves the space they need to live their lives with intention and joy.
Connect with Jenna: @jennazhermans
Learn more about Jenna: https://jennahermans.com/links/
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In this Just Chatting episode, it's just Lina on the mic overthinking kids birthday parties. She also sources listener feedback and shares what other moms think!
She talks about:
- How she thinks all the pre-school moms hate her because she's bad at RSVPing and shows up late
- What is an appropriate kids birthday party gift?
- Listeners weigh in on gift ideas
- Do you invite the whole class or just the kids that your child plays with?
- All about RSVPing and NOT RSVPing
- What is the best time for a kids party?
- Is it okay to show up late?
- Listeners share their kids party pet peeves
- Listeners share what they love about kids parties (gotta keep it positive fam)
- Tips for hosting a 1st Birthday Party
Lina also shares a bit about her wedding anniversary (May 12) and how she's been happily married for 6 years but reflects on how she and her husband DIDN'T want to have a big wedding but ended up having one due to family pressure.
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
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Julianna always dreamt of being a mom and was prepared for the sleep-less nights and all the challenges that comes with having a newborn. However, what she was never prepared for was the nearly 1 year battle she would face against life threatening postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum anxiety (PPA).
In this episode, Julianna shares her story with Lina and New Mamas Podcast listeners and shares valuable advice to anyone struggling.
Connect with Julianna: https://www.instagram.com/juliannaj1992/
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In this Just Chatting episode, it's just Lina on the mic talking about her life lately:
- Her experience going to a Korean spa
- Being naked around your friend (lol)
- Having a male masseuse versus a female masseuse
- How her 3 year old might be more like her husband in personality
- How she hates labeling her son as "shy"
- Her experience in oversharing with random moms (oops)
- A hot take on potty training: why does it feel like a race?
- Venting about the whole "milestone" thing
- The way Lina and her family chose to potty training
- Venting about mean comments Lina gets about her episodes
- How Lina feels like it's great to disagree
- How Lina is not sorry for having a different or unpopular opinion
- How Lina feels about being called "privileged"
- How cancel culture is exhausting
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
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Dr. Sam joins host Lina Forrestal and discusses her work around on the relationship between mothers and their infants. She has figured out exactly what newborns need to feel safe and connected, and how this deeply affects who our children grow up to be, and whether they feel safe in the world.
Dr. Sam is teaching a course called ‘Parenting as Love: The 12 Secrets to a More Beautiful Life for You and Your Kids,’ which begins this May. Sign up here: https://newmamas--drsamrader.thrivecart.com/parenting-as-love/
Dr. Sam, creator of Source Code, shares a new approach to growth and evolution that identifies how our early childhood experience shapes us and our world, and how we can recode ourselves for a healthier, more beautiful life.
During her 18 years as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Sam discovered that there are only 12 core defense mechanisms we inherit in early childhood, if we don’t get what we need at each developmental stage. She calls these our Coping Styles.
A big part of Sam’s work is educating parents on the needs of their children at each stage of development. The good news is that we can reparent our children at any age, regardless of the age of the wounding. The most important part of that is reparenting ourselves, with deep self-love and self-compassion.
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In this episode of Just Chatting, Lina catches up with her friend Biz on her move to LA, female friendships, friendship breakups, dating, red flags, and more.
Lina and Biz talk about past female friendships and how expectations and friendship changes as you get older. They share how they both have had significant female friendship breakups and how devastating they can feel. They also share some funny dating stories from their past and what they now recognize as red flags.
The main theme of the episode is how life differs from your 20s versus your 30s. As Biz is turning 30 this year, she reflects on where she is in life and what she’s looking forward to in the next chapter.
Connect with Biz here: @bizpetersen
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Pregnancy complications led Annalee Fuller to an emergency C-section at just 29 weeks followed by an 8 week NICU stay.
In this episode, Annalee shares her story:
- What pregnancy complications led to an early birth
- How providers worked with her throughout the process
- How she felt going into the emergency c-section
- What her mindset looked like when her daughter was in the NICU
- What they did during those NICU visits
- How she and her husband advocated for their daughter
- What criteria her daughter had to meet to be discharged
- What bringing her daughter home from the hospital looked like
Annalee is from Utah where she lives with her husband, Seth and daughter, Lila. After graduating from college with a degree in exercise and wellness she started working as a personal trainer and prenatal fitness specialist. In her healing journey, she has relied on her background in health and wellness and is a huge believer in the power of exercise, mindset, and nutrition to support maternal health.
Check out Annalee's YouTube Channel
Connect with Annalee on Instagram @annalee.fuller
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Read Lina's Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
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In this episode, Lina and her guest, CEO and Founder Candice Collison, get real about body image, dressing yourself postpartum, postpartum anxiety, sustainable textiles and fashion.
Candice is a mom of 3, a digital marketing and E-commerce veteran, and Of an Origin CEO & Founder.
Connect with Candice:
- https://www.instagram.com/ofanorigin/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@ofanorigin
Shop Of an Origin: https://ofanorigin.com/
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In this episode of Just Chatting, Lina and her friend Audrey share their thoughts and experiences about being mommy bloggers and social media micro "influencers".
In this episode, they discuss:
- How being a creator on the Internet has changed throughout the years
- How they both struggled with a toxic relationship with social media
- Where they are today as creators and how they view social media and how they feel about different channels
This episode is sure to spark meaningful conversation and reflection. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and join us for this episode of "Just Chatting".
Check out Audrey's YouTube Channel: The Nguyen Family
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Melissa Wirt is the CEO and Founder of Latched Mama, a breastfeeding apparel company. In this episode, I’m having Melissa share her advice to women that want to build successful careers and businesses, while raising a growing family, as she has. As a mom of 6, Melissa shares how to overcome mom guilt and reach career goals and juggle a family at the same time.
In this episode, Lina and Melissa discuss:
- Why moms feel so lonely in motherhood
- At what stage of your motherhood journey did Melissa start Latched Mama
- Why asking for help is the most important skill that a mother should learn
- Why having more moms in leadership positions is important for real societal change around how we treat mothers in business
- Did Latched Mama start off as a hobby that became a company or did she always know she wanted it to be something big?
- How did Melissa and her husband negotiate carving out time to work on your business?
- How you can find the time to reach your career goals as a mom
Follow @latchedmama on Instagram
Follow Melissa Wirt on Instagram @thelatchedmama
More About Melissa Wirt
Melissa Wirt is the CEO and founder of Latched Mama, a breastfeeding apparel company whose parent-friendly policies are setting a new standard for flexible work. A certified lactation counselor, Melissa founded Latched Mama in 2014, in response to the lack of comfortable, stylish, affordable nursing wear options for women. Latched Mama has since grown into a robust brand and community that counts close to half a million members, and has been featured in media outlets ranging from Business Insider to USA Today to CBS This Morning. A native of Richmond, Melissa currently resides in Chesterfield, Virginia with her husband, Eric, and their six children.
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal on Instagram
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In this "Just Chatting" episode, the mamas sit down and discuss the latest season of Love is Blind (Episodes 1-8).
Lina brings in her friend and fellow reality dating show enthusiast, Brianna B on the podcast to get her thoughts on:
- How do we feel about Irina and Micah?
- Who's truly ready for marriage?
- Does Zack give us the ick? Or is he just quirky?
- Is Jackie chasing toxic love?
- What do we think of Paul's mom?
- Brett and Tiffany are the real deal
- What's up with Micah's so-called "friends"
- Kwame: is he the villain or just misunderstood?
- Is love truly blind?
- Would past Brianna and Lina ever do a show like Love is Blind?
- Who would Brianna and Lina been attracted to in the pods?
Connect with Brianna at @thatsbriannab on Instagram
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Natalie is a 29 year old mom of 3. She's a working mom and her oldest son has autism.
She was a first time mom and her son developed completely normal. He hit all his milestones and was talking but when he turned 18 months, everything changed.
In this episode, Natalie talks about her journey as a mom with a child diagnosed with autism. She discusses the blessings and the challenges, and how she learned to advocate for herself as a mother and her son.
Discussed in this episode:
- How old her son was when she first started to notice the signs of autism
- The signs of autism
- What she knew about autism prior to his diagnosis
- How Natalie felt throughout this journey
- The kind of support Natalie sought out
- How her family reacted
- What care looks like for a child with autism
Connect with Natalie: @natalienogales
According to the CDC, autism affects an estimated 1 in 36 children in the United States. April is World Autism Month. Learn more at autismspeaks.org
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In this "Just Chatting" episode, Lina catches up with her new mom friend, Giselle.
Lina and Giselle explore Season 2 of the Netflix show, Ginny and Georgia. They weave in their own experiences in relation to the major themes of Ginny and Georgia:
- How Georgia has so many layers and is such a complex character
- Georgia's history of abuse
- How Ginny's dad, Zion, is often glamorized despite his flaws as a father
- Does Georgia have the right to play "God"?
- How the show discusses being mixed race
- How the show treats racism
- Relating to Georgia in trying to fit in with new mom friends
- Relating to Georgia in how triggered she is by her in-laws
More about Giselle: Giselle is a first-generation American with Dominican roots, who's also a new mom learning how to navigate that world while unpacking her own childhood (generational) trauma, and finding her balance as a new "working mom" with a 17th month old toddler, that just came out of a severe PPD experience. This experience has led her to start her own podcast called the "What's New, Mama? Podcast", because she hopes that by sharing her experience, alongside her sis-in-law, Amy, that it can help another Mama out there feel less alone and more understood. Her podcast can be found on her website and/or Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and Youtube with new episodes every Sunday and check out their IG @whatsnewmamapodcast
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In 2019, Filippa discovered that she had a symptomatic prolapse. She was shaking for hours and thought her life was over. After the healthcare system completely let Filippa down, she woke up one day and decided to fix this on my own. It took about 2 and a half years till she reached a state of being completely symptom free. She shares that although this was worst thing she ever experienced, it brought her life purpose: starting Moonrise Health to help other women heal from pelvic floor dysfunction holistically.
Symptomatic prolapse is determined by self-report of a feeling of bulge, pressure, or protrusion or a visible bulge from the vagina.
The most common risk factor for symptomatic prolapse is Vaginal childbirth, which can stretch and strain the pelvic floor. Multiple vaginal childbirths raise your risk for pelvic organ prolapse later in life. But you can get prolapse even if you have never had children or if you had a cesarean, or C-section, delivery.
Subscribe to the Moonrise Health YouTube Channel
Connect with Filippa on Instagram @moonrise_hq
Free Resources from Moonrise Health here
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As host Lina Forrestal is trying to conceive, she's on a mission to learn as much as she can about fertility. In this episode, Lina chats with Nora Debora who is a Preconception Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition and Fertility Awareness Practitioner.
In this episode, they talk about:
- Should you leave your legs up after intercourse?
- How intermittent fasting is not optimal for fertility health
- Why it's important to balance your blood sugar
- Eating for a healthier menstrual cycle
- How to balance your meals with macro-nutrients
- Busting common fertility myths
Listen to the Ultimate Pregnancy Prep Podcast
Connect with Nora on Instagram: @natrually_nora
Free Guide: Eat to Get Pregnant
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In this episode of Just Chatting, host Lina Forrestal catches up with her little sister, Gabi Belle. Being nearly a decade apart, they share how their upbringings were different and how they felt like only-children at different parts of their life.
Lina and Gabi talk about:
- What it was like being mixed race growing up
- Living abroad in Brazil in childhood
- Going through puberty and Lina's awkward stage
- Funny stories from childhood
- Experiencing micro-aggressions and casual racism in school
- The movie, "Everything Everywhere All At Once"
- How Gabi hates reality dating shows and Lina loves them
Gabi's favorite dance channel on YouTube: Dan-sa / Daniel Saboya
Connect with Gabi on Instagram @itsgabibelle
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Welcome to the FIRST episode of my new, "Just Chatting" series! This episode is relaxed and un-edited, meant to feel like I’m a busy mom friend leaving you a long voice note.
In this episode, I chat about:
- How Daylight Savings week SUCKED
- My fertility journey and using ovulation strips
- How other peoples pregnancy announcements don't bother me
- Reading "Name of the Wind"
- Watching "The Last of Us"
In addition to our usual Wednesday episodes, "Just Chatting" will be a more casual, light-hearted series of podcasts released on Fridays that will give me a chance to literally just talk to you like you're my bestie.
I'll also be bringing on guests and exploring pop-culture and other trending topics all from a motherhood perspective. Catch our new Just Chatting series released on Fridays here on New Mamas podcast.
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Ellie is the mom of a five month old baby girl and a full-time college student! In this episode, she talks about balancing motherhood with school, how the newborn phase was challenging but rewarding, and how she took care of her mental health through it all.
In this episode, Ellie and Lina talk about:
- Timeline of being pregnant, giving birth, and going back for her Bachelor's
- Surviving the newborn stage
- The reality of bonding with your newborn and misconceptions on social media
- How Ellie asked for her help and what her support system looked like
- The best thing about being a mom
- Biggest lesson that motherhood has taught Ellie
Connect with Ellie on Instagram: @ellie_hocker_
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Best-selling author and sleep expert, Kim West, also-known-as The Sleep Lady, joins us with me today to share her advice specifically for newborn sleep. Spoiler alert, we are talking about alternatives to “cry-it-out”. In this episode and Kim walks us through a more gentle approach. You’re going to hear us reference her book, The Sleep Lady’s Gentle Newborn Sleep Guide.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Why cry-it-out is NOT recommended for newborns
- The four main factors of sleep: Feeding, Attachment, Soothing, and Temperament
- Best tips for soothing newborns and infants
- How to transition from the hospital to those first few days at home
- How long do newborns typically sleep?
- Should we wake our babies to feed?
- How to recognize baby's hunger cues
- How to not get "nap trapped"
- How can moms lower the risk of SIDS
- Taking care of mom's mental and physical health
KIM WEST, MSW, is a mother of two daughters and a Clinical Social Worker (which is a child and family therapist) for over 25 years. 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 has appeared on the Dr. Phil, Today Show, NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, TLC’s Bringing Home Baby and CNN, and has been written about in a number of publications including The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Baby Talk, Parenting, The Baltimore Sun, USA Today, The Telegraph, The Irish Independent and the Washington Post.
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. Her first book The Sleep Lady’s Good Night, Sleep Tight is in its third edition and has sold over 140,000 paperback copies.
Dedicated to providing tired parents with excellent sleep advice and coaching while knowing Kim could not help everyone herself, she started the Gentle Sleep Coach® Training and Certification program in 2010—the first and most comprehensive training program in the world. This program was the start to what is now a global industry: Baby and Child Sleep Consultants. To date, the Gentle Sleep Coach Training and Certification program is available in 2 languages.
You can find her free sleep guides and resources at sleeplady.com.
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Strength trainer Engrid Latina is a twin mom! Her twins are 7 months now and she recaps her journey in navigating twin newborns: everything from tandem breastfeeding to sleep training. In this episode, Engrid also shares her experience with postpartum anxiety (PPA), intrusive thoughts, and as-needed medication. Lina and Engrid share stories about how their relationships with their bodies have also changed: talking about eating disorder history, eating disorder recovery, and body image through the postpartum stage.
Engrid Latina is a non-diet personal trainer and strength coach (CSCS). She has been a trainer for nearly a decade! She has spent years training clients in-person, but added online training program options when the pandemic started.
Engrid’s personal history with an eating disorder and exercise addiction, has helped her to develop a training model that invites a deep appreciation and respect of the body.
Additionally her experiences with chronic pain due to trauma, has given her immense compassion for her clients and an ability to hold space for others.
Engrid's degree in Biology, her love of life-long learning, and passion to understand human movement allow her to excel as a trainer. She provides strategies that allow clients cultivate deeper body awareness & move in a sustainable and joy-filled way.
Additionally she is the cohost for the podcast Gal Pals. The show is for anyone who likes warm laid back chats with their besties, about navigating life!
On the show they address topics like diet culture, perfectionism, body image, jealousy, addiction, and their experiences with therapy.
Referenced in this episode: Taking Cara Babies Sleep Course
Listen to Engrid's Birth Story here.
Listen to when Engrid found out she was pregnant with twins here.
Listen to Engrid's podcast here.
Connect with Engrid on Instagram @livengproof
Follow Gal Pals on Instagram @galpalspodcast
Listen to the Gal Pals Podcast
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Massachusetts mom Jackie Milani wasn't sure what her options were when she learned her daughter was breech. When babies are breech, providers will typically perform C-sections. Jackie knew that wasn't right for her and started to seek alternative care. In advocating for herself, she found a provider that worked with her to have the natural birth that she knew was right for her family!
In this episode we talk about:
- Newborn life
- How Jackie had a successful breech birth
- Jackie's ECV procedure
- How Jackie advocated for herself during her pregnancy
Connect with Jackie on Instagram: @jackamilani
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
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Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
I am back from my business trip to Amsterdam and wanted to talk about how it went! In my last solo episode, I talked a bit about how my anxiety (PPA) was really bad when I first started traveling for work again after being a mom and how I used exposure therapy and medication to improve.
A little context if you’re new here: I’m a working mom and work for a big tech company called Cisco Systems doing marketing and video work. I’ve been a working mom since Archie was a newborn.
In this episode I talk about:
- My anxiety, is it still postpartum anxiety? Or just generalised anxiety disorder?
- The medication I'm on for panic disorder
- Managing intrusive thoughts while I was away
- How I managed my emotions and anxiety while away
- How I enjoyed Amsterdam
- How I MC'd an event for the first time
My sister's YouTube Channel: Gabi Belle
The collaboration video I filmed with my sister: Ruining Your Love Lives
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Carly Ely is a certified sleep consultant and mom of two. In this episode, we chat everything sleep training as it pertains to newborns and infants.
Learn more about Carly here: https://goodnightguide.com/
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Hey everyone, this is your host Lina and I'm back with a cute little solo episode talking about:
- (00:30) An epiphany I had recently, that putting myself first is putting my family first.
- (02:25) Archie update! All things toddlerhood: meltdowns and how he says he's my best friend
- (05:36) I loved reading Prince Harry's memoir, Spare. 10/10 Recommend.
- (08:26) I'm still not pregnant and it really sucks.
- (12:59) I'm going to Amsterdam for a week for work! How traveling for work gave me horrible anxiety (PPA) but after exposure therapy I'm doing much better. I walk through the things I do to help my husband John out while I'm gone and give myself some sense of sanity.
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Biological mom Abi and step-mom Katy are choosing to "family" for the sake of their children. Katy met Will on a dating app and learned that he had 4 kids (ages 8, 8, 5, and 3). There can be a lot of stigmas around divorce and the relationship between the biological mom and the biological father's new partner.
Abi talks about meeting her ex-husbands new parter, Katy, for the first time and how she instantly felt a connection and how they were able to build trust.
During the episode, Abi reads a letter she wrote to her ex-husbands new partner when she first got divorced.
Abi and Katy discuss their relationship and how they choose to co-parent.
In this episode, Katy and Abi get practical about:
- Being a united front in both households
- How Katy asked really great questions about parenting styles
- Expectations around screen time and discipline
- Communication and how Abi doesn't mind being the "bad guy" when it comes to discipline
- Involving grandparents and in-laws
Katy owns a farm called Sticky Holler Farm in Arkansas. She's on Instagram as @stickyhollerfarm.
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this episode, Lina and Alli chat about easy financial moves new moms can make in the near year to take control of their finances.
In this episode they break down:
- How to open an HYSA (High-yield savings account)
- Reviewing retirement contributions
- How to check your credit score
- How to pull a credit report
- How to start a money audit
- Reviewing and cancelling subcsriptions
Check out Alli's "Make Money Moves" private podcast: https://www.financiallifocused.com/makingmoneymoves/ Making Money Moves is for you if you’re ready to finally start seeing results and you are sick of being stuck.You want to become debt-free, save for your future, increase your income, build wealth and have a life free of money stress.
Connect with Alli:
Flourish FinanciALLI: www.joinflourishnow.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/financiallifocused
Website: www.financiallifocused.com
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
TODDLERS! From Byron Bay, Australia to Connecticut: Cara Zelas is an early childhood educator and parent. In this episode, Lina and Cara talk all things toddlers when it comes to behavior and emotional development.
Topics covered:
- What is a toddler?
- What is going on in toddler brains?
- How parents can best support their toddlers
- How parents can help toddlers regulate their emotions
- Methods of discipline
- Screen time
- Encouraging independent play
- Big World of Little Dude
Big World of Little Dude has great free activities for caretakers to do in the classroom, homeschool, or kitchen table.
Connect with Cara on Instagram: @worldoflittledude
Cara Zelas is an early childhood educator, who received a Bachelor of Media Communications and Bachelor of Elementary Education Degrees (Macquarie University, Sydney) as well as an Early Childhood Montessori Certification (West Side Montessori School, New York). Cara is in the process of completing a Master of Education (Charles Sturt University, Sydney). Cara is a parent of two children, Grace and Theodore. Little Dude has taught Cara and countless children that being kind to others is contagious.
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Happy Birthday to our host, Lina! In this special solo episode, Lina reflects on her journey through mental health and motherhood in the last year.
As Lina turns 34, she explores what success and happiness means to her. She shares that last year she put her mental health at the forefront and the benefits she's seen, especially as the end of year means burn out for most people and she has been able to maintain an energized and motivated state.
Lina also shares that her most DM'd question is how she lost "the baby weight" and her thoughts around snapback culture and the complicated subject of weight-loss with someone who has a history of eating disorder. She talks about losing weight while being mindful that she doesn't repeat any disordered eating patterns.
As Lina looks towards the new year, she shares the things that she sees for herself: taking less brand deals on Instagram, growing her side-business as an influencer talent manager, and continuing to manage her mental health and put her focus on self-care.
She also talks about the journey into getting pregnant again and the longer it takes, the more unsure she is about having another baby. Lina shares that their life as a family of 3 feels "complete" and the complex feelings around adding another family member.
The New Mamas Podcast also turns 2 this week and we'd like to thank you for listening!
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Gosia is a blogger from Belgium/Poland. She’s 37 and a mom of two girls ages 3 and 1. They were both born in Thailand where she and her husband lived for 4 years. A few months ago they moved to a new country again, this time Portugal. In this episode, she talks about the nuances of pregnancy and motherhood journey abroad.
Discussed in this episode:
- Lina and Gosia reminisce about their time living in Thailand
- What it was like being a foreigner pregnant in Thailand
- What it was like giving birth in Thailand
- What it was like being far away from family during pregnancy and birth
- Worries as a mom moving countries with young children
- What living in Portugal has been like so far
Connect with Gosia: @wandermama.diaries
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this episode, Lina and Lauren Young, a mom and Head of Growth at Future, talk tips to make parenting more sustainable. Lauren is on a mission to make parenting as sustainable as possible.
This topic is near and dear to Lina's heart as she and her husband and I traded their big city life for a 6 acre farm and sustainability and clean-living are one of the things they're passionate about.
Topics discussed:
- Favorite sustainable gifts
- Bamboozle Food Compost Bin
- Green Toys
- Lovevery
- Hannah Anderson
- Favorite tips to make parenting more sustainable
- Everlasting Wardrobe: Kids rental clothing service
- 7 great kids’ clothing rental services for a more sustainable approach to parenting
- Stasher reusable silicon bags (replace your single-use plastic bags)
- Misconceptions around sustainability
- Facing judgement as a parent
- The pressures of social media
- Why some parents are intimidated by the concept of parenting more sustainability
- Recalls on children's products (https://www.safekids.org/product-recalls)
FUTURECARD VISA CARD
- It's a green spending rewards card that offers cashback on carbon conscious purchases.
- It gives you 5% cashback for climate smart spending*, 1% for everything else every time you pay and 6% back on all onboarded partners, including For Days, Rad Power Bikes and Just Salad.
- This card not only encourages its cardholders to gravitate towards green spending and support companies that have the initiatives in place, but it provides the tools needed to discover these options and track the impact that their sustainable decisions are making on the planet.
- FutureCard defines a purchase of a product or service as green if it has a significantly lower carbon footprint than the most common alternative. For example, charging your electric car or using public transportation, riding a bike or electric scooter, having plant-based meat, and purchasing second hand clothes. See examples here.
Lauren comes to Future from startups including Bumble and Lovevery, as well as the ad agency world where she serviced clients like Adidas, Nike, Jordan Brand, McDonalds, Playboy and Harley Davidson. Her career began in New York City in the fashion industry where she worked with the likes of Vogue Magazine and Versace. At home, Lauren is a new mom, wife to retired professional soccer player Danielle Foxhoven Young and certified raw vegan chef at the Matthew Kenney Food Future Institute. Lauren hopes to draw from her decade+ career to grow Future’s mission into a sustainability movement.
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
On this episode, guest Alexis breaks down birth trauma, what it means, and how to begin the healing journey. After a traumatic emergency cesarean with her son, Alexis spent years sweeping her symptoms of postpartum anxiety and PTSD under the rug, not even understanding what was happening. After spiraled out of control searching for something, anything that would help me feel better. Alexis spent years learning about healing, and taking training after training and working on healing herself. She learned how to regulate her emotions, nervous system, and most importantly her energy. Now she teaches others to do the same.
Alexis offers 1:1 coaching calls, healing mentorship, and other great classes. Check out her services here.
Check out her FREE de-triggered workshop here.
Resources Discussed on the Podcast:
- What We Learned from Children’s Drawings of 9/11
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
In this episode, newborn mama Jessica comes on the podcast and discusses newborn life, dissecting her possible birth trauma, and what it was like having a baby in NICU.
Jessica has wanted to be a mom for as long as she could remember. She's been obsessed with all things pregnancy, birth, babies, and motherhood for equally as long. If there’s a baby in the room, she's definitely holding it.
Jessica Lamb is the host of The Baby Making Podcast. She lives in the Greater Chicagoland Area with her husband and 2 rescue dogs, Winston & Rihanna.
Connect with Jessica on Instagram: @thebabymakingpodcast
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Host Lina Forrestal interviews Matthew Simon -- Yes, a DAD! Matt’s wife, Alexis, has been on the podcast twice, telling the story of their son, Theo, who was born with a rare genetic heart condition. In the first episode, she talked through the journey of his diagnosis and in the second episode, she walked us through what it was like watching Theo get heart surgery for his condition. In those episodes, she mentioned how she and her husband, Matt, are a team. In this episode, we hear from his perspective: what this journey has been like, how he’s feeling today, and what is the secret sauce to working as a team during challenging times.
Connect with Matt & Alexis:
https://www.instagram.com/alexisasimon/https://www.instagram.com/mcharlessimon/
Matt also provides a list of excellent book recommendations below!
- Pimp: The Story of My Life
- The Choice - Edith Eger
- Never Split the Difference - Chris Voss
- The Expectant Father - Armon Brott
- Can't Hurt Me - David Goggins
- Grit - Angela Lee Duckworth
- Bad Blood - John Carreyrou
- Influence Is Your Superpower - Zoe Chance / Zoe
- Built to Sell - John Warrillow
- Mr. Humble and Dr. Butcher - Brandy Schillace
- Differently Wired - Deborah Reber
- Project Hail Mary -or- The Martian - Any Wier
- Shoe Dog - Phil Knight
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Support the showConnect with Lina on @linaforrestal
Follow the @newmamaspodcast
Read Lina's Blog www.linaforrestal.com
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Alli became debt free at 25 and then married into $154k of debt. While paying off six-figures of debt she still invested for retirement, saved for a house and other goals, and still spent money on the things she valued, such as Starbucks and season football tickets. Alli is also a mom of 2 and a wife.
In this episode, Lina and Alli talk about money, budgeting, how to start saving and investing for your children, the upcoming recession, and why it's important as women to be involved in the conversation around money.
Topics covered:
- How to "know your numbers"
- How to do a money audit
- Where to start when it comes to budgeting
- How to not spend a ton of money around the holidays
- How partners can tackle "family finances"
Connect with Alli:
Flourish FinanciALLI: www.joinflourishnow.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/financiallifocused
Website: www.financiallifocused.com
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Support the show
Samantha was 24 when she became a stay-at-home step-parent to a set of twins. Entering into a divorce situation with kids isn't always easy, there are obvious pros and cons with boundary setting, managing expectations, and knowing when it's your place and when it's not.
Samantha is candid and honest about her experience and talks through the challenges and the good things too! Today, Samantha and her husband share a child together, West, who is 5 years old.
Samantha hosts Samantha's West, a podcast about motherhood, philanthropy, and all the fun stories in between.
Connect with Samantha on Instagram here: @samanthaswest
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
[This episode is sponsored by Creidm.com]
Creidm.com is a Distributor of the all-natural and eco-friendly home, skin, and health products created by Shaklee. These products are the most clinically tested and clinically proven. Creidm and the Shaklee Products focus on children and mothers. They offer personalized vitamin packs for children and adults called Meology and can come in gummy and pill form. What is great, is they offer higher discounts on the Meology kids packs for the more kids you have! Also, starting in November they will be releasing their pre- and post-natal line to help support Mothers and their children in such an important time of their life.
Creidm also offers ways to become a distributor yourself and make extra income all from home! To learn more, go to Creidm.com.
Support the show
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal gets advice from Laura Varney, Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, and Founder of The Baby Body on how to ease back into an exercise routine postpartum.
“A lot of people say they lose their identity when they become a mom. I feel like I found my identity and really stepped into who I am in both a personal and business sense.” -Laura Varney
In this episode:
- Laura shares her postpartum story in relation to fitness and exercise
- We talk about why exercise is important for new moms
- How does easing back into an exercise routine differs between a vaginal birth and a c-section
- What is the best exercise for a mom to start with while easing back into an exercise routine
- Lina and Laura discuss "bounce back culture" and the goods and bads about the body positivity movement
- All about Laura's program, The Baby Body
Laura's mission is to create a more empathetic approach to wellness - especially for those entering motherhood. Laura is a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, and registered yoga teacher in Los Angeles. Her vigorous resume includes the specialization of strength and functional training, pre/postnatal training, HIIT (high-intensity interval training), and power vinyasa yoga. She is the founder of The Baby Body - a prenatal/postnatal exercise program designed to keep women strong throughout all stages of pregnancy, during labor, and while being a parent. Laura's passion for seeking an "unrestricted" life has catapulted her into the pursuit of empowering, supporting, and inspiring the women around her.
Connect with Laura: @misslauravarney
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
[This episode is sponsored by Creidm.com]
Creidm.com is a Distributor of the all-natural and eco-friendly home, skin, and health products created by Shaklee. These products are the most clinically tested and clinically proven. Creidm and the Shaklee Products focus on children and mothers. They offer personalized vitamin packs for children and adults called Meology and can come in gummy and pill form. What is great, is they offer higher discounts on the Meology kids packs for the more kids you have! Also, starting in November they will be releasing their pre- and post-natal line to help support Mothers and their children in such an important time of their life.
Creidm also offers ways to become a distributor yourself and make extra income all from home! To learn more, go to Creidm.com.
Support the show
Massachusetts mom Christie and her husband tried for a year and a half before they finally conceived. At her 20-week anatomy scan, she was diagnosed with VCI and got growth scans the rest of her pregnancy. At her 32 week growth scan, they discovered she had severe preeclampsia and transferred her to another hospital about an hour away because her local hospital didn't have a NICU. She had my daughter almost exactly 29 hours later via an emergency c-section.
Christie shares her birth story and what her experience was like each step of the way. She shares what was challenging and most importantly, what she is grateful for.
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
[This episode is sponsored by Creidm.com]
Creidm.com is a Distributor of the all-natural and eco-friendly home, skin, and health products created by Shaklee. These products are the most clinically tested and clinically proven. Creidm and the Shaklee Products focus on children and mothers. They offer personalized vitamin packs for children and adults called Meology and can come in gummy and pill form. What is great, is they offer higher discounts on the Meology kids packs for the more kids you have! Also, starting in November they will be releasing their pre- and post-natal line to help support Mothers and their children in such an important time of their life.
Creidm also offers ways to become a distributor yourself and make extra income all from home! To learn more, go to Creidm.com.
Support the show
Massachusetts working mom of two, Sadie Naimoli, didn't know she had breast implant illness. For years, she struggled with chronic illness and couldn't put a finger on what was going on in her body. Like many women in their 20s, Sadie had a warped sense of what the perfect body looked like and decided to get breast implants. Ten years and two babies later, Sadie learned that she had breast implant illness (BII). She shares her story hoping that she can help other women who may be struggling.
Resources:
- Facebook Group - Breast Implant Illness and Healing with Nicole
- Website - https://www.healingbreastimplantillness.com
- Podcast Episode - Angie Lee: "Breast Implant Illness. Why I REMOVED MY BREAST IMPLANTS 3 Years Ago + Why Thousands Of Women Are Waking Up To The Truth That The Plastic Surgery Industry Won’t Tell You. Part 1"
- Denai Johnson: The Hella Well Podcast
- Danica Patrick: 'I did every test that could be done' before breast implant illness diagnosis'
- Documentaries:
- Explant on Paramount
- The Bleeding Edge on Netflix
- Toxic Tits on YouTube
Connect with Sadie: @sadiecnaimoli
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
[This episode is sponsored by Creidm.com]
Creidm.com is a Distributor of the all-natural and eco-friendly home, skin, and health products created by Shaklee. These products are the most clinically tested and clinically proven. Creidm and the Shaklee Products focus on children and mothers. They offer personalized vitamin packs for children and adults called Meology and can come in gummy and pill form. What is great, is they offer higher discounts on the Meology kids packs for the more kids you have! Also, starting in November they will be releasing their pre- and post-natal line to help support Mothers and their children in such an important time of their life.
Creidm also offers ways to become a distributor yourself and make extra income all from home! To learn more, go to Creidm.com.
Support the show
Amber never planned to be a stay-at-home-mom, but when pumping conditions were less than ideal and the cost of childcare was nearly the amount of her income, Amber and her fiance made the decision for her to stay home and take care of their girls (5 & 3yo's). She's been with her fiance since highschool and bought their first house two years ago in New Jersey. She's now diving into homeschool and working towards the goal of relocating and owning land. Amber struggled with anxiety and depression her whole life and got hit hard with postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression.
In this episode, her and Lina talk about:
- The importance of advocating for yourself at the doctor's
- Amber's experience having a VBAC
- Struggles with pumping at the office
- Her experience as a stay-at-home-mom
Connect with Amber on Instagram: @alittlebend
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
[This episode is sponsored by Creidm.com]
Creidm.com is a Distributor of the all-natural and eco-friendly home, skin, and health products created by Shaklee. These products are the most clinically tested and clinically proven. Creidm and the Shaklee Products focus on children and mothers. They offer personalized vitamin packs for children and adults called Meology and can come in gummy and pill form. What is great, is they offer higher discounts on the Meology kids packs for the more kids you have! Also, starting in November they will be releasing their pre- and post-natal line to help support Mothers and their children in such an important time of their life.
Creidm also offers ways to become a distributor yourself and make extra income all from home! To learn more, go to Creidm.com.
Support the show
Oakland mom, Sahra Brandt, was navigating her first year postpartum while her husband battled postpartum depression. In this episode, host Lina Forrestal and fashion stylist Sahra talk about how hard that first year postpartum is on relationships and Sahra discusses in detail how couples therapy saved her marriage. Today, she and her husband are expecting another baby and are happier than ever.
In this episode, Lina and Sahra talk about:
- When Sahra first realized that there was something deeper going on with her husband
- How she went so far as to file divorce paperwork
- How the first few sessions of couples therapy went and the steps they took
- What brought them back together
- How common it actually is to have marriage problems in the first year of postpartum
- Why more couples don't talk about this
Resources:
- How to Spot Signs of Male Postpartum Depression in New Dads
- Postpartum Depression in Men is Real, Science Says
Connect with Sahra: @queserasahra @shop_the_city
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
[This episode is sponsored by Creidm.com]
Creidm.com is a Distributor of the all-natural and eco-friendly home, skin, and health products created by Shaklee. These products are the most clinically tested and clinically proven. Creidm and the Shaklee Products focus on children and mothers. They offer personalized vitamin packs for children and adults called Meology and can come in gummy and pill form. What is great, is they offer higher discounts on the Meology kids packs for the more kids you have! Also, starting in November they will be releasing their pre- and post-natal line to help support Mothers and their children in such an important time of their life.
Creidm also offers ways to become a distributor yourself and make extra income all from home! To learn more, go to Creidm.com.
Support the show
In episode 15 of season 2, Canadian mom Alexis Simon shared that her son Theo was born with a rare genetic condition. Two-year-old Theo recently went through heart surgery and Alexis shares what that experience was like. She talks about how challenging the experience was at the hospital, watching Theo wake up from surgery, and the type of support she had from the heart warrior community.
Donate at theotheheartwarrior.com
Connect with Alexis on Instagram: @alexisasimon
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
Support the show
In this episode, Lina is going to be talking about her eating disorder journey and how it’s affected motherhood and shown up in my motherhood journey. This episode may be triggering to those who have a history of eating disorders or who currently have an eating disorder. She references anorexia, body dysmorphia, and disordered eating. If you’re not ready to hear this story, bookmark it for a later date when you’re ready.
Lina is 33 years old and the mom of a 2 year old. Her eating disorder started at 13 years old. She struggled with anorexia throughout high school and then adopted disordered eating habits throughout college. She binge ate and then became orthorexic in her 20s.
Lina shares that she's not sure that someone ever truly recovers from an eating disorder. She shares that while throughout pregnancy and postpartum she was okay with her body changing, most recently she's dipped into old eating disorder habits.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Huberman Lab: HEALTHY EATING & EATING DISORDERS – ANOREXIA, BULIMIA, BINGING
In this episode, Lina mentions the diet culture of the 2000s. Gal Pals podcast does a great episode diving into the diet culture of the 2000s. Listen to their episode, "Trash Diet Culture of the Early 2000's"
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
[This episode is sponsored by Creidm.com]
Creidm.com is a Distributor of the all-natural and eco-friendly home, skin, and health products created by Shaklee. These products are the most clinically tested and clinically proven. Creidm and the Shaklee Products focus on children and mothers. They offer personalized vitamin packs for children and adults called Meology and can come in gummy and pill form. What is great, is they offer higher discounts on the Meology kids packs for the more kids you have! Also, starting in November they will be releasing their pre- and post-natal line to help support Mothers and their children in such an important time of their life.
Creidm also offers ways to become a distributor yourself and make extra income all from home! To learn more, go to Creidm.com.
Support the show
There's no denying that being a mother is a full-time job in itself, but when you add your own career on top of it, where do you find the time to add in passions and side hustles?
Host Lina Forrestal and high school teacher Melissa Pyrch talk about:
- How to find the time as working moms
- How to navigate the fear of failure
- How to not get lost in comparing yourself to others
- Learning how to "fill your cup" in ways outside of motherhood
- Learning to find your definition of self-care
- How to navigate imposter syndrome
- How graduating high school is the start of adulthood
Order Melissa's Book: Beyond the Bell: 12 Lessons for Navigating Your Life After High School
More about Melissa: For more than 20 years, high school English teacher Melissa has encouraged her students to go for their dreams and never quit on themselves. While leading a motivational speaking class for a group of seniors in 2019, Pyrch realized she needed to be listening to her own advice. And she began the journey to becoming a published author, starting with getting herself on social media and creating @pyrchgetspublished. In addition to teaching and pursuing her author dreams, Melissa is also a mom of 3 and a fire captain’s wife. She has learned to make sacrifices and deal with obstacles head-on, which she talks candidly about.
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
[This episode is sponsored by Creidm.com]
Creidm.com is a Distributor of the all-natural and eco-friendly home, skin, and health products created by Shaklee. These products are the most clinically tested and clinically proven. Creidm and the Shaklee Products focus on children and mothers. They offer personalized vitamin packs for children and adults called Meology and can come in gummy and pill form. What is great, is they offer higher discounts on the Meology kids packs for the more kids you have! Also, starting in November they will be releasing their pre- and post-natal line to help support Mothers and their children in such an important time of their life.
Creidm also offers ways to become a distributor yourself and make extra income all from home! To learn more, go to Creidm.com.
Support the show
As moms, we all have something that triggers us: everything from the baby crying, to our husbands, clutter, or our pets. And then sometimes, that trigger turns into rage. That 0 to 100 feeling leaves us feeling less than great. In this episode, host Lina Forrestal sits down with speaker, life coach, and the fellow podcast host, Dr. Gertrude Lyons.
In this episode, Lina and Gertrude talk about:
- Their personal triggers
- Strategies they've learned to work through their triggers
- Gertrude's advice for how to work through your emotions when triggered
- How they define "mom rage"
- Tips to overcome mom rage
- Their personal experiences with mom rage
Dr. Gertrude Lyonsis the Founder of Rewriting The Mother Code, Lead Faculty member, Senior Life Coach and Director of Family Programs for The Wright Foundation for the Realization of Human Potential.
Gertrude uses her past personal experiences and learnings to help other women heal on their personal journeys. Her mission is to challenge the traditional and outdated notions of mothering instilled in our society to help women tap into their feminine power, reclaim their lives, and connect with their own mother code.
Listen to Gertrude's podcast: the mot(her) podcast
Connect with Gertrude on Instagram: @drgertrudelyons
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
[This episode is sponsored by Creidm.com]
Creidm.com is a Distributor of the all-natural and eco-friendly home, skin, and health products created by Shaklee. These products are the most clinically tested and clinically proven. Creidm and the Shaklee Products focus on children and mothers. They offer personalized vitamin packs for children and adults called Meology and can come in gummy and pill form. What is great, is they offer higher discounts on the Meology kids packs for the more kids you have! Also, starting in November they will be releasing their pre- and post-natal line to help support Mothers and their children in such an important time of their life.
Creidm also offers ways to become a distributor yourself and make extra income all from home! To learn more, go to Creidm.com.
Support the show
In this episode, Lina talks to Kristen about body image, the pros and cons of the body positivity movement, how to simplify nutrition and health for new moms, and what the first steps are to losing the baby weight.
Kristen shares what her body image journey has looked like after having four kids and Lina talks about how she had to have "radical acceptance" with her postpartum body. They talk about the body positivity movement and how it's great but then how it can also be harmful in having toxic positivity around the subject of weight loss. Lina shares her experience in that she can love her body but also want to lose weight for reasons other than what she looks like. Kristen shares what it's been like navigating the space as a dietitian.
Other topics discussed in the episode:
- How do we define "baby weight"?
- How new moms can begin the path towards to losing the baby weight
- How long can it take for moms to lose the baby weight
- How much of losing weight is diet versus how much of it is exercise
- How true is “calorie in calorie out”
- What is the best form of exercise? Cardio, strength training, etc.
- Kristen's favorite hacks for new moms to implement to get them started on the path to losing weight
- How to deal with cravings
Kristen Noriega is a registered dietitian nutritionist, mom weight loss expert and host of the top 5% podcast for Christian women, the Baby Weight Nutritionist As a Catholic-Christian mom of four, her mission is to help moms of littles lose weight and feel comfortable in their bodies. She's talking sustainable lifestyle changes that are doable with a baby on the hip and toddler tugging on the leg!
Connect with Kristen on Instagram: @babyweight.nutritionist
Join Kristen's Facebook Group: Lose Weight After Baby, Simple Shortcuts, Support for Lasting Weight Loss
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
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When Marianna and her pilot husband started trying for a baby, they never imagined that they would struggle with their fertility. She was surprised to learned that most doctor's won't see you for fertility issues until one year of trying. She saw a specialist who found polyps in her uterus. After having surgery for the polyps removed and going through two failed medicated cycles, and a failed IUI, Marianna took a break from trying to put her mental health first. 1 in 8 couples have trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy. Lina and Marianna also talk about religion and their relationship with God and church and what that's like navigating it as millennials.
What Marianna talks about in this episode:
- Marianna's fertility journey
- When did Marianna and her husband knew it was time to seek treatment
- The reality of how much IVF costs
- How infertility and everything going on in the world has weighed on Marianna's mental health
- How sharing on social media has both helped and harmed Marianna
- The worst things you can say to someone struggling with their fertility
- How to be there for someone struggling with their fertility
- How Marianna's husband has supported her throughout
Connect with Marianna:
Instagram: @mariannabdeoliveira
TikTok: @mariannabolanos
Read Marianna's Blog: https://www.lifewithmarianna.com/
Resources:
- CDC Infertility FAQs
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
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(Content Warning: Abuse, Self-harm, Suicide) First time mom Emily sits with host Lina Forrestal and talks about life as a new mom and her struggles with postpartum depression. She talks about her journey into motherhood: her miscarriage, pregnancy, a misdiagnosis of a down syndrome test, and postpartum depression.
Emily shares that her anxiety started at her 10-week ultrasound when the technician couldn't find a heartbeat. She shares that she has struggled with her depression and anxiety ever since she was young, since her beloved father passed away. She shares that it was hard to be happy during the newborn phase, even though it is a happy time and her son, Odin, was a wonderful baby.
Lina and Emily also talk about drugs at birth, not having a birth plan, and their experiences with anxiety. Emily talks about holistic health and remedies for her postpartum depression and how her outlet is running.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call or text 988. Learn more about the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.
Your body and mind go through many changes during and after pregnancy. If you feel empty, emotionless, or sad all or most of the time for longer than 2 weeks during or after pregnancy, reach out for help. If you feel like you don't love or care for your baby, you might have postpartum depression. Treatment for depression, such as therapy or medicine, works and will help you and your baby be as healthy as possible in the future. Read more about postpartum depression here.
Resources:
- Symptoms of Postpartum Depression
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Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
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Lina is back with a solo episode about what she's learned in therapy the last few months.
Things discussed in this solo episode:
- The three C's: You cannot change, you cannot control, and you don't cause them to be this way
- Codependency: A person who is codependent will plan their entire life around pleasing the other person, or the enabler. In its simplest terms, a codependent relationship is when one partner needs the other partner, who in turn, needs to be needed.
- How to detach with love
- How it's bad boundaries to try and fix someone
- For anxiety: Don't believe your thoughts, it's just a thought
- For anxiety: Remember presence, this is my presence existence
- For anxiety: Please remember love
- "Collective subconscious" by Carl Jung
- I can hear someone's opinion but I don't have to be influenced by it
Other episodes you might enjoy:
- I'M BACK! My depression diagnosis, starting antidepressants, and what's to come for Season 2
- Postpartum Anxiety and Growing Up With Fear-Based Parenting with Stephanie Feng
- Solo Episode: Post Partum Anxiety (PPA), Weight Gain, Mom Guilt, & PUPPP
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Blog
Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
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Shortly after Theo's birth, Alexis and her husband learned that their son was born with an ultra rare genetic condition (so rare, that it has no name except a jumble of letters and numbers).
Alexis was told that Theo would not make it to be one year old. Fast forward to today, Theo is the most amazing little two year old boy.
Theo’s family is desperate for more time with their “Teddy Bear.” The difficult decision has been made to proceed with correcting Theo’s heart defects this summer. There is also risk that this surgery could make Theo’s situation much worse and could end his life.
We are asking that our friends and family purchase a candle or make a small donation in Theo’s honor. Proceeds from the candle sales will be used to support Theo in his recovery and a portion will be donated to Wee Care Centre in Halifax.
Donate at theotheheartwarrior.com
Connect with Alexis on Instagram: @alexisasimon
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
Support the show
When we think hypnobirthing, a lot of us imagine someone with a yo-yo swinging it back and forth and saying, "You are getting very sleepy..."
But that's not what hypnobirthing is at all! Hypnobirthing is a mindset technique involving calm breathing techniques, some deep relaxation, guided mediation, visualization, and affirmations.
New mom Linnea caught my attention when she shared with me that she was able to have the birth experience she wanted much thanks to hypnobirthing. I was immediately fascinated by this and knew I had to have her on the podcast to tell her story.
In this podcast, Linnea walks through the process of hypnobirthing and goes into detail about what it entails. She also shares her experience in hiring a doula and why she thinks that having a doula played an important part in her birth experience.
Resources:
- HypnoBirthing, Fourth Edition: The breakthrough natural approach to safer, easier, more comfortable birthing - The Mongan Method, 4th Edition
- Hypnobirthing: Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better
Connect with Linnea: @linneakayak
Other New Mamas Podcast Episodes You May Enjoy:
- How to Empower Dads in the Newborn Stage (and beyond!) with Chau Dang, AI Product Manager at NVIDIA
- An Honest Chat: The Newborn Stage with Food Blogger Erin Aronowitz
Connect with Lina on Instagram
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
Support the show
SLEEP! New mamas need more of it, that's for sure. In this episode of the New Mamas Podcast, host Lina Forrestal and Huckleberry's Co-founder and CEO, Jessica Toh, discuss the relationship between sleep and maternal mental health. They explore why they think moms struggle asking for help and brainstorm creative ways moms can prevent burn out.
Stats discussed in this episode:
- Nearly 500 Huckleberry app moms and found that their most significant mental and emotional health challenge (58%) is trying to successfully juggle all of their responsibilities. Not only that, the poll uncovered that despite 50% identifying “quality sleep” as the most important aspect of their mental health, one of their biggest blockers is that they have too much on their mind, making it hard to relax.
- Maternal mental health conditions affect 800,000 women in the U.S. each year—yet 75% of those women go untreated.
Learn more about Huckleberry at https://huckleberrycare.com/
Download Huckleberry for Apple here.
Download Huckleberry for Android here.
Connect with Huckleberry on Instagram @huckleberrycare
Support the show
Host Lina Forrestal and Relationship Therapist Aaron Steingberg talk all things relationship after baby. Aaron Steingberg is a certified Relationship Therapist and creator of Babyproofing Your Relationship, an on-demand course that helps couples navigate their relationship after a baby.
Things discussed in this episode:
- The most common things that couples feel disconnected on
- How to know when your marriage/relationship is in trouble
- How couples can build intimacy back into their relationship
- How often couples should be intimate to maintain connection
- How couples can take steps in strengthening their relationships after a baby
Connect with Aaron on Instagram: @aaronfscoaching
Connect with Aaron on TikTok: @thespiritualbro
Enroll in Aaron's Babyproofing Your Relationship Course: babyproofingyourrelationship.com
Connect with Lina on Instagram: @linaforrestal
Connect with Lina on TikTok: @linaforrestal
Read Lina's blog: Lina Forrestal
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
Support the show
Host Lina Forrestal and Fashion Stylist Liz Teich discuss all things working motherhood in this episode. Topics discussed:
- Practical strategies or processes used to balance a full-time job and motherhood
- Prioritizing tasks
- Finding time to nurture relationships
Liz is a New York based fashion stylist, lifestyle blogger, on-air style expert and mom of two. Liz has been a professional commercial stylist for 15 years, styling fashion and home goods for print and digital advertising campaigns for major brands and retailers. Through the campaigns she’s worked on she’s styled celebrities including Tom Brady, Mike Tyson, Ashley Graham, and the cast of Stranger Things. Liz is also co-host of the Mom Gold podcast alongside Amanda Mintz.
Connect with Liz:
Instagram @thenewyorkstylist
Website thenewyorkstylist.com
Connect with Lina on Instagram: @linaforrestal
Read Lina's blog: Lina Forrestal
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
Support the show
Host Lina Forrestal and declutter expert, Katy Joy Wells, talk about how new moms accumulate things at rapid pace and how that often leads to stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. Katy shares her tips for moms who are easily triggered by clutter and hacks for getting a partner onboard.
They also talk about the "clutter shame" cycle, the difference between everyday mess and clutter, and practical tips for new moms on managing the clutter in their house. For more decluttering tips, listen to Katy's podcast, The Maximized Minimalist podcast.
About Katy Joy Wells:
Katy Wells is a declutter expert and inspires families around the world to declutter and simplify so they can live to their fullest potential. Her teachings and programs have transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, allowing them to live their happiest and most intentional life and focus on what matters most.
Connect with Katy:
Instagram: @katyjoywells
Website: katyjowwells.com
Connect with Lina on Instagram: @linaforrestal
Read Lina's blog: Lina Forrestal
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
Support the show
Okay, but what REALLY happens in the NICU? Who's taking care of my precious newborn? What do NICU nurses want you to know? All of these questions and more are answered in this week's episode of the New Mamas Podcast!
Host Lina Forrestal sits down with NICU Nurse Sydney Soja (NICU RN) and asks her all about the NICU:
- What should moms know about the NICU?
- Do you get a lot of nervous first-time moms who’s babies end up in the NICU?
- What qualifies a baby to go to the NICU?
- What do you wish parents knew about the NICU?
- How has working in the NICU prepared you for your own pregnancy and soon to be mom journey?
- How do you train to be a NICU nurse?
- When you’re a NICU nurse, how do you deal with the hard stuff that happens there?
- Did you always know you wanted to be a NICU nurse?
- What do you love about being a nurse in the NICU?
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Host Lina Forrestal had the unique opportunity to sit with new mom Sunni VonMutius AND her nanny Salem to discuss all the best practices in hiring a nanny.
Sunni discusses her decision making in why she chose to hire a nanny. She shares how she and her partner were intentional about how they approached the process: from writing up an application, what to include on the application, and which website she used to find her nanny, Salem.
Salem shares their perspective as a nanny. They share what makes things awkward, what to look for in a nanny, and what makes the job enjoyable.
Also discussed in the episode:
- Why you should have a contract
- Paying your nanny above the table versus under the table
- Salem's perspective as a nanny
- What to look for in a nanny (from both Sunni and Salem's perspective)
Resources mentioned:
- UrbanSitter
- Care.com
More about Sunni VonMutius:
- Wildflower Strategy
- Wildflower Strategy YouTube Channel
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Lina Forrestal sits down with first time mom Des'Rae Matthews as she shares what it was like having a transverse baby and an EVC procedure. Spoiler alert: the EVC procedure wasn't successful and Des'Rae had a C-section. She shares what it was like navigating all of the feelings of trying everything to have her baby come out naturally but then end having a C-section.
A transverse baby is when the baby is positioned horizontally in the uterus. An ECV procedure is an "External cephalic version", which is a procedure healthcare providers will use to rotate the baby to head-down in the uterus.
Connect with Des'Rae here: https://www.instagram.com/craftroom_creations/
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In this episode, host Lina Forrestal has a chat with marriage coach Chelsea Skaggs about navigating a partnership after having a baby.
This episode covers:
- Things that most couples are finding conflict around
- How to get your partner onboard with couples counseling
- Practical advice for checking in with each other
- The difference between a relationship therapist and a professional life coach?
- The difference between a couples therapist and a marriage coach
- How to approach your partner about getting help from a therapist or coach
Chelsea is a certified professional life coach, intimacy expert, and communication trainer for parents. She helps couples go from WTF to "I 'effin' got this" in their relationships by giving them tools to improve their confidence, connection and communication.
Related Episodes:
S1E4 Navigating Your Relationship in the Newborn Phase with Katharine Vida Gonzalez
Connect with Chelsea on Instagram: @thewtftrimester
More about Chelsea and her resources here.
Connect with Lina on Instagram: @linaforrestal
Read Lina's blog: Lina Forrestal
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
Support the show
Host Lina Forrestal explores society's obsession with postpartum bodies, particularly, Hilary Duff's nude Women's Health magazine cover (Read Hilary Duff's interview here.). Lina believes that it perpetuatesunrealistic body standards for women, especially when celebrities don't disclose that they'd had plastic surgery done or don't acknowledge photoshop. For example, Hilary Duff is shown with no stretch marks, cellulite, or skin texture and yet the theme of the photoshoot is loving her postpartum body.
Lina also talks about things she's been loving lately such as the book series, A Court of Thorns and Roses (#ACOTAR) and practicing self-care in the form of getting workout clothes that actually fit (thank you, Athleta) and getting eyelash extensions.
Lina gives an update to her medication journey and how she's been able to find relief and finally not struggle with anxiety and intrusive thoughts.
Referenced in this episode:
- Hilary Duff's Women's Health magazine article + cover
- Christine Quinn Fake Pregnancy Rumors
- A Court of Thorns and Roses
- Athleta
- Talkspace
Connect with Lina on Instagram: @linaforrestal
Read Lina's blog: Lina Forrestal
Support the show
Host Lina Forrestal sits down with SF working mom Alissa Worton-Hunt, to discuss what it's like going from 1 child to 2 children. Alissa was very transparent about how different the second time around was, even the journey to get pregnant. She shares her journey to get pregnant both times, how the first time was hard and the second time was easy, her PCOS diagnosis, and her birth story and how birth looks different both times.
Alissa also elaborates on experiencing mom guilt with getting pregnant with her second child when her first was 16 months and how it's a topic not often talked about but how many moms probably feel the same way.
She also discusses how she was excited find out she was having a baby girl and how she was excited for certain aspects of the newborn stage again. She shares how different her second pregnancy was, navigating feelings of dread, and all of the feelings in between.
Listen to Alissa's first episode on the podcast:
How to Survive Going Back to Work (Working Motherhood) with SF Mom Alissa Worton Hunt
Connect with Lina on Instagram: @linaforrestal
Read Lina's blog: Lina Forrestal
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
Support the show
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal and blogger Jamie Devergillo chat all things coming back from maternity leave, postpartum anxiety, body image, and what it's like to be a mom sharing it all on social media.
Jamie shares practical tips in how she's preparing to go back to work, from practicing leaving the house to leaving a detailed schedule for her caretakers. She discusses how she and her husband made childcare decisions and the feelings of anxiety around having someone else care for her baby.
Lina and Jamie both talk about what it's like to have a following on social media: from how supportive and yet toxic the community can be. They talk about facing judgement, setting boundaries, and how everyone parents differently.
Resources:
- What is exposure therapy?
- Exposure therapy for anxiety disorders
- The Internet Is Obsessed with Parasocial Relationships
Related Episodes:
- Season 1, Episode 1 How to Survive Going Back to Work (Working Motherhood) with SF Mom Alissa Worton Hunt
- Season 1, Episode 8: Solo Episode: Post Partum Anxiety (PPA), Weight Gain, Mom Guilt, & PUPPP
Follow Jamie on Instagram: @jamie.devergillo
Check out Jamie's Amazon shop: Jamie Devergillo
Connect with Lina on Instagram: @linaforrestal
Read Lina's blog: Lina Forrestal
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
Support the show
Host Lina Forrestal sits down with Licensed Therapist Dr. Laura Schwinn to have an honest conversation about bed-sharing.
Lina and Laura both share their experiences with bed sharing: why they chose to bed share and why they continue to bed share. They talk about the pressures of society to conform to one way of child sleep, touch upon relationship taboos, and talk about ways to re-establish intimacy.
The AAP strongly discourages bed-sharing with infants younger than 1 and if you’re new to the subject, please educate yourself with all of the facts, guidelines, and statistics. Read more about safe sleep for infants here.
Dr. Laura, a clinical psychologist, has a niche in supporting women, whom feel they have lost their sense of self within the transition of becoming a mother (preconception and well into the motherhood journey). Clients that resonate with Dr. Laura’s approach are high achieving, open-minded, curious explorers, with a propensity towards holistic health and attachment style parenting. Book a consultation with her here.
Resources Mentioned:
The Confident Parent: A Pediatrician's Guide to Caring for Your Little One--Without Losing Your Joy, Your Mind, or Yourself
Episode edited by Chris Duffy: heyitschrisduffy@gmail.com
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Lina is BACK and kicks it off with a solo episode unpacking why she took a longer break than expected. What was supposed to be a 2 week break turned into a several month mental health journey unpacking childhood trauma surrounding the holidays, recognizing the signs of depression, seeing a psychiatrist, and ultimately starting the depression medication, Wellbutrin. Lina talks about how being a first-generation child of immigrants has impacted her when it comes to mental health and the fear, guilt, and shame surrounding medication. In this episode, Lina also discusses what she has in store for the first few episodes back and what she's looking forward to in Season 2.
Donate to the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast
Connect with Lina:
Instagram: @linaforrestal @newmamaspodcast
TikTok: @linaforrestal
Twitter: @linaforrestal
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newmamaspodcast)
Welcome to the last episode of Season 1! The New Mamas Podcast will be going on a break for the next month and we will see you October 2021 for Season 2!
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal discusses a few life updates:
- Navigating the toddler phase
- Starting therapy
- Tips for reading more
- Her interest in relationship psychology and why she loves the Bachelor franchise so much
Lina also shares her learnings from the last 8 months of podcasting. Everything from guests she's had to things she'll do differently in Season 2.
Lina breaks down topics she wants to dive into in Season 2 and the importance of not shying away from the bad stuff and why she thinks it's important to keep having these hard conversations on the podcast. She shares her commitment to elevating diverse voices and making sure she has equal representation on the podcast!
Thank you all for listening and we'll see you back for Season 2!
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
"I want to bust the myth that you can't be ambitious and a go-getter and be a good mom at the same time." -Bethany Braun-Silva
In society and even in popular TV shows, working and career driven women are often portrayed as choosing their careers over their family — which is simply not true and a negative stereotype of working moms. For me, being a working mom fills my cup in a different way. I love doing something for me and believe that working makes me a better mother because I feel so fulfilled from working on a team and for a great company. On the podcast, Bethany shares her experience and her journey through working motherhood.
Topics Discussed in this Episode:
- Bethany's working motherhood journey
- The stigmas surrounding working moms
- How Bethany interviewed 8 months pregnant
- How being a working mom improved Bethany's mental health and gave her an outlet to be more creative
- Bethany's Type 1 Diabetes and what her pregnancy journey looked like
- Lina's experience with gestational diabetes
- What's next for Bethany
Connect with Bethany on Instagram: @bethanybraunsilva
Connect with Lina:
- Personal Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
- Clubhouse Username: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
Marina was 16 when she lost her mom to breast cancer. In this episode, Marina shares her journey of loss, grieving, and going through life's milestones without her mother present.
Marina discusses how as a society we tend to shy away from taboo topics but in reality many people who experience loss want the opportunity to talk about their loved ones.
Marina and Lina discuss the evolution of perceptions of our mothers, how our mothers carry one persona through our adolescence but how as we mature, we start to acknowledge our mothers as women.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- What the grieving process looked like for Marina
- How Marina felt as a teen versus how she feels today
- How healing takes different shapes and forms
- Milestones that Marina was particularly nervous about
- Imagining what it would look like if her mom hadn't passed
- How Marina felt when she first learned she was pregnant
- The most challenging part about postpartum and not having a mom
- Marina offers advice to new moms out there who may be in a similar situation
Marina is an Enterprise Customer Success Manager at a tech company in Boston, Massachusetts.
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal chats with mom of three, Stephanie Feng, about postpartum anxiety (PPA) and growing up with fear-based parenting style, “tiger parenting”.
Both Stephanie Feng and Lina Forrestal suffered with postpartum anxiety and recount their experiences, specifically around not being able to leave their babies, scary thoughts, and feeling crippled by their anxiety.
They break down their experiences and start to unpack why they felt the way they did, which led them to explore their relationship with their parents and how they grew up with fear-based parents.
Growing up with immigrant parents in America, both Stephanie and Lina grew up with fear-based parenting. They were often told that if they didn’t do something right, something bad would happen to them: for example, being told that if they didn’t finish their food the ‘bad man’ would take them away from their family.
Symptoms of postpartum anxiety:
- Excessive worry
- Feelings of dread
- Racing thoughts
- Lack of concentration
- Changes in eating and sleeping patterns
- Dizziness
- Hot flashes
- Rapid heartbeat
- Nausea
While any new mom can develop postpartum anxiety, some factors can increase your risk:
- A personal or family history of anxiety
- Previous experience with depression
- Certain symptoms of PMS (such as feeling weepy or agitated)
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Tiger parenting is the term coined by Yale professor Amy Chua a few years ago, in her book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, to describe her fear-based and hard-driving parenting style.
Connect with Stephanie on Instagram at @simplystephsfavs
Connect with Lina:
- Personal Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
- Clubhouse Username: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal chats with Certified Sleep Consultant Megan Copeland all about newborn and infant sleep!
Megan is a practicing nurse, a pediatric sleep consultant, and breastfeeding counselor helping families in the newborn and infant stages.
Topics Discussed::
- Tips for new moms to get their newborns to sleep more soundly
- How new moms can get more sleep
- Is it possible to put newborns on a sleep schedule?
- Favorite sleep tools and products
- Is the Snoo ($1400) worth it?
- Strategies new moms can use to reduce their anxieties around SIDS
- Breaking down co-sleeping and bed-sharing
- All about Megan's business, Slumber Feed
Follow @slumberfeed on Instagram to connect with Megan!
Connect with Lina:
- Personal Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
- Clubhouse Username: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
Host Lina Forrestal and Jessica London, Doctor of Physical Therapist, sit down for an honest discussion around postpartum care (or lack there of) and the need for advocacy surrounding physical therapy for your pelvic floor after birth.
Jessica shares her birth story and how after birth, she felt lost in the system. Luckily, her midwives were able to follow up with her but otherwise her doctors never called her for her 8-week check up after her C-section.
Jessica was surprised at the lack of education around pelvic floor physical therapy. She's passionate about postpartum care and helps moms prepare and recover from birth.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Honest discussion around postpartum care and hospital discharge plans
- Postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression
- How patient education reduces anxiety and pain levels
- The women's health dilemma in the United States
- Why the US's postpartum maternity care is lacking
- Why it's important to take care of your pelvic floor
- What is a kegel and what’s the appropriate way to do them? How many times per day or week should we focus on doing kegels?
- What's in Jessica's free guide for rebuilding your pelvic floor (download it here)
Schedule your free 20 minute consult with Jessica here.
Follow Jessica on Instagram here: @yourpostpartumpt
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Sara Reardon, PT, DPT, WCS, BCB-PMD, of NOLA Pelvic Health and affectionately known as The Vagina Whisperer, says: “I hear women say, ‘I don’t know what’s normal.’ They are not given a baseline. You’re frantically looking for information. Once you’re home, you’re over that initial high, and you realize you’re totally on your own, and there’s no help. It’s up to you now. They don’t give you resources, they just say, ‘It takes time,’ or ‘It’ll go away,’ or you call your doctor or nurse, and they say, ‘Let us know if it doesn’t get better,’ and there’s no follow-up. It’s all on you. It’s all on the mother.” (via Healthline)
- In the Netherlands and Belgium, new mothers will have a kraamverzorgster, a maternity nurse who comes to the home to provide a minimum of 24 hours of care within the first 8 days after discharge. In Spain, you’ll receive a cartilla de embarazo (mother’s passport) and check in with a community midwife monthly. (via Healthline)
Connect with Lina:
- Personal Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
- Clubhouse Username: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
I've known Meredith for many years and it's been fun to connect on the topic of being first-time moms around the same time. Meredith Molloy had a bumpy pregnancy with placenta abnormalities and irregular blood pressure issues, which led her to be diagnosed with post partum preeclampsia.
Meredith shares her birth story which includes an unplanned C-section and an epidural that didn't work. Hers is a story of resilience and bravery as she navigates the feelings after a birth that didn't go as planned.
Connect with Meredith at @meremolloy
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
Host Lina Forrestal is joined by guest Jessica Abo, who is an award-winning journalist and author of Unfiltered: How To Be As Happy As You Look On Social Media. Her book empowers readers with tools they can use to take back their happiness in real life.
During the pandemic, social media was one of the only ways moms could connect and build their village. Together, Lina and Jessica unpack the feelings of comparison and mental health in relation to social media.
Topics discussed:
- Advice for mothers who get stuck in comparing themselves to others on social media
- Ways to reset your energy when it comes to social media (spoiler alert: there's no one size fits all solution)
- Lina's struggle with social media addiction and feeling like she always has to be "on"
- How phone alerts and notifications are a reaction to "fear-of-missing-out"
- Setting boundaries with social media
- Abundance mindset
- How to identify the root of your unhappiness in relation to social media
- Toxic relationships and inevitable "friendshifts"
Jessica Abo is a sought-after media trainer and storytelling coach who uses her 20 years of journalism experience to help entrepreneurs, C-Suite executives, celebrities, and philanthropists share their stories with the world. Jessica hosts her own weekly business segment on Entrepreneur.com. Her debut book, Unfiltered: How To Be As Happy As You Look On Social Media, sold out on its first day and empowers readers with tools they can use to take back their happiness IRL (in real life). Jessica speaks around the country about how we can have a healthy relationship with social media.
Jessica has presented all over the country including at TEDx, Facebook, Microsoft, Delta Airlines, WW, and the United Nations. She has appeared on The TODAY Show, ABC News, Access Hollywood, KTLA, CBS, and NY1 and in Forbes, Fast Company, and Women's Health.
Connect with Jessica on Instagram: @jessicaabotv
Connect with Lina:
- Personal Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
- Clubhouse Username: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal sits down with Vietnamese-American mom and woman in tech Chau Dang about empowering dads from day one that baby is home!
Topics discussed:
- Chau's background and story
- Chau's motherhood journey
- How involved Chau's husband was and is
- Tips & tricks to getting your partner involved
- How to get your partner involved during pregnancy
- Getting your partner involved during the newborn stage
- Tips in getting the non-birth partner to feel connected during the newborn stage
- How to ease your partner's fears
Resources mentioned:
- Daddit Subreddit Thread
Chau's sister has a PhD in Childhood Education and wrote a Vietnamese Nursery Rhyme Book with English explanations. You can purchase it on Amazon here.
Connect with Chau on Twitter and on Instagram!
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal sits down with Tomeka James Issac, Founder of Jace's Journey. Tomeka shares her story: in May of 2018, her husband Brandon Isaac sat in a hospital room with their son, Jace Alexander, due in a month with no fetal heartbeat and Tomeka, unconscious, diagnosed with the life-threatening H.E.L.L.P (Hemolysis Elevated Liver Enzymes Low Platelet) Syndrome and fighting for her life.
Forty-five hospital days and 7 surgeries later, thanks to prayers and an amazing surgical team, Tomeka and Brandon Isaac left the hospital together. The couple learned Tomeka’s sickness and Jace’s death could have been prevented.
“50,000 women each year almost die as a result of childbirth. That’s one mother every 10 minutes in the US. The causes of most near death emergencies are preventable. However, the risk of having complications is much greater for black women. If you are black and highly-educated, you still have a higher probability of pregnancy-related death than the least educated white woman.”
In honor of their son, the Isaacs created Jace’s Journey to raise awareness and contribute to improving maternal/fetal healthcare disparities through education, advocacy and community engagement.
Jace’s Journey Inc, a non-profit organization, was founded in 2019 to address racial disparities in maternal health outcomes.
The US is the only industrialized nation with rising maternal mortality rates and the increase disproportionately affects women of color. African-American mothers are dying at 3-4 times the rate of non- Hispanic whites. Infants born to African-American mothers are dying at twice the rate as infants born to non- Hispanic white mothers.
Connect on Instagram:
- Jace's Journey
- Tomeka James Isaac
Donate:
- Jace's Journey
The New Mamas Podcast donated $100 to Jace's Journey in Jace's memory.
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal talks to Dr. Tolulope Olabintan all about her experiences as a mom of two and practicing physician. Dr. Tolu is Board-Certified Family Physician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. With over 13 years of medical experience, she leads the team at Livingspring Family Medical Center, a primary care center located in Mansfield, Texas. Tolulope is also a mom, wife, and Christian.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Dr. Tolu's birth story: her experience with PPROM (premature rupture of membranes), being admitted to the hospital at 24 weeks and finally giving birth at 34 weeks
- Dr. Tolu's experience with post partum anxiety and Lina's post partum anxiety
- How faith and Christianity helped support Dr. Tolu during her post partum depression
- How new moms can take care of their mental health during the newborn phase
- How a new mom recognize the difference between post-partum depression and the baby blues
- What a couple can do to help maintain a healthy relationship during the newborn phase
- Navigating friendships and finding your mom community in the newborn stage
- What inspired Dr. Tolu to take the leap and open her own practice
Learn more about Livingspring Medical. Livingspring was coined from the bible describing God as “The Living Spring” and the ultimate source of true healing. In the place of service, Dr. Olabintan believes she is a conduit of such healing in an atmosphere of compassion, committed care, and with her sound medical knowledge.
Connect with Dr. Tolu on Instagram: @dr_olabintan
Connect with Lina:
- Personal Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
- Clubhouse Username: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal chats with guest Ashley Hutchings about her story of how she gave birth in London and New York City, and how her family made the life change from living in a NYC high rise to a historic home in Connecticut.
This episode is a little different as it's more of a casual chat between mamas!
Topics covered in this episode:
- How Ashley and her husband fell in love and their long-distance relationship
- What was it like giving birth overseas in comparison to giving birth in the US
- Ashley and Lina's experiences with different health-care systems around the world
- What inspired Ashley and her husband to move from NYC to the countryside of Connecticut
- Ashley's blogging journey and what's next for her blog
- Our favorite shows and pop culture talk:
- The Bachelor, the lack of inclusivity, and the future of The Bachelor
- The Britney Spears documentary and what it was like being a young woman in the 90s and 2000s
- Homeland
Connect with Ashley:
- Instagram:@mom_uptown
- Blog: The Mom Uptown
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal and guest Sara Lyon unpack what a relationship looks like for first-time parents.
Topics covered in this episode:
- Sara's birth and motherhood story
- Tips in navigating your relationship during the newborn stage
- How relationships change after having a baby
- How couples can effectively communicate with each other during the newborn stage
- Navigating sex during the first year
Sara Lyon is a renowned birthing expert, doula, founder of Glow Birth & Body, author of The Birth Deck and You’ve Got This: Your Guide to Getting Comfortable with Labor (launch date: May 25, 2021 & available for preorder now) and mother of two. Upbeat, quick-witted and empathetic, Sara delights and entertains as she educates.
With more than 15 years experience serving as a doula, childbirth educator, prenatal massage therapist and mother, Sara Lyon has supported tens of thousands of families through their birthing journeys. Sara’s work is grounded in her belief that quality, science-based birth education and healthy, non-traumatic birth experiences are a human right and should be readily accessible to all.
Sara is a Licensed Massage Therapist in New York State and holds Diplomas of Remedial Massage Therapy (2005) and Oriental Therapies in Australia (2006), where she graduated from Endeavour College and Shiatsu Australia. As a proud Wolverine, Sara achieved a BA in medical sociology from the University of Michigan (2004) with focused research in women’s health and integrative medicine.
Sara and her family split their time between bustling New York City and the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area.
You’ve Got This - releasing May 25th and available for preorder on Amazon.com and TheBirthDeck.com
No birth experience necessary. You’ve Got This is a simple, powerful childbirth toolkit, perfect for the birth partner, doula and even mama herself.
With more than 15 years as a doula and childbirth educator, Sara Lyon has distilled her wisdom into the 50 most effective techniques to provide comfort during labor. You’ve Got This is packed with detailed instructions, illustrations, birth stories and practical advice.
But don’t tuck this book into your hospital bag just yet! Practice the techniques ahead of time, using the exercises to prepare for the birthing process long before labor even begins. Learn to combine techniques to address multiple senses at the same time, and then personalize the book by picking your favorites. You can even “like” them for easy reference during labor. You’ve Got This is truly indispensable for both you and your partner.
You’ve Got This is a perfect companion to Glow's proven seller The Birth Deck, featuring extra tips & tricks, interactive exercises, birth stories, quotes and writing prompts, to prepare for the birthing process long before labor begins.
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
I’m really put together in my professional life, but my physical stuff can be such a mess. That's why in this episode, I sat down with professional organizer, Jaclyn King from Sort of Space, to get the scoop on how to stay organized as a new mom.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Jaclyn's IVF journey and having a baby during a pandemic
- Strategies Jaclyn recommends to new moms for staying organized during the newborn stage
- How Jaclyn created an adorable nursey nook in her one bedroom apartment
- How to stay organized as babies grow
- Tips for storing and organizing toys
- Baby organization tips and tricks
Connect with Jaclyn King (@sortofspace):
- Instagram: @sortofspace
- TikTok: @sortofspace
- Read her blog: www.sortofspace.com
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
A mental health update! I'm 11 months post-partum and it's been quite the year. I've taken on too much and have been actively working on scaling down so I have more time for myself.
In this episode, I talk about:
- Feeling like I have to force creativity in order to stay in the Instagram algorithm's favor
- My creator journey, how I started blogging for fun and how it turned into something more
- Things that I miss
- Listing out my priorities
- Actions I took to feel better
How are you feeling? Let me know by messaging me on Instagram: @linaforrestal
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
When you flourish, your baby flourishes.
Melissa Bowley is the Founder and CEO at Flourish Collective Inc. She started her company with a vision to fill the gap in maternal healthcare and make wellness accessible to all moms based on her own childbirth and postpartum experience.
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal and guest Melissa Bowley talking about postpartum recovery and how they had prepared for birth but were not prepared for the physical and mental toll that came during the fourth trimester. They talk about the importance of building a post-partum team and creating your own village of support.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Things we wish we knew about postpartum
- Who you should have as part of your postpartum team
- Postpartum essentials that every new mom should have
- Things moms can do for her self-care
- Balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood
- What inspired Melissa to start The Flourish Fund
The Flourish Collective launched its first product, The Flourish Fund Baby Registry, in 2020.
Check out the Flourish Fund here: https://www.theflourishfund.com/
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
As our babies grow, we get more and more excited to welcome them into the world of food. I sat down with Little Spoon Co-Founder and Chief Experience Officer, Michelle Muller, on her motherhood journey, starting babies on solids, and her leadership role at Little Spoon.
Michelle is southern belle turned New York City mama. Although she grew up in Texas, she loves being a mom in the city. She loves that her kids can pop over to the MET for an afternoon, she loves the seasons, and Central Park.
Michelle is also an open book in speaking about her experience as a single mom to 3 boys. We discuss how divorce is such a taboo subject and yet more than half of marriages often turn to divorce. It's a reality that many moms and dads experience and we talked about dismantling the notion that "it's terrible for the kids". Michelle speaks to her strong co-parenting with ex-husband. Although it wasn't all roses and butterflies in the beginning of their divorce, their love for their kids superseded their annoyances with each other and they were able to evolve their relationship as co-parents.
Then, the conversation shifts in talking about starting solids with your baby. As our babies grow, as parents, we get excited to welcome them into the world of food. Mealtime is a bonding experience for many families and welcoming your baby to be a part of it is so exciting. I asked Michelle what the most important thing parents should do in preparation for starting solids and she advised to not rush into it.
Once a baby starts showing curiosity around food it might be time to start solids but also to shine the light onto yourself: are you excited? Are you ready? This is supposed to be fun and if you're stressed about it, your baby will feel that too. Michelle's biggest piece of advice is the approach feeding with love, happiness, and enthusiasm.
We also talk about combo feeding. I was so nervous to start solids had no idea what I was doing. I knew I didn’t want to give my son jarred baby food so I gravitated towards Baby Led Weaning because it sounded like the best thing for our family. I wanted my son to just grow up eating what we ate at the dinner table but I quickly realized that it was idealistic to adopt a pure Baby Led Weaning methodology because at daycare and they were worried about choking. I ended up doing a mix of both real food cut into small pieces and mashed foods. Michelle and I talked about how it's okay to mix it up and just because we choose to go by one method, it's okay to not be so textbook about it and have an open mind and do what feels right.
I share my my experience in using Little Spoon: I personally love it because it takes the guesswork out of certain meals and it helps introduce flavors that I never would have thought of on my own. Michelle and I talk about how these days the majority of house holds have both parents working and it can be challenging to get creative in the kitchen.
Little Spoon's ethos is, "Giving you one less thing to worry about and an easy way to keep your kid healthy." Little Spoon offers fresh organic baby foods, they have everything from baby blends to toddler and big kid meals. Little Spoon has no preservatives, no extreme heat processing, no GMOs, and no additives.
Other topics discussed in this episode:
- The inspiration behind starting Little Spoon?
- How Little Spoon different from other baby food brands
- Michelle's role as Chief Experience Officer
- What parents love most about Little Spoon
- The "Is This Normal" Community
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, we talk about the environmental impact of diapers and the truth about what’s touching baby's skin when it comes to diapers with the Kudos Diapers founding team: Amrita Saigal Founder, CEO, Emily Monroe, Lead Engineer, and Moira Finicane, Head of Marketing.
Kudos is the only disposable diaper that is made out of 100% cotton.
Topics covered in this episode:
- The environmental impact of diapers
- The truth what's touching baby's skin when it comes to diapers
- What Kudos is doing about it and why it matters
- The unique challenges of launching a business while juggling being a new mom in a pandemic
Contact the Kudos team at hello@mykudos.com or follow them on Instagram @kudostobaby
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal of New Mamas Podcast and host Megan Champion of On The Hard Days Podcast collaborate one an unscripted discussion surrounding postpartum mental health. Both Lina and Megan offer a unique perspective as Lina is a first-time mom still in the infant stage and navigating motherhood for the first time and Megan has 3 children, one of them being an out-of-the-box child with extra needs.
Lina opens up the discussion with this stat from a study: "4,451 women who had recently given birth, 18 percent self-reported symptoms related to anxiety. Of those, 35 percent also had symptoms of postpartum depression."
The biggest takeaway from this stat is the word "self-reported". In Lina's experience, she experienced severe post partum anxiety but she did not report it because she didn't know that her symptoms were attributed to anxiety, she thought it was all part of being a worried first-time mom. Megan's experience was unique in that she experience the symptoms of post partum depression and anxiety nearly a year after giving birth. Megan experienced post partum rage and both podcast hosts had a shared experience in feeling the symptoms of post partum rage when it came to their dogs.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- The concept of "taking sticks out of the fire" to reduce the feeling of overwhelm
- Why moms shouldn't feel shame or guilt when it comes to paying for help
- Lina's struggle with post partum anxiety (PPA) and why she wants to see a therapist
- Megan's experience with therapy and anti-depression medication
- Identifying intrusive thoughts and anxiety
- Why society needs to stop calling moms "super mom" or "super women"
- The pressures of motherhood
Resources mentioned:
- Michelle Obama's Podcast Episode with Conan O'Brien
- Erika Garcia's Podcast Episode "I'm not trying to be the mom that does it all."
Megan Champion is the host of a Clubhouse Group called "Mother's Together". For years, she struggled guilt and shame and fear of judgement as a mother of an out-of-the-box child. She raised her son in isolation until one day she decided that she needed a community of support. She shares her journey and interviews mothers on her podcast, On the Hard Days, and on her website www.ontheharddays.com.
Connect with Lina:
- Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Clubhouse: @newmamaspodcast
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, we’re going to be talking about boundary setting. This topic is something I’ve been dying to talk to someone about because I am not so good at it! I tend to let people walk all over me because I'm a people pleaser. I hate disappointing people to such an extent that I’m willing to make myself uncomfortable rather than say anything. It’s definitely something I need to work on. I’ve had some bad situations as a new mom happen to me that could have been avoided if I was just proactive and learned how to set boundaries in a healthy way.
To help me with this topic is going to be Jemila Medley, who is an occupational therapist, pelvic floor therapist, singer, dancer, and blogger. Jemila is a born and raised Jersey girl living in Dallas, Texas with her wonderful husband, Austin and her adorable son, Major.
Here's what we talked about in this episode:
- Advice for new moms in how to set boundaries
- Our personal experiences in boundary setting
- Helpful phrases for new moms to start the conversation when setting boundaries
- The best time to set boundaries
- How to not experience guilt around boundary setting
- Words of affirmation to help you gain confidence in boundary setting
- How poor boundary setting is linked to self-esteem and self-worth
Examples of what poor boundaries may look like:
- Having unexpected and frequent visits from them
- Unsolicited input about your partner
- Unsolicited advice about how you're raising your children
- Having them buy things for your home without asking you
- Frequent comments about your diet or body
- Interfering in your personal life
Resource: 6 Steps To Setting Healthy Boundaries With Parents (And What That Looks Like)
Connect with Jemila Medley:
- Website
- YouTube
Connect with Lina:
- Personal Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
- Clubhouse Username: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, working mom Megan Kramer shares her story about post partum depression (PPD). When Megan and her partner learned they were pregnant with their son, they were ecstatic. Like most pregnant moms, she spent a lot of time educating herself on pregnancy, birth, and even post partum care. She was surprised at the lack of information that was out there on post partum mental health.
After spending a few days in the NICU, Megan was finally reunited with her baby but to her surprise, she felt no connection to him. Megan was suffering from post partum depression and she's not alone. Post partum depression doesn't feel the same for everyone and symptoms vary person to person.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Megan's post partum depression story
- Megan's experience with her baby having colic
- When Megan recognized the signs of post partum depression
- How her partner helped her
- What helped Megan cope with PPD
- PPD screenings at doctor appointments
- Lina's experience with post-partum anxiety (PPA)
According to the CDC, these are the symptoms of post partum depression:
- Crying more often than usual.
- Feelings of anger.
- Withdrawing from loved ones.
- Feeling numb or disconnected from your baby.
- Worrying that you will hurt the baby.
- Feeling guilty about not being a good mom or doubting your ability to care for the baby.
Depression is a chemical imbalance and is treatable! Depression is not your fault and you can get help. If you think you might be depressed, talk to your healthcare provider for treatment and support!
If you or a loved one is in crisis or having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 1-800-273-TALK (8255), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY: 1-800-799-4889.
Connect with Lina:
- Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
- Clubhouse Username: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, I talk about:
- Are we ready for baby number two?
- I explore my relationship with the term "best friend"
- How I kicked my best friend out of my wedding
- How I think I'm addicted to social media and how I balance that when my job is literally to be on social media all day
- My thoughts on the new social media platform: Clubhouse
Connect with Lina:
- Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
- Clubhouse Username: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal chats with Erika Garcia, who is an entrepreneur and 7 months pregnant on not trying to be "super mom" and managing her post partum expectations.
Erika dropped out of college in her junior year to pursue her dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. She started "The Etime Blog & Company" who's flagship product is the Supernatural Body Butter.
At the beginning of her pregnancy, if you had told Erika she'd come to the decision of taking a step back from her company, she wouldn’t believe you. She was so invested in the logistics and operations and growing her company. Everything changed during her 9 week prenatal appointment where she and her husband heard their son's heartbeat. In that moment, she could only see her baby and wanted to be the healthiest version of herself for him. The drive she had for her business was redirected towards her son and everything else just naturally began to come second. Erika thoughtfully decided that she had no interest in being an overextended version of myself feels like she owes it to her son to give him the best version of herself.
Connect with Erika:
- On Instagram @erikaagarciaaa
- Her business @theetimeblogco
- The Etime Blog & Company
Connect with Lina:
- Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
SPECIAL OFFER: Use code NEWMAMAS to get 15% off Dreamland Baby sleep sacks: www.dreamlandbabyco.com
In this episode, Lina chats with Dreamland Baby CEO, Tara Williams about her motherhood journey and what ultimately inspired her to start her own business. While Tara has always known she wanted to be an entrepreneur, the right idea didn't come along until her 4th child wasn't sleeping at night. A creative solution and some help from her mother-in-law later, a prototype for a weighted sleep sack was born and so was the idea for Dreamland Baby.
Tara always dreamed that Shark Tank would be in her future and when people kept repeatedly telling her, "You need to be on Shark Tank!" Tara explains in detail what the process was like to get on the show and what it was like getting ready to pitch the Sharks.
Other topics discussed in this episode:
- Tara's motherhood journey
- How Tara's husband and family supported her through her entrepreneurship
- What advice Tara would give to her younger self
- What advice Tara would give to a mom who aspires to start her own business
- What's next for Dreamland Baby
Resources mentioned:
- HeyMama.co HeyMama is a private social and professional network created to propel mothers forward in work and life.
- Dreamland Baby's Pitch on Shark Tank
- Dreamland Baby Sells Lori on a Counteroffer
- @dreamlandbabyco on Instagram
- About Dreamland Baby
- Dreamland Baby's Kickstarter Video
- Dr. Sarah Mitchell on Dreamland Baby's Weighted Sleep Sack
- Dreamland Baby Unboxing Video
Connect with Lina:
- Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
This episode is mostly raw, minimally edited, story-telling from one mom to another. I left in the sniffles, the pauses, the breaks we had to take between questions. I want you to feel like you're right here with us because that's how this podcast is meant to be listened to.
In this episode, artist and mom, Karim Aboud shares her story in healing from the loss of her 15-month old daughter, her journey as an artist and how she healed through art. She also highlights how she partners with the Adalyn Rose Foundation, an organization out of Pennsylvania that helps parents navigate child loss.
Topics discussed:
- How did Karim and her husband support each other through loss and grieving
- What kind of support do parents need after losing a child?
- What should people know about child loss?
- What to say and what not to say to someone who is grieving the loss of a child
- What it was like having a rainbow baby
Vote for Karim: https://masepoxies.com/poll/mas-epoxies-ltd-label-contest/
Connect with Karim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aria.marli/
Donate to the Adalyn Rose Foundation: https://adalynrosefoundation.com/
Connect with the Adalyn Rose Foundation on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adalynrosefoundation/
Visit Karim's Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AriaMarlicollections
Visit Karim's Candle Shop: https://www.ariamarlicollections.com/meet-the-scents
Karim's Skillshare: Resin Beach Art - Beginners Guide to making Beautiful Waves: https://www.skillshare.com/classes/Resin-Beach-Art-Beginners-Guide-to-making-Beautiful-Waves/126535720
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
Did you know that PCOS is one of the most common causes of female infertility, affecting 6% to 12% (as many as 5 million) of US women of reproductive age? But it’s a lot more than that. This lifelong health condition continues far beyond the child-bearing years. (source: CDC)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal sits down with motherhood blogger Melissa Ortiz as she shares her story about conceiving after a PCOS diagnosis. Lina and Melissa get fired up about women's health, in the notion that "knowledge is power". They recognize a lack of women's health education in the healthcare system and question why topics like this aren't taught in schools. Young women should know the ins and outs of their own body and any possible and potential diseases that might threaten their health as they get older.
Topics discussed:
- Symptoms of PCOS
- How Melissa got diagnosed with PCOS and what led her to get a second opinion
- The importance of gynecologic bedside manner
- The steps Melissa took to conceive after her PCOS diagnosis
- If PCOS affected her second pregnancy
- Melissa's advice to other women living with PCOS
Connect with Melissa:
- The Mamacita Life
- Instagram: @themamacitalife
Connect with Lina:
- Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal and Kentucky native Olivia Vollmer talk about the "tug of war" of motherhood and being a multi-passionate serial entrepreneur.
Olivia is the CEO of Jane Model Management and Co-owner of party supply company Bouncin' Blast.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- How to balance motherhood and the things needed to get done everyday
- Strategies to accomplish everything while juggling a baby
- What has been Olivia's biggest challenge in balancing motherhood and running her own businesses?
- How Olivia structures her day
- How to prevent burn out
- Lina and Olivia's favorite productivity tools
- Olivia's advice to new moms who want to start their own business
Connect with Lina:
- Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, I talk about:
- A huge milestone in my life, paying off my student loans
- How a crappy situation with an ex-boyfriend ended up being serendipitous
- Archie is 8 months old and has weaned from breastfeeding and how I'm feeling about it
- Someone who was close to me disappeared from my life for 5 years and tried to re-enter but I'm protecting my peace and leaving that door closed
- Being more intentional with my time to reduce anxiety and stress
I feel like there was so much more I wanted to say in this episode. One of my biggest 'aha' moments recently is that I can forgive someone, have empathy for and respect someone without being their friend or letting them into my life. This is a great realization for me because I struggle with people pleasing and often times that leads me to getting stepped on. At 32, I've finally learned to stand my ground and be uncomfortable in disappointing people, even if disappointing others is what's best for me.
Connect with Lina:
- Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal talks to Dr. Aimee Leibowitz about her birth story, and all things pacifier, teething, tongue tie, and early oral health habits.
Dr. Leibowitz is a board certified pediatric dentist and a mom to 3 1/2 year old son, Pierce, and 8 month old twins, Penn and Perry. Aimee and her husband fell in love at Columbia University and own Oceans Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Westfield, New Jersey.
Topics covered in this episode:
- The stance on pacifiers and thumb-sucking
- What is tongue tie?
- How can you tell your baby is teething?
- Aimee's favorite products for oral health
- What age should parents start looking for a pediatric dentist?
- What should parents look for in a pediatric dentist?
- What does a first visit to the dentist look like?
- How Aimee eases a young patient’s fears
- How Aimee balances motherhood and owning her own practice
- What it's like working with her husband
Connect with Dr. Aimee Leibowitz:
- Instagram: @oceanswestfield
- Website: www.oceanswestfield.com
- TikTok: @oceanswestfield
Connect with Lina:
- Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
MY FIRST SOLO EPISODE! I wanted to do something a little different and record an unscripted solo episode talking about my personal challenges in motherhood. I'm 8 months post-partum and having a 'pandemic baby' wasn't easy!
In this episode I talk about my struggles with:
- Post Partum Anxiety (PPA)
- Mom guilt at every stage
- Weight gain and body image issues
- PUPPP (pruritic uticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy)
- Starting day-care, having to choose between being a working mom and stay-at-home-mom
Obviously motherhood has been wonderful and amazing in all other aspects: I truly feel like I "found myself" in motherhood, but that is a whole other topic. Today I wanted to be open about my challenges in hopes that it helps another mom feel like she's "not the only one". It's hard in this era of social media where you just see someone's highlight reel and not all the other moments in-between. I hope this episode talks about some of that "in-between"!
Some resources:
- Pregnancy Rash: What is PUPPP?
- What is Postpartum Anxiety?
Connect with Lina:
- Instagram: @linaforrestal
- Blog: www.linaforrestal.com
- Podcast Instagram: @newmamaspodcast
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
Having a baby during a pandemic can be incredibly isolating. In this episode, host Lina Forrestal chats with Audrey Nguyen from popular YouTube Channel (93K+), The Nguyen Family, about her story on she was never meant to be a stay-at-home mom, navigating post-partum-depression, and how she uses social media to connect with other moms and make friends.
In this episode we discuss:
- Strategies for making new mom friends
- Tips for making friends if you're shy or introverted
- What to look for in a friendship with a new mom
- What it means when people say, "It takes a village"
- Why it's important to have mom friends
- What it's like being a first-time mom during a pandemic
We also chat about Audrey's YouTube journey: how she got started and what keeps her going!
Resources mentioned:
- The Wonder Weeks
Connect with Audrey on Instagram: @motheroffawn
Join Audrey's YouTube Hypewoman Community: @yourythypewoman
Get Audrey's "Your YouTube Hypewoman eBook" here.
Read Audrey's blog: www.motheroffawn.com
Connect with Lina:
Instagram: Lina Forrestal Instagram
Blog: Lina Forrestal Blog
Podcast Instagram: New Mamas Podcast Instagram
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
The average baby uses about 2500 diapers in their first year of life. Americans dispose of around 1 trillion diapers a year, 80% of which just sits in landfills. Diapers are made of synthetic materials that aren’t biodegradable. (source: unsustainable magazine)
In this episode, host Lina Forrestal sits down for an educational discussion with Alyssa Bourmeche from blog, "Viajes con Mami". As a global citizen, traveling has inspired Alyssa to practice sustainability as a new mom.
We discuss strategies for practicing sustainability:
- How to get started with cloth diapers
- The power of second-hand clothes
- Breast feeding for the environment
- Ways to make bottle feeding sustainable
This is a special episode in that it was the very first episode that I ever recorded for the podcast! I left some of our chatter at the end because I felt like it was a special and raw moment of connection for both of us!
Mentioned in the episode:
- UpChoose Curated sets of organic baby clothes
- GroVia Cloth Diapers
- PlanToys
- Melissa & Doug Toys
- Glass Baby Bottles
- Bidet for Toliet on Amazon
Alyssa's favorite Instagrammers to follow for sustainability:
- The Junk Yard Journals
- Whitney Leigh Morris
- Shop Simple Good
Connect with Alyssa:
Instagram: @viajesconmami
Blog: Viajes Con Mami
Connect with Lina:
Instagram: Lina Forrestal Instagram
Blog: Lina Forrestal Blog
Podcast Instagram: New Mamas Podcast Instagram
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
Ali was pregnant four times in a five year span. As a mom of 4, she carries a breadth of information for first-time moms. As a new mom, I had a very real, unscripted conversation with Ali about all things motherhood. In this episode, we chat:
- Tips for navigating the newborn phase
- Hormones and expectations while in the newborn phase
- Managing body image expectations
- The power of routine and scheduling
- The importance of moms having a creative outlet
- Ali's inspiration for starting HisseyFit Maternity
Books Recommended: Moms on Call Basic Baby Care, Moms on Call: Next Steps Baby Care - 6-15 Months, Moms On Call Toddler Book
Check out Ali's business, HisseyFit Maternity: Ali Hissey was pregnant four times in a five year span and had enough of ill-fitting, low quality maternity and decided to start a revolution by introducing a line of maternity activewear staples. HisseyFit Maternity's goal is to make maternity clothing cute, comfortable and uncomplicated. HisseyFit Maternity melds the activewear fabric, fit and comfort that you are used to with your non-maternity activewear clothing with maternity clothes that are actually constructed for pregnancy.
HisseyFit Maternity Instagram: @hisseyfitmaternity
HisseyFit Maternity Facebook: HisseyFit Maternity
CONNECT WITH LINA:
Instagram: Lina Forrestal Instagram
Blog: Lina Forrestal Blog
Podcast Instagram: New Mamas Podcast Instagram
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
I always thought it was cliché when people said that everything changes when you have a baby, but now that I’m here, I completely understand what they mean! No matter how you slice it, your relationship with your partner does change after a baby.In this episode, I sit down with stay-at-home-mom and full-time blogger, Katharine Gonzalez to chat about tips for keeping a healthy marriage after having a baby.
Katharine and I are also a huge proponents of couples counseling pre and post baby. We talk about our experiences in couples counseling, how to find a marriage counselor, and when the right time to see someone is. Spoiler alert: we recommend seeking out a couples counselor sooner rather than later. There doesn't need to be a "problem" to start counseling!
Other topics touched upon:
- Ways that counseling has helped our relationships
- Tips for how to check in on each other
- The biggest challenges that we faced in the newborn phase
- Navigating a relationship after infidelity
- Identifying love languages
Resources mentioned:
Read Katharine's Blog, "The Bearess of Bad News...with A Makeover"
Connect with Katharine on Instagram
Find a Couples Therapist through Psychology Today
Books mentioned:
Fireproof
The Love Dare
The 5 Love Languages
Connect with me:
Lina Forrestal Instagram
Lina Forrestal Blog
New Mamas Podcast Instagram
Artwork Credit: Gabi's Media
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, Lina has an honest chat with Philly Food Blogger, Erin Aronowitz, about what the first 8 weeks home with a baby was like. Surviving the newborn phase is a tough time of adjustment and we want to let you know that you are not alone! The newborn phase is hard for everyone.
Topics covered in this episode:
- What the first 4-6 weeks were like with a newborn
- What surprised us about newborns
- What did we found challenging about the newborn stage
- Things we would have done differently
- Things we bought that you found useful
- Things we bought that we never used
- Top tips for moms who are currently going through the newborn stage
- Tips for moms who might be pregnant and about to embark on this journey
Connect with Erin on Instagram
Check out Erin's food blog.
Shop Erin's Baby Favorites.
Connect with Lina on Instagram.
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram.
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog.
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, Lina sits down with Jennifer Gilman who is a Senior Sleep Consultant at Goodnight SleepSite to talk about newborn safe sleep and how to manage anxiety around SIDS. Jennifer is also a mom of two and is passionate about helping families get the sleep they need!
Topics discussed:
- Things a new mom can do to prepare her newborn for safe sleeping
- The truth about co-sleeping and bed-sharing
- Sleep schedules by age
- Managing sleep expectations
- Why CIO (Cry It Out) has a bad reputation
- Strategies for managing anxiety about SIDS
Connect with Jennifer on Instagram.
Book a free sleep consultation with Jennifer on Good Night Sleep Site.
Connect with Good Night Sleep Site on Instagram.
Connect with Lina on Instagram.
Follow the New Mamas Podcast on Instagram.
Read Lina's Motherhood Blog.
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)
In this episode, we chat with San Francisco working mom, Alissa Worton-Hunt. Alissa shares what helped her transition back to work after maternity leave. Her first day back to work was the first day of the pandemic lockdown, so her experience going back to work was different than most. With her experiences in living abroad in Europe, she has a unique lens in looking at how the States tackles maternity leave.
We chat:
- Our debate around being a stay-at-home mom versus a working mom
- The importance of having a child care option
- Going back to work during a pandemic
- Stringing together different programs to help you get longer maternity leave
Connect with Alissa on Instagram.
Connect with Lina on Instagram.
New Mamas Podcast on Instagram.
Read my personal blog.
Support the show (https://paypal.me/linaforrestal?locale.x=en_US)