Advertise on podcast: Mothergood®

Do you want to earn money by doing something you are passionate about, all while raising children? Elise Crawford Gallagher, founder and CEO of Ringlet Studio, discusses how she helps women-owned businesses succeed and women become financially independent. She talks about how she herself has been able to manage running a business as a mom. She also discusses how there is a space for every woman to earn money while pursuing her passions. Financially, she chats about how success is not measured by accolades, but by financial freedom balanced with how you want motherhood to look for you, and how a new wave of feminism helps define that.

Every mom knows about the dreaded first time having sex after having a baby. Most women are inappropriately told by healthcare practioners, family, and friends, to "grit and bear it." Some moms also continually struggle with the ability to experience pleasure during sex after having a baby. What if it didn't have to be so bad? Dr. Tayyaba Ahmed, D.O., a New York City based pelvic pain physician, talks about all things sexy in this episode. She discusses why many women should not do kegels, how most women with painful sex have a pelvic floor that is too tight or too loose, the two most important aspects of pelvic floor rehabilitation, and what next steps to take if pelvic floor physical therapy is not enough so that all moms can experience pain-free and enjoyable sex after babies. You can find Dr. Ahmed on Instagram at @drtayahmed.

Want to raise a little scientists? Or, at least want your child to be well-rounded and have fun learning STEM? Kay Yang, Mechanical Engineer and Inventor, chats about how to get your children interested in STEM activities and make the activities approachable for all moms. She also pays particular attention to how to get young girls interested in STEM, given that most STEM activities are presented in a way that caters to boys. And, she talks about how to get both boys and girls channel their particular passion into a STEM activities.  Kay founded Tinker the Robot, which is a subscription STEM activity service for kids that can be found here: www.tinkertherobot.com/

Thinking of a home birth? Should you have one? Dr. Candace Howe, a board certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and partner at HM Medical, chats about the appeal of home births and how you can have an empowered hospital birth. You can find out more about Dr. Howe's practice by clicking here and Hoag Hospital by clicking here. Watch the VIDEO BY CLICKING HERE

What role does the intellectual life play in the lives of mothers? Too often mothers are reduced to their emotional life which – while beautiful – does not encompass all that we are. Rachel Bulman chats about how we as mothers are more than how we “feel”, and while we are learning the value of our emotions – and of the freedom required to actually feel happiness, sadness, joy, or anger – we must not allow ourselves to be reduced to them alone. Amidst the craziness of motherhood, Rachel gives practical tips on how mothers can challenge themselves to think deeply, to be moved intellectually, to ask questions and keep looking for answers. 

Have you experienced an unplanned pregnancy?  What would you do if a friend confided in you that she was pregnant and it was not expected?  Alexa Hyman, founder of Back in February, shares her difficult, yet beautiful and inspiring, journey through an unplanned pregnancy and how motherhood is the best thing that has ever happened to her.  She talks about how to support a friend who has an unexpected pregnancy, how to create a space for negative feelings while still remaining positive and hopeful, tips for working moms and single moms, and how to support those who are navigating motherhood alone.

Do you want a big family? Or, do you want a smaller family but would like to implement some handy tips and tricks that big families have learned? Adele Collins shares her wisdom and practical advice for having more than the average size family.  She has seven children—six plus one on the way.  Adele shares the joy and beauty of having a big family, along with the struggles and negativity. Now, this episode isn't meant to promote a big family for every single family—many families have financial, health, fertility, or other reasons for having a small family. Every family size is absolutely beautiful, whether big or small. This episode on big families is important because they are definitely a segment of our population that often gets a lot of negativity and bashing and are not always supported, so this is a way to support big families and show that big families are beautiful as well. It's obviously must more "socially acceptable" to have the average 1.9 children that most Americans have. This episode also encourages moms out there who maybe want a big family, but feel negative societal or familial pressures to not have one when they really want one. If you are a mom listening and never intend on having a big family or can't, that is 100% ok too! For those who don't want to or can't have big families, Adele shares some tips she has learned from having a big family that also apply to families of every size. So, whether you have one child, 10 children, or even no children because you are struggling with infertility, you will find this episode both inspiring and filled with practical tips you can implement in your families.

Is your child a picky eater? Are you frustrated with meal time?  Is your child always hungry and asking for a snack?  Do you want your child to have a healthy relationship with food and a healthy body image both as a child and adult?  Pediatric dietician Ashley Smith shares the best practical tips on how to properly feed your children, how to approach meal time, how to incorporate more variety and healthy foods, plus many more. Her tips are applicable for parents of children of all ages!

All women have an innate desire to be mothers, and all are meant to be mothers in some capacity. All women are called to be spiritual mothers, even if that does not entail being a biological, adoptive, or foster mother. Sister Stephanie Baliga, the Running Nun, talks about her journey to becoming a nun and how every woman is meant to be a spiritual mother. She also discusses how every woman's spiritual journey is so unique to her and how has still continued to incorporate her passion, running, into her vocation. She chats about how hard it is, even as a nun and teacher, to stay present to small demanding children. And, she gets deep about why we as women are obsessed with perfection and the desire to be the "perfect" mom, plus so much more.

Ever wonder how military moms juggle motherhood with military life? Ali Denning chats about why she joined the military, how she handles having three children (plus, one on the way!) with a demanding job, the positives/negatives of military life, and how civilian moms can best support military moms.

Do you find yourself constantly Googling every parenting question? Do you feel overwhelmed by all the information that is out there? Are you confused by all the conflicting opinions? Or, do you feel drained by endless comparison on social media? If so, don't worry! You are not alone. There is nothing wrong with you. If you're a millennial facing these experiences, this is what Dr. Christine Sterling is calls the Millennial Parent Problem. In this episode Dr. Sterling breaks down the four main elements of the Millennial Parent Problem. We also chat about practical steps to overcome it. And, we chat about how we can begin to feel more confident and more calm when it comes to parenting in the modern age. You can learn more about Dr. Sterling at her Instagram @drsterlingobgyn.

What are developmentally appropriate expectations in children? Why do we expect children to act like adults when they are toddlers? Developmental psychologist Dr. Amber Morabito discusses ways our children communicate with us with their behavior, how can we better understand behavior as communication, how we can reframe the notion of the "strong willed child," how to install grit in our children, plus much more.