How do you pick the perfect baby name without letting family opinions or partner arguments get in the way?

In this episode of the Baby Steps Podcast, host Mediha sits down with lifestyle content creator, baby name consultant, and mother of two, Jessie Paquette, to explore the art of baby naming and the profound identity shifts that come with parenthood.

Jessie shares the honest truth about navigating pregnancy cravings, setting boundaries with family, and the emotional transition into motherhood. As a professional baby name consultant, she also breaks down current naming trends (like the rise of "nursing home" names and boy names for girls), how to find common ground when partners disagree, and why every stage of raising kids makes you a "first-time parent" all over again.

Whether you're currently hunting for the perfect name or looking for practical encouragement to navigate the daily joys and challenges of raising kids, this episode is filled with heart, humor, and expert advice.

Join us as we discuss:

ABOUT JESSIE PAQUETTE:

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ABOUT VALERIE WARREN:

Valerie Warren is a lifestyle content creator and homeschooling mom of two. She uses her platform to share the real, unfiltered side of modern motherhood and the joy of seeing life through her children's eyes.

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Fast Five

Biggest pregnancy craving — cake. All cake. Cake pops, sheet cake, any cake. Dinner was optional. Worse to run out of — diapers over wipes, because her mom's philosophy was to wash the baby every time anyway. One word for labor — hard. One word for parenthood — emotional. Can't-live-without baby product — the Solly Baby toddler wrap, small enough to fit in a palm, sturdy enough to carry a 90th-percentile toddler up a thousand steps in Italy. Most unexpected joy — watching her daughter realize in real time that she's learned something new.

Topics Covered

Going into labor expecting her mom's experience and getting the complete opposite. Contractions starting one minute apart at two centimeters — her cervix hadn't dropped but the baby was already pushing. Making the decision to have a C-section in under fifteen minutes after the doctors left the room. Using alcohol swabs to stay awake during surgery because she was convinced falling asleep meant dying — it doesn't, but the fear was real. Having an easier recovery from the C-section than she expected and wondering if it was actually easier than full labor would have been. Walking into motherhood certain she would not breastfeed — no pressure, no guilt, fully prepped for formula — and then her daughter latched immediately. Breastfeeding for a full year without a single bottle of formula after expecting it wouldn't happen at all. The week-long hospital stay where different nurses taught her different techniques and how she learned to take what worked and leave the rest. The "I have no idea what I'm doing" moment — not being able to figure out how to switch her newborn from one arm to the other, and her husband looking at her like he had no idea either. Going from type A to what she calls type C — type A intentions with type B follow-through — and learning she can't control every situation. Changing her daily mindset from a ten-item to-do list to asking herself "if I can only accomplish one thing today, what is it?" and building from there.

Mentioned in This Episode

Solly Baby toddler wrap — palm-sized, travel-friendly, carried a toddler through cobblestone streets in Italy. The football hold and other breastfeeding positions — and why Jacqueline stuck with the basics that worked for her.

Sponsored by Oxford Baby and Soho Baby — Beautifully crafted cribs, dressers, gliders, and nursery furniture designed to grow with your child. GREENGUARD Gold Certified. Built to the highest safety standards. Visit OxfordBabyAndKids.com or SohoBaby.com. Use code PODCAST10 for 10% off your total purchase plus free shipping on orders over $799.

Topics Covered

Why trying to "fix" your child's behavior usually backfires, and what to do instead. The real reason parenting tools don't work in the moment — your nervous system is running the show. Priyanka's personal story of ignoring her three-year-old at the kitchen sink and what her parent coach helped her see about that moment. How unresolved childhood experiences show up in everyday parenting — feeling disrespected, unheard, invisible — and why those triggers hijack your response before you even realize it. The PAWS framework — with Awareness and Understanding as the foundation for showing up differently. Why "practice makes permanent" matters more than "practice makes perfect," and how reflection builds new neural pathways over time. What it actually looks like to parent your inner child — having conversations with that younger version of yourself, validating their experience, and checking in daily. Why connection with yourself is the prerequisite for connection with your kid. The difference between surviving parenthood and thriving in it — and why investing in yourself first creates a ripple effect for the whole family.

Key Takeaways

Your child's behavior is often a mirror of how you're showing up — not a problem to solve. You can't implement parenting tools from a triggered state. Knowledge doesn't matter when you're in fight or flight. Awareness starts with reflection — even after the fact. Looking back at a moment honestly is what builds the new neural pathway for next time. Parenting your inner child isn't a one-time exercise. It's a daily check-in — at the mirror in the morning, before bed at night, not just when you're activated. The quickest "fix" for your family isn't a five-step list from Instagram. It's three months of doing your own work. Prioritizing yourself is the last thing most moms do and the first thing that actually changes the family dynamic.

Mentioned in This Episode

Priyanka's PAWS acronym and reflection worksheet. The concept of conscious parenting — showing up intentionally by doing your own internal work. Inner child work as a daily practice, not just a therapy tool.

Sponsored by Oxford Baby and Soho Baby — Beautifully crafted cribs, dressers, gliders, and nursery furniture designed to grow with your child. GREENGUARD Gold Certified. Built to the highest safety standards. Create the nursery of your dreams at oxfordbabyandkids.com and sohobaby.com.

Links: https://linqapp.com/priyanka_venkataraman?r=link

The PAUSE Tool: https://wayfindingmoms.com/pausetool

Megan opens up about her pregnancy journey, the advice that actually helped versus the stuff she wishes she'd ignored, the books she read (and the ones she threw across the room), and how she prepared for a baby while working in an industry that doesn't exactly slow down for anyone. She talks about the birth, the early days at home, the nursery decisions that felt impossibly high-stakes at the time, and the safety rabbit holes every first-time parent falls into. Now a mom to a teenager, Megan has the benefit of hindsight — and she's not afraid to share what she'd do differently, what she'd do exactly the same, and what she wishes someone had told her before the baby arrived. This one's for every parent who's ever stood in a nursery at midnight wondering if they're ready. Spoiler: nobody is.

Kristen gets honest about what nobody really prepares you for: the postpartum hormones that hit like a wall, the emotional rollercoaster that comes after delivery when your body is trying to recover and your brain is telling you something's off. She talks about what postpartum really looked like for her — not the version you see on Instagram, but the raw, unfiltered reality of healing while keeping two newborns alive at the same time. She shares the advice she got that actually mattered, the stuff she read that helped versus the stuff that made her spiral, and the safety decisions that kept her up at night. But more than anything, Kristen talks about what it means to walk into motherhood thinking you have a plan — and having that plan doubled overnight. This one's for every parent who's ever felt like they were figuring it out in real time. Because with twins, that's not a phase — that's the whole experience

In this episode of Baby Steps, MaKenzie takes us back to the very beginning — finding out she was pregnant, what her pregnancy looked like, and the moment everything shifted after her baby arrived. She talks about the early days that no one really describes accurately — the overstimulation, the emotional flooding, the feeling that your body and brain have been completely rewired overnight.

But the real core of this conversation is what MaKenzie discovered about nervous system regulation and why it matters from day one. Not as a trend. Not as another thing to add to the list. But as the understanding that your baby is reading your energy before they understand a single word you say. That the emotional temperature of your home starts with what's happening inside you. And that learning to regulate yourself isn't selfish — it's the foundation of everything else.

MaKenzie shares the advice that actually landed, the stuff she had to unlearn, and why slowing down made her a more present, patient parent — not a less productive one.

This one's for every mom who's ever snapped at her kid and immediately thought, "Where did that come from?" You're not broken. Your nervous system is just trying to keep up.

In this episode of Baby Steps, Rachel takes us through her full journey — from finding out she was pregnant to the moment she brought her daughter home and realized breastfeeding wasn't the natural, intuitive thing everyone told her it would be. She talks about the lactation consultant who showed up at her door the next day, removed all the unnecessary gear, and helped her latch her baby in bed with her dog curled up at her feet. That single moment saved her entire breastfeeding journey.

Then came baby number two — a different city, a traumatic birth, a NICU stay, and a C-section recovery with a surgeon's order not to drive for three weeks. This time, she couldn't find anyone to help.

Rachel opens up about what lactation really taught her — not just about feeding, but about understanding her own body, building a deeper connection with her baby, and learning to trust herself as a mother. She shares the advice that mattered, the pressure she felt to get it "right," and why that experience ultimately led her to leave a 15-year corporate career to become a board-certified lactation consultant herself — so no other mom would have to figure it out alone.

Whether you're planning to breastfeed, pumping, supplementing, or still figuring it out — this episode is a reminder that asking for help isn't failure. It's the whole point.

In this insightful episode, we sit down with Chrissy—a pediatric sleep consultant, licensed marriage and family therapist, and mom of four—for a practical, honest, and deeply reassuring conversation about baby sleep and the realities of early parenthood. From the shock of newborn sleep deprivation to the emotional toll it takes on parents, Chrissy breaks down what’s normal, what’s not, and how families can find a path to better sleep without guilt or unrealistic expectations.

She explains why babies aren’t biologically wired to sleep well at first, how sleep deprivation impacts mental health and relationships, and why so many parents feel like they’re failing when they’re actually doing just fine. Chrissy also shares her approach to sleep training—including her widely used “10-minute method”—and emphasizes the importance of tailoring strategies to each unique baby.

Beyond sleep, the conversation dives into relationships, identity, and the importance of not losing yourself in parenthood. Chrissy offers grounded advice on how small, consistent investments in your relationship can make a lasting difference, even in the busiest seasons of life.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

- Why newborn sleep struggles are completely normal—and harder than expected

- The emotional impact of sleep deprivation on parents, especially moms

- How to tell the difference between normal sleep patterns and real sleep issues

- Realistic sleep milestones from newborn stage to 6+ months

- Why “one-size-fits-all” sleep advice often fails

- A breakdown of different sleep training approaches—and which babies they work for

- How the “10-minute method” works and when to adjust it

- What your baby’s cues reveal about what they actually need

- The connection between sleep, mental health, and relationship strain

- Why parents shouldn’t lose themselves—or their relationship—after having a baby

- Simple, realistic ways to invest in your relationship (even with no time or budget)

- The importance of asking for help and building a support system

Whether you're running on empty with a newborn or trying to fix ongoing sleep struggles, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and actionable guidance—reminding every parent that better sleep is possible, and it can transform your entire family’s well-being.

In this insightful episode, we sit down with Robyn Sajeski, special needs sleep consultant, registered nurse, and co-founder of Sleep Ability Consulting, for a grounded and eye-opening conversation about children’s sleep as both a biological need and a developmental skill. Robyn breaks down how sleep needs change from toddlerhood through adolescence, why consistency matters more than perfection, and how families can create realistic routines that actually work in everyday life. She also shares her compassionate approach to supporting children with neurodevelopmental differences, emphasizing that sleep challenges are not a reflection of “bad parenting,” but often a signal that individualized support is needed.

From understanding overtiredness and why “tired but wired” behavior shows up in kids, to building a calming 45–60 minute bedtime routine that supports regulation and connection, this episode is packed with practical, evidence-informed guidance. Robyn also explains how factors like light exposure, timing, communication needs, sensory sensitivities, and even medical concerns such as breathing issues can all influence sleep quality—and why a holistic, child-first assessment is essential before any sleep plan begins.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

Whether you’re a parent struggling with bedtime battles or simply trying to understand how to better support your child’s sleep, Robyn’s message is clear: progress comes from consistency, patience, and a willingness to work with your child’s individual needs—one step at a time.