Becoming a Mother

Kara Kushnir – Mom to her 3 year old son, Psychotherapist specializing in perinatal mental health, Postpartum Support International NJ Chapter Chair of the Board and Author of “Mama’s Thoughts” shares her story on today’s episode. She had Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) throughout pregnancy. Her scheduled C-section did not go as planned and led to a traumatic birth which affected her into postpartum. She dealt with PTSD, POCD and PPA. This episode provides informative and expert insight from a mental health professional on how to get help in postpartum when suffering through mental health issues and exactly what women can do to combat them. She also gives insight on how birth trauma survivors can heal.

Resources:

Book (Mama's Thoughts) - https://a.co/d/c7envmQ

Website- www.aworkofheartcounseling.com

Postpartum Support International- postpartum.net

Instagram:

Brittany Olson: @becomingamotherpodcast / b_pepeolson

Kara Kushnir: @aworkofheart_Counseling / @karakushnir_therapist / @psinjchapter

Destiny Clement is 30 and is from Louisiana. She has 2 daughters who are 3.5 and 11 months old and she is also a licensed insurance producer. Destiny shares her story of infertility and diagnosis with PCOS. She shares her first birth story in depth which was an elective induction which resulted in a C-section. She opens up about her experience through pregnancy and birth as a plus size woman. Destiny also exclusively pumped both her daughters and so she shares many tips and tricks for being successful through that journey. Destiny approaches motherhood with a calm attitude and encourages women to surrender to the unknown and relinquish control over expectations in birth and in motherhood.

Instagram:

Brittany Olson: Becomingamotherpodcast

Destiny Clement: destinyclement_

Rachele Macera - Mom to 2 and expecting her 3rd this month is a Birth & Postpartum Doula - Founder of Safe Haven Doula and childbirth educator. Rachele's birth experience impacted her so strongly that she decided to get into birth work and to support moms women through pregnancy, birth, postpartum and with breastfeeding. She also experienced some unexplained infertility and in her story she explains how she worked through those issues and have 3 children.

Go to: https://www.safehavendoula.com/

Free monthly postpartum support group the first Wednesday of every month.

Rachele's Virtual childbirth education course out now! https://www.safehavendoula.com/new-page

Instagram:

Brittany Olson @becomingamotherpodcast

Rachele Macera @safehaven.doula

Christina Spoehr is 35 and is from Rhode Island. She has a 15 year old stepson and a 2 year old daughter. In addition to being a mom she works in public relations. On this episode Christina shares her heartfelt journey to motherhood opening up about her lifelong desire to be a mom, becoming a stepmom, and the difficult and emotional experience of pregnancy loss due to an incompetent cervix. She discusses the steps she took to ensure a healthy pregnancy, including the decision to get a transabdominal cerclage (TAC). Christina also talks about the anxiety during pregnancy after loss, the realities of postpartum life, and the joys and struggles of raising her daughter.

​ Join us for an inspiring conversation about resilience, hope, and the joy and struggles of motherhood.

Instagram:

Brittany Olson @Becomingamotherpodcast

Christina Spoehr: @csoave

Natalie always wanted to be a mother and decided to start trying after eloping with her husband, David, due to family health issues. She became pregnant quickly, which was a surprise. She experienced severe preeclampsia, leading to an emergency C-section at 35 weeks. Despite the complications, her daughter was born healthy and has been thriving. Natalie shares her breastfeeding journey which involves pumping in order to monitor intake. Natalie has struggled with the physical and emotional demands of motherhood, including postpartum weight loss and balancing time for herself. She also dealt with the anxiety of returning to work and the challenges of maintaining her milk supply. She emphasizes the importance of support from family and friends, the unpredictability of motherhood, and the need to remind oneself of the good times during challenging moments. She also highlights the unspoken bond among mothers and the importance of validating each other's experiences in motherhood.

Instagram:

Brittany Olson: @Becomingamotherpodcast

Natalie Cooper: @nataliecooper

Rebecca Garner is 34 years and is from the suburbs of Chicago. She is a mom of two with a 5 year old daughter and 1 year old son. Rebecca had two C-sections and went through a period of unexplained infertility when trying for her second. She got back into writing during this time to help cope. She reflects on the importance of self-care and maintaining personal identity alongside motherhood. She shares her innermost thoughts regarding becoming a mother to each of her children and how each experience was different for her.

In addition to being a mom she is a teacher and a published author. Her debut young adult fiction novel is called “Why won’t my boobs grow…and other Annoyances”. The sequel in the series is being released on October 8th 2024 and is titled “Dear Boyfriend… and Other High School Dilemmas.”

Preorder the Ebook at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DC6WHCKT

Go to https://www.rebeccagarnerauthor.com/ for more information

Instagram: @Becomingamotherpodcast

Brittany Olson @b_pepeolson

Rebecca Garner @rebeccagarner_author

Gabrielle Bosnic - Mom to her 2 year old daughter and founder of Serene Moms. Gabrielle shares her journey to motherhood from self image & confidence changes, postpartum anxiety, embracing your new life after becoming a mom and holistic lifestyle choices. We discuss the ongoing process of self-discovery and healing when you become a mom. Gabrielle shares her positive induction birth story and opens up about living with an autoimmune disease "Hashimoto's" which she was diagnosed with during her pregnancy. We discuss the challenges and transformations of early motherhood and share tips to empower new moms in embracing motherhood with self-compassion. and care.

"Serene Moms" provides online yoga sessions, mindfulness courses & is a community space tailored to moms' needs. For more information go to serenemoms.com.

Instagram:

Brittany Olson @becomingamotherpodcast & b_pepeolson

Gabrielle Bosnic @serenemoms

Haley Travalgia - Mom of 2 kids ages 3.5 & 1. She candidly shares her journey navigating motherhood and the transition from one child to two. From the challenges of pregnancy to the realities of postpartum experiences, Haley opens up about mom guilt, relationship dynamics, and the evolving landscape of raising multiple children. Dive into the raw and relatable conversations about balancing work, mental health, and the rollercoaster of emotions that come with being a mother of two. Tune in for a touching exploration of the joys and struggles of expanding a family and finding harmony in the chaos of motherhood.

Instagram

Brittany Olson: @becomingamotherpodcast

Haley Travalgia: @haleytravalgia

To collaborate or be a guest on the podcast, please email [email protected]

Alyssa Terlizzi - Mom to an 18 month old - shares her journey to motherhood. Her story begins with her first pregnancy which was a chemical pregnancy. During her second pregnancy she had gallbladder issues early on and had to have her gallbladder removed at only 5 weeks postpartum. She was diagnosed with Preeclampsia and induced at 37 weeks. Her multiple day labor ended in C-Section and the birth of her baby boy. She shares her postpartum experience involving postpartum anxiety which was triggered at night. She shares how she got her son to become a better sleeper and the parenting choices she made to get through baby blues and postpartum struggles. Instagram: Brittany Olson @becommingamotherpodcast, Alyssa Terlizzi @lyss_terlizz

Lexi Kenoyer - Mom to a 15 month old daughter and Realtor - shares her journey to motherhood which is centered around her becoming a mother after the tragic and unexpected death of her own mother at 5 months postpartum. *Content warning* Lexi’s story begins with her first pregnancy which ended in miscarriage. She discusses her 2 year journey to becoming pregnant involving male factor infertility.. She had a planned C-Section due to her baby measuring “big” and unfortunately a traumatic birth. We discuss having hard conversations in marriage when it comes to infertility. Spirituality and motherhood. Reconciling challenging parts of childhood after becoming a parent and riding the waves of grief as she navigated life as a newly postpartum mom.

Instagram:

Brittany Olson @becomingamotherpodcast

Lexi Kenoyer @leximkenoyer