Betches Moms

This week, Brittany makes her much-anticipated return to the show with an update on her birth experience what it’s like to become a mother of two (with the arrival of her new baby boy, Jack). To start, Brittany walks us through her second time in labor, with details on just how different it was from the first time around. Plus, she shares a story from the hospital that’s almost too embarrassing to believe. Brittany also tells us about the postpartum challenges she’s faced including breastfeeding, the baby blues, dealing with mastitis, and adjusting to a two-kid family. Finally, it’s time for some listener-submitted questions all about post-pregnancy clothes, the most underrated baby items you need, and newborn photoshoots.

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This week, Brittany and Aleen host Sabia Wade, aka The Black Doula, to talk all about how doulas can impact the birthing process from beginning to end. They start off with some background on how Sabia got involved in her role before diving into all the details of how doulas can help make the birth a breeze. They also get into how doulas can fill in the gaps that the medical system can leave open for expecting mothers, and how they can make sure you’re advocating for yourself through it all. They also cover at what stage of you pregnancy you should hire a doula as well as what the costs of a doula can be. Follow @theblackdoula to learn more about Sabia’s work! 

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Brittany and Aleen are joined by Dominika Knossalla, certified dog trainer and founder of Dog Meets Baby, to talk all about preparing your dog for a newborn baby’s arrival. They begin with a conversation about the most common fears parents have when making the introduction, including some practical tips for a smooth interaction. Then they jump into a discussion on some of the signs to look for if dogs are in distress, how to deal with an overly affectionate dog, and why distancing before the baby arrives is vital. Plus they tell us how to encourage positive associations when your dog and baby are finally around each other. Finally, they close with some additional tips to prepare your dog for your baby, including changing your dog’s routine, and why you should seriously consider a dog trainer.

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On this week’s episode, Brittany and Aleen are joined by prenatal exercise specialist Jemila Medley to talk all about an under-discussed topic: the pelvic floor. To start, Jemila talks about what it’s like being a first time mom, getting into occupational therapy, and how she has helped moms to improve functional performance through exercise. They break down what pelvic floor therapy is, how you can benefit from it, and what to expect at a pelvic floor therapy appointment. She also shares some practical tips for at-home exercises you can do during pregnancy to strengthen your pelvic floor. Finally, they tell us how to identify symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, and at what point you might want to see a specialist.

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This week Aleen and Brittany are joined by Shanicia Boswell, best selling author and founder of Black Moms Blog. They begin with a conversation about Shanicia’s journey, including her time as a stay-at-home mom, navigating through motherhood while homeless, and how she was able to turn her blog into a successful business. Plus, she shares how she started Black Moms Blog to help positively reflect black motherhood. They also chat about how the birth experiences is different for black mothers, along with practical tips to help women learn to put themselves first, before closing the show with ways to introduce diversity to your kids.

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In this week’s episode, Aleen and Brittany are joined by Ryann Kipping, also known as The Prenatal Nutritionist, to talk about why nutrition is one the most important things to a healthy pregnancy. They start by diving into why it is important for women to change their diets before getting pregnant, as well as the foods you should incorporate and avoid during pregnancy. Next, they talk about dietary supplements, why they matter, and tips for choosing the best prenatal vitamins. Finally, it’s time for the listener email, which is all about an expecting mom dealing with constant heartburn that has gotten out of control.

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Aleen is back this week with her sister-in-law & colleague, Shira Dreksler, to chat about being a working mother of two and her own nursing experience. To start, Shira tells us about being pregnant during the height of the pandemic (including how she had to go to the hospital by herself), what it’s really like having your water break, and how parenting changes after having a second child. Next, they dive into a discussion all about nursing, with tips for when you’ll actually need a lactation consultant, whether or not breastfeeding hurts (hint: it does), and why pumping is so important if you choose to breastfeed. Finally, they close things out with a conversation about sleep training and why your feeding strategy is vital to the whole process.

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This week, Aleen sits down with actress Catherine Reitman to chat all about her comedy series Workin’ Moms and what it’s like to be a real-life working mom herself. To kick off, Catherine dives into where she drew her inspiration when creating the show, including some things she learned about herself along the way. She also shares her experience with postpartum depression, taking the first steps to ask for help, and finding a balance transitioning back to work. Plus, they also talk about what happens when maternal instinct just doesn’t kick in and why you don’t need to apologize for it. They run through some listeners questions, including how to find support as busy moms and Catherine’s favorite (but also least favorite) part of being a working mom. Finally, it’s time for a No Mom Guilt from Catherine all about dealing with work-life balance stress and the shame that comes with not being there enough for your kids.

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Aleen and Brittany are joined by Samantha Jade, master instructor at SoulCycle and soon-to-be mom to share her story through pregnancy and talk about her experience with endometriosis. They start with her journey from being a first-time rider to auditioning to become an instructor, and how she climbed her way up. She shares her experience riding through her pregnancy, and how she knew when it was time to step off the bike. Samantha has also been through a serious back injury, and shares her story of coming back from that obstacle and how her struggles with her body have made her so much more conscious about everything around her. Plus, they talk about how being diagnosed with endometriosis and Hashimoto’s changed her outlook on her own body. Then, it’s time for a No Mom Guilt from Samantha all about setting boundaries for the way that she wants to raise her own baby, and how she’s dealing with other people’s expectation versus her own wants and needs.

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Aleen and Brittany are back and this week, they host wardrobe and soul stylist Jenny Greenstein, Founder of Your Soul Style, to breakdown styling for moms and her personal journey as a mom. They break down how important style is to your personal wellbeing and mood, and how taking the time to can dramatically improve your mindset. Then, Jenny gives a few tips on how to approach clothing and styling from an investment standpoint, and what to keep in mind as your body changes throughout your pregnancy. They also discuss the stigma of caring about the way you look when you’re a mother, and why that way of thinking is misguided. After that, Jenny shares her own pregnancy story and the challenges she faced with first trimester depression, and how she was able to overcome them with time and the support of the people around her. They also get into Jenny’s experience with two mom parenting, and how she had “the talk” with her daughter about how she came to be.

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