Born For This Stories

When a doctor says, "It's a simple fix," most parents want to believe them. But what happens when it isn't?

In this powerful episode of Born For This Stories, Johanna and Peter speak with Caroline, a UK-born lawyer and mom of four now living in Pennsylvania, whose son Jude was diagnosed with hypospadias at birth. What she was told would be a "minor surgery" turned into three operations over the course of years. Through confusion, conflicting opinions, and an emotional rollercoaster, Caroline found her way to trusted experts, community support, and hard-won wisdom she now shares to help other families feel less alone.

From the moment her son's OB said "He's got a birth defect" to the relief of finally finding compassionate, specialized care, Caroline's story sheds light on what it means to advocate for your child when you don't even speak the language of the medical system.

In this episode:

• The shock of hearing "he's got a birth defect" seconds after birth

• The difference between a "simple fix" and a multi-stage repair

• How Caroline's legal background helped her navigate research and red flags

• Why she says "Give yourself some grace" after years of surgeries

• The role of faith, family, and community in getting through medical parenting

• The importance of asking questions and why choosing the right surgeon changes everything

💬 "I really want to encourage parents that no matter how bad the diagnosis is, normalcy is possible."

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Have you ever gotten a second opinion that was the complete opposite of what you were initially told? Imagine that, plus you've just given birth, and your baby's future is hanging in the balance. That was the reality of today's guest.

In this powerful episode, Johanna and Peter sit down with Kylie, a mom from South Carolina whose son Aiden was born at just 31 weeks and weighing under three pounds. Diagnosed with hypospadias and chordee shortly after birth, Kylie and her husband were thrust into a whirlwind of mixed messages, surgical complications, and hard decisions that no parent feels prepared to make.

From the NICU's conflicting neonatologists — one raising alarms about "ambiguous genitalia" and another saying "he's peeing, so things are working" — to navigating multiple failed surgeries and finally advocating for a world-renowned specialist, Kylie shares her journey with honesty, grit, and hope.

This is an unfiltered look at what it means to trust your gut, demand better for your child, and keep fighting until you find the right care.

In this episode:

• What it's like to give birth at 31 weeks with preeclampsia and a 2 lb 15 oz preemie

• How a hypospadias diagnosis unfolded in the NICU with confusing, conflicting provider opinions

• The challenges of hypospadias repair and surgical complications

• Why Kylie says "who's the top penis surgeon?" became her nightly research project

• The emotional toll of seeing your toddler face multiple operations and preparing for more

• The importance of second (and third) opinions when local surgeons dismiss parent concerns

💬 "We made the decision that we had to make with the information that we had. Now we're making a different decision because we have it."

👣 Share your story at bornforthestories.com 💛 Follow us on Instagram @bornforthestories 🙏 Please subscribe, rate, and share this episode to help us reach more families

A story of unexpected diagnosis followed by years of waiting and choices no parent feels prepared to make.

In this episode of Born For This Stories, Johanna and Peter sit down with Sarah, a mom from Canada whose son was diagnosed with severe hypospadias at birth. From being told "it's an easy fix" to learning it would require multiple surgeries, Sarah shares the raw truth of navigating children's hospitals, long waitlists, and the weight of parenting decisions that carry lifelong impact.

Her story also reveals what it's like to parent through more than one medical crisis. On top of one son's hypospasias journey, her younger son was hospitalized at just five weeks old with RSV and intubated for seven days. Through it all, Sarah and her family leaned on community to find resilience and were reminded that there are "happy stories" that come from the darkest of days.

Whether you're a parent walking through hypospadias, another congenital condition, or simply searching for solidarity in the unknowns of pediatric care, we hope this episode reminds you that you are not alone.

In this episode:

• How Sarah's son's diagnosis unfolded at birth

• Choosing between world-renowned hospitals in Canada

• Why waitlists and COVID delayed surgery until age three

• How she prepared her toddler for surgery with doctor play kits and "magic popsicles"

• Parenting through RSV, intubation, and the perspective it gave

• The role of family support and community connection in healing

💬 "Some of them go right. Some of them go great. It's not a situation you ever want to find yourself in, but, you know, there's happy stories to it too."

👣 Share your story at bornforthestories.com 💛 Follow us on Instagram @bornforthestories 🙏 Please subscribe, rate, and share this episode to help us reach more families

The surgery might be over, but the hardest part often begins once you get home.

In this episode of Born For This Stories, Johanna and Peter share the raw truth about pediatric surgery recovery - the sleepless nights, the emotional whiplash, and the gut-wrenching moments parents are rarely warned about. From the first 48 hours post-op to juggling pain management, catheters, regressions, and lingering caregiver PTSD, they open up about what it really looks like to walk your child through healing.

This conversation isn't about fear; it's about validation. Because if you've ever sat awake at 2 a.m. wondering if your child's cry means pain or panic, or questioned whether you're "doing it right," you're not alone.

In this episode:

• Why the first 48 hours post-op can feel overwhelming

• The emotional toll on caregivers (and how to breathe through it)

• Managing pain, anesthesia concerns, and post-op instructions at home

• The importance of trusting your gut when something doesn't feel right

• How recovery impacts siblings, routines, and family life

• Why healing is never linear—for kids or parents

👣 Share your story at bornforthestories.com 💛 Follow us on Instagram @bornforthestories 🙏 Please subscribe, rate, and share this episode to support other families

What questions should you really ask before choosing a surgeon for your child?

In this powerful continuation of our conversation with Dr. Nicol Corbin Bush and Dr. Warren Snodgrass, two of the world's leading pediatric urologists, we go deeper into what parents need to know about hypospadias repair. From asking about surgical success rates and reviewing before-and-after photos, to understanding why multiple surgeries are sometimes the best path forward, this episode offers parents both clarity and compassion.

Dr. Bush and Dr. Snodgrass also share how they're preparing the next generation of surgeons, building global training models, and expanding their nonprofit Operation Happenis to provide better community support for families navigating this diagnosis.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed, dismissed, or unsure of where to turn, this conversation is a reminder that expert, heart-led care does exist, and it's changing lives around the world.

In this episode:

• The most important questions to ask when choosing a surgeon

• Why "good enough" should never be the standard for your child's outcome

• How surgical success rates vary widely (and why parents should know this)

• Why multiple-stage repairs can mean better long-term results

• The role of mental health and therapy in supporting families

• How Dr. Bush and Dr. Snodgrass are training future surgeons and expanding Operation Happiness

✨ Learn more about today's guests and their work:

• https://hypospadias.com/
• https://www.operationhappenis.org/

👣 Share your story at bornforthestories.com 💛 Follow us on Instagram @bornforthestories 🙏 Please subscribe, rate, and share this episode to help us reach more families

What happens when you have the opportunity to interview the surgeon who changed the future of not only your own child's life, but thousands of others?

In this special episode, Johanna and Peter speak with Dr. Warren Snodgrass and Dr. Nicol Corbin Bush — leading pediatric urologists specializing in hypospadias repair, co-directors of the Hypospadias Specialty Center, and Founders of Operation Happenis, a non-profit dedicated to education and awareness of penile birth defects. But this isn't just about surgical techniques. It's about hope, trust, and the human side of medicine when your child's diagnosis feels overwhelming.

They discuss why they left traditional hospital settings to create a specialty center, the truth about how "common" hypospadias really is, and why parents deserve more transparency, compassion, and clarity than they often receive.

Whether you're just beginning your child's medical journey or searching for the best path forward, this episode offers expert insight and the reassurance that you are not alone.

In this episode:

• How Dr. Snodgrass pioneered techniques that reshaped hypospadias repair worldwide

• Why most pediatric urologists only see a handful of cases each year

• The critical difference between "common" and "rare" in pediatric diagnoses

• Why choosing a surgeon who specializes matters more than most families realize

• How compassionate care can ease the fear of surgery days

Learn more about Dr. Snodgrass and Dr. Bush and their work:

• https://hypospadias.com/
• https://www.operationhappenis.org/

💬 "No birth defect is common when it's your child."

👣 Share your story at bornforthestories.com 💛 Follow us on Instagram @bornforthestories 🙏 Please subscribe, rate, and share this episode to help us reach more families

A diagnosis rarely impacts just one person. It can ripple through an entire family and take a toll on everyone.

In this episode, Johanna and Peter open up about one of the unseen sides of medical parenting that many face: the impact on siblings. From juggling travel for surgeries to trying to keep routines normal, they share the highs and lows of raising one child with medical needs while protecting the heart of their older son.

If you've ever wondered how to balance being fully present for one child in crisis without losing connection to the others, this episode will meet you there with honesty, hope, and solidarity.

In this episode:

• How medical needs affect siblings and family dynamics

• Why support systems (grandparents, friends, childcare) are essential

• The emotional pull of protecting two children in different ways

• Creating normalcy for siblings through routines and rituals

• Reflections on what they'd do differently and what they wouldn't change

💬 "To every parent living with their heart in two places at once - you are doing enough."

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Born for This Stories started with one diagnosis, but this movement is about so much more.

In this heartfelt episode, Johanna and Peter pull back the curtain on the why behind the podcast. What began as a story about their son's rare condition has quickly evolved into a mission to support all parents navigating unexpected diagnoses, medical systems, and the silent grief no one prepares you for.

Whether your child's journey has a name or you're still searching for answers, this episode is for every parent who's ever felt alone, overwhelmed, or dismissed in the process of advocating for their child.

In this episode:

• The bigger mission behind Born for This Stories

• Why we're not just talking about hypospadias

• Common threads across rare conditions, delays, and birth trauma

• Why asking more questions doesn't make you difficult, it makes you a strong parent

• How to share your story (even anonymously) and help someone else process and heal

💬 "Maybe your trauma doesn't have a diagnosis. But if you've ever Googled in the dark or felt unseen in a doctor's office, this space is for you."

👣 Submit your story at bornforthestories.com 💛 Follow us on Instagram @bornforthestories 🙏 Please subscribe, rate, and share this episode to help us grow this movement

Handing your baby over to a surgical team is not in the parenting handbooks.

In this powerful episode, Johanna and Peter take you inside one of the hardest days of their lives — the day of their son's first surgery. From managing a fasting six-month-old, to sitting in the waiting room desperately trying not to think the worst, to holding him again once he woke up from anesthesia, this is a glimpse into what it's like to parent through the unimaginable.

If you're facing a pediatric surgery or supporting someone who is, this episode offers honesty, hope, and the reminder that you're not alone.

In this episode:

• Preparing a baby (and yourself) for major surgery

• What it's like to wait while your child is under anesthesia

• The emotional weight of seeing your child post-op

• Why support systems are everything

• How healing begins for both the child and the caregiver

💬 "You will get through it. One breath, one moment at a time."

👣 Share your story at bornforthestories.com 💛 Follow us on Instagram @bornforthestories 🙏 If this episode resonates, please subscribe + leave a review

What happens when your holistic lifestyle collides with a medical reality you can't ignore?

In this vulnerable episode, parents Johanna and Peter share what it was like to step into a world they had spent years intentionally avoiding. After a lifetime of natural remedies, chiropractic care, and avoiding unnecessary interventions, their son's diagnosis forced them to make impossible choices and find a way to merge their values with the care he needed.

Whether you're a holistic parent feeling blindsided by a medical diagnosis or searching for ways to support your child through surgery without losing your values in the system, this episode offers hope, solidarity, and practical tools.

In this episode:

• The internal conflict of choosing surgery in a holistic home

• How Johanna's childhood shaped her path toward natural healing

• What they did to support their son through anesthesia and recovery

• Hyperbaric oxygen, red light therapy, and other natural healing tools

💬 "Trust yourself to find the path that feels right for your family. Keep questioning, keep learning, and know that choosing both worlds doesn't mean compromising who you are."

👣 Share your story at bornforthestories.com 💛 Follow us on Instagram @bornforthestories 🙏 If this episode resonates, please subscribe + leave a review