Buffalo Birth Talk

Lia Tuso is a Buffalo-based mom, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and travel influencer known for her expertise in child passenger safety, particularly during air travel. As the founder of the Buffalo Car Seat Club, Lia's mission is to connect Western New York parents with the car seat safety resources they need while encouraging best practices for keeping their children safe in our community. 

Lia has built a loyal community of parents who turn to her for expert guidance on traveling safely with babies and toddlers. She’s the author of the Santino’s Travel Tales children’s book series, where fun adventures teach kids about car seat safety. Her website, liatuso.com, features everything parents need to know about flying with their car seat. Lia’s passion extends beyond online content; she collaborates with top names in the Child Passenger Safety and Aviation industries, continually working to make travel both safe and fun for children

In this episode, Dr. Ashley and Lia discuss understanding car seat safety resources, legal vs best practices in car seat safety, common myths & tips for car seat safety and community resources and support.

Lia can be found on social media at https://www.instagram.com/thebuffalocarseatclub/

https://www.facebook.com/BuffaloCarSeatClub

https://www.instagram.com/lia_tuso/

and her website at

https://www.liatuso.com/

Brittany Chappius is the proud Owner of B Well Massage and Esthetics, a wellness sanctuary she founded in 2017. With a heart full of passion and dedication, Brittany has cultivated a space that reflects her love for helping people feel their absolute best. Dual-licensed in Esthetics and Massage therapy, she continues to serve clients personally, bringing her expertise in therapeutic massage and organic skincare to every session.

As a new mom, Brittany's journey into motherhood has deepened her connection with the women she serves. B Well offers specialized prenatal massages and services tailored to support expecting mothers, along with restorative care for postpartum moms seeking balance and renewal. Beyond pregnancy, Brittany has had the privilege of supporting many women in their fertility journey. She knows how vital nervous system regulation and nurturing practices are in preparing the body for conception, and being part of these journeys is one of the most meaningful aspects of her work.

In addition to her therapeutic touch, Brittany is reiki level 1 & 2 certified and offers sound healing classes at B Well, encouraging deep relaxation and emotional release. Practicing what she teaches, Brittany prioritizes her well-being through sauna sessions, regular workouts, and frequent massages.

What she loves most about her work is building meaningful relationships with every person who walks through the doors of B Well. "I truly have the best team in the 716, and I'm obsessed with all the services that we offer. B Well is such a special place!"

With her passion for education and holistic healing, Brittany is excited to join the Buffalo Birth Talk podcast to share insights and discuss how intentional care can empower women through pregnancy, motherhood, and fertility journeys. She hopes every guest at B Well feels supported, appreciated, and inspired to embrace their personal wellness journey.

In this episode, Dr. Ashley & Brittany discuss the importance of wellness in pregnancy, debunking myths on pregnancy massage, exploring services offered at BWell and the benefits of organic skincare & treatments.

B Well Massage & Esthetics can be found on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/b.well716

or through their website:

https://www.bwell716.com/

Aleni is a baby sleep specialist with a holistic approach. She has a beautiful daughter named Nora, who is the reason behind the work that she does. Her approach is unlike traditional sleep training methods, she guides families through achieving sleep for their babies without any type of sleep training. All the families she works with support their children to sleep in some way. She figures out your childs sleep needs for optimal rest, considering their temperament and identifying potential red flags affecting their sleep. Think of baby sleep as a puzzle, and her approach is to address all the pieces.

In this episode, Aleni & Dr Ashley talk about the Non-Traditional Sleep methods, identifying red flags in baby sleep, normal sleep patterns & expectations, the importance of nap time, movement naps and if they are effective, and target age groups for sleep support.

Aleni can be found on Instagram at

https://www.instagram.com/rootedinsleep/

or you can tune in to her podcast at

https://open.spotify.com/show/1qn6fLgX9b2jlZjMOULd0S?si=d5fa9eff0401472f

Rachel Simson is originally from Buffalo, NY, she graduated from D’Youville College with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Dietetics. Along with being a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian Nutritionist in the State of New York, Rachel holds a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management with the commission on Dietetic Registration.

Rachel was fortunate enough to gain clinical experience in an acute care setting while living in Florida while working at the Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center in Davenport Florida. She was a clinical dietitian at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center 2012-2024, specializing in leukemia and transplant and cellular therapy. She is currently working for the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).

Rachel has also been providing nutrition counseling with her private practice, Buffalo Dietitian, since 2017. With her free time Rachel enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She is married to her husband Dan and they have two sons Theodore and Gabriel and two Rhodesian Ridgebacks Daisy and Kona. She also enjoys, cooking, traveling, and working out (running, swimming, cycling and weightlifting). Rachel understands the importance of a healthy and realistic diet while living an active lifestyle.

In this episode, Dr. Ashley and Rachel go over postpartum nutrition essentials, quick nutritional solutions, nutrition for children and tackling picky eaters.

Rachel can be found on instagram @buffalodietitian

or through her website:

https://www.buffalodietitian.com/

Courtney Costello is a licensed masters social worker with over a decade of hands on experience working with families across WNY. Her career started in child protection services focusing on the well being and safety of children and families that she worked with. She then began her clinical experience working with adults and adolescents providing mental health counseling. She then went on to become a school social worker focusing on the mental and social health of students.

The culmination of her years of working in the field, education, additional training in perinatal mental health and lived a mother, she has recently began her journey in private practice focusing on perinatal mental health.

She is a dedicated and understanding ear for pregnant and postpartum women who are needing extra support. She is currently working with clients through OTT counseling and working on training clinicians in maternal health with 716 CEU

In this episode Dr. Ashley and Courtney discuss what perinatal mental health entails, the impact of motherhood on identity, understanding matrescence, common postpartum challenges and when to seek help.

Courtney Costello can be found at https://www.ottcounseling.com/

or followed on instagram at @courtney_costello_lmsw

Ashley Petit is the co-owner of The Light House Birth and Yoga collaborative. She is mom of four, DONA Certified Birth Doula, Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), and an experienced Health Educator with a Master's degree in Health Education and an Undergraduate Degree in Health and Wellness. She is a 200hr certified yoga teacher, specializing in prenatal and kids yoga. Ashley is passionate about global health and spent two years as a Maternal and Child Health Educator with the Peace Corps in Nicaragua. She is proficient in Spanish, a Tobacco treatment specialist, Hypnobirthing Childbirth Educator, CPR and First Aid instructor and Car Seat Passenger Safety Tech. In addition to her involvement in the community, Ashley is raising a family of her own and continuing to seek her true passion of helping women in her community through yoga, meditation and mindfulness.

Dr. Ashley and Ashley discuss in this episode the classes that are offered in the Light House Birth and Yoga collaborative, understanding prenatal and postpartum yoga, what hypnobirthing actually is and the Light House's family centered approach to yoga.

You can find more information on their website:

https://www.thelighthousebirth.com/

Their phone number is:

@thelighthousebirth

Meghan Warner is a certified birth doula, lactation counselor, and birth educator. She hopes to inspire women to enter birth & postpartum informed, calm and confident.

Dr. Ashley and Meghan converse about pregnancy and birth after the age of 35. This episode that focus on the trend of having babies later in life, debunking the myth of difficulty getting pregnant after the age of 35, understanding the risks and complications of “geriatric pregnancy”, the importance of informed decision making and the role of Midwives in supporting older mothers.

For more information, Meghan can be found on Instagram and Facebook at @agelessbirth

This episode is a part 2 from last weeks episode with Dr. Sarah Mathis.

Dr. Sarah and Dr. Ashley discuss postpartum issues like hair loss and fatigue, stubborn weight gain and hormonal imbalance, cortisol issues and digestive symptoms along with common symptoms that can happen postpartum. They engage in a conversation on the optimal time frame between pregnancies and when to seek help and reach out for functional medicine for support.

Dr. Sarah Mathis can be found on instagram @drsarahmathis

or on her website: https://www.sarahmathisdo.com/

Dr. Sarah is a board-certified osteopathic physician and functional medicine coach specializing in the gut-hormone connection. She helps women address chronic boating, IBS, constipation, anxiety, PMS, endometriosis, PCOS, thyroid issues, and more through a food-as-medicine approach. As a mother of three who has personally faced infertility, multiple miscarriages, and postpartum health challenges, Dr. Sarah combines her professional expertise with personal insight to support women in achieving their best health and well-being.

Dr. Ashley & Dr. Sarah discuss conditions related to the gut-hormone connection, Dr. Sarah's personal journey, addressing gut function with fertility, reducing inflammation and food as medicine.

Dr. Sarah can be found on Instagram @drsarahmathis

or on her website at:

https://www.sarahmathisdo.com/