Fit For Motherhood

In this episode we chat with author Meredith Barnes.

She published her first book, All The Time: Daily Devotions Finding Faith in the Everyday Moments on March 1st. The book is centered around the concept of Time- God's creation of time, the tension we can feel in our daily lives under the constraint of time, the power of our time- this book offers you a closer examination of your own relationship with time. God created time with intention, what will you do with it?

We are so excited to have her share how the book came about and how she has been impacted by taking the time to write it and we know that her words will speak to everyone. 

Connect with Meredith on IG @frecklesandfortitude and on her website at www.frecklesandfortitude.com

You can buy her book here

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This week we are joined by Olivia Carlson. We talked about all the things she has experienced in motherhood from premature birth, NICU stays, food allergies, breastfeeding, pumping, supplementing with formula and extended breastfeeding all while being a busy outside the home working mom. I know that everyone will be able to find something to relate to with her story. 

Olivia is a real estate broker in the City of Chicago. Originally from Jasper, Indiana, Olivia first moved to Chicago in 2002 for an internship opportunity at an Architecture Firm and fell in love with this city. After finishing her bachelor's degree in Interior Design from Purdue University, she moved permanently to the Lakeview neighborhood. She met her husband, Scott, in 2005 at Park Community Church, where they are both active members. They've been together for 15 years and have adorable two children, Theodore and Meredith. They currently live in Roscoe Village in a hundred year old row home that they completely gutted and rebuilt over a two year project. Olivia loves working in real estate because she is able to directly invest in her community, friends and family. She loves helping clients find their homes in the city where they can thrive. Her experience makes her a valuable partner on construction projects, for investors and private clients, alike. Olivia loves to travel the world with her husband. Their favorite trips have included Greece, Italy and Israel. She enjoys being with her family, playing tennis, eating at new restaurants, running on the lake front path and seizing the day! 

Connect with Olivia on IG @oliviadail & @oliviaschicago and online at www.oliviaschicago.com

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Shop Esembly diapering systems head to www.esemblybaby.com and first time users can get 10% off your order using code FFMPodcast.

To try out Firstleaf head to the link in our IG profile @fitformotherhoodpod and click on "6 bottles free wine". You will be taken through a few steps to pick out your perfect wines and will receive your first 6 bottles of wine for free, you only pay for shipping. 

This week on the podcast Kristi Blankenship shares her journey of motherhood via the miracle of IVF and then talks about what her first year of motherhood has looked like.

Kristi is a new mom, wedding photographer, and Etsy shop owner based in Central Illinois. Her daughter Bennett, just turned one in December and she became a mom thanks to the miracle of IVF. She and her husband Nathan do wedding photography together and just launched a business of home decor and custom furniture last year.  Her favorite things for herself are watching RuPaul's Drag Race, listening to true crime podcasts, and taking hot baths.

We also did this interview in two parts. We first talked to Kristi about a week before Bennett was born and then again shortly after Bennett's first birthday. So this episode is a combination of two interviews done about a year apart. We hope this gives you a good look into her IVF experience along with what motherhood has looked like for Kristi. We are so thankful that she was open to sharing such a personal experience with us and all of you. 

Connect with Kristi on IG @madetobemine @wearetheships and @blankhaus

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To shop Firstleaf wines head to the link in our IG profile @fitformotherhoodpod and click on "wine from first leaf". You will be taken through a few steps to pick out your perfect wines and will receive $40 off at checkout. 

In this episode we are joined by Jenna Lee to talk about her experience using cloth diapers along with what we can all do to decrease the amount of single use plastic in our homes. 

Jenna is a 24 year old SAHM to her 14 month old son, Percy. She lives in Ontario, Canada with her fiance, Bryce, their two cats, Eleanor & Joan, and their son. Jenna graduated with a bachelor of arts in ancient studies & medieval studies in 2018, but she never actually used her degree. Blogging & creating content on Instagram is her creative outlet right now. Jenna loves connecting with other women who are striving to make more eco-conscious choices for themselves and their families. 

Connect with Jenna on IG @ecoconsciousmum or online at www.ecoconsciousmum.com

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To shop Esembly diapers visit www.esemblybaby.com

First time users use code FFMPodcast for 10% your order. 

Thanks for joining us for another episode of Fit For Motherhood. With us today are two friends of Alyssa's Janelle Keller & Jill Smith. 

We talked about how they ended up moving to Mexico and the life transformation they have seen in the children they work with. Jill shared the story of how she adopted her two children. Then they gave updates on what life looks for them now. 

Janelle Keller is the Executive Director of Foundation For His Ministry (FFHM). FFHM has children's homes and outreach ministries in Tijuana, Sinaloa, Baja California, and Oaxaca, Mexico. She is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL, and had her first exposure to FFHM on a trip to the Baja Mission in 2000. On that trip, God got ahold of her heart, and a passion for Mexico was kindled in her. In 2007 Janelle went to serve at the Oaxaca Mission, where she lived for 4 years before coming to work in their US office in San Clemente, CA. These days she looks for any excuse she can find to travel to Mexico and loves being a part of what God is doing there.  

Jill Smith is the Director of Mexico Operations for Foundation For His Ministry (FFHM). Originally from Michigan, after graduating from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, she moved to the Chicago area to serve at Willow Creek Community Church. It was then that Jill heard about FFHM for the first time and took her first trip to Mexico. Alongside Janelle, Jill went to serve full-time at the Oaxaca location in 2007. While there, she became a mother, through adoption, to Celina, who is now 12, and Nathan, who is now 9. After completing their adoptions, Jill and the kids relocated to the Baja Mission, where she became the Director. It was there that she met her husband, Tim. They now live in Tijuana, where she oversees all of the mission locations in Mexico. 

Alyssa had the privilege of meeting Janelle & Jill in 2009 on her first of many trips to the children's home in Oaxaca and it has been such a joy to see how they are working to change the lives of children and families in Mexico through Foundation For His Ministry. 

Connect with Janelle on IG @janellekeller and on Facebook

Connect with Jill on IG @jillvadams and on Facebook

Learn more about (FFHM) Foundation For His Ministry on IG @ffjmorg on Facebook and online at www.ffhm.org

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In this week's episode we are talking with Amelia Zobrist about what her life looks like as a mom to 5 kids, her experience with adoption through the foster care system and the new business she started in the middle of the pandemic.

Amelia is wife to Zach and Mama to 5 kiddos 5 and younger. She and her husband have been foster parents for nearly their entire marriage and are currently on the path to adoption for two of their littles. Their boys are five months apart and the girls are five months apart (and they've had them all since birth), giving them basically two sets of glorified twins.  3 are biological, and 2 are soon to be adopted.

Amelia started her career as a photographer and over the course of the last 5 years the skills she learned from that business have led her to owning her own company called Wandering Wilde Co. Wandering Wilde creates Bible study resources for women. They're really intentional to not lead women in their thinking, but to encourage Bible literacy and deeper engagement in the Word. Amelia says that 2020 has been a crazy year with so many ups and downs both professionally and personally, but the company that was born out of it has already seen so much favor.

You can connect with Amelia on IG @millykins,  @ameliazobrist & @wandering.wilde

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Thanks for joining us for another episode of Fit For Motherhood. We're so excited to be back after a short break and to kick off Season 2 with some amazing guests. Today we chat with one of our childhood friends, Julia Mittelberg, about her experience with foster care and the adoption of her two sons along with talking about the health journey she has been on the last few years.

Julia lives in Bowling Green, KY where she has worked as a professor of Elementary Education at Western Kentucky University for the last 6 years! She says that working with college students is so fun and watching them become future teachers fills her with so much joy!   Julia a single foster mom to two preschool-aged boys that she is in the process of now adopting. Her goldendoodle Hugo provides their little family with cuddle therapy daily. She is a lover of fitness & healthy living, home decor, television sitcoms, and Jesus--along with plenty of other things but those stick out as her favorites. 

We hope you enjoy our conversation with her! 

Follow Julia on IG @juliamittgetsfit

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After taking a short break, we're back with a new episode of Fit For Motherhood!

We talk about what we did over the holidays and our hopes for the podcast this next year.

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In this episode we talk with the hair fairy herself, Ali Onken, about all things postpartum hair loss, normal hair loss, changes to your hair during and after pregnancy.

We also go through some fun hair myths and truths.

Make sure to listen all the way to the end to find out our new name for the top knot!

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In this episode we chat with Corinne Westing, CNM. You can hear about how Corinne became interested in midwifery, the different places she has worked and how she eventually ended up with a home birth practice in Chicago. We also chatted about the differences in the care models between hospital based and home birth midwifes. We also talked about the joys of castor oil inductions! :) 

Corinne is a proud mamx to an amazing 5yo kiddo born safely at home (attended by a Certified Nurse Midwife and team), who lives in Little Village, Chicago. A practicing home birth midwife themself, Corinne is passionate about making safe physiologic birth, community birth, and quality mental health care accessible for all birthing people. Throughout their midwifery career, Corinne has also worked in community health on the South and West sides of Chicago, as well as in a laborist role in a large teaching hospital. As a human, Corinne has been an advocate for over 20 years for reproductive choice and justice, LGBTQIA freedom, and in the labor, immigrant rights, and racial justice movements. 

To connect with Corinne you can find her on Facebook and IG @chimamxmidwife

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