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If your child has ever felt scared at the doctor’s office, nervous before a procedure, or overwhelmed by medical experiences — this episode is a breath of fresh air. 💜

Today, Meredith sits down with Mary Jenner, nurse, mom, and founder of The Butterfly Pig, an organization transforming how kids experience healthcare through play and emotional safety.

Mary has trained over 100 hospitals worldwide and is on a mission to ensure that healing never causes harm. In this conversation, she shares:

✨ How play rewires the brain for safety
✨ Simple ways to prepare kids for doctor visits
✨ What medically-induced trauma is (and how to prevent it)
✨ How parents, nurses, and therapists can work as a team
✨ Why emotional safety is essential for long-term healing
✨ Practical tools families can start using today

Whether your child has frequent medical appointments or you just want to help them feel more confident and calm, this episode will give you hope, language, and strategies you can use right away.

🎧 Listen to Episode 18: Helping Your Child Overcome Medical Anxiety — Through Play! with Mary Jenner of The Butterfly Pig

👉 Explore Mary’s resources & products: thebutterflypig.com
👉 Download Mary’s Playful Prescriptions App: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6747300259

👉 Need extra support? Therapy (OT + MH) can help your child build confidence and emotional safety. Visit marshallpediatrictherapy.com to learn more.

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🎒 When your child holds it together all day at school… and then falls apart at home — you’re not alone.
In this Snack Break, Occupational Therapist and mom Caitlin Brown shares practical ways to help your child decompress after school, build calming routines, and set up a smoother morning rhythm.

From sensory-friendly transitions to visual schedules, these simple tools can make a big difference in your home.

💡 Catch the full conversation in Episode 3: “Backpacks, Routines & School Prep Tips from an OT Mom” — streaming now on Help! I Have Kids.

🎧 Listen on any platform! 
📺 Watch the full episode → https://youtu.be/IKRpDXSF0PY

💬 Want extra support?
Therapy can make a world of difference. Learn more about occupational and mental health therapy for kids at 👉 marshallpediatrictherapy.com

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In this Snack Break replay, we revisit one of our most talked-about conversations on tongue and lip ties, featuring real insight from a lactation consultant and provider who’s walked both sides of the journey—as a mom and as a professional.

You’ll hear:
💬 The emotional and practical realities of navigating a tongue-tie diagnosis
👶 Why function matters more than how a tie “looks”
🩺 The importance of seeing the right specialists—from lactation to OT and speech
💡 How teamwork between providers can often help a baby thrive without surgery
💜 A compassionate reminder that you don’t have to struggle through feeding challenges alone

This 10-minute highlight captures a moment of hope and education for every parent learning to advocate for their baby’s needs.

Listen to Episode 9: https://youtu.be/HBpNqgbJ40I?si=HAvmcOXg6cSJLiyY

Subscribe for more Snack Breaks: short, powerful clips from the Help! I Have Kids Podcast 💜

#TongueTie #LactationConsultant #BabyFeeding #ParentPodcast #NewMomSupport #SpeechTherapy #OccupationalTherapy #FeedingJourney

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You’ve tried everything — different sides, new positions, more hydration — and it still feels hard.
You’re not alone.
In this short episode, our team breaks down what might really be going on — from tongue ties to body tension — and how OTs and SLPs can help make feeding easier for both you and your baby.
Because sometimes, a little knowledge (and a lot of grace) changes everything 💜
🎧 Listen to the full episode “Let’s Talk About Breastfeeding” for even more mom-to-mom wisdom.
#SnackBreakClip #HelpIHaveKidsPodcast #FedIsBest #BreastfeedingSupport #NewMomLife #MomPodcast
Natalie Marshall:Title? 

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Ever left your kid at home by accident? 😅
Pam and Jim Marshall get real about 30 years of parenting—the funny, humbling, and faith-filled moments that shaped their marriage and family of five. From Fazoli’s “kids-eat-free” nights to community dinners that kept everyone sane, they share stories of grace, laughter, and learning to let go of perfection.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re doing this parenting thing “right,” this episode will remind you that you’re not alone—and that community makes all the difference. 💛

👉 Join the “Help! I Have Kids” Facebook group to connect with other moms, swap stories, and find encouragement for every stage of the journey.
We’re saving you a seat at the table. 💬

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Meredith’s pregnancy didn’t go the way she imagined. At her 20-week scan, she received unexpected news that led to countless doctor visits, a stay at Cincinnati Children’s, and weeks at the Ronald McDonald House far from home. In this episode, she opens up about the fear of hearing “something’s wrong,” the emotional toll of endless monitoring, and the surprising ways her story took a hopeful turn.

We talk about:

• The importance of listening to your intuition as a mom (and why kick counts matter).
• What life is really like in the NICU—from daily doctor rounds to advocating for your baby.
• How faith, community, and her husband’s medical training helped her navigate uncertainty.
• The unexpected miracle that shifted everything the moment baby Eleanor was born.

This conversation is for every mom who’s faced the unknown, wondered “did I do something wrong?”, or needed the reminder that you’re not alone in the hardest seasons of motherhood. Meredith’s story is raw, real, and full of encouragement—because even when things feel out of our control, hope is never lost.

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Episode 12: Horses in Therapy with Jessica Perkins

Hey friends, welcome back to Help, I Have Kids!—the podcast for moms right here in central Kentucky. In today’s episode, Pam sits down with her friend Jessica Perkins—an occupational therapist, mom of three, and passionate advocate for using horses to help kids grow and thrive.

We dive into:

• The difference between hippotherapy and therapy with horses
• Why horses are so powerful in supporting kids’ growth and development
• Surprising ways horses can be used in therapy
• Real-life stories from Jess’s work with children
• The unique connection between kids and horses here in central Kentucky

Whether you’re curious about hippotherapy, want to hear some encouraging mom-life stories, or just love learning new ways kids can thrive—you’ll love this conversation.

👉 Learn more about finding hippotherapy services in your area: https://www.americanhippotherapyassociation.org/

If you enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to subscribe so you never miss the next conversation—and share this one with a mom friend who could use some encouragement. 💜

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Is your toddler not talking as much as you expected? Or maybe you’re wondering if your preschooler is on track with their speech and language milestones? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to guess.

In this episode of Help! I Have Kids, host Pam Marshall sits down with speech-language pathologist Beth Blankenship to talk about what typical speech development looks like, when to lean in with support, and how parents can create language-rich environments at home.

Beth shares practical strategies for building communication skills through everyday play, gives encouragement for parents navigating uncertainty, and points to resources that can help you check in on your child’s progress.

👉 One helpful tool Beth recommends is the ASHA developmental milestones guide, which lets you explore what speech and language typically look like at each age: https://www.asha.org/?srsltid=AfmBOoqREazVvPCu28i0OtjuhMUrw1N8vdR0UbHzTEVubEQHLgvTZWCN

She also reminds parents that while online tools are helpful, nothing replaces consulting with your child’s doctor if you have concerns about their development.

Whether your child is just starting to babble or already telling full stories, this conversation will give you clarity, encouragement, and tools to support their growth.

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Being a toddler parent can feel like a whirlwind of big feelings, unpredictable routines, and endless questions about what really works. In this episode of Help! I Have Kids, host Pam Marshall sits down with Emily Sadlon—mom, nurse, and podcaster—to talk about navigating the toddler years with perspective and practical strategies.

From handling tantrums and tricky transitions, to establishing routines, tackling bath time, picky eating, and even beginning potty training, Emily shares her experiences and insights in a way every parent can relate to. Whether you’re in the middle of toddlerhood or getting ready for it, this conversation offers encouragement and real-life tools to help you through one of the most challenging—and rewarding—seasons of parenting.
You can learn more about Emily’s podcast Call Her Mommy on Instagram @callhermommypod and at callhermommypod.com, and listen to it wherever you get your podcasts.

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Is your baby struggling to nurse, refusing the bottle, or constantly fussy—and someone suggested it might be a “tongue tie”? You’re not alone, and you don’t have to stay confused.
In this episode, Dr. Amy Luley, a trusted provider and expert in tethered oral tissues (TOTS), breaks down what tongue and lip ties really are, how they affect feeding, speech, and sleep, and what parents should know about evaluation and treatment. She also shares her own story of navigating tongue ties with her first child—and why she is passionate about helping families today.
You’ll hear:
What tongue, lip, and cheek ties actually are—and how they show up in infants and children
The most common symptoms and myths about tongue ties
What a proper evaluation looks like vs. a quick check
How the frenectomy procedure works using a LightScalpel CO₂ laser
What resources and support families can expect after treatment
If you’ve ever wondered whether your child may have a tongue or lip tie—or if you’ve been told “breastfeeding is just hard”—this episode will give you clarity, confidence, and practical next steps.