In this episode, I talk with Zara—a journalist, women’s health reporter, and twin mom—about how knowing too much sometimes gets in the way of just being a parent. Before she even saw two heartbeats on the ultrasound, Zara was knee-deep in reproductive health journalism, covering everything from fertility to pregnancy complications. But when life threw her not one, but two babies, the story she thought she knew so well got personal—fast.

We talk about how being informed can sometimes lead to anxiety instead of empowerment, how fertility struggles shaped her perspective on motherhood, and what happens when the glamorous celebrity twin narrative meets the harsh reality of a high-risk pregnancy. From dealing with preeclampsia to unpacking the media’s obsession with twins, Zara gets honest about the emotional whiplash of twin parenting and why she believes we need more real talk and less tabloid sparkle.

Whether you’re pregnant with twins, parenting through postpartum chaos, or just trying to make sense of the internet’s latest parenting advice, this episode is a reminder that it’s okay to be both grateful and overwhelmed. Knowledge is power—but sometimes, not knowing everything gives you the space to breathe.

EPISODE THEMES 📝

• How working in women's health media shaped Zara’s parenting mindset
   
• Why knowing too much can lead to more anxiety, not less
   
• Infertility, loss, and the emotional cost of conception
   
• The real challenges of twin pregnancy: PUPPP, cholestasis, preeclampsia
   
• Debunking the glamorization of twins in the media
   
• When to advocate for a maternal-fetal medicine specialist
   
• The identity crisis of a twin mom who wanted a “regular” pregnancy
   
• Why Twiniversity exists: to tell the truth and support each other through it
   

GIVEAWAYS 💰

🎉 YOU'RE INVITED: Need more support, join us each month for our Twiniversity Virtual Meeting. Meet Nat and Lauren and bring them your biggest twin life challenges each month of the year. 
For dates and more details visit. www.twiniversity.com/Membership

✔️Subscribe to the Twiniversity Email Newsletter! https://www.twiniversity.com/subscribe/

Expecting twins? Twiniversity has you COVERED with online classes! ⬇️

Breastfeeding Twins: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkout

Twins After Singletons: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/hegrd8Ez/checkout

Baby Safety (CPR, First Aid, Car Seat Safety, Childproofing): https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/AccFMLk8/checkout
 

CONNECT WITH ZARA HANAWALT 💌

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/
 

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