Hollie Wildehorn is from Australia and had her first baby at the age of 21! She was a very young mom and the town she was in was a very business oriented city (Cambria) and she was really mostly on her own. She was part of the alternative industry and she was part of a great community of moms and now with a 18 and 21 year old, she has a great relationships with her kids. Her biggest challenge was the fact that she didn’t know what the heck she was doing and you don’t know what you don’t know!  How do you be a mom when you don’t have someone to help you with it?  She was very prepared for the birthing process but after giving birth she wasn’t as prepared for when the baby came home. She turned to books and literature but turned away from mainstream books. In Australia she had a midwife who followed throughout her whole journey. She thought she would have a home birth but after looking at the mess she was worried about who would clean it up so she went to the birthing center. She homeschooled on and off throughout their educational career and that was her best mama moment. She struggles with with mama fears even to this day. She wishes she would have known that leaning into community and having supports that could have taught her so much. Why not lean on those who have come before us? She wants moms to know that you know better than anyone else.  MOMS know and she tells their partners to LISTEN to them.  Moms need people behind them cheering them on.  Instituteforselfcrafting.com  

Sharon Harmon, from Nashville, Tennessee who works with highly sensitive people using frequencies to help people figure out what’s going on with them. As a New York native, she met her husband in NYC.  She had her son at the age of 42 and they weren’t preventing pregnancy but also weren’t planning on it. As the eldest of five kids, she was the only girl and the “second mom” so that was like being a mom! She had a home birth and did everything holistically and didn’t plan for after the pregnancy. The paradigm shift was a huge change in her life and one of the hardest parts of motherhood. She also had a huge health issue with Lyme Disease that resurfaced. The exhaustion was so unreal that she couldn’t even climb a flight of stairs! She also couldn’t breastfeed because of Lyme's disease. Her husband has been her best support and she had her parents both there as well for a few weeks. Her husband and her figured out how to parent mostly on their own until they found some of their people.  Their son went to a Waldorf preschool/daycare and it was the perfect place for their son because they focused on allowing them to use their imagination and be kids. She decided that 2nd grade was the perfect time for her to homeschool until 8th grade. Her worst mama moment was when her son was in middle school because they started to butt heads a little more than they should have. She wishes she would have stopped homeschooling sooner. She wishes she would have had a better plan after giving birth. It’s messy and unknown and scary. She has a blog on end of life planning because she struggled with that when her parents passed away.  She works with highly sensitive people.  These are people who are more sensitive to the energy around them whether that is human energy or electronic energy.  She works with her clients both in-person and virtually. She works with moms more than children to set the environment for their child. You can find her at sharonharmon.com and on Instagram @sharonharmonphd

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Katie Fenske is a mom of 3 with three boys at home! She is enjoying having all three in school, but also it’s hard to let go sometimes. She was 33 when she had her first kiddo and THOUGHT she knew what she was doing and then she had kids. The biggest challenge she experienced was self judgement.  She didn’t think others were judging her but SHE was worried what others would think. She sees a mom struggling and doesn’t think at all about that mom being a bad mom…so why are we so hard on ourselves? The things we say to and about ourselves we would almost NEVER say to anyone else so why is it ok for us to do to ourselves?  Her biggest supporter was her own mom as an amazing example with so much fun and tons of support but she lived an hour and a half away. She found her people at a yoga class and joined a mom group even though it was tough to walk in that first day but she is so glad she did. Pivoting the groups of moms throughout motherhood is not always easy but it’s necessary.  Her best mama moments are when she gets her cuddles from her three boys. She didn’t think she would love watching her kids play sports but she lives for Saturday’s and her time watching her kids but also creating her community with the other parents. She didn’t think she would be a big yeller but yelling comes natural as the kids get older. She wishes she would have known she didn’t have to be perfect and that it’s ok to not know what she was doing. She realized she didn’t have to be perfect the first time for everything because “everyone burns their first pancake.”  She has a podcast called Burnt Pancakes with Katie where she talks about all the motherhood stuff!  You can find her on her website at burntpancakes.com and on instagram @burntpancakeswithkatie

Alessia Lloyd is the mom of three amazing kids who are everything she ever dreamed them to be. She started when she was 22 with her first son and although he wasn’t planned, he has always been loved and wanted. She was not in a healthy relationship when she had Alexander but after finally getting the strength to get out of the relationship.  She is in a much better place now with two other children with her husband outside of Cleveland, Ohio. She works for a nonprofit helping the unhoused and the housebound in the greater Cleveland area.  She also opened her own art studio a year ago and is enjoying creating with kids again. She believes in supporting and loving the people in her life and is very good at it. As one of Nikki’s very best friends, they have been through many years of friendship through the good times and the hard. Her mamahood journey was very different with her first born and then her second and third but she wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. 

Samantha Foote is a mom of three, all with neurodivergent conditions and is near Boise, Idaho. All three of her kiddos have autism and ADHD combined. She was 28 when she started having kiddos and they are 10. 8 and 5.  Her SEVERE Postpartum Depression (PPD) was her biggest challenge.  No one listened to her or took her seriously and she struggled a lot. It took way too long for her to get help. The “baby blues” was all doctors kept telling them. She was diagnosed with OCD after having her first baby. She listened to a podcast that literally described her whole life and it made her realize how she had been misunderstood her whole life. The intrusive thoughts were every hour and not just occasional. She was so ashamed about having intrusive thoughts that she didn’t talk to anyone about it. After talking to someone about these thoughts, that person told her that “everyone” has those thoughts (when in fact that person also had OCD) she figured she was “normal” for going through all of these things. Her biggest challenge as a mom has been managing the appointments of three neurodivergent people with their appointments. Not just the management of all of it but also the fear of hearing something else is wrong with her babies. She also struggled with the realization that her kids weren’t interested in the same things she was as a kid. Her husband is her biggest supporter, especially when she had babies and had PPD.  As a music therapist she struggled that her son hated music but when he turned 4, he turned a corner and enjoyed music and she could share it with him and that was one of her best mama moments. Her worst mama moment was when her son was 3 and she put him in time out (even though she didn’t believe in time out!).  She forgot him in time out! She wishes she didn’t take things so seriously! Everything will work out and the judgements of others don’t matter. You can find her at https://www.boisemusictherapycompany.com and https://www.boisemusictherapycompany.com/podcast.  

Karen Peterson is a grateful mama and is a co-founder of a nonprofit called Couve Collective, community centers for people in recovery.  Her and her husband are excited to be grandparents very soon!  She worked for Boeing for years but decided she needed to give back to families who experience addiction and the effects that has on their family. She lives in Vancouver, Washington and is grateful for the sunshine when it happens!  She had her son in her late 20’s but she wasn’t as thrilled to be a parent as her husband was and then had him 7 weeks premature. Her son tied a knot in his umbilical cord so it was good that he decided to be born early. Her daughter was born 5 years later and is now going to be a mama! Her biggest challenge was understanding the weight and responsibility of being a mom and wanting to “get it all right.”  Her biggest supporter was her own mom.  She could count on her no matter what and literally knocked on the door and handed her son to her and said, “I need a break.”  Her husband has also been such a huge support and help. Watching her kids be happy has been such a joy for her. Her son has been through a lot throughout his life, leading him to be addicted to Oxycontin. She watched him become homeless because of his addiction. Her dream from that was to build a community center for people experiencing addiction and the aftereffects of it. Her daughter is an internal medicine doctor and is a huge success as well. To see them happy, healthy and as close as they are is her best mama moment. They realized that his love language wasn’t being met and he “found” that when he discovered opioids. She says she wouldn’t have wanted to know any of what she knows now as a new mom. The surprise is pretty important to experience as a mom!  You face each step as it comes to you and as a mom, you figure it out. You can find them at https://couvecollective.org.  This is a community they have created for people to be a helpful and healthy member of their community.

Jason Gibler is a psychotherapist who works with moms, dads and getting people to tap into a deeper healing. He works often with perinatal families, including before, during and after having kids. Even dads get Postpartum depression and many people don’t know that. Depression and anxiety are linked and many times that affects dads because we have more conscious fathering. The old paradigm of success vs. failure also is pulling at them. The paradigm is that dads aren’t always “good” at being a dad and that causes a deep anxiety and over time, that morphs into depression because they feel alone. There are many different modalities to help couples and many people don’t know how to communicate properly. Historically men have been taught how to distance themselves from their own feelings. If you aren’t in tune with your own emotional reality, you can’t be in tune with someone else's emotional reality. Men have been taught to be disconnected with their feelings and emotions. A crying baby brings out feelings of failure and they need to stop and recognize their own emotions, be honest and be authentic. To get a dad into therapy, ask them why therapy feels “bad” and where did you learn that seeking help makes you weak?  Call it “coaching” instead of therapy.  Vulnerability is strength because it takes strength to admit you need help. As a partner/wife, giving that positive praise is essential to giving dads that ego boost. The Way of the Jaguar is a novel Jason is writing based around the science of human bonding, the book will be out later this summer. You can find it on Amazon Kindle.  You can also find a free download for dads on his websites at aiyanacounseling.com or Jasongibler.com

Keri Henson is a 6th generation Texan and a mom of SIX kiddos!  She has a brand called the “Mom’sDay Prepper.”  These are moments that happen when you don't see them coming!  Managing relationships within all of the motherhood journey needs are instrumental in motherhood! She became a mama at the age of 24 and has had six kiddos from ages 21-7  with one of them who was diagnosed with cancer and another hit by a 1 ton truck! Her biggest challenge has been being married to an addict (and this was harder than having a child with cancer or having a child hit by a truck!). WIthout spousal support, it was like being a single parent but she was married!  Motherhood is a challenge ALL the time. Most days don’t look like it does on TV or in the movies! Her parents have always been a solid support from day one. With her grit as a Texan, and a very strong Christian, nothing could take away her faith as it created a strong base to build off of. We have been conditioned to let community go but we can’t do motherhood without it! Her best mama moment came after a horrible diagnosis of cancer before her baby’s first birthday with him making milestones that the doctors said he would never do! This kiddo will be 11 soon and has overcome all of it!  We have to surrender our children to THEIR purpose and THEIR life. We cannot pave the road. We are here to teach, coach and help but we need THEM to direct their path. DO NOT pave the path for them as they NEED to struggle because that’s part of life. You are here to give them the tools, the awareness and the ability to overcome these struggles. She wishes she would have listened to her mommy feelers because they are gifts that we need to listen to above and beyond everyone else's opinions and thoughts!  You can find her at momsdayprepper.com!

Dr. Tamara Beckford is an ED doctor with her own weight loss business in Houston. She helps women get rid of emotional and physical weight. It’s 100% online and has been an entrepreneur for years. As a mom at 36 and 38 (considered old in the birthing world) she felt the itch at 2 years and understands why so many people are 2 years apart!  She started having babies later in life because she went to school “forever and ever amen.”  Motherhood came to her like flipping a switch and she was ready however her body didn’t see it that way. It took longer than she thought it would to conceive and she also struggled that no one talked about it but once she found her “person” who was frustrated as well, they had babies 5 days apart! Another testament to having a community to support you can change your life. Her biggest challenges were that her son was a preemie and she had the NICU challenge. Two things that helped her get through was the doctor telling her to take her doctor hat off and put on her mom hat. Maternal instincts are a REAL thing. Her mother in law was a huge support while she was on bedrest for 6+ weeks before having an emergency c-section and her parents were amazing emotional supporters. She also had amazing friends who helped too. Being a NICU mom has its own set of challenges because you leave the hospital without your child. It’s so hard to emotionally handle not bringing your baby home day after day. She wishes she would have known that it’s all going to work out, no matter what. It may not work out the way that you THOUGHT it would but it will work out. You can find her at trulybalancedwc.com or www.urcaringdocs.com and on LinkedIn

Fernanda Shoup, originally from Argentina and turning 40 with two toddlers at home!  She married her wife during Covid outside at a barn in Parker but was supposed to be in Argentina!  Talk about a different environment.  When she connected with her wife, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be a mom but when she realized that she would parent with HER and that was what changed the whole thought about motherhood!  When you have a wife, everything changes. Her wife didn’t want to be pregnant and Fernanda said she was 100% on board with carrying a child but unfortunately it took 2 ½ years of all kinds of infertility issues!  Her pregnancy was a breeze and it was glorious. In the 3rd trimester her legs went numb and she was in a ton of pain. She tried many different remedies but it was demoralizing because no one would listen to her. After her wife had to FORCE the hospital to listen, they did scans and found a herniated disc and kept her overnight and had to do survey for her disc issue while 36 weeks pregnant. She had immediate pain relief as soon as she woke up from surgery!  Her OB wasn’t the best and didn’t listen so they switched offices (always advocate for YOU) and she had a c-section at 39 weeks. Her c-section was quite the experience too! She struggled with so much postpartum depression and the “I’m not worthy” feelings. Her midwife told her “is the fact that your child wasn’t breastfed going to show up on their application for medical school?”  Her feelings of inadequacy lasted months!  Even her mom said she was a shell of herself. Her sweet life and her decided that they wanted more kiddos and her wife decided she would carry baby number 2. She got pregnant on the FIRST try! So when they came home with a newborn, they were pregnant with their second!  Her wife is a firefighter and hated being pregnant and was on bedrest at 20 weeks!