What does an overnight postpartum doula actually do, and why does she start with mom instead of the baby?

In this episode, I sit down with Hannah Kuduk, founder of The Folk Doula in Minneapolis, for a real conversation about postpartum support that goes far beyond newborn care. Hannah offers in-home daytime and overnight support, nourishing meal service, and travel doula care for families across and beyond the Twin Cities. Her approach is rooted in traditional, community-based models of care. Less clinical checklist, more village.

We get into the difference between a postpartum doula and a newborn care specialist, what actually happens on a first overnight shift, why processing your birth story matters for your healing, and how sleep and mood are biologically linked. Hannah also shares the analogy I have not stopped thinking about since we recorded: we plan for a wedding for a year, but we barely plan for our postpartum at all.

If you are pregnant, postpartum, or supporting someone who is, this one is worth your time.

What we cover:

• The real difference between a postpartum doula and a newborn care specialist
• What a first night with an overnight doula actually looks like
• Why postpartum doulas start with the mother, not the baby
• How sleep and mental health are biologically connected
• Building a real postpartum village in a culture set up for isolation
• The wedding analogy that reframes postpartum planning
• Boundaries, imperfect support, and why invitation matters
• What to look for when hiring a postpartum doula and the questions most people forget to ask
• Travel doula care and when it makes sense
• The biggest misconception about postpartum doula support

Real Life Rescue Kit:

• Takeout Rescue - Brim
• Worth The Effort Outing - Westwood Hills Nature Center
• Local Mom Resource - Dr. Chrisi at Motherbaby Wellness Co

Connect with Hannah:

• Website: http://www.thefolkdoula.com/
• Instagram: @thefolkdoula

Medical disclaimer:

This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider about your specific situation.

About Made for Minnesota Moms Made for Minnesota Moms is a podcast for Minnesota moms navigating pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early motherhood. Hosted by Minneapolis newborn and family photographer Megan Norman, each episode features trusted local experts sharing practical resources you can actually use.

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Liseli Radko left a career at Target and Macy's after having her daughter in 2024 to open Emery's Playhouse in St. Paul, a kids boutique and play space unlike anything else in the Twin Cities. In this episode, she shares the full story behind how she built it, why she combined a curated shop with a whimsical play space in the back, and what it actually took to walk away from corporate and go all in on something she believed in.

We talk about:

• How her background in graphic design, illustration, and visual merchandising shaped every detail of the store
• Why she added a play space so moms can shop without the chaos
• How she thinks about curating pieces that feel different from big box retail
• The moment she knew she had to leave corporate
• How the store became a community, not just a shop
• Private birthday parties, monthly events, and everything Emery's Playhouse offers beyond the boutique

If you're a Twin Cities mom looking for a shop that actually feels like someone cared, or you just love a good story about betting on yourself, this one is for you.

Real Life Rescue Kit:

• Takeout Rescue - Brasa, St. Paul https://www.brasa.us/
• Worth The Effort Outing - Duck Arcade, Eagan https://www.duck-us.com/
• Local Mom Resource - Dr. Janet Schaffer, OB-GYN at Methodist Hospital

Find Emery's Playhouse: 

• Website: emerysplayhouse.com 
• Instagram: @emerysplayhouse

About Made for Minnesota Moms Made for Minnesota Moms is a podcast for Minnesota moms navigating pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early motherhood. Hosted by Minneapolis newborn and family photographer Megan Norman, each episode features trusted local experts sharing practical resources you can actually use.

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Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

If you've ever been curious about acupuncture but weren't sure if it was "really" for you, this episode is your answer. Megan sits down with Meaghan Moakly, licensed acupuncturist and founder of Azalea Acupuncture and Aesthetics in Minneapolis, to talk about how traditional Chinese medicine supports women through every phase of the motherhood journey.

Meaghan breaks down what acupuncture actually is (spoiler: it's just one piece of a much bigger system), what to expect at your first appointment, and why your practitioner is asking to look at your tongue. They also get into the real stuff: preconception prep, pregnancy symptoms, baby positioning, labor support, and why postpartum care shouldn't stop at six weeks.

Plus, Meaghan shares two incredibly simple wellness habits rooted in Chinese medicine that you can start today, and she opens up about navigating her own fertility journey and first pregnancy while running her practice.

In this episode:

• What traditional Chinese medicine actually includes beyond the needles
• How acupuncture supports fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum recovery
• The first 40 days and why postpartum care is a whole body priority
• Why your digestion and your anxiety might be more connected than you think
• Two easy habits to improve energy and hormonal balance starting now
• What to look for when choosing a licensed acupuncturist (hint: look for LAC)

Real Life Rescue Kit:

• Takeout Rescue - Brim
• Worth the Effort Outing - Explore Minneapolis with your kids like they own the place
• Local Mom Resource - Dr. Britt Stammer (Episode 2)
• Meaghan's practitioner referral list: azaleampls.com

Connect with Meaghan:

• Website: azaleampls.com
• Instagram: @azaleampls

Medical disclaimer:

This episode is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new treatment.

About Made for Minnesota Moms Made for Minnesota Moms is a podcast for Minnesota moms navigating pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early motherhood. Hosted by Minneapolis newborn and family photographer Megan Norman, each episode features trusted local experts sharing practical resources you can actually use.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

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Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

What does a postpartum doula actually do? If you're picturing overnight newborn care, Joy McAfee is about to change everything you thought you knew.

Joy is a certified postpartum doula, early childhood educator, and trauma-informed care practitioner based in the Twin Cities. She provides daytime postpartum support to help families heal, rest, and find their rhythm after baby arrives -- and her approach is unlike anything I expected.

We talked about what postpartum support actually looks like in real life, why Joy focuses on daytime care, how she supports C-section moms, what sibling integration is and why it matters, and why postpartum doula support is not a luxury.

Joy also shared her own story of severe postpartum depression after her first child, and how that experience became the foundation for the work she does today.

In this episode:

• What a postpartum doula actually does (and what they don't)
• Daytime vs. overnight support and why Joy chooses days
• The fourth trimester and why support can matter up to 18 months
• Healing meals, light tidying, and reducing the mental load
• Emotional and trauma-informed support after birth
• C-section recovery and how a doula supports surgical birth
• Sibling integration for growing families
• How to find a postpartum doula in Minnesota
• Making postpartum support affordable, including mutual aid and sliding scales

Connect with Joy McAfee: 

• Website: https://www.joythevillagedoula.com/about 
• Instagram: @joy_the_doula

Medical disclaimer:

This episode is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about your health or your baby's health.

About Made for Minnesota Moms Made for Minnesota Moms is a podcast for Minnesota moms navigating pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early motherhood. Hosted by Minneapolis newborn and family photographer Megan Norman, each episode features trusted local experts sharing practical resources you can actually use.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

You're exhausted, baby won't latch, and you're convinced something is wrong with your supply. Dr. Jess Roth says the answer might actually be in your baby's nervous system.

Megan sits down with Dr. Jess Roth, chiropractor and certified lactation consultant at Chiro for Moms, to talk about why feeding is a full-body experience for both mom and baby. Dr. Jess shares how she combines chiropractic care and lactation support in a single visit and why calming the nervous system first can make all the difference with latch.

In this episode:

• Why breastfeeding is a full-body experience for mom and baby
• How birth type (vaginal, cesarean, fast or long labor) impacts latch from day one
• What pediatric chiropractic care actually looks like (spoiler: it's basically a baby massage)
• Signs a feeding issue might be structural, not a supply problem
• How chiro can help with reflux, gas, and fussiness
• When to bring yourself and your baby in postpartum
• Her own experience with a tongue tie release and how she talked a nervous mom through the same decision

Dr. Jess is also a new mom herself, which makes this conversation as real and relatable as it is practical. Whether you're pregnant, newly postpartum, or deep in the feeding trenches, this one is worth a listen.

Find Dr. Jess and the Chiro for Moms team on Instagram at @dr.jessroth @ChiroforMoms and @ChiroforKidz, or reach out directly at [email protected].

This episode is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about your health or your baby's care.

About Made for Minnesota Moms Made for Minnesota Moms is a podcast for Minnesota moms navigating pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early motherhood. Hosted by Minneapolis newborn and family photographer Megan Norman, each episode features trusted local experts sharing practical resources you can actually use.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

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Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

Ever get your labs back, hear "everything looks normal," and still feel terrible? You're not alone and that's exactly what NP Hannah Lewis is here to talk about.

NP Hannah Lewis is a family nurse practitioner and co-founder of Radiant Health Collective in Osseo, MN. She specializes in functional medicine, taking a root-cause approach that blends conventional care with nutrition, lifestyle, and advanced lab testing to support women through pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.

In this episode, Megan and Hannah cover:

• What functional medicine actually is and how it differs from conventional care
• The first labs Hannah runs the moment a patient is pregnant (ferritin, vitamin D, progesterone, full thyroid panel)
• How she supports women with thyroid conditions, hormone imbalances, and autoimmune issues like Hashimoto's during pregnancy
• What postpartum depletion really means and why it's not talked about enough
• The bounce-back culture pressure on new moms and why your postpartum body deserves grace, not a deadline
• How to find a functional medicine provider and what to expect

Whether you're trying to conceive, currently pregnant, or deep in the postpartum fog, this episode is a reminder that "normal range" doesn't always mean optimal -- and you deserve a provider who digs deeper.

Connect with Hannah Lewis: 

Website: RadiantHealthCollective.com 

Instagram: @HannahLewisFMP

This episode is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about your health.

About Made for Minnesota Moms Made for Minnesota Moms is a podcast for Minnesota moms navigating pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early motherhood. Hosted by Minneapolis newborn and family photographer Megan Norman, each episode features trusted local experts sharing practical resources you can actually use.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

What does it actually mean to support your body before, during, and after pregnancy -- without defaulting to a prescription for everything?

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Britt Stamer, a registered naturopathic doctor practicing in the Twin Cities, to talk about a more holistic approach to women's health. We cover what preconception care actually looks like, why so many moms feel dismissed by conventional medicine, and how naturopathic medicine fills the gaps -- especially in the postpartum window that often gets overlooked.

Whether you're trying to conceive, currently pregnant, or deep in the postpartum fog, this conversation gives you a real look at what's possible when you work with a provider who's looking at the whole picture.

In this episode:

• What naturopathic medicine is (and what it isn't)
• Preconception care: what to do before you're even pregnant
• How to support your body and hormones postpartum
• Signs your body is asking for more support than it's getting
• How to find a naturopathic doctor in Minnesota and what to expect

Guest: Dr. Britt Stamer, ND 

Host: Megan Norman, Minneapolis Newborn + Family Photographer

This episode is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have regarding your health or a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you heard in this episode.

About Made for Minnesota Moms Made for Minnesota Moms is a podcast for Minnesota moms navigating pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early motherhood. Hosted by Minneapolis newborn and family photographer Megan Norman, each episode features trusted local experts sharing practical resources you can actually use.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

In this first episode, I’m talking with Dr. Jesse Lillejord, founder of Chiro for Moms, about prenatal chiropractic care, pelvic alignment, the Webster Technique, and what postpartum support can look like for both mom and baby.

In this episode we cover:
- Common misconceptions about prenatal chiropractic care
- How often moms typically come in during pregnancy
- What the Webster Technique is and when it starts
- Postpartum issues like neck pain, tingling/numbness, and body mechanics
- Baby support like torticollis, flat spots, and colic
- What makes Chiro for Moms unique
- How to connect with Dr. Jesse

Website: https://chiroformoms.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiro_for_moms/ - https://www.instagram.com/chiro_for_kidz - https://www.instagram.com/pelvicfloor_for_moms
Ready to Book? ($50 new patient promo) - https://chiroformoms.janeapp.com/?_gl=1*1c8k9q*_ga*NDUzOTE3NDE4LjE3MDIyOTcyNTI.*_ga_1967SPW6QJ*czE3Njk3MDc1NzUkbzU2NSRnMSR0MTc2OTcwNzgyNiRqNTckbDAkaDA

If you want more conversations like this, subscribe and share this with a Minnesota mom who is pregnant or postpartum.

Medical Disclaimer - All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.

About Made for Minnesota Moms Made for Minnesota Moms is a podcast for Minnesota moms navigating pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early motherhood. Hosted by Minneapolis newborn and family photographer Megan Norman, each episode features trusted local experts sharing practical resources you can actually use.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms