Is home birth actually safe, and what's the real difference between a midwife and a doula?

Today I'm talking with Kayla Kronfeld, a certified professional midwife and owner of Meadowlark Midwifery, a home birth practice here in the Twin Cities. Kayla has been in birth work since 2018, starting as a doula before training at the Midwives College of Utah and stepping into full midwifery care.

We get into what a midwife actually does (it's a lot more than showing up for the birth), why she built her practice around home birth, what a water birth really looks like, and the medical consultation plan every home birth midwife in Minnesota is required to have in case a hospital transfer is ever needed.

If you're weighing your birth options, curious about home birth or water birth, or just want to understand the difference between a midwife and a doula, this one is worth your time.

What we cover:

• The path from middle school teacher and prenatal yoga instructor to certified professional midwife
• What a midwife actually does, from preconception through postpartum
• The real difference between a midwife and a doula
• Why she focuses on home birth over hospital or birth center care
• What happens during a water birth, and how she keeps it safe
• The medical consultation plan every home birth midwife is required to have in Minnesota
• How she picks backup hospitals and avoids surprise bills if a transfer happens
• What postpartum care looks like in the first six weeks
• Why she still refers out to pediatricians and other providers, even as the primary care provider
• The moment that reminds her why she does this work

Connect with Kayla:

 Email: [email protected]
Website: meadowlarkmidwifery.com

Connect with Megan: 

Besides hosting the podcast, I'm also a Minneapolis newborn, family, and Fresh 48 photographer and a mom of three. I'd love to be the one to capture your season of motherhood.

Website: www.MeganNorman.com

Instagram: @MeganNormanPhotography

Real Life Rescue Kit:

Takeout Rescue - Zen Ramen in Maplewood

Worth The Effort Outing - Viking Fest, a family-friendly Viking history festival in October with a full living-history village

Local Mom Resource - The Childbirth Collective

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.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

What if sleep training did not have to mean cry it out?

On this episode of Made for Minnesota Moms, I sit down with Jenn Everett, a certified pediatric sleep consultant and mom of three who works one on one with families to get everyone sleeping through the night. Jenn started sleep training out of pure necessity when her husband worked night shifts and she was doing it all alone. It worked so well she did it with every kid after, and now she helps other families get out of survival mode and into actual rest.

We dig into the 4-month sleep regression, when to start, the truth about attachment and sleep training, how to set up a real sleep environment, and the travel hack you will absolutely use on your next trip. Jenn also walks us through working with twins, toddlers, and even kids up to 6 or 7 who are dealing with bedtime anxiety.

If you are pregnant, postpartum, or in the thick of bedtime battles, this one is worth your time.

What we cover:
- Why sleep is a learned skill, not something babies are born knowing
- The truth about cry it out and what gentle sleep training actually looks like
- The best age to start, including newborns
- What the 4-month sleep regression really is
- How to handle the transition from multiple naps to one nap
- Setting up a safe, dark, and quiet sleep environment
- Sound machines and why she recommends the Hatch
- Bedtime routines that make transitions easier with toddlers
- The attachment myth, fully debunked
- Travel sleep tips, including the tin foil and painter's tape blackout hack
- Sleep training twins and multiples
- Daylight savings survival

Jenn Everett is a certified pediatric sleep consultant with Sleep Wise Consulting, serving families in Minneapolis, MN and beyond. With a bachelor's degree in psychology and a passion for helping exhausted parents find lasting sleep solutions, Jenn specializes in supporting newborns, babies, and toddlers through personalized, compassionate sleep coaching. Drawing from both her professional training and personal experience as a homeschooling mother of three, she equips families with practical, evidence-based strategies that help children sleep well and parents confidently thrive.

Connect with Jenn, Sweet Sleep by Jenn:
Website: https://sleepwiseconsulting.com/consultants/jenn-everett/
Instagram: @sweetsleepbyjenn
Book a consultation: https://sleepwiseconsulting.as.me/schedule/ef591238
Free 15-minute call: https://portal.sleepwiseconsulting.com/schedule/Everett

Real Life Rescue Kit:
Takeout Rescue - Mexico del Corazon in Osseo, the fajitas
Worth The Effort Outing - Central Park in Maple Grove, splash pad in summer, refrigerated skating rink in winter, walkable to Kingdom Coffee
Local Mom Resource - MOMS group at North Church, intentional community for new and seasoned moms

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.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

What if you do not have to be in crisis to ask for help?

This week I am sitting down with Kendra Olson, a mental health therapist in the Twin Cities who specializes in perinatal and maternal mental health. After about two decades as a therapist, Kendra launched PFM Wellbeing to focus exclusively on women navigating fertility, pregnancy, loss, postpartum, and the long road of motherhood that follows.

We get into matrescence and why becoming a mom is just as radical an identity shift as adolescence, how to tell baby blues from something bigger, and the quiet ways women are socialized to put themselves last. Kendra also gets honest about the emotional toll of infertility, miscarriage, and IVF, and how those experiences can follow you into postpartum even after a successful pregnancy.

If you are pregnant, postpartum, in the middle of trying to conceive, or just trying to remember who you were before kids, this one is worth your time.

What we cover:

- What matrescence is and why it explains so much of early motherhood
- The difference between baby blues and a postpartum mood or anxiety disorder
- When to reach out for a therapist (hint: you do not have to be falling apart)
- The emotional weight of infertility, IVF, and pregnancy loss
- Why fertility struggles can impact your postpartum adjustment even after a healthy baby
- Ambiguous grief and why pregnancy loss is harder to validate
- How social media and doom scrolling feed anxiety in new moms
- Rediscovering your identity outside of motherhood
- Why mom does not always have to be the default parent
- The myth that therapy is only for crisis
- How to use therapy as maintenance, not just rescue
- Why a real-life professional beats a thousand Instagram opinions

Kendra Olson is the founder of Psychotherapy for Maternal Well-Being, a private therapy practice based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, specializing in maternal mental health. As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C) therapist, she helps women navigate infertility, pregnancy loss, pregnancy, postpartum, and the evolving challenges of motherhood with compassionate, evidence-based care. Through in-person and virtual therapy, Kendra is dedicated to helping mothers build confidence, improve their emotional well-being, and feel supported through every stage of their journey.

 

Connect with Kendra:

Website: pfmwellbeing.com
Instagram: @pfmwellbeing

Connect with Megan: 

Besides hosting the podcast, I'm also a Minneapolis newborn, family, and Fresh 48 photographer and a mom of three. I'd love to be the one to capture your season of motherhood.

Website: www.MeganNorman.com

Instagram: @MeganNormanPhotography

Real Life Rescue Kit:

Takeout Rescue - Costco pulled pork with buns, barbecue sauce, and a ready-made veggie tray. A full dinner in about 10 minutes.
Worth The Effort Outing - Luce Line Brewing Co. Family-friendly taproom with a rotating food truck, pinball, big outdoor seating, and NA options for the adults.
Local Mom Resource - How 2 Mom with Nikki and Stephanie. Twin Cities birth and postpartum doulas offering birth education and placenta encapsulation.

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.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

What if your postpartum care came to you, in your own bed, in your own jammies, with someone who actually had time to listen?

This week I sat down with Dr. Michelle Haggerty, founder of Fourth Trimester Doc, a Minnesota in-home medical practice dedicated to postpartum, newborn, lactation, and perinatal health care. Dr. Haggerty is board certified in family, integrative, and breastfeeding and lactation medicine, and she built her practice during the early days of COVID after realizing that the way we deliver postpartum care in this country is broken.

We talked about why the standard 6 week postpartum visit is failing moms, what matrescence actually is and why it changes everything, the scary intrusive thoughts no one warns new parents about, and how partners get hit by postpartum mental health too. Dr. Haggerty also shared why she intentionally caps her practice at a couple hundred patients a year so moms can text her directly and get answers in minutes, not weeks.

If you are pregnant, postpartum, or supporting someone who is, this conversation will change how you think about the fourth trimester.

What we cover:

• Why the 6 week postpartum visit is not enough
• How Fourth Trimester Doc came to be during the early days of COVID
• What in-home postpartum visits actually look like
• The hidden cost of physicians carrying 2,000 to 3,000 patient panels
• Matrescence and why becoming a mom is its own life transformation
• Scary thoughts and intrusive thoughts as a normal protective brain response
• Why partners need postpartum mental health support too
• Things moms normalize that they should not (painful breastfeeding, incontinence, suffering through recovery)
• Why Dr. Haggerty starts seeing families during pregnancy, not after birth
• The Minnesota practitioners and resources Dr. Haggerty refers moms to constantly
• Pelvic floor PT and why every birthing person benefits from it

Dr. Michelle Haggerty is the founder and CEO of Fourth Trimester Doc, an integrative medical practice based in Minnesota, dedicated to transforming postpartum care for mothers, birthing people, and newborns. A board-certified family physician with advanced expertise in integrative medicine, breastfeeding and lactation medicine, and perinatal mental health, she provides compassionate, evidence-based care that supports families through the critical fourth trimester. Through her clinical work, education, and advocacy, Dr. Haggerty is helping redefine postpartum care and improve outcomes for families across Minnesota and beyond.

Connect with Michelle: 

• Website: www.fourthtrimesterdoc.com
• Instagram: @fourthtrimesterdoc
• Booking Link: https://fourthtrimesterdoc.com/contact/

Connect with Megan: 

Besides hosting the podcast, I'm also a Minneapolis newborn, family, and Fresh 48 photographer and a mom of three. I'd love to be the one to capture your season of motherhood.

Website: www.MeganNorman.com

Instagram: @MeganNormanPhotography

Real Life Rescue Kit: 

• Takeout Rescue - Italian Eatery in South Minneapolis, any pasta on the menu 
• Worth The Effort Outing - Minnehaha Falls, with a stop at Sea Salt Eatery in the summer 
• Local Mom Resource - Amma Parenting Center new mama groups, plus your local ECFE classes

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.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

What does the photographer behind this podcast actually see in those first 48 hours after a baby is born, and why does she think that 30 minutes in the hospital is the most important session you will book in your first year?

This week the mic flips. I am the guest, and my business coach Colie James is asking the questions. Colie helps photographers and creative business owners build systems that make their lives easier, and she knows my photography business inside and out. She walks me through why I started Made for Minnesota Moms, my path from art school to family and newborn photography in Minneapolis, and the reasons I added Fresh 48 sessions to my work this year.

We get into the real stuff: what a Fresh 48 actually feels like, how to handle older siblings (and the ones who could not care less about the new baby), why Baby Plans take the pressure off of remembering to book photos, and the difference between hiring a personal photographer versus the national hospital companies. I also share where the podcast is going next, including birth stories and a first-time-mom episode I cannot wait to record.

If you are pregnant, postpartum, planning your first year of family photos, or just curious how this whole show came together, this one is for you.

What we cover:
- Why I started Made for Minnesota Moms and the connection I was missing on Instagram
- My origin story: art school, advertising, losing my job when Olive was born, and how photography found me
- Why I stopped shooting weddings in 2022 and where I focus now
- How I discovered Fresh 48s through my own third baby's session
- What actually happens during a Fresh 48 and how long you really get
- Common worries about Fresh 48s: how you look, C-section recovery, and siblings who are not interested
- The sibling and grandparent moments you cannot recreate later
- Why a personal photographer beats the national hospital photo companies
- How Baby Plans work: up to 3 sessions in the first 18 months with discounts on sessions and collections
- The difference between Fresh 48s and in-home newborn sessions, and why some families book both
- Where the podcast is going next: birth stories, first-time moms, and a traveling-mom episode

Connect with Megan:
Website: https://megannorman.com/
Instagram: @megannormanphotography

Real Life Rescue Kit:

• Takeout Rescue - Nico's Tacos family meal (tacos or fajitas)
• Worth The Effort Outing - Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis Park, especially the annual Halloween party
• Local Mom Resource - This podcast (seriously) and her local Facebook mom group when she needs a recommendation fast

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.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

What if the symptoms we have all been told to just live with after having a baby are actually treatable? 

In this episode I sit down with Sarah Glesmann, pelvic health physical therapist and owner of Sakura Pelvic Health in St. Paul. Sarah works with women, men, and kids on pelvic pain, pregnancy and postpartum recovery, bladder and bowel concerns, and getting people back to the activities they love and feeling at home in their bodies again. 

We get into what pelvic health physical therapy actually is (spoiler: it is so much more than just the pelvic floor), why staying active in pregnancy sets you up for an easier labor and recovery, and what every mom should know about postpartum healing whether you had a vaginal birth or a C-section. Sarah also breaks down diastasis, the postpartum belly, and why the recovery you skip in your 30s shows up in your 40s and 50s. 

If you are pregnant, postpartum, or years out and still wondering why things do not feel quite right, this one is worth your time. 

What we cover: 

• What pelvic health physical therapy actually is and who it is for 
• Why everyone has a pelvis, including kids and men - How pregnancy affects the body long before labor begins 
• Why labor is an endurance event and how to train for it - What is normal postpartum and what is not 
• How to recover well after a C-section and what most hospitals still get wrong
• Diastase recti and how to rebuild your core after baby 
• Why leaking is common but never just something to live with - How postpartum recovery connects to perimenopause and your 40s and 50s 
• A simple tip for postpartum runners 
• Pelvic floor PT for kids and why it is not invasive - When to see a pelvic health PT during and after pregnancy 

Real Life Rescue Kit:

• Takeout Rescue - Punch Pizza on Grand Avenue in St Paul
• Worth The Effort Outing - Skyzone
• Local Mom Resource - Mental Health Therapy - Mothering Roots + Registered Dietitian - Planting Roots Nutrition

Connect with Sarah: 

• Website: https://www.sakurapelvichealth.com 
• Instagram: @sakurapelvichealth 

Connect with Megan: 

Besides hosting the podcast, I'm also a Minneapolis newborn, family, and Fresh 48 photographer and a mom of three. I'd love to be the one to capture your season of motherhood.

• Website: www.MeganNorman.com
• Instagram: @MeganNormanPhotography

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.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

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

Connect with Megan: 

Besides hosting the podcast, I'm also a Minneapolis newborn, family, and Fresh 48 photographer and a mom of three. I'd love to be the one to capture your season of motherhood.

• Website: www.MeganNorman.com
• Instagram: @MeganNormanPhotography

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.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

Follow on Instagram: @MadeforMNMoms

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

Connect with Megan: 

Besides hosting the podcast, I'm also a Minneapolis newborn, family, and Fresh 48 photographer and a mom of three. I'd love to be the one to capture your season of motherhood.

• Website: www.MeganNorman.com
• Instagram: @MeganNormanPhotography

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

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

Connect with Megan: 

Besides hosting the podcast, I'm also a Minneapolis newborn, family, and Fresh 48 photographer and a mom of three. I'd love to be the one to capture your season of motherhood.

• Website: www.MeganNorman.com
• Instagram: @MeganNormanPhotography

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

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts 

Subscribe on Spotify

Watch on YouTube 

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 of Minnesota. 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

Connect with Megan: 

Besides hosting the podcast, I'm also a Minneapolis newborn, family, and Fresh 48 photographer and a mom of three. I'd love to be the one to capture your season of motherhood.

• Website: www.MeganNorman.com
• Instagram: @MeganNormanPhotography

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