In this solo episode of Mom Brain, Big City, I’m sharing a heavier story about grief, postpartum, and learning how to hold joy and loss at the same time.

Two weeks after Mateo was born, I lost my Granjo, my grandma, my confidant, my hype girl. A month later, I also had to say goodbye to my soul dog, Athena, in a way I never expected. All while navigating the physical recovery, hormone crash, sleep deprivation, and emotional whiplash of early postpartum.

This episode is about what it feels like to grieve when the world expects you to be “so happy.” About missing the people and pets you want to call when something big happens and realizing you can’t. About making impossible decisions while freshly postpartum. And about the quiet, complicated ways grief shows up when you’re becoming a mom.

If you’re in a season of loss, if postpartum felt heavier than you expected, or if you’ve ever had to grieve while still showing up for someone else, I see you.

Please take care of yourself while listening, and come back to this episode when it feels right.

As always, thanks for being here. I’ll see you soon, after bedtime.

It’s been a minute, and today’s episode is basically a long, overdue voice note from me to you.

In this surprise solo ep, I’m catching you up on everything: officially weaning, the emotional whiplash of ending my pumping journey, sleep regressions + separation anxiety kicking my ass, and the very real feelings that came with Mateo turning ONE (tears were shed LOL).

We’re talking identity shifts, hormones, leaking boobs, gentle sleep training still working and still being hard, and the strange pressure of feeling like you need to “perform” on social media just to share something you love. I get honest about why I went quiet, why this podcast is still for me, and why I’m done forcing content that doesn’t feel authentic.

I also touch on the Cardi B x Bobbie formula ad drama, with nuance, because feeding babies is not a one-size-fits-all conversation and privilege plays a bigger role than people want to admit.

If you’ve ever felt proud and heartbroken at the same time, burned out but grateful, or like motherhood cracked you open and rebuilt you into someone new… this one’s for you.

Thanks for being here. More to come — see you after bedtime 🤍

What if we talked about feeding without the pressure, guilt, or judgment?

This week, I’m joined by Shelby Nelson, mom of two, almost-IBCLC, and the creator behind @supportivebreastfriend — the Instagram page that’s helping moms feel seen in their breastfeeding, pumping, and formula-feeding journeys.

We talk about Shelby’s own experiences with feeding, the myths she’s constantly debunking online, and why every feeding story deserves to be celebrated — no matter what it looks like. Plus, she shares more about her new podcast, Supportive Breast Friend, where she interviews moms about their unique feeding challenges and triumphs.

Grab your pump parts or your coffee and listen in — this one’s for every mom doing her best to feed her baby her way. 💕

If your baby isn’t sleeping through the night and you’ve found yourself wondering, “What am I doing wrong?” — this episode is your reminder that the answer is: nothing.

I’m joined by Samantha from Hello Little Sleeper, the sleep consultant who helped us after Mateo hit a major regression post-illness. We talk about what sleep training actually looks like when it’s responsive and tailored to your baby — no harsh rules, no cry-it-out pressure, and no mom guilt.

Samantha shares why baby sleep isn’t linear, why regressions are normal (but exhausting), and why you’re not a bad parent if you need help figuring it out.

We also get into:
💤 What it’s like to work with a responsive sleep consultant
🍼 Why every baby (and family) needs something different
🤯 Late-night Google spirals and sleep-anxiety panic
🫠 Why you are not a failure if your baby isn’t sleeping “perfectly”

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Connect with Samantha:
📲 Instagram: @hellolittlesleeper
🌐 Website: hellolittlesleeper.com

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Follow along @mombrainbigcity for more honest convos about motherhood, sleep, identity, and everything in between — straight from a tired NYC apartment.

What actually matters when it comes to baby milestones? And what can we stop spiraling over?

This week, I’m joined by Kelsey McDonald from Playful Movements, a pediatric physical therapist and mom of two, to talk about all things motor development — what’s normal, when to worry, and how to support your baby without buying another $200 item. We also chat about the wild ride of parenting two kids, what PTs wish more moms knew, and the pressure to hit milestones “on time.”

Also... warning: Mateo had a lot to say this episode — you’ll hear him chiming in — and we get a surprise guest appearance from one of Kelsey’s daughters, because babies make the rules around here.

Let’s get into it 💗

They say it takes a village… but sometimes that village is a group chat full of internet strangers who now know more about your boobs and your baby’s poop than your own family.

In this episode, I’m sharing the story of how a random Facebook group turned into a 13-person lifeline of moms who’ve carried me through postpartum — from sleep regressions and pumping panics to late-night voice notes and “is this toast okay?” questions.

We met over due dates. We stayed for the real talk, the emotional support, and the daily chaos of motherhood.

If you’ve ever felt alone in this season, this one’s for you, too. 💗

Postpartum identity crisis? I’m in it.
This week, I’m talking about the weird in-between space of becoming a mom and still trying to feel like me. We’re getting into body image, biker shorts, breastfeeding logistics, and the emotional whiplash of seeing old pics of yourself and thinking, “Damn… she had no idea.”

Plus:
🍼 A Cribside Confession involving rectal thermometers and pee (don’t ask)
🔍 What I Googled: goat milk formula + daycare prep spiral
🎤 And the concert no one asked for: my personalized Bingo remix, performed live from the hallway at work

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and wondered who you are now — you’re not alone. And you’re not doing it wrong.

I’ve been quiet the past couple of weeks. Not because I didn’t have stories to share, but because the world has felt too heavy to ignore. This isn’t a regular episode — it’s a pause. A moment to sit with what’s happening in Gaza, across the U.S., and around the world… and how it hits differently now that I’m a mom.

I talk about the emotional whiplash of stressing over my milk supply while watching other mothers have nothing to feed their babies. I read a poem by Rachel Beachy that’s been living in my head rent-free. And I remind myself — and you — that this isn’t political. It’s human.

Mentioned in this episode:
🕊️ Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund – https://www.pcrf.net/
✍️ Poem by @rachelbeachywrites on Instagram

Regular episodes will be back soon. But I couldn’t move forward without first saying this.

This week, I’m unpacking the emotional tug-of-war that is being a working parent — and the identity shift no one prepares you for. I talk about my all-in relationship with work before Mateo, how becoming a mom changed my entire sense of purpose, and the bittersweet reality of loving both my job and my baby so deeply it hurts. Plus: Matt went back to work after paternity leave and I’m not okay, Mateo added a plot twist to diaper changes, and yes — I Googled if Ms. Rachel counts as screen time. Don’t come for me.

Let’s normalize the mess, the love, and the invisible string that connects us to our babies even when we’re away from them.

Follow along on IG: @mombrainbigcity
And TikTok: @mombrain.bigcity 💕
Rate & review if you’ve ever cried on your commute 🫠

Your baby outgrows their clothes, the bassinet, the swing — and you’re just supposed to be okay about it?? In this episode, Morgan gets real about the emotional gut-punch that comes with your baby suddenly not feeling like a newborn anymore. From packing away tiny onesies to transitioning out of the bassinet to watching her baby babble, belly laugh, and hold his own bottle — it’s equal parts beautiful and brutal.

She shares a Cribside Confession about letting someone else help during dinner (and the mom guilt spiral that followed), why she’s feeling all the feelings about possibly spending her first night away from Mateo, and what happened when her breast pump broke mid-trip in Key West.

If you’ve ever cried over baby clothes, checked the monitor while on date night, or Googled “can a 6-month-old eat french fries?” — this one’s for you.

💗 Follow @mombrainbigcity on IG & TikTok
💬 Share your Velcro mom moment in the DMs
⭐️ Don’t forget to follow + rate the show — it helps more exhausted moms find Mom Brain, Big City (and feel a little less alone).