Mom Chat with Mamistad on Pregnancy and New Motherhood

Nina Spears is a true powerhouse in the perinatal world with a long list of titles and certifications. To start, Nina is The Baby Chick® and the Founder and CEO of Baby Chick®   a trusted platform supporting women through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and motherhood.  With her background and experience she's the ideal person to have written a  game-changing new book  ​The Baby Chick Guide to Positive Pregnancy,  a modern monthly pregnancy guide designed to help expecting mothers prepare physically, mentally, and emotionally for pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood.

In 2011 Nina began her career supporting families after earning her baby planning certification and attending her first births. She has since earned her birth and postpartum doula certifications from DONA International, her childbirth educator certification from ICEA, her perinatal nutrition expert certification through The Professional Perinatal Nutrition Program, and her infant massage instructor certification from Loving Touch, among others.

Nina's been a guest on pretty much every motherhood podcast out there, and she even hosts her own, Chick Chat: The Baby Chick® Podcast.

We became fast friends, not just because she's a fellow UT Alum and a birth and postpartum doula but because we share a core belief: TAKING CARE OF MOM IS TAKING CARE OF EVERYONE!​ ​

Some time stamps: 

11:20 Why ​Write The Book13:42 Trimester Game Plan17:16 Third Trimester Postpartum24:03 Partner Load Sharing

​Where to find Nina: 

On her website: https://www.baby-chick.com/

​On Instagram: ⁠@thebabychick

F​ind her book:  The Baby Chick Guide to Positive Pregnancy  on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart everywhere you can buy books. 

T​hank you Nina! 

For more info on Snugghug, visit their website here: ⁠https://www.snugghug.com/⁠

On IG: @snugghug.com

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups!

As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.

Thank you - YOU are appreciated! Take care of each other. 

Mamistad,

Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.

Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.

Breastfeeding is natural, but it isn't always instinctive. In this episode, guest Susan Brennan explains why preparing to breastfeed before your baby's arrival can spare you a lot of difficulty later on — and why breastfeeding support matters well beyond the early postpartum weeks.

Susan is a registered nurse and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) — we'll explain exactly what that means a bit later. She's also a PMH-C, meaning she's certified in perinatal mental health, a credential that matters enormously in a world where maternal mental health is too often overlooked. This training, paired with years of hands-on experience gives Susan a deep understanding of the emotional impact breastfeeding can have on a new family.

Susan works full-time as an in-office RN and IBCLC at Metropolitan Breastfeeding, home to award-winning lactation consultants and a three-time recipient of the IBCLC Care Award. Susan is dedicated to helping families reach their breastfeeding goals, drawing on her expertise to assess, diagnose, and treat lactation challenges while educating and empowering parents with best practices. Her background spans maternity and NICU units, outpatient pediatrics, and both office and in-home care.

IMPORTANT TIMESTAMPS:

05:51 What an IBCLC Means

10:38 Metropolitan Breastfeeding Team

11:45 Prep Before Baby Arrives16:11 Milk Supply Anxiety

21:11 Colostrum to Mature Milk

23:47 Protecting Mom’s Wellbeing

25:40 Partner Support and Red Flags

32:32 Support Beyond Newborn Stage

34:15 Plugged Ducts vs Mastitis

Metropolitan Breastfeeding - main office is in Bethesda, Maryland​ with satellite offices in Northern Virginia in Fairfax, Alexandria, Chantilly, Woodbridge​. They don't have office space in DC, ​but we offer telehealth ​and home visits as well.

EMAIL:  [email protected]. 

WEBSITE: metropolitanbreastfeeding.com. ​

IG: @metropolitanbreastfeeding

For more info on Snugghug, visit their website here: https://www.snugghug.com/

On IG: @snugghug.com

Infant Risk Center​ is the resource Susan mentioned for expert Guidance on medications during breastfeeding & pregnancy: ​https://infantrisk.com/​

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.
Take care of each other. 

Mamistad,
Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.

Information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.

 In May of 2024, I recorded what is to-date, the most popular episode of Mom Chat with Mamistad. It isEpisode 9: Real Deal Mamahood with Mamistad 144, featuring a group I started in the Arlington, Virginia area. Three of its members, Michelle, Temi, and Natallia, blew me away with how honest and open they were, sharing both the highs and lows of new motherhood and the real impact their mom group has had on them, their kids, and their families.

Theirs is exactly the kind of group I hope every Mamistad member, every mom really, gets to experience. In a world where genuine connection can be so hard to find and community often feels elusive, I hope more moms will seek out mom groups wherever they can find them. You can absolutely do new motherhood alone. But it's so much easier when you share it with other moms.

*Natallia shared more of her amazing IVF journey on Ep.16 IVF for a 3rd Baby - The Journey to My Daughter w/Natallia of Mamistad 144

*See Temi's travel website here: https://withkidstravel.com/

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.

Mamistad,
Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.

Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.

Becoming a parent can be exciting and daunting all at once.  For parents who know a NICU stay is coming, preparation makes all the difference. For those caught off guard, knowing where to turn for support is key.

Our guest is TayyibahChase, a Mamistad Village Provider, a Perinatal Mental Health Certified, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and owner of Muna Wellness. Tayyibah's sweet baby was born at 27 weeks and, as a micro preemie, spent two months in the NICU.   Drawing on her training as a therapist, Tayyibah was able to recognize the mental health struggles tied to her traumatic birth and NICU experience before they overwhelmed her.  Now, she creates space for mothers to work through the emotional toll of the NICU journey, and offers therapy for NICU families navigating anxiety, fear, depression and the overall stress related to this experience.From guilt and shame, to adjusting to an intense hospital environment, to the pressure of tracking every detail and learning unfamiliar medical terms, to simple, raw fear — the NICU experience can also place real strain on a marriage.  

In this episode, we talk through ways to cope with these challenges, and the silver lining: that real support for NICU families can completely change what would otherwise be a heavier burden carried far longer than it needs to be, throughout the rest of your life as a parent.  

Important timestamps:

04:05 Her 27 Week Birth Story

06:21 Micro Preemie and NICU Reality

08:51 Trauma Triggers After Discharge

15:25 Common NICU Mental Health Themes
20:00 Practical Support NeoWell Shoutout
22:47 Coping Tools and EMDR Therapy
27:28 Dads and NICU Stress
31:56 Couples Communication Tools
37:21 Advocacy and Letting Go
40:32 Building Your Village

Where to find Tayyibah: 

Her website: https://www.munawellnesstherapy.com/

On Instagram: @muna_wellness

MAMISTAD VILLAGE MEMBERS THAT OFFER SUPPORT FOR NICU FAMILIES:

NEOwell -  NICU, Newborn & Pregnancy Support - provide comprehensive support for families at every stage of their journey, from high-risk pregnancy and newborn care to life after the NICU. Wherever you are in your journey, NEOwell is here to help: https://www.neowellpartners.com/

See our list of Mental Health Providers here: 

https://www.mamistad.com/tmvmaternalmentalhealth.

Those certified in EMDR:

Sarah Hagan, LCSW, PMH-C 

Jennifer Byrnes, LPC, PMH-C 

Megan MacCutcheon, LPC, PMH-C is also an EMDR practitioner.

More about EMDR: https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.
Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.
Thank you - YOU are appreciated! Take care of each other. Mamistad,
Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.

Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.

Erin Schlozman is an author, therapist, speaker, mom and maternal health specialist. Our chat today is an intro to her and a tip of the iceburg discussion of her amazing new book that she describes this way...

"My debut book, The Myth of the Perfect Mom, was born from the conversations mothers have behind closed doors — the ones about anxiety, identity transitions, falling in love over and over again, loneliness, and that quiet feeling that everyone else is handling motherhood better than you are.

Written as a therapist, maternal mental health advocate, and mom of two — and just featured in a conversation with Dr. Becky Kennedy — this book challenges the impossible standards modern mothers continue to carry.

Through personal stories, cultural insight, and honest conversations about matrescence, I dismantle the myths keeping moms stuck in shame and self-doubt, and replace them with something far more powerful: truth.

This isn't a parenting manual. It's the book that will set you free to mother in the way that's most authentic to you."

Some Highlights...

09:23 Medication And Learning To Mom

18:44 Myths Around Birth And Feeding

21:01 Reclaiming Your Birth Story

25:39 Myth Of Self Sufficiency

30:26 Identity Beyond Motherhood

Find info on Erin and her book The Myth of the Perfect Mother. here: https://www.erinschlozman.com/

On Instagram, she's @4th.trimester.wellness

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, connect with your fellow moms!

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.

Thank you - YOU are appreciated! Take care of each other. 

Mamistad,
Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.
Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.

Have you ever spotted a group of pregnant women and moms pushing strollers in the park? What might look like a casual outing is actually a masterfullly designed fitness program — one born from the vision of none other than, - you guessed it, a brilliant mom who identified a need and filled it herself!

Lisa Druxman founded FIT4MOM® in 2001 after discovering that other new moms were just as drawn to the exercise routine she'd created for herself. What started as a personal solution quickly grew into the nation's leading prenatal and postnatal fitness program., FIT4MOM®  Now serves tens of thousands of moms across the country with fitness classes and a community of support for every stage of motherhood. From pregnancy through postpartum and beyond, their programs are built to strengthen moms in body, mind, and spirit.

We're excited to welcome today's guest, Kelly Reid, owner of the DC FIT4MOM® Franchise. Kelly is also an amazing provider featured in The Mamistad Village. From the moment Kelly walked into her first FIT4BABY® pregnancy class, she was hooked — and joining the FIT4MOM® team turned out to be, in her own words, one of the best decisions she's ever made. She's passionate about maternal fitness and she knows the topic inside and out!

​Find Kelly at: https://dc.fit4mom.com/

On IG at: @fit4mom_dc

​In the Mamistad Village: ​https://www.mamistad.com/tmvmaternalhealthnutrition

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.
Thank you - YOU are appreciated! Take care of each other. 

Mamistad,
Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.

Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.

 The mom village looks different these days. Families are now scattered across cities and countries, and those built-in networks of moms and aunties ​are harder to secure. The current world has made it harder to find the kind of support and security that other generations may have taken for granted, especially during this uniquely vulnerable experience of becoming a mother for the first time. As a first time mom today, it's nearly impossible to really prepare yourself for what lies ahead.Most of us are familiar with the first pregnancy path we've grown up hearing about​. We stock up on baby gear,  build a registry, set up the nursery, coordinate support for those first few days, choose a pediatrician, figure out daycare. All of these things matter. But they can absorb our attention and sometimes prevent us from seeing the bigger picture.We are stepping into a profound transformation, one that will shape the rest of our lives. ​It sounds daunting, but here's the empowering part: We have a voice in how that transformation unfolds. The way we direct our focus during our first pregnancy can profoundly influence our experience as mothers. ​

M​y purpose today is to first, share some of what I've observed over the 20 years of working with first time pregnant and new moms​ - mainly the things that lead many of them to say, ​"no one told me it would be like this​." 

Secondly, I wan​t offer alternative ways to approach the new motherhood journey so ​new moms don't feel this way. ​

Finally, I wan​t to introduce ​m​y concept of the mom village​, The Mamistad Village, with the hope that you will join us or seek out one for yourself​ - because no app or registry can replace ​1) the value of sharing this journey with moms walking the same road ​o​r ​2) the wisdom of women who have been down this road before​, were inspired to learn more and are now back to guide us through​.

A few timestamps:

03:33 Why Moms Feel Blindsided

16:49 Introducing The Mamistad Village

20:06 Mental Health and Doulas

21:36 Health Nutrition and Lactation

25:23 Infant Health and Community

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes including all of those I mentioned today - and those I forgot to mention!

Thank you - YOU are appreciated! Take care of each other. 

Mamistad,

Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.

Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.

As New Moms, we face a world of uncertainty. Each day brings new adventures and we can't help but wonder what our littles will be like as toddlers, then big kids, then teenagers and beyond! Having solid parenting advice in advance can be a game changer - especially when it's from a master certified life and parenting coach and proud mom of 5 boys ranging in age from 17 - 31 years old. 

Today, we're joined by Heidi Allsop, proud mom of 5 boys, master certified life and parenting coach and host of the top 2.5% globally ranked podcast, Raising Boys, Building Men.  With a background in social work, advanced life coach training, and over three decades of experience raising sons, Heidi knows first-hand how discouraging it can feel to try to “fix” a son’s behavior, only to end up feeling even more disconnected.

Heidi enlightens us on some of the specific challenges our boys are facing and how we can better connect with and advocate for them. She also shares 5 AMAZING tips on how to better connect with our sons AND daughters! Her tools can not only help us have a better relationship with our kiddos, they can lead to a better understanding of ourselves as mothers.

Some time stamps:

03:41 Heidi’s Five Boys Story

07:04 Cancer Perspective Shift

09:02 A Mother Calms the Nervous System

12:48 FACTS VS. STORIES

18:02 Community and the Village

21:07 What's Different about Boys

25:11 Tip 1 - See The Good

28:57 Tip 2 - Praise Publicly - Correct In Private

31:10 Be Their Believer

31:36 Tip 3 - Boundaries

38:12 Tip 4 - Comparison Steals Joy

40:49 Tip 5 - Stop Micromanaging

44:19 Self Validation As MomWebsite: Heidi Allsop Coaching

48:35 Ask How They Feel Loved

(https://www.heidiallsopcoaching.com/)

Instagram: Heidi Allsop - Certified Life Coach (@heidiallsopcoaching)
Facebook: Heidi Allsop Coaching
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-allsop/

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.

Thank you - YOU are appreciated! Take care of each other. 

Mamistad,
Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.

Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.

 Touch sends wordless messages of sympathy and security that humans benefit from no matter their age. Medical research reveals touch is also essential to a child's health and emotional and psychological development. ~American Academy of Pediatrics.

Today's guest is registered nurse, certified infant massage instructor and certified pediatric massage therapist Melanie Wattles. Melanie the founder and CEO of Baby Strokes in Austin, Texas, where her goal is to promote infant child massage to facilitate bonding and to enable parents, babies, and children to experience the many benefits of massage. She says, cross-cultural studies show that in societies where babies are rocked and massaged, they tend to develop into adults that express compassion and caring rather than violence and aggression.

Melanie believes that deep emotional bonds formed in infancy through touch, lay the foundation for a lifetime of love, trust, courage, and dependability.

Today we'll discuss some of the many profoundly positive effects of infant massage on your child's physical health, including:

• more restful sleep
• positive effects on hormones
• relaxed muscles and increased flexibility
• better digestion
• less constipation
• stronger immunity
• lessening of colic symptoms

Studies show parents and caregivers also benefit from massaging their babies through a reduction of cortisol production and an increase in oxytocin, the feelgood hormone. This can be especially helpful in alleviating symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety. Plus it's super cute and it's incredibly bonding!

Find Melanie here:

Baby Strokes Website: https://babystrokes.com/

On Instagram: @babystrokes_infant_massage

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babystrokes1/?ref=PROFILE_EDIT_xav_ig_profile_page_web#

Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.
Thank you - YOU are appreciated! 

Take care of each other. 

Mamistad,

Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.

Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.

"You will lose yourself in motherhood. And though that might seem terrifying to you now, let me say the next part, the part we all keep forgetting: you will find someone entirely new. I feel like I want to say that again. You will lose yourself in motherhood.And: You will find someone entirely new."
— Jessie Harrold, Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage

Becoming a mother is a major transformation in a woman's life. Matrescence is the word used to describe this transformation in its many forms​ - some are physical, spiritual, emotional, economic, they affect your body, your relationships, your values, your identity, your career.

Our guest today is coach, doula and author, Jessie Harrold. She has been supporting women through radical life transformations and other rites of passage for over 15 years. She is also the host of the Becoming podcast and the author of Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage. Mothershift is a Nautilus Gold Medal Book Awards Winner, has been featured in international media and Is being recognized as contributing to a pivotal development in our understanding of matrescence.

One review states that "Mother Shift offers a wise, inspiring and practical view of what it can look like. When women are supported and encouraged to experience motherhood as a doorway to becoming more deeply in touch with who they are and what is possible in their lives. It is a vision for an experience of motherhood that is understood as a rite of passage filled with power and potential."

Jesse has also created a three month Mother shift program of support dedicated to helping you embody your motherhood and embrace the process of matrescence.

Jessie is brilliant, experienced, compassionate and a blessing to us all. I am humbled to have her as a guest on Mom Chat. I will now recommend mothership as a handbook to every Mamistad mom - and to all moms!Some timestamps:

01:14 Understanding Matrescence

03:18 Jessie's Journey into Motherhood

05:18 The Concept of Matrescence

11:49 Challenges and Realities of Modern Motherhood

22:06 The Four Elements of Radical Transformation

29:46 The Importance of Community​

​W​here to find Jessie:

• Instagram: ​ @jessie.es.harrold
• Website: ​https://www.jessieharrold.com/mothershift/
• ​Find the quiz​:  https://www.jessieharrold.com/quiz/
• ​Mothershift (the book): https://www.jessieharrold.com/mothershiftbook/
  
• ​Jessie's linktree.
• Jessie referenced the book Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture by Sara Petersen https://sara-petersen.com/momfluenced/
  

​Visit us at ⁠Mamistad.com⁠ for more info about Mamistad and to learn more about Mamistad groups! As always, if you're a new mom, even if it's not with Mamistad, please find your MAMA TRIBE.

Visit ⁠MOM CHAT WITH MAMISTAD⁠ for a full list of all episodes.
Thank you - YOU are appreciated! Take care of each other. 

Mamistad,
Cynthia

~Women are incredible, Moms are limitless, and a Sisterhood of Moms is a force of nature.
​ 
Information on this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care, to diagnose medical conditions, or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. We encourage anyone to seek help from a qualified medical professional where issues deem it necessary. No liability is assumed.