We're back with Part 2 of our hormone health deep dive featuring Nurse Practitioner and hormone expert, Teneika Gravely.

In this episode, we explore how hormones impact weight loss, especially postpartum. From cortisol spikes and estrogen dominance to thyroid issues and inflammation, Teneika breaks down the science behind why weight loss can feel impossible after having a baby.

We also dive into perimenopause and menopause. As I approach 40, I was wondering if perimenopause should be on my radar. That's a big fat yes!

In this episode, we cover:

• Why diet and exercise aren't always enough. Hormone imbalance could be preventing you from losing weight.
• Perimenopause vs. menopause: Understanding the difference, and why menopause is just one day.
• Belly fat, anxiety, and insomnia—perimenopause symptoms are more intense than you'd expect.
• Bioidentical hormones, getting optimized, and lifestyle changes: Tools for a smoother transition.
• Endocrine disruptors are everywhere. What's messing with your hormones without you knowing?

Resources & Links:

• Perimenopause looks different for everyone. What can you expect?

Connect with Teneika:

• Follow on Instagram
• Follow on TikTok
• Connect on Facebook or LinkedIn
• View her website

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out my website

Related Episode:

• 15. Hormones control it all…from pregnancy to perimenopause, with Teneika Gravely - Part 1

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If you've ever felt like your hormones are running the show, you're not alone!

In this episode I sit down with Teneika Gravely, Nurse Practitioner and hormone health expert, for a deep dive into how our hormones influence everything—from energy levels to mental health.

We explore how hormones fluctuate through different life stages, and the surprising ways they impact pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery.

We had so much to unpack that there will be a Part 2 of our convo. Make sure to tune in—we're talking about how hormones impact metabolism and perimenopause.

In this episode, we cover:

• Navigating the hormonal rollercoaster of pregnancy and childbirth.
• Mommy brain: Myth or fact? What really happens to our brains when we're pregnant?
• Postpartum depression and anxiety: Recognizing the signs, even when they're not obvious.
• Matrescence and puberty are more alike than you think. Exploring hormonal and identity shifts of becoming a mom.
• Why diet and exercise aren't always enough. Hormone imbalance could be preventing you from losing weight.
• Should perimenopause be on your radar? (Spoiler: Yes!)

Resources & Links:

• Here's The Guardian article I mentioned that goes into detail about the study that shows how the brain reorganizes during pregnancy.
• What in the world is matrescence? Here's 5 things you need to know.
• Perimenopause looks different for everyone. What can you expect?

Connect with Teneika:

• Follow on Instagram
• Follow on TikTok
• Connect on Facebook or LinkedIn
• View her website

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out my website

Related Episode:

• 16. Hormones control it all…from pregnancy to perimenopause, with Teneika Gravely - Part 2

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

In this episode, my guest Alyse Tuccio and I reflect on our childhood experiences around nudity, modesty, food, self-control, and body image.

What started as a casual chit chat during a Brazilian wax, turned into a deep dive into the ways modesty standards were enforced differently for us versus our brothers.

In this unfiltered conversation, we unpack the messages we received growing up about our bodies, the fear of being objectified, and how these lessons still shape our behaviors today.

In this episode, we cover:

• Is there a "right" age when parents should stop changing or using the bathroom in front of their kids?
• Bathing children together is an opportunity to teach them about body awareness, boundaries, and consent.
• Fostering a healthy relationship with food starts with parents' behavior.
• The connection between enforced modesty and body shaming.
• While pop stars shaped our perception of the ideal body type, parents used them as blueprints for what is "inappropriate" dress.
• Does clothing choice have anything to do with sexual assault? (Spoiler: It doesn't—but society acts like it does.)

Resources & Links:

• If you're wondering if it's OK to be naked around your kids, or when you should start covering up, this article provides some great pros and cons to help you decide.
• Bathing children together—what you need to know.
• 5 Tips for Helping Kids Develop a Healthy Relationship with Food.
• Here's the study I reference in my final thought conducted by the City University of New York that covers dress and sex.
• 25 compliments you can use to build a child's self-esteem and self worth.
• Here's the article I found with tips on how to raise confident kids that I didn't get to.

Connect with Alyse:

• Follow on Instagram

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out my website

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

After taking the month of December to focus on my family and celebrate the holiday season, Momming as a Millennial is back with a new episode!

When my guest, Amanda Phillips got a text message from her son's preschool teacher telling her he was crying "too loudly" and disrupting the class, she started doubting her decision to send him to school.

At a complete loss, she emailed me wondering if she had done her son a disservice by not sending him to daycare. Overcome with emotion from reading her message, I set out to find some answers.

Join me and Amanda as we discuss her journey as a stay-at-home mom, the impact of the pandemic on family structure, and all aspects of the daycare debate.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why more and more American women are leaving the workforce to stay home with their children.
• COVID, childcare costs, political and societal influences—oh my!
• One mom's journey of leaving the workforce to stay home with her babies.
• How do finances work when there's one income? A stay-at-home mom's purchasing power.
• One thing SAHM's and working parents have in common.
• The great debate—is it better to send your child to daycare or keep them home?

Resources & Links:

• It's clear the COVID pandemic disproportionately impacted women in the workforce, especially in female-dominated sectors.
• What is the average cost of child care? Depends on what state you live in.
• More and more American women are forgoing work outside the home to take care of their children, citing the high cost of childcare as the biggest driver.
• I reference this study from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) when discussing daycare vs. staying home.

Connect with Amanda:

• Follow on Instagram

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out my website

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

Exactly one year ago today—on the day before Thanksgiving—I made a big decision: I was finally going to commit to developing and launching a podcast.

Now, a year later, I'm taking a moment to reflect on how far I've come, and I can't help but feel incredibly grateful. Grateful for this journey. Grateful for all the support I've received. Grateful for each of you who listens, shares, and connects with this podcast.

So this episode is all about YOU—the listeners who make this so rewarding. I wanted to take a beat and answer some of the questions you've been curious about. A huge thank you to everyone who submitted a question!

If you have more questions or ideas for future episodes, I'd love to hear them. Send me a DM on Instagram.

In this episode, we dive into your amazing questions. Here's a sneak peak of what we cover:

• My journey of practicing patience—it's something I work on daily.
• Why Tara Mohr's Playing Big is a must-read for every woman (seriously, go grab it!).
• The truth about feedback: It says much more about the giver than the receiver.
• It's normal to feel resentful or unappreciated sometimes. What truly matters is how we communicate and navigate those moments.
• A holiday confession: our Christmas trees keep getting bigger every year. This time, I'm bringing a tape measure to make sure it fits through the door.
• And yes, I've finally joined TikTok—come find me there!

Resources & Links:

• Here's Tara Mohr's blog post about unhooking from praise and criticism. And one more plug for her book, Playing Big. Every woman should read it!
• If you're a nerd like me and you want to read more about positive distinctiveness, this is for you.
• I found this article about overcoming resentfulness. It has some techniques for managing resentfulness that you can put into practice in your own relationship.

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Follow on TikTok
• Check out my website

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

This episode is HEAVY. I've been working on myself for a few years, and in doing so I've uncovered some traumas and brought to light some hard truths.

In this episode, I open up about my relationship with my parents. It's an emotional journey, and I don't make it through without shedding a few tears.

My extremely supportive guest, Stephany Weingartner and I explore the concept of parents as friends. We discuss some difficult situations we experienced growing up, highlighting how complex parent-child relationships can be.

This conversation isn't easy, but I hope that by being open and vulnerable, I can encourage others to start similar discussions in their own lives and begin the healing they deserve.

In this episode, we cover:

• How the roles and responsibilities of being a parent differ from those of being a friend.
• The challenges of parent-child role confusion and enmeshment that can occur when parents treat their children as friends.
• What happens when parents rely on their children as confidants, or lean on them for emotional support. It can create lasting effects on the child's mental well-being.
• The concept of parentification—when children are made to take on adult-like caregiving or emotional responsibilities for their parents.
• The importance of setting boundaries, maintaining a clear parental role, and protecting children from adult burdens and responsibilities.

Resources & Links:

• Clinical psychologist Maddy Drew says while your child is still young, parents should avoid pursuing a friendship with them.

• Licensed mental health counselor Chautè Thompson explains there is a difference between being friendly with your children, and being friends.

• This article includes the study that illustrates what could happen when children are treated as their parent's confidant. (Koerner et al 2002)

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

We're back for part 2! I'm joined again by Mandy Kraska, an experienced educator, as we dive deeper into how personality traits influence our parenting styles.

Mandy kicks things off by sharing how her personality translates into her role as teacher. It looks something like: high expectations and personalized support, with some tough love mixed in.

I share a cringe-worthy story about managing my son's daily homework assignments, which quickly became a high-stress situation. Thankfully, I'm not alone!

What's the right approach -- helicopter, gentle parenting, laissez faire? Mandy and I get into the weeds on how our personality tendencies and challenges shape our approaches when it comes to helping our kids (or choosing to step back).

In this episode, we cover:

• How high expectations and personalized support outside of the classroom translates for students who speak a language other than English.
• The challenges of homework time, perfectionism, and learning to let go. Getting overly involved in our children's homework has only caused stress for us and them.
• Focusing on real-world skills both at home and in the classroom emphasizes the larger goal we have as parents - helping our children grow into capable and well-rounded adults.
• When research shows that stepping in too much can hinder children's independence, how do we find the right balance?
• There's no one-size-fits-all approach, but achieving the right mix of hands-on support and encouraging independence is key.

Resources & Links:

• Here's the study that discusses how kids can benefit when parents take a step back.

Connect with Mandy:

• Follow on Instagram

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

This episode is all about personality types and how they impact our parenting styles, both positively and negatively.

I'm joined by Mandy Kraska, a seasoned educator, who brings a unique perspective to the conversation. Join us for an honest conversation about our own personality traits and the ongoing struggle to find balance between routine and spontaneity.

Spoiler: I earned the nickname "All Business" in my early 20s, so you can guess what type of personality I bring to the table!

And in the best guest moment I've experienced so far—Mandy shares why she always employs the Boy Scouts motto: Be Prepared.

We had so much to cover that we couldn't fit it all into one episode. Stay tuned for part 2, coming soon!

In this episode, we cover:

• The intricate relationship between personality types and parenting styles.
• How understanding your personality type creates self-awareness, helping to manage both internal and external conflicts.
• The self-imposed stress to create "perfect" experiences for our children, and recognizing when to let go to avoid burnout.
• Setting realistic expectations, and finding a balance between structured routines and spontaneity.
• Managing the heavy mental load and overstimulation that comes with parenting and always being "on."

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about the four personality types and see where you fall.

Connect with Mandy:

• Follow on Instagram

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

This episode is all about the highs and lows of traveling with children. I'm joined by my dear friend Melanie Pellegrino as we dish on the recent vacation our families took together.

As two women who LOVE to travel, adding families into the mix has certainly brought a new layer of stress and planning to our adventures.

Join us as we dig into why traveling is such an important part of our lives, and what we're doing to pass that love of adventure onto our children.

We cover everything from the challenges of packing for the entire family, to dealing with decision fatigue and disruptions to our kids' routines. We also discuss the lifelong benefits children (and the whole family!) gain from traveling.

In this episode, we cover:

• The joys and struggles of traveling with our children.
• How to overcome challenges of traveling with young kiddos, including the stress of packing, decision fatigue, and routine disruptions.
• Post-COVID world - our little ones were poorly prepped for public outings.
• Memories are forever, and so are the developmental benefits children gain from exposure to new environments.

Resources & Links:

• Explore the transformative impacts of family vacations by age group.
• Dr. Robin Hancock shares how travel positively impacts children's developmental growth in this article that stresses the importance of traveling with children.
• Did you know it's possible to increase your child's IQ through travel? Decades of neuroscientific research sheds light on brain development and function.

Connect with Melanie:

• Follow on Instagram

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

In this episode I'm thrilled to be joined by Dr. Katie Kicinski-Burkhardt, PhD, MPH, CHES®, health educator and researcher.

We got to talk about one of my favorite topics: feminism. Together we addressed common misconceptions about feminism, and discussed the importance of instilling feminist values in our children - boys and girls alike.

Spoiler alert - it's not easy!

When politics and media have a pervasive role in shaping the personality and character of our little humans, how do we make sure we're doing all we can to teach values of equality and inclusivity? Tune in to hear what Dr. Kicinski-Burkhardt has to say.

In this episode, we cover:

• What feminism means and dispel common misconceptions.
• The influence government and media have on our personal lives, and what it could mean for future generations.
• What it means to have choiceless choices (my new favorite phrase).
• The importance of a person-centric approach in health care, especially when it comes to women's health.
• Practical tips for teaching values of equality, empathy, and inclusivity to our children - starting at home with intention and self-awareness.

Resources & Links:

• Dr. Kicinski-Burkhardt referenced this book when speaking about women's health, and government and media influence on public opinion: How All Politics Become Reproductive Politics: From Welfare Reform to Foreclosure to Trump, by Laura Briggs
• For my fellow research lovers, here is a detailed list of some of the feminist movements, achievements, and other moments in our country's history where women's rights have been impacted.

Connect with Dr. Katie Kicinski-Burkhardt:

• On LinkedIn

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

Related Episode:

• 02. Blue v. Pink: Gender stereotypes in playtime

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