Mommy and Maine

Calina Keating, RN is a Neonatal Critical Care Registered Nurse and owner of The Mama Coach in Maine. She lives in Biddeford with her husband, Myles, and puppy, Cowboy. Calina graduated with her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Montana State University and has worked in several high level Neonatal Intensive Care Units across the country. Calina started her business, The Mama Coach,  in March of 2023 to provide families with the support and education to make parenthood easier. She works with families in the prenatal period through the 4th trimester to provide one-on-one or group education and evidence informed care. She works with families virtually, in-home, and through workshops in the community. Calina offers a variety of services, but specializes in difficult bottle feeding, breastfeeding, and newborn sleep. Her goal is to help you find the evidence informed solutions that work for you and your family! 

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Before creating Raise Playspace, Amanda was an educator with a degree in Early Childhood and 12 years of teaching experience. Working in public schools and nonprofit early intervention centers, she understood the importance of support for both children and their families. After leaving the classroom to raise her own children, she quickly realized the resources and support she was seeking were few and far between. She set out to make a place for children to learn through play and for parents to catch their breath and know they are not alone. Amanda believes that by connecting with each other and our children, we can feel more grounded, empowered, and supported. Her hope is that Raise feels like home and a breath of fresh air. She can't wait to meet you there.

Join Amanda Rothbart, owner of Raise Playspace, during this raw conversation where she shares her experience of how being a new parent and SAHM led her to want to open a community resource and space for families to gather. She shares the realities of new motherhood, opening up about how her expectations of what she thought it would be didn't always seem to align with how it really was. Amanda vulnerably talks about the sacrifices we make as moms, the pull between deciding to stay home or return to work, and the emotions and challenges that often arise during those first early years. Amanda has learned that stepping out of your comfort zone to connect with others is how new friendships are created and true community is cultivated.

Raise Playspace is located in Scarborough, ME and offers several workshops, classes, and groups that are geared for both children and their caregivers, offering an inclusive space to play, learn, and grow together.

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Abby Smith is a certified lactation counselor here in Maine, owning and operating her business, Giving Tree Lactation. Abby specializes in breastfeeding education and in-home lactation support. In 2019 when Abby had her first son, she quickly realized the lack of breastfeeding support and help available to a new mom. Abby's true passion is to ensure moms have realistic expectations and breastfeeding support during those challenging first days, weeks, and months. 

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Chelsey is a southern Maine mom with a background of 8+ years as a pediatric occupational therapist. Chelsey graduated from the University of New England with a bachelors of science degree in Occupational Studies and continued on at UNE to earn her masters of science degree in Occupational Therapy. Throughout her career, Chelsey has supported children of all ages in various settings including: outpatient, school-based, in-home care and telehealth. Following the birth of her first daughter, Chelsey sought out resources through literature, support groups, locally based services, and continuing education courses to expand her knowledge of infant growth and development. Chelsey has become a trusted source of guidance and information to her closest friends and family and is excited to provide the same opportunity to other families.

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Emma is a born and bred Mainer and a professional nanny, living in the midcoast and working in Portland, Maine. With over 4 years of professional, full-time, nannying experience and over a decade of working with children at large, she's passionate about the early years and loves spending her days helping children and families thrive. Emma's a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and an active member of both the International and United States Nanny Associations. In her free time, you can find her exploring Maine's rocky coast, thrifting for vintage treasures, serving at her church, or tending to her aspiring jungle of houseplants.

Emma offers her services as a CPST to the Greater Portland area for free and by appointment. Appointment requests can be submitted via the google form linked in her bio @TheMaineNanny. Her page is full of caregiving wisdoms, nanny tips, and she even has a "guide" highlighting some of her favorite child-friendly spots in the Greater Portland area. 

No matter where you're located, you can find a certified tech near you by going to Cert.SafeKids.org, "Find a Tech" and searching by your state or zip code.

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Welcome back to the Mommy and Maine Podcast! For the first release of 2023, I wanted to share a solo episode where I talk about how and why I chose my word of the year. I provide tips for reflecting on your own matrescence journey, how that can serve you in choosing your own word of the year, and actionable steps to put it into motion right away. 

Going forward, expect to hear a new episode released every Tuesday. I will be doing two solo episodes per month and two interviews per month with local professionals. 

Please let me know your takeaways from today's show! I love to hear your responses and feedback, and am always willing to chat. If nothing else, I hope today's episode inspired you to take a deeper look at your own matrescence journey and evaluate where you're at in this current season of life. What feels good to you? What is serving you and lending a hand to your own development and transformation? Hone in on what really matters and get clear on your values this year, momma. Share with a friend and tag me over on instagram, @mommyandmaine. 

Shannon Parker is a teacher, a mom, and the owner of CALM and SLEEPY family wellness. Her business’s focus is to educate and serve the caregiver community she loves and also support families virtually in any location. As a certified pediatric sleep consultant, she creates one on one custom sleep guides and goes the extra step to walk parents through any sleep difficulties, preparations, or changes. She regularly teaches yoga and mindfulness to kids and their families in southern Maine and brings easy to use techniques into the homes of her consulting clients. With the emotional and often overwhelming topic of sleep, Shannon creates calm.

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Amie Marzen is the founder and president of Madeline's Mission, a 501c3 nonprofit organization located in Midcoast Maine. Founded in 2019, Madeline’s Mission– Rising Hope for Healing, is a passion project in memory of her late daughter, Madeline. Madeline’s Mission seeks to provide support to families grieving the loss of a child.  Professionally, Amie is self-employed as a nonprofit manager, communications consultant and advocate for nonprofits in Maine and New Hampshire. Amie is the mother of three (Madeline, Benjamin and Malia) and has been married to her husband, Andy, for nearly 17 years.  She resides in Bath, Maine and in her free time… she has no free time, she has small children.  Her preferred pronouns are she/ hers. 

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Katelyn Burrell is a Maine native, podcaster, and mother to two beautiful twins, Brooks and Beverly. She graciously and generously shares her story with us talking about what the surrogacy process looked like for her and her family, following a pregnancy loss and breast cancer diagnosis (that she's survived - yay!). This vulnerable conversation discusses themes focused on redefining our expectations, identity shifts and transformational self-healing, loss and grief, accepting help, finding your tribe, gratitude practices, and relying heavily on the notion that "doors will open for opportunities and paths that are meant for you; the ones that are not, will be a door slammed shut." 

If anyone has questions for Katelyn, would like to pick her brain about all things surrogacy, including how to start the process, navigating the systems and legalities of it all, please reach out to her for more guidance. She can be found on Instagram, @kb.shineyourlight .

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Rachel Pelletier is a certified personal trainer and health coach. Her business, Mamabear Fitness, specializes in perinatal health and consists of both online and in-person training. Rachel went to school at Springfield College, earning a Bachelor's degree in exercise science. Additionally, she holds multiple certifications in the health and fitness industry. Prior to going full time on Mamabear Fitness, Rachel worked for 5 years at Maine Medical Center's Turning Point Cardiac Rehab as a cardiac exercise specialist. Rachel is on a mission to guide women like you through a program that gets you stronger while embodying values of balance, moderation, and confidence. She works with her clients to realistically achieve their goals, while still being fully present in other aspects of their life. Rachel is passionate about showing future and new moms that exercise does not have to be an "all or nothing" approach, especially in such a busy season of life.

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