Mothering Out Loud with Kristin

Episode 14: How Frozen Pizza Changed My Life

I never thought I’d say frozen pizza changed my life… but honestly, it kind of did.

What started as one small decision to make Friday nights easier became a reminder I still come back to when life feels like too much:

What’s the frozen pizza here?

In this episode of Mothering Out Loud, I’m talking about why we can so easily give other women permission to rest, ask for help, or make things easier—but struggle to give ourselves that same permission.

We’ll talk about the expectations we carry, the things we keep doing simply because we’ve always done them, and why making something easier doesn’t mean we care less.

Sometimes we don’t need to figure out how to do it all. Sometimes we need to ask:

Does all of this actually need to be done? And does it all need to be done by me?

Maybe your frozen pizza is takeout. Maybe it’s leaving the laundry in the basket. Maybe it’s saying no, asking for help, or letting something be good enough.

Whatever it is, I hope this episode gives you a little permission to find yours.

💬 What should we talk about next?

Is there something about motherhood you’ve been thinking, feeling, or going through that you wish more people talked about? I’d love to hear it. Visit the Mothering Out Loud page on my website and suggest a topic for a future episode:

https://www.westernctdoula.com/podcast

And if this episode made you think of another mom, send it her way. ❤️

Episode 13: Friendship Has Seasons, Just Like Motherhood Does

Have you ever looked back and realized a friendship that used to feel unbreakable just… isn’t what it was anymore?

No fight. No falling out. You just aren’t as close as you used to be.

In this episode of Mothering Out Loud, I’m talking about how our friendships change through the different seasons of motherhood—from the women who help us feel less alone when our babies are little, to friendships that quietly fade, to the people we still love but hardly ever see anymore.

I share some of my own experiences with friendship through the years, including finding a group of moms when I felt incredibly isolated as a new mother, losing a friendship without ever really understanding why, and realizing as an empty nester that we don’t stop needing our friends just because our children grow up.

We’ll talk about missing people who used to be part of our everyday lives, wondering why some friendships changed, and learning that a friendship doesn’t have to last forever to have really mattered.

And maybe one of the nicest things to remember is that we’re never too old to find new friends. There may still be people we haven’t even met yet who will become an important part of our lives.

If you’ve ever missed a friend, wondered what happened to a friendship you thought would last forever, or realized your circle looks very different than it once did, this episode is for you.

For moms in every season of motherhood.

Have a topic you’d love to hear me talk about on Mothering Out Loud? Share it here: westernctdoula.com/podcast⁠

Episode 12: Missing Your Mom in Motherhood

No matter how old we are, there’s something about becoming a mom that can make us need our own mom in ways we never expected.

For some women, that longing comes because their mom is no longer here. For others, it’s because she lives far away, their relationship has always been complicated, or they simply hoped this season of motherhood would look different.

In this episode, I share stories from my years as a postpartum doula and talk about the quiet longing, unmet expectations, and complicated emotions that motherhood can bring to the surface.

This isn’t a conversation about blaming our moms. It’s about making space for the many different ways we experience missing them—and reminding every mother that she deserves to be cared for, too.

I’d love to hear from you. If there’s a motherhood topic you’d like me to cover on a future episode, visit my podcast page and send me your ideas. www.westernctdoula.com/podcast

Episode 11: What If You’re Not Doing It Wrong?

After a brief pause from the podcast, I’m so grateful to be back with you.

In this heartfelt episode, we’re talking about one of the deepest fears so many mothers carry—the fear that somehow we’re doing it all wrong.

If you’ve ever laid awake replaying the day, questioned your parenting decisions, or worried that one difficult moment might define your child, this conversation is for you.

Together, we’ll explore:

* Why today’s parenting culture can leave us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from our intuition.

* The pressure to “fix” every emotion our children experience—and why that’s not actually our job.

* How one hard day, one tantrum, or one bedtime battle doesn’t define your motherhood.

* Why love, connection, and repair matter so much more than perfection.

* The gentle reminder we all need: Tomorrow is a new day.

My hope is that you’ll leave this episode feeling lighter, encouraged, and reminded that you were never meant to mother alone.

If this conversation spoke to your heart, I’d be so grateful if you shared it with another mama who may need this reminder today.

I’d also love to hear from you. What topics would encourage you in this season of motherhood? What conversations would you love to hear on a future episode of Mothering Out Loud?

You can leave your ideas, questions, or topic suggestions on the podcast page at www.westernctdoula.com.

Your messages help shape future episodes, and I’d truly love to hear from you.

Until next time…

Be gentle with yourself.

Tomorrow is a new day.

Let’s keep mothering out loud together!

Lately, life has felt very full.

Between work, caregiving, responsibilities, and the constant pressure to keep up, it’s easy to move through our days without ever really slowing down enough to experience them while we’re living them.

In this episode, I reflect on the idea of “slow motherhood,” the ordinary moments we miss most, and the pace of modern life that so many mothers quietly struggle with.

This is a gentle conversation about presence, overcommitting, caregiving, nostalgia, and learning how to create more space to breathe inside our lives.

Whether you’re in the thick of raising little ones, navigating a new season of motherhood, or simply feeling exhausted by how fast life moves, I hope this episode feels like a reminder to slow down just a little and be present for the moments that matter most.

💛 Connect with me here:

https://www.westernctdoula.com/podcast

Mother’s Day is supposed to feel joyful and full of love… but for so many moms, it doesn’t.

In this episode, we talk about the very real feelings that can come up this time of year—stress, anxiety, pressure, and even guilt.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by expectations to show up, travel, host, or celebrate everyone else… while all you really want is a quiet day at home—you are not alone.

This is a gentle, honest conversation to remind you that your feelings are valid—and that this day gets to include you too.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a mom who might need to hear this.

And don’t forget to follow the podcast and leave a review—it helps more moms find this space and feel less alone.

Let’s keep mothering out loud together 💛

Episode 8: I Love My Partner… So, Why Do I Feel So Disconnected After Kids?

You love your partner…

so why does it feel like you’re just not really connecting anymore?

If you’ve ever found yourself thinking “I miss us”—you are not alone.

In this episode, we’re talking about the quiet shift that happens in relationships after kids—when life feels nonstop, connection becomes harder, and intimacy starts to change.

We’ll cover:

• Why disconnection is so common in motherhood

• What’s really happening when you feel overwhelmed or “touched out”

• How communication differences can create distance

• Simple, realistic ways to start feeling like a team again

This conversation is for any mom who wants to feel seen, supported, and connected again—without pressure or perfection.

✨ Want to share your thoughts or connect with me:

https://www.westernctdoula.com/podcast

✨ Or email me directly:

[email protected]

If this episode resonates, share it with another mom who might need to hear it—and don’t forget to follow so you never miss a conversation like this 🤍

Why does it feel like everything falls on you as a mom?

In this episode of Mothering Out Loud, we’re talking about something so many mothers experience —

and even when we talk about it with friends…

there’s still that underlying feeling that it’s just our responsibility to carry it all.

Not just the physical tasks…

but the mental load, the emotional weight, and the pressure to do things “the right way.”

We’ll talk about how this pattern begins, how it can affect our relationships, and why so many moms find themselves doing everything — even when they don’t want to.

If you’ve ever felt like everything depends on you… this episode is for you.

🌿 Visit the podcast page:

www.westernctdoula.com

📬 Share your thoughts, suggest a topic, or reach out:

[email protected]

🎙 Episode 6: Why Do I Feel So Overwhelmed All the Time?

Have you ever had one of those moments where everything just suddenly feels like too much?

Not because anything big happened…

but the noise, the mess, the constant needing —

and you can feel it in your body.

In this episode of Mothering Out Loud with Kristin, I’m talking about a kind of overwhelm that so many of us experience as mothers — the overstimulation, the constant input, and the way it quietly builds until it feels like we’ve reached our limit.

This isn’t about the to-do list.

It’s about how it feels.

If you’ve ever felt touched out, on edge, or guilty for needing a moment to step away… this episode is for you.

If this episode speaks to you, I’d love if you could:

• ​Follow or subscribe to the podcast
• ​Leave a review (it really helps other moms find this space)
• ​Share this episode with a friend who might need it

✨ Want to share your story, ask a question, or suggest a topic?

Visit the podcast page on my website:

👉 www.westernctdoula.com

You’ll find links to submit your thoughts (anonymously if you’d like) and connect by email:

📬 [email protected]

Thanks so much for being here.

Let’s keep Mothering Out Loud — together 🤍

🎙️Episode 1: Feeling Lonely As A Mom? You’re Not the Only One

We’re diving into something real today — a feeling so many moms carry, but rarely talk about out loud: loneliness.

Whether you’re a new mom home all day with a baby, juggling work and motherhood, or adjusting to the quiet of an empty nest… loneliness shows up in unexpected ways. Sometimes it’s about the lack of connection. Sometimes it’s about relationships not looking how we hoped — with our partner, our parents, or even ourselves.

In this episode, I’m sharing some of my own stories, moments from moms I’ve worked with, and the deeper emotional undercurrent that so many of us carry in motherhood — no matter the season.

You’re not alone in feeling this way. And it’s not a reflection of how much you love your kids — it’s just part of being human. Of being a mother.

💛 If this episode speaks to you, I’d love if you could:

Follow or subscribe to the podcast

Leave a review (it really helps other moms find this space)

Share this episode with a friend who might need it

✨ Want to share your story, ask a question, or suggest a topic?

Visit the podcast page on my website:

👉 www.westernctdoula.com

You’ll find links to submit your thoughts (anonymously if you’d like) and connect by email:

📬 [email protected]

Thanks so much for being here.

Let’s keep Mothering Out Loud — together.