International Wardrobe Stylist. Style Consultant. Journalist. Amber Aaron Mosley is a Los Angeles-based style consultant and freelance writer. Native to the San Francisco Bay Area and a mother of two. I sit down for a candid chat on what was it like to expect when you weren't planning on expecting, how to create the support network you want when family and friends are not in your local area and how to pivot when your plans abruptly change. Aaron also gives style tips to mothers who are breastfeeding and want to looking fashionable, but also want to be functional. And fashion advice for new moms who want to embrace their new mom bodies. A HUGE gem that I took away from our conversation is how Aaron describes that she was raised by a group of women who embraced "radical-ness" which inspired her to define motherhood on her own terms. Sit back and have a listen and enjoy!

Follow Amber @itsamberaaron

website: www.amberaaron.com

Follow us @pushthrumom

website www.pushthrumom.com

Theme Music - Cozy by Peter Kuli

Outro Song- Socialite by Jontha Links

Ciara Bird is an artist, designer, natural healing practitioner and most importantly, a mother. I've loved all of Ciara's work for several years now and she was even pivotal in the branding of Push Thru, which she and I talked about during her interview. With me loving everything she's ever created I knew that I was going to love hearing about her motherhood journey. Ciara talks about her natural deliveries of both of her sons, the importance of having a doula and a home-birth. She also shares about her postpartum experience and the juggle of managing two little ones as the world began to shut down in the midst of a pandemic. Something so fascinating about Ciara is also the fact that she's a world traveler with her children. She spent a significant amount of time in Bali after her first was born and then during the recording of our interview she and her family had just settled into Senegal, Africa. Ciara also shares how her spiritual work and her awaken-ness has also played a key role in her rise into motherhood. One of the big take-aways I took from our discussion is how she plans on preparing her babies for the world. Sit back and have a listen to a phenomenal conversation with a mother I truly admire and adore.

Check out Ciara and all of her work @ https://www.ciarabird.com

Follow us @pushthrumom

Website www.pushthrumom.com

Theme song Cozy by Peter Kuli

Outtro Sweet Mother by Prince Nico

Mom shaming is something that many mothers encounter. People often have their opinions on how a mother should behave or spend their free time. In this episode, I interview mother, entrepreneur, and therapist, Katrina Pointer who talks about how self-care is essential to her life. She discusses her journey through motherhood, how support from her mother has been important, and how postpartum depression was something that she battled soon after giving birth to her daughter. We have a candid conversation about how doing what's best for you as a mother is important regardless of other's opinions. How you show up as a mom is rooted in how well you take care of yourself. Redefining motherhood on your own terms is something we all do. Kick back and have a listen.

Guest Info: www.katrinapointer.com

Website: www.pushthrumom.com

Follow Us: @pushthrumom

Theme Music: Cozy by Peter Kuli

Eren is a journalist and postpartum depression/anxiety survivor as well as the creator of "Good Moms Have Bad Days: Understanding Postpartum Depression”. The two of us talk about her postpartum experience with both of her babies and the fact that it was her husband telling her “you need to get help” that sparked her to reach out to a therapist. We discuss breaking the stigma of mental health for mothers, utilizing the remarkable resource that is Postpartum Support International, and how getting on medication helped her cope with her postpartum symptoms. This was an unbelievable discussion between the two of us because these are the conversations that aren’t often had. In an effort to break the stigma and help mothers overcome the shame, more talks like this have to be had. Just because a mother has a bad day doesn’t mean that she is a bad mother.

Check out Eren here:

https://www.goodmomshavebaddays.com

Our Sponsor Ade Wraps:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdeWraps

Website:

www.pushthrumom.com

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@pushthrumom

In this week's episode I sit down with my dear sis-in-law, Pauline. She talks about dedicating her life to her children and even though she is tasked with several responsibilities, she still finds time to carve out for herself. Pauline is a successful author that has released several riveting novels and she is an example of how mothers can still find time to carve out space for themselves. She goes through her day-to-day and how she strategically meets the needs of her family, while also getting up in the early hours of the morning to write out a few chapters for her latest novel. Self-care comes in many forms and creativity is how Pauline finds hers.

Find Pauline's Latest books here on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=francés+paul&ref=nb_sb_noss

Push Thru Mom: Identity

https://www.pushthrumom.com/events/push-thru-mama-annual-conference-2020

Black Maternal Mental Health Summit

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0wPqx1z_QwiCOGC9LYYm_w

In this week’s episode I have the honor of interviewing the critically acclaimed author, Arah Iloabugichukwu. Her new book, Of Mothers & Daughters, is our book of the month and during our discussion we dive into what inspired her to write this vulnerable yet compelling piece of work. The biggest truth that comes from Arah’s story is how she was able to work through the troubled relationship she had with her mother and use that to understand her mother as a woman. Arah is a lifelong writer who first began her exploration of the art of storytelling in the third grade. Imposter syndrome survivor and former self defeatist, she spends her time penning literary pieces on popular culture, social justice issues and human behavior. She lives in Houston, Texas with her loving family. Her work has been featured in Madam Noire and Medium. Of Mothers and Daughters deals with trauma, sexual assault, abuse, anxiety, mental health, motherhood and so much more. Take a listen to one of my most favorite interviews.

Grab your copy of Arah’s new novel NOW:

https://iamarah.com

Check out Arah’s latest work here:

https://arahthequill.medium.com

Theme Song:

Cozy by Peter Kuli

Featured Song

Sweet Mother by Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz

I volunteered with Big Brother Big Sister for 13 years and in addition to being gifted a phenomenal little sister, I was also honored with getting to know her mother, Essence. I've always admired her with how she could have the ability to raise four children as a single mother. And even now having one daughter at Kenyon College and another at Wake Forrest, both on full ride scholarships, Essence knows how to be a present, fun mother that drives the importance of education. Being selfless and sacrificing several wants and needs helped her to get her children to the places where they are today. But she didn't forget about herself and her wants and desires in the end. I'm privileged to sit down and have an interview, Essence, and talk through her journey of motherhood and how she was able to push through.

To volunteer with BBBS: https://www.bbbs.org

Song: Cozy by Peter Kuli

Follow us: @pushthrumom

Website: www.pushthrumom.com

In this week's episode, I sit down for a fun, insightful chat with Dr. Ayanna Abrams, psychologist, advocate, speaker, writer, and my co-pop-culture enthusiast. We cover a range of topics from the insanity that happened at the capital last week, our review of Pixar's Soul and black Twitter's disdain with the film, Mahjong Women culture appropriating a centuries old Chinese game, the new Clubhouse App, Miyah Pensetto (eye roll), Hilaria Baldwin's identity, and my all time favorite topic, who's the best singer/rapper, Drake or Lauryn Hill. Tune in for a laugh or two. And also, let me know who you think would win in a Drake versus Lauryn Hill.

In today's episode, I have the pleasure of sitting down with the ambitious, purpose driven, Carla Saunders. Carla shares the story of how most of her life she's worked hard to obtain the wonderful things that she's accumulated. But the other side of ambition is that sometimes we can put unnecessary pressure on ourselves and we can feel the need to do it all by ourselves. Carla shares how her anxiety pushed her to the point of needing to get into therapy in order for her to be the mother she wanted to be and the woman she wanted to be. She is a published author of the book Dear Fear Volume 3. - 10 Compelling True Stories of Women Living Their Life on the Other Side of Fear and a mother to 3 yo Caleb.

Follow Us: @pushthrumom

website: www.pushthrumom.com

Music: Cozy w/ Still Haze By Peter Kuli

This week's episode I sit down with fellow mom, Brandi Frazier, and we talk about her traumatic postpartum experience and how advocating for herself to her doctor saved her life. Brandi Frazier is a mom, wife, sister and daughter who is originally born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. Brandi has a passion for speaking and making an impact on anyone she meets. Her high energy and zest for life makes her a great friend and a trusted educator. When Brandi became a new mom to an awesome baby

boy named Zachary, her life changed. Brandi had an amazing labor and delivery but ended up being hospitalized due to post pregnancy

complications, 13 days after giving birth. This traumatic experience inspired Brandi to create Bee Empowered Mama which is an organization that provides educational resources and services for women throughout their pregnancy and postpartum. Brandi is truly

passionate about empowering women and she truly believes it is apart of her purpose. Brandi currently resides in Atlanta, GA with her wonderful husband and son.

Follow Brandi at:

Instagram: @beeempoweredmama

Facebook: Bee Empowered Mama

Website: www.BeeEmpoweredMama.com

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website: www.pushthrumom.com

IG: @pushthrumom

Music: Cozy w/ Still Haze by Peter Kuli