In today’s episode, we're talking about navigating the toddlerhood phase, and how we, as parents, need to shift our focus and adjust our expectations.


My guest, Sara Whaley, is the CEO and owner of Joyful Toddler Parenting. Sara is a parent coach for toddler parents, and a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst - she's based out of the USA, where she lives with her partner and two toddlers.


Sara and I discuss everything from the social media evolution of ‘gentle parenting’, to the most common ways we overestimate and underestimate our toddlers. Sara clearly breaks down how factors such as inadequate self-care, burnout, and mom guilt can get in the way of us parenting the way we’d like to.


As she says in our interview, “Toddlers are hard. They just are.” But Sara’s goal is to help all parents find the joy in this stage, despite its challenges.


Want to know how you can join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community?
Sign up for weekly updates
Join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community Facebook group
Follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram

In today's episode, we're talking about a very important topic - postpartum depression.

I'm joined by Maranda Bower, Founder and CEO of Postpartum University and mother of 4, to talk about her own personal story battling extreme postpartum depression, postpartum rage, as well as a diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder and postpartum bi-polar.

Maranda is here to share how this debilitating experience led her to creating Postpartum University - an online education facility that has been recognized as the “leading postpartum resource” for Professionals and Experts in the field, as well as for thousands of mothers around the globe.

You can purchase Maranda's new book, Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness: A Holistic Guide to Returning to the Roots of Health in Motherhood, now available in all major retailers.


Links from today's episode:
Postpartum University
'Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness' by Maranda Bower (book)
The BRAZEN Podcast- "Live a more bold, curious, & vibrant life"

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Commissions may be earned through some of the links provided above.



THANKS AGAIN TO THIS EPISODE'S SPONSOR/FELLOW PODCASTING MAMA!
'This Mama Means Business' Podcast (Kylie Kelly)
www.kyliekelly.com (for more tips, course, etc.)

Kylie is a past contributor, and an upcoming guest on the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Podcast, and has been so inspiring to connect with! If you are a mompreneur, or a mama looking to learn how to build and scale your business while you raise your babies - check out her website and podcast to start!

Want to know how you can join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community?
Sign up for weekly updates
Join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community Facebook group
Follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram

Hey Mamas!


It's been a minute...but the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Podcast is back!


In this mini solo-episode, I'm sharing a bit more about MY current motherhood reality - including some of the ways that mom guilt, self-doubt, loss of identity, and uncertainty about what I want/need as a mama creep into my daily life...almost 2 and a half years into this journey we call motherhood!


I'll be back shortly with more interviews and upcoming episodes on postpartum depression, raising dual-culture/bilingual children, balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood, and more!


Thanks for hitting download on some motherhood reality today, and if you're new here...make sure to check out some of the past episodes!


-Rae Lynn Minke xo



THANKS AGAIN TO THIS EPISODE'S SPONSOR/FELLOW PODCASTING MAMA!
'This Mama Means Business' Podcast (Kylie Kelly)
www.kyliekelly.com (for more tips, course, etc.)

Kylie is a past contributor, and an upcoming guest on the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Podcast, and has been so inspiring to connect with! If you are a mompreneur, or a mama looking to learn how to build and scale your business while you raise your babies - check out her website and podcast to start!

Want to know how you can join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community?
Sign up for weekly updates
Join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community Facebook group
Follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram

In today's episode, we’re talking about SLEEP....so maybe take a minute now to go grab your journal, or open the Notes app on your phone - because you never know when you might need a little more information about infant, toddler, or childhood sleep!


I’m joined by Kim Davis, founder of 'Babes & Beyond Pediatric Sleep Consulting'. She’s a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, with a psychology degree in child development, and a whole HOST of certifications and experience working in the field of sleep.

We cover a lot in today’s interview, INCLUDING some sleep-related questions that I’ve collected directly from the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community! Tune in for Kim's direct responses and advice for each Mama who contributed.

Did YOU submit a sleep question? Want to make sure you know when the next Q & A is happening on the pod? Go follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram, or come over and join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community on Facebook, and join in the conversation / get notifications about all upcoming podcast episodes!

LINKS FROM TODAY'S EPISODE:
Babes & Beyond Pediatric Sleep Consulting
KIM's BOOK RECOMMENDATION: 'The Wonder Weeks'
Family Sleep Institute

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Commissions may be earned through some of the links provided above.


THANKS AGAIN TO THIS EPISODE'S SPONSOR/FELLOW PODCASTING MAMA!
'This Mama Means Business' Podcast (Kylie Kelly)
www.kyliekelly.com (for more tips, course, etc.)

Kylie is a past contributor, and an upcoming guest on the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Podcast, and has been so inspiring to connect with! If you are a mompreneur, or a mama looking to learn how to build and scale your business while you raise your babies - check out her website and podcast to start! 

Want to know how you can join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community?
Sign up for weekly updates
Join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community Facebook group
Follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram

In today’s episode, we’re talking about BLENDED FAMILIES, and the challenges and complexities that come with being a co-parent or step-parent within them.

I’m joined by Amy Stone - she’s a Life Coach, Blended Family Expert, and NINJA level communicator - who helps parents and step-parents in blended families to find and create more JOY and HAPPINESS in their lives.

'RAISE YOUR HAND MAMA' SEGMENT:
As usual, I’m also sharing a few thoughts from 2 blended family mamas in the Raise Your Hand Community, so stick around for some motherhood reality! They share their experiences and lived wisdom around:

-the IMPORTANCE of communication
-dynamic shifts throughout different stages
-having mutual respect for new partners/co-parents
-staying united in front of the kids
-navigating that 'lack of control' as the adult/parent JOINING the first family dynamic
-the importance of therapy

LINKS FROM TODAY'S EPISODE:
Amy Stone's Life Coach website


THIS EPISODE'S SPONSOR/FELLOW PODCASTING MAMA
'This Mama Means Business' Podcast (Kylie Kelly)

Want to know how you can join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community?
Sign up for weekly updates
Join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community Facebook group
Follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram

Hey Mama, and welcome to 2023! 

Here's a question to start off the new year.....
How knowledgable and confident are you about the HEALTH of your pelvic floor?  

In today’s episode, I’m joined by a very special guest to talk about some VERY under-discussed topics - Kim Vopni is most commonly known and referred to as the ‘vagina coach’, and she’s here to speak with me about pelvic floor health - a topic that is important for EVERYBODY who is listening, whether young, old, pregnant, menopausal, or in some other stage of life or motherhood. We cover a lot of ground together in this interview, including some of the most common confidence-stealers women experience in regards to their pelvic health AND what actions we can take to RECLAIM that confidence!  




Kim wants everybody to know: "You deserve body confidence and it all starts with the pelvic floor! Despite what media will tell you, light bladder leakage is NOT ‘just part of being a woman’. Incontinence, chronic back pain, and organ prolapse are common challenges for women but they are not something you need to live with or accept as normal." 

Make sure you check out or sign up for Kim's next 28 day 'Buff Muff' challenge, which can help"take you from daily pads to leak free living."




RAISE YOUR HAND MAMA SEGMENT:
Today's contributor is Kylie Kelly - she's a business coach for CEO Mom’s, specialising in virtual summit strategy. She is also a podcast host of 'This Mama Means Business' and is a boy mama of two, Spencer & Samuel. She helps female business owners build their perfect audience FAST through a simple holistic summit strategy - without wasting their time or money. See links below!

LINKS FROM TODAY'S EPISODE:

Where to find today's guest, Kim Vopni:
@vaginacoach on Instagram
@vaginacoach on TikTok
28-day 'Buff Muff' Challenge (starts on the 1st of every month)
The Audience Accelerator Private Podcast Series (Kylie Kelly)
'This Mama Means Business' Podcast (Kylie Kelly)

And just a great link for ALL pelvic floor owners (according to my own Pelvic Floor Therapist, this is important /helpful for women, men, and children alike!)
Squatty Potty

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Commissions may be earned through some of the links provided above.

Want to know how you can join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community?

Sign up for weekly updates
Join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community Facebook group
Follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram

Hey Mamas! In today’s episode, we’re talking about the under-discussed FINANCIAL STRUGGLES of motherhood. 

Motherhood is beautiful, and challenging, and EXPENSIVE. It comes at a high cost...depending on your situation, it can be physically, mentally, emotionally, and without a doubt, financially demanding. 

And in addition to the obvious expenses…..society tends to overlook so many other factors that can negatively affect our finances after becoming a mom - and in turn, can negatively affect our relationships, our self-confidence, our sense of identity and self-worth, our feeling of independence, and SO much more.

Whether you’re a stay-at-home-mom, a working mom, a mom trying to balance solo or co-parenting, a person or family struggling with infertility treatments, or just some OTHER version of superwoman….I PROMISE there is something in this episode for you. 

Today, I’ll be sharing my conversation with Eileen Joy - she’s a money coach behind the successful online business ‘Moms Who Money’. Eileen truly walks the walk and talks the talk….we’re going to chat about how her experience hitting a personal and financial rock bottom as a single mom, led to her 'getting her shit together’, and learning EVERYTHING she possibly could about money.

Eileen now coaches overwhelmed moms on how to talk about and manage their money….no shame, no guilt, no embarrassment. She’s here today to break down the most common financial struggles of motherhood, and to share some simple steps we can take, and systems we can all implement to lighten our financial troubles!

If you enjoy today’s episode, please make sure to follow the podcast on Instagram for more tips, links, and freebies on relatable motherhood topics. You can find it on Instagram @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod!


WONDERING HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE PODCAST THIS WEEK? 

• ACTION: Find and tap the SHARE BUTTON on this episode (wherever you are listening to this right now), and share it with ONE PERSON or ONE GROUP (Facebook, WhatsApp, whatever)! 

LINKS FROM TODAY'S EPISODE:

Eileen Joy's website - momswhomoney.com
Moms Who Money Podcast (Eileen's podcast AKA bite-size financial tips for moms!)
Eileen's financial book recommendations for beginners:
'The Psychology of Money' (By: Morgen Housel)
'The Millionaire Next Door' (By: Thomas J. Stanley)

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Commissions may be earned through some of the links provided above.

Want to know how you can join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community?
Sign up for weekly updates
Join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community Facebook group
Follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram

Hey Mamas,

In today's episode, we're talking about something that seems to be on everybody’s lips (…and in everybody’s homes!)…..that’s right, we’re discussing this new season of flu season, and the ANXIETY, the EXHAUSTION, and the MOM GUILT that can surface because of it.


In today’s episode, you’ll hear stories from a few moms in the sick kid trenches, navigating everything from the merry-go-round of viruses passing from one family member to the next…..to ticked off employers after missing the UMPTEENTH day of work for emergency childcare……to scouring entire cities full of pharmacies for out-of-stock infant medication.


You’ll also hear from Mel Mutterspaugh, a clinical herbalist whose been studying nature, environmental sciences, and plant medicine for well over 20 years….Mel’s going to share the MUST-HAVE’S for every Mama’s kitchen cabinets, to help keep our immune systems strong and prevent sickness, AS WELL AS to treat our family’s symptoms when we pick up a nasty cold, flu, or virus.


Finally - returning guest and psychotherapist, Heather Ratych, returns in a new segment of 'Thoughts from a Therapist', to talk about what we can do to combat the anxiety that comes with this season of sickness…….with a FOCUS on how to ditch the mom guilt you might feel about DOING WHAT IS NECESSARY to get yourself and your family through each wave of illness that crosses that front doorstep into your life.


This episode is jam-packed with helpful tips and relatable motherhood stories/experiences.....I hope you hear a tiny piece of your motherhood reality in it, and have some tangible takeaways to help you and your family get through the upcoming months.


WONDERING HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE PODCAST THIS WEEK? 

• ACTION: Download the free 'Happy Mama' work booklet (PDF) to help you rediscover and prioritize joy in your life, and sign-up to the mailing list to receive weekly motherhood musings and updates about the podcast.

LINKS FROM TODAY'S EPISODE:

Bloom Psychotherapy website (Ontario-based virtual clinic in Canada)
Bloom Psychotherapy Instagram Account
The Herbalists Path website
The Herbalists Path podcast
@theherbalistspath (Instagram account)
Apothecary Momma (use this link for a BOGO free month of Mel's online herbal mentorship, just for moms!)
Washington Post article: 'RSV, covid, and flu are keeping kids out of school - and parents out of work'

Want to know how you can join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community?

Sign up for weekly updates
Join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community Facebook group
Follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram

Hey Mamas,

In today's episode, we're talking about the silent struggle of secondary infertility, and the millions of couples that are affected and impacted by this issue.


My first guest, Jennifer Redmond, is an Integrative Nutrition & Hormonal Health Coach who helps women struggling with fertility to transform how they view wellness to enhance their fertility and feel deeply supported in the process.


My second guest, Michelle Durnford, is a close friend who experienced secondary infertility. She joins today's episode to share her 6-year journey in-depth with me for the first time. I hope our conversation encourages you to reach out to somebody  you know who has also struggled with this issue.


The last segment of the show today is a compilation of responses received from women in the Raise Your Hand motherhood community, who share 'what NOT to say to somebody experiencing secondary infertility'. I encourage you to listen and learn...we may think we are being helpful or consoling, but that's not always how our comments are received.
 

WONDERING HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE PODCAST THIS WEEK? 

• ACTION: Share this episode link now with 2 close friends on social media, email, or your messaging app of choice (WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram), and then go follow the podcast Instagram account @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod 

 ...and if you have a moment, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you are listening right now!



LINKS FROM TODAY'S EPISODE:

https://jennredmond.com/
Jenn's Instagram account

Want to know how you can join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community?

Sign up for weekly updates
Join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community Facebook group
Follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram
 

Hey Mamas! In today’s episode we’re talking about sharing, owning, and processing our birth stories.


If you are well beyond the newborn or toddler stage….you might be thinking, “Birth stories? That was ages ago. Nothing more to process here”……and if this is you, I urge you to continue listening anyway!


The first half of today’s show  features real birth stories shared by the mothers who lived them….they’ll talk about the feelings and expectations they had going in to the birthing process…..and then unpack how that ultimately played out over the course of their experiences. 

I’ll also be chatting with Katie Rössler and Amie McCracken - they’re two mothers who went from members of the same motherhood Facebook group……..to park-date friends with their kids………to co-authors of their brand new book: 'Giving Birth to Motherhood: Embrace being a mom through the powerful healing process of writing your birth story'.

Amie is an editor and book designer, and Katie is a licensed counsellor and transformative grief guide (who you might remember from the first episode of season 2)! They’ve  pooled their professional expertise, as well as their personal motherhood experiences to create this wonderful book and methodology for writing about and processing our birth experiences. 

*****DISCLAIMER: I know that listening to other people share their birth stories might be triggering for some mothers and listeners, so I encourage you to listen to all or some of the episode - if one story or section seems to trigger you, feel free to skip to the next part. Amie and Katie's book may also be a very helpful tool for you to consider, so check out the links below for more:


LINKS FROM TODAY'S EPISODE:

'Giving Birth to Motherhood' (second book)
Amie McCracken - Professional Website
Katie Rössler - Professional Website

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Commissions may be earned through some of the links provided above.



Want to know how you can join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community?

Sign up for weekly updates
Join the Raise Your Hand Motherhood Community Facebook group
Follow @theraiseyourhandmotherhoodpod on Instagram
 

***Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you are listening right now!