Hello & welcome back to another episode!

This week I'm back with another 'What I Want to Teach my Daughter' episode and this one is about relationships. 

Relationships are the foundation of our existence in this world. We are born into a culture, a society, a family & spend our entire lives building relationships with people all around us. 

WE are the very first relationship that our children create and it is the point of reference for all their future relationships. Our relationship with our children sets the foundation for the rest of their lives. They build relationships with people based on their relationship with us. 
So naturally, I often think about what I would like to teach my daughter about relationships. 

Today, I discuss 4 lessons that I would like to share with my own daughter, in the hopes that she will carry them with her throughout her life, when building relationships of her own. 

Thank you for listening!

Enjoy!

I'm back!
Finally recovered from being sick these past 2 months, I'm excited to be back!
This week is an update. On motherhood, Elena's second birthday & being overwhelmed. 
Being a mom is hard because we are constantly forgetting to take care of ourselves and when it's been 2 years that you havent had a night to yourself, you tend to lose your mind just a little. 
Tune in as I share what's been going on with me, my daughter & all the feelings in between. 
Enjoy!

Extended Breastfeeding. 
Before having my own daughter, I had never even seen a toddler being breastfed, especially not in public. The moms who are breastfeeding their toddlers & young children are hiding in the closet - literally! Society, social media & family pressure have us believe that we should be formula feeding, that we shouldn't breastfeed past 6 months, that our children will be scarred for life if they just so happen to remember, that its sexual, that its disgusting. 

This is simply not true. There is so much BAD information out there and the lack of education and support for moms who want to breastfeed is a lot of the time - is just not there. In fact, education and support is lacking for formula moms too!

Tune in to hear my story with regard to breastfeeding my almost 2 year old daughter. For me & for many others, breastfeeding fulfills us and makes us happy. For others, that's just not the case & that's okay! 

Whether you breastfeed, formula feed, pump, are in the process of weaning because of whatever reason.... no matter how you choose to feed your baby, just remember, you are conquering motherhood!

I of course can't speak on formula feeding because that's just not a part of my story so to all the breastfeeding moms - I feel you. I see you. 

Thank you for listening!

Motherhood is already hard enough as it is. Now, we're facing motherhood & a global pandemic! 
I became a mom 5 months before the WHO declared a pandemic. It was so unexpected and not at all like how I thought my first experience as a mom would be like. I was terrified, to say the least. Thrown into a black hole of fear, worry, overthinking, stress & the unknown. It was so scary. But it wasn't all bad!

Tune in to hear my experience being a first time mom during a global pandemic. The struggles, the joys & the big lessons I learned in the first few months. It hasn't been easy but my journey as a mom has happened exactly the way it was supposed to. So I could learn the lessons. To heal. To be the best mom I can be to Elena. 

No matter how the pandemic has affected you, know you are not alone. You are the best mom for your little one & you are conquering motherhood! We all are. 

Thank you for listening. Hope you enjoy! You can find me @danikamb on insta!

Throughout my entire pregnancy I had been waiting for this moment, anticipating it, envisioning it. Labour, birth & holding my baby in my arms for the first time - the entire experience was the most profound experience of my entire life. Little did I realize, the labour is just the beginning! The beginning of a whole new life - a whole new ME!

I LOVED listening to birth stories when I was pregnant. It gave me some idea of what to expect. Something to hold on to. I spent so much time preparing for this exact moment & it did NOT go at all like how I thought it would. 

Today, I share my birth story. From first contraction to holding Elena in my arms for the first time. It was love at first sight & I keep falling deeper in love with her every single day. She gives my life meaning & purpose & so much joy. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Giving birth was the hardest thing I've ever done but it was BY FAR the most rewarding.

No matter what your birth story is, no matter what it is going to be..... it doesn't define you as a mom. Remember, we are all conquering!

Thank you for listening, sharing, subscribing & giving me this space to share my story. 

you can find me on insta @danikamb

Who else has a toddler who's driving them crazy??

When my daughter was a baby I spent so much time trying to prepare for toddlerhood. I read books & articles & listened to podcasts so that I would not get surprised. Now, I know that you just cannot fully prepare for toddlerhood. 
Toddlerhood is NOT at all what I thought it was going to be. Yes, I knew there would be tantrums & big feelings but I had no idea how DRAINING it would be. 

Today, I share my thoughts on toddlerhood. How I try to handle Elena's big feelings, what kind of parenting styles I resonate with most & how I feel/what I do when she drives me nuts. 

Our toddlers trigger us in so many ways and handling my toddler is probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. She's not a baby anymore and its a whole new world. Having a toddler is the best thing ever. But also the hardest thing ever.

Just remember, no matter what kind of mom you are - whatever style resonates with you, just know that you are a good mom! You are conquering motherhood! We all are.
Thank you for listening and I will see you next week! 

This is a huge debate in the mom world. We are constantly being told that one way is better than the other. Either you're a stay at home mom being shamed for staying home & being lazy OR you're a working mom being shamed for not spending enough time with your kids. 
The comments. The judgement. The shaming. Its everywhere. 

Here, I share my opinion on the topic as I know what its like to be both a stay at home mom & a working mom. I've lived both sides of the coin & I know what its like to feel shame and guilt on both ends. 

You can never win. Its impossible to please everyone. Some moms can be stay at home moms & that's what works for them. Other moms love being working moms & THAT'S what works for them. & a lot of us have no choice but to work because, well - life! 

Just remember, no matter what kind of mom you are, no matter what decisions you make for your kids.... you will never be able to please everyone. Not every other mom out there is going to agree with what you choose to do with YOUR life. So might as well live it, right?

YOU are what's best for your kid. Any choice you make for your family, yourself & your kids is the right decision. Embrace all aspects of who you are as a mom. Don't shame yourself or feel guilty for being home with your kids or working to provide for your kids. Whichever you choose - IT IS OKAY! 

Just because you stay home - does not make you a bad mom. 
Just because you work - does not make you a bad mom. 
Embrace the season in which you are in right now & have the confidence in knowing that you are the best mom for your kid. 

You are conquering. I am conquering. We are all conquering motherhood. 

Enjoy!

you can find me on insta @danikamb

We moved!
This is a quick look back on the last 6 months of my life. The last 6 months have been SO hard for me. I've struggled with a lot of new changes (hello motherhood!), but one of the hardest things I experienced was losing my home. 
I've spent the last 6 months looking for a new place to live - a new place to call home. The experience has brought up so much emotion. Fear. Worry. Shame. It's been a very scary & overwhelming space to be in.
By the grace of a higher power, we found our new home just a couple weeks before we had to move. Now, we are officially moved in and the joy & sheer gratitude has been so overwhelming. The biggest weight I've ever felt has finally been lifted from my shoulders.

Here, I share my experience. 
If you are a mom struggling to put a roof over your children's heads, I feel you. I'm lucky to be able to provide for my baby & have some rare gems who would take me in if I needed help but I know what its like to feel shame and guilt and worry about providing a safe place for my baby. Because I honestly felt that. 
To any mom struggling with this - I see you, I feel you, I understand you. 
You are not alone. You are not a bad mom. 
Thank you for listening!

You can find me @danikamb on insta. 

It's only been 21 months since holding my daughter in my arms for the first time but SO much has changed! I'm a completely different person since becoming a mom and I think this is true for all moms. Our children put us on a whole new life path & its hard, overwhelming, scary, exciting, beautiful & every other emotion in between. 

Today, I share 5 of the biggest lessons I've learned (& that I'm still learning) since becoming a mom all those months ago. I share about:
-Learning the art of presence
-Working on myself to be the best mom I can be
-How my own mom was right all along
-Having faith in knowing that I'm the best mom for my daughter & that I know what's best
-How time is going by way too fast!

What are the lessons you've learned since becoming a mom?

If this resonates, please share with someone who you think this might resonate with too. You can find me on insta @danikamb  See you there!

Our children learn just by looking at us. We are their role models. Their guides. We are their teachers in this lifetime. They chose US for a reason. 
I believe that it is our job as mothers to take a step back and analyze our habits & behaviours, so that we can work to be better for our kids & to teach them a better way. 
We strive every day to be the best moms we can be. Some days we feel like were on top of the world, conquering motherhood. Other days we feel like the worst moms ever. But as long as you try your best & work to be better than you were yesterday, you are conquering!

Tune in to hear about a couple things I would like to teach my daughter through my relationship with her. Some days, I feel so good about how I am with her. Other days I feel like a huge failure. And that's okay! I'm still conquering. Every single day.