Startup Parent

#050 — Your Body

"I can’t wait to get my body back."

We have complex relationships with our bodies. Women harbor certain expectations and assumptions about what our bodies are supposed to look like and what they are capable of. And it can be tough to come to terms with the reality when it doesn’t quite line up with what we had in mind.

I am making a conscious effort to pay attention to the language I use in reference to my postpartum body. To acknowledge what I am feeling about this new version of myself and be grateful about what my body CAN do.

In episode 49, Parijat Deshpande says, ‘You are the expert on your body—and you are not broken.’ Today, I’m exploring how we confront big questions around fertility and longevity, discussing the value of identifying our feelings as we deal with changing bodies through pregnancy, nursing, health complications and aging. Listen in for insight on reframing the way we think and talk about our bodies and acknowledging our complicated emotions.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/050.

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant on Facebook
• Startup Pregnant on Instagram
• Startup Pregnant on Twitter
• Sponsor the Podcast
• Email [email protected]

#049 — High-Risk Pregnancy and the Mind-Body Connection

You don’t know Murphy’s Law until you’ve heard the story of Parijat Deshpande’s high-risk pregnancy.

After being diagnosed with endometriosis, Parijat and her husband sought out a specialist and started fertility treatment. After an intrauterine insemination that ended with an ectopic pregnancy, they tried again with IVF. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome was just the first in a series of eight complications that Parijat endured during the pregnancy. She was forced to stop working at six weeks—and her water broke at only 23 weeks and two days.

Today, Parijat sits down with me to share her story, discussing the details of the medical complications she survived and the emotional extremes that came with extensive bed rest. She walks us through the harrowing weeks leading up to her son’s premature birth at just 24 weeks and the time he spent fighting for his life in the NICU. I ask Parijat how the pregnancy affected her work life and shaped the business she is building now. Listen in for Parijat’s take on the connection between personal healing and business growth and learn how she supports women in processing the grief and guilt associated with high-risk pregnancy.


FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/049.


EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Acuity Scheduling. Acuity functions as an online assistant, helping to organize your schedule and collect client information. Take advantage of Acuity’s 45-day free trial for Startup Pregnant listeners at https://acuityscheduling.com/startuppregnant.

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.


LEARN MORE ABOUT PARIJAT DESHPANDE

Parijat Deshpande is a high-risk pregnancy expert, speaker and advocate for moms at risk for pregnancy complications and preterm birth. She combines her professional background in clinical psychology, wellness and lifestyle medicine with her personal experience with an extremely high-risk pregnancy to help women lower stress, have a safer pregnancy and reduce the risk of premature delivery. Parijat is also the founder and executive director of MySahana, a nonprofit that seeks to reduce stigma and increase awareness about mental health issues and wellness in the South Asian community.

• Parijat’s Website
• Parijat on Facebook
• Parijat on Instagram
• Parijat on Twitter
• Delivering Miracles Podcast

 
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Endometriosis Info
• Premature Birth Info

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant Newsletter
• Email [email protected]

#048 — Within Your Control: An Exercise

We all know the importance of goal-setting. Clearly defining your objectives is key to achievement.

But the way you frame those goals matters. Choosing targets that aren’t within your control (like getting pregnant) leads to frustration, helplessness—hopelessness, even.

How can we reframe those goals to reflect the things we can control? And make peace with the fact that we did everything we could, even if it doesn’t work out?

Today, I’m explaining the three spheres of influence and walking you through an exercise in goal-setting that puts the power back in your hands. Listen in for case studies in rewriting goals around growing your family AND your business that are within your control.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/048.

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant on Facebook
• Startup Pregnant on Twitter
• Sponsor the Podcast
• Email [email protected]

#047 — Starting Your Own Coaching Practice

If you aren’t satisfied with the available options, Michelle Florendo suggests that you explore possibilities beyond the obvious.

Michelle was working as a management consultant, watching her colleagues make the difficult decision to sacrifice time with their children to continue a career they loved—or give up their careers to be present in their children’s lives. She realized that starting her own coaching practice would afford her more control and flexibility, but it was a risk.

Being risk-averse, Michelle gave herself a long runway and launched her firm long before she began the process of trying to get pregnant. But in her eyes, it was a bigger risk to do nothing. She had to find an avenue for getting the life and career she wanted.

Today, Michelle joins us to discuss her career arc, defining coaching as a profession and describing her transition to a private coaching practice. She explains her approach to decision-making, the distinction between the quality of a decision and its outcome, and the role of intuition in the decision-making process. I ask Michelle about her decision to become a parent and the choices she made around giving herself space to be present during her pregnancy. She speaks to the ‘silence of the first trimester,’ offering insight on the language we use to take fault for the parts of pregnancy and miscarriage we can’t actually control. Listen in for Michelle’s wisdom around choosing the narrative for any given situation and making decisions based on the information we have.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/047.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Hippo Give! Hippogive is a new app that donates your change by rounding up your everyday transactions to the nearest dollar and gives it to the charities and non-profits of your choosing.

If you’ve been wanting to donate to Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, or disaster relief you can use this app and it’s a piece of cake. All you need to do is create an account, choose your charity and then set a weekly donation cap. Head to HippoGive.com to sign up.

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MICHELLE FLORENDO

Michelle Florendo is a Type-A management consultant and Fortune 500 brand marketer turned career coach. Michelle founded What If You Could in February of 2012, and she has become known for her analytical approach—employing a blend of decision engineering, design thinking and the lean startup method to help her clients craft fulfilling careers. Michelle has an MBA from UC Berkeley, and she was named to the 2015 FWN Global 100 list of most influential Filipinas in the world.

• Michelle’s Website

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• StrengthsFinder
• Steph Jhala on Startup Pregnant
• Smart Choices: A Practical Guide to Making Better Decisions by John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney and Howard Raiffa
• altMBA

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant

#046 — 3 Essential Postpartum Lists

The first days and weeks after bringing home baby are tough. Postpartum You may seem all peaceful and serene to friends and family who stop by, but they don’t have the slightest idea just how overwhelmed you really are on the inside. 

People want to help, but they don’t always know what to do. And it’s no fun for you as a new parent to explain your needs over and over again. That’s where the 3 Essential Postpartum Lists come in.

Today, I’m walking you through three simple documents that will protect your time and energy and communicate your boundaries and expectations. Listen in for insight on creating House Rules, How to Help, and Favorite Foods inventories and learn how to convey your need to refuel and recharge during the postpartum period.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/046.

RESOURCES 

• Postpartum Lists Blog Post
• Seamless

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant on Facebook
• Startup Pregnant on Twitter
• Sponsor the Podcast
• Email [email protected]

#045 — Life Happens 

Despite our best efforts to be prepared, life happens.

Case in point, I planned a trip to be there for my sister during her birth, but Baby was working on his own timeline and had yet to arrive at the end of my scheduled week in the Bay area.

Society claims to value flexibility and laud the ability to adjust on the fly, yet somehow when it comes to pregnancy and birth, we view it as an inconvenience. What if we learned to see the unpredictability of it all as an opportunity—to gather data, make projections and then pivot as necessary? What if we stopped trying to maintain such a tight grip on control and developed the skills necessary to plan for things that don’t have specificity?

Today, I’m celebrating the honest conversations we’ve had in my first 25 interviews on Startup Pregnant and sharing my insight on pregnancy and childbirth—being in the thick of it again with my sister this past month. Listen in for my take on the illusion of control, our lack of candor around the hard work of pregnancy and childbirth, the significance of taking the time to recover, and the dedication required to breastfeed your baby.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/045.

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant on Facebook
• Startup Pregnant on Twitter
• Sponsor the Podcast
• Email [email protected]

#044 — How We Break (And Build) Our Habits

So you’ve gotten off track and you want to make a change—in your eating habits, your exercise regime, or maybe implementing a daily practice like journaling. Sweeping transformation is rarely effective and beating yourself up for a lack of discipline seldom results in positive change. What CAN you do to shift your habits and get back on the path you want?

In Episode 43, Lily Nichols talked about real food and nutrition, and the conversation reminded me of a strategy I use to shift my eating habits when I’ve strayed from my usual healthy routine. Today, I’m sharing the method I use to get un-stuck when the Dunkin’ Donuts downstairs has become a little too convenient.

I explain how making one small, positive change can shift your mindset and help you slowly shift your habits. Listen in for insight around applying this tactic to other areas of your life and ‘sneaking in the side door’ of positive change.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/044.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 

• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant on Facebook
• Startup Pregnant on Twitter
• Sponsor the Podcast
• Email [email protected]

#043 — Real Food for Pregnancy

‘What I like to do is reverse-engineer a prenatal diet from the context of getting most of—if not all of—your nutrients from the food itself.’

The problem with conventional policy and food guidelines? They simply don’t reflect science. In fact, the current recommendations were designed for men and then adjusted mathematically for a smaller frame—and then modified again to account for fetal growth.

Registered Dietician and Nutritionist Lily Nichols is familiar with the science, having reviewed 934 studies for her newly-released book, Real Food for Pregnancy. And she believes that we need a more holistic approach to nutrition, an approach that includes mindful eating and a focus on pairing carbohydrates with fat and protein to acquire the nutrients necessary for fetal development from our food.

Today, Lily joins me to share her path to becoming a dietician, explaining how she established her practice and what inspired her to become an author. She discusses how her own pregnancy affected her work and her current ‘pieced together’ childcare plan. Lily speaks to the fact that conventional nutrition policy doesn’t reflect science and offers her advice around nutrition during pregnancy. I ask her about postpartum nutrient needs and special considerations for pregnant women who exercise a great deal. Listen in for insight into Lily’s writing process and her emphasis on the value of mindful eating.

FULL SHOW NOTES 

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/043.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Aeroflow Breastpumps. They are dedicated to making the hassle of getting your breast pump a little bit easier—actually, a lot easier! Head to www.aeroflowbreastpumps.com/startup to have them help you qualify for a free breast pump through insurance. 

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LILY NICHOLS

Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietician and Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator with a passion for evidence-based nutrition. Her work draws from the current scientific literature as well as the wisdom of traditional cultures, and her expertise in prenatal nutrition makes her a well-respected consultant and speaker in the field. Her first bestseller, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, has helped tens of thousands of women manage the condition and influenced nutrition policies internationally. Lily’s new release, Real Food for Pregnancy, is #1 in the Pregnancy and Childbirth category on Amazon.

• Real Food for Pregnancy
• Lily’s Website
• Lily on Facebook
• Lily on Twitter
• Lily on Instagram

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols
• Real Food for Gestational Diabetes by Lily Nichols
• California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program

#042 — All the Single Ladies

 
With choice comes revolutionary change.

As women have experienced an ‘expansion of options’ in terms of marriage and family, there are a growing number of single ladies. As of 2009, less than 50% of American women were married, and the median age for a first marriage had risen from 22 to 27. Also, women are increasingly opting to have children outside of marriage.

What are the implications of this revolution?

In Episode 41, Toi Smith spoke about her challenges in developing a support system as the single mother of four boys. Today, I’m exploring the ideas in Rebecca Traister’s book, All the Single Ladies, and the opportunities for entrepreneurs to serve parents and single mothers by addressing their unmet needs.

I discuss CoAbode, a platform founded on the idea that ‘two single mothers raising children together can achieve more than one going it alone,’ and the role of single women in history. Listen in and learn how growing choice has caused the seismic shift in what family looks like in our country and the opportunity this provides for entrepreneurs inspired to help build for the future.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/042.

 
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 

• CoAbode
• All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation by Rebecca Traister

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant on Facebook
• Startup Pregnant on Twitter
• Sponsor the Podcast
• Email [email protected]

#041 — Designing Your Vision, Mission and Values

Few of us would set off on a road trip without a GPS. Yet many online entrepreneurs hang up their shingle without a clear idea of what they stand for or who they want to serve.

After a couple of consults with potential clients who weren’t the right fit, Toi Smith designed and published a vision, mission and set of values that clarify her intentions, eliminate the noise, and distinguish the clients she is interested in partnering. Through her service, Smith Virtual Business Partners, Toi seeks to uplift, support and liberate women, helping them stand tall in the belief that they are powerful beyond measure—in business and all other aspects of life.

Today, Toi sits down with me to explain her role as an online business manager and how she came to do this work. She walks us through some of her values, from the idea that financial security is non-negotiable to her aim in fortifying women to flourish. I ask Toi about the parallels between birthing a child and a business, and she shares her personal challenges around becoming an entrepreneur as the single mother of four boys. Listen in for Toi’s insight on the differences among single moms, the changing landscape of the American family, and developing actionable strategies for resilience.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/041.


EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Acuity Scheduling. Acuity functions as an online assistant, helping to organize your schedule and collect client information. Take advantage of Acuity’s 45-day free trial for Startup Pregnant listeners at https://acuityscheduling.com/startuppregnant.

 All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOI SMITH

Toi Smith is a creator, a mother, and a holistic online business manager who helps women and people who identify as women grow their online businesses. In her ten-year corporate career, Toi learned to develop systems and streamline processes, and now she is leveraging those skills to help female small and microbusiness owners do their best work and reap the highest financial rewards possible.

• Smith Virtual Business Partners

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 

• ‘Not All Single Mothers Are Created Equal’ in Solo Parent Magazine
• Life Coach Kate Anthony
• All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation by Rebecca Traister
• CoAbode
• Headspace

 
THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant Newsletter
• Email [email protected]