Stork'd

In this Stork'd Munchkin, Jenna Hermans shares her journey to meeting her husband and becoming a step-mom. She describes her concerns and fears of becoming a step-parent from her experience with her own step-parents. She also tells us about her boundaries she makes in the decision making process around her step-kids.

Resources:

Stork'd Website

Stork'd - Facebook

Stork'd - Instagram

Stork'd - YouTube

Jenna Hermans - Website

Jenna Hermans - Instagram

Jenna Hermans, the author of Chaos to Calm, discusses her experiences dating a man with three young children and becoming an "instant mom". We explore Jenna's relationship to the idea of being a step parent from her own experiences growing up with divorced parents. We also discuss how Jenna transformed her triggers and fears of step parenting to become the best mom she can be.

Jenna delves into being courageous amid stressful situations, drawing from her experience in a blended family that consciously avoids using the term "step" for parents or children. Emphasizing the importance of inclusive feelings for children in blended families, Jenna shares her insights.

Jenna's work focuses on helping others find calm amidst the chaos of parenting. She teaches the five essential pillars for parents to navigate the chaos: efficiency, habits, community, communication, and self-care. If this episode resonates with you, consider sharing it with a friend who needs calm in their chaos.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[2:33] Jenna shares her busy life and describes what it is to be courageous and how you just need to start with one thing at a time [7:30] Jenna reflects on meeting her husband, starting as friends, getting romantically involved and breaking up [12:50] Jenna discusses the breakup and how fear was what informed her decision [16:39] Jenna discusses how journaling helped her process her feelings and what she would say to someone who feels fear is holding them back [19:37] Jenna discusses parenting and why she doesn't use the word step [23:47] Jenna describes her role as a parent and describes the visitation schedule between the kids and their mom [31:49] Jenna explains how she takes care of herself and the five pillars she writes about in her book [38:50] She is surprised at how much men love the book [41:17] Jenna tells what a family is to her

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

The children need to feel included to succeed as a blended family parent. If you didn't receive good parenting, you don't have to default and become your parent. You can intentionally choose to make other choices and parent differently. Being courageous in making decisions to eliminate chaos in your home only requires one step at a time.

RESOURCE LINKS: Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube Jenna Hermans - Website

BIOGRAPHY: Jenna Hermans is living proof that you can create a life of calm within chaos and overwhelm. She uses her bachelor's degree in psychology, master's degree in organizational management, and over fifteen years of Human Resources experience to build strong teams, both at work and at home. Jenna is the co-founder and COO of Be Courageous, a transformation agency, a busy mom of 4, a coach and an author. As seen in Forbes, The Sun, ELLE, Yahoo, Insider, and more, Jenna takes an intentional and inclusive approach to help people (especially parents) and businesses implement tools that put organization and systems around their busy lives that infuse calm and more joy, helping them go from 'Chaos to Calm,' which doubles as the title of her debut book that launched in May 2023.

In this Stork'd Munchkin, Dr. Gertrude Lyons shares the profound moment she had in Ireland when she experienced a voice speaking to her that reassured her that she and her husband have a family, regardless if they have a child or not. This led her to take the pressure off conceiving a child and open "space." One month later, she conceived her child.

Resources:

Stork'd Website

Stork'd - Facebook

Stork'd - Instagram

Stork'd - YouTube

Dr. Gertrude Lyons - Website

Dr. Gertrude Lyons - Instagram

In this Stork'd Munchkin, Dr. Gertrude Lyons shares how she's taken the word "mother" and is rewriting what it means on an individual level and on a bigger picture level. Listen to how she defines "motherhood" and "mothering" to become more inclusive and life-giving.

Resources:

Stork'd Website

Stork'd - Facebook

Stork'd - Instagram

Stork'd - YouTube

Dr. Gertrude Lyons - Website

Dr. Gertrude Lyons - Instagram

The concept of the word "mother" has been a life-long journey of exploration for

Dr. Gertrude Lyons. She is the Founder of Rewrite the Mother Code, where she encourages and inspires women to explore what mothering and motherhood can be to them. Dr. Lyons, challenges the statement that you have to have kids in your life to be a mother, and believes instead that maternal power lives in us all. She will discuss that profound statement today, along with some of her revelations when she was starting her family and more recently when she was preparing to be the mother of the bride. This episode is for every girl and woman who wants to explore the many forms of mothering and being a "mother."

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [3:42] Dr. Lyons shares details about her family and being the mother of the bride

• [8:45] Dr. Lyons discussed the feelings she processed anticipating her daughter's wedding, taking her back to the birth of her daughter

• [12:03] She accepts that even without children, she and her husband constitute a family.

• [15:48] Dr. Lyons thinks deeply about the patriarchal role of a wedding, being a woman, and what a family

• [18:57] Dr. Lyons discusses mothering in the many ways it is possible

• [25:59] Dr. Lyons discusses the word mother in different forms: motherhood and mothering

• [31:12] Dr. Lyons talks about coaching and how she supports women

• [36:01] She outlines how she coaches new mothers

• [39:27] Dr. Lyons discusses men in a mothering role

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Mothering is a nurturing quality that can apply to children, but also a project or to other people or other people's children.

• Family can be defined in many ways. A married couple without children is a family.

• A woman doesn't lose her identity of who she is when she becomes a mother.

RESOURCE LINKS:

Stork'd - Facebook

Stork'd - Instagram

Stork'd - YouTube

Dr. Gertrude Lyons - Website

Dr. Gertrude Lyons - Instagram

BIOGRAPHY:

Dr. Gertrude Lyons is a leading coach and educator in women's leadership development, parenting, and relationship satisfaction. As the founder of Rewrite the Mother Code, LLC, she inspires women to choose their own personal transformations and has spent the last 21 years empowering individuals, couples, parents, and families to realize meaningful, successful lives. Dr. Lyons is a PCC-certified coach through the International Coaching Federation and a Whole Brain Living certified coach through Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor. She also holds a Level 3 Breathwork Certification through the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance. Dr. Lyons received her B.B.A. in Finance and Accounting from St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, her M.A. in Psychology from Antioch University McGregor School and her Ed. D. and M.A. in Transformational Leadership and Coaching at the Wright Graduate University. These certifications and training empower Dr. Lyons to provide an integrative approach focused on the individual, couple or family needs. She firmly believes that we are all mothers. Together, we can support one another to be the best versions of ourselves through this creative energy we share.

Jodi Klaristenfeld shares her harrowing experience with preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome which nearly claimed her life and that of her unborn daughter. Jodi shares the signs and symptoms of what to look out for to help prevent preeclampsia.

RESOURCE LINKS:

Stork'd - Facebook

Stork'd - Instagram

Stork'd - YouTube

Flrrish - Instagram

Flrrish - Website

Jodi Klaristenfeld shares her harrowing experience with preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome which nearly claimed her life and that of her unborn daughter. Jodi shares her experience healing emotionally from her daughter's premature birth and how hard she fought to get her daughter the resources she needed to grow, thrive and flourish once she was home from the NICU. Jodi quickly realized how hard it is for families with premature babies to get their children the resources they need, leading to the inception of FLRRISH. FLRRiSH serves as a platform providing NICU parent education, resources, and support, aiding families in navigating the path through premature childbirth. Jodi also shares valuable insights on recognizing the symptoms of preeclampsia. Don't miss out on the inaugural episode of season six!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [0:00] Julia introduces guest Jodi Klaristenfeld and why the topic of life-threatening preeclampsia is the first topic of season six

• [3:42] Jodi explains why she started Flrrish to meet the needs of parents whose child is born prematurely

• [6:03] Jodi describes her pregnancy journey and the signs of preeclampsia

• [17:17] Jodi talks about her feelings when she learned she almost died, the choice her mother had to make, and the distance she felt toward her daughter

• [24:13] Jodi tells about the different emotions she went through and the support given by her doctor and husband

• [29:25] Jodi reveals what her daughter was experiencing while hospitalized, including the frustration of a therapist not wanting to do her job

• [38:35] How Jodi helps others through Flrrish

• [43:30] Jodi describes how this situation has informed her parenting skills and what Flrrish clients are seeking

• [46:45] Jodi describes her definition of family

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• The infant and maternal mortality rates in the U. S. are the highest of any developed nation.

• Nearly 15 percent of all children in the U. S. are in the NICU at some point.

• Kangaroo Care, or Skin-to-Skin Care, benefits the baby and the parents.

RESOURCE LINKS:

Stork'd - Facebook

Stork'd - Instagram

Stork'd - YouTube

Flrrish - Instagram

Flrrish - Website

BIOGRAPHY:

Jodi Klaristenfeld is the founder of FLRRiSH. She is a mom to an adorable little girl who was born at 28 weeks due to a rare and life-threatening form of preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome. After her daughter's early birth, Jodi quickly discovered preemie moms and dads aren't always given the support they need. As a result, she created FLRRiSH, a platform that offers NICU parent education, empowerment, support and resources to help families navigate this beautiful and challenging journey. Jodi, her husband and her family live in NYC.

Welcome to Season 6! In this Stork'd Munchkin episode, I will preview what to expect in Season 6 of Stork'd. Season 6 explores evolution - how do we grow and change as our family lives evolve? You will find the guests of Season 6 to be open hearted, relatable, candid and real about their family building journeys as together we explore disappointment, change, joy, new identities, and our relationship to how we think our lives should look.

Stork'd - Facebook

Stork'd - Instagram

Stork'd - YouTube

Welcome to a special mini episode of Stork'd! How do you show up for people? This week, I offer you a compilation of podcast episodes about showing up for others, from the voices of Stork'd guests, offering their best nuggets of wisdom. You will hear directly from previous guests about how we show up for the people we love and how we like to be supported during the really murky emotional times -such as the loss of a loved one, when a child is in the NICU, during a divorce, a health crisis or anything that feels especially HEAVY. Listen to Alona, Aaron, Chelsea, Tracy, Brooke, Amanda and Tara share how they show up for people in their life.

Links:

Alona Episode - https://www.storkdpodcast.com/season5podcast/episode18

Aaron Episode - https://www.storkdpodcast.com/season3podcast/episode5

Chelsea Episode - https://www.storkdpodcast.com/season4podcast/episode6

Tracy Episode - https://www.storkdpodcast.com/season4podcast/episode17

Brooke Episode - https://www.storkdpodcast.com/podcast/7

Amanda Episode - https://www.storkdpodcast.com/season5podcast/episode4

Tara Episode - https://www.storkdpodcast.com/season3podcast/episode6

Stork'd Website - https://www.storkdpodcast.com/

Stork's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storkd_podcast/

Imagine being so athletically gifted that you can train your body to do almost anything…. Anything except get pregnant when you are hoping to. Meet Barbie Blank, reality star, model and formerly the youngest wrestler in the WWE. Together we discuss the feelings she had when her athleticism didn't translate to her fertility treatments. Now pregnant with twins, Barbie shares her experiences: ranging from the heartbreak of a miscarriage, an IVF journey under the care of Dr. Aimee, the Egg Whisperer and the joyous anticipation of becoming a mom. We also discuss the challenge of stepping into parenthood while grieving the loss of your own parent. This episode marks the conclusion of a two-part series that commenced with Dr. Aimee. Don't miss the finale of season five!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [02:35] Barbie introduces herself and shares her background as a wrestler, model, influencer, actress, reality star and now her pregnancy

• [06:11] How did Barbie navigate all the changes in her life and her expectation of having twins

• [09:58] Barbie talks about her miscarriage

• [13:37] Barbie reflects on meeting Dr. Aimee, the "egg whisperer," and her IVF journey

• [19:58] The timeline, the disappointment she felt and the change in protocols

• [25:17] The emotions of losing her dad and how she will integrate family traditions

• [30:27] Barbie discusses a documentary she will be doing with Dr. Aimee

• [35:29] Barbie defines what family means to her

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Barbie has a positive attitude, and following her through Dr. Aimee's documentary will be amazing.

• Changing protocols during IVF can make all the difference in getting pregnant.

• Women supporting women through IVF treatments, miscarriage and other trauma is encouraging to hear. There should not be a stigma associated with miscarriage.

RESOURCE LINKS:

Stork'd - Facebook

Stork'd - Instagram

Stork'd - YouTube

Barbie Blank - Instagram

Barbie Blank - Twitter

BIOGRAPHY:

Barbara Blank Coba, known professionally as Barbie Blank and by her ring name Kelly Kelly, is an American professional wrestler and model.