In this episode of The Catch Up with Claire, I’m joined by Noureen, a mom of three living in Cairo, Egypt.

We were introduced through a mutual friend and immediately connected over how similar our lives felt despite being on opposite sides of the world. From both having backgrounds in mental health counseling to navigating postpartum depression and raising three kids, this conversation felt like catching up with an old friend.

We talk about the realities of motherhood that don’t always get shared openly: parenting kids at different ages, the emotional weight of watching your children struggle as they grow, and how hard it can be to talk about those challenges out loud.

We also get into:

• Postpartum depression and mental health in motherhood

• The differences in how women and men approach therapy

• Setting boundaries with parents and grandparents

• How friendships shift after becoming a mom

More than anything, this conversation is a reminder that even across different cultures and countries, so much of what we carry is the same.

If you’ve ever felt alone in the harder parts of motherhood, this episode will make you feel a little less so.

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/its-summer

License code: ZOAGMC8HUJK9M7P9

This month feels like a turning point.

It’s my birthday month, my baby is turning one, and I’m coming to terms with being done having kids.

In this solo episode, I’m reflecting on the first year of motherhood as a mom of three—the pace of it, the identity shift, and the emotions that come with closing the chapter of having babies and moving into the season of raising them.

I talk about the mix of gratitude and grief that can exist at the same time, what this transition has really felt like, and why it’s harder than I expected to let go of this stage.

I also share a more personal piece—what it’s meant to have another Aries baby, and why I feel a deep connection between my daughter and my grandfather.

If you’re navigating a motherhood transition, feeling the shift into a new season of life, or trying to hold both joy and sadness at the same time, this episode will resonate.

I met Kaylee at a friend’s engagement party earlier this year and we instantly clicked—the kind of connection that makes you wonder why that feels so rare as an adult.

This episode started after she sent me a clip of someone saying that making mom friends is “so easy”… and I immediately responded: I could not disagree more.

So we got into it—what it actually looks like to make friends as an adult, how friendships shift once you become a mom, and why finding your people in this season can feel harder than expected (especially as a working mom).

Kaylee shares how she built friendships after moving to a new city, how she’s maintained close relationships long-distance, and the small things that have actually made a difference for her. We also react to a few “hot takes” on female friendship that had us… thinking.

If you’ve ever felt like everyone else has this figured out and you don’t, this conversation is for you—and we’d love to keep it going in future episodes. Tell us in the comments your female friendship hot takes and if we should turn this into a series. 

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/its-summer

License code: ZOAGMC8HUJK9M7P9

Breastfeeding is often described as “natural,” so why does it feel so hard?

In this episode, I’m joined by lactation consultant Ayelet Kaznelson, who brings over 25 years of experience supporting new mothers through the realities of feeding their babies. I first met Ayelet postpartum with my third baby, during a time when feeding felt painful and overwhelming. Working with her felt like a reset.

We talk about why so many women struggle with breastfeeding in those early days and why it’s not a personal failure.

Ayelet shares how her approach differs from the support many women receive immediately after birth, and why what happens after you leave the hospital can make all the difference. We also get into the bigger picture that’s often overlooked: your sleep, your recovery, your mental health, and the support around you—all of which impact your feeding journey.

If you’re pregnant, newly postpartum, or navigating breastfeeding challenges, this conversation will help you feel more informed, more supported, and a lot less alone.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why breastfeeding can be painful or difficult in the beginning

• The difference between hospital lactation support vs. in-home support

• What actually affects a baby’s ability to latch

• How sleep, recovery, and mental health impact feeding

• A more realistic, supportive philosophy around breastfeeding

• Why better prenatal education could change everything

Whether your goal is to breastfeed, combo feed, or simply understand your options—this episode is for you.

Find support from Ayelet at www.ayeletkaznelsonlc.com

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/its-summer

License code: ZOAGMC8HUJK9M7P9

When Lael reached out about joining the podcast, she shared something many mothers quietly carry: the overwhelm of working motherhood.

Trying to show up at work. Trying to be present for your children. Trying to find a moment for yourself somewhere in between.

In this conversation, Lael and I talk about the constant balancing act of parenting while building a career, the emotional shifts that come as our children grow, and the way motherhood continually asks us to evolve.

We also discovered some unexpected overlaps, including a shared connection to St. Louis and a mutual love of running, which led us into a conversation about what finding time to run (or do anything for yourself) looks like in this season of motherhood.

This episode is two mothers talking openly about:

• the overwhelm of working motherhood • navigating the changing seasons of parenting • the identity shifts that come with raising children • carving out space for yourself • and the deep joy that exists alongside it all

If you've ever wondered how other mothers are holding it together while everything is changing, this conversation will feel like sitting down with a friend who gets it.

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/its-summer

License code: ZOAGMC8HUJK9M7P9

Our kids are growing up in a digital world — and that part isn’t optional. The real question is: how do we raise kids to navigate social media, the internet, and digital spaces safely and confidently?

This week on The Catch Up with Claire, I sit down with Digital Wellness Educator Teodora Pavkovic, who has spent her career studying online behavior, kids and social media, and digital wellbeing for families. Teodora works with parents, schools, and brands to help create safer and more thoughtful digital environments for children growing up online.

As a parent of three young kids, I know there’s no way to completely shield our children from the internet. Social media, screens, and digital communication are part of the world they’re growing up in — and that can feel overwhelming for many parents.

What I appreciated most about Teodora’s perspective is that it isn’t fear-based. Instead of focusing only on screen time limits or restrictions, she helps parents build the foundation early: creating open communication, setting expectations before devices enter the picture, and teaching kids how to develop a healthy relationship with technology.

In this conversation we talk about:

• how to prepare kids for social media before they get their first device

• why digital literacy is one of the most important parenting skills today

• how parents can guide kids through online spaces without constant monitoring

• and how to raise children who feel confident and supported in a digital world

If you’ve ever wondered how to raise kids in the age of social media and smartphones, this conversation will leave you feeling more informed, prepared, and less alone navigating a future that looks very different from the one we grew up in.

Yapping about finally feeling ready to get my year organized, breastfeeding updates, and answering questions about traveling solo with kids.

Karin is the Executive Director of Friends of New York Nursing Partnership, a nonprofit supporting mothers across New York City with everything from postpartum care and mental health services to career support and community connection.

In this conversation, we talk about how becoming a mother later in life changed the future Karin once imagined for herself. What she thought would be a season focused on staying home instead led her into mission-driven work supporting other new moms — many navigating motherhood without proper resources or support systems. 

We discuss raising a child with autism, the realities of early motherhood, and how Karin has recently stepped into advocacy work, traveling to Albany to push for funding that directly impacts families across New York.

This episode is a conversation about motherhood, work, and what happens when your personal experience reshapes your professional path.

This week I’m catching up with Lauren, the founder of a community based acapella group that started with 8 students and has grown to 150 singers. We chat about what performing on stage — from school concerts to Radio City Music Hall — teaches kids about confidence, presence, and life skills that go way beyond music. We also laugh about celebrity sightings, the Super Bowl, and the fact that she Doordashed a microphone just so we could record this episode. Lauren’s experience of womanhood includes creativity, leadership, and little sparks that grow into big dreams coming true.

This week I’m talking with Julie, who co-owns Fabric Mart in Pennsylvania and is a mom of two. She’s always loved sewing, and we talk about how that passion turned into her career — and how becoming a business owner pushed her to grow in ways she didn’t expect. This is a conversation about running a business, working motherhood, and finding joy in the creative process along the way.