Maternity leave shouldn't be a luxury. Maternal mortality rates in the US are higher than most developed countries, breastfeeding rates are low and Black women are disproportionately affected. Many women are affected by a system that is failing them.

In this discussion journalist Kimberly Seals-Allers addresses:

- Why all women need to have access to the education and tools that will help them have a more satisfying birth and postpartum experience.
- The reason Black women and babies are suffering from a failing system the most
- Why traditional feminism needs to evolve
- Why the work of mothering needs to be valued as important work
- The reason we need a culture that supports mothers

Kimberly Seals Allers @iamksealsallers is an award-winning journalist, and leading breastfeeding commentator. Her work has been featured in theNew York Times, Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, Ladies Home Journal, The New York Daily News, Real Simple, Fortune, Pregnancyand many others. She has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, Anderson Cooper, Fox News and the Huckabee Show and NPR. Kimberly worked at Fortune, Essence, New York Post andThe Times (of London), before turning to freelance work. She is the author ofThe Mocha Manual® series of books and the co-author ofGiving Notice: Why the Best and Brightest are Leaving the Workplace.

To learn more, have a listen.



If you liked this episode you might also be interested in checking out the following episodes:

Wandering Moms And The Women That Founded The Vibrant Community

ER Physician Dr. Courtney Howard On The Impacts Climate Change On Our Health & On Our Planet

Your Worth Isn't Defined By A Number



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Tara Williams had just recently lost her job. On top of that she had a newborn and three other kiddos to look after. To say she was tired would be an understatement. She was extremely exhausted. Her husband had also lost his job at the time and they were scrambling to figure out a way to keep their family afloat. 

At the time, her mother in-law had sewn a sleep sack for her youngest and it worked like a charm in helping him sleep, which means she had more time to get some shut-eye too and she felt so much better. That's when she had the idea to create a company that would solve the problem of sleepless nights for many families, and Dreamland Baby was born.

In this episode she shares how she was able to raise the initial $25,000 she needed to have the sleep sacks manufactured, by creating a Kickstarter campaign, which led to her company and product being featured on Shark Tank.

Make sure to have a listen and check out their products at: @dreamlandbabyco

Does culture determine whether or not our kids become introverts or extroverts? What makes some babies and kids more prone to fussiness while others are more calm? Also, can we positively influence our children's behavior or is temperament primarily genetic?

Maria (Masha) Gartstein is a professor in the Washington State University Department of Psychology and the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program Director. Masha and her collaborators' research has focused on the role that parenting plays in how temperament “comes online” in early childhood. Their work is the subject of an episode in the Netflix documentary “Babies” filmed at the Gartstein Temperament Laboratory.

In this interview she answers some of the above questions and also discusses findings on the impacts of the microbiome, genetics, epigenetics, parenting and culture on children's temperament.

She also talks about:

- Her childhood growing up

- The impacts of stress during pregnancy

- Difficulties and challenges women researchers and faculty face when they become mothers

- Individualism vs. collectivism and how what's valued in each culture influences our childrens' behavior

- The Frozen II motto she lives by

If you're interested in learning about her fascinating research, make sure to tune into this episode.


If you liked this episode you might also be interested in the following episodes:

Preventing Burnout, Brain Changes In Motherhood & The Critical Role Of Postpartum Care

Treating Anxiety, Depression, ADHD and Certain Health Conditions With Neurofeedback

The Fifth Vital Sign, Overcoming Period Pain & the One Sign to NEVER Ignore - Lisa Hendrickson-Jack

It's coming to the end of the year and it's probably a time where you want to start planning for the year ahead. With so many things being unpredictable, here I share a few tips on what to do to simplify planning the year ahead. I also share some really nice planners and calendars you might want to check out too, so be sure to have a listen.

(Note: This was recorded several weeks prior and scheduled for today, but I just wanted to make sure you could check out these tips when planning your year in hopes that they help with the process.)

The holidays are here and the year is almost over....and what a year it's been! I just wanted to share my holiday wishes for you, share some tips and ask you what ways you're celebrating this year. Tune in for this short episode when you get the chance.

(Note: This was recorded the week prior so I could spend time with my family during the holidays, but I just wanted to make sure I got the chance to wish you happiness and fun during the holidays.)

Myoshia Boykin-Anderson had a really difficult life and upbringing, but she didn’t let that stop her from striving for a better future. Through grit, hard work, believing in herself and her own faith, she became a self-made businesswoman with no formal higher education or college degree. 

In 1998, Myoshia @msmyoshia started her first company. She was able grow it to a multi-six figure operation before closing it in 2007. After taking the lessons learned from that experience, she launched her second company in 2009. Myoshia is now the award-winning founder and CEO of one of the leading IT Consulting companies in the country, AndTech Solutions, LLC.  Over the past decade, under her leadership, her company has grown into a multi seven-figure consulting firm providing custom application development and technology services to some of the top U.S. companies and organizations. 

In this interview she talks about:

- How she first became interested in learning about technology
- How she views everything as a win or a learn
- Her experiences in starting her first company and the lessons it taught her
- The difficulties she faced starting a company as a single mom
- The role her faith and outlook on life has played in pulling her through tough times
- Some of the lessons and mindset strategies she's taught her kids.

Make sure to check out this inspiring episode.

Finding other moms that can relate to life with kids and raising a family is always nice. Knowing a mom that shares the highs and lows of parenting in an authentic way online through YouTube can be really helpful. Amanda Muse does just that. 

Amanda @amandamuse started her YouTube channel “AmandaMuse” to document her journey into motherhood with her two children, and connect with women around the world on a similar path. As one of YouTube’s original Mom’s, Amanda has created an engaged community online.

In this interview she discusses:

- How she got started on YouTube
- Her birth stories and what it was like living in Malaysia
- How she deals with trolls online
- When she knew YouTube and her work online would become a viable income source
- Setting boundaries on what to share
- The benefits of scheduling time together with one's spouse and how she does despite the pandemic
- The need for moms to prioritize self-care during this time

Make sure to check out this episode.

Excess clutter can create stress, but it's not always easy to find time to organize your home, especially when you've got kids. In this interview Jodie Kase, creator of One Detailed Mama, shares simple strategies you can use to tackle clutter one day at a time and one area in your home at a time.

In this interview she shares:

- Ways you can start to organize your home each day
- How she started doing the work she's doing and how her childhood lead her on the path she's on today
- How to deal with holiday clutter before it even adds up
- Key questions to ask about purchases you make for your home.

Make sure to check this episode out....you can also find Jodie at onedetailedmama.com

If you've ever tried to get fit or lose weight, you know that dieting can be difficult. But what if instead of trying a ton of different diets, you could make changes that would help you drop pounds and feel energized, all while eating delicious foods with spices that help you in your efforts to stay fit.

In today's episode, this is exactly what Nagina @masalabody discusses. Nagina Abdullah is a health coach for female professionals, physicians, and 7-figure entrepreneurs and founder of the website MasalaBody.com. She's been helping women drop pounds and get fit, even if they have tried everything. She's helped over 700 professional women successfully lose weight and create a lifestyle change. She's also been featured in Health.com, Business Insider, People.com and more.

In this episode she discusses:

- The top three spices for weight loss and health
- How she started Masala Body
- Her life growing up
- The key things she did to skyrocket her business' growth and her own health
- Mindset shifts every mom needs to know about in order to thrive and grow

Make sure to check out this episode.
Also you can find out more about Nagina's work at masalabody.com

You've probably seen her designs and illustrations at some point because they are adorable and she's been creating them for years. Laura Kelly is a licensed artist, author, designer, project maker and kindness leader.  Through her endless abundance of creativity, she shares ways to spread kindness on purpose because she believes that kindness is contagious and that the world can always use more of it. 

In this episode Laura Kelly @laurakellydesigns discusses:

- How she started making a living with her art and illustrations
- The time she stopped drawing for years and the pivotal moment in her life when she began again.
- Tips for those wanting to make a living selling their art
- Why having a purpose and a message matters when selling one's art
- How we can spread kindness each and everyday with simple acts that can uplift others.

Check out this episode to learn more. You can see more of her work at: https://meandmyinklings.com/