The LIFTS Podcast

What does early literacy actually look like before a child can read?

In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Gwyneth Hyndman continues the Growing Storytellers series with pediatric speech-language pathologist Christy Cheviron, founder of Alpine Start Speech Therapy in Missoula.

Christy helps unpack what is happening in young children's brains during those incredible first years of life and explains why early literacy is about so much more than teaching a child to read. Before children can read words on a page, they are building language, vocabulary, attention, memory, narrative skills, sound awareness, and an understanding of how language works.

The conversation is also a reassuring reminder for parents who may feel pressure around reading and school readiness: literacy can happen anywhere. It can happen while reading a cereal box, making a grocery list, following a recipe, singing a nursery rhyme, scribbling with crayons, pretending to write, or talking about the pictures in a favorite book.

Christy and Gwyneth talk about making reading joyful rather than another item on the parenting to-do list. They discuss following a child's lead, letting little ones chew on and explore books, finding a reading routine that actually works for your family, and remembering that there is no single "right" way to read together.

And, of course, there are plenty of books to add to your family's reading list. Christy shares some of her favorites, while Gwyneth brings in a few beloved childhood books of her own — including Little House in the Big Woods, Charlotte's Web, Misty of Chincoteague, and My Side of the Mountain.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple idea: reading isn't just about preparing children for school. It's about helping them understand themselves, understand other people, explore new worlds, and build a lifelong relationship with stories.

In This Episode

• How language development, vocabulary, storytelling, and reading are interconnected
• Why everyday activities can become literacy opportunities
• How parents can make reading joyful instead of stressful
• Why following your child's lead can make shared reading more successful
• Letting babies and toddlers explore books in their own way — even when that means chewing on them!
• How scribbling, pretend writing, play, and storytelling all contribute to literacy
• How books can build empathy, social-emotional skills, curiosity, and a wider view of the world
• The magic of connecting stories to real-life experiences

Books Mentioned & Recommended

For babies and new parents

• On the Night You Were Born — Nancy Tillman 

For toddlers

• Moo, Baa, La La La! — Sandra Boynton 

For rhyming and phonological awareness

• A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee — Chris Van Dusen
• Oliver Jeffers — Stuck & Up and Down

For older children

• Misty of Chincoteague — Marguerite Henry
   
• My Side of the Mountain — Jean Craighead George
  
  
  
  

Christy's own listening

• The Calamity Club — Kathryn Stockett
  
  
  

Connect with Christy 

Alpine Start Speech Therapy

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey. 

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey. 

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

What can we grow here? And perhaps more importantly—what can we learn from the place where we live? 

In the second episode of our early literacy series "Growing Our Storytellers," we explore Grow Where You Are, a community early literacy project in Dillon, Montana, with Katrina Kennett, a professor of education at the University of Montana Western.  

The idea behind Grow Where You Are grew out of a collection of projects, conversations and community efforts focused on understanding what can grow in southwest Montana—and helping people of all ages overcome the barriers that can make growing feel out of reach, while developing the imaginations of our earliest learners. 

Katrina talks about the many pieces already happening in the community—from seed catalogs at the library and raised garden beds to efforts to grow food for the local food bank, as educators explore how all ages can participate. 

Katrina is also joined by Marti Laknar of the Beaverhead Conservation District, who brings a different but complementary perspective. Her work with the Beaverhead Conservation District has brought her face-to-face with the growing issue of food insecurity and the loss of basic food-growing and preservation skills they are hoping to reinvigorate in their community. 

She remembers a time when gardens were common in Dillon and throughout Montana, with vegetable gardens tucked into backyards and alleyways. Over time, convenience, larger grocery stores and changes in how communities access food contributed to a loss of those skills. 

Together they speak on connecting people not only with information, but with one another—older generations with younger generations, experienced growers with beginners, and community organizations with people who want to get involved. 

In This Episode 

• The story behind the Grow Where You Are project 
• What it means to understand what grows in southwest Montana from the earliest age 
• Building partnerships and connecting community resources 
• The potential for fresh produce in local preschools and schools 
• The importance of passing knowledge between generations 
• How gardening can strengthen community connections 
• Why growing food is about more than food—it's about resilience and relationships 

Links 

https://www.umwestern.edu/directory/katrina-kennett/ 

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

What happens when a child who found safety, consistency and belonging in Head Start grows up to become a powerful advocate for the next generation?

In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Gwyneth Hyndman speaks with Hilary Gourneau, an enrolled Dakota member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, former Fort Peck Tribal Head Start executive director and founder of Pté Collective, about how early literacy begins with creating spaces where children and families feel safe, seen and supported.

Hilary shares what she learned during her time as a Head Start executive director—including the realities of serving children and families in rural Montana, the challenges of aging facilities, and the determination it took to advocate for new Head Start buildings in Poplar and Wolf Point.

Hilary also shares the story of bringing Dolly Parton's Imagination Library books to families on the Fort Peck Reservation, even when traditional mailing systems didn't work for families who shared mailboxes or didn't have individual addresses.

She also introduces Pté Collective, the consulting organization she created to bring a Native voice to early childhood and early learning, particularly in rural and Tribal communities. "Pté" is the Dakota word for female buffalo - a matriarchal symbol of strength, family, leadership.

The conversation also turns to the future of Head Start and proposed changes that Hilary believes could have significant implications for mental health, children with special needs, and Tribal and local control. 

Ultimately, Hilary's message is simple and powerful: every child deserves access to early learning, healthcare, food, clean water, a safe home and a safe, healthy learning environment—and every child deserves someone willing to advocate for them.

Bio

Hilary is the former executive director of Fort Peck Tribal Head Start and the founder and director of Pté Collective.

In This Episode

• Hilary's own experience as a Head Start child
• Growing up on the Fort Peck Reservation
• Her path to graduate school 
• Bringing Indigenous culture into early learning
• Designing spaces around children's physical, emotional, cultural and developmental needs
• Why identity and belonging matter

Books mentioned

• Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb
• Powwow Day Traci Sorell

Links

https://www.ptecollective.com/

To Comment on Proposed Head Start Changes: https://nhsa.org/nprm-resources/how-to-speak-up-for-head-start/submit-a-public-comment/

https://www.montanaimaginationlibrary.org/

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

 In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Gwyneth Hyndman joins Rylee Andrews, a Maternal Support Professional with the Butte 4 C’s, to talk about the realities facing families across Southwest Montana. 

Rylee shares what she is seeing in homes right now as the cost of groceries, gas, housing, childcare, and healthcare continues to put pressure on family budgets. She talks about the difficult choices parents are making, from delaying medical appointments to sacrificing their own needs so their children can have what they need. 

The conversation also explores the emotional toll of that stress, including what Rylee is seeing through postpartum depression screenings and the importance of recognizing when a parent may need additional support. She speaks openly about her own experience as a mom of three and how that lived experience helps her connect with families in an authentic, judgment-free way. 

Gwyneth and Rylee also talk about Meals for Moms, a program made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor that provides nourishing meals to families during those exhausting first weeks with a new baby. Since launching in January 2026, the program has delivered hundreds of meals to local families—and has also helped connect families with additional home-visiting support. 

Guest Bio 

Rylee Andrews is a Maternal Support Professional with the Butte 4 C’s, where she works alongside families during pregnancy and the first year of a baby’s life. With a background that includes 10 years working in childcare and her own experience as a mother of three young children, Rylee brings both professional training and lived experience to her work. 

In This Episode 

• Supporting families before they reach a crisis: Rylee explains how the Butte 4 C’s works alongside families early, helping them build confidence, find resources, and create their own support networks. 
• The realities of rising costs: A look at how higher costs for groceries, gas, housing, childcare, and healthcare are forcing Montana families to make difficult choices—and sometimes put their own needs last. 
• Maternal mental health: Rylee shares what she is seeing through postpartum depression screenings and why financial stress, uncertainty, and isolation can have such a profound effect on parents and families. 
• The importance of lived experience: As a mother of three herself, Rylee talks about how remembering her own challenging moments in early parenthood helps her connect with the families she serves. 
• 406 Healthy Start: Learn how this home-visiting program supports families during pregnancy and baby's first year with education, encouragement, practical resources, and one-on-one support. 
• Meals for Moms: Hear the story behind this community-supported program providing nourishing meals to families during those exhausting first weeks after bringing home a new baby—and how a simple meal can become a doorway to additional support. 
• It takes a village: Gwyneth and Rylee talk about the importance of accepting help, building community connections, and reminding parents that they were never meant to do this alone. 
• Looking toward the future: Rylee discusses the growing need for family services across Southwest Montana and the ongoing challenge of securing funding so organizations can continue to meet families where they are. 

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

What does motherhood look like when you're carrying grief, navigating IVF, and raising a child in rural Montana? 

In this episode, HMHB Storytelling Coordinator Gwyneth Hyndman talks with fellow Philipsburg mom and farmer Kelly Pipe Campbell about motherhood, grief, IVF, and how support can look in a rural community.

Kelly shares the seven-year journey with her husband, Derek, that led to the birth of their daughter, Beverly, including fertility treatments, a miscarriage, and a first experience with IVF, compared to their journey with IVF in 2026.  She also talks openly about losing her mother before becoming a mom herself—and how that grief returned in unexpected ways after Beverly was born.

The conversation explores the realities of raising a baby while living remotely, working on a farm, and navigating postpartum anxiety and depression. Kelly reflects on the expectations she had for motherhood, the challenges that come with balancing work and parenting, and how finding community in Philipsburg helped her begin to feel supported.

Guest Bio: Kelly Pipe Campbell is a mother, wife and farmer based in Philipsburg, where she and her husband operate Moon River Ranch CSA.

In This Episode

• Kelly's seven-year journey to becoming a mother
• Becoming a mother after losing her own mom
• How grief resurfaced during pregnancy and postpartum
• The isolation of raising a newborn in rural Montana
• Postpartum anxiety, counseling, and supporting a relationship after having a baby
• Running a farm while caring for an infant
• The pressure and guilt of trying to balance motherhood and work
• Pursuing IVF for a second time
• Raising a fearless, independent daughter

Show Links: 

• Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler https://www.tcoyf.com/ 
• Motherless Mothers: How Mother Loss Shapes the Parents We Become by Hope Edelman https://www.hopeedelman.com/books
• Moon River Ranch CSA https://moonrivercsa.com/pages/about-moon-river-ranch

Learn more:

• LIFTS Online Resource Guide: https://hmhb-lifts.org/
• Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, the Montana Coalition: https://hmhb-mt.org/

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

Episode Description

Welcome to Season 6 of the LIFTS Podcast - In this season-opening episode, new host Gwyneth Hyndman, HMHB’s Storytelling Coordinator, sits down with Stephanie Morton, Executive Director of Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, the Montana Coalition, to reflect on where the organization has been and where it is headed.

Gwyneth and Stephanie talk about the evolution of the podcast, including the transition from Mother Love to LIFTS, and why creating a space that includes moms, dads, grandparents, foster parents, and the many other people helping raise Montana’s children matters.

They also discuss HMHB’s growing commitment to policy and systems change, what lies ahead for Montana families, and the important role storytelling plays in helping people feel less alone. At the heart of the conversation is a simple but powerful reminder: parenting was never meant to be something we figure out alone.

Guest Bio:

Stephanie Morton is the Executive Director of Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, the Montana Coalition. She has been with HMHB for nearly a decade, previously serving as the organization’s program director before stepping into her current leadership role.

Highlights include:

• The importance of including the many caregivers and communities who help raise Montana’s children
• HMHB’s growing investment in policy and systems change for families
• How personal stories can help reduce stigma, connect families with resources, and inform better systems of care
• Why parents and caregivers don’t have to simply “tough it out” or navigate the challenges of raising children alone

Stephanie’s message:

“You’re not supposed to just grit your teeth and muscle your way through this. It’s not supposed to be all sleep deprivation and toughen it out. There are points where you can find support.”

Learn more:

• LIFTS Online Resource Guide: https://hmhb-lifts.org/
• Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, the Montana Coalition: https://hmhb-mt.org/

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! If you have a topic or story you’d like to hear on the LIFTS Podcast, or feedback about an episode, contact Gwyneth Hyndman at [email protected].

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website: https://hmhb-mt.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hmhbmt/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmhbmt/

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0–3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at https://hmhb-lifts.org/

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

Guest Bio: 

Episode Description 

In this heartfelt episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Emily Freeman talks with Celeste Miller, a ranch mom from rural Montana, about her journey through breastfeeding challenges, rural isolation, and finding confidence in motherhood.

Celeste shares how her first baby’s health complications made nursing difficult, how she found support the second time around, and what it’s like raising kids while working on a cattle ranch. Together, Emily and Celeste discuss the realities of rural parenting — long drives for care, limited lactation support, and the pressure to “tough it out” — alongside the growing openness among moms to talk about postpartum mental health.

Highlights include:

• Navigating breastfeeding challenges and formula feeding without local support
• Balancing ranch life and parenting in a rural setting
• The importance of community, vulnerability, and practical support for moms
• Why resources like lactation consultants and postpartum support matter in small towns

Celeste’s message:
“You can be tough and still have a hard time — it’s not one or the other.”

Learn more:

• LIFTS Online Resource Guide Category Lactation Supports: https://hmhb-lifts.org/services?service_type=Lactation%20Support
• Read the article from the magazine:  https://hmhb-mt.org/magazine/

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

Episode Description:

In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Emily Freeman speaks with Stephanie Fitch (Billings Clinic) and Sarah Buchanan (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services) about Siloed — a Montana-made documentary exploring the realities of maternal healthcare access in rural communities.

Produced by Montanans, for Montanans, Siloed weaves together powerful stories from across the state to reveal both the challenges and the deep resilience found in Montana families and providers. The film sheds light on maternal healthcare deserts, the emotional and logistical barriers families face, and the creative solutions, from telehealth to local support networks, helping bridge those gaps.

Highlights include:

• Why storytelling and lived experience matter as much as data in driving public health change
• How rural Montana communities are navigating obstetric care closures
• The importance of psychological safety and trust in healthcare
• The role of telehealth, doulas, and community health workers in expanding access
• The story behind the making of Siloed — from student filmmakers to statewide screenings
• Simple, human ways anyone can support new parents in their own community

Watch the film:
🎬 Siloed Documentary (DPHHS MOMS Program) - https://dphhs.mt.gov/ecfsd/moms/SiloedDocumentaryEducation

Learn more or get involved:

• Montana MOMS Program: https://mtmoms.org/
• Montana Maternal Health Alliance: https://dphhs.mt.gov/ecfsd/moms/LeadershipCouncil
•  Find perinatal resources in every Montana county and reservation using the LIFTS Online Resource Guide: hmhb-lifts.org 

Join the conversation:
Host a community screening, share the documentary with a friend, or simply check in on a new parent in your life. Small acts of care help break down isolation and build connection.

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

Guest Bio: 

Tehya Teigen is a 29-year-old proud mother of two and the wife of a Navy veteran. She is a recovering addict who believes in second chances, healing, and the power of self-love. Her journey serves as a reminder that recovery is possible and that every day is a new opportunity to rise stronger than before.

Episode Details:

In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Emily Freeman talks with Tehya Tigan, a Helena mom of two, about how Montana’s home visiting programs supported her family through pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenting.

Tehya shares how home visiting offered her more than information—it offered connection, advocacy, and encouragement at a time when she needed it most. She opens up about her journey through recovery, motherhood, and rebuilding life after addiction and legal challenges, reminding us that every parent deserves support and a chance to thrive.

Topics in this episode include:

• What home visiting is and how it works in Montana
• How home visitors support families with breastfeeding, car seat safety, and more
• The importance of advocacy and trust between home visitors and families
• Overcoming stigma around recovery and criminal records
• Finding hope and purpose through parenting

Resources mentioned:

• Learn more about home visiting in Montana: https://hmhb-mt.org/homevisiting/
• Explore local support programs and resources for families at LIFTS Online Resource Guide: http://hmhb-lifts.org
• Learn more about the home visiting program at Lewis and Clark County Home Visiting that Tehya utilizes: https://www.lccountymt.gov/Government/Public-Health/Pregnancy-and-Parenting/Home-Visiting

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

Guest Bio: 

Maria Emmer-Aanes is the Executive Director of The Village Playspace and the Early Childhood Coalition of Beaverhead County, where she works alongside parents, partners, and neighbors to build strong, connected communities for kids and families in rural Montana. Her work is rooted in a simple belief: when families feel supported and connected, everyone does better.
 
 Maria is the co-founder of the Beaverhead Brigade, a grassroots nonprofit created to restore after-school transportation for students, and the founder of the Good Food Network, a community-led effort focused on improving access to clean, nutritious food and food education across Beaverhead County. She also serves as a Rural Ambassador for the Montana Nonprofit Association, helping elevate rural voices and strengthen nonprofit leadership across the state.
 
 A mom of two boys and married to a fly fishing guide, Maria brings both lived experience and professional insight to her work—balancing family life, community building, and a deep love for the place she calls home.
  

Episode Description:

In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Emily Freeman talks with Maria Emmer-Aanes, Executive Director of the Early Childhood Coalition of Beaverhead County and the Village Play Space in Dillon.

Maria shares how her coalition works to build resilience and strengthen families in one of Montana’s most rural regions — from innovative transportation solutions and intergenerational community programs to creative ways of addressing food insecurity and childcare gaps. Together, they explore what it means to raise kids, connect families, and grow community in a county where distances are vast but relationships run deep.

Highlights include:

• How Early Childhood Coalitions collaborate statewide to share ideas and support families
• The power of parent advisory councils and listening to families’ lived experiences
• Innovative rural models like pay-what-you-can thrift stores, diaper banks, and local food networks
• Building intergenerational community through shared meals, gardening, and life-skills education

Maria’s message:
“It really does take a village — and sometimes that village starts with just one conversation, one meal, or one connection.”

Resources: 

• Early Childhood Coalition of Beaverhead County: https://www.earlychildhood406.org/
• LIFTS Online Resource Guide Category Family Support & Education: https://hmhb-lifts.org/services?service_type=Family%20Support%20and%20Education

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram 

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/