The Mama Sisterhood

When Mariah was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in her 20s, she never could have known how much her chronic illness would shape her journey into motherhood.

In this episode of The Mama Sisterhood, Mariah shares her experience navigating three pregnancies while living with rheumatoid arthritis at a time when there was much less research and information available about managing the condition during pregnancy and breastfeeding. She talks openly about having to stop her medication, the flares that followed, and how her health ultimately affected her breastfeeding journey.

Mariah also shares what motherhood looks like when you are managing a chronic illness — including the challenges, the guilt, and the need to adjust expectations. Through her experiences, she has learned some powerful lessons about parenting and what truly matters when raising children.

Her own experiences eventually led her to create Mamas Facing Forward, a community designed to support women living with chronic illness as they navigate pregnancy and motherhood.

Mariah's story is a reminder that motherhood doesn't have to look a certain way to be meaningful. Sometimes, living with chronic illness forces us to let go of the expectations we place on ourselves and focus on what matters most.

Find Mamas Facing Forward at mamasfacingforward.com

Important note: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. Always consult your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider with questions about your health, medications, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or treatment.

As a toddler, Stephanie began noticing that her daughter’s struggles with food went far beyond typical picky eating. But it would be years before she received an official diagnosis of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).

In this episode of The Mama Sisterhood, Stephanie shares her family’s journey through years of uncertainty, therapy, and learning how to understand and support a child with ARFID. Her daughter eventually overcame the eating disorder and is now an adult, but getting there was a long road filled with challenges, questions, and plenty of misconceptions about what was really going on.

Stephanie incorporated her daughter’s experience with ARFID into her fiction novel Sad Perfect, using storytelling as a way to help educate others about the disorder and give readers who may be experiencing similar struggles a chance to see that they are not alone.

Stephanie’s story is a reminder that sometimes what looks like “just picky eating” can be something much more complex—and that understanding, support, and the right resources can make a meaningful difference.

Stephanie's website: https://stephanieelliot.wixsite.com/arfid

Sad Perfect by Stephanie Elliot on amazon.com

Learn more about ARFID: https://www.arfidcollaborative.com/welcome

FB groups Stephanie recommends:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1561802504059071/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/408708434487042

Disclaimer: The Mama Sisterhood is a space for sharing stories, experiences, and information—not medical advice. Always talk with your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional about your individual health concerns and before making changes to your care.

When Krista took her 3-year-old daughter to a busy kids’ play area, she never imagined that she would find herself facing every parent’s worst fear: her child was missing.

Krista initially panicked, but then she remembered a tip she had seen on TikTok several months earlier. She put the tip into action—and it helped her find her daughter.

In this episode, Krista shares exactly what happened, what she did in those frightening moments, and the simple tip she learned that she hopes other parents will remember if they ever find themselves in a similar situation.

Her experience also taught her an important lesson: even when you're watching your kids closely, toddlers can move quickly and do unpredictable things. Rather than assuming it could never happen to you, being prepared for how to respond can make all the difference.

Krista is now sharing what she learned so other moms can have this information in the back of their minds—just in case they ever need it.

Some moments change a life forever.

When Melissa's son, Trenton, was injured during his senior year in a Friday night high school football game, everything changed in an instant. In the hours and days that followed, their family didn't fully understand the severity of his spinal cord injury or what the future would hold. Despite that, they clung tightly to their faith and their community support as they navigated all the changes in their world.

In this heartfelt episode, Melissa shares the raw emotions of those early days, the months spent traveling across the country for rehabilitation, and the determination that helped Trenton not only finish high school but eventually attend college independently. Their journey is one of resilience, perseverance, and refusing to let tragedy define the future.

Melissa also shares how their family's experience inspired their non-profit, Game Plan 4 Hope. Through support, resources, adaptive equipment, and community, the organization is making sure others don't have to navigate this journey alone.

Check out Game Plan 4 Hope: gameplan4hope.org

Hear Trenton tell his story on a podcast:

https://www.fortitudethepodcast.com/2009891/episodes/11370570-5-trenton-bass-tragic-football-accident-tackling-paralysis

In this deeply moving episode, I talk with Shelby, a mom whose life changed in an instant after her infant son, Benny, suffered a catastrophic injury while at daycare.

Shelby shares the heartbreaking story of the day everything changed—from a police officer arriving at her work to deliver the news to the long road of unanswered questions, hospital stays, and adjusting to a completely different future. Today, she is a full-time caregiver to Benny, whose medical complexities have transformed her family's daily life, while also running an online boutique and raising her two daughters.

We talk about what it truly means to become a "medical mom," the resilience required to navigate therapies, appointments, and advocacy, and the hope that keeps her moving forward. Shelby also opens up about pursuing stem cell treatment for Benny and why even the smallest signs of progress are worth celebrating.

Beyond sharing her family's journey, Shelby offers practical advice for other parents, including the importance of carefully vetting childcare providers and advocating for yourself in the workplace. She encourages working moms to seek employers who genuinely support the realities of raising a family.

This episode is one of heartbreak, incredible strength, and unwavering love. Shelby's story is a powerful reminder of the resilience parents discover in the face of unimaginable circumstances—and the hope that can still exist, even on the hardest days.

Follow Benny on FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61591158371122Follow Shelby on IG: @shelbcannon

Support Shelby and her family:https://www.supportnow.org/beelieve-in-benny

Check out Shelby's boutique:https://shopraeandkae.com/

RE-RELEASE

Today, I'm happy to share my interview with Ashley, whose 8-year-old daughter, Sadie, has been diagnosed with a rare disease called Sanfilippo Syndrome. Sanfilippo, as described by Ashley, is similar to dementia or Alzheimer's, but in children. In this episode, you will hear about:- What is Sanfilippo and how does it present in children- What has been Sadie's journey in terms of diagnosis, symptoms, and the involvement in a clinical trial- How Ashley makes sure that Sadie's life is full of travel and adventure This one is SO full of great lessons for all of us - the way Ashley approaches each day with Sadie is something we should all do! To learn more about Ashley and Sadie, you can find them on IG at @savingsadieraeYou can help at: https://curesanfilippofoundation.org/how-to-help/

RE-RELEASE!

This is such an exciting episode!

Today, I have the honor of chatting with Jessie Boeckmann, whose daughter was born via surrogacy in Ukraine the day before Russia attacked. Jessie takes us along her journey as she escapes Ukraine with her husband and her newborn, driving and even walking to safety. You definitely don't want to miss this fascinating story that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

This is a big thing to say, but it's true: this interview changed my life. I had the complete honor of interviewing Salym Liufau who is a mom of 4. Salym shares about her journey with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). While this diagnosis may have slowed down what she can do physically, it has also led her to really understand what is important in life - no longer worrying about things like having a Pinterest-worthy house, but instead, stopping to really absorb the joy in her children's faces and snuggling together as a family in bed, sharing movie nights. I'm so excited to share this episode with you all, and I hope it touches your hearts as much as it did mine.

Follow Salym on IG @alswithsalym

On today's interview, I had the privilege to talk with Andi Almond about her family's incredible 13-month world schooling adventure. Andi and her family prepared for 5 years for this epic trip which took them through 27 different countries and 7 continents. She also tells about the details of world schooling her two kids, incorporating their lessons into where they were traveling. You'll love her stories about Morocco, Greece, Argentina, Nepal, Antarctica, and more!

You can check out Andi's adventures on IG @4almondsabroad and find her book, The Everywhere Classroom, at andialmond.com

What do you do when your worst fear becomes your reality — just as your life is beginning.

In this deeply moving conversation, Heather Palmer shares her journey through devastating loss, silent struggle, and ultimate healing. Shortly after getting married, Heather’s husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Because of the side effects of his treatment, they turned to IVF to conceive their daughter — a baby her husband would only get to know for one precious month in the hospital before he passed away.

Heather opens up about navigating new motherhood while grieving, remarrying and growing her family, and the hidden battle she fought with an eating disorder — even when everything looked “fine” on the outside.

Now the author of Gold-In Cracks, Heather draws on the Japanese concept of Kintsugi — the art of repairing broken pottery with gold — to show how our deepest pain can become the very place our strength shines through.

This episode is a powerful reminder that broken doesn’t mean ruined — it can mean rebuilt, refined, and even more beautiful than before.

Heather's website: www.mygoldwithin.com

Follow Heather on IG : @heather8888