In this episode Karen is joined by fellow twin mom Liz Fischer who has a set of boy/girl twins. Erika joins the conversation to talk about her experience of raising two sets of boy/girl twins. Karen, Liz, and Erika discuss their pregnancy, delivery, surprising things about raising twins, the best parts of having twins, comments from strangers, and advice for expecting twin parents.

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This episode is all about your pelvic floor!  Karen talks with Rachel McCarthy-Moya, pelvic floor PT at Origin in Los Angeles, about how the pelvic floor functions and changes during pregnancy and postpartum. They cover common issues relating to the pelvic floor, including urinary incontinence, painful sex, returning to exercise, prolapse, kegels, diastasis recti, when to seek help from a pelvic floor PT and what a typical visit looks like.  It is important to know that many of these issues can be resolved with support from a PT! 

Rachel is a physical therapist at Origin in West Hollywood where she does in-person and telehealth appointments: https://www.theoriginway.com/

If you’re interested in watching the Kate Moss Video Rachel mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N4QY6qhc3s

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 In this episode Karen and Jessica Claire, IBCLC and Family Room educator discuss the ins and outs of making a smooth transition back to work for breastfeeding parents. Jessica talks about how to build up a small supply of milk (hint: it’s not a deep freezer full of milk), tips for pumping at work, communicating with caregivers, introducing a bottle, and importantly, how to care for yourself during yet another big transition. 

Jessica Claire, is an international board certified lactation consultant, facilitates the feeding support group at The Family Room as well as the prenatal breastfeeding class. Jessica also supports families virtually and  in Los Angeles. Connect or work with Jessica here: 

Website: https://www.lactationconsultantla.com/

Instagram: jessica.claire.ibclc

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Karen is joined by Kim-Lan Dovan who is a licensed marriage and family therapist and has been a parent & me educator at The Family Room for the past seven years. Karen and Kim-Lan discuss the importance of finding community as a new parent and give you an inside look at what Parent & Me looks like at The Family Room. They also talk about how to find community if you don’t have something like The Family Room in your area. 

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In this episode, Karen talks with Princess McKinney-Kirk, a Family Room educator and owner/founder of BelliBind, all about the ancient ritual of postpartum belly wrapping. Karen and Princess discuss not just the physical benefits of belly binding, but the emotional and spiritual benefits, too. If you have ever wondered how belly binding can help with your healing postpartum, are a birth and postpartum worker, or if this is your first time hearing about belly binding, this episode is for you!

The study on abdominal binding that Princess referenced can be accessed here: https://www.cureus.com/articles/22849-use-of-abdominal-binders-after-a-major-abdominal-surgery-a-randomized-controlled-trial

Ways to connect with Princess: 

Instagram: bellibind
Website: https://www.bellibind.com/

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Karen talks with Gia Gamboro Blount, longtime Toddler & Me educator at The Family Room, about the inevitable tantrum. Gia gives tips on removing predictable triggers, understanding the sequence of a tantrum, and how to help your child develop emotional hygiene. Karen and Gia discuss dealing with judgment during tantrums in public and how to survive the moment. 

Want more from Gia? She offers private parenting consultations: https://www.familyroomcenter.com/private-classes-and-consultations/

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Parenthood is something that you’ll understand once you get to experience it. We may judge moms based on what we think is correct, but there are circumstances that we can never fully grasp if we are not in their shoes. In this episode, Karen talks with Denise Peyre about practical ways to navigate parenthood when preparing your child for a sibling. This transition could be overwhelming for the family, but with the right tools and tips, we can undoubtedly guide ourselves into this life-changing moment. There are a lot of good ways that can help ease that transition. Tune in to hear recommendations to foster deep connection and bring light to our homes.

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Paid family leave is a big topic, from implications for us as a society and how we value parents to how expecting parents navigate the confusing benefits. In this podcast, Karen Stoteraux talks with Jenya Cassidy, the California Work & Family Coalition director, about the importance of paid family leave and practical ways to navigate these often confusing laws and benefits. Jenya explains that if you feel your employer is violating your rights, you can call Legal Aid at Work at 1-800-880-8047. This Legal Aid at Work is a resource where you can receive free direct legal advice. Another great resource is paidfamilyleave.org, where you can find your state’s information on your rights and how to apply. Tune in now and learn more from Jenya!

You can connect with Jenya on her:

Website: http://workfamilyca.org

Instagram @WorkFamilyCA

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Intuition is a beautiful thing. The voice inside us knows what we need, even when we don’t yet know it ourselves. That little nudge in the right direction tells us to trust our gut. For mothers, intuition is significant. We are constantly bombarded with choices and advice, and it can be hard to know what to do. But as mothers, we have a unique ability to trust our instincts and our gut feelings. Parenting is a journey, and there is no one right way to do it. Trusting your intuition will help you to find your way.

In today’s episode, Karen talks with Sepideh Hakimzadeh about connecting with your intuition postpartum. Sepideh is the owner and founder of Whole Mother Therapy in Pasadena, CA, with a mission to provide mental health support to parents.

You can connect with Sepideh at: https://www.wholemothertherapy.com/

Instagram: @wholemothertherapy

She also hosts the free virtual postpartum support group at The Family Room on Thursdays at 1pm. Click the link to join: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83448325929

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Welcome to the podcast! In this introductory episode, get to know your host, Karen Stoteraux, and her "why" for starting The Family Room, a modern, inclusive space for expecting parents and young families to learn, find support, and be real – and the podcast and what you can expect from it. Karen also talks with her friends about their first Mommy and Me class over 15 years ago, what they learned, and what life has been like since. 

Interesting fact: In Pasadena, SB 1383 allows you to put bagged food waste in your lawn and garden trash can. This bill sets goals to reduce the disposal of organic waste in landfills, including edible food.

Books referenced: The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman and The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. 

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https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/