Whatcha Expecting?

This week, Kate and Claire chat about the ways they’re perceived in the world, both in pregnancy and in new motherhood. In both cases, they’ve noticed women who acknowledge them with a knowing “welcome to the club” look — a look Joe will sadly never understand. Claire reflects on whether or not she wants people to think she’s a mom, or whether she prefers that it be a fun, shocking little surprise. Kate thinks about both wanting and not wanting to have people treat her differently as a visibly pregnant person. 

CW: Body image, weight changes 

Weekly Plugs:

Ice water

The Courage to be Disliked

Supportive sneakers  

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Kate’s Instagram: @KateHerzlin

Claire’s Instagram: @ClaireTadokoro

Editing, recording, post production and dad insights by Joe Leonardo. 

Music by Christopher Morucci.

In this week’s episode, Kate comes fresh off a breastfeeding class awash with a slew of lessons and/or propaganda to unpack. Claire shares her experience with switching to formula and the shaming attitudes she encountered along the way. Kate prepares for a feeding journey that embraces the grey areas, and Claire and Joe discuss their experiences with lactation consultants. Kate commits to exclusively pump if a certain breast pump wants to sponsor her — to find out which one, listen to the pod!

Weekly Plugs: 

Claire on Lactation Consultants

Golden Kiwifruit

Owlet Dream Sock

Kate’s Instagram: @KateHerzlin

Claire’s Instagram: @ClaireTadokoro

Editing, recording, post production and dad insights by Joe Leonardo. 

Music by Christopher Morucci.

Claire shamefully confesses to being apart from her baby for nearly two weeks and shares what it felt like to be baby-less for 12 days. The highs, the lows, the SEPARATION ANXIETY and, of course, the reunion. Kate talks about the physical reassurance of baby kicks as well as the acrobats she suspects her baby is doing en utero. She also reflects on how that intimate physical reassurance ends with pregnancy as she and Claire look ahead to other milestones where separation anxiety may come into play -- daycare, moving out, going to jail, etc.

Weekly Plugs:

Peacharines

Color-changing baby spoons

Coconut Water

Iced Water

Kate’s Instagram: @KateHerzlin

Claire’s Instagram: @ClaireTadokoro

Editing, recording, post production and dad insights by Joe Leonardo. 

Music by Christopher Morucci.

This week, we’re talking about how — and where we build our nests, and what kinds of trees we’ve chosen to root our families’ lives in (while taking the metaphor further than we should). Claire shares big news about where she’ll be living, and Kate discusses her hopes and anxieties for raising kids in New York. They discuss the different factors that go into these decisions, with Joe sharing insights on schools, economic realities, and surprising takes on Bill de Blasio. 

Weekly plugs:

• Spending quality time with your partner before baby’s arrival in the third trimester (very specific plug)
• Our podcast! Ever heard of it? Rate us, review us, give us a social shout out
• New York City Department of Education 
• Bill de Blasio (why? Listen to the end to find out!)

Kate’s Instagram: @KateHerzlin

Claire’s Instagram: @ClaireTadokoro

Editing, recording, post production and dad insights by Joe Leonardo. 

Music by Christopher Morucci.

This week, we’d like to wish our heavily male audience a Happy FATHER’S DAY! Claire shares a sweet surprise she gave Cody in honor of his first Father’s Day, Kate ponders the importance of the holiday, and both co-hosts discuss the roles their own dads have played in their lives. After a couple of poorly-delivered Oedipus complex jokes, the two also share the qualities they admire the most in their partners and how they hope to parent together in the future. 

Weekly Plugs:

• Splurging on an apartment/house cleaning
• Freshly cut pineapple
• Get tickets for Kate's BoogieManja show on June 18th at The PIT in New York @ 7:30.
• Catch Bibs

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Kate’s Instagram: @KateHerzlin

Claire’s Instagram: @ClaireTadokoro

Editing, recording, post production and dad insights by Joe Leonardo. 

Music by Christopher Morucci.

This week, we’re talking about PLAY DATES. What’s it like for Claire to see her baby interact with other kids? How have both Kate’s and Claire’s relationships with socializing changed? We discuss friendship and the role communities play in your life (or not) as pregnancy and parenthood progress. For those wanting to hang out with Kate and Claire, an abundance of PSA’s await you.

Weekly Plugs:

Cometeer Coffee Capsules - Use code "clairetadokoro" for $20 off your first subscription order. Cancel anytime.

Get tickets for Kate's BoogieManja show on June 18th at The PIT in New York @ 7:30.

Mangoes

Sleep Sacks

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Kate’s Instagram: @KateHerzlin

Claire’s Instagram: @ClaireTadokoro

Editing, recording, post production and dad insights by Joe Leonardo. 

Music by Christopher Morucci.

This week, we’re chatting about BABY NAMES. What goes into deciding on one? Do you share the name before they’re born? Do you invite opinions? The stakes feel very high for this early parenting decision, and we all go about it in slightly different ways -- pulling from relatives both dead and alive, childhood crushes, mere vibes, etc. 

Weekly Plugs:

Tummy Time

Wind Machines

Emily Herzlin and Malkhut

Strawberries

Kate’s Instagram: @KateHerzlin

Claire’s Instagram: @ClaireTadokoro

Editing, recording, post production and dad insights by Joe Leonardo. 

Music by Christopher Morucci.

This week, we’re talking about TIME MANAGEMENT. We discuss the differences in the day during maternity leave and in going back to work, the work day while pregnant, and whether or not you control your time. How does Kate feel about how time is moving during each trimester, and how does Claire feel about how quickly Rodney is changing? And what tool does Joe recommend (or maybe not) for managing time?

Weekly Plugs:

Opal Apples

Bedtime

Passion Planner

Kate’s Instagram: @KateHerzlin

Claire’s Instagram: @ClaireTadokoro

Editing, recording, post production and dad insights by Joe Leonardo. 

Music by Christopher Morucci.

This week, we’re traveling back in time to Kate’s BIRTHDAY (a week and a half ago). We discuss birthday traditions, birthday memories, and we of course bring it back to the most important birthday of all, our actual BIRTH DATES and the birth dates of babies worldwide. Did everything go according to plan? How did we cruise into the world? And what do we remember from our very first day of existence? 

Weekly Plugs:

Babymoons

Frozen Pineapple

Universal Bassinet / Stroller Sun Shade and Mosquito Net

Bubbles

Kate’s Instagram: @KateHerzlin

Claire’s Instagram: @ClaireTadokoro

Editing, recording, post production and dad insights by Joe Leonardo. 

Music by Christopher Morucci.

This week on Whatcha Expecting? Kate and Claire discuss MOTHER’S DAY. They chat about their memories of Mother’s Day growing up – flower sales, divorced parents, and the quest for the perfect gift. They discuss fraught connections to the holiday, from childhood experiences to their relationships to it now. They imagine what Mother’s Day might hold for them in the future, and stumble upon a particular New York food insight that Claire discovers her (apparently profound) ignorance of. They share this week’s Highly Original Anxieties, and close out by plugging their own podcast – truly the perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Weekly Plugs:

Bananas

Whatcha Expecting?

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents

Joe Leonardo - Audio Engineer

Kate’s Instagram: @KateHerzlin

Claire’s Instagram: @ClaireTadokoro

Editing, recording, post production and dad insights by Joe Leonardo. 

Music by Christopher Morucci.