Whatcha Expecting?

Recorded the week of Kate’s cancerversary, this week’s episode examines what genes Kate and Claire are passing onto their kids. After a highly scientific lesson on Punnett Squares, Claire notes that Rodney has her eyes, and Kate suspects her son will have her judgmentalness. They discuss their experiences surrounding genetic tests, and Kate reflects on her experience with cancer. Kate considers he...

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...

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 exclusiv...

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...

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 insig...

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 thei...

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: Come...

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...

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 ti...

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...

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 particu...

Kate and Claire commiserate over the stress of crafting one's BABY SHOWER REGISTRY. When should you create one? What should you add to your registry? What should you skip? It's information overload between articles, well-intentioned aunties and TikToks – all offering up competing opinions. Then they zoom out to share who they go to for motherhood advice beyond just baby registry goodies! Kate’s In...

This week on Whatcha Expecting? Kate and Claire discuss MOM BRAIN. After reviewing some prime listener feedback, they chat about forgetfulness in pregnancy and new motherhood. They discuss what it means to inhabit a “mom brain” and when (or if) they’ve started to feel like a mom. They share this week’s Highly Original Anxieties, one of which is truly, well, highly original. "The Mom Brain Phenomen...

*CW: body image issues related to weight changes, eating disorders, hair loss. This week on Whatcha Expecting? Kate and Claire discuss GROWTH SPURTS. They chat about the fascinating body metrics of a 2 month old as well as the yoga position Kate’s fetus seems to be fond of. They’ll also talk about their own changing bodies – which they’re immensely proud of from a feminist perspective – but n...

In the second episode of Whatcha Expecting? Kate and Claire discuss CRAVINGS AND AVERSIONS. They share stories of the foods — and lives — they most dream of. They swap stories (and occasional judgments) of the foods and futures they fear for their children and for themselves. Finally, they exchange their Highly Original Anxieties of the week. Tickets here to Kate’s musical, Pages Behind , at The N...

Episode 1 is out now! When a notoriously unprepared new mom and her chronically overprepared pregnant friend love each other very much, they make a podcast!  Each Thursday, longtime friends Kate Herzlin and Claire Tadokoro discuss various aspects of pregnancy and new parenthood. They’ll chat about cravings and aversions, they’ll grapple with their identities, and they’ll tell a joke or two to...

In the first episode of Whatcha Expecting? Kate and Claire introduce each other and then discuss CONCEPTION. What a concept! They swap conception journey stories, reminisce on announcing their pregnancies to each other and exchange their Highly Original Anxieties of the week. -- Tickets here to Kate’s musical, Pages Behind , at The New Media Theatre in Media, PA on April 11th.  Kate’s Instagr...