BDA Baby (Before, During and After Baby)

In this powerful conversation, I sat down with Mary Farrelly, a NICU nurse and NICU doula behind the Instagram community "The NICU Translator." With over 13 years of experience caring for the tiniest patients and their families, Mary shares the realities of NICU life that most people never see as well as the critical gaps in care that exist when families finally go home. We explore the unexpected...

Kelly Stumpe, aka the Car Mom, joined us for a conversation all about choosing the right vehicle and car seats for your family. She emphasizes the importance of safety, practicality, and long-term planning. We get into what the different safety ratings mean and how to decide what are the right priorities for your specific family. We also touch on car seat safety and the best practices for keeping...

We sat down with Justine Marjan to talk all about her experience giving birth. At the time, we were in the height of the COVID pandemic, and many were having to shift their expectations for what birth would be for them. Justine shared her own experience, explaining how she prepared for childbirth and adapted to COVID precautions for her birth team. Justine also shares how she relied on her midwife...

In this episode, Mike Rosenthal joined us to discuss his and his wife’s journey to parenthood through surrogacy. Mike shares the decision-making process behind choosing surrogacy, and all the highs and lows along the way to welcoming their new baby. Mike gets to share the dad’s perspective of becoming a parent, and how he has felt stepping into fatherhood. Each path to parenthood in unique, and Mi...

Fertility isn’t one-size-fits-all—and in this episode, we’re diving into the real conversations many women are having when it comes to planning for a family. Whether you’re considering freezing your eggs or embryos, navigating a PCOS or endometriosis diagnosis, or facing sperm-related challenges with a partner or donor, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and science-backed insight.  Dr. Luck...

Jessica Murnane joined us alongside the release of her book Know Your Endo to talk all things endometriosis. Jessica shared her own experience with endometriosis and her journey to diagnosis. Endometriosis is often misdiagnosed but is so important to recognize and address. We covered everything including key symptoms, how to get diagnosed, and finding the right doctor. Make sure to check out Know...

Going back to or starting school can be quite the struggle with little ones. In this episode, we sat down with Jess VanderWier of Nurtured first to talk all about making that transition to school a little easier. Jess is a psychotherapist and parenting expert, and she had great tips for helping your child ease into school. She also emphasizes the importance of managing our own emotions as parents....

Tan France joined us for a conversation about his journey into fatherhood and shared the story of the early arrival of his son Ismail. Tan reflects on the isolation new parents feel and the importance of taking care of our mental health. He also addresses the guilt some parents feel when going back to work. Tan tells parents not to be afraid to rely on their support systems and to make sure to kee...

Teresa Palmer joined us for a discussion of all thing's childbirth and pregnancy. Teresa shares her journey through multiple pregnancies and some of her unique experiences with each birth. She shares what she learned along the way like the importance of surrendering to the experience and how each birth can be vastly different. Teresa emphasizes that maternal instincts are real, and no mom should f...

If you're deep in the toddler years—or bracing yourself for them—this episode is for you. I’m joined by toddler expert and coach Devon Kuntzman, founder of Transforming Toddlerhood and author of a new must-read parenting book. We talk all things tantrums, meltdowns, big feelings, power struggles, and why every age in the toddler stage seems to come with a negative label (“terrible twos,” “threenag...

Matthew and Elliot Dürt joined us to share all about their unique journey to parenthood. They told us how to eventually chose surrogacy and egg donation with Elliot’s sister donating her eggs and Matthew’s mother serving as the surrogate. Their surrogacy journey brought them their daughter Uma! Matthew and Elliot are now dads in the thick of parenting, and they go over the joys and challenges of p...

What if feeding your baby didn’t come with pressure, shame, or judgment? In this episode, I’m joined by Laura Modi, founder and CEO of Bobbie, the formula company that’s rewriting the rules on how we nourish our babies and ourselves. We talk about: - The cultural expectations around feeding and the rise of combo feeding - The emotional toll of feeding expectations on new moms - Why formula shouldn...

In this episode, we talked to Aliza Carr and Candice Echeverria about their experiences with Haakaa and breastfeeding. Aliza is a midwife and shares some of the reasons she recomends Haakaa products to new moms. Candice is a lactation consultant and has such great insight on the breastfeeding process. Both women remind us that feeding our babies is a very personal journey. What works for one mom m...

Physical therapy for babies and toddlers was a foreign concept to me until I became a mother myself and learned about the benefits that come with having your baby seen early when needed. Today’s episode is all about baby and toddler physical therapy, milestones, and how we can feel empowered about when to seek the help and wisdom from someone like Dr. Mell of Tots On Target. We chat about rolling,...

We met with Dr. Krupa Playforth a few years ago to discuss the challenging topic of talking to children about tragedy and gun violence. Dr. Playforth is a board-certified pediatrician and mother who draws insight from her own experiences to provide advice to families. We explored the importance of giving our kids context, managing our own anxiety, and giving our kids the tools to feel safe and inf...

Every parent knows the cold sweat that hits when your child starts melting down… especially in public. The stares, the pressure, the mental spiral… it’s a lot.  In this episode, I’m joined by Alyssa Blask Campbell, the brilliant mind behind Tiny Humans, Big Emotions and the brand-new follow-up Big Kids, Bigger Feelings. We dive into why kids act out, how our own reactions shape theirs, and what em...

Sharon Mazel had all kinds of advice for starting solids in this episode. We address common concerns like choking and gagging and how to navigate picky eating. Sharon emphasizes a relaxed approach and repeated exposure to new foods. When parents relax and focus on the big picture over the little details, our kids’ nutrition becomes a lot less stressful. Sharon hopes that her practical advice can e...

In this inspiring episode, Mallory Ervin shared her journey to baby number three and her struggles and triumphs along the way. Mallory is open about her experiences with pregnancy loss, and her decision to share her experience with pregnancy loss in a public way. She tells us that faith and community support were pivotal in helping her through her experience trying to conceive. By sharing her stor...

If you’re a parent, you’ve been there- the baby monitor cuts out in the middle of the night, and you wake up in a panic. So you can imagine the joy I felt when I found the Harbor monitor, which promised to never cut out. And after using it with all three of my kids, I can honestly say it delivered.  In this episode, I talk with Kevin Lavelle, the CEO and Co-Founder of Harbor, about how and why he...

In this episode, Liz Tenety shared her journey to creating a supportive community for mothers though Motherly. We talk through the challenges and triumphs of motherhood why it’s so important for moms to have a community that knows and celebrates their experiences. Liz also gives us some insight into her own experience with motherhood, including becoming a mom of five. Whether online or in person,...

Jessica Diamond is a registered dietitian and breast feeding and weaning expert, and in this episode, we covered the emotional and physical journey of weaning from breast feeding. Jessica shares insights on gentle weaning methods and how to communicate with our children and partners. We also cover how to cope with some of the hormonal changes that come with weaning, and when to transition to other...

Ever wonder how someone wanting to grow their family via a surrogate gets paired up with the perfect surrogate for them? Cue a surrogacy matchmaker like Marly Steinman!  So many families in today’s world are built in a variety of different ways. In this episode we talk about surrogacy, whether that path is right for you, and if you choose to go down that route, how you go about finding the perfect...

Bri Hepworth of Mini Voyager joined us to share her journey to creating her travel kit brand. Bri was inspired by her own experience traveling as a parent. As her family traveled more, Bri started making travel kits for her kids to help ease the stress of traveling and keep them entertained on long trips. Now, Mini Voyager makes those kits available to everyone! From toddlers to older children, Mi...

In this episode, Rebecca Minkoff shared her journey as an entrepreneur and mother. We learn about her journey to starting her business while balancing motherhood along the way. Rebecca emphasizes the importance of overcoming fear while learning from our failures. We also discuss how to set boundaries while working our way through work and family life. Being a working mom can be hard, but Rebecca t...

When should you start reading to your baby? According to literacy advocate and author Maya Payne Smart, the answer is now. In this episode, we dive into the science and storytelling behind early reading and why those bedtime books (and even the ones they chew on!) matter more than you think. Maya explains how the simple act of reading aloud from day one helps build your child’s brain, supports lan...