Chick Chat

Today, we're discussing a subject that plays a crucial role in many people's lives: birth control. I had the pleasure of chatting with our guest, Dr. Bana Kashani, about this topic in great detail. Dr. Kashani provided tremendous medical insights and discussed the various forms of contraception, what to expect with each, and debunked some common myths. Birth control isn't just about preventing pre...

This discussion was a good one and about several topics that I am so incredibly passionate about: women's choice of care, midwives, evidence-based birth practices, and better birth outcomes. Dr. Darrell Martin shared so many fascinating stories and talked to us all about his experience advocating for women's choice in healthcare, his support of midwives, and the five key roles of midwives in creat...

When you and your partner are ready to start your family, it's a wonderful and exciting time! If you are in a cis-hetero relationship, this is when you begin "trying" and hope to see a positive confirmation on your next pregnancy test. But for many couples, it isn't so easy. According to a 2023 World Health Organization report, about 1 in 6 people worldwide experience infertility. This is heartbre...

Everything changes the moment you find out you're pregnant. Priorities change, lifestyle choices change, and your whole world changes. You realize you are no longer just taking care of yourself. Caring for your baby becomes the priority. You may become protective and think about what you're exposing yourself to, including harsh chemicals and toxins. It's normal during pregnancy for women to rethin...

Many things may change over the years, but something that we want to instill in our kids is that it's always cool to be kind. In my opinion, kindness is beginning to be a lost art in our world. We hear so much negativity and unkind things in the news and media that it's spilling into our everyday lives. Fortunately, we are our children's greatest teachers (and they are ours). We can make a differe...

Women can experience a lot of discomfort during pregnancy. All of these aches, pains, and changes in our body can also take a toll on our sleep. If we aren't moving around to find just the right position to get comfortable or having to get up to use the restroom again, you can count on our restless leg syndrome or pregnancy insomnia to kick in. With all of these issues, we had to chat with Dr. Ann...

A growing body of research shows that social media is designed to be addictive and feed children age-inappropriate content. This is leading to higher rates of depression and loneliness. As a parent, this is heartbreaking news but not surprising. Concerned parents, legislators, and psychology experts are advocating for abstinence – specifically banning social media and smartphone use until kids rea...

Pregnancy is a unique experience for every woman. Even the same woman can have different experiences from one pregnancy to another. Morning sickness, pregnancy insomnia, heartburn—the list goes on. Thankfully, there are things expecting mothers can do to help them through those pregnancy discomforts. A big part of that can be their diet. As our guest today said, "Food is mood," so understanding mo...

Having grown up with a sibling (my twin brother, to be exact) who has autism was one of the biggest things that ever happened to my family. In the 80's and 90's, there weren't that many resources available for parents who had kids with disabilities. My parents did the best that they could in raising us, but there were a lot of struggles. Now that I'm a mother myself, I can only imagine all of the...

At the end of the third trimester, most expecting moms are over being pregnant and are beyond ready to meet their baby. If you're expecting or have had a baby, you can probably relate. Something else that the majority of these women will tell you is that even though they are so excited to meet their babies, they are also a bit afraid of labor and birth. We get it! Childbirth is unpredictable, and...

Are you someone who has a sweet tooth? Do you get cravings for something sweet throughout the day or in the evening before bedtime? If so, I can completely relate. I get sugar cravings, and when they hit, the cravings are strong. And this happens to kids, too! As parents, we sometimes use sweets to show love, appreciation, and sometimes even bribery. I know I have. These cravings can start young....

One of our greatest roles as parents, in my opinion, is to teach our children how to be independent, good human beings. While academics are important, are we (society) putting enough emphasis on basic life skills and emotional intelligence? I'm not sure. I think that life skills can often be misunderstood as "chores." However, life skills are independence skills and organizational skills. There's...

Just a few weeks ago, I had a birth doula client who asked me if she would really know when labor was starting. This question surprised me because she was pregnant with her second child. Her first childbirth experience was an induction, but she knew what contractions felt like. However, the more I thought about this question, the more I realized many expecting moms have asked me this, "Will I real...

If you have a new baby, you have probably heard of Moms On Call. Maybe you've heard of their books, their courses, their apps, or their consultants. Either way, it's no surprise that you have because they have helped over 1,000,000 and counting moms and dads across the world parent with confidence. As someone who has been in the mom-and-baby industry for over a decade, I even remember hearing some...

I can't believe we first launched this podcast in 2018, and this is my very first solo episode! We have been playing around with the idea of incorporating solo shows into our podcast for a bit. Now that this is my first one, I am super excited to hear what you guys think about it. Because my career background is heavily tied around birth and my work as a doula, I thought "How to Choose the Right D...

Are you a mother who feels stretched thin and exhausted? Maybe you can't remember anything, and you're feeling lonelier than ever before? If you're saying yes to yourself after reading these questions, you just might be experiencing "mommy burnout." Our guest today is an expert on this topic, and she is sharing her tips on navigating and reclaiming your life while raising healthy and happy childre...

Welcoming a new baby into the world and becoming a parent are some of the greatest gifts in life. As soon as you see those two pink lines on your pregnancy test and the moment you hold your baby in your arms, life is never the same again. And just as your baby is learning about you and this new world, you are also learning about this new baby and your new role as a mother. There are highs and lows...

Feeding your new baby can come with its challenges. You may think that breastfeeding your newborn will come naturally, and for some, it does. However, for many others, it isn't so simple. Breastfeeding is a skill that both mother and baby must practice and learn together. Then, once they have figured out their feeding rhythm, it's time to introduce a bottle, and mothers are left unsure how to do i...

Safety is at the top of every parent's mind. We always want to do everything we can to keep our little ones safe, but sometimes, we don't know where to start. There is so much to consider. Car seat safety, babyproofing, safe sleep, and more! Luckily, we have Sarah Haverstick, a baby and child safety guru, answering all of our questions. She's sharing what every parent needs to know about baby safe...

While pregnancy is a miracle, there are times when it can be uncomfortable and not so glamorous. People hear about morning sickness and swollen feet, but not necessarily about pregnancy complications. Pregnant women need to know what is normal and abnormal in pregnancy so they can know what to look for regarding any concerns. One of the first tips today's guest shared on this episode is choosing a...

Planning a trip and traveling to Disney World or Disneyland with kids is extremely exciting but, at the same time, can be very overwhelming. There is so much to do and think about. What should you reserve? What do you need to pack? How can you find the best deals? That's why we're chatting with Sarah, today's guest, to give us the scoop on all the best tips and tricks to make your next Disney vaca...

With November being National Adoption Month, we’re thrilled to end the month chatting with a guest who knows this topic extremely well, Becky Fawcett. We talked about all things adoption with Becky in this episode. We discussed her personal adoption journey, the adoption process people need to know, costs, and much more. Who is Becky Fawcett? Becky Fawcett is the founder and president of Helpusado...

Now that my daughter is two-and-a-half years old, I am approaching when I need to potty train her. From my years of experience working with families, I know that each child is different, and potty training your child might look a bit different from how I potty train mine, and that's okay! Potty training can be a challenging process for some children and smooth for others. I was lucky enough to hav...

The holidays are upon us! This means creating special memories, holiday parties, and delicious food. If you're the one who is hosting the holidays this year, or you need to bring a dish or two to a party, it can be daunting to know where to start. Maybe you want to make a tasty but healthy dish. And perhaps you want to make something kid-friendly so everyone can enjoy. Today, we have a special gue...

Childcare is a huge decision to make when a family has a baby. Will they utilize childcare or have a parent stay home with the baby? And if they choose to send their little one to daycare or use some form of childcare, which ones are available to them in their area? How much do they cost? There are lots of things and questions to consider. Today's guest knows this well and wanted to create a bette...