Chick Chat

Over the past 10 years, I've attended hundreds of births. Some of my clients choose to have unmedicated births and some choose pain medication. Whichever you choose, do your research and decide which birthing experience is best for you. We want everyone to know that one way of giving birth is not better than the other and one way does not make you a better or stronger woman or mother. All birthing...

Montessori is becoming more and more popular but there are still families who don’t know what Montessori is and why it might be a good option for their child. Today, I'm chatting with Theresa, the founder of Montessori in Real Life, co-creator of The Montessori Guides, and mom to a 3-year-old girl and 1-year-old boy. Prior to momming and blogging, Theresa received her graduate degree in developmen...

Mary Alice and I are both currently pregnant and are here to talk about the second trimester: what to expect and what we are experiencing during our pregnancies. We hope that you listened to our episode about the first trimester. It should give you a good idea of what to expect and what is normal. In the future, we will also share what to expect in the third trimester, birth, and postpartum. Every...

Did you know that only about 8 percent of U.S. births are attended by midwives? Many women in the states are unaware of who midwives are, what they do, and where they practice. In the United States, most women never even think to consider hiring one as their maternity care provider. This breaks my heart because in many other developed countries, like France, the U.K., and Australia, midwifery is c...

Choosing a crib mattress may not sound like a big deal, but it’s more important than parents think. Today, I have the pleasure of chatting with Barry Cik, the Founder and Technical Director of Naturepedic, a manufacturer of award-winning certified organic mattresses. Barry knows all too well the important decision of choosing the right crib mattress for your baby. Years ago when Barry was shopping...

Car seats can be confusing. What should we look for in a good car seat when making a purchase? What are the common car seat mistakes that we can avoid? We know that they keep our children safe in the car, but it's more than just buying the car seat. We need to know how to use it properly. I’m chatting with a nationally certified car seat technician, Michelle Pratt, for today's episode. Michelle is...

Welcoming a child into the world is one of the greatest days of a parent's life. However, if that newborn child ever has to be separated due to being preterm, having health complications, or for other reasons, that separation can be scary for parents. If the baby needs more medical attention, they are taken to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Most parents are unfamiliar with NICUs so this...

Mary Alice and I have a little surprise to share with all of you . . . We are both PREGNANT! That’s right! Mary Alice is expecting her first baby and I am expecting my second. We have been experiencing a lot of different things already so we thought it would be fun to chat during each trimester and share with you what we are experiencing and what you may expect. Here's what's been going on with us...

Potty training can be such a daunting task for most parents. When should you start potty training? What are the readiness signs? What are the products that you absolutely need? How can you tackle nap and nighttime potty training? There are so many questions about this major milestone so we are chatting with Allison Jandu, a professional potty training consultant and author. Allison is sharing her...

Once you become pregnant, something that women become more aware of is what they are putting in their bodies. The fuel we eat is also helping us grow our babies. It’s important for expecting and new mothers to understand what our bodies are deficient in, what vitamins we need to take, and what we can do to have the healthiest pregnancy and postpartum possible. So what does our body really need dur...

Today, I’m chatting with Jennifer Blossom, a boy mom of two, occupational therapist, host of another amazing mom podcast called The Blossoming Mommy and Baby Show, as well as the CEO and Founder of Blossoming Mommy and Baby — a digital wellness brand that helps overwhelmed moms simplify motherhood. Jennifer has a passion for helping moms create a simpler, less chaotic, and more meaningful motherho...

Since we are in the month of June and we just celebrated Father's Day, we thought it would be fun to chat with a Dad about what it was like becoming a father. So, for today's episode, we have an extra special guest, my husband, the other Co-Founder of Baby Chick, Brian Spears, and he is telling us his story. Was he ready? Was he nervous? And was becoming a dad everything he expected? We rarely get...

Every child is different from one another and this includes the ways they learn. Some children are visual learners, preferring pictures, and spatial understanding. Others are aural learners who prefer using sound and music. Some children are verbal learners who prefer using words, both speech and writing. And others are physical (kinesthetic) learners who like using their body, hands, and sense of...

Pregnancy is such a beautiful time in a woman’s life. But don’t get me wrong, not every day of pregnancy is glamorous. We’ve all heard of the luxurious hair, the glowing skin, the growing belly, but there are also things that happen to a woman’s body that aren’t really discussed. That’s why Mary Alice and I are covering all of the surprising body changes a woman can experience during pregnancy. So...

With so many baby products on the market, it’s difficult to know which products are essential that you need to register for and which ones you can skip and live without. You don’t have to buy the entire baby store to take care of and raise a happy and healthy baby! As postpartum doulas, Mary Alice and I know and have seen what items each family really needs. Today, we are sharing the baby products...

Are you currently pregnant and quickly approaching your due date? We know that the current Coronavirus pandemic has left many expecting moms worried about what to expect during their labor and delivery as well as how to protect themselves and their babies. Many of our expecting mama clients have come to us for reassurance and guidance during this time, so we are here to share with you everything y...

Home birth. This topic can evoke so many feelings and emotions in people. It can also bring up a lot of questions. Is it safe? What are the risks? What are the benefits? Luckily, I'm discussing this controversial topic with Sherry Oldfield, a certified nurse-midwife, lactation consultant and master life coach. Sherry has attended 1000’s of births in every setting -- county hospital, private hospit...

It feels like our world as we knew it has flipped completely upside down. With the current Coronavirus outbreak, our every day routines have been shaken up and, for many of us, not in a good way. Now that we are forced to figure out how to work from home and take care of our children full-time, we are slowly discovering our new normals. This is the time, more than ever, to organize and streamline...

If you're suffering from morning sickness, you know how terrible it can be. I'm sure you've tried everything to find some relief. I've had many of my doula clients and friends ask me for tips and tricks on how to survive and cure morning sickness during their pregnancies so I wanted to share my list of things that can help. Hopefully you haven't tried all of my tips yet and that you find a few new...

Today we're talking all about sleep and what every parent needs to know when it comes to baby's sleep. I have to say, baby sleep is one of our most popular topics and I think it's because most parents are trying to figure out what they can do to get more sleep. As parents, sleep is our love language now. And that's why we are chatting with Hailee Schollaardt about this topic. Hailee is the founder...

Pregnancy is a time when a woman can experience every emotion and sensation. Not only is her body changing as she creates life, it's also a time when she is growing mentally and emotionally to prepare for the mother she is about to become. I will admit that not every moment of pregnancy is glowing and beautiful. There can be times of discomfort and overwhelm. But during these low points it's impor...

Today we're chatting with Quinn Kelly and how to stay connected with your spouse after having kids. Quinn is a licensed marriage and family therapist, wife of 14 years and a mother of four wild but adorable boys so I knew she would be the perfect person to chat with about this topic. She has a blog called Sanctification and Spitup centered on faith and parenting, a podcast of her own called the Re...

There are many different comfort techniques to use during labor that will keep you more calm and comfortable. One option that many women aren't aware of or over look is hypnosis. It can sound a little weird and voodoo-like so oftentimes women will write it off. But it's actually not as strange as it sounds. What is Hypnobirthing? Today I have the privilege of chatting with Cliodhna Griffin, the fo...

Today we're chatting with Dr. Susan Albers, a New York Times best-selling author and a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Albers specializes in eating issues, weight loss, body image concerns, and mindfulness. After obtaining her masters and doctorate degree from the University of Denver, Dr. Albers completed an APA internship at the University of Notre Dame and a post-doctoral fel...

All of us parents have heard about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning, but did you know that STEM and language skills start with babies? It's essential for us to encourage this type of learning early on with our babies and there are certain things that we can do as parents. Today, I'm chatting with Dr. Aimee Ketchum, a pediatric occupational therapist and owner of Aimee’s B...