Momwell

Moms aren’t the only ones with a big adjustment when a baby comes. Becoming a dad brings its own adjustments, changes, and difficulties.  Today, I’m joined by marriage and family therapist Travis Goodman, founder of Therapy 4 Dads , to discuss the transition into becoming a dad, ways dads can bond with babies, and signs of paternal postpartum depression.  Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3Tyd53g   Book...

Returning to work after maternity leave, or having your partner return after their leave, can be tough. These situations often come with feelings of anger, guilt, and resentment. But if we can learn to listen to our emotions, guide ourselves through the transition, and work with our partner, we can overcome mom guilt and ease the transition.  Today, I’m joined by marriage and family therapist Dr....

Are you confused about how to know if you have postpartum anxiety? For many moms, this is a difficult question. Postpartum anxiety symptoms are often dismissed as normal worries or first-time mom jitters. Many moms also feel a sense of fear about acknowledging their struggles. To top it off, postpartum anxiety is often misunderstood and understudied.  But undiagnosed and untreated anxiety during p...

Moms often feel like sacrificing sleep is just a part of motherhood. But there is a relationship between sleep deprivation and postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and other mental health concerns. If we want to support moms, protecting maternal sleep is important.  Today, I’m joined by reproductive psychiatrist and psychotherapist Dr. Nicole Leistikow  to discuss the role of protected sleep...

Establishing age-appropriate boundaries can be tough. But without boundaries, we often find ourselves in a cycle of misbehaviour and punishment, leading to frustration for us and our children.  Today, I’m joined by parenting coach Tia Slightham to discuss the importance of boundaries and how to set limits that are age-appropriate and effective.   Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3r2xdxL   Book a Free 15...

What if I told you that you didn’t have to play with your child all day? Moms put a lot of pressure on themselves to entertain their kids. They believe that “good moms” play with their kids as much as possible. But when we learn how to encourage independent play, we not only remove that pressure—we also give our children room to create, grow, and blossom.  Today, I’m joined by Susie Allison, found...

Do you feel like you’re drowning in the mental load of motherhood? Many moms struggle with this. They find themselves falling into gender roles in the home without realizing it, and they don’t know how to break out of the pattern. Today, I’m joined by Dr. Darcy Lockman, psychologist and author of All the Rage: Mothers, Fathers, and the Myth of Equal Partnership, to discuss why the gender imbalance...

When our children misbehave, it can be very triggering. We feel frustrated, disrespected, and uncertain of how to handle it. As a result, we often end up unsuccessfully trying to control their behaviour, instead of guiding them through their feelings.  Today, I’m joined by Dr. Becky Kennedy, founder of Good Inside , to discuss how to help a child regulate their emotions and navigate their big feel...

Why does a messy house give me anxiety? Why can’t I motivate myself to clean since I had kids? Am I just a lazy mom? Moms often worry about these things, feeling immense pressure to keep a clean house and experiencing shame when they fall short of those expectations.  As moms, we can’t always buy ourselves more time to clean. But we can approach the concept of cleaning differently, learn to overco...

Transitions can be overwhelming for our children and for us. As moms, we want to know how to support a child going through transitions. We might experience our own anxiety, deal with mom guilt, or question whether they are capable of navigating big changes.  But with the right strategies in place, we can guide our children, and ourselves, through times of change. Today, I’m joined by Jess VanderWi...

Starting school can be very exciting for many kids—but it can also be scary. We want to protect our kids, so when we see them worrying or anxious, we want to support them. But how do you help your child with school anxiety?  Today, I’m joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy, founder of Good Inside , to discuss anxiety about starting school, our role in it, and how to support our childre...

Is my child ready for kindergarten? What should I do to prepare? What skills do they need? More than ever, parents are scrambling to make sure their children have “kindergarten readiness.”  But the skills our children really need for kindergarten are far different than we might think they are. Today, I’m joined by Susie Allison, founder of Busy Toddler , to break down how to really prepare your ch...

Overcoming postpartum depression and anxiety isn’t easy. When we’re suffering from postpartum mood disorders, the symptoms make us believe that we are the problem—that we are failing as mothers.  But with awareness and the right support, we can find resources and overcome mood disorders during the postpartum period. Today, I’m joined by Dr. Wendy Davis, executive director of Postpartum Support Int...

Overcoming working mom guilt isn’t easy. Intensive mothering ideals, the perfect mother myth, and social expectations tell us that we should put ourselves on the backburner and always put our children first.  But moms can embrace fulfillment outside of motherhood, thriving in their careers and showing their children that it’s okay to prioritize themselves.   Lara Bazelon , law professor and author...

Research has shown that religion and spirituality can be a fundamental pillar of resilience. But not all religious environments are healthy. Many of us had negative spiritual experiences and are searching for how to heal from religious trauma.  Today I’m joined by Dr. Quincee Gideon , clinical psychologist and specialist in religious trauma and cult recovery, to discuss religion, trauma, and the r...

Moms everywhere are finding themselves exhausted, buckling under the invisible load, and struggling with unrealistic expectations. All of that pressure can lead to motherhood burnout—chronic exhaustion due to the demands of being a mom.  Today, I’m joined by maternal mental health therapist Erin Spahr to discuss motherhood burnout—from what causes it to how to recover from it.  Show Notes: https:/...

Modern moms carry an unfair share of the invisible load—the mental and emotional labour of taking care of the house and raising the kids. The problem is widespread—and breaking out of the pattern can be tough. But with the right approach, we can learn how to share the mental load at home in a fair and intentional way.  I sat down with Kate Mangino , gender expert and author of Equal Partners: Impr...

The vast majority of my clients who are in different-sex relationships share a common concern. “My husband doesn’t help around the house.” The invisible load in the home is real—and gender is the number one predictor of who carries it.   Kate Mangino , gender expert and author of Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home , joins me to discuss the role gender plays in the distribution of in...

The world of gentle, respectful, empowered parenting can be difficult to walk. What does empowered parenting look like? Does gentle parenting always mean giving into your child? What does “respect” mean when it comes to your children?  Today, parenting coach and author of the upcoming book Very Intentional Parenting, Destini Ann , joins me to discuss what gentle parenting really does (and doesn’t)...

The topic of surrogacy can come with plenty of stigma and misconceptions. Some of us might only know what we’ve seen on The Kardashians or heard about in movies. But as science becomes more advanced, surrogacy has created a pathway to parenthood for many families. Today, Ariel Taylor —experienced surrogate, fertility therapist, and founder of Carried With Love—joins me to demystify surrogacy and c...

Modern moms often have a difficult time navigating sex and motherhood. Sleep deprivation, body changes, the mental load, and even our own internal beliefs and expectations impact the way we experience sexual desire and arousal.  Sarah Forbes , sexual culturalist, author, and former curator of New York’s Museum of Sex, joins us to discuss how sex and motherhood interweave and how we can reignite an...

Sensory overload as a mom is difficult to manage. In a house full of chaos and noise, it’s easy to become overstimulated. But why does this happen? What causes it in our bodies? And what can we do to keep calm and drown out the noise?   To answer these questions, I welcomed occupational therapist Larissa Geleris , WarriorOT, back to the podcast. In episode 73 Larissa shared tips for coping with ov...

How do I tell the difference between a tantrum versus a meltdown? Do neurotypical children have meltdowns? How do I support my neurodivergent child through sensory struggles? Can I prevent meltdowns? Parenting young children—especially neurodivergent littles—brings up these questions and more.  Today, Laura Petix —The OT Butterfly—joins me to chat about all things meltdown-related: how to tell the...

Maternal sleep deprivation is very common for new moms. Night feedings, frequent baby wakeups, stress, and perinatal mental health concerns can all cause sleep disturbances that leave moms feeling frazzled, overwhelmed, and fatigued.  I chatted with Dr. Shelby Harris , clinical psychologist and author of The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia, about maternal sleep. In a recent episode , Dr. Shel...

Maternal sleep deprivation is very common. Even if baby sleeps, moms often find themselves battling insomnia–struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get good quality sleep. When you’re a new mom, it’s easy to become obsessed with sleep. Watching the clock, obsessing over wake windows, and worrying about when your baby will sleep through the night seem to be common mom pastimes.  But the baby is...