Viva la Mami - Latina Motherhood, Modern Parenting, Latina Well-Being

In this episode of the "Living in Mexico" series, I sit down with my husband to have an honest conversation about why so many people are fleeing to Mexico in 2025. We talk about being part of a massive wave of reverse migration, what it means to be children of immigrants returning to the motherland, and why the timing couldn't feel more right (or necessary). For detailed show notes,...

In this episode of the "Living in Mexico" series, I'm sitting down with my husband to tackle one of the most controversial topics we've faced since moving to México: gentrification. As second-generation Mexican Americans living in León, Guanajuato, we're getting real about whether we're part of the problem, what gentrification actually means, and how our experience di...

In this episode of the "Living in Mexico" series, I'm sitting down with my husband to walk you through our entire housing journey here in León, Guanajuato. I'm answering one of your most-asked questions: How do you actually find a place to live in Mexico? Spoiler alert: it's not as simple as browsing Zillow!  I'm sharing all the things I wish someone had told us befor...

This week, we welcome Jannese Torres, host of the Yo Quiero Dinero Podcast and author of Financially Lit , and we got REAL about motherhood, money, and breaking generational cycles. For years, Jannese believed that motherhood was incompatible with financial freedom, watching her own mother sacrifice everything. Now, as a new mami, she's completely rewriting what it means to be a Latina mother...

I had the most vulnerable and empowering conversation with Xochitl Carmona, founder of Werk Mija and host of the Werk Mija podcast. As a fellow Latina entrepreneur and now mami, Xochitl opened up about her "dramatica" entrance into motherhood, her NICU experience, and how she's intentionally redefining what it means to be a Latina mother while running a successful business. This con...

In this episode of the "Living in Mexico" series, I'm joined by my husband Alex as we reflect on our first month living in Mexico.  We discuss the unexpected challenges and surprises we've encountered during the first month of living abroad as second-generation Mexican Americans. Plus, we unpack five key surprises that have reshaped our perspective on life in Mexico.  Join us a...

I felt an overwhelming urge to break from my regular programming and speak directly to my Latina mama community about what's happening right now. Even though my family and I moved to Mexico over a month ago, my heart is still very much with our people in the United States. This completely unscripted episode comes straight from my heart as I process the Supreme Court's recent ruling that...

I sat down with Beatriz Rivera-Cruz, a former Spanish teacher turned entrepreneur who quit her job to start her own Spanish immersion daycare when she couldn't find what her family needed. As a Puerto Rican mami married to a non-Spanish speaker, Beatriz shares the real struggles of preserving her language and culture, and why perfectionism almost derailed her entire journey. For detailed show...

I sat down with Angela Fernandez, founder of Dulce Dreams , to discuss something we don't talk about enough - sleep hygiene and how it connects to our wellbeing as Latina moms. Angela shared her journey from sleep-deprived new mom to entrepreneur who created the bamboo pajama brand she couldn't find anywhere else. For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode134 What you'll...

This week, we welcome Lucía Garrett, founder of Pato Pato and the brilliant mind who coined the term "Spanish-first kids." As someone currently raising Spanish-dominant children myself, I was so excited to dive deep into this intentional approach to bilingual parenting. Lucía shares why the Spanish-only stage is so crucial for our kids and how we can stay confident in our choices, even w...

In this episode of the "Living in Mexico" series, I address my recent hiatus and share the journey of moving my family from Chicago to León, Guanajuato.  You'll hear about the planning and preparation for our road trip with two toddlers and a cat, the challenges and decisions we faced, and the valuable lessons we learned along the way. I also answer your frequently asked questions,...

In this powerful conversation, I sat down with Dr. Alma Medina , a certified functional medicine coach and pharmacist, right here in the Chicago area. As a fellow first-gen Latina mama, we dove deep into healing from the root - addressing gut health issues, hormonal imbalances, and chronic fatigue that so many mujeres in our community struggle with. We also explored how to reclaim the nutritional...

In this first episode of the "Living in Mexico" series, I'm diving deep into our family's big move to Mexico! After posting about our decision on social media, you all flooded my DMs with the most thoughtful questions, and I'm answering them all. From the practical logistics of dual citizenship to finding schools for the kids, I'm sharing everything about this crazy a...

In this Father's Day episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Alex Fernandez, an educator and father who's been working in Chicago Public Schools for 17 years. As someone who works at my son Diego's school and presented on restorative practices, Alex brought such valuable insights about intentional parenting from the Latino dad perspective. Our conversation really resonated...

En este episodio EN ESPAÑOL, invitamos a Liscar Bonilla, fundadora de Amalactar y autora de su primer libro, "Amamantar y no rendirse en el intento: 100 consejos para mamás." En esta conversación, compartí mi propia experiencia de relactación, y Liscar nos brindó consejos invaluables sobre cómo navegar la lactancia como mamás latinas, y desmitificamos algunos mitos que han afectado mamás...

The secret is finally out - my family and I are moving to Mexico! In this episode, I'm joined by my husband as we share the announcement that's been two years in the making. We're relocating to León, Guanajuato with our boys, and I'm so excited to bring you along on this incredible journey. I open up about how this decision came together - from our four-week trip to Mexico that...

Welcome to Season 5 of Viva la Mami! I'm so excited to share this new season focused on reclaiming our cultura as Latina mothers. In this premiere episode, I open up about what's been happening in my household with my boys who are 4 and under, and how watching them naturally connect with our traditions inspired this season's theme. I share updates on our podcast journey - we now hav...

You're listening to the Best of VLM episode series featuring the most popular episodes of the Viva la Mami podcast! In this episode, we welcome Mariana Dineen, a registered dietitian and founder of Elemento Health. She shares the importance of nutrition within the Latino community, especially for mothers striving to adopt a healthier lifestyle while preserving cultural traditions. Mariana emp...

You're listening to the Best of VLM episode series featuring the most popular episodes of the Viva la Mami podcast! In this episode, I delve into the all-too-common experiences of emotional dysregulation and ‘mom rage’ that many Latina moms face. Joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Jocelyn Flores, founder of Raíz Parenting, we discuss practical tools like mindful breathing techni...

You're listening to the Best of VLM episode series featuring the most popular episodes of the Viva la Mami podcast! In this episode, we welcome Erika Milla, creator of Spanish En Casita, an online community for parents striving to raise bilingual children. As a dedicated mom raising bilingual kids, Erika shares how she's preserving Spanish at home. In our conversation, we dive into the m...

In this special bonus episode, I talk with author Catalina Margulis about her debut novel " Again, Only More Like You " which releases TODAY, April 29th, 2025! Catalina shares her journey from journalism and magazine editing to becoming an entrepreneur, book coach, and author while raising four children. For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode122 In this episode, we discuss...

In this special season finale, I wrap up our transformative Balanced Madrehood series by bringing all the pieces together and showing how they create a cohesive approach to motherhood that honors both your heritage and your vision for your family's future. Throughout the past seven episodes, we've explored the essential elements of creating a balanced madrehood experience: reclaiming our...

In this seventh episode of our special 8-episode Balanced Madrehood series, I discuss how aligning your parenting with your core values can transform your motherhood experience from reactive to intentional. As busy mamás juggling careers, households, relationships, and more, it's easy to parent on autopilot - reacting to situations rather than responding based on what truly matters to us. But...

In this sixth episode of our special 8-episode Balanced Madrehood series, I share one of the most challenging aspects of modern Latina motherhood: giving ourselves permission to break harmful cultural traditions while still honoring our rich heritage. As Latina moms, we've inherited beautiful traditions that connect us to our roots - but if we're honest, we've also inherited pattern...

In this fifth episode of our special 8-episode Balanced Madrehood series, I dive into what might be the most challenging topic for Latina moms: setting boundaries with family. For many of us, family is everything - our support system, our community, our foundation. But without boundaries, we can't fully show up for the people we love. When we're stretched too thin, resentment builds and...