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

This week’s episode is a replay from Episode 5, which was an Instagram Live I did a year ago with Henry and Zarai Ramirez from Zarai Imports in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.  Henry and Zarai share the history and significance of Día de los Muertos. They also share how you can set up an altar if you want to start or continue this tradition with your family. You can follow Zarai Imports on Instagra...

Did you know that the U.S. is the only country among 41 nations that does not mandate any paid leave for new parents? Considering this shocking (yet not surprising) statistic, how do mamás navigate their preparation for maternity leave?  In this episode, we welcome Arianna Taboada, MSW, MSPH, who is the founder of The Expecting Entrepreneur ™, a consulting firm that helps entrepreneurs design pare...

I had my second baby boy in May 2023 and have been wanting to do an episode about my childbirth experience the second time around. As a mami of two, I'd have to say that my second birth experience was so different than my first! If you’re currently pregnant with your second or subsequent child, or if you just want to hear about my birth story, this episode will share all the details as well a...

In this Viva la Mami episode, we welcome Jess Winns, a Latina entrepreneur, and the author of her debut book, "Beneath The Skin", which is written for women seeking to grow in their healing and personal development journey. Jess's other accomplishments include becoming a Functional Nutrition Counselor; Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Mindset Coach and public speaker. J...

In this Viva la Mami Spotlight Episode, we welcome Anna Calix who has dedicated her career to helping other disadvantaged moms and babies thrive. Her profession became her passion when her first child, Liam, was stillborn on his due date in 2016. She is committed to supporting fellow bereaved parents in their journeys while working toward reducing pregnancy and infant loss through support and educ...

Have you ever wondered why there are common misconceptions about pelvic floor health? In this episode, we welcome Jessica Kerr, a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Allied Therapy Partners. In this episode you will hear: The anatomy of the pelvic floor and its functions. Why it’s important to take care of our pelvic health. The common myths we often hear about our bodies as it rela...

Breastfeeding may not come naturally for many mamás and it can be a challenging journey. However, with the right professional support, you can receive the care and attention you need to ensure that you are doing what is best for you and baby’s nutrition.  This is the inaugural year that La Semana de la Lactancia Latina or Latina/x Breastfeeding Week is observed during National Breastfeeding Month...

Welcome to a new season of The Viva la Mami Podcast! After taking a three month maternity leave, I was able to take some time to recharge and adapt to a new life as a mamá of two. Now that I am back into full swing, my goal this season is to offer insight, tools, and ways to help you be intentional on your madrehood journey. Love this episode? Subscribe wherever you are listening, share this episo...

In this second episode of the VLM Father’s Day Series, we welcome Joe Saucedo and Sergio Rosario Diaz who are both actively involved with their families, in their communities, and beyond! They share ways in which they have empowered fathers locally and globally to become engaged and aware of their fathering all while creating community. If you liked this episode of the Viva la Mami Father’s Day Se...

In this first episode of the VLM Father’s Day Series, we welcome Efrain Reyes. Efrain Reyes is the co-founder of the Latino Dad Connection , an organization dedicated to raise awareness and support for latino father involvement. Their mission is to inspire brown fathers to move forward and create meaningful connections with their partners and children. Latino Dad Connection provides workshops, gro...

In this episode, we welcome Ileana Berrios, IBCLC, who is the founder of Breastfeeding Latinas.  Over the past five years, she has virtually supported breastfeeding professionals and has created programs in underrepresented communities, allowing families to receive education about prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding and/or childbirth. In addition, she has supported aspiring lactation professiona...

Did you know domestic violence is the leading cause of injury in women in the United States and it is a lot more common than you think. Domestic violence can show up in many different ways and it often begins as verbal abuse. In this week's VLM Spotlight episode, we welcome Lianne Torres, who is a Personal Development Coach & Podcast Host of Watch Us Thrive - a personal development podcas...

In this Mother’s Day / Día de las Madres solo episode, I share the most valuable lessons I learned as a new mom, how I learned from my first child, and what I am doing now as I prepare for bebé número 2! This episode is intended for the new mamis out there or to the mamás-to-be who are preparing for baby! Feliz Día de las Madres / Happy Mother's Day to all the beautiful mamis. ¡Que Viva la Ma...

As Latinas, we grew up with the perception that we are extremely fertile. However, as with all stereotypes, this is not the case as a population.  In this VLM Spotlight, we welcome Yessenia Mercedes, who shares her story after she struggled with infertility and experiencing loss through an early miscarriage. She is the creator of Rooted Courage , a platform on Instagram where she shares her mother...

How would you describe your relationship con tu mamá? As you reflect on this question, how do you mother now, especially if you are a mamá de hijas? In this episode, we welcome Maribel Robles, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who now focuses on teenagers and families. She is also the founder of Hijas Bellas , an online community for 1st generation teens and young adults and their mothers....

As soon as we become mamás, our identity shifts where we may find ourselves lost or confused about who we are as women. We may not have the clarity of what makes meaning of this new identity and we may make decisions that are not clear based on our personal values and goals.  This is why we welcome Criss Madrigal who is a certified life and mindset coach. She has a deep passion to help working mot...

Once we become mamás, we are faced with making many decisions that may impact our personal and professional growth. Sometimes we have to make the decision to take a pause on our career or we decide to move forward with it. In this VLM Spotlight, we welcome Yesenia Servin who is a nationally certified credentialing manager and provider enrollment specialist, speaker, professor, business owner, and...

This week, we welcome Juliana Shoumbert, from La Mamá Bilingüe , who is also the owner of Bilingual Marketplace and Bilingual Garden, a platform full of resources for bilingual teachers and parents. Juliana is a certified bilingual teacher and former dual language educator with more than 10 years of experience. She is also a mamá of a 2 year old and on a mission to connect more parents raising bil...

When you were expecting, did you build a comunidad with other mamás who were expecting the same time as you? There’s nothing like building a community with soon-to-be moms who can share your journey. It is so beneficial to talk, vent, cry, and laugh about the things we go through while pregnant. In this VLM Spotlight episode, we welcome Lily Espinosa, a soon-to-be first time mom and experienced Tí...

Did you know that only 41% of Latinos have life insurance, which is lower than any other race and ethnicity. Why is that? As Latinos, money is often a topic that is never discussed and when you bring the topic about death ni menos. However, we have to plan for our future. As a comunidad we have to normalize conversations about death and one of these conversations can be about life insurance. On th...

Many of us have gone through some sort of dissonance between our identidad as Latinas and mainstream culture where out of survival, we had to assimilate. How can we heal from assimilation and reclaim our culture back, even if we have been forced to assimilate? In this Viva la Mami Spotlight episode, we welcome Karina Mora, who shares her devotion of helping people reclaim their cultura so they can...

The first 5 years of a child’s life are extremely important. Their brain rapidly develops and the foundation for how the child will relate to others, manage and express emotions, and learn is being laid. In addition, a child’s relationship with their caregiver and their environment have the biggest impact on their mental health. Considering all of this, how can we better understand the needs of ou...

Are you currently pregnant and are feeling a bit overwhelmed about expecting the unexpected? As pregnant mamis or soon-to-be-mamis, we know that we are all waiting for the big day! But, in the meantime, have we thought about our own well-being? Regardless if this is our first rodeo or not, we should consider focusing on ourselves so that we can be present and embrace this beautiful journey of preg...

Have you ever wondered why there is so much shame about sex in the Latinx community or why these teachings and beliefs are so ingrained in us that it may affect our sex lives? If you have been curious about having “the talk” you wish you had con tu mamá, make sure to listen to this episode, because we are going to talk about sex! In this episode we welcome Ana Lopez, a certified Latina sex coach a...

In this Part 2 of 2 Viva la Mami Spotlight episode, you will hear Gabriela Serna’s story about having a neurodiverse familia. Gabriela shares her story after being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and how she has navigated her madrehood journey as a Latino neurodiverse family. In this episode, you will hear about The lived experiences of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. What some of the chall...