More than Milestones

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More than Milestones

Kaitlin Rickerd

21 episodes

2 days ago

This episode is a little different. After sharing my 2025 reflections on Substack and intentionally celebrating the small wins I usually overlook, I felt a shift in how I wanted to approach the year ahead. That reflection led me to move away from a traditional vision board and toward something that feels more grounded and sustainable: a becoming board. In this episode, I walk you through how I set my intentions for 2026 and why focusing on who I’m becoming feels more aligned than focusing on ...

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This episode is a little different. After sharing my 2025 reflections on Substack and intentionally celebrating the small wins I usually overlook, I felt a shift in how I wanted to approach the year ahead. That reflection led me to move away from a traditional vision board and toward something that feels more grounded and sustainable: a becoming board. In this episode, I walk you through how I set my intentions for 2026 and why focusing on who I’m becoming feels more aligned than focusing on ...

Show more...

Episodes (20/21)

More than Milestones

20. Becoming: Not Achieving: Rethinking Resolutions, Vision Boards & Intentions

This episode is a little different. After sharing my 2025 reflections on Substack and intentionally celebrating the small wins I usually overlook, I felt a shift in how I wanted to approach the year ahead. That reflection led me to move away from a traditional vision board and toward something that feels more grounded and sustainable: a becoming board. In this episode, I walk you through how I set my intentions for 2026 and why focusing on who I’m becoming feels more aligned than focusing on ...

2 days ago

21 minutes

More than Milestones

19. From Restraint Collapse to Co-Regulation: A School Social Worker’s Guide to Big Kid Emotions

Brittany Brady is a school social worker with over a decade of experience and the founder of Bright Starts Co. Through her work in schools, Brittany noticed that many children were entering classrooms academically ready, but struggling emotionally, socially, and behaviorally. That insight led her to focus on what truly supports school readiness: strong routines, emotional regulation, independence, and confidence built at home. In this episode, Brittany helps us understand why kids experience ...

1 week ago

34 minutes

More than Milestones

18. Is a Helmet Really Necessary? A Pediatric PT and Orthotist Break Down Flat Spots, Torticollis & Treatment Options

In this episode of More than Milestones, I sit down with Becki Westover, a certified orthotist with Bloom Kids who has over 20 years of experience working with infants and families. Becki explains what a certified orthotist does and why helmet therapy can feel confusing or controversial for parents. We talk through common concerns about infant helmets, including weight, size, comfort, and whether helmets interfere with development. Becki clears up misconceptions by explaining how helmets are ...

2 weeks ago

1 hour

More than Milestones

17. Baby Sleep Without the Pressure: A Conversation with Rachael Shepard-Ohta from Hey Sleepy Baby

Today I’m joined by Rachael Shepard-Ohta, founder of Hey Sleepy Baby, for an honest look at what’s normal when it comes to baby sleep. Rachael started Hey Sleepy Baby in 2020 when she was newly postpartum with her second baby, and now as a mom of three, she has become a trusted voice for parents who want an alternative to sleep training. We talk about why sleep training doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing decision. After several personal failed sleep training attempts at four months old with...

3 weeks ago

45 minutes

More than Milestones

16. My Birth Stories: Trauma, Healing, and the Truth I’ve Never Shared

Trigger warning: I share traumatic details of my birth story. If you’re heading into your own birth, you may want to skip parts of this episode. I’ve been nervous to record this because these stories still feel so close. After my conversation with Illiyin Morrison in Episode 15, I finally felt permission to stop minimizing what I went through and to share the births that shaped me and my postpartum experiences. I start with Aud’s story. I had gestational hypertension with all three pregnancie...

1 month ago

30 minutes

More than Milestones

15. Processing Your Birth Story with Perinatal Expert Illiyin Morrison: Birth Trauma, Postpartum Mental Health, Informed Consent, and Finding Your Voice Amidst It All

Perinatal trauma expert and midwife Illiyin Morrison joins me to talk about what birth trauma really is and how we can begin to make sense of our own stories. After her own difficult birth, Illiyin created a framework that helps mothers understand what happened during their birth experience, why they responded the way they did, and how to move forward with clarity and compassion. Her work now includes remote birth debriefs, her book The Birth Debrief, and a podcast by the same name. We explor...

1 month ago

45 minutes

More than Milestones

14. Why Do We Hammer with a Hammer, Rake with a Rake, but Sweep with a Broom: Misheard Mondays & The Chaos of English Decoded with Miss Beth from Big City Readers

Why do we hammer with a hammer, rake with a rake, but sweep with a broom? This viral TikTok question sparked today’s conversation—a replay of my interview on Miss Beth’s podcast, The Play on Words Podcast. If you’ve ever wondered why English feels impossible to decode, this episode will give you clarity you can use with your child right away. Miss Beth breaks down why English spelling is so inconsistent, using her favorite example: the word “healthy.” Since the root word is “heal,” the ...

1 month ago

43 minutes

More than Milestones

13. Are We Teaching Reading Wrong? A Candid Talk on Phonics, Sight Words & the Science of Reading with Big City Readers’ Beth Gaskill

If the thought of “kindergarten readiness” has you spiraling, this episode is going to be a breath of fresh air. Today I’m joined by Beth Gaskill, better known as Miss Beth of @bigcityreaders, a former teacher turned literacy specialist who’s changing the way parents think about reading. Beth breaks down why we’re putting way too much pressure on ourselves when it comes to kids starting school—and what’s really going on inside kindergarten classrooms across the U.S. From the lack of regulatio...

1 month ago

47 minutes

More than Milestones

12. Motherhood, Friendships & Social Media: Real Talk with Amy Kiefer

Today, I’m joined by my closest social media friend, Amy Kiefer. Amy is the co-founder of Expecting and Empowered, a pregnancy and postpartum workout app she runs with her sister, Krystle. She also co-hosts the HERself Podcast, and her online journey began through @ameskiefer, where our friendship started. She’s now sharing her dream home journey at @athomewithameskiefer, and we dive into all the things — motherhood, social media, and growing through every stage. This episode isn’t an intervi...

1 month ago

47 minutes

More than Milestones

11. Motherhood, Marriage, and the Invisible Load: Dr. Morgan Cutlip on Sharing the Weight

Today we’re joined by Dr. Morgan Cutlip — relationship expert, psychologist, and author of How to Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself and A Better Share. We’re talking about the invisible weight of motherhood: the mental load. Dr. Morgan breaks down what the mental load really means and why one of the hardest parts is explaining it. She shares how to get on the same page with your partner without turning it into a fight, and how to visualize the load so it’s easier to communicate. We discu...

2 months ago

48 minutes

More than Milestones

10. Overwhelmed, Emotional, and Human: The Real Side of Motherhood & Restraint Collapse No One Talks About

This episode is a raw one for me. It came out of the blue, right in the middle of an overwhelming season. There’s been a lot happening personally and medically within my family, and when that happens, I tend to put my head down and just get through it without really processing what’s going on. After a long, exhausting day, I was putting the kids to bed and completely lost it. I yelled, felt terrible, apologized, and cried. It hit me—this is restraint collapse. We talk about it with kids; they...

2 months ago

22 minutes

More than Milestones

9. Dark Marketing in Motherhood: Emotionally Manipulative Hooks, Expert “Word Salad,” and Simple Steps to Spot Pseudoscience

Welcome back to part two of our conversation with speech-language pathologist and pediatric feeding expert Bri Miluk (@pediatricfeedingslp), we’re diving into one of the most important topics for parents today—misinformation and pseudoscience on social media. If you haven’t listened to part one yet, be sure to go back to hear our discussion on primitive reflexes and why they matter. In this episode, we talk about how parents can confidently navigate the minefield of social media and spot misl...

2 months ago

37 minutes

More than Milestones

8. Are Primitive Reflexes Really to Blame? Busting Baby Development Myths with SLP & Feeding Expert, Bri Miluk

Today we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood & controversial topics circulating on social media right now — primitive reflexes. I’m joined by Bri Miluk, a speech-language pathologist who specializes in infant and medically complex feeding and is the face behind @pediatricfeedingslp. In this first episode of our two-part conversation, Bri and I unpack what primitive reflexes actually are, what purpose they serve, and why there’s so much misinformation online about them. We start b...

2 months ago

56 minutes

More than Milestones

7. Motherhood Burnout & Raising Resilient Kids: The Science of Stress with Researcher Nina Nesdoly

Burnout isn’t just about feeling tired—it’s a complex mix of exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced effectiveness that so many parents and professionals silently struggle with. In this episode of More than Milestones, KC Rickerd sits down with Nina Nesdoly, a stress management speaker, researcher, and PhD candidate studying stress at work, to unpack what burnout really means and how we can build resilience in both ourselves and our children. Nina shares her personal journey into neuroscience and s...

3 months ago

43 minutes

More than Milestones

6. Touched Out, Burnt Out, and Overwhelmed: My Motherhood Burnout Experience

Burnout has been a part of my motherhood journey in ways I never expected. For most of my life, I had systems and methods that helped me succeed — whether it was in school, work, or personal goals. But once I started adding more and more to my plate — a job, a house, a partner, kids — those methods stopped working the way they used to. Suddenly, what had always kept me afloat wasn’t enough anymore. I used to think burnout meant shutting down completely, being unable to function, or feeling co...

3 months ago

16 minutes

More than Milestones

5. Postpartum Recovery Made Real: Incontinence, Hemorrhoids & What’s Not Normal with Expecting & Empowered

Too often, women walk into pregnancy and postpartum without the tools and education they deserve. In this episode, KC is joined by Krystle Howald and Amy Kiefer, founders of Expecting and Empowered, to share how they’re changing the conversation around women’s health. Together, they dive into the importance of pelvic floor therapy, the differences between C-section and vaginal delivery recovery, and why preventative care is essential for every mom. Krystle and Amy highlight the distinction be...

3 months ago

33 minutes

More than Milestones

4. From Postpartum to Empowerment: Redefining Fitness as a Mom

In this episode of More than Milestones, host KC Rickerd opens up about her personal journey of regaining fitness and prioritizing well-being after becoming a mom. She shares the real challenges of balancing exercise with the demands of parenting and why mental health plays such a vital role in the process. KC reflects on how her perspective on fitness has shifted from focusing on aesthetics to embracing overall health, strength, and self-care. KC highlights the importance of giving yourself ...

3 months ago

17 minutes

More than Milestones

1. The Heart Behind More Than Milestones: My Journey as a Mom, A Pediatric PT, & A Woman Finding My Voice Again

Welcome to the very first episode of More than Milestones! In this debut conversation, host KC Rickerd introduces herself, sharing her story as a pediatric physical therapist, mom of three, and advocate for caregivers navigating child development. KC opens up about how her journey was shaped by her own mother’s career, her transition from a physical therapist assistant to a Doctor of physical therapy & pediatric specialist, and her shift into early intervention services. She reflects on t...

4 months ago

20 minutes

More than Milestones

2. From Postpartum Anxiety to ADHD Diagnosis: What I Learned About Mental Health in Motherhood

In this episode of More than Milestones, host KC Rickerd opens up about her deeply personal journey through postpartum anxiety and the realities of maternal mental health. From the moment of childbirth to finally seeking help, KC shares the raw and honest truth about what it’s like to navigate intrusive thoughts, overwhelming emotions, and the unexpected challenges of early motherhood. She reflects on how her birth experience shaped her mental health, the role of an eventual ADHD diagnosis, a...

4 months ago

22 minutes

More than Milestones

3. From Anxiety to Identity Loss: Honest Conversations on Postpartum Mental Health with Kate Borsato

In this episode of More than Milestones, host KC Rickerd is joined by Kate Borsato, a mental health therapist specializing in motherhood and perinatal care. Together, they dive deep into the realities of postpartum mental health, shedding light on experiences that often go unspoken—postpartum anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and even postpartum rage. Kate shares her expertise on how to distinguish between the “normal” worries of motherhood and anxiety that disrupts daily life. She and KC discuss ...

4 months ago

55 minutes