Love this episode? Send me a message here! Hey friends, this is the season 5 wrap up episode where I share stats and reflections on the past season--but it's more than that too. This is the final episode of The Motherhood Metamorphosis Podcast. It's been an amazing 3 years since I began this podcast in 2021. In this episode, I share my heart about the podcast and some really exciting behind-the-scenes hopes and dreams that are going on in my own life. Special shout outs to...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Kimberly and I talk about the metamorphosis she went through when her first child had her first grandchild. She talked about the joy and unexpected aspects of becoming a grandma and how her relationship with her daughter deepened and shifted. Becoming a grandparent is its own journey, and I’m so happy Kimberly came on the podcast to share her unique story. BIO: Kimberly Yavorski is a freelance writer with bylines in a variety of publications, in...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Trust your gut Make your voice louder Lean on your intuition Throughout the 2021 podcast interviews, I started noticing a theme: Across the various topics, the amazing women I spoke to kept coming back to the idea of trusting your intuition as a mom. But I got to thinking—as a new mom, I had NO CLUE what it meant to trust my gut. How do I make my own voice stronger in my head? How do I learn to trust my intuition? ...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! This is the 4th and final episode of our surrogacy series! In this episode, Shay narrates her experience of seeing her daughter being born and the overwhelming joy and emotions she felt. We then talk about her early motherhood experience and the huge shift in responsibility and identity she felt as her early motherhood progressed. I share some wisdom about the metamorphosis of motherhood as a mom of 5 and Shay shares her heart with hone...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Welcome back to part 3 of our series on Surrogacy! In this episode Mariah concludes her story of being a surrogacy carrier. One of her main desires for being a surrogate was to experience birth with all the expertise and knowledge she has gained from being a birth doula. She recounts the joy of giving birth to Ruby, Shay and Tyler's daughter, and what her postpartum experience was like. We also talk about all the myths surrounding surro...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! This is part 2 our surrogacy series. In this episode, I interview Shay, who tells her story of loss and infertility as she and her partner try to have a baby. After many years, impossible decisions, and heartbreaking loss, they decide to pursue surrogacy with their one and only viable embryo. Shay recounts how she met Mariah, her surrogate carrier, how the surrogacy process works, and her fears, anxiety, and joys throughout the pregnancy...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Welcome to Part 1 of a four part series on surrogacy! In this episode, Mariah and I talk about her journey of becoming a surrogacy carrier to help another family bring a child into the world. She tells us why she wanted to become a surrogate, her passion for birth and women, how she met her intended mother, and what it was like to go through IVF and carry a baby for another family, all while being a wife, mom of 2 and military spouse herself. ...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! In this solo episode, I share my own struggle with the Good Mother/Bad Mother narratives that play in my head, sharing stories from my early motherhood years, how I've changed and grown, and how I still struggle to re-frame the narratives that I receive from our culture, my past, my family of origin, and my own inner pressure to be a "good mom." Most importantly, I talk about how being a Good Mom isn't about fulfilling a list of standards or r...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Sidney and I talk about her challenging transition into motherhood and how learning about her own struggles with transitions, stress, trauma has led to her life-work in becoming an embodiment coach, helping women to come home to to their bodies and bring well-being to their families, starting with themselves. We both share personal stories of transition, stress and life upheavals and how we've learned what helps us move through our stress cycles so...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Kris Ann and I dive into all things creatvity and motherhood in this episode! She shares her struggles and triumphs in trying to integrate being mom with her desire to create and write and how the artist Georgia O'Keefe's story has challenged and shaped her creativity in motherhood. As a fellow creative person myself, I loved this conversation--we hope you can relate and feel solidarity and inspiration as you listen. Read Kris Ann's Article "What...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! This podcast is all about growth through the journey and I am so pleased to share Amanda Crew's motherhood story today. She recounts her journey of pregnancy and loss, grief and unexpected joy, foster care and adoption, rainbow babies, and learning to accept and embrace her unexpected journey. We also talk about learning to live in the moment, and our commitment to show up for friends who are in deep transition and grief. This is a beautiful epis...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Michelle shares her story of adopting a child who is a different race than her biological family. With authenticity and compassion, she relates how much she didn’t know about raising a black son before the adoption and how much she had to learn, especially in the wake of racial tensions in 2020. We talk about her growth as a person as she worked through emotions of embarrassment, grief, and compassion and how she and her family are embracing their ...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Debbie shares her unique story of loss in recounting a failed adoption of a little girl they planned for, prayed for, and longed to bring into their family. She shares her anticipation, joy, and dreams that died when this little girl ultimately did not come into their home. On this podcast, we believe that sharing stories of loss can help provide solidarity, comfort, and hope for listeners who may have experiences a similar situation. Every story ...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Mikala and I dive into a conversation focused on the metamorphosis that is MIDLIFE for all women, and how that transformation intractions with our motherhood story. We talk about health, reverse puberty (perimenopause!!), medical care and mental health, and the small ways we are making ourselves a priority when our families demand and need so much from us. Such a wonderful conversation with a wonderful person and author! Her book launches thi...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Suzzie and I talk about her journey to becoming a doula, her experiences working with birthing women and postpartum moms, her passion for public health, and how being a doula has guided and shaped her as a woman and mom in her own metamorphosis journey. Find Suzzie on IG here BIO: Suzzie Vehrs is a Mother, Doula, Childbirth Educator and the founder of She Births Bravely, an organization that provides comprehensive education and support for expecti...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Kim and I discuss her journey to becoming a cottage foster mom to teenage girls, recounting her reluctance, fears, and compassion and love she's gained in her vocation as a foster mom. We talk about the trials, joys, and laughs involved in raising both toddlers and teens and the ways she's grown and changed on her unexpected journey of motherhood and foster care. Kim Patton is an adoptive and foster mama living in South Carolina with her...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Krystal Sieben and I talk about the challenges and sadness she experienced in the first 5 years of her motherhood, when her son was struggling and she didn't feel accepted and seen by family and friends. She narrates her journey in discovering her son is Autistic and how befriending a "weird" horse name Chadwick helped heal her heart and find her joy again. She turned her personal joy, healing and love for horses into a non-profit horse exp...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! The Motherhood Metamorphosis is BACK! Welcome to season 5! Amy Betters-Midvedt and I talk about all things parenting teens--this episode is authentic and real and is for every parent, whether you are in the teen years now or years away. We discuss Amy's new book and the wisdom she brings to topics like acting out, clamming up, making sure they are OK vs. making sure I am OK, boundaries, co-dependence, changing the narrative of “this is what ...

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Support the show Join the FB group here! Check out the new shop on Buy Me a Coffee and please consider becoming a $5 supporter of the show (I need 8 per month to cover the out of pocket expenses of producing the podcast) I'm so glad you are here! Please share the podcast with a friend and don't forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

Love this episode? Send me a message here! Dr. Mina and I dive into a conversation about skincare, aging, and our evolving beauty. She shares stories and struggles she's had in both a dermatologist and a mom of two and the ways she has come to accept herself. We talk about inner narratives and insecurities we have about motherhood, aging and beauty, social pressures, social media narratives, simplifying our skin care routines, and so much more! This episode is encouraging, refreshing, ...