Mom Wars

Bethany is joined this week by the Free Press's Kat Rosenfield to talk about the situation in young adult publishing and the polyamarous craze, and her column on Lindy West.

In this episode, Bethany spoke with Christina Smith, a mom of 1.75 and the Consumer Center Director for the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, about how American moms who are MAHA can also stay sane.

In this week's episode, Bethany sits down with Senior Political Correspondent at Jewish Insider, Lahav Harkov, talking about what it's like to be a mother in Israel amid yet another war. With her husband serving in the military reserves, Lahav is juggling parenting 3.75 children while also reporting on the war that's sending her to a bomb shelter in her home several times a day.

It’s Bethany’s first episode driving solo with Kara out on maternity leave. Mazal tov and welcome to Sloane! Bethany sits down with Leigh Fitzpatrick Snead, author of the new book, Infertile but Fruitful. A Catholic adoptive mom of three, Snead talks about her infertility journey and her advice for other mothers facing the same challenges.  You can follow her on X at @SneadLeigh or her Substack, Catholic Conversations with TCA.

Bethany and Kara welcome in Ericka Andersen, author of the new book Freely Sober, how a former "Wine Mom" came to the realization that she needed a way out of a habitual and destructive relationship with alcohol.

This week's episode was inspired by a couple of pieces Kara wrote, including "The British Baby Bust" for The Free Press.Bethany's book link this week: Act Natural: A Cultural History of Misadventures in Parenting by Jennifer Traig

Pediatrician Dr Ali Carine rejoins the show where we discuss and break down the new CDC vaccine schedule changes and the controversial updated food pyramid emphasizing meat and whole milk with reduced grains.The Moms and the Doctor are in.

We're back to answer some burning questions, such as "Should you date someone you don't want to marry?", "Is it ok to hate prenatal yoga?" and more importantly, "Did you pick up my keys?"The ladies recap their holiday trips as Kara does "A Pregnant Woman's Christmas in Wales" and Bethany embraces Catholicism for 45 minutes in a back alley in Nazareth on Christmas Eve. Really.

Bethany is packing six kids for Greece and Israel, Kara has just imported sausage rolls via Belgium and sent her husband to Alaska on a whim, and somehow that all leads to… Grandma Jan and the daughters-in-law she tries to leave at home during her family vacay. The moms unpack the viral “grandma camp” reel, mother-in-law drama, and what it’s really like to be a boy mom watching your sons emotionally edge away.

In this week’s episode, we kicked things off by swapping midwife horror stories and debated the question every expectant mother eventually faces: to doula, or not to doula?

In the latest episode of The Mom Wars, Bethany talks us through her weightloss journey with Zepbound, and the girls discuss the latest postpartum body discourse.

Madeline Schultz rejoins the Mom Wars after the birth of her second baby, which she calls redemptive. She dives into her latest piece about Restorative Reproductive Medicine and how it found itself in the culture war up against IVF.Washington Examiner artucle: Why is the Right fighting over IVF?

In this lively and intimate episode, Bethany Mandel and Kara Kennedy are joined by Arden Jamison, a woman she recently bonded with on a homeschooling apple-picking trip — the kind of instant connection that happens when you realize someone else also wrangles a throng of kids.The trio dives deep into faith, motherhood, and autonomy, exploring how religion shapes their choices around family and education. The conversation turns candid as they share personal experiences with home birthing, comparing the spiritual, practical, and political dimensions of bringing life into the world outside of institutions. Kara also gives a preview of her latest investigation into freebirthing groups, revealing a subculture that’s both radical and tenderly devoted to maternal sovereignty.

"Dad will tell you he believed fixing me was only possible because of my 'intelligence,' but I would counter and say it couldn’t have happened without his love."So writes Leland Vittert, anchor at NewsNation and former foreign correspondent for Fox News. Diagnosed with what we now understand as autism, Vittert was labeled as "retarded" and was bullied throughout his school years. His father quit his job and became a full-time parent/coach/friend. It was, as his dad described it, Leland's "only hope."Bethany and Kara sit down with Vittert and talk about his life and his new book, Born Lucky: A Dedicated Father, A Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism.

Second-generation homeschooling mom Caitlin Francis (@MrsCMFrancis on X) joins the program for a wide ranging discussion including what everybody is watching on television - with and without their husbands.

This is a much requested episode about finances for six kids and how Bethany saves and invests for each of them. We also discuss a very interesting and dramatic longform piece in Wired about surrogacy. And, of course, gossip about our lives.

Melinda Strauss (@therealmelindastrauss) is a New York-based Jewish content creator and influencer with over 1.6 million followers on TikTok and Instagram. She is celebrated for her engaging and educational content, which explores Orthodox Judaism, kosher recipes, Jewish history, Antisemitism, and Zionism, while sharing insights into her everyday life. Through her blend of cultural practices and modern storytelling, Melinda provides followers with a fresh perspective on preserving tradition.Born and raised in Seattle, WA, Melinda has been blogging and sharing her love of cooking since 2011. Her debut cookbook Eat Jewish is set to release on September 2nd. Connect with Melinda on TikTok and Instagram @therealmelindastrauss or visit her website at melindastrauss.com.

This week, Bethany and Kara are joined by Brielle Persun, a beloved book influencer whose passion for reading has built a vibrant community online. Earlier this year, Brielle experienced the sudden loss of her husband—a life-altering tragedy that could have silenced her spark. Instead, she’s chosen to lean into resilience, connection, and the power of story. Together, we talk about the books that bring comfort, the importance of finding joy in unexpected places, and how community can carry us through even the hardest chapters. It’s a conversation filled with hope, laughter, and, of course, plenty of book recommendations.

This week Bethany and Kara are joined by Nicki Neily, the President of Defending Education. They discuss how the madness usually associated with higher ed has now filtered down in the world of K through 12 and what you can do about it.Neily is the President & Founder of Defending Education and Speech First, a national campus free speech organization, and has worked at the Independent Women’s Forum and the Cato Institute. She is the mother of two school age children. Follow her on X at @nickineily.

Abby Roth, aka, Classically Abby, joins Bethany and Kara to talk about being a "First-Generation SAHM" (Stay At Home Mom)Check out Abby's new Substack at thefirstgensahm.substack.com