On today's episode I sit down with one of my personal hero's, Dr. Stacy Sims! We dive deep into fitness, nutrition, and training for women, how and why women should train differently than men, the many benefits to training to help prevent age-related bone density and muscle loss, and so much more. This is a juicy episode, enjoy!Dr. Stacy Sims MSC, PHD, is a forward-thinking international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who aims to revolutionize exercise nutrition and performance...
This week we sat down with Whitney English & Alex Caspero, the Founders of Plant Based Juniors to talk about everything from how to instill healthy eating habits in our children, navigating picky eaters, the truth about protein, and so much more! This was such an informative and fun conversation!Whitney and Alex are Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and mothers who started Plant Based Juniors as a resource for families who want to raise their kids in a predominantly plant-based way; and ...
This week we sat down with Shaina Kerrigan, mama of two and Founder of Molly J Life - handcrafted CBD confections, to learn more about some of the benefits of using CBD for things like stress, anxiety, and sleep. We learned so much about the ins and outs of cannabinoids, how to choose a high quality CBD product, how to get your dosage right for YOUR body, and so much more. It's such an interesting episode!RESOURCESCheck out the MollyJ website HERE.ADDITIONAL NOTES:Sarah & Stephanie are th...
This week we sat down with Board Certified Clinical Sexologist, Dr. Claudia Six and took a deep dive into the subject of sexual health, relationships with partners as well as with ones self, why and how relationship dynamics may change after becoming parents, why so many mothers feel like their libido had up and left them for good(spoiler alert - it hasn't) as well as ways to reignite that flame. This was an interesting conversation that certainly opened our eyes and our minds!MORE ABOUT DR. ...
In this week's episode Sarah & Stephanie sit down with Molly Dickens, Co-Founder of &Mother to talk about everything from the effect of the pandemic on mothers, to the disparities in research on maternal and paternal care, to how high level female athletes are unsupported in their journeys to motherhood. Its a very interesting episode, and Molly is a wealth of knowledge so be sure to tune in!Molly Dickens is a scientist, writer, advocate, and mother of two. After ten years as an acade...
*TRIGGER WARNING* - this week's episode talk about pregnancy loss and may be triggering for some listeners. 1 in 4 people who become pregnant will experience loss. That is no small number. Yet our society tends to shy away from talking about it. We believe these stories deserve to be told, and that people who have experienced loss deserve more support. In this week's episode we talk with Lynea Wallace, a mother of two living children who has gone through three pregnancy losses. She bravely sh...
As natural a thing as it may be, breast/chestfeeding can be friggin’ hard! And many new parents aren’t prepared for that. Neither one of us were, that’s for sure! We both assumed it would feel natural and would just click into place. What we didn’t anticipate was the unbearable pain, the problems latching, the endless hours spent pumping, the undiagnosed lip tie, the many, many shed tears, or the feeling of defeat that would come along with it and we certainly weren’t prepared for any of that...
During pregnancy there is an abundance of information out there about what we should (and shouldn't) eat, our weight and blood pressure is checked at every prenatal visit, and our wellbeing is closely monitored. Then the baby is born and we get one, maybe two (if you're lucky) postnatal visits. Mental health screenings for postnatal mood disorders are minimal at best, and there is a lack of guidance in terms of how to actually heal our bodies after birth. Nutrition is something that is rarely...
We're back for season 2 of The MOTHERLODE Podcast and in our first episode of the season we dive into an incredibly important topic - postnatal mood disorders and maternal mental health with Dr. Walker Ladd, Ph.D. (*Please note that in this episode we touch on subjects that are sensitive in nature such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and may be upsetting or triggering for some listeners. )Dr. Ladd has been a thought leader in the field of maternal mental health for nearly ...
This week we wrap up our first season of TheMOTHERLODE Podcast with special guest, Quiara Smith. Quiara is a pediatric pelvic health occupational therapist. If you’re like most people, you are probably wondering what that is! Pelvic floor considerations are not just reserved for pregnant people and those who have given birth. Anyone can be affected by them, including kids! Quiara talks to us about common pelvic floor considerations in children, how you can identify them in your own kids, when...
On this week's episode we had the pleasure of sitting down with Becky Fawcett, the Founder & President of HelpUsAdopt.org. Help Us Adopt is a national 501(c)(3) adoption grant program that helps hard-working families overcome the financial obstacles of adoption so that children can join loving and permanent homes. Adoption is expensive. Typical costs include the home study; social worker visits; lawyers’ fees (for adoptive parent(s) and birthmother); birthmother's living expenses, me...
You may have heard birth referred to as a "marathon" - an athletic event that requires strength and endurance both mentally and physically. In this week's episode we discuss what "labor training" actually is, as well as the many benefits in doing so. We also cover how to prepare to push during birth and the ways in which how you push can impact your pelvic floor, advocating for yourself while you are in labor, the best birthing positions, preparing for postpartum, and lots of other juicy tips...
When Stephanie got pregnant with her daughter Parker, it was just 5 weeks before Covid would hit. At that time, like many others, she never imagined she would be giving birth amidst a worldwide pandemic 8 months later. But here we are! In this week's episode, Stephanie shares her daughter's birth story and what it was like for her giving birth in a hospital during a pandemic.RESOURCES:Doulas can provide wonderful support both leading up to and through your birth, even virtually! Find a doula ...
On today’s episode, we are joined by Tara Brooke and Gina Giordano, the Founders of Born Into This, a 501c# non-profit organization & yearly conference, and Doula Trainings International. We discuss the importance of autonomy & reproductive justice, as well as the role of a doula and why you should consider hiring one. Over the last decade, Doula Trainings International has become one of the premier online and in-person doula training organizations in the world. With a netw...
Diastasis Recti is a term that is getting a lot of buzz these days (thankfully!) However with all that buzz comes some myths, misconceptions, and untruths. On today's episode we debunk some of these myths and misconceptions surrounding diastasis recti with Ashley Nowe, the Founder of Get Mom Strong.For those who may not be familiar with the term, Diastasis Recti (also referred to as "abdominal separation") is the partial or complete separation of the rectus abdominis, or “six-pack” muscles, w...
On today's episode we sit down with Georgia Noonan, a Registered Labor & Delivery Nurse and soon to be Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, to discuss becoming parents as LGBTIQ individuals, ways to advocate for yourself and your family amidst a broken healthcare system, navigating ART (assisted reproductive technology) and finding the right practitioner for you, as well as an often overlooked yet common condition that plays an important role in fertility. Georgia is a soon-to-be Women's He...
Since Covid struck and many people found themselves now working from home (without childcare), many parents (especially mothers) find themselves struggling to create balance between work and parenting when that line has become indefinitely blurred. In fact, nearly half of working parents (primarily mothers) have had to pause their careers in some way, either by reducing their hours or quitting entirely. In episode 9 we sit down with the Deputy Editor of Working Mother, Audrey Kingo to discuss...
Living through a pandemic is stressful for everyone, even more-so for expecting and new parents! In episode 8 Sarah sits down with Dr. Jessica Shepherd - a Board Certified OB/GYN, mother of two, and the go-to women's health expert on Good Morning America, The Today, Show, Dr. Oz, The Talk, and ABC. They chat about what you can expect during a prenatal telehealth visit with your healthcare provider, to in-person visit protocols, what it's like to give birth amidst a pandemic, as well as ways t...
In episode 7 Sarah and Stephanie chat with Kimberley Johnson, a mother and advanced doctoral student in clinical psychology with an emphasis in women's health. Kimberley shares her postpartum experience with navigating pelvic organ prolapse and the direct link to maternal mental health, and how it has illuminated a major unmet need among postpartum women. Through her research and clinical work, Kimberley aims to advocate for reproductive justice, help shift postpartum care, and improve matern...
In episode 6 Sarah and Stephanie get candid with what its like managing motherhood, a pregnancy, homeschooling, and running a business during a pandemic. Plus, Sarah opens up about her own Covid diagnosis.ADDITIONAL NOTES:Sarah & Stephanie are the Founders of LUNA Mother Co, the first all-in-one digital platform for motherhood. From their evidence based fitness method, to pelvic floor & core physical therapy programs, parenting classes, & community, LUNA Mother Co has it all. New ...