The MOTHERLODE Podcast

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 feel confident about the many decisions that come with nourishing children. They know how confusing it all can be, so at PBJs they do the research for you. Whitney & Alex rely on evidence-based nutrition advice, so you know that the recommendations they make are based on research, not dogma. Their goal is to empower parents to make the best nutrition decisions for their families.RESOURCESCheck out the Plant Based Juniors website to lear more HERE!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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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. CLAUDIA SIX:Dr. Claudia Six is the author of Erotic Integrity - in her book she leads readers through ten sexual themes including garden-variety performance anxiety, sexual boredom, newly dating, coming out, and more and reveals three simple steps to a more rewarding sex life: knowing who you truly are as a sexual being, embracing that knowledge, and living it authentically.Dr Six has a Ph.D. in Clinical Sexology from the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco, CA, USA, a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology, is certified by the American College of Sexologists, and is Board Certified Clinical Sexologist by the American Board of Sexology, which sets standards and maintains quality assurance based on academic achievement, dedication to the discipline and evidence of competence.  For more information on the scope of work she does in her private practice, please click here.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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 academic researcher, Molly became a founding team member of a maternal health startup to follow her passion for aligning science and education with empowering mothers, called &Mother. &Mother is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to breaking the barriers that limit a woman’s choice to pursue and thrive in both career and motherhood. As a stress physiologist, she has over 30 academic publications and has extended her work to include support for women during pregnancy, postpartum, and early motherhood. In science, academia, technology and startups, Molly has direct experience with the barriers that women face when they choose motherhood. She has witnessed the impact of a failure to support the needs of the modern family’s work/life balance and the repercussions of a working world that is not representative of women in society. She truly believes that improving the health of mothers is inextricably linked with representation across professions and that women, with all choices available to them, will lead the charge to change societal norms.RESOURCES:andmother.orgCNN op-ed -- health benefits of policy to better support caregivers & Mother's Instagram communityCOVID+stress+maternal health 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!Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us hello@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts!

*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 shares her story with us in a completely unedited, real, and raw conversation.RESOURCES:- LUNA Mother Co's CONNECT Program is a curated offering for those who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss to begin to connect to and heal your body through a 4 part core and pelvic floor connect series, restorative yoga practices, and guided meditations, process emotions with the help of mental health experts, and honor your loss with a community who stands with you and supports you. neutral, non-triggering language is used throughout this program. This program is offered on a sliding scale and grants are also available. Learn more about the program HERE or email us at hello@lunamother.co for financial assistance. - Hand Online- Birthwaves Doula Support for Pregnancy & Infant Loss- Walk With Me- March Of Dimes- Return To Zero : HOPEADDITIONAL NOTES:Sarah & Stephanie are the Founders of LUNA Mother Co, a curated fitness and wellness app for MOTHERhood. Because we believe you deserve more from fitness. From evidence based fitness classes, core and pelvic floor programs, meditations, and nutritional guidance to parenting classes, LUNA has you covered.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us hello@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts!

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. Can we ever truly be prepared for what postpartum and new motherhood brings? We certainly don’t think so. We can have tools in our box but nothing can truly prepare you, since every experience is so unique.️What we both wish we’d known then is that our babies would be OK. Whether exclusively breastfed or formula fed, they would be just fine. That they would grow strong, thrive, be healthy, and happy regardless of how they were fed. That our bonds with our first borns would be stronger than anything either of us could have ever imagined. That we didn’t need to be so hard on ourselves.In this week's episode, Sarah & Stephanie share their own personal experiences with breastfeeding; their struggles and successes, and ways in which you can find support.RESOURCES:Nurture by NapsLa Leche LeagueLactation MattersBlack Mothers Breastfeeding AssociationUnited States Breastfeeding CommitteeMilk JunkiesMilk Banking Association of AmericaMOBI Motherhood InternationalNational Alliance For Breastfeeding AdvocacyBreastfeeding.comADDITIONAL 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!Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us hello@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts!

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, if ever, discussed post-birth. But what we eat can help postpartum helps us replenish, nourish, and fuel our bodies for faster healing, healthy milk supply, and the energy needed to care for our new little human(s)!In this week's episode we sat down with Registered Dietitian & International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Jaren Soloff to discuss what we should be eating postpartum to help fuel and heal our bodies, what healthy postpartum weight loss looks like and cultivating a positive postpartum body image,  and much more! We also chat about Jaren's new book, the Postnatal Cookbook.In addition to being a Registered Dietician and IBCLC, Jaren is also the Founder of FULL CRCL where she provides nutrition counseling and lactation consultations from a "Health at Every Size" perspective using an Intuitive Eating Framework. To learn more about Jaren, connect with her, and order her new book, visit her at https://www.fullcrcl.co/ and follow her on Instagram!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.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us hello@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 two decades. Her writing and research challenge paradigms of motherhood and mental illness, using women’s stories to reveal the hidden truths and extraordinary dimensions of the lived experience of motherhood. Dr. Ladd’s personal experience with traumatic childbirth, breast cancer, postpartum depression, and major depressive disorder drive her passion for her bold, soulful, and transformative work.Previously a professional modern dancer with both a BA and MFA in dance from UCLA, Walker returned to school to receive an MA in clinical psychology from Antioch University Seattle and practicing as a Couples and Family Therapist. Following the traumatic childbirth and subsequent postpartum depression of her son in 2000, Walker dedicated herself to maternal mental health advocacy and research literacy, working as a certified birth doula (CD, DONA), and serving as the perinatal mental health editor for Lamaze International's Science and Sensibility, before returning to school to receive her Ph.D. in psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (Sofia University). She is currently working on a study regarding the experience of the postpartum anxiety for new mothers during COVID-19 and a study of the experience of a failed epidural during Cesarean birth.Dr. Ladd is also the author of her new book, Transformed By Postpartum Depression: Women's Stories of Trauma and GrowthRESOURCES:To learn more about Dr. Ladd, connect with her via her website, and follow her on InstagramIf you think you or someone you know may be suffering from a perinatal mood disorder, reach out to Dr. Ladd, or visit Postpartum Support InternationalFor expert, confidential & no-cost information about medications and otherexposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding visit Mother to Baby.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!Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us hello@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 to seek help, why pediatric OT's and PT's aren't super common & why they should be, and much more insightful information!  Quiara founded Aloha Integrative Therapy in 2017 - a specialty pediatric pelvic health OT private practice that helps children and families achieve independence in bowel and bladder function with a holistic and integrative approach. This is such an interesting and insightful conversation!RESOURCES:To learn more about Quiara and her incredible services, visit www.alohaintegrativetherapy.com and follow her on Instagram. Quiara is currently taking on new clients both in person in her Northern California clinic, and virtually for families all over the globe. She can also help you find a pediatric pelvic health provider near you too. 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!Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us hello@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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, medical expenses and counseling expenses; agency/orphanage fees; airline tickets (often last minute); hotel; car rental…. The average adoption costs approximately $40,000. The magnitude and uncertainty of these expenses is a significant obstacle to finding permanent homes for the millions of children around the world who need parents. Through the generous contributions of their donors, Help Us Adopt is able to knock down that obstacle, helping parents complete their families, and helping children find their forever homes. Since the organization’s launch in 2007, they have awarded 372 adoption grants totaling over $3.3 million!Becky and her husband Kipp have two adopted children of their own, and have dedicated their lives to fighting for children around the globe who are in need of a safe, loving, permanent home.RESOURCES:To learn more about Help Us Adopt or to get involved by volunteering or donating, please visit https://www.helpusadopt.org/If you or someone you know is thinking about adoption, Becky wants to support you! She is available as a shoulder to lean on, an  ear to listen, and an incredible resource. You can contact her directly by emailing her - becky.fawcett@helpusadopt.org or on Instagram @helpusadopt and @becky.fawcettADDITIONAL 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!Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us hello@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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!RESOURCES:Have we sparked your interest? Are you ready to prepare yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally for your birth marathon and postpartum period? Subscribe to LUNA Mother Co and start training for your birth marathon with hundreds of workouts, pelvic floor & core programs to keep you strong and connected through your pregnancy, childbirth education classes, postpartum prep, and so much more! New subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.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!Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us hello@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 in your area HERECheck out our virtual childbirth education class that you can do from the comfort of your home, on your time. Tune in HERE.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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 network of educators, their team has trained thousands of birth workers across the US and internationally, with a commitment to autonomy, cultural humility, reproductive justice, collaborative entrepreneurship.  Through their work with DTI, Gina & Tara invited thought provoking leaders in their community to creatively connect, share resources, and examine injustices and privileges within the birth world. Inspired by the impact those conversations and connections, the vision of Born Into This grew. Now a 501c3 non-profit organization, Born Into This continues to produce conferences, workshops, and online content that work to revolutionize the world’s relationship with reproductive health.  Tara & Gina also recently published their first book called “Born Into This: A Creative Guide Through Reproductive Health” – written from the perspective of birth educators and doulas, their book explores everything from hormones to pregnancy to menopause. Grab your copy HERE!RESOURCES:Find a doula in your area HERETo learn more about DTI or become a doula or childbirth educator, visit https://doulatrainingsinternational.com/You can now watch past Born Into This conferences  HERE! Want to join the next one? Visit https://www.wearebornintothis.com/conference for info about upcoming events, workshops, and to connect with Tara and Gina. 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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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, which meet at the midline of your stomach. Diastasis occurs naturally during pregnancy in order to accommodate for the growing uterus and often resolves on its own within 6-8 weeks postpartum. However this isn't always the case, and many mothers are left with injury-based diastasis after that initial healing stage that may require rehabilitative exercises to correct. Join us as we share some of the common misconceptions surrounding this condition.Ashley Nowe is a mom of three, stepmom of two, and a pre & postnatal exercise specialist. After birthing her three children (including a set of giant twins) Ashley didn't recognize her body. She says "The twins shook my foundation, taking such a toll on my body, and my sense of self.  I struggle(d) with diastasis recti—a “separation” of the abdominal wall—but have worked hard to learn to love my stomach again in its new form and reconnect with my core. This journey set me on a mission to educate other women and to help them take back pregnancy and postpartum! Whether you are a mom to a newborn or a grown kid, it is never too late to improve your core and pelvic floor and live a life full of function and vitality." To learn more about Ashley, visit her at www.getmomstrong.com and follow her on Instagram where she shares lots of great tips, workouts, and more!DIASTASIS RECTI RESOURCES:Find a pelvic Floor Physical Therapist near you by clicking HERELUNA Mother Co offers a thorough self-assessment video taught by our in-house pelvic floor physical therapist to help you identify if you have diastasis recti postpartum and how to begin healing. LUNA's Core Restore program also addresses diastasis and provides you with the tools to begin reconnecting to and healing your core.Get Mom Strong also offers tools to help you reconnect to, rehabilitate, and restrengthen your core post-birth.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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 Health Nurse Practitioner with under four weeks remaining in her graduate program at Frontier Nursing University. Originally on track to be a certified nurse midwife, Georgia is incredibly passionate about all things pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum. She is an advocate for birth justice and empowerment and helping birthing individuals achieve their birth outcomes and avoid the obstetrical violence and trauma she witnessed firsthand as a labor and delivery nurse for six years before returning to grad school to more actively implement the birth and women's healthcare revolution our nation demands. As a queer woman herself, she is both personally and professionally motivated to work with LGBTIQ individuals after graduation and address the rampant health disparities her community faces. The provision of Evidence Based Care and Information is of paramount importance to her and she recently became part of the Evidence Based Birth® instructor and childbirth educator team. In April, she launched her platform Birthing Beings to help connect and provide all of these services and more to clients in need.You can also find Georgia on LUNA Mother Co's platform teaching our Childbirth Education Course as well as our Preparing For Postpartum Series. To connect with Georgia visit www.Birthing Beings.com or follow her on InstagramRESOURCES:Thyroid Health Resources: https://avivaromm.com/category/energy-adrenals-thyroid/https://avivaromm.com/book/Evidence Based Birth: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/How to find an LGBTIQ+ provider: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/find-lgbtq-ally-health-provider#Online-resources-to-help-you-find-an-LGBTQIA-friendly-providerADDITIONAL 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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 the disparities many working mothers are currently facing in the workplace, ways to advocate for your job as well as your needs as a parent, and some tips for finding some sort of balance. Connect with Audrey via Twitter!RESOURCES:- 40 Percent of Working Parents Quit or Reduced Their Hours Since the Pandemic- Millennial Moms Without Childcare 3 Times More Likely Than Dads To Stop Working- Dads 3 Times As Likely As Moms To Receive A Promotion When Working From Home During COVID- The Best Ways Family Friendly Companies Are Helping Parents With Childcare Right NowADDITIONAL 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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 to help cope with the stress and anxiety of it all. To learn more about Dr. Shepherd and connect with her, visit her on Instagram @jessicashepherdmd and @dallasgynecologist and give her a follow!RESOURCES:To find a doula in your area, visit https://doulamatch.net/To find a mental health practitioner that specialized in perinatal mental health, visit https://psidirectory.com/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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 maternal health and wellbeing. Connect with Kimberley and follow along with her journey on Instagram HERE.RESOURCES:Mental Health Resources - During our conversation, Kimberley discussed "both/and" flexible thinking, which can be a really helpful skill to build not only in coping with a birth injury and postpartum/motherhood challenges, but life in general! She mentioned DBT as one type of therapy that does this, but this concept is woven through many types of research-supported psychological treatments. To learn about various types of therapy, chick HERE.Postpartum Support InternationalPhysical Healing & Rehabilitation Resources - Julie Wiebe is a skilled women's health physical therapist with several online programs who's focus is on helping people return to sport through the integration of breathing and pressure management. PopUplift is is a comprehensive resource for people of all ages and all stages of POP. Delivered entirely online, POPUp gives you access to expert guidance without having to  leave the couch. Check out their program HERE.LUNA Mother Co offers pelvic floor & core physical therapy series for pregnancy and postpartum as well as an abundance of evidence-based fitness classes and workouts deigned to help you heal post-birth and build a solid foundation of strength. Use code MOTHERLODE to get your first month for free. General Wellbeing/Self-Care - The book Kimberley references in our interview is Falling Upward, by Richard Rohr Free mindfulness & relaxation resources: UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center (https://www.uclahealth.org/marc/mindful-meditations); Dartmouth Guided Audio Recordings (https://students.dartmouth.edu/wellness-center/wellness-mindfulness/mindfulness-meditation/guided-audio-recordings)ADDITIONAL NOTES:Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts! 

Sarah & Stephanie sit down with fellow mama, veteran journalist for renowned publications such as Shape, Women's Health, Parents, What To Expect, among others, and founder of Dear Sunday Motherhood, Cassie Shortsleeve. We dive into some of the often unspoken challenges of pregnancy and new motherhood from mental wellness to physical healing, social changes, and mourning the life you had prior to becoming a parent. "Research shows that the perinatal period of pregnancy, postpartum, and new motherhood is monumental. It’s life-changing. The adult female brain arguably never changes more significantly than it does when you become a mother." - C. ShortsleeveThe fact that there is such a lack of care for womxn during such a transformational and pivotal time is truly unacceptable. Learn ways you can advocate for yourself, know that you are NOT alone, and find out about some of the amazing resources out there that are available.MORE ABOUT DEAR SUNDAY MOTHERHOOD:Dear Sunday is an online resource for a better pregnancy, postpartum, and new motherhood experience that provides empowering resources to better inform you and connect women through every stage of becoming a mother. The ebook features 19 experts in various fields of perinatal wellness. Get your copy HERE.ADDITIONAL NOTES & RESOURCES:Postpartum Support International - The purpose of Postpartum Support International is to increase awareness among public and professional communities about the emotional changes that women experience during pregnancy and postpartum.Solace For Mothers - Solace for Mothers is an organization designed for the sole purpose of providing and creating support for women who have experienced childbirth as traumatic.PATTCH (Prevention and Treatment of Traumatic Childbirth) expands awareness and increases access to education surrounding birth trauma. 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 subscribers, get your first month FREE using the code MOTHERLODE.Subscribe to The MOTHERLODE Podcast so you never miss an episode, & catch up with us on Instagram! Interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great fit? Email us online@lunamother.co Like this episode? Leave us a review and let us know your thoughts!