Do you ever wonder how motherhood has looked since the beginning of time?  Emily Kearney and Melissa Wetzel chat about how Motherhood has changed and taken may different forms throughout centuries and how the concept of “stay at home mom” is a recent/modern/privileged phenomenon, in order to help reduce mom guilt for mothers who feel like they do not do enough for their kids or spend enough time with them, etc. They take a look at ancient history of motherhood, how it evolved in modern times, and mom shame. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iCN6EnaAL0&t=61s  Research mentioned in episode: New York Times Opinion piece, “Early Motherhood has always been Miserable” by Jessica Grose: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/09/opinion/sunday/babies-mothers-anxiety.htmlWashington Post Opinion piece “A brief history of how we think about motherhood: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-brief-history-of-how-we-think-about-motherhood/2016/05/06/a8a1af86-12df-11e6-81b4-581a5c4c42df_story.htmlBritannica Encyclopedia entry on “Women in the Workforce” https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-work-organization-648000/Women-in-the-workforce“Hunter-Gatherer Women” entry in the Anthropology Oxford Research Encyclopedia: https://oxfordre.com/anthropology/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190854584.001.0001/acrefore-9780190854584-e-105)  “Women’s Work in Ancient Egypt” Encyclopedia: https://www.ancient.eu/article/1058/womens-work-in-ancient-egypt/ Oxford University Press’s Academic Insights for the Thinking World, entitled “11 things about women in Ancient Israel you probably didn’t know” https://blog.oup.com/2016/10/women-ancient-israel/Women in the Middle Ages: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_Middle_Ages

Ready to shop for your "mom car?" Want to know what kind of car is best for your family in the future? Kelly Stumpe, aka the Car Mom, discusses what features to look out for in a mom car, how to choose a mom car that will grow with your family, what to consider when trying to fit one or more car seats in a car, how to negotiate the best deal, her top new and used mom cars, plus more. If you want to pick out the best car for your family, then you can't miss this episode. You can find Kelly on Instagram at @the_car_mom and join her extremely helpful Facebook group as well by clicking here.

Want to learn about alternatives to hormonal birth control? Want to learn more about the fifth vital sign, your period? Dr. Jolene Brighten, author of Beyond the Pill, is a prominent leader in women’s medicine and the emerging science of Post-Birth Control Syndrome. In this episode, she talks all about periods, why millennials are rejecting hormonal birth control (HBC), the risks versus benefits of being on HBC, how HBC shuts down your hormones, alternatives to HBC, plus more. You can learn more about Dr. Jolene Brighten at  www.drbrighten.com

Do you have an identity outside of motherhood? If not, is that something you desire? LaWann Moses chats about how finding an identity outside of motherhood enriched her life and made her a better mother.

Do you want to start your own business or side hustle? Priscilla Huerta started The Little Catholic, an artisan online jewelry shop, almost three years ago, and has been very successful. She shares her tips and tricks on how she created a successful online business, how she was able to transition to working for herself full-time, plus more.

Want to know all the labor and delivery essentials? Labor and delivery nurse, Trish, shares all of her wisdom about giving birth. We chat about what you should pack in your hospital bag, what to expect during triage, the most common interventions and their risks/benefits, pain management, inductions, how your partner can best support you during delivery, various pushing positions, what to expect during a c-section, VBACs, plus more! Whether you are a first time mom or fifth time mom, you will learn so much and enjoy this episode.

Actress Ashley Bratcher, who plays the lead role in Unplanned, talks about her journey to motherhood, balancing motherhood with being an actress, and living with bipolar disorder. She explains why she chose life amidst and unplanned pregnancy in her own life. She also is transparent about the struggles of having a demanding career while being present for her son. Finally, she chats about why she views her bipolar diagnosis as a blessing, and how she manages it in her life.

Gut health is so important to overall health, and most do not know that know pelvic floor physical therapy can help with. As mothers, many of us deal with constipation at some point in our motherhood journey whether it is during pregnancy, early postpartum, or it has been a lifelong issue. Dr. Betsey shares actionable steps can we take to help ease constipation and improve gut health. Maintaining proper gut health ultimately can lead to better labor, delivery, recovery, and overall well-being as well. Link to Dr. Betsey Caldwell's Birth Class: The Push Lab Use code "Mothergood" for $20 off Dr. Betsey's birth class! Steps to Ease Constipation: Set yourself up for success. Use a squatty Potty. We want knees higher than your hips. For centuries, humans defecated in a squat position. That seems very caveman-esque, but it’s the truth. That is because our body’s were anatomically designed to defecate in a squat.  Click here to see what squatty potty looks like WHY - We need to activate our parasympathetic nervous system - the rest and digest NS  Slow down the process. Don’t Rush a BM. I know as moms we can have multiple kiddos screaming at us when we are trying to relax to have a bowel movement. Try keeping special toys in the bathroom that they ONLY get to play with when you need to poo. That should give you 10 minutes! Try to respond to the urge to defecate within 10-15 minutes if you cannot respond immediately. IF we consistently ignore the urge, overtime, our body will stop sending us signals. Pay attention to your urges! Don’t ignore the urge. Make sure you sip and do not chug.  For some of us, smoothies and carbonated drinks including sparkling water can worsen constipation. Drink half your bodyweight in ounces of water daily.       5. Pay attention to stress. I know we are living in a very stressful world right now but not only will managing our stress levels help us strengthen our immune system to fight off any virus or illness we get entering into flu season, it will also help regulate our bowel movements. When I say MANAGE stress levels what I actually mean is learning how your body internalizes stress. Which leads me to my last tip...       6. Stop Gripping your muscles to cope with stress.  For example, do you grip your jaw, your shoulder blades, your belly muscles, your glutes (butt muscles) or your pelvic floor? When we do these compensation patterns, we are internalizing stress and it can actually slow gut transit Dr. Betsey Caldwell's Bio Betsey Caldwell is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who specializes in pelvic health and women's health. After consistently hearing from her patients, "why didn't anyone teach me about my pelvic floor sooner?" she has made it her mission to spread pelvic health awareness and education on social media. Unafraid of talking about all things bowel, bladder, and sexual health related...Betsey believes that we become the best version of ourselves when we are equipped with the knowledge about our changing bodies during every stage of motherhood!   Betsey received her BA in Psychology at Aquinas College before making the move from Michigan to California to obtain her Doctorate Degree in PT. She is also a pregnancy and postpartum exercise coach, helping women run, jump, and lift without pain or leaking!   She is a mama to Noah and wife to James. When she isn't chasing her one year old away from the dog food bowl (again), she loves healthy cooking and hiking. Betsey is a firm believer of imperfectly showing up to try your best and giving yourself grace through the many struggles of motherhood.   Ready to say YES to living your best pelvic floor life? Follow Betsey on Instagram @drbetseypt and join her private Facebook group for moms of ALL ages (link in her IG bio).    These show notes may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission.

Is it possible to be healthy while growing your family and career? Bett Lucas says "yes!" and shares her experience. She is a busy mom of six and works full time as a Vice President in the energy industry. She has won numerous awards for her leadership and charitable projects. She shares her practical tips and secrets on how she stays healthy while being both a professional and mother.

Do you need wisdom on how to make it through a difficult season in life? Speaker and author Mary Lenaburg tells the heart-rending story how caring for her severely disabled daughter affected her self-image, her marriage, her family life, and her faith. With audacious authenticity about the challenges we all encounter, Lenaburg shares her struggles with control, blame, exhaustion, fear, acceptance, self-sacrifice, trust, choosing joy, and much more.

Emily Kearney, founder of Mothergood, shares her postpartum story and why it lead to the founding of Mothergood. She shares her unique postpartum struggles, how she navigated the wild west that is postpartum to find physical healing, plus a hilarious and embarrassing story from her current pregnancy. Mothergood was founded two years ago as a positive, yet authentic, place for mothers to become the best mom versions of themselves and navigate the world of motherhood. Most mommy places are so judgmental. And, that is why it is so important to have Mothergood, a judgment-free space within the context of evidence-based research, to grow to your full potential as mother.

Have you known a woman who had an abortion or almost considered having one? Mother and daughter, Martha and Kiki Rocha, share their vulnerable and personal story of how Martha had two abortions prior to Kiki and almost aborted Kiki. Martha explains why she found herself in a situation where she did not feel like she had a choice, but to abort. At the very last moment, Martha chose life and ultimately, motherhood, and discusses why it was both a difficult and easy decision at the same time. Kiki shares how the knowledge of her mother's story has impacted her life.

Is it possible to pursue your dreams while being a mother? Lisa Canning, life coach and author of The Possibility Mom, says, "yes!" Although, as Lisa discusses in the is episode, may involve some creativity, assessment, and reconsidering what your dream as a mom looks like. Lisa, a former HGTV interior stylist, shares her wisdom on how to fit motherhood and dreams together in this episode.

Did you know that 1 in 10 women are diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)? And, one symptom of PCOS is infertility, which affects 1 in 10 women trying to conceive. Something that often catches women off-guard is secondary infertility, which is infertility after previously having one or more children. Claire Couche shares her experience with PCOS and secondary infertility, as well as her heart for women going through similar situations.

Need a little motherhood comedic relief? This year has be a doozy so far, and we figured all of us could use some laughs. Stand-up comedian and actress Elisabeth Wykert shares some thoughts on being a mom, stay-at-home life, quarantine, giving birth, body image, plus more.

Why are we so disappointed when marriages and relationships admire fail? With Rachel Hollis' big divorce announcement last week, many women have been especially disappointed because she marketed herself as being transparent, authentic, and a relationship expert. On a more personal level, most of us are disappointed when relationships we admire in our personal lives fail as well. Tracy Dalgleish chats about why we are disappointed, para-social relationships, where to look for good relationship advice, and what outlook to have when holding relationships in admiration. She also provides some useful tips for having a healthy relationship.

Over the last couple of weeks, the topics of race and racism has filled the news, social media, and conversations. Many of these discussions have been political and heated, which others have focused on education. This episode with Ogechi Akalegbere, who is an educator in the areas of diversity and social justice, focuses on the educational side. How can we better educate ourselves and our children on race and racism? What sort of conversations and when should we begin to have talks about social justice? Ogechi brings her years of teaching experience, wisdom, and black heritage to share how to begin the educational journey. Book Suggestions:  For Adults- White FragilityThe New Jim CrowWhy Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race.The End of Policing (A book that discusses the increase in police rather than specialist use for social issues such as homelessness, mental health, and domestic violence)--might be great to read before your interview with the officer. For Kids- Separate Is Never Equal (pre-K-5th grade) https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/separate-is-never-equal-by-duncan-tonatiuh/Something Happened in our Town, A Children's Story about Racial Injustice (K-5th grade) https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/something-happened-in-our-town-by-ann-hazzard/Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History https://www.amazon.com/Little-Leaders-History-Vashti-Harrison/dp/0316475114The ABCs of Diversity (elementary)- disclaimer: they do discuss gender identity in this book and I know some of your listeners may find an issue with this topic, but the book does a fantastic job of breaking down how to see diversity around you, even for parents. https://chalicepress.com/products/the-abcs-of-diversity-helping-kids-and-ourselves-embrace-our-differences Other Resources- https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Pages/Talking-to-Children-About-Racial-Bias.aspx (guide for parents about talking to children about racism)13th Documentary on Netflix (for older teens and adults) Just Mercy (teens and adults)1619 PodcastIntersectionality Matters Podcast Longer list--https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2020/06/06/871023438/this-list-of-books-films-and-podcasts-about-racism-is-a-start-not-a-panacea

Did you know not every woman should do kegels? And, that kegels are not even the best exercise to strengthen your pelvic floor? Don't listen to anyone who tells you to "just do your kegels" without having you consult with a pelvic floor physical therapist. Dr. Betsey Caldwell returns to our pelvic floor mini-series to discuss why many women should not be doing kegels, and what exercises women should be doing instead. FREE HANDOUT ON FIVE STEPS TO A HEALTHY PELVIC FLOOR:  See PDF Attachment at the "Episode Webpage" Link below SIGN UP FOR DR. BETSEY'S BIRTH CLASS, THE PUSH LAB USING THE PROMO CODE "MOTHERGOOD" FOR $20 OFF HERE  THIS EPISODE IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE AND DOES NOT FORM A DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP. CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE IMPLEMENTING ANYTHING DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE.

Many women dream of starting a family with a man she loves, but that isn't the story for all women.  And, that's ok. It's just as beautiful. Monica Aberle shares her journey of unexpected motherhood with an unplanned pregnancy in college, followed by an even more unexpected love story with a good friend.

Do you want to know how to eat a healthy diet throughout all stages of motherhood? Whether you have never been pregnant, are trying to conceive, pregnant, postpartum, or done having children, Cara Clark discusses the best nutrition for all women. Cara is a Certified Sports and Clinical Nutritionist specializing in weight loss, diabetes, prenatal, postpartum and sports nutrition. She received her bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University and is continuing her education for a master’s degree in Health Science.  With a ‘non-dieting’ approach, she has helped clients manage weight, energy, performance, diabetes, thyroid related disease, allergies, eating disorders and more. Cara’s passion for nutrition & wellness grew as she performed athletically at the collegiate level. With experience in the industry dating back since childhood, the goal is to expose as many people as possible to optimal health for elite performance. She is not only a professional, but a wife and a mother to four daughters, which makes her very sensitive to the needs of each individual client. In the past few years, Cara has worked with celebrities including the OC housewives and Christina Anstead from HGTV’s Flip or Flop. She’s worked with Olympic athletes and prepared top NBA and MLB prospects for the draft and their careers. But more than that, she prides herself to be able to serve the every day client with the group challenge program her team has been offering for 7 years.  Cara recently published a cookbook with Christina Anstead called "The Wellness Remodel."