Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys

Vanessa lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina as a single mom of a 9 year old. She was a therapist who decided to add spiritualism into that realm. Her website is thepsychgym.com. She is a believer of spiritual grounding in therapy and transformed her practice into intuitive counseling. She experienced unexplained fertility issues and had to learn how to NOT expect a typical mama journey. She unexpectedly got pregnant, which was an ectopic pregnancy which caused more grief but then one month later, she got pregnant again!! That's when you know you are MEANT to be a mom! She was under the impression that she needed to make this a family and although she tried her hardest, it wasn't meant to be. Single parenting for the past 5 years has been its own journey and the struggle created a deep connection and love for her daughter, knowing she is doing the best she can for her and her daughter. She has had many different supports through her mama journey and she says they all helped (and continue to help) raise her as a mom. Validation from others really made a difference in her mama journey because she needed the feeling that she wasn't alone and she felt held. Fixing things as moms isn't always the best path. Letting our kids struggle a bit won't hurt. Empowerment comes from doing things so we have to let them do it and feel brave. She wishes she would have known that she truly needed her community around her who are in the same places in her life. She kept all the old friends (hockey players) and she wishes she would have had someone to help her create the communities of people she needed as a mom and not a hockey player. She can be found on Instagram sea.stars.psych and Facebook under Vanessa Perry - Intuitive Counselor. Check out her podcast at https://yanamom.com/lets-be-real-podcast/

Kyle is a strong willed parenting coach. He works with families with strong willed kids because he was a parent of SIX of those kinds of kids. He was co-parenting with his wife of 30 years but she died unexpectedly in 2021 and then he was left to parent alone. For their 30th wedding anniversary, they took a trip and that was when they decided as a couple that they needed to do more. They needed to support parents who were struggling with their own strong willed kids. Strong willed kids can be described as kids who frustrate, discourage or create worry for their future and these situations cause relationship issues and family dynamics that can make or break you. One thing they really learned was that you can't parent them all the same because they are so different. Kyle grew up with the threat of violence, so Kyle's wife decided they needed to have a better plan for their family dynamic. If they didn't have that plan, Kyle says they were either going to implode or thrive. They decided they wanted it to thrive. Kyle's wife believed in parenting through love and Kyle was a disciplinarian but after a rather frustrating situation with their non-verbal son, and praying about what he should do, he chose not to give up on his family but his wife lost faith in him as a partner and a father. After reading the Cat and the Hat, they realized they needed to have a strategy and a plan. They needed to not be focused on "winning" the argument but instead getting to a common goal together. Parenting is tough but it doesn't have to be as tough as we make it. Make a plan, make it easier on everyone in the home! Check Kyle out at kylejetsel.com for more information about his parenting help and strategies. Give a listen at https://yanamom.com/lets-be-real-podcast/

She lives in northern Virginia as a poetry and creative writing coach, writer and teacher. She turned her cathartic activity (writing) into her purpose. She has a non-traditional motherhood journey. In 2019 her father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and knowing she was going to lose one of the most important people in her life, she realized that we may or may not have "all the time in the world." During her acute grief and a global pandemic her relationship didn't make it through and she realized she had a huge need to be a mom. At the age of 20, she was diagnosed with a bicornuate uterus which changed everything and she didn't think she could carry a baby and also didn't have a partner she wanted to parent with but then found out she was misdiagnosed and didn't have a deformed uterus. She chose to consciously co-parent with a man who she didn't think she would fall in love with but was just going to parent together but low and behold, love did happen and they live in Virginia together and found the perfect situation for them with their 5 month old little boy. She wishes she would have known how hard breastfeeding was going to be. Her second book of poetry, Mother,(v), is all about her desire to become a mom as well as other women's stories about their journeys. You can find her at annemariewellswriter.com.

Kimberly Grustas is the inventor and owner of a skin care line that focuses on all natural skin care for all females but mostly girls to ensure they have all natural skin care, especially through puberty. Her business is called Good For You Girls. She has been creating these products since 2008 to make sure things are made and are GOOD for the consumer. Her brand is very specific in their ingredients and purposes. She started in the fitness industry (male dominated) and was envious of men for being fearless. So she embraced her tenacity and created products to help girls through puberty. Her mama journey started after being married for 10 years and after getting nervous, she got pregnant four months after starting her own advertising business. She was afraid to give up her independence and type "a" way of doing things after having babies and has always been a working mom even though she didn't utilize day care and worked from home and is self made. She admits that not asking for help is a weakness she struggles with and gets overwhelmed but is "obnoxiously happy" in the mornings, knowing that happiness is important to her. After a stressful childhood as the youngest of 5 and an identical twin. After losing her brother, her entire family changed and her parents never found their way out of that grief. With her own babies, she never hid the hard stuff. She would have them right alongside her building her business. She does regret not giving herself more time for HER. She didn't know her limits and gave and gave. She's struggling as an empty nester and although she enjoys the young adult conversations and she is always "the call" they make but not being there is hard on a mama heart. She wishes she would have made time to create her tribe! She wishes she would have known how important that tribe is to the empty nesting too. You can find all of her products at goodforyougirls.com and you can use the coupon code:YANA20 for 20% off!

Jessica has quite an amazing mama journey with the release of her new book called Breath Taking, A Memoir of Families, Dreams and Broken Genes. She left the corporate world to write her story and tell her family's story. Her journey to motherhood was long and twisty and not at all what she thought it would be. After dating her husband for 10 years, they were finally married and thought they would be pregnant right away but five years later, they were still trying. After 25 procedures, and five years they decided they needed to pivot and fell in love with the idea of adoption. They adopted through Guatemala and adopted three amazing children. They thought their struggles had hit the apex but boy were they wrong! She suspected that her middle child had health issues and she was 100% right. She had her checked by Early Interventions and they and the doctors all said she was just a "little behind, give her time." But this mama had an intuition that there was something else going on and low and below she was diagnosed with a mild to moderate hearing loss. At the age of 5 she was given genetic testing (because she was adopted) and that proved she had MERRF syndrome (a mitochondrial degenerative disease). This ultra rare disease was life changing for their entire family. Rare diseases are a challenge in every way for an entire family. When Dalia turned 9, they all went on a family vacation and a cold turned into respiratory failure with a tracheotomy and a ventilator. Dalia had to have eyes on her 24/7 and this continued for EIGHT years! Dalia lost her battle right around her 17th birthday and it changed Jessica in a beautiful and horrific way all at the same time. She wishes she would have known that all emotions are possible to be felt AT THE SAME TIME! Her journey is not like most but she has quite the story to tell and we implore you to check out her book, Breath Taking, found on her website https://www.jessicafeinstories.com Give a listen here: yanamom.com/lets-be-real-podcast/

As a single mama of 4 kids, 2 girls and 2 boys and is the reigning Ms. Colorado Americana. She also is a Geotechnical Engineer! She is also training to be in the WINTER OLYMPICS!!! She is a Skeleton athlete (head-first flying down the ice). She had to really train hard and the email to welcome her to the olympic team, WENT TO HER SPAM account!!!! Here is your lesson for the day…check your spam! As a mama of 4, she struggled with postpartum depression and frustration as well as trying to get your body back after giving birth FOUR times! She is an olympic athlete, she really struggled with getting her body back. She decided on the second go-around of having kids (she has an age gap between the two sets of kids) that she would give her more grace because there is no trophy for bouncing back the "fastest." Her mama was her biggest supporter and continues to be. Since kids are sponges and repeat it all, when they repeat what she says she has to take a long look at what she says to ensure she isn't putting things out there that she doesn't want them to repeat. She wishes she would have known about YANA when she was a new mama. She wishes she had her community of people who "got" her that could have been there for her. She didn't look for the help and support and wishes she would have.

Karen owns Organize It, a professional organizing and move management company. Her goal is to get new moms getting their nurseries in order. Her passion is helping mamas be more organized and ready for baby. She has 2 grown children, a husband and has lived in Colorado for almost 50 years. Her biggest challenge as a mama was the depression she struggled with. She had a wise friend who said, "have a plan with your husband so that if you are not able to communicate what's going on, you make it obvious to him that you need help." The shame of asking for help needs to end and in 2024, we are at the point where you CAN say I need help. Just because you can't see it, it doesn't invalidate it. With her husband as her biggest supporter, her faith and her boys, she has thrived and is such a good person. Her best mama moment came when she asked her adult daughter what she thought her best mama moment was and her answer thrilled her because it made her realize that her "normal" meant she was being an amazing mama. Her worst mama moment was when her mental health wasn't being addressed properly. Now that she is properly medicated AND diagnosed properly, she can regulate and emplores you to go get more answers because not all doctors have the correct answers. Keep asking, keep seeking and don't give up until someone gives you the answers you deserve.

Becoming a mama in her 30s and quarantined during pregnancy was strange and difficult in so many ways. Baby number two came after the pandemic and she found out what a regular pregnancy was. She is a "famous" online personality called Law Mother with over 2 million followers! She educates people about protecting the things that are the most important to them. She had to get her husband onboard as he waffled on the idea but eventually they made it happen. With her first baby, she struggled with postpartum and wasn't prepared for that. She also was a new business owner with her first baby as well as being the breadwinner for the whole family. She really didn't get a postpartum break but with her second, she knew she had to do it differently. With her second baby, she took four months off and knew that was exactly what she needed. She hired a postpartum doula to help out but then decided to split the shift with her going to bed at 7pm and sleeping until 3am and then her husband would go to bed at 3am. This really worked for them. She had a mindset coach she worked with and they helped her with the mom guilt and prioritize her time so she could break down her day and how she spent her time to help her feel more connected since she worked outside the house.Her best mama moments are the simple ones. When her kids are expressing themselves and becoming who they will be. She wishes she would have known how much support she needed for the postpartum period and had it set up. Take her advice and GET IT! You can find her at lawmother.com. Listen to our 2 year anniversary episode here https://yanamom.com/lets-be-real-podcast/

Pouneh is a Board of Director advisor for YANA and we are blessed to have her on our team. As a stepmom, she has lots of experience in mamahood but when she had her own boys, everything changed. Originally from New Jersey, she says, "You can take the girl out of Jersey but you can't take Jersey out of the girl." As a Board Certified OBGYN, Pouneh has worked for years being the person who helps bring babies into the world but her entire care of mamas has changed now that she is a mom. Being pregnant and giving birth during her residency was close to impossible but she somehow made it through and all while her dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She looks back on that time in awe that her and her husband made it through. Because of her need to be more present, she reconfigured her entire work structure and became a traveling OBGYN where she travels for a week and gives rural OBGYN's a break and then is home for three weeks where she can give her kids her undivided attention (thus her best mama moments when she watches her kids experience the world). Her worst mama moment was when her little guy was so hurt that he threw away his painting and broke his little heart (who else can identify with that!). She is always honest with her patients and tells them that parenthood is literally "on the job learning." She also feels strongly about mamas finding and building their community. Motherhood needs to be a team activity!

Lauren is an entrepreneur and teaches nutrition and health and wellness is her world. She loves helping people. She is a bonus mom of two older kiddos but always wanted to be a mama on her own. After IVF with Conceptions, she succeeded in her goal to be a mama and had her baby right after she turned 40. She is an older mom and had it "all together." But boy did having a mama change everything. She really struggled with how to manage all the feelings she was having. How do you go from being a boss mama to covered in spit up? She experienced some jealousy with her husband who got a promotion and was doing things in his career that she wished she was doing, even though she always wanted to be a mom, this was more than she bargained for. Her biggest support came from her spouse, all the grandmas in her life and even the Facebook groups she joined. Her stories of her best and worst mama moments will blow you away and explain why I think she is such an amazing badass! Her experience has been beautiful, ugly, hard, amazing, unbelievable and down right way more than she anticipated. Her mama journey is less than a year old but she has learned more in those 10 months than she ever thought possible. She even wrote an article for the Daily Camera about her experience. You can read it HERE: https://www.dailycamera.com/2023/09/07/guest-opinion-lauren-friarson-a-holistic-practitioners-tribute-to-allopathic-medicine/ Follow her on Instagram at @lifewithlaurendanielle

Dawn has been a lifelong teacher and is taking on a new role as an Assistant Director of a school. She started her mama journey with a step child at the age of 3 (who is now 18) and now has a 6 year old. Being a stepmom has been quite a journey and being a new mom as a stepmom has been a journey she never thought she would be on. Undiagnosed for most of her life, her stepdaughter just was diagnosed with autism so that's a new challenge. She struggled being a new mom because her own mom passed away 6 months before she gave birth. Her rock was gone and she had to parent an infant all on her own. Her baby also had colic for the first year of her life. Her husband was her biggest supporter because her mom wasn't there for her and she knows how lucky she is to have her. Her best mama moment has been watching both girls grow up and become who they are. When you see yourself in your kids, it's the best part of being a mom. Being an introvert and having an extrovert child is no joke! Knowing she should have slept for years before her daughter was born!!! SO TIRED! She knows now that she needs her own unwind time before she can be a good mama. TAKE THE TIME for yourself and then you can be all the things to everyone but take care of YOU!

Our 100th episode was an in-person party with two amazing mamas as well as our Strong Mamas, Thriving Babies Program Assistant Director! It was such a great way to celebrate our 100th episode! Jeanie has two small kiddos and lived in Florida at that time but moved a lot and she had a lot of challenges because she didn't have support. She is now in Colorado and building her own support system. Meagan is also a mama of two littles (her homies) living in Colorado. They both felt the massive change they went through after having babies. The new "normal" is no longer like what you thought it would be. The lack of sleep is absolutely life changing. Family and support being nearby is HUGE and finding the people who support you and creating your own "framily" is so important. Sheesh, where have we heard THAT before? , Jeanie shared one of her best mama moments was recently watching her son thrive in an educational setting that changed everything. Meagan is finally feeling pride in her mothering and how she is creating memories for her kids as a good mama. They both think that surrounding yourself with people who nourish you is essential! So reach out to YANA if you want to be matched with another mama! Worse mama moments come as well and Meagan is working to get her daughter tested after she noticed some concerning behaviors and has struggled feeling like she is winning. Looking back, she sees the positives of her motherhood journey but it took awhile to see them Jeanie's worst mama moments is that she is truly her biggest critic and has had to learn to give herself grace. Doing it on her own is hard but she also knows there is always room for repair. As their own biggest supporters, they realized they needed to be there for themselves. There is NOTHING wrong with being your own best "person."

Kandra is a sleep expert who helps people with their sleeping journey with their children. At the age of 27, she started her mama journey after going through infertility for years. Shaping her journey as a wife and mother, infertility needs to be understood on another level. She had really hard pregnancies and was in and out of the hospitals and threw up every day all day long. Being on the other end of that journey feels really good because it was really difficult. "Being a mom is a growing journey learning who you are." Having a great childhood doesn't always mean you don't have triggers that can really throw you for a loop. She realized through her kids Occupational therapies that she couldn't regulate her needs to escape the over stimulation. She never realized she had anger issues until it happened but growing and learning as a mom is so important. As a mom, you become a different version of who you have always been. Her village was amazing and so supportive during her start of mamahood. She has 6 grandparents for her boys and has never had to pay for daycare! Her best mama moment happened this last Christmas when she planned, and completed the best movie night with her three boys and how special that was to all of them. She wishes she knew that some kids don't sleep during the day! She felt she was the only person on the planet with a newborn who struggled to sleep during the day. That's SO normal but she didn't know that. You can find her at: rockymountainsleepingbaby.com

Dina was a corporate America person but now holds space for women who are going through transitions. Her one kiddo will be 19 soon and she believes her soul was matched with the two souls who left before she could be their mother on earth. Her wisdom councils and circles change lives and give moms the permission to honor their mama journey's. Giving up some of the plan you have in mind in motherhood, both birth and motherhood is essential. Don't grip so hard! The control isn't always in your hands. Loneliness is oftentimes really difficult, especially when they can't talk and interact. She struggled with that. The empty nest issue happens when kiddo goes off to school full time and that was rough on her. The friendships that come and go can also be really challenging. She is really involved in intergenerational conversations and getting the older generation supporting the younger and vice versa. When you honor even the dark places you flow through, you can find the blessings they bring to your life. There are always opportunities in all things that happen in your life. She wants people to remember that you are the author of only YOUR story. You are not the author of your kids, your husband or anyone else. We are ushering our kids through their journey as a guide. Walk beside them. mavenandsageconsulting.com

As a mama who had her first baby at the age of 35, she wasn't sure she wanted kids. She was very driven in her career and wasn't certain kids were in her future. But when she got married at the age of 34, 2 months into the marriage, they were pregnant! She is not a huge fan of kids, except her own! She joined some mom groups through a nonprofit that turned into a store and found her people. With her second baby, she was involved in her church and all the moms were amazing supports. In Canada you get 12-18 months of leave and get partial pay. Getting help doesn't mean you failed!!!! That is what she wishes she would have known as a new mom. She thinks her inability to accept help came from being the youngest or the societal pressure to NOT get help with things. When she was becoming a mom, she thought she had to do it ALL. But in the long run, she didn't. Give yourself grace and redefine what doing it all looks like. Growth is good for us. Don't be afraid of growth and change.

Kelly has lived in Colorado since she was 8 and lives in Centennial. She works for a payroll company called PNIHCM and is passionate about her community. The job of being a mama and wife is a 24/7 job. She met her husband way back when she was 19 and got lots of stuff "out of the way" before she had her son. She had her son at the age of 35 and what an adjustment it was! Her pregnancy was a complete surprise because she was on birth control and didn't expect to get pregnant! At 16 weeks pregnant she had a grapefruit sized cyst removed, which was very stressful and then 5 weeks later she had another cyst appear. Her pregnancy was not what she had in mind but it resulted in a healthy, happy baby boy. With her situation and experience, her body decided that they were one and done. She wishes she could go back in time and tell her younger self that she needs to be kinder to herself and stop looking at the "imperfections." One of the biggest challenges she had was wanting her body back. She was "touched out!" Can you relate? Her one is done is the light of her life and her need to be herself and understand that it's OK to not be or do all the things everyone else THINKS you should! She's an amazing mama and friend!

Brenna is a single mom of 2 and closing in on 40 and so excited about the possibilities of the "rock star decade!" She is a police dispatcher for the Colorado State Patrol and her hours are nuts! She also put her application in to be a State Trooper and is starting that process! She became a mama at the age of 22 and her kiddos have different dads. Not knowing what a healthy relationship looked like, she struggled to find true love. Having two kids on her own, her mom homeschooled her and her siblings and that struggle was rough for Brenna while trying to raise her kids the way she wanted to. She was raised Southern Baptist and after graduating high school she walked away from that church. She ended up finding her OWN community through a totally different church setting. Parenting teens has been tough but she understands they are in their own developmental stages but it's no joke. In 2021 her whole life came crashing down when her child told her that her ex husband had sexually abused them. With her ex in prison for his abuse, she is doing her best to heal all of the broken parts that her and her kids have experienced. Her advice is to NOT be a helicopter parent but just be in tune with what's going on with their lives. Let go of the control and choose your battles.

Michelle is a mom of 2 living in Arvada, Colorado and works with companies to help them with their expansion plans. She is a member of YANA's Board of Directors and has been an amazing asset to our program. She started her parenting journey later in life and had her son at the age of 40. She was a corporate climber so starting at the age of 40 was a little rough. She had 2 small kiddos for the global pandemic! She made some changes to her career in that time and switched lanes in her work/life balance. After leaving a work trip early because her first born was sick, she learned really quickly that her kids always come first. The pivotal moments in motherhood really makes you stop and think about how you will continue the life and career she built. With no family in Colorado, her support came from her mom who lives in Michigan but she came and spent 2 weeks/month in the first year! Both kids were 3 weeks early into the world, so her c-sections were a bit scary and it was both her best and worst mama moments. As a career focused mom, she wishes she would have known that chaos is normal. Trying to control it all is impossible and she has learned patience and how to roll with it and GIVE YOURSELF GRACE! It's ok to not be ok. We do our best and that's what our kiddos will remember!

Susanna Peace Lovell is a mama and a life coach and advocate for families with kiddos with disabilities. She has a daughter with many extreme needs and it led her to this work. Her daughter is about to turn 18, living in LA and her and her ex-husband raise her collectively. She had ALL the motherhood answers before she became a mom (like a lot of us do) and then reality hit! Her daughter was diagnosed with a plethora of medical conditions and her mamahood journey was NOTHING like she was prepared for. She, and her daughter cried for the first 18 months of her life and she wondered if she would ever find a "normal" that wasn't hard. She has had a rough mamahood journey of almost 18 years but she knows that without the support of her mom, and even her mother-in-law, she wouldn't be the mama she is now. Her mission to help other parents of kiddos with disabilities keeps her grounded and inspired. You can find her at https://www.susannapeacelovell.com and her book at https://a.co/d/hty6wFX

Dianna is a classical homeopath in Littleton who wrote a book about newborn death. She does a lot of grief work with mamas who have experienced a loss. After four pregnancies, she has one living child and her unique experience is what helps her share with other mamas. There are over one million babies who die before their first birthday EVERY YEAR! Grieving is something we don't talk about in this country. She is a member of the Colorado End of Life Collaboration and it is an organization she is very proud of. She is a death expert who says "be there, support them, let them know you care." She was an older mama and no one talks about menopause and raising small children. There are so many different "shades" to motherhood and we need to experience all of them! She is mothering a boy and without having boys in her life before he was born, it's not always easy but she is learning as she goes. She wishes she would have had some awareness of the challenges and differences in parenting later in life. Some days motherhood is disappointing and it's ok! Let's be real!!! Find her at frontrangehomeopathy.com

She and her husband are high school sweethearts and she was married at 20! She wasn't sure she wanted kiddos but after 10 years of marriage, they decided they did! She was in the hospitality industry during the pandemic but that wasn't ideal as a new mom. Hotels are open 365 days a year and 24 hours a day! That wasn't working for her and her family so she decided it was time to realign her priorities and change her career on top of a pandemic and being a new mama! Her biggest realization was that relationships change when you have kiddos and that's hard and sometimes heartbreaking. She has made some amazing friends and has a huge village and is very thankful for her support. Her mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer when baby number one was 6 weeks old. It was heartbreaking and sad for her to watch and not be able to turn to her and ask for advice. Her friends helped her work through all of that along with the loss of her mom. During that time, she also experienced miscarriages so her village carried her through it. When she was pregnant with number 2, who was a boy, she was a little worried about parenting a boy. She was a bundle of nerves about it all (and if she had enough love to give to both). The terrible 2's got her and her worst mama moment came the day of family pictures! She wants mamas to know that you can't control or know everything that is going to happen. Just take it for what it is. You got this mama!

Kelli is a badass CEO of a Colorado nonprofit called BCC Evolution (now Make Mental Health Matter), a mental health and suicide awareness nonprofit. They focus on the education aspect after her sister took her life. Kelli was a teen mom at the age of 16 as a junior in high school. She put her daughter up for adoption because she watched her sister go through it as a teen mom and didn't want that for her life. So she asked for an open adoption and is in contact with the family with lots of adoption in her family. She had her second child much later in life and then was a single mom. NOT the experience she wanted. With family support and really great sisters, she felt she had some pretty decent help with the birth of her son. Her son had seizures at a young kiddo and that was one of the hardest things she ever had to go through because the unknown was rough but he is healthy now and doing great. She wants moms to know that there is no cookie cutter way to raise kids. Every parent is different, every child is different and there is no guide book! Roll with the punches and it's never going to be perfect. Lean on other moms and ask the questions just know that their answers may not pertain to you but other opinions can't hurt. You can find them at their website at makementalhealthmatter.org.

Lindsey is a mom of 2 girls and the program director of the Backcountry Wilderness nonprofit for our Community Association. She is passionate about protecting our wildlife in Colorado. She was in a hurry to be a mom and had baby number one at the age of 26 right after her husband graduated from PT school. She is a Colorado native who returned in her adult years because she LOVED the mountains and Colorado as a whole. Her biggest challenge as a mom has been doing parenthood the way that SHE wanted and not necessarily how others thought she should. She feels her husband was one of her best supporters and her parents were available and amazing people who showed up when she needed it but gave the space when she needed it. She wishes she would have trusted her mama gut when it came to knowing what was going on with her daughter, who has dyslexia. She learned from that experience and now is her girls' biggest champion.

Marta is a mom of 3 and a full time student pursuing her graduate degree in Social work. As an intern for YANA, she has contributed a TON of knowledge to our organization and she is a huge asset to us! They live the farm life and are encouraging her three kids to find happiness in whatever that is, even if it isn't higher education. Healthy relationships have healthy conversations and discussions that show conflict resolutions that show them what the real world looks like (as unfortunate as that is sometimes). Her first child was a NICU experience and it was quite traumatic. She thought her birthing plan was a binding contract but God had other plans! She labored for over 30 hours and her son came out blue and not crying. As a healthy, happy kiddo now, it all worked out but it really made her realize that challenges at birth aren't always the plan but they are God's plan. With baby number three, she experienced Postpartum Depression and Anxiety. She really struggled and she didn't know why. She can look back now and see what it was but she couldn't admit it then (like so many moms). "I've done this twice before so I got this." But she didn't and her dark time really taught her to get the support when needed and don't be afraid to ask for it. Grieving her circle of friends was hard but the new circle came into place and made it ok. She wishes she would have known it was ok to reach out for help. BRAVERY OVER SHAME! There should be no shame in asking for help! It truly takes a village to take care of mama!

She is a stay at home mom but was a theater actress and CEO of a Yoga studio for years. Her journey started at an advanced maternal age. Her home birth was magical and was exactly what she wanted it to be. She had 2 midwives, a doula, a birth photographer and her husband for her birth and LOVED it. She was radically supported and was only in labor for 5 hours as opposed to the 40 hours of the first birth! Her birth stories are unique and different but also HERS and she takes pride in that. Her first baby was born during a global pandemic and she struggled with Postpartum Depression and with shame and guilt about "letting her husband down" even though her husband would have never had those thoughts about her but she put those expectations on herself. Her second mama journey experience was so different than her first because with baby number two she wanted to prove to everyone she could be the best mama ever! And that wore her out and made her exhausted in a different way. She and her husband are Colorado natives (which is really rare) and they have a TON of support with lots of family around but her husband was her biggest supporter. Her mom and her mother in law have been amazing supporters and adore their grandchildren. She LOVES breastfeeding and is very proud of the two years she breastfed her first. After experiencing a miscarriage between her two kiddos, it really impacted her third pregnancy (second birth) and her anxiety throughout that time. This is normal and she wants other mamas to know that all of the things you go through in the postpartum timeline is NORMAL and it's ok to ask for help and advice. You are not alone!

Lainne had a natural home birth with her son at the age of 36. She has had a lot of chaos in her mama journey and didn't know the father well and she does not have a relationship with him so being a single mom was quite the challenge. She was shocked at her numbness during pregnancy and because of her traumatic childhood, she was not as prepared to be a mom as she wishes she would be. She didn't recognize herself when she became a mom and realized her ancestral karma was holding her back. Epigenetics is the study of which genes are expressed and when and why. In our DNA there are traits that are passed down and we don't always have control of those things and how we react to them. With a waterfall of challenges when she had her son, the biggest was battling with the father, her son was an American and she wasn't (she's from Canada) and was in fear of losing her child, along with being a single parent. Lainne has a wealth of knowledge about being a mom of a neurodivergent child and you can find her at her website at lainne.com. Lainne Love on social media too!

As a mama of one and a son who joined the military, that fear was encompassing because she had no idea how to handle that. When she was a new mom, she was on her own as a single mom. She had support from her parents when her son grew but lost both of her parents to cancer. She feels that she has grown closer to her mom since she passed because she learned about her moms past and her life trauma and how that made her who she was. Blessed with the most amazing son and having such amazing memories of his childhood made her tear up because she loved being his mama and could NOT be more proud of him. As the first Doctor in the family, he called and was worried about being the first to graduate (before her) and upsetting her. She wrote a children's book about her dad called Papa's Scooter, a Legacy of Love. Check it out on Amazon! Lori is a beautiful mama with a lot of love for her amazing son and she wants you to know that you are doing a great job!

Candace has been a working mom for many years and owns Holistically Well (insert tag here). Even though she wasn't always 100% sure she wanted to be a mom. She envisioned herself as the professional woman in New York City, living the dream of being a working woman who blew your socks off. After five years of trying, she finally got pregnant and were now a military family. The military doesn't really support infertility and the struggle of it. After a miscarriage on her own, in her own home all alone she finally felt the need to be a mom. This was the first time she had that motherly feeling the need to have a family. Her mama journey was full circle because the day her daughter should have been born, she found out she was pregnant with her son. She did not enjoy pregnancy and her birth story was quite a traumatic experience. Her dyslexic son is an amazing kiddo but her need to be a mama bear sometimes can be the catalyst to reeling it back to allow him to be his own advocate. Finding a balance of how to handle discipline with each age is tough but if you tap into yourself and allow yourself to see your own truth. You can find her at holisticallywellut.com

As a lifelong educator, she has dedicated her life to the education of children. She started her mama journey just before turning 30. With grown kids, she remembers having very little support throughout having little ones. She moved to Colorado with no family there and struggled with the lack of help. Even though she was in education and taught while having kids, she didn't ever teach her own children. Her neighbors were her biggest supporters and they created her own village. As she grew as a mom, and now a grandmother, she did some remembering back to the days of reading stories and singing songs to put them to bed. When your kids become parents and acknowledge how hard it is to be a mom, that's a good feeling. She wishes she would have let her kids struggle more. The need to rescue him was so powerful that she always jumped in to help, creating a less persistent adult. She wants you to think about letting them struggle more. When you are in the thick of it and you feel like it's never going to end, cherish what you can because it goes by sooooo fast! Check out her work at https://ecclacolorado.org/counties/douglas-county-early-childhood-council-dcecc/

Samantha and I have a long history and it was such a joy to chat with her. She was a flower girl in our wedding way back in 1995! Samantha was 26 when she had number one and after having number one, number two was a whole different story and it was hard letting go of not having control over the unknown. The mom guilt for number one was really hard to navigate as well. Her biggest supporter was her mama (who happens to be my BFF!). She loved hearing from her that she is doing a good job! As a mama of a 7 and 4 year old, her favorite part of being a mom is when they want HER to put them to bed and spend time with them. To feel loved and accepted by your kids is really the best part of being a mom. She wishes she would have started a journal of the things her kids have said. She wishes she would have known that pretty much everything you hear about being a mom like "it gets easier" is all a bunch of bullshit. Absorb where you are right now and live in the moment as much as possible. Everything is going to change, for the good or the bad within probably minutes so just go with it.

Marissa is running for MAYOR of Lone Tree, Colorado and is kicking off her journey into the crazy world of politics! She is a mom of 2 girls and is passionate about leaning into her community. As a mom of one, her biggest challenge with having her second child was the unknown of how to handle things when your baby isn't meeting the same milestones as your first. Where do you turn? Who do you tell? As the mom, we are supposed to "know" and it wasn't until someone in her hairstyle chair said to her, "Developmental Pathways is amazing" that she finally allowed herself to be open to the possibility that they needed help. After her daughter was given the support she needed, she has thrived. It hasn't come without many heartaches but it has gotten MUCH better and Marissa has learned to open herself up to what is out there that can help you along the way. She wants other mamas to know that it's ok not to know, it's ok to ask for help and you need to find your village. Her biggest supporter, to this day, is her husband and she is so excited about this next adventure. MARISSA FOR LONE TREE! https://www.marissaforlonetree.com/, https://www.rootsandmaneco.com/

Trista is a coach of women and focuses on empowering women. She gave birth in Costa Rica at home as a single mom. She lived in Costa Rica for seven years to learn a new culture, Spanish and more about sustainability. She is one of six kids and always wanted to give birth at home. One of her biggest challenges was going from having the baby in her belly to always having him on her boob. The demands are huge to moms and never ending. When her son started to mirror her yoga practice, she saw the fruits of her labors. She felt she truly sees her positive energy coming through her four year old. Her worst mama moment came when she saw the fear in her son's eyes when she yelled at him. THIS is what it means to be a good mom (recognizing that we don't always have our s*#! together!). She fell in love with the idea of having a child and a family but didn't really have the systems in place to support that. She wishes she would have had more in place. She has great resources so check out her linktree at https://linktr.ee/tristagoforth.

Melissa is a wife and mom of 2 teen girls. Holistic health and life coach helping girls and women break free issues with food. Being a mom is so hard because you watch yourself walk outside of your body with NO control. Being a mom is a 24/7 job because someone always needs something. Her kids are 27 months apart and that seemed to work well for them. Overwhelming at first but as they grew, it was better. Her best mama moment is right now! She is loving how much they need her in a totally different way and with their brains more developed, it's been fun with them. When she was overwhelmed and the kids were so young, it was hard on her. She wishes she would have known that it is not going to always stay this way. It changes so quickly but she couldn't see past it at the time. Moms, you matter and it is ok to take care of yourself. YOU need to do what YOU need to do to be the best version of you! You can find Melissa at free2Bcoaching.com

Jenn is a life coach and helps people to be proactive in their resilience. She helps people prepare and practice for the curve balls that are thrown at us. She is an adoptive mom of a 15 year old girl who brought her daughter home at 5 weeks old. She is a 2-time kidney transplant recipient so couldn't carry children so decided to be an adoptive mom. Her story is quite unique and full of hope, love and big things. Her daughter has a life threatening disease that she has learned how to manage and support while navigating motherhood, running a business and "being where her feet are." She wishes she would have known that she was not put on the planet to make her child behave or obey but to help shape the person they will become. You can reach her at [email protected] for more information about proactive resilience!

A native California girl challenged with not being able to surf every day. Her and her family are about to retire from the military after 20 years of service. With baby number one, she almost lost her life in childbirth. As a family, they have moved 8 times in 13 years! As a military family, this was their "normal" but watching their kids struggle with those moves was gut wrenching. She wants other moms to know that you are doing better than you think you are. You CAN do hard things and you should never stop playing with your kids! Experiences over stuff, every time.

As a new author of a book about postpartum stuff that helps moms with the 4th trimester, her honest, raw thoughts and experiences are helping moms everywhere. She is a young, intelligent mom with so much to share. She learned early to set boundaries and let her friends and family know what they have for expectations and highly suggests that for all moms. There are two goals after having a baby…one is to keep that baby alive and thriving and also for YOU to heal and thrive too. Mom's health and wellbeing needs to be a bigger priority. Her first few weeks after birth were really hard on her and she uses her experience to help other mamas. Insta: https://www.instagram.com/postpartum_mom_guide/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550836755889

Married at 19 and baby number one at 20, Melinda flew across the world to Ethiopia, Africa to be with her husband who was stationed in the Navy there. She had to birth on her own, mother for the first three weeks on her own and then be a mom in Africa! It was quite a challenge but in her words, "you just did it, you had no other choice." After returning to Michigan, they had baby number two and then she had the support of her family but in only two short years, her entire world was turned upside down when her husband was killed in a car accident. He was active military when it happened and she was left to figure out how to parent on her own without her spouse and rock. To add insult to injury, her father died two years later from a heart attack and she was left again to pick up the pieces. Listen to her story of resilience, love, dedication and one hell of a badass who just so happens to be my mother-in-law! As a family, we are blessed to have her as our matriarch and Nana who gives of her heart and soul to those she loves.

Jenny Robbins is a mental health counselor at South Platte Counseling. She is a mom of 2 boys with only one on this earth. She was first a young mom at the age of 20 and a college student and also an older mom at the age of 37! She was part of a network of moms with her second son and without that group, she couldn't have been strong enough to get through the death of her first son 11 years ago. As a therapist who specializes in grief and trauma, she helps people move forward after a deep loss. She wishes she would have realized how fast it all goes and to enjoy every moment and be "in" it. She wishes she would have known this more as a younger mom but she knows it now!

Jazmin Slaughter is a publicist and mother of one who gave birth during a global pandemic. She was so focused on building her career and education that she wasn't sure she was wanting to be a mom at the age of 25. But when she got pregnant, that changed everything, She has a Bachelor's degree and is working on her Master's degree. She wishes she would have known that the sacrifice of time would be the hardest part of motherhood. She didn't value her "me" time. She wants moms to keep trying your best even when you don't have your best to give. Give yourself grace. She is someone who is your partner for innovative and impactful public relations campaigns. You can find A Hint of Jazz Management at www.hintofjazz.com

Dru Ahlborg was an older mama at the ages of 37 and 40. She could not believe they let her drive away from the hospital with a newborn all by herself! Who said she was ready for this? Her oldest son had to go through many feed therapists and had a lot of her first years as a new mom were exploring foods and getting him to get through his food issues, which centered around textures. It was a big challenge as a new mom. As her kids grow she is learning that moms and daughters can have some challenges that can make or break you. As a mom, sometimes we say the things that don't serve our kids and we need to listen and support them. She runs the Bullying Recovery Resource Center to give parents support when they need help with bullying of their kids. Their mission is to defend bullied kids and help them rebuild their lives. They teach and coach parents in advocacy for their kids' mental health. They do a lot of education and partner with mental health agencies as well as neurodiverse groups. Check them out at https://bullyingrecoveryresourcecenter.org.

We spoke to Angela exactly a year ago (Check out the episode back on November 29, 2022) This is her one year update! Angela Fuller is a mother, a dedicated fitness instructor, a competitive gymnast, an inspirational speaker, and even an American Ninja Warrior, as featured on NBC's latest season of ANW this summer. Angela's journey is a testament to her resilience, having overcome a broken back and battled through postpartum depression by choosing faith over fear. Today, at the age of 43, she defies expectations, flipping and soaring through the air. Angela's true passion lies in motivating mothers to rediscover their love for movement and self-care after having children, emphasizing that self-care is indeed self-love, an essential part of nurturing both yourself and your kids. Her mission is to inspire mothers, demonstrating that it's never too late to pursue your dreams.

Randi Bevington is such a joy to call my friend. We have been friends for over 20 years and from day one, I have thought she was a badass. As a mama of two littles, she has proven that she truly is. Her quote, "we are always managing relationships" really hit me hard because that's exactly what we do as moms. We are always managing relationships and those relationships are constantly changing. WOW. That's exhausting and frustrating because just when you think you have things figured out, the world, you or the other person in the relationship changes. Her advice to find your tribe and ACCEPTING the help (and even ask for it when you need it) is SMART! Give a listen to help you feel that you are not alone in this motherhood journey!

Cheryl Schuberth- Cheryl was a corporate mama trying to do all the things when she realized that she wasn't giving her best self to her family so she stopped running the rat race and changed gears. Now a mama of 2 boys ages 20 and 18, she took her worst mama moment and turned it into a positive by helping other parents of teenagers. Celebrate the wins, acknowledge all the things you are doing well and stop beating yourself up! Peacing it Together is her company connecting parents everywhere. Check out her website peacingittogether.com

Heather started her journey without a lot of background knowledge about babies or being a mom. Followed her gut most of the time but when she was 9 months old she was diagnosed with cancer! The moment that happened changed everything. Motherhood is not about martyrdom. You can find her at [email protected] or https://heatherreedcoaching.com/

Dr. Sonal Patel is a trained pediatrician and NICU doctor as well as a parent of 4 boys! She is married to her college sweetheart and after living through Hurricane Katrina, she was 6 months pregnant and activated in a horrible hurricane. She hates the phrase, "bounce back" because you aren't bouncing back to anything. You are a totally different person now, you are a mom and we need to allow ourselves to be that new person. As a south Asian mama, she believes in a community of moms from generations and that made all the difference. You can find her at NAYACARE.org.

Tess is a single mom who divorced when her son was five because there was a substance abuse issue that created a need for her to leave. After many years of trying to work things out, she made the decision to leave when it was the right time. She says the time in the car with your kiddo can be the most amazing conversations you can have. Take the time. You don't have to be perfect, you can just be yourself. Reach out to her at mindfulkidsandfamilies.com or [email protected].

A producer in LA who wants mamas to know "You can only do what you can do." It's that simple. The word "perfect" should be taken out our vocabulary because there is no such thing and we try too hard to emulate it and often its at our deficit. Quality is more important that quantity when it comes to time with your kids. Make sure they know that you are there so that relationship will always have an open door. Don't love your kids in spite of who they are but BECAUSE of who they are.

Mary Lanni was a delightful mama to chat with and her advice is to place a mask on yourself before assisting others. Also you may have to advocate for your parenting choices and your kids as motherhood goes on because everyone has an opinion and will question all that you do (especially when you are doing things differently than they did). Advocating for your choices isn't selfish, it's necessary for your own mental health.

Jen is an amazing mama who has been through a lot in the past few years as she manages some very tricky rare medical diagnosis'. Her advice and mama journey lead her share that it's ok to screw up and not have all the answers. As a mama who struggled with a partner who had a mental condition that changed who he was as a human being and created a need for her to leave with her son for safety reasons, she has done everything in her power to create a stable, loving home for her and her son.

We tell our kids to push themselves outside their comfort zone and sometimes we need to do the same. Moms are constanly pushing themselves outside their comfort zones and we should be proud of where we are going and what we can do. When we have those proud mama moments, it makes the hard times just a little bit easier. Vita teaches us that sometimes when our lives don't work out the way that we THOUGHT it should, it can be even better than we imagined (but it isn't always easy to see the other side of the tunnel). As a coach and badass mama, Vita has some great REAL experiences that could help you!