No One Told Us

Episode 25: Friendships: Finding Mom Friends, Friendship Breakups, and Modeling Healthy Friendships for Kids with Dr. Miriam Kirmayer We’ve all heard how important it is to have your “mom circle” but has anyone else ever thought that this is actually really hard to find? If you’ve felt this, you’re not alone. Adult friendships can be really hard especially as new moms. This week Rachael speaks with Dr. Miriam Kirmayer to talk all about adult friendships. Find out why it is so hard to make new friends as an adult, how to navigate friendships when parenting styles conflict, and how attachment style can impact friendships. They chat all about the importance of friendships for moms and having a “circle” of other moms and some of the potential effects on people who don’t have connections. Find out some tips on ways to make and meet new connections, plus so much more! Dr. Miriam Kirmayer is a clinical psychologist, leading friendship expert, and influential speaker on human connection and social support. With over a decade of research on the science of friendship, Dr. Miriam is revolutionizing the way we show up for, mentor, and connect with each other. She is one of the first and only clinical psychologists to specialize in adult friendship and shares guidance on navigating friendship and relationship challenges with tens of thousands of people through her popular online community. She is also a mom of two. Instagram (@miriamkirmayer): https://www.instagram.com/miriamkirmayer/ Facebook (@miriamkirmayer): https://www.facebook.com/MiriamKirmayer LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/miriam-kirmayer Learn more about her NEW course, Confidently Connected: Building Meaningful Friendships here! Register now until Sunday, February 11th at 9:00 pm EST! Registering for the course gives you access to…. The Friendship Forum! The live workshop that kicks off the course the evening of February 13th at 8:00 pm EST. Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 24: Healing Birth Trauma with Illiyin Morrison of @mixing.up.motherhood This week Rachael and special guest Illiyin Morrison discuss birth trauma and some ways in which pregnancy and birth trauma can manifest. Find out how birth trauma can impact early experiences of parenting and what kinds of support partners, family members and friends can provide to best support someone who has experienced birth trauma. Illiyin even gives us an inside look at her personal journey and experiences with each of her pregnancies, births and postpartum recovery period. Rachael and Illiyin also discuss if a birth plan is really necessary, if a doula is truly worth it, why people who experience birth trauma may have PTSD, and so much more! Illiyin is a midwife, birth debrief facilitator, author and mom of 2. After working as a midwife in a busy hospital in south London, she left to embark on this journey to support those in perinatal trauma. Informed by her own birth experience, Illiyin is dedicated to supporting women and their families to overcome difficult perinatal experiences. On Instagram at Mixing Up Motherhood, Illiyin discusses all things motherhood, pregnancy and childbirth and maternal mental health, and empowers women through education. To learn more: Illiyin’s Instagram Illiyin’s Book: The Birth Debrief Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 23: Car Seat Safety with Jamie Grayson of @thejamiegrayson Have you ever been so overwhelmed by the amount of gear and products out there for your baby? Join Rachael and guest, Jamie Grayson, as they discuss all things baby gear safety. Find out key considerations parents should keep in mind when selecting a car seat, when to switch from an infant seat to a convertible car seat, tips for ensuring a secure installation, as well as some misconceptions about the "best" car seats, extended rear-facing and more. Get advice for when you need to travel with car seats and some general guidelines or recommendations for reusing and cleaning a car seat for a second or third child, plus so much more! In the last half of the episode, we take your questions and Rachael shares one of the scariest moments she's had as a parent. Jamie Grayson started as a product demonstrator and personal shopper at buybuyBaby in Manhattan, as well as at NYC's top birth education center, and quickly became one of the most well-respected experts in the baby gear and child safety space. Jamie is dual certified in Child Passenger Safety in both the US and Canada. Now based in Denver, Colorado, Jamie is passionate about helping parents make decisions on the best baby gear for your family through honest and entertaining product testing, reviews, and parenting events both virtual and in-person. We start the episode with a little Taylor/ Travis talk.. skip ahead to 5:30 if you're not a Swiftie (but how dare you!?). Jamie’s Instagram and Tiktok Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website (find transcripts here!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 22: Nurturing the Infant Brain with Neuroscientist Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum Join Rachael and Neuroscientist, Doula, Infant Sleep Educator, Author and Parent Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum, whose mission is to teach the science and support the art of nurturing infants. In Dr. Greer's new book The Nurture Revolution, she discusses the act of "nurture" for our children as a revolutionary act, and discusses how nurture is a preventative medicine against mental health issues. She challenges the idea that the way to cultivate independence is through letting babies cry it out or sleep alone; instead, the way to raise a confident, securely attached child is to lean in to nurture, to hold your infant as much as you want, support their emotions, engage in back-and-forth conversations, be present and compassionate when your baby is stressed, and share sleep. Research has proven that nurturing experiences transform lives. Nurturing is a gift of resilience and health parents can give the next generation simply by following their instincts to care for their young. Rachael and Dr. Greer discuss how to nurture the infant brain and foster healthy attachment, sleep and sleep training, repairing with our children and so much more in this powerful episode. Nurture Neuroscience Parenting IG page: https://www.instagram.com/nurture_neuroscience_parenting/ Grab the Book: “The Nurture Revolution: Grow your baby’s brain and transform their mental health through the art of nurtured parenting” Check out “Nurture Stories” series on her IG page, members of her community submit their nurture stories and talk about the value of nurture in parenting. Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Please follow & subscribe to No One Told Us and if you enjoyed this episode- leave us a review! This podcast does not contain medical advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 21: How Culture Affects Our Parenting with Melina Gac Levin of @parentpueblo Join Rachael and guest Melina Gac Levin, as they have important conversations around culture and how it shapes the way we view our kids and parent. They discuss what conversations parents should have with each other before they have kids about how each culture may impact their parenting and hear some advice Melina would offer to parents who come from different cultural backgrounds who are navigating potential conflicts or differences in parenting approaches. They chat about some strategies for parents who want to blend different cultural parenting approaches and traditions and how cultural values and beliefs influence the way parents make decisions about their children’s sleep, language, behavior, plus so much more! Melina is an early childhood development specialist, graduate professor, writer, and mother. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, Mike, and their two daughters. Melina’s professional background is as an educator and she spent over 10 years in the classroom. She holds dual masters in Infant and Family Development, Early Intervention & Early Childhood General and Special Education from Bank Street, where she now teaches graduate students in education and social work all about infant development. She is also the founder of PUEBLO which equips multicultural parents with the skills and knowledge to parent confidently together. Freebie on discovering Your Parenting Values: designed to help couples understand themselves and each other, so they can have more nuanced and productive conversations moving forward Pueblo Website: https://www.parentpueblo.com Melina’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parentpueblo/ Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 20: Potty Learning and Supporting Your Child’s Pelvic Floor Health with Quiara Smith, Pediatric Occupational Therapist of @alohaintegrativetherapy Join Rachael and guest Quiara Smith as they dive into this much-requested topic and discuss common issues parents face when potty learning- like constipation, poop withholding, bed wetting and more! They also cover Pediatric Pelvic Health Occupational Therapy and how it differs from other forms of OT for children. Learn what parents can expect from the therapy process and some common pediatric pelvic floor issues that parents might not be aware of and how can OT help address them! Find out if there really is a "perfect age" for potty learning and how to approach potty learning with neurodivergent children. Learn all the signs for readiness for potty learning, the best foods and hydrational supports for your child’s digestion- plus so much more! Quiara Smith has been practicing as an Occupational Therapist for over 13 years in both California and Hawaii, working in various settings and with infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents with various medical conditions and diagnoses. Realizing the social, emotional, and psychological challenges that pelvic floor dysfunction and toileting difference places on children and families, Quiara decided to narrow her private practice to exclusively treating children and adolescents with pelvic floor dysfunction and toileting challenges. In 2017, Quiara opened the very first boutique private Pediatric Pelvic Health Occupational Therapy practice of its kind in the United States. She is an expert and pioneer in the field of Pediatric Pelvic Health Occupational Therapy. Quiara has created potty training courses for parents and caregivers, and has also created courses for healthcare providers focused on her holistic and integrative approach to pediatric pelvic floor dysfunction and toileting differences. Quiara is a national and international presenter and speaker on this specialty area of pediatric pelvic health OT practice. Quiara’s online self-paced potty learning course offered through Tinyhood linked here. Quiara’s 1:1 pediatric pelvic health parent coaching virtually and in person at her Santa Rosa, CA clinic website here. Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 19: Teaching Kids to Love Reading with Beth Gaskill of @bigcityreaders Join Rachael and Miss Beth as they talk all about our children learning to read! Hear some strategies and techniques for fostering literacy skills in kids and the importance of infusing fun into learning to read. You’ll learn about The science of reading (did you know it was a science!?), the evolving understanding of how children best learn to read, and how you can help be an advocate for your child. Rachael even shares about her experience as a public school teacher teaching reading for over 10 years as well as her oldest child's recent entry into the public school system. They also chat about Kindergarten "Redshirting," how to instill early literacy skills and a love for reading in our children, how to talk to our kids after school, plus so much more! Beth Gaskill, known by her community as Miss Beth, is trained in the science of reading, the Orton Gillingham approach and is a multi sensory literacy instructor and a former early childhood and elementary school teacher. She founded Big City Readers to create a space for families to come together, understand how to teach their kids in the unique ways they are wired to learn, not just how to teach reading, build community AND have fun. Big City Readers On Demand Video Courses for babies, toddlers + kids Beth’s Podcast: Play on Words Podcast we mentioned: Sold a Story Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website (Transcripts available!) For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 18: Emergencies, Injuries, and First Aid with Dr. Nkeiru Orajiaka, Pediatric Emergency Room Doctor Nobody ever wants to take their child to the emergency room, but the reality is, it can happen to the best of us! So this week, join Rachael and special guest, Dr. Nkeiru Orajiaka, a Pediatric ER Doctor, as they discuss all things emergencies and safety for our children. Dr. Orajiaka shares some tips for parents to prevent common accidents and keep children safe at home. You won’t want to miss her discussion about head bumps, drowning hazards, and safety proofing. Dr. Nkeiruka also shares a GREAT piece of advice for parents who trying to decide if a symptom or injury warrants a trip to the emergency room or not. Dr. Nkeiru Orajiaka is a board-certified Pediatrician, Pediatric ER doctor, public health physician, wife and mom of 3. Dr. Orajiaka completed her Masters in Public Health at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York and her residency at Columbia University affiliation at Harlem Hospital. She currently practices as an Pediatrics ER fellow in one of the largest emergency rooms in the US. She is a passionate health educator and a strong advocate for children's health and safety. Dr. Nkeiru’s YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Hbqdxg9xMYHDgKahCoDZA Ebook on First Aid: https://drnkeiru.com/first-aid-kit/ Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website (transcripts available!) For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Disclaimer: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek immediate care from your physician if you have any concerns about your baby or child’s health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 17: Stay at Home Dad Life with Rachael and her husband, Marley This episode is a sneak peak into the recent decision for Marley to leave his job so that Rachael could run HSB and NOTU full time. Join your host Rachael and her husband Marley as they debrief about the decision for Marley to leave his Social Work job to become a SAHD. Rachael and Marley discuss what ultimately made them choose this arrangement, what Marley did for work before and what he may do in the future, and more. Marley also gives tips for other dads out there on how to gain confidence with taking your little ones out on your own, dealing with parental preference, and more. Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Marley is LCSW and San Francisco's newest SAHD! Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 16: Navigating Screen time for Your Kids with Ash Brandin of @thegamereducator We have all done it. We give our kids screen time, and then the guilt sets in. Maybe you even feel like you did something bad by allowing them to use screens. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. Navigating screen time can be such a challenging part of parenting! This week, join Rachael and Ash Brandin, middle school teacher and educational content creator, as they chat about how to find a balance with screen time. They discuss some strategies for parents to foster a healthy relationship between children and screens plus some guilt-free screen time strategies. They also talk about a lot of the common worries parents have surrounding screen time plus chat about some other things we don’t notice that may be worth paying more attention to! Find out how parents can actually view screens as a tool they can use! Ash provides perspective on "screen equity" and the systemic support that would allow more parents to limit screen time (and why in its absence, families need to figure out what works for them). Learn how to support children who are dysregulated from gaming or screen time and how to Identify age-appropriate content and boundaries around screens, plus much more! Ash is a middle school teacher with over a decade of teaching experience. They believe video games can be part of kid’s lives without being the center of their lives, and screens should be used in a way that benefits whole families. They are an educational content creator, whose Instagram page, The Gamer Educator, is a wealth of information about all things technology and children, supporting and empowering parents since 2021. Ash’s website- The Gamer Educator Kids show & movie recs Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 15: How to Fight for your Rights at Work with Daphne Delvaux of @themamattorney Join Rachael and Daphne Delvaux as they talk about women’s rights in the workplace, family leave policies in the US and more. Daphne is an award-winning trial attorney and has even founded her own law firm devoted to women's rights at work. This episode is so powerful and informative for anyone who has a job and is planning on being pregnant, has been pregnant in the past, is back to work and pumping, or is an employed parent. Feeling empowered by knowing all your rights and options can take a lot of the unknown out of the equation and help you to plan for the future! In this episode we discuss the most important things to line up before and after you announce your pregnancy, advice on when to announce pregnancy at work and when you should ask about maternity leave and partner’s leave. Daphne gives an overview of legal protections in place for working moms- such as maternity leave, breastfeeding and pumping accommodations, discrimination prevention, family and medical leave and flexible work arrangements. We also discuss navigating pregnancy-related discrimination, including unfair treatment and wrongful termination, and how to navigate this, plus tips for negotiating family-friendly policies for a better work-life balance and managing the transition back to work after maternity leave ends. Daphne Delvaux, Esq. is an award-winning trial attorney and Founder of Delvaux Law, a law firm devoted to women's rights at work. She has been recognized by major news outlets (both nationally and internationally) as a leader of the women’s rights movement, and has received the award of Outstanding Trial Lawyer for winning an equal pay trial. Delvaux is also the creator of the Mamattorney, a platform on a mission to educate women on their rights at work and teach them how to advocate for their needs so they can receive more financial freedom and time freedom without sacrificing their career goals or ambitions. Daphne is routinely seen as the expert on pregnancy and postpartum discrimination as well as maternity leave regulations. Daphne is on a mission to help ambitious moms achieve professional homecoming. The Mamattorney Academy membership here Employment Rights Guide 20% off all Coterie diapering products (diapers, wipes, pants) for first time customer orders of $40 or more. Use for subscription or one-time purchase. Code: NoOneToldUs Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 14: Preparing for Travel, Sleep, or Stress over the Holidays with your host Rachael Shepard-Ohta (of Hey, Sleepy Baby) The holidays are approaching and for a lot of us that means traveling, changes in routine, and big expectations. It can be SO hard feeling the pressure of wanting to create perfect memories and have fun because really it’s a lot of work (and doesn't always go according to plan)! Join me this week as I talk all about what we do as a family to prepare for traveling, being around family, and of course, sleep. Plus I take some listener questions about dealing with in-laws and more! In this episode I talk about what you can and cannot control and how to prep your child beforehand for travel. If you are dealing with time change, I give you tips and tricks to handle that. Holidays can be a time where you may have to set boundaries with family and friends beforehand so I discuss how to get on the same page as your partner so you can work together as a team! Lastly, I talk about how your child's temperament can affect traveling plus how you can still try to maintain routine while away from home! COTERIE 20% off all diapering products (diapers, wipes, pant) with a minimum spend of $40 for new customers on one-time OR subscription with code NOONETOLDUS at checkout! Blog Post on Best Travel Crib for Baby Blog Post on Jet lag Blog Post on My Best Tips for Traveling with Your Kids and Toddler Free Traveling with Your Baby PDF Guidebook Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 13: Managing Sensory Overwhelm in Parenthood with Larissa Geleris of @steadyparents Disclaimer: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek immediate care from your physician if you have any concerns about your health. Picture this: you’re cooking dinner, the oven fan is blasting, your baby is crying, your toddler is playing with a noisy toy, and your partner is trying to talk to you. You are filled with overwhelm and overstimulation and maybe even rage. If this sounds like you, you are NOT alone. In fact, this is such a normal response to what is happening around you! This week join Rachael and Larissa to talk all about the over-stimulation, overwhelm, and dysregulation parents experience all the time! They dive deep on how to truly empower parents and help them feel confident and steady in their parenting journey. In this episode, Larissa educates us on understanding sensory overwhelm and the effects of the intense sensory demands of parenthood! She provides us with practical, easy, and quick sensory strategies for times of dysregulation plus how to set yourself up for success and have less times of overwhelm! We talk all about being "touched out" and what to do when you just feel like you have reached your limit. Most importantly, Larissa discusses self compassion as it relates to self regulation and how to coregulate for your baby when you’re barely holding it together yourself! Larissa is an occupational therapist specializing in identifying and treating sensory processing dysfunction. She began her career in pediatrics, but after suffering a major concussion, she had to take some time off work due to her own sensory dysfunction. As she recovered, she shifted focus to parents, realizing just how much she was using her OT knowledge and skills on herself as an overstimulated parent. Founder of Steady Parents, Larissa is passionate about supporting parents who are experiencing overstimulation, overwhelm, and dysregulation to help them feel confident and steady in their parenting journey. Larissa offers 1:1 coaching to help parents tune in to themselves, feel empowered to do the things that are meaningful to them, and explore practical and sustainable ways to care for themselves, while caring for their family. You can find her online program: Sensing Your Needs in Parenthood, a self-paced online program that you can turn to for practical, effective strategies to employ in daily life, participate in your role as a parent, and experience the joys of parenthood the way they’re meant to be experienced. Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let’s Normalize Caring For Your Pelvic Floor with Dr. Sara Reardon of @the.vagina.whisperer! Disclaimer: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek immediate care from your physician if you have any concerns about your health. Join Rachael and Dr. Sara Reardon as they talk about pelvic floor care before, during and after pregnancy. Dr. Sara Reardon is a mom of 2 and a board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist who has worked with thousands of women for over sixteen years to heal and care for their pelvic floor. SO many of us struggle with pelvic floor issues and are either not receiving the proper care and attention or feel too embarrassed to even seek out help. Dr. Sara Reardon aims to be a support and create a space where we can get the care we deserve! In this episode we discuss what the pelvic floor actually is and the importance of pelvic floor therapy before and after childbirth and postpartum recovery. We dive into all the things to keep in mind for intimacy and exercise postpartum and when Dr. Sara recommends resuming sex and working out. We also talk about how to take care of your c-section scar, as well as birth, and how it affects your pelvic floor. Sara also shares what she wishes she knew before having kids! Dr. Sara Reardon is a board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist, wife and mom of 2. Her instagram page, The Vagina Whisperer, is a go-to resource for taking care of your pelvic floor before, during, and after pregnancy. Since 2006, she has worked with thousands of women suffering from pelvic floor problems which inspired her work on The Vagina Whisperer. She created and launched a V-Hive Membership which is an online, on-demand pelvic floor fitness program, just three 10-minute workouts a week with minimal equipment. Her website has tons of free resources, such as the Pelvic floor guide as well as options for booking 1-1 telehealth appointments with pelvic floor therapists. COTERIE 20% off all diapering products (diapers, wipes, pant) with a minimum spend of $40 for new customers on one-time OR subscription with code NOONETOLDUS at checkout! Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 11: Making Healthy Eating Fun for Kids with Katie Marston, Mom of 2 and Chief Marketing Officer at Once Upon A Farm Disclaimer: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek immediate care from your physician if you have any concerns about your baby or child’s health. Join Rachael and Katie Marston as they talk about starting little ones on solid foods, feeding pressure and misconceptions and more! Katie is a mom of 2 and CMO at Once Upon A Farm which makes organic snacks and meals trusted by parents and loved by kids and parents. Rachael and Katie dive into healthy eating with kids, some of the common myths around feeding babies, and the important role early exposure plays in your child’s relationship towards food! In this episode we discuss how to get your children interested in food and how to seek out options for feeding and find what works best for your family. Katie answers some popular questions like do you have to choose between BLW or purees or can you do both? And when should you introduce sugar and other treats? We discuss ditching "perfectionism" when it comes to feeding your child and the importance of allowing for fun and sensory play when eating! Katie teaches us how a strong microbiome affects our overall health and the impact of food insecurity and poverty in the US. Plus Katie shares about her own parenting journey as a working mom of 2! Katie is a lover of creativity, laughter, and a good challenge. Possessing these traits has served her well as she has successfully navigated her 20+ year career in a variety of roles, countries, and industries. She has had the great fortune to develop brand strategies for both small- and large-scale companies, even rolling up her sleeves as an entrepreneur with her own consulting business. This background has laid the perfect foundation for her current role as Chief Marketing Officer for Once Upon a Farm where she has been for 3 years. Katie’s love of health-conscious brands began during her early years at Adidas where she spent 12 years in their Portland, Amsterdam, Herzogenaurach, and Carlsbad offices. Katie currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband Brad and their two kids. Get started with Once Upon a Farm today and enjoy an additional 40% off your first order – subscription or one time purchase! Use code NoOneToldUs40 at OnceUponaFarmOrganics.com Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website (transcripts available!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 10: Perspective is Everything with Hunter & Cam Premo of @hunterpremo and @cameronpremo owners of Premonition Goods This week on the podcast Rachael has well known-instagram husband and wife duo, Hunter & Cam Premo as guests! They talk all about the parenting transition from 1 to 2, why they co sleep and how it works for their family, and the importance of perspective while navigating not only parenting but also social media. Join us to talk about how Cam & Hunter prepared for the transition from 1 to 2 kids and why cosleeping works for them. Hunter shares how impactful the power of your own intuition when parenting is. They also discuss their favorite ways to support mom's during postpartum plus how a child’s temperament affects parenting style. Hear firsthand from Cam & Hunter about what it's like working with your partner & so much more! Hunt er is a fashion and lifestyle influencer from Nashville, you can find her instagram @hunterpremo. Cameron is a professional photographer and videographer, you can find his instagram @cameronpremo. They are high school sweethearts who are now married and parents to two adorable boys, Remy & Radner! They recently launched Premonition Goods together which is an online mercantile featuring high quality handmade goods to wear, use, and gift. To find the courses discussed in this podcast, you can visit Dr. Becky’s website here or click on the following links to view the courses: Dr. Becky Deeply Feeling Kids Workshop Dr. Becky Adjusting to a New Sibling To get 10% off your next order from Bodily use the code: NOONETOLDUS for 10% off of orders of $100 or more! You can also click on the link here to use the discount code! Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on cosleeping, biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 9: Toddler Sleep Can Get Worse? Solo with Rachael Are you struggling with bedtime battles, nap refusals, or other struggles with your toddler or preschooler? SAME. In this episode Rachael gets real about what she’s currently dealing with having a three year old with some very strong opinions. She talks about the REAL reasons so many little kids struggle with bedtime and naps, plus takes listener questions! In this episode you’ll hear about why little kids often have a hard time going to bed and all the power struggles and testing limits that happen at bedtime. I will explain how to use connection to your advantage for a smoother evening and how to move away from bed sharing with your toddler or preschooler. I tell you my thoughts on providing bedtime snacks and answer the popular question: are toddlers being manipulative? I also discuss when and how to drop the nap, plus much more! Blog Post on Bedtime Snacks (with snack ideas!) Blog Post on “Fighting Sleep” and Bedtime Battles in babies and toddlers FREE Nap Transition Guide, Including how to start "Quiet Time" For more about Toddler Bedtime Struggles, check out the Better Bedtimes Guide from HSB, and get $10 off for listening to this episode! Use code BEDTIMESPOD Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website (Transcripts Available!) For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. This podcast does not contain medical advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Please follow & subscribe to No One Told Us and if you enjoyed this episode- leave us a review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 8: How Hard Breastfeeding Can Be with Kelly Kendall of @thebalancedboob Have you ever heard things like that it’s normal for breastfeeding to hurt? Spoiler- it’s not. This week, host Rachael and her guest, IBCLC Kelly Kendall, bust lots of myths about breastfeeding, mastitis, clogged ducts, and more. They talk about how to source good quality information on the internet and how you can support yourself and prepare for your breastfeeding journey before baby is even here! The goal of their discussion is to give hope through education about our bodies and how feeding babies works so people can be empowered to make decisions that work for them. Join Rachael and Kelly to talk about how to empower yourself and be proactive with support postpartum. Kelly busts myths about mastitis, clogged ducts etc. and tells us the importance of learning hand expressions before birth! We discuss the impact of self-compassion during feeding challenges and what to do if you're feeling pain. We dive into all about the basics of milk supply and regulation, especially at the beginning! Rachael and Kelly share their personal feeding journeys, and more! Kelly is a nurse, IBCLC and founder of The Balanced Boob which provides support and education to breastfeeding families. Kelly works helping mamas confidently navigate their breastfeeding journey without the overwhelm, guilt, or judgment. Kelly is so passionate about educating and supporting families in her breastfeeding program Boob School. You can find Kelly on instagram @thebalancedboob and get more support with breastfeeding on her website Boob School! Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 7: How To Keep Kids Healthy with Dr. Anjuli Gans Disclaimer: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek immediate care from your physician if you have any concerns about your baby or child’s health. Join Rachael and Dr. Anjuli Gans as they talk about cold and flu season with your kids and babies, partnering with your healthcare team, trusting your own parental intuition, and more! Dr. Anjuli will also answer some of the most-asked questions directly from our listeners! In this episode we discuss how and why Dr. Anjuli started her Instagram page and resources for parents. We talk about the importance of forming trusting, therapeutic alliances with your care team and the trends in medical advice on social media. Dr. Anjuli teaches us how to manage cold and flu season with little ones plus focuses on RSV season and how to protect your baby, especially with older children around! Learn all the tips for hydrating your babies and kids when they’re sick and educate yourself on the signs of respiratory distress and when to be concerned. Dr. Anjuli shares some homeopathic remedies and top things to be feeding your child to keep them healthy and answers the question if multivitamins are necessary or not. Find out if melatonin is recommended for improving babies and kids sleep plus the benefits of breastfeeding past 12 months. We also discuss managing congestion and silent reflux in newborns and so much more! Dr. Anjuli Gans is a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She’s worked in pediatrics for over a decade -- and focuses on early childhood development and pediatric mental health and well-being. But it wasn't until she became a mom of two young children that she realized how little practical health information there was out there for parents. She remembers all of the advice she used to give, before she had kids, that now feels truthfully very unrealistic. You can follow Dr. Gans on Instagram @resilientrascals to find simple, intentional, step-by-step health tips for parents. You can also purchase one of her in-depth guides on her website Resilient Rascals as well as find a variety of other resources and blogs. Specifically, you can find her Vitamin Guide for children from birth through three years of age here. Grab the HSB Better Bedtimes Guide Dr. Anjuli used for her child here. For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 6: We Have Good Reason to be Angry with Yara Heary Did you feel totally unprepared for how ANGRY you'd sometimes feel after having a baby? Maybe you did all the baby prep classes or prepared yourself for labor as much as you could or read all the “how-to” books on parenting and have a great partner. But once you got home, you realized nobody prepared you for just how much everything in your life was going to change. Perhaps you are struggling with your identity shifting or your relationship has totally changed, or you're being triggered by things that didn't bother you before. Maybe you take it out on your partner- or your kids. Maybe you even feel some shame or embarrassment about these things. In this episode Rachael and Yara discuss the biggest points of contention in relationships after having a baby and why it is totally understandable for us to feel angry. Join Rachael and Yara to talk about what couples struggle most with after having a baby and how a mothers identity tends to shift post baby. Yara discusses how defining expectations with your partner can help to prevent resentment and some ways to experience mothering with more ease. We address changing our beliefs & expectations on what it actually will look like when becoming parents and why moms might feel angry and resentful postpartum. Yara educates us on anger with our children and what to do when we're triggered plus how to assume the best of our children and others in our lives! Learn how to support your nervous system BEFORE you feel anger and how to practice self-compassion for mothers and connecting with our inner child, and so much more! Book Mentioned: Fair Play by Eve Rodsky Yara Heary is a Perth psychologist who works exclusively with women throughout conception, pregnancy, and motherhood. Yara started Life After Birth Psychology following the birth of her first son which started her on yet another journey of self-rediscovery. Her experiences throughout early motherhood drew her to support other women as they navigate their own family of origin dynamics, the social programming of the “good mother”, relationship changes with those around them, identity shifts, and role changes to find their place of balance and authenticity as mothers. She is also the host of Life After Birth with Yara, a podcast dedicated to sharing the stories of women as they navigate life as mothers. Follow Yara on Instagram. Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 5: How Your Relationship Changes After a Baby with Rachael & Marley Join Rachael and her husband Marley as they get real and personal and talk about what they miss most about life before kids and the biggest ways they think things have changed since becoming parents. In this episode they discuss planning for the birth of a baby together and how their relationships change after the first baby, versus second or third. Marley shares the hardest part about being a new dad and their thoughts on date nights and vacations without their kids. Learn how sleeping arrangements do or do not affect relationships and hear some advice for expecting dads or partners! Marley is a clinical social worker from San Francisco, CA and a dad of three! Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on Rachael's approach to infant sleep check out heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Please follow & subscribe to No One Told Us and if you enjoyed this episode- leave us a review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 4: It's OK to Change Your Mind with Bekah Martinez Join Rachael and Bekah Martinez to talk about all things pregnancy, birth, social media pressure, and parenting as Bekah prepares to welcome her third child. In this episode we discuss our previous birth experiences and plans for Bekah's next birth. We talk all about breastfeeding, cosleeping, & being touched out. We both share our newborn sleep struggles and Bekah shares her sleep training experience and new thoughts on the subject plus what she plans to do differently for her third baby! We talk about how social media comparisons and misinformation can be triggering to your parenting journey and much more! Bekah is a former Bachelor contestant turned mom-of-almost-3, influencer and podcaster. Amongst many things, she's passionate about physiological birth, reconnecting with the earth through homemaking, and authentic parenting. You can find her on Instagram and hear a lot more chatter on patreon.com/bekahandgray. Follow Bekah on Instagram, Youtube & Tiktok. Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website Please follow & subscribe to No One Told Us and if you enjoyed this episode- leave us a 5-Star rating and review! We love you for that! This podcast does not contain medical advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 3: Anxiety is not "Normal" with Kate Borsato You've heard of Postpartum Depression but what about other perinatal mood disorders? Is it "normal" for moms to be anxious forever now that they've had a baby? What about intrusive thoughts? How long do these feelings last and what can we do about them? Join Rachael and Therapist Kate Borsato to talk about perinatal mood disorders and finding moments of joy in early motherhood. In this episode we discuss what's normal worrying/ anxiety vs. what's NOT normal and how to know when you should seek help. Kate explains what intrusive thoughts are, how to manage stress and find small "glimmers". We also share about self care, self compassion and finding yourself again! Kate is a mom of two daughters and lives on Vancouver Island with her kids and husband. She works as mental health therapist, she created and leads a nation-wide therapy practice (Perinatal Collective) with a team of over 20 perinatal specialists, and also creates self-help resources for things like anxiety, overwhelm, and finding more joy in motherhood. Follow Kate on InstagramVirtual Therapy Collective (for Canadians) Kate's WebsiteRecommended Online Courses To get connected with help right away, visit Postpartum Support InternationalRachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website Please follow & subscribe to No One Told Us and if you enjoyed this episode- leave us a review! Every week we choose random winners from our review section to win prizes! This podcast does not contain medical advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 2: All About Sibling Stuff with Jess VanderWier Join Rachael & Jess as we talk all about adding on to your family. We discuss siblings and different dynamics and challenges that can come up when welcoming a new baby. In this episode, Rachael and Jess discuss adding a second and third baby to the family and our personal experiences with this. We talk about getting through Postpartum with other children and how to prepare your older child for the birth of a sibling. Jess tells us how to connect with your older child when a new baby is born and addresses all the new feelings/ dynamics that may come up and how to handle them! We also learn how to deal with things like aggression from your older child, sleep issues that may come up after welcoming new baby & more! Jess VanderWier is a Registered Psychotherapist who helps families understand and respond to their children with gentleness and respect. Jess has a Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology and has logged thousands of clinical hours supporting parents and their children. As the founder of Nurtured First, Jess uses her expertise to support parents in her online parent community through her online courses and free resources. Follow Jess on Instagram Nurtured First Website Recommended Course: Parenting Little Kids Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website Please follow & subscribe to No One Told Us and if you enjoyed this episode- leave us a review! Every week we choose random winners from our review section to win prizes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever feel like you entered parenthood completely overwhelmed and underprepared? Yeah. Me too. Hey, friend! Meet Rachael Shepard-Ohta, your host for the podcast No One Told Us, where we tell the truth about parenting and let you in on allllll the stuff you really should've known before having kids. Rachael is the founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby but this podcast is SO much more than sleep. We'll be diving into ALL the topics you care about, to help you feel more prepared and less alone while raising your adorable little humans. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Youtube (to watch episodes on video) Website (transcripts available) Chat with you soon! x Rach Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever googled "baby won't sleep" at 2am? Same. Baby sleep information can be a total minefield and most parents are left confused, unsure of who to trust (hint: you can trust yourself!) and TIRED. Join Rachael for the FIRST episode of NOTU and hear all about the reason she founded Hey, Sleepy Baby after a traumatic journey with baby sleep as a first time mom. Rachael discusses her first baby's sleep "problems" and what she tried plus how to deal with reflux, CMPA and tongue tie. Rachael discusses how baby sleep drove her a little insane and made her eventually try out sleep training (from that popular trainer) and what happened. Hear how she started cosleeping with baby number 2 and what she's doing differently as a mom to her 2nd and 3rd babies. She talks about what "normal" baby sleep really looks like and what "counts" as "sleeping through the night" plus so much more! Stay tuned till the end for a little pep talk if you're in the thick of it. It gets better! Research mentioned: PMID: 32087408 PMID: 28576897 https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2007-3783 Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes on ALL things parenting and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Please follow & subscribe to No One Told Us and if you enjoyed this episode- leave us a review! Every week we choose random winners from our review section to win prizes! This podcast does not contain medical advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices