Adding a Baby or a Dog to Your Family? Avoid These Common Mistakes with Dominika Knossalla-Pado
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
Release Date: 03/16/2026
Adding a Baby or a Dog to Your Family? Avoid These Common Mistakes with Dominika Knossalla-Pado
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
Bringing home a baby… or bringing home a dog? Either way, your whole family feels the shift. Most parents focus on the cute moments — first snuggles, sweet photos, growing up together. But the transition is emotional, messy, and full of safety decisions no one really prepares you for. In this episode, certified dog trainer and Dog Meets Baby founder Dominika Knossalla-Pado shares what actually helps when you’re preparing your dog for a new baby, preparing your children for a new dog, or simply trying to make life with kids and dogs safer and calmer. Because training is only one piece of...
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From Dog Mom to Twin Mom: The Identity Crisis No One Talks About with Dominika Knossalla-Pado
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
Did you ever feel totally prepared for motherhood… and then completely wrecked by it? You read the books. You made the plans. You felt confident in your expertise. And then motherhood hit—and nothing went the way you expected. In this raw and honest conversation, Dominika shares how becoming a mom to twins shook the very foundation of who she thought she was. From pregnancy complications and NICU trauma to postpartum anxiety and a terrifying moment with her family dog, this is the side of early motherhood we don’t talk about enough. If you’ve ever felt blindsided, overwhelmed, or like...
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82 The Weight of Motherhood in a Scary World
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
How are you supposed to raise joyful, secure kids when the world feels like it’s falling apart? You’re packing lunches, wiping counters, singing bedtime songs… and then scrolling devastating headlines at 9 PM wondering what kind of world your kids are growing up in. You feel like you should be doing more. Caring more. Fixing more. But you’re also supposed to be the steady one. The cheerful one. The “fun mom.” And that tension? It’s exhausting. In this episode of Mom’s Guide to Finding Herself, we’re unpacking the emotional labor of global awareness — what it’s doing to...
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81 If Motherhood Had Performance Reviews: A Totally Biased Report Card
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
Ever wondered what it would be like to get an actual performance review… as a mom? Let’s just say, it’s part hilarious, part emotional gut-punch, and 100% what you need to hear today. You’re doing more than you realize. But when was the last time anyone noticed? In this episode, I’m walking you through a totally made-up (but deeply validating) mom performance review—rubric style. Because whether it’s surviving bedtime or dodging tantrums in aisle nine, you deserve some freakin’ recognition. BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER: Why your inner mom critic is dead...
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80 Legal Basics Every Mom Needs to Know Before Starting a Business with Amber Gilormo
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
Starting to sell your crafts or offer services—but not sure when it becomes a real business? You’re not alone. The legal side of starting a business can feel super overwhelming, especially when you’re a mom doing all the things. In this episode, attorney and mom of five Amber Gilormo shares exactly what to do (and when) to protect your business, your family, and your peace. Whether you're still dabbling on Etsy or starting to grow an actual client list, this episode will help you go from overwhelmed to confident. BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER: When to file an...
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79 Postpartum Anxiety, Burnout, and Learning to Slow Down with Amber Gilormo
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
Ever felt like motherhood flipped your life upside down—and not in a cute, Instagram-worthy way? You're not alone. In this episode of Mom's Guide to Finding Herself, attorney and mom of five Amber Gilormo shares the raw truth about going from a "childfree by choice" career woman to navigating postpartum anxiety, unexpected identity shifts, and the stroke that forced her to slow down. Amber's story is a wake-up call for any mom trying to do it all—and paying for it with her health. BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL FIND OUT: Why postpartum anxiety isn't just about sadness—and...
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78 Finding Your Thing as a Mom Doesn't Have to Mean Alone Time
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
Do you feel like “me time” is just another thing you don’t have time for? We’ve been sold the idea that you have to get away to feel like yourself again, but what if your “thing” can happen while your toddler is next to you eating Cheerios? Feeling like the only way to reconnect with yourself is to escape your house? I’ve been there. But in this episode, I share how I redefined what me time actually looks like—and how I found my thing in the most unexpected moment (hint: it involved a Bluetooth headband and bedtime chaos). BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER:...
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77 The Winter Blues for Moms & How to Feel Like Yourself Again
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
Why does winter feel extra hard when you're a mom? Even with your fuzzy socks and peppermint mocha in hand, you still feel off. You're not alone—and you're not broken. Let’s talk about what’s really going on and how to feel like yourself again. Ever find yourself more irritable, anxious, or drained in the winter months? You’ve got the candles lit and your cozy setup ready, but the spark just isn’t there. Maybe you're snapping more, canceling plans, or struggling to finish a sentence without brain fog. This episode is your permission slip to stop blaming yourself—and start getting...
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76 What Counts as Movement in Motherhood with Krystle Howald
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
Still think movement doesn’t “count” unless it leaves you sweaty and sore? Moms are taught that if it’s not a full workout, it’s not enough. But that’s a lie that keeps us stuck in guilt and disconnection from our bodies. In this episode, physical therapist and co-founder of Expecting and Empowered Krystle Howald is back to break down what actually counts as movement in motherhood—and how to reclaim your strength and energy even if you're short on time, healing from birth, or just plain exhausted. BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER: Why your “exercise...
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75 Protecting the Things That Keep You Grounded as a Mom with Krystle Howald
Mom's Guide to Finding Herself: Rediscovering Identity and Joy in Motherhood
Are you losing touch with the parts of yourself that keep you grounded in motherhood? So many moms pour themselves into raising babies and managing a home... but forget to protect the parts of themselves that actually help them thrive. Today’s guest, Krystle Howald, is here to shift that. As a physical therapist and co-founder of Expecting and Empowered, Krystle brings her professional expertise and raw personal experience (hello, 3 C-sections!) to this honest conversation about recovery, identity, and why movement is so much more than fitness. BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL...
info_outlineBringing home a baby… or bringing home a dog? Either way, your whole family feels the shift.
Most parents focus on the cute moments — first snuggles, sweet photos, growing up together. But the transition is emotional, messy, and full of safety decisions no one really prepares you for.
In this episode, certified dog trainer and Dog Meets Baby founder Dominika Knossalla-Pado shares what actually helps when you’re preparing your dog for a new baby, preparing your children for a new dog, or simply trying to make life with kids and dogs safer and calmer. Because training is only one piece of the puzzle.
BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER:
• Why your dog may stop feeling like your “first baby” — and why that’s normal
• Simple daily habits that make the baby transition easier for your dog
• The safest age to bring a dog into a family with young kids
• Why fewer, reliable training skills matter more than fancy commands
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Connect with Dominika Knossalla-Pado
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dogmeets_baby/
Website: https://www.dogmeetsbaby.expert
Dominika Knossalla-Pado is a certified dog trainer and founder of Dog Meets Baby, helping families safely and confidently navigate life with kids and dogs.