83. Breastfeeding Isn’t Mandatory (And You’re Not a Bad Parent If You Don’t)
Parenthood Prep
If you’re pregnant, someone has almost certainly asked you whether you plan to breastfeed (usually before you’ve even had time to process the fact that you’re growing an entire human). And while breastfeeding can be a wonderful option for many families, it's not a no-brainer, a requirement, or a measure of your worth as a parent. This episode is about choice, relief, and removing unnecessary pressure during an already intense season. Whether you breastfeed, formula-feed, combo-feed, pump, or decide early on that feeding from your body isn’t for you, your baby can thrive - and so...
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82. Parent Your First Baby Like They’re Your Fourth
Parenthood Prep
First-time parents tend to white-knuckle everything. The germs. The wobbling. The crying. The feeling that if you look away for two seconds, something catastrophic will happen. And I get it. When everything is brand new and you haven’t spent much time around babies before, your nervous system is doing its absolute best to keep this tiny human alive. In this episode, I share why I wish I could help every first-time parent treat their first baby like they’re already on baby number four. After years of newborn care, 24/7 live-in work, and caring for twins, I’ve seen how dramatically...
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81. The Hidden Time Drains of Parenthood
Parenthood Prep
The first few months with your baby often feel like a time warp, where the days pass in a blur of bottles, burps, and (unpredictable) naps. But what happens when you realize that feeding, changing, and putting your baby to sleep are just the tip of the iceberg? In this episode, I share a reality check that many new parents face: the endless time drains that nobody tells you about before you have a baby. Yes, you’ll spend hours washing bottles, dealing with spit-ups, and trying to get your baby to sleep. But there are also sneaky time sucks you probably didn’t see coming. Tune...
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80. How to Set Intentions (That Actually Stick)
Parenthood Prep
If you’ve ever set a resolution only to watch it fade by February, it’s time to try something that works. Margaret Mason Tate is back on the show, and she’s guest-hosting this time! Setting New Year’s intentions is a tradition she’s been practicing since she was 17 (yes, she’s that person). And today, she’s sharing her tried-and-true method for setting intentions that you can actually follow through on. Listen in this week as Margaret teaches you a structured approach to setting intentions for the new year that tackles all facets of life - from relationships to...
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79. Want a Happier Baby? Give Them a Schedule
Parenthood Prep
Do you ever look at your baby and think, “What do you need right now? Because I truly cannot tell”? If so, welcome. This episode is for you. Schedules get a bad rap thanks to people who treat them like boot camp: rigid feeding times, no flexibility, crying because “the clock said so.” That is not what we’re doing here. Listen in this week as I walk you through how a simple daily schedule can transform your life with a baby - not by controlling every minute, but by creating predictability so you’re not constantly playing detective with a fussy infant. Whether you’ve...
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78. Your Newborn Is an Alien (And Other Delightful Truths No One Told You)
Parenthood Prep
If you’ve never been around a newborn and you’re picturing a chubby, cooing, bright-eyed baby straight from a diaper commercial… oh honey. That’s not what’s arriving on birth day. Not even close. This week, I’m walking you through exactly what to expect in those first minutes, hours, and weeks with your baby - the wrinkly skin, the bug limbs, the “why does this look like a grumpy old man?” phase - and how to make that entire newborn period easier, sweeter, and actually enjoyable. Tune in today as we talk kangaroo pouches, the surprisingly controversial world of swaddling, why...
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77. Inside the Surrogacy Industry: Protect Yourself and Your Baby with Susan Baldomar
Parenthood Prep
Have you ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes in the surrogacy world? The truth is, surrogacy can be an incredible gift, but it’s also an industry where families often have little protection between a doctor’s diagnosis and an agency selling them services. When things go wrong - and they do more often than you might think - it can turn a dream into something deeply painful. In this episode, I’m joined by Susan Baldomar, CEO and Founder of Chelsea Surrogacy Advisors, who helps families navigate the surrogacy process safely and confidently. Susan built her business...
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76. Your Toddler’s Defiance Decoded with Devon Kuntzman
Parenthood Prep
Honestly, the stuff that makes you want to climb the nearest wall: the hitting, the five-star, opera-worthy tantrums, and those delightfully defiant "NO!"s? Yeah, that’s your toddler doing exactly what they're programmed to do. This week, I’m chatting with Devon Kuntzman, the author behind Transforming Toddlerhood. She founded Transforming Toddlerhood with the mission to dispel the myth that toddlerhood is terrible, and after working with countless kids in every family structure imaginable, she learned that there’s no magic, one-size-fits-all parenting pill. But there are some...
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75. How Patriarchy Shows Up in Parenting (And What to Do About It) with Margaret Mason Tate
Parenthood Prep
The patriarchy isn't just a buzzword thrown around by feminists. It’s a system of assumptions that shows up in your daily life, especially once you become a parent. From the moment a baby arrives, fathers get praised for basic caregiving while mothers face relentless scrutiny and impossible standards. These patterns affect everyone, including the men who feel pressure to be instantly competent or worry that caring for their own children is somehow unmanly. Tune in this week as I’m joined by my part-time co-host, Margaret Mason Tate, to unpack how these ingrained patterns...
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74. Newborn Monitoring: How Much Is Too Much?
Parenthood Prep
If you’re drowning in a sea of baby apps, video monitors, and spreadsheets of diaper logs, this episode is your lifeline. Join me this week as I break down newborn monitoring in a way that actually makes sense. From those first few days when keeping an eye on wet diapers matters, to later months when timing every nursing session becomes overkill, you’ll learn how to find a balance between useful monitoring and obsessive tracking. I share strategies for using apps and monitors as tools - not sources of stress - so you can stay present, enjoy your baby, and not let the data...
info_outlineReflux. Just hearing the word makes parents brace for months of sleepless nights, endless feedings, and a life spent holding your baby upright. It feels like exhaustion is just part of the package. But here’s the thing: a lot of the conventional wisdom about reflux is actually making it harder for both you and your baby.
This week, I’m breaking down why reflux doesn’t have to derail your baby's sleep, and surprisingly, how better sleep can actually reduce reflux symptoms. And spoiler alert: that “reflux meltdown” might actually be a baby who’s overtired, not just uncomfortable.
Join me today as I show you why frequent night snacking creates a cycle of discomfort, how longer stretches of sleep help the digestive system rest, and why fussiness is often overtiredness, not just reflux.
Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://happyfamilyafter.com/71
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