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A lot of moms struggle with breastfeeding. It can be really hard. But this weekâs guest, Bintaâs struggles to breastfeed and the pressure to give her baby her breast milk have been amplified to such a degree that she is willing to hurt herself repeatedly just to get breast milk without blood.
Binta breastfed her first baby for nearly two years, but when it came to her second, she faced immense pain and difficulty every time she tried. Binta wanted to feel like she was trying everything possible to give her baby breast milk. She kept going despite experiencing bleeding and pain because, everywhere she turned, she received the message that she was failing as a mom if she had to supplement with formula.
In the final episode of season 1, Binta shares the issues she has faced with breastfeeding, pumping, and the excruciating lengths she has been going to in attempts to breastfeed her baby. Hear the pain and injuries she has faced as a result, the shocking responses she has received from healthcare professionals that have made her feel like a terrible mom, and the shame and guilt that she continues to feel around having to feed her baby with formula.
âThey made me feel like you must breastfeed, there is no other solution. They focused on the benefits of breastfeeding your baby and why it is more important than even your own health, how you are feeling, or the pain you are going through.â - Binta
In This Episode:
- Hear the question Binta really doesnât like to get asked and why she is so weary and afraid of it.
- Binta shares the two biggest emotions that come up for her when she has to supplement with formula.
- Find out how Binta believes moms who are unable to breastfeed should be treated.
- The shame, blame, and guilt that can come with being unable to breastfeed your child.
- Binta shares the advice she would give her daughter if she were in this situation.
- Find out about the way Binta has been treated by healthcare professionals when trying to breastfeed.
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
Connect with Jamie:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook Group
- YouTube
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We all recall the beginning of COVID when everyone was being told to isolate at home with their families, and this is exactly where this weekâs story begins. This weekâs story is about a 3-and-a-half-year-old named Norah and her imaginary rainbow family. At the start of the pandemic, Katlynn was heavily pregnant with her third child, and they were forced to stay totally isolated as a family for quite a while. Two months into quarantine, Norah calls for a family dinner and has an announcement: she isnât part of this family, she is part of her rainbow family, the one that lives in the clouds.
Norahâs rainbow family was always on some amazing adventure that was way cooler than what Katlynnâs family was doing in their daily lives. The rainbow family helped Norah navigate periods of isolation at the beginning of COVID and even death as COVID got worse. The rainbow family was super cool and eventually, her rainbow family became a leverage tool she tried to use with her actual human mom. In this episode, hear more about Norahâs rainbow family and how Katlynn managed this imaginary family her daughter had created. Learn how the rainbow family progressed over the years, how the real family dealt with it, and where Norah is now with regard to her rainbow family.
âWe thought this was probably just her way of coping with being in lockdown. Her rainbow family sounded like everything we did as a family before COVID, so we figured this must just be her way of coping.â - Katlynn
In This Episode:
- Find out why it became so hard for Katlynn and her family to compete with the rainbow family.
- Hear the struggles Katlynn faced as she navigated helping her children cope with a pandemic that affected everyone.
- Katlynn shares how Norahâs rainbow family taught her to navigate and process death.
- Even after COVID, the rainbow family stuck around. Hereâs how it changedâŠ
- Learn how to use Katlynnâs experience of a rainbow family if your child has an imaginary world.
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
Connect with Katlynn:
Website
Podcast
Connect with Jamie:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook Group
- YouTube
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In last weekâs episode, we heard from Kateryna and her experience of having to flee her home with her family as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But this week weâre hearing a different perspective of the war from Marina, whose Mom is steadfast in her faithfulness to the former Soviet Union and now Russian leadership. Marina and her mom are on complete opposite ends with regard to the war, as while Marina vehemently opposes the war and has questioned the communist regime since a little girl, her mom fully supports it and continues to do so. With Russia invading Ukraine, what used to be an underlying source of tension in the relationship has been brought to the forefront.
Marina was born in Russia, but got married and moved to the U.S. in her 20s, while her 92-year-old mom still lives in Moscow. In this episode, hear more about Marinaâs experience of navigating a relationship with her mom who remains proud of and loyal to the Russian leadership. Marina shares invaluable insight into the generational trauma that has changed the views and attitudes of Russian people and helps us understand how people just like her mom have been conditioned since childhood to respond positively to Putin. Learn more about how people have been categorized into âusâ versus âthemâ by the Russian regime, how people are entrenched in Russian state propaganda, and why Marina fears she may never see her 92-year-old mom again.
âMy mom has a very black and white picture. Putin is right and everybody is wrong. She trusts Russian television and thatâs the end of discussion. There are certain things that you cannot compromise on, and my disagreement with my mom on the subject of war is one of them.â - Marina
In This Episode:
- Marina shares more about Russian culture and history and how itâs impacted life in Russia today.
- Discover what generational trauma is and how it completely changes the views and opinions of its victims.
- Even though she has a sister in Ukraine, Marinaâs mom STILL thinks that Ukrainians deserve to be bombed. Hereâs whyâŠ
- Marina shares the moment she really started to question the Soviet leadership.
- Marina has never fully shared her true self with her mom, and hides so much of her life. This is the reasonâŠ
- Learn more about the fascism, censorship, and oppression that exists in Russia today.
- Marina tries to share facts with her mom to broaden her mind from Russian propaganda, but her mom wonât listen. This is whyâŠ
- In Russia, the communist regime message is perpetuated and instilled from childhood. Hereâs how they do itâŠ
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
Resources:
Raising a Thief by Paul Gregory Podolsky
My Mother-in-Law Believes Putin on the War in Ukraine by Paul Podolsky
ï»żConnect with Jamie:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook Group
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What does it feel like to wake up to the sounds of war? We are all aware of the devastating impacts of the war in Ukraine, and in this weekâs episode, you will hear a first-hand account of what it is really like living in a war-stricken country and having to leave your home and life as you know it as a result. In a matter of days, Kateryna went from living her normal life with her husband and two little girls, 6 months old and 2 years old, to finding herself in the center of a warzone where bombing raids were happening all around her and her family.
In this episode, you will follow Kateryna and her family as they flee Chernihiv, Ukraine, to the remote part of Ukraine where she is recording this conversation. Right now, Kateryna and her family are living in survival mode in every sense of the word, and have been for the last six months. Discover how she tried to provide support and comfort for her children when the war first began, and how Ukrainians banded together in this close, familial way to support each other throughout the war.
You will also hear how she navigates relationships with people very close to her who live in Russia, what she would say if she had the opportunity to speak to the mother of a Russian soldier, and get an update on her life now, six months after the war began.
âEvery time you leave home, you donât know if youâre coming back. Every time youâre back home, you donât know for how long you can stay. You are never safe. . . I donât associate myself as a person who lost her home. We just want to go home and for this all to be over.â - Kateryna
In This Episode:
- Kateryna shares the most chilling moment she has ever experienced in her life.
- Hear Katerynaâs experience of having to leave her home and everything she knew to flee to the unknown.
- One of the hardest things Kateryna has found about the war.
- Find out how Russia's propaganda caused confusion about the invasion of Ukraine for her family that lives in Russia.
- Kateryna shares the moment she realized this war was going to be worse than she had previously thought.
- Kateryna believes that every Russian soldier has a choice. Hereâs whyâŠ
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
Connect with Kateryna:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078936401023
Connect with Jamie:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook Group
- YouTube
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They say it takes a village to raise a child, but what happens when you have a child and donât get that village? What happens when you have your baby right at the beginning of a global pandemic and have zero access to any of the support networks or communities you had expected to access? This is exactly what happened to this weekâs guest, Rebecca De Ornelas.
The early days of COVID and the pandemic affected so many people in so many different ways, and Rebecca is here this week to share her incredible story of having a baby right at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in New York City. From her husband getting sick right after leaving the hospital and having to isolate, leaving Rebecca to care for her newborn baby alone, to Zoom lactation consultants unable to address her struggles with breastfeedingâRebeccaâs experience of being a new mom was nothing like she expected. In this episode, youâll hear the very relatable struggles of two full-time remote working parents juggling a newborn without any help, what it was really like having a newborn baby in lockdown, and the one thing Rebecca wishes she had heard in the early days and thinks all of us moms need to hear a lot more often.
âYou're telling me I can have it all, at the detriment of my mental and physical health for me to try and have it all. . . I was going to be a working mom and I was going to have to do everything at a hundred percent. A hundred percent committed to my job, a hundred percent committed to my motherhood and a hundred percent committed to keeping my child and my family safe in a pandemic.â - Rebecca
In This Episode:
- Zoom burnout is real. Hereâs how it affected Rebeccaâs experience of being a mom to a newbornâŠ
- Rebecca shares her experience of trying to breastfeed while experiencing issues during a lockdown.
- Discover how the pandemic changed the trajectory of Rebeccaâs life.
- When she was pregnant, Rebecca dreamed of having a group of mom friends around her. Instead, this was her realityâŠ
- Learn how she and her husband maintained their marriage with a newborn during the pandemic.
- Hear Rebeccaâs experience of trying to operate as the person she was pre-motherhood and pre-pandemic and do it all.
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
Connect with Rebecca:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Connect with Jamie:
- Website
- Instagram @MamaIHearYou
- Facebook Group
- YouTube
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If we donât share our stories, how do we truly empathize with others? If we donât share our stories, how can we see the many different stories of motherhood that are taking place in the world? As mamas, sharing our stories and experiences can have a profound effect on the lives of others, and this weekâs guest is doing phenomenal work empowering mamas all around the world.
Karni Arieli is a mother of two boys, a filmmaker, and a photographer, and ever since she was a little girl, she has used her camera to tell stories. She is the founder of the Eye Mama Project, a project that empowers moms all across the world to share their authentic experiences of motherhood and brings visibility to the real-life struggles faced by so many. The Eye Mama Project is a curation of thousands of photos of real-life motherhood, featuring contributions from more than 40 countries. Through this project, Karni has created a network of empowered mamas who are sharing their stories from all over the world.
In this episode, youâll hear more about the Eye Mama Project, the reason Karni created it, and the incredible impact the project has already had on the lives of thousands of mamas. Eye Mama Project is not about motherhood; itâs about humanity. Karni shares how she envisions the project impacting future generations, her goals for the Eye Mama Project, and how the project brings visibility to motherhood and connects us back to our humanity.
âThere are millions of versions of motherhood. There isnât just one way of telling the story. If you can envision yourself in someoneâs skin, then you can care. You can be motivated into action.â - Karni
In This Episode:
- Karni shares how Eye Mama empowers mamas across the world to share their stories and why doing so is so powerful.
- This is why it is SO important to show up as your full, authentic self and why doing so is one of the most powerful things you can do as a mamaâŠ
- Karniâs work has showcased the lives of women in countries such as Ukraine and Russia. Hereâs the effect it has hadâŠ
- Hear Karniâs experience of being a working mom, her beliefs around it, and how sharing stories of it can help other women feel less alone in their struggles.
- Karni believes the Eye Mama Project has made her become a better person, hereâs whyâŠ
- Find out why Karni believes it is so important to share images of motherhood from various cultures and countries around the world.
- Learn what the âmama gazeâ is and why itâs so important.
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
Connect with Karni:
- Website
- Instagram
- National Geographic Article
Connect with Jamie:
- Website
- Instagram @MamaIHearYou
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This weekâs episode comes with a trigger warning: This episode is all about miscarriages and stillbirth, which I know can be distressing for many. If you need support or would like some resources, weâve collected some here for you which can be found below in the resources section.
As moms, miscarriage and pregnancy loss are undoubtedly some of the most painful things we can experience, something this weekâs guest knows all too well. At 12 weeks pregnant, aged just Sweet 16, Alexis suffered her first miscarriage. Some years later, bereft and with a lack of support from her family, she decided to try again for a baby with her husband. Alexis suffered two more tragic losses before finally becoming a mama to her beautiful daughter, something she feared would never happen.
One of the things that helped Alexis cope was hearing other peopleâs storiesâno matter how early or late their losses wereâand she joins me this week to share her story in the hopes it might help other moms feel less alone in their experiences. She talks more about her experiences with miscarriage, stillbirth, and pregnancy loss, and shares where she found the strength to cope. Hear what she found the hardest about losing her babies and what she would say to any mom going through a pregnancy loss.
âNo matter how early or how late the loss is, itâs still a loss. Like, your feelings matter.â - Alexis
In This Episode:
- People donât talk about pregnancy loss enough. This is why they shouldâŠ
- Hear how Alexisâ family treated her differently after her pregnancy and miscarriage.
- Find out how Alexis wishes the hospital had communicated more clearly with her.
- Alexisâ mom reacted differently to her losing her 2nd baby than she did with her first miscarriage. Hereâs how she reactedâŠ
- Find out why Alexis didnât feel supported by her family when coming to terms with her loss.
- There was one question Alexis kept asking herself after her losses. Hereâs what it isâŠ
- Alexis shares her experience of trying again for a baby after experiencing loss.
- You will be reassured that your pain is valid around any loss you experience, no matter how early it was in the pregnancy.
ï»żImportant resources for this episode:
- Pregnancy Loss Support Organizations
- Miscarriage and Infant Loss
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
Connect with Jamie:
- Website
- Instagram @MamaIHearYou
- Facebook Group
- YouTube
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There is so much joy that comes with having children, but for some mamas, the journey to motherhood isnât always an easy ride. At 19, Jennifer got married to her high school sweetheart and they were so excited to start trying to have a family right away. A few weeks into the process, Jennifer received the news that if she wanted to have children, she would need to see a fertility specialist right away, and this was the beginning of what would be a journey of more than six years of trying to have a baby. After years of fertility treatment, a hysterectomy, and a failed adoption, Jennifer was finally able to fulfill her dream of becoming a mama.
In this weekâs episode, Jennifer shares her experience of trying for so long to have a family and the mental, emotional, and physical toll the entire process took on her and her husband. Hear the extents that Jennifer and her husband have gone to in order to have a family, how they held onto their dream of one day having a family, and what their life is like now that they have the family they longed for.
âKeep your eye focused on the prize and you will get there. If youâre determined to have kids, youâll get to have them somehowâit might just be different.â - Jennifer
In This Episode:
- This is what Jennifer wants you to know if you are trying for a babyâŠ
- Find out one of the hardest parts of the foster-to-adopt placements for Jennifer and her husband, and why they didnât want to try it for a second time.
- Jennifer shares some of the letdowns they had along their journey of trying to have a family.
- Learn more about the IVF process and the various issues Jennifer and her husband faced during this process.
- Some of Jenniferâs family and friends didnât help ease Jenniferâs concerns about bonding with her child. Hereâs what happenedâŠ
- Jennifer wouldnât have a child if it wasnât for one incredibly generous person. Find out whoâŠ
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
ï»żConnect with Jamie:
- Website
- Instagram @MamaIHearYou
- Facebook Group
- YouTube
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Have you ever wondered what itâs like to raise a neurodivergent child with regular big, intense emotional outbursts? Megan is an elementary school teacher and mother of three and has a son who is neurodivergent. Starting at age one and for several years after, things were really tough with her son. He would have multiple outbursts a day because something was dysregulated inside of him. Megan tried all the parenting tips, tricks, and strategies to help her son manage his emotions, but no matter what she tried, she just couldnât figure out how to make it better. Filled with emotions like anger, guilt, and isolation, she began to doubt her ability as a mom and even began to wonder if her son would be better off with another mom who could deal with him better. But then something happened that completely changed everything for Megan and her family.
Todayâs episode is a little bit different, and instead of a story, weâre focusing on how it feels for a mom raising a neurodivergent kid. Megan shares her experiences and the feelings of anger, shame, and doubt sheâs experienced as a mom, her advice to anybody struggling with coping, and her number one tip to help you get to inner peace when parenting a neurodivergent child. Sheâs also sharing more about the support community sheâs created, Mothers Together, and how it benefits other moms and collectively helps parents of neurodivergent children.
âWhen it comes to parenting, there is no secret sauce. There are no parenting styles that work for everyone, and every mom has to carve out her own path.â - Megan
In This Episode:
- Learn more about what neurodivergence is and how it might show up in your childâs behavior.
- Megan gives an example of one of her sonâs meltdowns.
- Find out why Megan truly believes every mom should have a support system that understands exactly what theyâre going through.
- Hear the reasons Megan felt so isolated when dealing with her sonâs outbursts and meltdowns.
- This is what happened when Megan tried the positive parenting approach, and why she wonât be trying it againâŠ
- Megan finally figured out what worked in terms of parenting her son and limiting his meltdowns. Hereâs how she did itâŠ
- Hear more about how Meganâs relationship with her son has changed over the last few years.
If you are raising a neurodiverse child and want to create some friendships with people who can relate, Megan has built a support group community, Mothers Together. To celebrate the launch of this podcast, sheâll be giving away 2 monthsâ membership to the community. Click here to find out more.
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
Connect with Megan:
- Website
- Instagram
- Mothers Together
Connect with Jamie:
- Website
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Today's story is about Janey Strong and her experiences with home birth. Janey always knew that a home birth was something she was going to do. She has since had multiple home births and joins me to share more about her experiences, why she always wanted to have a home birth, and why she is so glad she did. Janeyâs home birth experiences have come with a few surprises along the way.
Here is what you need to know about Janey. She is a mom of at least two children and one dog. The dog may or may not count as their third child, depending on whether you ask Janey or her husband. Part of Janeyâs life story is buried in the backyard of her childhood home. She's not great with house plants! She is an advocate of reading to babies as young as eight hours old, although at one time, she thought doing that was pretty weird. Janey is also. . . very funny.
Janey is the founder of Mommy Academy, an online space for moms to gain knowledge, skills, and confidence for their babyâs first year from trusted childhood development experts who are also moms. After you hear Janeyâs home birth story, youâll hear more about what Mommy Academy is, how it came to be, and how it could help you.
â I just believe that there's another power, you know. That it's not just me kind of like powering through. There is this divine design to bringing life into the world.â - Janey
In This Episode:
- There is something you donât know until you are in the situation and giving birth. Hereâs what it isâŠ
- Find out how Janey and her husband decided their family was complete.
- Janey shares how she quickly realized that the post-birth photo opportunity wasnât as magical as she thoughtâŠ
- Find out why you should interact with your baby just as you would with any other person.
- Babies understand so much more than you realize. Hereâs whyâŠ
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
ï»ż
Connect with Jamie:
- Website
- Instagram @MamaIHearYou
- Facebook Group
- YouTube
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Some parents actively decide to plan for and have children, but for many, the discovery of a pregnancy is a complete surprise. Todayâs story is about a first-time mom, Veronica, and it's a story all about the unexpected. From an unexpected pregnancy to a huge surprise at birth that left her reeling, Veronica quickly learned that nothing in her experience of motherhood was as she expected it to be. Society tells you that when you have a new baby, everything is all sunshine and rainbows and sparkles, but what if you donât feel that way? What if all you feel is anxiety, overwhelm, confusion, and exhaustion? This is a story about the unexpected, but it is also about joy, and how Veronica learned to find it while under constant pressure to try to âkeep it all together.â
Join us this week as Veronica shares her beautiful journey of motherhood, from the shock she felt upon discovering she was pregnant and the excitement she felt as she prepared for her babyâs arrival, to the worries and anxiety she experienced as a new first-time mom. Hear the pressure she put on herself to meet expectations of what she thought motherhood should look like, her struggles with breastfeeding while feeling beyond exhausted, and the discovery that new motherhood was very different from what she had expected in those first few months. You are not alone, Mama, and community is everything during those first few months. Veronica shares her advice to other first-time moms who feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and unsure of where to turn for support.
âWhen I found that community, I found strength. Being able to connect with somebody else who knows what Iâm going through made a huge difference for me.â - Veronica
In This Episode:
- Having a community that hears you, understands you, and shares your journey is priceless for a new mom. Veronica explains whyâŠ
- There was ONE thing that was invaluable for Veronica as a new mom. Hereâs what that wasâŠ
- Hear the struggles Veronica faced adjusting to her new life as a first-time mom when her husband returned to work.
- When Veronica learned to let go of false narratives around motherhood, everything changed for her. Hereâs whyâŠ
- Discover how the relationship Veronica had with her own mom influenced the type of mom she wanted to be herself.
- Learn how Veronica finally learned to let go of expectations and how doing so enabled her to find joy and beauty in those precious, early months of motherhood.
- Veronica describes the vicious cycle of guilt, anxiety, and exhaustion she felt in the early days of motherhood, and how she learned to overcome the most trying times.
- Find out why Veronica placed so much pressure on herself to breastfeed, and why this pressure wasnât good for her.
- Hear what was truly important for Veronica as a new first-time mom (hint: it wasnât keeping the house clean or getting her stroller strides workout in.)
If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/
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In this space, weâll be sharing real, raw and unedited stories about all things motherhood in the early years, from listeners like you. Hosted by Jamie Evans, a mom to 4 and 7-year old boys, the show is a place for moms to connect with each other through shared experiences and storytelling.
From the moments that feel incredibly hard, to the moments that make you belly laugh, no story is off limits. From pregnancy, loss, birth, breastfeeding, twins, tantrums, sleeping issues, celebrations, nightmares, preschool drop-off, imaginary friends, bullying, losing our identity, and of course, mom guilt, if youâre experiencing it, weâre likely talking about it.
Tune in each month every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, to listen to relatable motherhood stories that make you feel seen and understood during this messy beautiful season of life!
Learn more about the show here: www.mamaihearyou.com
