Mothercraft

10. Three Surprising Ways I've Changed Since Becoming a Mom: Let's Talk Carbs, Boundaries, and Work

Motherhood transforms your life in so many ways. Some ways you expect, and some ways you could never anticipate. I’ve had to let go of certain parts of my identity since becoming a mom, but I’ve also made incredible gains since becoming a mom.  In today’s episode, I’m reflecting on my personal journey and sharing three surprising ways I’ve changed since becoming a mom. I’m specifically diving into the evolution of my relationship with food, my relationship with boundaries, and my relationship with work.I hope this episode resonates with you and helps you to feel less alone, more hopeful, and helps you to focus on all that you’ve gained since becoming a mom.   On today’s episode, cover: * My journey of disordered eating and my desire for my child to have a healthy relationship with food * Navigating boundaries as a people pleaser * Changing my focus to being the most effective worker instead of the hardest worker * How much of my self-worth was tied into external validation at work  * Focusing on only saying yes to things that serve me and my family    Connect with Sarah: * Follow on Instagram @mothercrafting [https://www.instagram.com/mothercrafting/] * Sign up for my newsletter [https://wix.app/forms/f/7167639701518549355?&d=https://forms.wix.com/f/7167639701518549355] * Check out my website [https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/]   Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! Find the complete show notes here: https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/post/three-surprising-ways-i-ve-changed-since-becoming-a-mom-let-s-talk-carbs-boundaries-and-work-epi [https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/post/three-surprising-ways-i-ve-changed-since-becoming-a-mom-let-s-talk-carbs-boundaries-and-work-epi]

9. How Your Relationships Change After a Baby with Sarah and Nick

In this episode, Nick and I talk about how your relationships change after a baby. Parenting is something you can never fully prepare for, and it’s difficult to understand until you’re actually in it. We’re discussing more about the positive and negative impacts on our marriage since becoming parents, changes we’ve seen in each other, understanding that even the ‘best’ influence on our kids doesn’t totally determine how they’re going to be, why our kids will pick up way more on what we’re doing (and not so much what we’re saying), and more. In this episode we cover:  * The most important shift that’s happened for Nick since becoming a dad * The positive and negative impacts on our relationship since becoming parents * How Nick’s relationships (outside of the nuclear family) have been impacted since becoming a dad * Focusing on being fully present, instead of on screens and ‘checked out’ most of the time as a parent * The biggest changes Nick has noticed within Sarah since becoming parents * The importance of connection and community for parents * Why the change that comes with parenthood doesn’t have to be something we resist, or viewed as a negative thing Connect with Sarah: * Follow on Instagram @mothercrafting [https://www.instagram.com/mothercrafting/] * Sign up for my newsletter [https://wix.app/forms/f/7167639701518549355?&d=https://forms.wix.com/f/7167639701518549355] * Check out my website [https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/] Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! Find the complete show ntoes here: https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/post/how-your-relationships-change-after-a-baby-with-sarah-and-nick-episode-9 [https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/post/how-your-relationships-change-after-a-baby-with-sarah-and-nick-episode-9]

8. Finding the Woman Within the Mother in Early Postpartum with Kaitlyn Wozniak

I was super excited to have my doula turned good friend, Kaitlyn Wozniak, back on the podcast! Kaitlyn is a huge supporter of women as they’re embarking on their motherhood journey; she’s passionate about educating and preparing women as much as possible, so they aren’t left feeling lost and disempowered when they become moms. She’s on a mission to help women connect deeper to their bodies, build confidence to show up boldly in every part of their lives, and really redefine motherhood all together. In this episode, Kaitlyn and I talk about finding the woman within the mother in early postpartum.    In this episode, we cover:  * Why we don’t tend to educate ourselves on postpartum and motherhood nearly as much as we do pregnancy and birth * Creating healthy boundaries with our children so we don’t impose unhealthy or traumatic histories that we may have experienced growing up * Why we tend to operate from the lens of martyrdom that was passed down from previous generations + how we can shift and do things differently going forward * Kaitlyn’s decision to quit her job and be more present with her 6 month old son + how it catapulted her onto her entrepreneurial journey, and learning to ask for help * Why self-care is integral to our health and success as human beings (not just something for mothers) * Kaitlyn’s Mama Mentorship program + the grief spiral that often accompanies us when we land in motherhood * Why motherhood actually allows us to step into our most powerful, emboldened, and magnificent self    Connect with Kaitlyn: * Follow on Instagram @kaitlyndinneh [https://www.instagram.com/kaitlyndinneh/] * Check out her website [https://www.kaitlynwozniak.com/]   Connect with Sarah: * Follow on Instagram @mothercrafting [https://www.instagram.com/mothercrafting/] * Sign up for my newsletter [https://wix.app/forms/f/7167639701518549355?&d=https://forms.wix.com/f/7167639701518549355] * Check out my website [https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/]   Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! Find the complete show notes here: https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/post/finding-the-woman-within-the-mother-in-early-postpartum-with-kaitlyn-wozniak-episode-8 [https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/post/finding-the-woman-within-the-mother-in-early-postpartum-with-kaitlyn-wozniak-episode-8]

7. Advocating for Mothers with Raena Boston

I’m joined by another phenomenal guest, Raena Boston, on the podcast today! Raena Boston is a mother of three, co-founder of Chamber of Mothers, writer, and a seasoned HR professional. After dealing with unexpected mental health issues in 2020, Raena experienced some life-changing realizations. A pivotal moment for her was understanding that you don’t need to be sensational in order to be loved - your constant need to prove your worthiness is absolutely unnecessary. From stepping back and taking a demotion at work, to re-defining how her marriage should look to better support her and her husband, Raena is on a mission to bring awareness to the scams surrounding motherhood, careers, childcare, and more.   In this episode, we cover:  * The scam surrounding ‘working mom’ and ‘mom guilt’, and how they’re connected to the larger, systemic problem women face * The breakdown in Raena’s marriage that led to her and her husband re-defining their marriage in ways that better supported them both * The idea of women stepping into a supporting character role after marriage vs. the main character role they had before marriage * Staying head-down and stuck in survival mode as moms  * How Raena pushes back where she can in her HR role to better understand and support the people she works with * Raena’s increased capacity in her relationship with her kids + showing her kids they can really be themselves (without anyone else’s permission) * Raena’s decision to shift and dramatically increase awareness about the Working Momtras, as well as co-found the Chamber of Mothers, after having her 3rd baby * The insanely expensive entity that is childcare in the U.S. + the lack of investment in childcare in the U.S. compared to other countries   Connect with Raena: * Follow on on Instagram @theworkingmomtras [https://www.instagram.com/theworkingmomtras] and @chamberofmothers [https://www.instagram.com/chamberofmothers] * Check out her websites: http://www.theworkingmomtras.com [http://www.theworkingmomtras.com/]www.chamberofmothers.com [http://www.chamberofmothers.com/]   Connect with Sarah: * Follow on Instagram @mothercrafting [https://www.instagram.com/mothercrafting/] * Sign up for my newsletter [https://wix.app/forms/f/7167639701518549355?&d=https://forms.wix.com/f/7167639701518549355] * Check out my website [https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/] Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! Find the complete show notes here: https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/post/advocating-for-mothers-with-raena-boston-episode-7 [https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/post/advocating-for-mothers-with-raena-boston-episode-7]

6. Exploring the Realities of Breastfeeding with Emma Pickett IBCLC

I’m honored to be talking with my special guest, Emma Pickett, on today’s episode! Emma is a breastfeeding counselor, international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), and author. She’s been in the breastfeeding space for nearly 2 decades, and is passionate about not only supporting parents with their breastfeeding journeys beyond infancy, but also with the weaning process.   In this episode, we cover:  * Practical tips for you to prepare for and support a successful breastfeeding journey * Why places like the U.S. and U.K. aren’t typically as exposed to breastfeeding, compared to other parts of the world * What’s really behind the breastfeeding ‘dip’ that occurred in the late 20th century + positives and negatives Emma has seen in her almost 20 years in the breastfeeding space * The competitive pressures surrounding pumping + why it’s really not an accurate representation of your milk supply * Common challenges that can arise early in your breastfeeding journey + really adapting your expectations for you and your baby during this time * Both the over and underdiagnoses regarding lip ties and tongue ties in relation to breastfeeding * Indicators that you need to seek out breastfeeding support early in your journey * What to do if you’re worried about a low milk supply + why feeding schedules are not a positive thing for mothers or babies * Simple resources and guidance to support families when they’re ready to wean and end their breastfeeding journey   Connect with Emma: * Follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/emmapickettibclc/] * Check out her website [http://emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com/] * Listen to her podcast: Makes Milk with Emma Pickett [https://www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com/makesmilkpod]   Connect with Sarah: * Follow on Instagram @mothercrafting [https://www.instagram.com/mothercrafting/] * Sign up for my newsletter [https://wix.app/forms/f/7167639701518549355?&d=https://forms.wix.com/f/7167639701518549355] * Check out my website [https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/]   Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! Find the complete show notes here: https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/post/exploring-the-realities-of-breastfeeding-with-emma-pickett-ibclc-episode-6 [https://www.mothercraftpodcast.com/post/exploring-the-realities-of-breastfeeding-with-emma-pickett-ibclc-episode-6]