Becoming a Mother

Rachel Weitzel of Texas, Mom to her 4 year old daughter and founder of the Parenting Pontoon Mom Group @parentingpontoon, shares her experience becoming a mother. Her first pregnancy resulted in a late term miscarriage at 20 weeks and her planned DNC turned into the delivery of her son who is not earth side. Rachel shares how this affected her, mourning the loss of her son and being surrounded by friends and family becoming pregnant. Learning to navigate that was a challenge. This experience also affected her into the 2nd pregnancy with her daughter, who is now 4. She shares her birth story which started with a 38-week induction due to high blood pressure. We then discuss her postpartum experience, how mother hood changes you and about being on the fence about deciding to have more than one child. Tune in for this heartfelt, raw and honest journey to motherhood. **This episode contains discussions of heavy emotional topics that some listeners may find distressing or triggering. Listener discretion is advised. **

Brandi Soileau of Dallas TX, Mother of 2 ages 4 and 1.5 and Life, Travel & Motherhood Influencer @Bandisoileau shares her experience becoming a mother after nonchalantly deciding to have a child. She then explains she was "hooked" and could not believe she waited so long. She shares her birth story and then subsequent experience getting pregnant which resulted in a partial molar pregnancy discovered in the 2nd trimester. That experience influenced her emotionally and physically into her next pregnancy. She shares her postpartum journey which was positive but included struggles due to some external life changes that many women go through including job loss, becoming a stay at home mom and moving to the suburbs. Listen for a heartfelt, genuine and uplifting story.

Pietrina Musumeci: Mom of 2 ages 5 and 2 shares her journey to motherhood, deciding to pursue IVF after facing challenges with infertility. She describes the 3-year process, including the emotional ups and downs and her successful first embryo transfer. Pietrina talks about her pregnancy experience, balancing work, and eventually transitioning to maternity leave. She shares her birth story and postpartum experience as well as the decision to grow her family at the start of the COVID pandemic which causes a huge delay in her journey for a multitude of reasons, her journey really was a wild ride! She shares such sound advice for women struggling with fertility, encouraging them to persist and seek solutions and advocate for yourself along the way.

Lisa Meyers of Bainbridge Island WA, Mother of 2 ages 11 & 7, Founder and CEO of Ceres Chill, retired attorney and political operative shares her journey to motherhood. Lisa delves into navigating the challenges of postpartum recovery and balancing a demanding career in a male dominated field with motherhood. She also shares the emotional highs and lows of breastfeeding and how she ultimately turned her challenges into innovation by founding Ceres Chill, inventing multiple breastfeeding storage products that simplify breastfeeding for moms such as an on the go breast milk chiller you can pump directly into!! Tune in for an honest conversation about the joys, struggles, and triumphs of motherhood, and learn how Lisa turned her challenges into a mission to support moms everywhere. Check out www.cereschill.com and connect with Lisa on Instagram @cereschill Connect with me your host- Brittany Olson on Instagram @becomingamotherpodcast

Dayna Ferrer - Mom to 2 toddlers, shares her journey to motherhood, including her struggles with infertility, IVF, pregnancy, birth experiences, and postpartum challenges. Dayna discusses her deep desire to become a mom, her emotional roller coaster during infertility treatments, and the eventual success of IVF.. She also recounts her surprise second pregnancy, which occurred naturally after IVF, and her contrasting birth experiences—a traumatic emergency C-section for her first child and a redemptive “gentle” cesarean for her second. Dayna opens up about postpartum challenges, including breastfeeding struggles, colic, and dairy allergies in both her children. She reflects on the emotional toll of weaning and the importance of adapting plans for the well-being of her family. She also shares insights into the challenges of being a working mom, balancing two young children, and navigating the changes in her identity and priorities after becoming a mother. Throughout the episode, Dayna emphasizes the transformative nature of motherhood, the importance of advocating for oneself, and the need to embrace flexibility. She offers advice to other moms, encouraging them to prepare for unexpected changes, prioritize family time and recognize the rewarding aspects of motherhood, despite its challenges. Instagram: Brittany Olson: @becomingamotherpodcast Dayna Becker: @daynerr157