the anastasiya podcast

Ep 2.11 - Who Am I Now? Identity, Motherhood & Letting Go

If you’ve ever felt caught somewhere between who you were and who you’re becoming, this episode is for you. Get comfortable, because I’m diving in about something I think so many new moms feel but don't always say out loud: the emotional tug-of-war between missing who you used to be and realizing you can’t fully step into a new season of life while still trying to hold onto the old one. I’m sharing what this first trimester has really looked like with a 15-month-old, an unexpected hospital visit, and processing the emotions that come with realizing I’ve been holding on to who I used to be instead of fully stepping into who I am becoming. Like always, it’s raw, honest, and personal, and if you’re walking through a season of transition, growth, or uncertainty right now, I hope this conversation reminds you that you’re not alone.

Ep 2.10 - Surprise... We're Pregnant Again!

Surprise… we’re pregnant again! We share how it all happened, what the past few weeks have looked like, and how different this pregnancy has been so far compared to our first go-around. From debilitating nausea to managing life with a toddler, we’re navigating it all in real time! Matt joins me for an honest, behind the scenes conversation about our next unexpected chapter.

Ep 2.9 - Hindsight is 20/20

A little blast from the past! Recorded in February, not knowing I was about to take an unexpected podcast hiatus for two months while fighting for my life through the first trimester (exaggerating, but not really). I talk about the shift from trying to do it all to finally giving myself permission to rest, adjust my expectations, and focus on what truly matters. This episode is a reminder that sometimes the clarity we’re looking for has been there all along - we just have to be willing to listen and lean into where we’re being called!

Ep 2.8 - What We’d Repeat & What We’d Redo as First Time Parents

In this episode of The Anastasiya Podcast, Matt and I reflect on what we would keep the same and what we would change if we were becoming first-time parents all over again. We talk about unrealistic expectations, nursing and pumping pressure, sleep deprivation, paternity leave, and the identity shift that comes with early parenthood. We also share how unmet expectations affected our mental health and what finally shifted when we gave ourselves permission to adjust instead of force. Year one humbled us. It stretched us. It forced us to adjust our expectations of ourselves and of our baby. The first baby is the teacher. And if we could do it again, we’d give ourselves more permission, more rest, and a little more grace.

Ep 2.7 - The Motherhood Saga Continues

In this week’s episode of The Anastasiya Podcast, I dive right back into peeling the layers of this new season of life: motherhood. Reaching for gratitude: daily, is once again at the top of the list. I share my thoughts on how not all motherhood is created equally, how wanting what we don’t have shows up even in this season, and how I want to remember these years of my life. “Surviving, not thriving” is a phrase often coined in motherhood, and I want to challenge it. When I look back on the season spent growing our family and pouring into our littles, I don’t want to remember these years in shades of grey because I was just “surviving.” There has to be a better way, and I’m in pursuit of finding it!