Mothering the Mother: Ana Rodney on Doulas, Leadership & Survival

Mothering the Mother: Ana Rodney on Doulas, Leadership & Survival

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of traumatic birth experiences, NICU hospitalization, maternal mortality, medical trauma, and pregnancy complications. In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Motherhood Advantage, Dr. Laura Marie Rivera speaks with doula, advocate, and maternal health leader Ana Rodney about the realities of Motherhood, leadership, and Black maternal health in America. Ana shares her journey from a traumatic premature birth and NICU experience to becoming a nationally recognized advocate working to improve maternal health policy and expand access to doula care. Together, Laura Marie and Ana explore the invisible labor of Motherhood, the leadership skills Mothers develop every day, and the resilience required to navigate parenting, advocacy, and professional life simultaneously. The conversation dives into postpartum support, the importance of doulas, single Motherhood, healing after trauma, and the urgent need to address racial disparities in maternal healthcare outcomes. Ana also reflects on the lessons Motherhood has taught her about communication, emotional regulation, accountability, and leading with humanity. This episode is both heartbreaking and hopeful — a reminder that Mothers are already doing extraordinary work, often without recognition, support, or grace. ---------------------------------------- KEY TAKEAWAYS * What doulas do — and why every family can benefit from birth and postpartum support * Ana Rodney’s experience surviving a traumatic premature birth and raising a thriving child against overwhelming odds * The emotional labor and “repair work” involved in parenting with intention and compassion * Why “just” is one of the most harmful words we use when talking to struggling parents * The realities of the Black maternal health crisis and why racial disparities in birth outcomes persist * The importance of giving Mothers grace — and recognizing their power -- Ana Rodney LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anarodney/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anarodney/] Doula Alliance of Maryland https://www.doulaallianceofmd.org/ [https://www.doulaallianceofmd.org/] More than 80% of pregnancy related deaths are preventable: https://www.cdc.gov/maternal-mortality/preventing-pregnancy-related-deaths/index.html [https://www.cdc.gov/maternal-mortality/preventing-pregnancy-related-deaths/index.html] Black maternal health outcomes: https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/features/maternal-mortality.html [https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/features/maternal-mortality.html] Learn more about Motherhood Advantage, recommend a future Mother-leader guest, or explore the podcast at Motherhood Advantage [https://www.motherhoodadvantage.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Follow along on Instagram: @motherhoodadvantage [https://www.instagram.com/motherhoodadvantage/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] For the complete Intuitionship research results and a free copy of the report, visit Intuitionship Research [https://intuitionship.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] You can also connect with Dr. Laura Marie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-marie-rivera-intuitionship/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-marie-rivera-intuitionship/]

Threads That Connect Us with Laura Nespoli

In this deeply reflective and inspiring episode of Motherhood Advantage, Dr. Laura Marie Rivera sits down with storyteller, strategist, and founder Laura Nespoli for a conversation about Motherhood, identity, transformation, and the power of story. Laura shares the personal journey behind her debut book, Threads of Me and You, exploring how Motherhood and self-discovery led to transformation in her life. Together, Dr Laura Marie and Laura Nespoli discuss caregiving, learning to Mother ourselves,  breaking generational patterns, and what it means to become the protagonist of your own story. The conversation also explores the intersection of Motherhood and leadership — from raising courageous daughters and navigating work-life integration to building purpose-driven communities rooted in care and growth. The author reflects on her emotional transformation journey, lessons she’s learned from her children, and why meaningful change often begins with one small decision at a time. This episode is a thoughtful and hopeful exploration of what happens when Mothers allow themselves to grow beyond limitation, embrace complexity, and weave together all the threads of who they are. Key Takeaways * Why motherhood can be understood as both caregiving and long-term community leadership * The difference between patriarchal leadership models and matriarchal approaches rooted in care and connection * How storytelling can help people process transformation, identity, and personal growth * The role of creativity, art, and shared storytelling in building connection and community * The power of small daily choices in creating lasting personal transformation * Why being “worthy of being the protagonist” in your own life matters Links Threads of Me and You is sold at major book retailers: Threads of Me and You [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/threads-of-me-and-you-laura-nespoli/1149549979] Contact Laura Nespoli and learn more about her work at Meshin Movement [https://www.meshinmovement.com/about] Continue the conversation:   Learn more about Motherhood Advantage, recommend a future Mother-leader guest, or explore the podcast at Motherhood Advantage [https://www.motherhoodadvantage.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Follow along on Instagram: @motherhoodadvantage [https://www.instagram.com/motherhoodadvantage/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] For the complete Intuitionship research results and a free copy of the report, visit Intuitionship Research [https://intuitionship.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] You can also connect with Dr. Laura Marie on LinkedIn for research updates, podcast conversations, and reflections on Motherhood and leadership. https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-marie-rivera-intuitionship/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-marie-rivera-intuitionship/]

From Me to We: Motherhood as Transformation with Rebecca Hogan

This episode explores the profound transformation of Matrescence — the physical, emotional, psychological, and identity shift that happens when women become Mothers — and why so few people are talking about it. Rebecca Hogan, author of Me to We, shares how Motherhood reshaped her understanding of success, work, leadership, and self-worth, and how becoming a Mother ultimately led her to coaching, writing, and a more intentional life. Together, we unpack the hidden emotional labor of caregiving, the impossible standards placed on Mothers, and the powerful leadership skills developed through raising children. Rebecca reflects on leaving corporate life, navigating fertility struggles, redefining ambition, and learning how to advocate for both herself and her daughter. From emotional regulation and nervous system awareness to perfectionism, burnout, and identity loss, this conversation offers an honest and deeply validating look at the transition into Motherhood — and the growth that can come from it. Rebecca also shares the inspiration behind her book Me to We, why she believes Mothers need language and support for the experience of Matrescence, and how slowing down helped her become both a better parent and a better leader. KEY TAKEAWAYS * What Matrescence really means — and why every Mother should know the term * Why Motherhood often triggers a major identity shift * The hidden leadership skills developed through caregiving * How emotional regulation and advocacy become essential parenting tools * The connection between burnout, perfectionism, and modern Motherhood * How redefining success can lead to a more fulfilling life and career Find Rebecca Hogan at https://www.rebeccahogancoaching.com/ [https://www.rebeccahogancoaching.com/] Continue the conversation:   Learn more about Motherhood Advantage, recommend a future Mother-leader guest, or explore the podcast at Motherhood Advantage [https://www.motherhoodadvantage.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Follow along on Instagram: @motherhoodadvantage [https://www.instagram.com/motherhoodadvantage/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] For the complete Intuitionship research results and a free copy of the report, visit Intuitionship Research [https://intuitionship.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] You can also connect with Dr. Laura Marie on LinkedIn for research updates, podcast conversations, and reflections on Motherhood and leadership. https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-marie-rivera-intuitionship/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-marie-rivera-intuitionship/]

Mothers and the Ambition Penalty with Stefanie O'Connell

Most women are told that if they work hard enough, speak confidently enough, and lean in strategically enough, success will follow. But what if the barriers women face—especially Mothers—aren’t personal obstacles to overcome, but systemic penalties deeply embedded in our workplaces and culture? Stefanie O'Connell, author of The Ambition Penalty, unpacks the hidden costs women continue to pay for ambition. Together, we explore how cultural narratives around Motherhood, caregiving, leadership, and success shape everything from pay equity to promotion opportunities—and why progress for women and Mothers remains frustratingly slow despite decades of advancement. Stefanie shares insights from her own experience navigating postpartum life while launching a major book during a period of increasing societal backlash toward women’s ambition. We discuss the persistent gender pay gap, the Motherhood penalty, and the double standards that reward ambition in men while often punishing it in women. From leadership perceptions to caregiving expectations, this conversation reveals how bias becomes normalized in both subtle and structural ways. Grounded in research, storytelling, and practical insight, this episode examines: * Why women remain underrepresented in leadership and overrepresented in unpaid caregiving * How assumptions about Motherhood continue to shape workplace inequities * The cultural narratives that frame women’s ambition as threatening rather than valuable * Why individual resilience alone cannot solve systemic inequality * What collective, structural change could actually look like This powerful conversation is both validating and galvanizing—a reminder that women are not failing the system; the system is failing women. It’s an invitation to rethink how we define ambition, leadership, and success, and to imagine workplaces and communities that genuinely support both caregiving and achievement. Whether you are a Mother, leader, advocate, employer, or someone navigating your own ambitions, this episode offers powerful language, research, and perspective for understanding the forces shaping women’s experiences today—and how we can begin changing them together. -- Learn more about Stefanie O'Connell at Too Ambitious [https://tooambitious.com/] Follow Stefanie on Instagram: @stefanieoconnell [https://www.instagram.com/stefanieoconnell/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Continue the conversation:   Learn more about Motherhood Advantage, recommend a future Mother-leader guest, or explore the podcast at Motherhood Advantage [https://www.motherhoodadvantage.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Follow along on Instagram: @motherhoodadvantage [https://www.instagram.com/motherhoodadvantage/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] For the complete Intuitionship research results and a free copy of the report, visit Intuitionship Research [https://intuitionship.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] You can also connect with Dr. Laura Marie on LinkedIn for research updates, podcast conversations, and reflections on Motherhood and leadership. https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-marie-rivera-intuitionship/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-marie-rivera-intuitionship/]

Why Motherhood Belongs in Leadership Theory with Dr. Carolyn Burroughs

Motherhood is one of the most powerful and underrecognized leadership experiences on the planet—where resilience, intuition, and strategy are practiced daily in real time, often without ever being named. In this opening episode of Season 2, we continue our conversation with Dr. Carolyn Burroughs and go deeper into the emerging Intuitionship research, revealing how the lived experience of Motherhood develops powerful, often overlooked leadership capabilities. Together, we explore how managing the complexity of home life mirrors leading an organization—demanding resilience, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and rapid problem-solving. From reading nonverbal cues with children to thinking three steps ahead in constantly shifting environments, Mothers are practicing leadership in real time, every day. Drawing on research with nearly 1,000 Mothers across the globe, Carolyn shares key insights into the leadership traits most commonly developed through motherhood—empathy, adaptability, conflict navigation, and systems-level thinking. Yet these competencies remain largely absent from traditional leadership frameworks, which have historically excluded the maternal experience from definitions of “effective leadership.” This episode challenges that gap head-on. It invites HR leaders, career Mothers, and anyone interested in leadership development to reconsider where leadership actually begins—and what we lose when we overlook caregiving as a training ground for high-impact skills. Links and References: https://intuitionship.com/ [https://intuitionship.com/] Find Dr. Carolyn Burroughs at LinkedIn Carolyn Burrough [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-burroughs-70220218/] Find Dr. Laura Marie Rivera at LinkedIn Laura Marie Rivera [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-marie-rivera-intuitionship/] Download the full dissertation for FREE from ScholarWorks: Exploring Leadership Capabilities Developed as a Mother: Toward a New Theory of Mother-Leader Intuitionship [https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/eoll-dissertations/22/] Connect with us on social media Motherhood Advantage Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/motherhoodadvantage/]