The Also Mom Podcast

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Latest Episodes:

8: Monet Moutrie — Birth Photographer + Also Mom Aug 01, 2019

Monet Moutrie is a birth photographer based out of Denver, Colorado. In her infinite spare time (ha), she co-founded Birth Becomes Her, where she teaches the art and business of birth photography, spreading awareness and doing her part to normalize a variety of birth experiences. As if that weren’t enough, she’s also mom to three little girls—Lucy, Eliza, and Dorothy.

Show Notes: https://www.alsomom.com/monet

Episode Highlights

1:54 - How she got the apropos name "Monet" and the myriad ways it has served her.
6:04 - Why birth never gets boring to Monet. (Word!)
8:50 - Just like all of us, Monet does the juggle. Here's a little insight into what she chooses to prioritize.
18:15 - It's not just me, birth photography is exploding in popularity.
22:45 - Why our generation is into birth photography all of a sudden. (Hint: AUTHENTICITY.)
29:45 - Monet's advice around hiring a great birth photographer.
42:56 - How husbands feel about birth photography (and home birth, for that matter.)
46:40 - Dear ORs everywhere... give birth photographers access!
51:58 - Birth photography is a thing in the west, but not as much in other cultures.
56:27 - Monet's favorite resources for pregnant moms. (Surprise, it has nothing to do with pregnancy!)
59:47 - Monet's favorite baby gear for the first few years of parenthood. (Books!)

Linkable Mentions

Monet Nicole Photography - Monet's birth photography website.
@monetnicolebirths - Stunning birth photography by Monet.
@birthbecomesher - Stunning birth photography by a variety of talented artists.
@monetmoutrie - Monet's personal Instagram.
The Baby Dove Commercial - Best of luck not crying!
Cesarean Birth Photography - Just a small sampling of Monet's cesarean birth photography work. (It's so cool, right?)
The Cesarean Birthrate in Brazil - According to this NPR article, the cesarean birth rate is 80-90% at private clinics (woah) and 30-40% at public hospitals (also woah.)
The Birth Becomes Her Photographer Directory - Start here if you want to hire a great birth photographer.
Eva Rose Birth - The Norwegian birth photographer whose name eluded us. (She's hoping to do a trip around the world to document birth which would be SO cool.
The First 40 Days by Heng Ou- A beautiful book about nourishing oneself and allowing oneself to be nourished during the tender postpartum period.
The Birth Hour - A podcast by Bryn Huntpalmer that is really just an oral history of incredible birth stories.
Babywearing - Monet swears by her Solly for the early days and by her carrier for the days thereafter.
Babywearing International - Where moms who babywear meet up. Whether or not this is your thing, it's a great opportunity to try out different wraps, slings, and carriers before buying!
Unruffled by Janet Lansbury - The only parenting podcast you'll likely need.
No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame by Janet Lansbury - A toddler parenting bible.
The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson - You might learn something about yourself too.
No Drama Discipline by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson - Similar to No Bad Kids but with pictures.

7: Erin Boyle — Founder of Reading My Tea Leaves + Also Mom Jun 20, 2019

Erin Boyle is the founder of Reading My Tea Leaves, a blog where Erin writes about slow, simple living in a big city. She is also mom to Faye, who just turned five, and Silas, who’s two and a half.

If you live for carefully chosen things and thoughtfully considered words... and if clutter hurts your soul, then you’re going to love Erin Boyle. Side benefit: This episode is probably going to inspire you to finish your most recent Konmari-ing attempt.

Show Notes: https://www.alsomom.com/erin

Episode Highlights

2:05 - The story of how the birth of Erin's first child inspired her to do her own thing and start blogging full time.
4:38 - For those of you who wonder like I do, this is what it actually means to blog on a full time basis.
11:40 - Why Erin's reticent to be too prescriptive about how to do anything.
17:00 - Why parenting forums aren't Erin's speed.
19:24 - On listening to one's gut and why Erin doesn't consider herself an anxious parent.
26:22 - How becoming an aunt before becoming a mother prepared her for her first.
28:10 - How minimalism came into Erin's world. ("Oh there are words to describe what I was already doing?")
34:10 - Why Erin loves having little kids in a small space. For real.
36:55 - How Erin curates what makes it into her home and what doesn't.
44:07 - Erin's number one piece of advice: JUST START WITH LESS.
50:20 - Despite living a life of less... these are thing things Erin loved during the baby stages.
51:54 - Why buying a double stroller felt somehow counter to her values, but turned out to be exactly in line with her needs (and therefore, values).

Linkable Mentions

Reading My Tea Leaves - Erin's blog, where she celebrates a practical and purposeful approach to simple and sustainable living. (I love her weekly newsletter, Tea Notes, and I genuinely look forward to receiving it each week.)
Sleep with Two Kids in One Room - Erin's blog post on the subject.
Simple Matters - Erin's gorgeous book on simple living. (Think Marie Kondo minus the strange sock folding thing.)
"The Perfect Mother" SNL Skit - Okay, the bare ass bit was hilarious, but the general tone of this was a bit too "Scary Mommy" for me personally. What did you think?
Simple Birthday Parties - Erin's blog post on throwing birthday parties with less junk and more of the stuff the kids actually enjoy, like free play and fairies.
Bill Nye - "The planet is on fucking fire."
Buy Nothing Project - Do you have a buy nothing group in your area? (Read Erin's post about finally joining in.)
Manual Breast Pump - A game changer for Erin.
Umbrella Stroller - Because sometimes you don't need a behemoth stroller.
Double Stroller - Because sometimes you do need a behemoth stroller.
@readtealeaves - Where you can find Erin (and her simple space and her wonderful family) on Instagram.

6: Dana Pollack — Founder & CEO of Dana's Bakery + Also Mom May 30, 2019

I love hearing stories of moms making entrepreneurship work for them, and Dana’s is a great one. If you have that side hustle bug (or even if you don’t) I have a feeling you’re going to love Dana and what she has to say.

Dana is the founder and CEO of Dana's Bakery, a direct to consumer bakery specializing in French macarons with an American twist, and also mom to Leni, who's almost three, and another baby girl due later this summer.

In this conversation, we talk about motherhood, entrepreneurship, and some of the little life stuff in between.

Show Notes:

https://www.alsomom.com/dana

Episode Highlights:

1:25 - Why Dana started Dana's Bakery, why entrepreneurship didn't scare her (she ain't afraid of no ghosts), and why the guys at her previous job joked that she was definitely going to be making creatine cupcakes.
9:25 - The shitstorm of all shitstorms. The worst thing that could’ve happened to Dana and her business... happened. While she was super pregnant. During the height of her season. She survived #thanksforasking.
12:13 - Running a business amidst becoming a mother is no joke. Dana tells the story of managing a photoshoot on her way home from the hospital with baby Leni in arms.
12:55 - How she’s planning to do things differently this time around.
16:30 - Dana's Bakery (Baby #1) meets Leni (Baby #2/Real Baby #1) and how motherhood has changed the way she works (and how the way she works has affected motherhood).
17:48 - Dana's outlook on being a woman in business. (And Megan's too.)
25:03 - How parenthood factored (slash didn't factor at all) into the business plan (because Dana is way more go-with-the-flow than I could ever be.)
26:06 - How she and Adam co-parent like champions (with the help of a great nanny).
29:05 - Sisters!! A bit about Dana's sister, and why Dana is so excited to be the mother of sisters.
30:49 - What Dana's excited to do differently this time around. (Ditching anxiety is high on the list.)
33:18 - The curse of a great first born (a.k.a. hopes and prayers the second born is as easy). Chill parents; chill baby.
41:56 - Dana's favorite baby gear. (Megan's too.)
47:47 - Dana's advice for new moms.

Linkable Mentions:

Dana's Bakery - Where you can get yourself some American-style macarons right immédiatemment.
@danaloia - Where you can follow Dana personally.
@danasbakery - Where you can follow Dana's Bakery. Try not to drool all over your phone.
Zara - If you're not already shopping here for your kids' clothes, who even are you?
H&M - Similar story as above but with slightly less judgement.
Mustela - Dana's favorite baby bath products.
Curly hair shampoo
Water Wipes - Dana's fave because they smell like nothing. We approve.
Aden + Anais Swaddles - Dana's choice for baby burrito-ing. We're a fan too.
Velcro Swaddles - Megan votes yes on these because they're way easier than burrito-ing.
BabyBjorn Bouncy Chair - A lifesaver for baby #2.
GroVia All in One Cloth Diapers - Cloth diapers used to be weird. Now they're stupid easy. These are the best.
BabyBjorn Carrier - Dana's go-to for the witching hour.
Solly Baby Wrap - Megan's go-to for the fourth trimester. (Would it even be an Also Mom podcast without a totally unsponsored Solly plug?)

5: Hannah Straughan — Doctor, Content Creator + Also Mom May 20, 2019

If you don't know Hannah yet, you’re going to want to. She’s a photographer, a content creator, a seeker of beautiful things. A knitter, a calligrapher, a surfer, a skier, a freaking medical doctor, and, of course, she’s also mom to two little boys, Oscar and Wilf.

Basically she's a quintessential also mom. I say that partially because she has this awesome, multi-layered identity that I admire big time, but mostly I say that because her approach to doing everything she does—which is A LOT by the way—is positively enlightened.

We talk about how and why she used her long British maternity leave to re-engage with her creative side, how that helped ground and recenter her as she redefined her new postpartum identity, and her thoughts on Instagram in general, which I personally find to be quite refreshing.

Show Notes:

https://www.alsomom.com/hannah

Episode Highlights:

1:52 - Hannah discusses why she didn't originally tell her followers she's a freaking medical doctor in addition to all the beautiful, artsy, crafty, clever things she shares on Instagram
4:30 - British maternity leave > American maternity leave
8:10 - I embarrass Hannah by rightly calling her a Renaissance woman, and she reveals more about her personality type.
12:35 - Hannah's tips for becoming a better photographer.
14:33 - Hannah's thoughts on Instagram cliches and Instagram vs. reality.
20:47 - Hannah shares details about the ugliest space in her home right now. (We all have one!)
29:00 - Why Hannah feels more like herself and more recharged this year.
31:06 - Hannah shares her baby must haves, including a non-parenting book parenting book she's loving.

Linkable Mentions:

@hannah.straughan - Go follow her!
Call the Midwife - You've all seen this and are as obsessed with it as I am, right? (It's on Netflix.)
NHS - Short for the National Health Service, the U.K.'s version of universal healthcare.
@thisisjules - Hannah's BFF. (What do you know... her Instagram is gorgeous too!)
16 Personalities - Hannah is a Virtuoso and says it's spot on. I'm a Consul and agree but also disagree. What about you?
Lost in the Light Photography Course by James & Jo Melia - The photography course Hannah took most recently.
SnuzPod Co-Sleeper - This specific co-sleeper is a U.K. thing, but regardless of which you choose, Hannah votes yes on co-sleepers and no on beautiful, impractical Moses baskets.
Solly Baby Wrap - You don't say? Another Solly lover!?
Ring Sling - Hannah switch to a ring sling when her babies were a bit older.
Haakaa Pump - The most genius little breast pump ever.
The Danish Way of Parenting - The Danes do a lot of things right, parenting included.

4: Robin Plotnik — Content Creator (@whatrobineats) + Also Mom May 03, 2019

In addition to sharing beautiful, healthy recipes on Instagram, Robin is a nutritionist, a fitness aficionado, a former model, and also mom to 8 month old Poppy.

Talking with Robin felt like a breath of fresh air. She is a beautiful mother. I mean she’s literally beautiful… she was a former model, but mainly I mean figuratively. She is a woman who is soft and fiery all at once. Her fitness and modeling backgrounds have informed much of who she is these days, as a mother and otherwise, but in ways you might not expect. She has a refreshingly gentle take on mothering intuitively, on how she and her husband think about parenting together, and on how she thinks about her creative pursuits going forward.

Episode Highlights

1:34 - How and why Robin started "What Robin Eats" and how she's integrated motherhood (and Poppy) into her channel
4:54 - Mothering instinctually (and with a touch of Google).
9:10 - How the "one more rep" every evil/wonderful fitness instructor ever has employed helped Robin have an awesome labor and birth.
12:32 - How pregnancy shifted Robin's body image after years in the fitness and modeling industries.
15:33 - How staying scheduled gives both Robin and Poppy the structure to thrive.
21:34 - Why she's not on the gluten-free bandwagon.
24:31 - A slightly different (dare I say more "traditional" perspective on sharing the parenting load with her husband.
30:34 - Her absolute favorite baby products. (Spoiler: THE SOLLY WRAP!)
36:26 - Advice she wishes she wishes she could've given herself (and wishes she could've been able to hear!) as a new mom.

Linkable Mentions

@sollybaby - Where I discovered Robin.
@whatrobineats - Robin's Instagram channel, where she shares pretty pictures of toast among other things (like Poppy!)
Solly Baby Wrap - Where Poppy napped for the fourth trimester.
The Secrets of a Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg - For gentle baby wisdom.
Babybay Bedside Sleeper - Because walking across the room to nurse in your rocking chair is overrated.
Baby Merlin Magic Sleepsuit - Magic during the swaddle to sleep sack transition (for some babies).
YogaGlo (Glo) – Megan's go-to for at-home yoga. (Want me to send you a free class? Email me at megan@alsomom.com!)
Audible – Megan's go-to for audiobooks while folding endless laundry. Sign up for the free 30 day membership and receive two free audiobooks! Recent favorites include Becoming by Michelle Obama, Educated by Tara Westover, and Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.
Yoga Studio App - Robin's go-to for at-home Yoga.
What Robin Eats - Robin's blog with all the recipes and goodies.

Transcript: https://www.alsomom.com/robin

3: Nell Diamond — Founder & CEO of Hill House Home + Also Mom Apr 18, 2019

I love a good entrepreneur hero’s journey, and Nell’s is a solid one. She started her business with seemingly every advantage —she studied at Ivy League universities and her father was a Wall Street titan who probably whispered business wisdom to her in utero. She also has impeccable taste, a key component when starting a home style brand.

She had it all figured out until, unexpectedly, she found out she was pregnant two weeks after launching her business. And not only was she pregnant, she had hyperemesis and was sick the entire nine months.

Here, Nell and I talk about how she’s juggled motherhood and entrepreneurship, how she built a thriving business while simultaneously growing a thriving human, and what she’s sacrificed—both knowingly and unknowingly at the time—along the way.

Transcript:

https://www.alsomom.com/nell

Episode Highlights:

1:57 -Why Nell's style has gotten "even more aggressive and extra" since becoming a mom.
8:18 - Nell's entrepreneur hero's journey, a.k.a. finding out she was pregnant two weeks after launching Hill House Home. (Can you even imagine?)
10:40 - Never one to miss a great trend, Nell had hyperemesis and was throwing up her entire pregnancy just like the one and only Kate Middleton.
15:56 - Henry's birth story. (Surprise to no one: She went into labor at work.)
18:54 - On Nell's short maternity leave and why it made things hard for her.
19:59 - The trauma of being a NICU mom, and how devastating it was to leave the hospital without her baby.
25:24 - Nell talks about her experience with postpartum anxiety, including scheduling and going through with a full blown colonoscopy to assuage her worries.
28:36 - How she and her husband Teddy make parenthood work logistically (God love nannies and grandmas). makes this work logistically, nanny + camp grandma daytime care vs. nighttime care
32:08 - Why she loves parenting in NYC.
35:57 - Great books and trashy TV are her jam.

Linkable Mentions:

Hill House Home - The très chic NYC bedding and bath company Nell founded and runs.
Doona Car Seat Stroller - Perfect for crowded NYC streets, says Nell. (Alicia's obsessed too.)
How Toddlers Thrive by Dr. Tovah Klein - A great read for toddler parents and newborn parents alike!
@nelliediamond - Where you can follow Nell and Nell's over-the-top outfits and get a kick out of her general wit and wisdom. (Oh, and Henry's on there a lot too.)
@hillhousehome - For dreamy bedtime inspiration.

2: Alicia Sacramone Quinn — Olympic Gymnast + Also Mom Apr 09, 2019

Alicia Quinn—who you likely know by her self-described alter ego, Alicia Sacramone—was the team captain for Team USA’s gymnastics team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, where she helped the team earn a silver medal. These days, in addition to coaching gymnastics here and there, broadcasting for the SEC Network, and keeping fit with the help of her side project “The Gympire,” Alicia is also mom to Sloan, who’s 2.5 and Teagan, who’s 8 months.

Here, we talk about how Alicia decided it was time to move on from gymnastics and onto quote unquote real life, how pregnancy positively affected Alicia’s body image and self-esteem, how to be gentle on yourself as you try to stay fit as a mother, and some of the things Alicia wish she knew before she was thrown into the thick of things.

Transcript:

https://www.alsomom.com/aliciasacramonequinn

Episode Highlights:

4:30 - The story of Alicia's comeback to elite gymnastics in 2010
10:35 - Alicia thinks she "could've worked harder" before the 2008 Olympic Games (and I tell her that sounds like motherhood talking)
11:55 - How her training as an elite gymnast has helped her in these early years of motherhood
14:50 - Body image! Pregnancy, postpartum, and the gymnastics body image warp for baby #1 and baby #2
18:57 - A tiny snippet of Alicia's birth story with Sloan
20:53 - Alicia's experience with surgery as an elite gymnast and how it prepared her for the challenges of recovering from a cesarean birth
24:15 - How she makes time for workouts, or more accurately, how she's changed her definition of what counts as a workout these days
30:20 - Alicia's top four product recommendations for new moms
32:04 - A shared mutual hatred for laundry (you too?)

Links Mentioned:

The Gympire - Alicia and former teammate Samantha Peszek's Instagram account full of fun ways to stay fit
BabyBjorn Carrier - The carrier Alicia wore Sloan in for treadmill walks.
UPPAbaby Vista Stroller - It's a worthy workout just pushing a kid or two in this thing.
Ollie Swaddle - One of Alicia's favorites (ours too!) for great sleep.
DockaTot - Another favorite for sleep.
Doona Car Seat / Stroller - Alicia's obsessed.
YogaGlo (Glo) - Megan's go-to for at-home yoga. (Want me to send you a free class? Email me at megan@alsomom.com!)
Audible - Megan's go-to for audiobooks while folding endless laundry. Sign up for the free 30 day membership and receive two free audiobooks! Recent favorites include Becoming by Michelle Obama, Educated by Tara Westover, and Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.
Blinkist - Alicia's go-to for SparkNotes-style summaries of non-fiction books she definitely doesn't have time to read.
@asaq3 - Where you can follow Alicia (and also find cute pictures of Sloan and Teagan)

1: MacKenzie Miller Kozlowski — World Renowned Yogi + Also Mom Apr 09, 2019

MacKenzie Miller Kozlowski (@mackenzieyoga) is a world renowned yoga teacher and also mom to 1.5-year-old Adler. She shares about how she’s transformed since becoming a mother, how meditation has helped her process her grief after miscarriage, and why she’s so inspired to support mothers with the platform she originally created to share great pictures of fancy backbends.

Transcript:

https://www.alsomom.com/mackenzie

Highlights:

2:51 - MacKenzie talks openly about her recent miscarriage, how she's doing, and what it's been like since
7:02 - How meditation and mindfulness have helped MacKenzie process her grief
10:53 - Why MacKenzie despises the phrase "get your body back" and how she thinks about postpartum body image
12:33 - How pregnancy gave MacKenzie a newfound respect for her stomach
21:36 - How miscarriage and a complicated birth history has made it difficult to plan for her professional future
24:34 - Why MacKenzie believes cesarean birth is natural birth
33:13 - MacKenzie discusses why she likes science and also why she likes more holistic approaches too
38:59 - On making decisions based on what feels right in your heart
42:11 - Sleep training, and why MacKenzie swears by it (even though she never thought she would)

Links Mentioned:

1 Giant Mind - MacKenzie's mindfulness and meditation tool.
East African Belly Birth - This is the post I saw about the topic, and this is the source from 1879.
Not Broken - A book on miscarriage and recurring pregnancy loss that beautifully marries eastern and western medicinal practices.
Taking Cara Babies - MacKenzie's favorite baby sleep resource, and the methodology she and Mike used to help Adler learn to sleep through the night.
Ergobaby Carrier - MacKenzie's go-to for outdoor adventures big and small.
@mackenzieyoga - Where you can follow MacKenzie and her adventures.
AloMoves - You can find some great free yoga classes taught by MacKenzie on AloMove's YouTube channel.

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