Mom Brain

Latest Episodes:

Talking Women's Birth Rights With Sara Ojjeh Jan 01, 2020

Show notes

Sara Ojjeh wants you to have the birth you want to have. She's a trained birth doula, birth rights activist, philanthropist and mom of three young boys. After supporting her sister-in-law during her labor, Sara got the idea to go all in and become a doula. She has also become an activist focusing on women's birth rights here in the US. Sara is a producer for the upcoming documentary film "Born Free," which tackles maternal mortality in the U.S.

In this episode, Sara discusses how it's the right of every woman to choose how she wants to deliver her baby, but in the U.S. it is not that simple. Many women face an uphill battle if they want something other than what insurance covers (or God forbid, they don't have insurance). Her documentary “Born Free” sheds light on some eye opening facts – like how in the U.S., the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 births between 1995 and 2015 has risen by 30% – or that black mothers in the U.S. are 4 times more likely to die of childbirth complications than white mothers.

Together with Hilaria and Daphne, they discuss Sara's choice of home birth and what it's like to give birth to twins. Plus, they talk about maternity mortality rates and how the U.S. can do better when it comes to how we treat mothers in labor. A great resource for expectant moms to be informed is childbirthconnections.org.

Favorite Things:

Hilaria: Orgain Organic Protein Powder

Daphne: Tangle Teezer

Sara: iPhone Bedtime Setting

Email us with your questions at mombrainpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram, just search for @MomBrain. We answer a lot of your questions on there! Check out videos of our episodes on our new YouTube channel!

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You Asked We Answered - Mom Mail #6 (How Do I Spice Up My Marriage After Having Kids???) Dec 25, 2019

Show notes

The Mom Brain email is overflowing, and that means it's time for another episode of Mom Mail. We answer all the questions on the minds of our Mom Brain tribe. Hilaria and Daphne delve into all kinds of topics, including postpartum fitness, organization, sex and romance in the aftermath of babies. There's a lot to go over, and we've got you covered!

Topics Covered:

Getting fit post labor
Where to store all those photos of the kids on your phone
Baby proofing the house
Organizing the chaos of toys
Keeping romance alive after having kids

Products Mentioned:

Keep those emails coming to mombrainpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram, just search for @MomBrain. We answer a lot of your questions on there! Check out videos of our episodes on our new YouTube channel!

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Teaching Our Kids Mindsight and Fostering Their Internal Compass With Dr. Dan Siegel Dec 18, 2019

Show notes

If you've listened to past episodes of Mom Brain there's one name that has come up many times by past guests, and that name is Dr. Dan Siegel. He is a Neuropsychiatrist, clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. He's also the NY Times best-selling author of countless parenting books, most notably The Whole-Brain Child. His new book The Power of Showing Up will be out on 1/7/20.

Dr. Siegel discusses the importance of present parenting and building valuable relationships with our kids. Also, how to help our children listen to their WHOLE body (gut, heart, mind and more) to develop "mindsight," and the "internal compass" that will help them through emotionally challenging periods of life. Plus, a scientific look at the importance of empathy, tenderness, and presence.

Favorite Things:

Dr. Siegel: GRATITUDE and taking the time every day to acknowledge what we are grateful for.

Hilaria: The documentary, America The Beautiful

Daphne : California Baby Eucalyptus Bath Drops for Kids

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We Learned All About The Sacred Feminine Arts And The Mystery Of The Jade Egg Dec 11, 2019

Show notes

This conversation is for the feminine collective. Get ready to hear all about the divine feminine energy in all women, because when Fausta Tamburino stops by the conversation is going to get real exciting. Fausta is a yoga teacher and acupuncturist who has a private practice in New York City. She has been immersed in wellness practices for over 30 years. She specializes in pelvic floor rehab through taoist jade egg practice.

Fausta tells Hilaria and Daphne about growing up rejecting the church then finding herself in yoga and the wellness sphere. She goes through her different processes with clients and how the jade egg practice received criticism. It's a conversation about wellness, spirituality, sensuality, and orgasms. Enjoy!

Favorite Things:

Hilaria: Mutha Body Butter

Daphne: Lilys Chocolate Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup

Fausta: Mixing Heritage Store Rosewater with Rose Essential Oil from Original Swiss Aromatics

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Surviving Breast Cancer With Gretta Monahan Dec 04, 2019

Show notes

Gretta Monahan is the Founder and CEO of Gretta Enterprises, an award winning beauty, spa, and fashion brand. You've likely seen her as the lifestyle expert on shows like The View and The Rachel Ray Show. She's also the superstar mom to Kai and Rio. She has an MBA from Harvard Business School, but nothing could prepare her for the emotional experience of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

In this very special episode, Gretta walks Daphne and Hilaria through her journey that starts with a cancer scare 5 years ago while undergoing in vitro fertilization, then to her yearly mammogram last spring where her cancer was discovered. She eloquently discusses the complex issues of going through IVF while knowing she was at risk. She talks in detail about her journey from diagnosis to treatment, and breast reconstruction. She completed her 12th and final round of chemotherapy the day before this recording and is a proud survivor! Listen to this episode without distraction. Take Gretta's advice, stay vigilant, and be the boss of your own body.

Favorite Things:

Hilaria: Beachwaver Curling Iron

Daphne: YETI Rambler Mug

Gretta: Toga Boots

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The Story Of How Sutton Foster's Daughter Found HER Nov 27, 2019

Show notes

Sutton Foster is a Tony Award-winning actress, singer, and dancer and yet she says the hardest thing she's ever done is getting her 2 and a half year-old daughter ready for school on time. Sounds like a perfect Mom Brain guest! Sutton has performed in 11 shows on Broadway, has won 2 Tony’s and is the star of the TV Land show, Younger. She has 3 albums out, most recently 2018’s “Take Me To The World”. More importantly, she is the mother of her 2 year-old daughter, Emily Dale Griffin.

Sutton opens up to Hilaria and Daphne about deciding to be a mom later in life and the challenges she had conceiving. Plus, her difficult experience with IVF, which ultimately led to the decision to adopt. It's an emotional rollercoaster of a conversation that ends with a fun game of "How Well Do You Know Your Kid?"

Favorite Things:

Hilaria: Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

Daphne: Quinton Isotonic Dietary Supplement

Sutton: Her childhood pillowcase

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Guiding Our Kids From Lizard Brain To Wizard Brain With Dr. Aliza Pressman Nov 20, 2019

Show notes

Here's another episode of Mom Brain chock full of practical advice, so break out your notepad. Aliza Pressman, M.A., Ph.D. is a developmental psychologist certified in parent management training from the Yale Parenting Center, and a mother of 2 daughters. Among her many accolades, she earned her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences with a fellowship at the National Center for Children and Families. She is also co-founder of SeedlingsGroup and co-founding director of the Mt. Sinai Parenting Center. Aliza helps parents, through science-based research, navigate the tricky aspects of raising kids. Be sure to check out her podcast "Raising Good Humans".

In this episode, Aliza talks with Hilaria and Daphne about the importance of moms finding groups where they feel comfortable, and where there is no judgment. Plus, she tackles issues like, how to address our children's irrational fears, whether or not we need to force our toddlers to apologize, making sure our kids accomplish important milestones without overreacting if they don't, and tons more!

Books mentioned by Dr. Pressman:

Dr. Dan Siegel: The Whole Brain Child and The Yes Brain

Dr. Marc Weissbluth: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

Brazelton Touch Points

Favorite Things:

Hilaria: Origami Paper

Daphne: Omy Signature Ultrawashable Felt Pens

Aliza: A Baby Sound Machine

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fostering Cosmic Inspiration In Our Kids With Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson Nov 13, 2019

Show notes

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist, head of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City, bestselling author, host of the television series 'Cosmos,' the podcast StarTalk Radio and father of two children. He's arguably one of the most famous scientists in the world. His new book is titled Letters from an Astrophysicist – and in it, he answers random questions about the universe from fans all over the globe.

Neil joins Hilaria and Daphne to discuss sparking curiosity and imagination in our kids. Together, they talk about how to guide children's interests into math and science and how encouraging children to find answers on their own is much more enriching than giving them those answers. They also dive into how questioning the world around us is natural and that children already have an innate interest in science – but it's up to us as parents not to stifle that interest.

Favorite Things:

Hilaria: Sonix Phone Case

Daphne: The Game Changers film

Neil: (favorite foods) Pepperoni Pizza from Joe's Pizza and Carnation Malted Milk

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Supermom To 6 Kids By Day, Dateline Correspondent By Night - It's Andrea Canning!!! Nov 06, 2019

Show notes

We finally found a mom with more kids than Hilaria and Daphne! Andrea Canning is a mom of six. That should be enough of an introduction, but she is also a Dateline correspondent at NBC, screenwriter for Hallmark and Lifetime movies, and wife of US Marine Lt. Col. Tony Bancroft. Born in Ontario, Canada, she became an ABC News correspondent covering the White House and the Iraq War. She also contributes to NBC's Today, NBC Nightly News, and MSNBC.

Andrea tells Hilaria and Daphne how she juggles her hard-hitting career while raising 6 kids. She discusses how a cold email got her a gig writing movies for Lifetime and Hallmark, and how working for Dateline has shaped aspects of her parenting. You'll hear about her experience with in vitro fertilization which resulted in her 6th kid and first son. She brought along three of her daughters who participated in our Mom Brain game, "Name your kid's candy!"

Favorite Things:

Hilaria: Donna Salyers' Fabulous-Furs

Daphne: Bada Bean Bada Boom Snacks

Andrea: Bubblebum Booster Seat

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The Fantastic Fashion Adventures of Eva Chen Oct 30, 2019

Show notes

Eva Chen is a mother of two and has the coolest day job, overseeing fashion as the Director of Fashion Partnerships at Instagram! Before that, she worked at Harper's Bazaar, Elle and Teen Vogue and was Lucky Magazine's youngest editor-in-chief who was handpicked by "The Devil Wears Prada" herself, Ana Wintour.

Inspired by her daughter's attempts at trying new things to figure out what she likes, Eva started writing the Adventures of Juno Valentine, a children's series in which the young Juno learns about her likes/dislikes through new experiences. Make sure to pick up Eva's latest book, Juno Valentine and the Fantastic Fashion Adventure.

Eva talks about her various career paths and the lessons she's learned from her kids. Plus, being a present parent, her top travel and beauty advice, and how she pulls off those signature IG selfies.

Favorite Things:

Hilaria: Marc Jacobs Eyeliner

Daphne: Dagne Dover Backpacks

Eva: Reusable Bamboo Makeup Remover and Reusable Paper Towels

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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