100: 100th Episode: Erica’s Husband Tells All with Frenel Djossa

Maternal sleep deprivation is very common for new moms. Night feedings, frequent baby wakeups, stress, and perinatal mental health concerns can all cause sleep disturbances that leave moms feeling frazzled, overwhelmed, and fatigued. I chatted with Dr. Shelby Harris, clinical psychologist and author of The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia, about maternal sleep. In a recent episode, Dr. Shelby discussed insomnia and why moms struggle to sleep. Today, she’s back to share tips to help break out of maternal sleep deprivation.Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3sEWLSF

Maternal sleep deprivation is very common. Even if baby sleeps, moms often find themselves battling insomnia–struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get good quality sleep. When you’re a new mom, it’s easy to become obsessed with sleep. Watching the clock, obsessing over wake windows, and worrying about when your baby will sleep through the night seem to be common mom pastimes. But the baby isn’t the only one who needs to sleep—moms do too. And we often have an uphill battle to face when it comes to sleep issues. Dr. Shelby Harris, clinical psychologist and author of The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia, joins me to discuss sleep difficulties for moms.(For the second part of our conversation, on tips to manage maternal sleep deprivation, catch our upcoming episode!)Show Notes: https://bit.ly/39T4beH

Being a mom is hard—harder than anybody bothers to tell you. We believe in an image of the perfect mother: nurturing, patient, and joyful. So why are so many modern moms battling inner rage? Minna Dubin, author of New York Times pieces “The Rage Mothers Don’t Talk About” and “‘I Am Going to Physically Explode’: Mom Rage in a Pandemic,” joins me to discuss the cultural and societal context of mom rage.Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3KoKdFe

Do you ever feel like you’re losing your identity in motherhood? If so, you aren’t alone. Motherhood can feel all-consuming—especially when you’re carrying beliefs around it that have been prescribed to you. Life coach Dr. Gertrude Lyons calls those beliefs The Mother Code—the wiring given to us from family, culture, and society. She joins me to share how to see the myths of the mother code, write our own code, define motherhood for ourselves, and use it as a vehicle for transformation. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3vcQmjk

We talk a lot about the invisible load of motherhood—the way that so much of the labour in the home falls to moms, even before a baby is born. But that load has an impact on our partners too—leaving them without a role, unsure how to bond with the new baby. It’s easy to think that nursing moms have to take on the role of feeding. In reality, non-nursing partners can help with breastfeeding too (beyond just bringing snacks and water)! “The Breastfeeding Father,” psychologist Eric Taylor, explains why all partners need to be empowered in the nursing process. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3uSkwZd

In honor of Black Maternal Health Week, I am happy to welcome women's mental health and reproductive psychiatry specialist Dr. Jennifer Adaeze Okwerekwu. Black moms face health struggles and discrimination in the medical system, and they also carry an additional invisible load specific to women of color. Dr. Jennifer shares valuable insight into the world of Black maternal health.Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3rjGfH4

Whining is potentially one of the worst sounds we hear as parents. For most of us, it almost feels painful—like fingernails on a chalkboard. In those moments, we don’t always navigate the situation the best way. So, how do we get kids to stop whining? To find the answer, I chatted with Joanna Faber and Julie King, authors of the bestselling book, How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen. In a recent episode, Joanna and Julie discussed navigating defiance. Today, they’re back to discuss how to talk when children start whining.Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3LN766u

Is co-sleeping right for your family? Is bedsharing the same as co-sleeping? What are the risk factors? Can you bedshare safely? Many families have questions about co-sleeping but aren’t sure where to find answers. In our previous episode with holistic sleep expert Lyndsey Hookway, we learned that infant sleep is nuanced. Today, Lyndsey is back for part 2, to talk about co-sleeping, bedsharing, and making an informed decision for your family.Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3NusWgx

Little kids can be masters of defiance. We ask them to put on their shoes or brush their teeth and chaos erupts. The more we try to force them to listen, the more they defy and rebel. So how do we get our kids to listen, especially in moments of defiance? I sat down with Julie King and Joanna Faber, authors of How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen, to find out more about their simple, but effective strategies for getting kids to comply. (For the second part of our conversation, how to navigate whining, catch our upcoming episode!)Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3qrYl9C

If there’s one hot topic in motherhood that can get everyone riled up in an instant, it’s sleep. We often try to measure our worth as moms in terms of baby sleep, feeling like failures when we simply can’t get it to work. Unfortunately, conversations about a holistic approach to baby sleep can easily devolve into extreme feelings on both sides. Paediatric Nurse and Holistic Sleep Coach Lyndsey Hookway brings a balanced viewpoint to this hot topic, offering a judgment-free look at infant sleep. (For the second part of my conversation with Lyndsey on sleep, be sure to catch our upcoming episode on co-sleeping!)Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3tgykM0