Elevating Motherhood

Cozy Earth Discount Code: LORIBETHPregnancy comes with no shortage of information, advice, opinions, and decisions. From what to eat and which prenatal vitamins to take, to choosing a birth provider, preparing for labor, and figuring out what life will look like when baby arrives, there is a lot to think about. But how much time do we actually spend preparing ourselves for pregnancy and motherhood, beyond checking things off the baby registry?Today, I'm joined by Nina Spears, founder of The Baby Chick and author of Positive Pregnancy: How to Prepare Your Mind, Body, and Partner. Nina is a gem, and I love the way she approaches this season of motherhood. Her years of experience supporting women through pregnancy and birth, combined with her own experiences as a mother, give her a unique perspective on what women really need as they prepare to welcome a baby.In her book, Nina offers an incredible amount of information without making pregnancy feel overwhelming or prescribingone particular way of doing things. Instead, she encourages women to become curious, pay attention to what's happening in their bodies, understand their options, and feel empowered to make informed decisions. In this episode, wetalk about preparing for birth, but also about preparing for the transition into motherhood, including the conversations couples need to have before baby arrives, expectations around parenting and household responsibilities, and howto nurture your relationship through such a significant life change.We also get into Nina's own birth experiences, the importance of feeling connected to your baby throughout pregnancy, and why preparing your mind and your partnership can be just asimportant as preparing your body. I especially love that this conversation reminds us that pregnancy preparation isn't simply about getting ready for a birth. It's about getting ready for a baby and an entirely new (& very exciting!)  season of family life.Elevating Motherhood Links: www.elevatingmotherhood.com@loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhoodPlease Visit Today's Sponsor: COZY EARTHIf you’re starting to think about Christmas gifts, I have one recommendation for you that comes from personal experience: Cozy Earth.We brought our Cozy Earth striped cotton sheets and Bubble Cuddle Blanket along on our big fall road trip, and they madeour motorhome feel like home. Honestly, this is hands down the coziest bedding I’ve ever used. The softness is incredible, and I really appreciate Cozy Earth’s commitment to quality. They’ve taken everyday essentials and made them feel special.I’m already looking forward to getting home and tossing that Bubble Cuddle Blanket on the couch. We’ll be putting upour Christmas tree soon, and I can picture it now: the Christmas lights twinkling, the house settling down for the evening, and everyone gravitating toward that blanket. I have a feeling it’ll become everyone’s favorite spot to snuggle up together on the couch.That’s what makes Cozy Earth such a good gift. You’re giving someone something they’ll genuinely enjoy using, night after night. It’s especially nice for the person who has everything or who wouldn’t normally splurge on something this luxurious for themselves.Their Black Friday sale is their best pricing of the year, with 35% off home and sleepwear using my code. Their holiday capsule also features best-selling products in new seasonal colors and prints, so if you have your eye on something festive, I’d shop sooner rather than later. Those holiday colors tend to go first.Cozy Earth also offers a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty, so you can feel confident giving it a try.Cozy Earth's biggest sale of the year ends December 3rd. Head to cozyearth.com and use code LORIBETH for 35% off home and sleepwear. That's cozyearth.com, code LORIBETH. And when they ask at checkout where you heard about them, let them know Elevating Motherhood sent you!

Buy Dr. Roseann’s Book: https://link.amazon/B01W27QhMNervous system regulation talk is everywhere right now, from mommy chats to social media. But what does it actually mean? What does regulation look like in our children, and how can we recognize when they’re dysregulated? More importantly, what do we do when our child’s behavior pushes us to the point where we’re struggling to regulate ourselves?My guest today is Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, author of The Dysregulated Kid, and we’re talking about how understanding the nervous system can change the way we approach parenting. I loved her book and I loved this conversation even more. We get into why regulation has to come before correction, how to stop personalizing our children’s behavior, and why learning to see behavior as communication can change the way we respond to the moments that challenge us most.We also talk about the patterns we unknowingly pass down through generations, the effects of screens and overstimulation, and how to help our children build the coping skills they need to navigate a world that isn’t slowing down for them. Dr. Roseann shares practical tools for recognizing what’s happening beneath the behavior, identifying root causes, and helping our children develop the skills to manage stress rather than simply avoid it.And here’s what I find so encouraging about this conversation: as we learn to understand our children’s nervous systems, we begin to understand our own. The very tools that help us guide our children toward regulation can help us become calmer, more intentional mothers, too. We have an opportunity not only to change the way we respond to our children today, but to change the patterns we pass down for generations to come. You can find The Dysregulated Kid, along with books from other guests who have been on the podcast, by clicking the link in the show notes. I’ve gathered them all in one place so you can explore the books behind these conversations and find your next great read.Elevating Motherhood Links: Website: https://www.elevatingmotherhood.comIG: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhoodEpisode edited & mixed by: Jordan Tallon

Today, I'm joined by Alex and Ashley Johnson, the husband and wife team behind Rustic Homestead Living. From their homestead here in North Idaho, they're raising five kids, homeschooling, and building a more self-sufficient life while sharing what they're learning along the way.We're talking about preparing our families for the unexpected, from natural disasters to job loss, and how practical skills, food storage, and everyday self-sufficiency can help us face life's uncertainties with confidence rather than panic.Alex and Ashley have a really practical approach to preparing your family through food storage, everyday skills, and self-sufficiency. And we’re also talking about something I think is especially important as parents: how we can prepare our kids without teaching them to panic, so that when something unexpected happens, they know what to do and can stay calm.Because preparedness isn't just about stocking supplies for an emergency. It's about building a home and a family that can meet the unexpected with resourcefulness, resilience, and confidence.And if you want to take some of the practical tips and suggestions from this conversation and put them to use in your own family, Alex and Ashley have created a preparedness binder that you’ll find here: https://rustichomesteadliving.comYou’ll also find a link to my book lists, which include many of the wonderful books written by authors who have joined me here on Elevating Motherhood.Alex & Ashley’s Links: IG: @rustichomesteadliving Elevating Motherhood Links: https://www.elevatingmotherhood.com IG: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhood

Buy Stasi's New Book: HereToday I’m talking with Stasi Eldredge about her beautiful new book, The Ladder of Love. And beautiful really is the word that kept coming to mind as I read it. There are so many visuals from her book that I've been carrying with me in my everydaylife ever since I read it.Stasi is a New York Times bestselling author, teacher, and speaker, and she is the co-founder of Wild at Heart Ministries with her husband, John Eldredge. Their ministry has helped so many people discover the heart of God.And that heart is woven throughout The Ladder of Love. Stasi has a remarkable way of taking something deeply theological and making it tangible and personal. In this book, she explores what it means to be known by God, delighted in by Him, shaped by Him, and secure in His love.And there is so much here for mothers. We talked about our bodies and the dignity of bearing the image of God. We talked about service, belonging, motherhood, children,identity, and what happens when we stop centering our lives around the self and instead sit at the feet of Jesus.There are so many ideas in this book that invite us to look at our lives differently, and I think that kind of perspective shift can change the way we walk through motherhood, especially as we model our faith walk for our children. So I’m really glad you’re here for this conversation with Stasi Eldredge.And if The Ladder of Love sounds like a book you’d like to read, you can find it through the link to my book list in the show notes. That list also includes many of the wonderful books written by authors who have joined me here on Elevating Motherhood.This episode was edited & mixed by: Jordan Tallon

Get Dr. Fay's Book HEREI am SO thrilled about today’s conversation!I have been a Love & Logic fan since 2002. That was over a decade before I had children of my own. I was nannying for a family who introduced me to Love & Logic, and I was fascinated by it. At the time, I was studying children’s literature and already had a degree in Communication for the Child, so I was deeply interested in the way adultscommunicate with children and how those interactions shape them.A lot of those early Love & Logic ideas stayed with me. I carried them into my own motherhood, and over the years I’ve referenced Love & Logic more times than I could possibly count.Although, I did eventually get myself into a little trouble with the moms in my life because I started shortening Love & Logic to “logical parenting.” And sometimes I would say that I was trying to “be logical” about something.Well. Apparently, that sounded an awful lot like I was calling everyone else illogical. There were some very offended moms in those conversations. Thankfully, it makes for a pretty funny story now.But all of that is why I was especially excited when I was invited to interview Dr. Charles Fay about his newest book, Raising Spiritually Strong Children. Because this isn’t just Love & Logic. It’s Love & Logic through the lens of faith, and I found so much in this book that made me stop, underline, and say, “Yes.”Dr. Fay talks about empathy, responsibility, fear, self-control, relationships, and the way our deepest beliefs shape the way we parent. But underneath all of it is this beautiful reminder that our goal isn’t simply to get our children to behave. We are raising people, and our relationships with them matter.One of the ideas that really stayed with me is this: “Systems are temporary. Relationships are everlasting.”And another is the reminder that we cannot perfectly model faith, wisdom, patience, or self-control for our children all the time. We are imperfect people. But we can keep practicing. We can repair. We can model what we want to see. And we can point our children toward a Godwhose love and grace are so much bigger than our own.I had such a rich conversation with Dr. Fay about what this looks like in everyday parenting, from setting limits and handing problems back to our children, to recognizing fear in our own parenting, letting go of perfection, and seeing our kids as capable.So I’m really glad you’re here, and I can’t wait for you to hear this conversation.And if you’d like to read Raising Spiritually Strong Children for yourself, you can find it through the link to my book list in the show notes. That list also includes many of the other wonderful books written by authors who have joined me here on Elevating Motherhood.Dr. Fay's Links: Book: https://link.amazon/B08kTiwIZ Website: www.loveandlogic.comIG: @love_and_logic_instituteElevating Motherhood Links: Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.comIG: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhoodEpisode edited & mixed by: Jordan Tallon

Get Double Delights HereWhat happens when you give two eight-year-old girls the responsibility of making breakfast for a family of twelve? Apparently, you get six years of baking experiments, a few kitchen disasters, homemade Pop-Tarts, and eventually, a cookbook!Today, I'm joined by identical twin sisters Evy and Nola Halberstadt, along with their mom, Abbie Halberstadt of M is for Mama, and two of my own daughters, Annalise and Alora, for a conversation about Evy and Nola’s new cookbook,  Double Delights: Breakfasts, Sweets, Savories, and Snacks for Budding Bakers.Evy and Nola started baking Saturday breakfasts for their big family when they were just eight years old. Now, at fourteen, they've spent six years learning the skills, mastering recipes, making mistakes, and creating some pretty incredible treats.And they've turned all that experience into a cookbook designed to help other young bakers learn to do the same.I especially love that this book isn't about keeping kids busy in the kitchen or limiting them to simple recipes. It's about giving them real opportunities to learn, practice, take responsibility, and discover what they're capable of.And I think there's something really special about hearing directly from young people who have done exactly that.And if you're looking for your next great read, be sure to click the link to my book list in the show notes. You'll find Double Delights along with books from so many of the wonderful authors who've joined me on Elevating Motherhood. Click the link. Get this book. Try the scones. They are seriously the best…they get rave reviews from my whole family.So grab your favorite cup of coffee, and join us for this fun conversation about baking, learning, and raising capable kids with Evy, Nola, Abbie, Annalise, and Alora.The Halberstadt Links:Book: https://link.amazon/B0bsjVxa8 Website: Website: https://misformama.net/double-delights IG: @m.is.for.mamaPodcast: M is for MamaElevating Motherhood Links: Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.comIG: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhood

Buy Dr. Amy’s Book Here: https://link.amazon/B0eewl1mt  What if understanding the way your child's brain works could completely change the way you approach their behavior, their struggles, and your relationship with them?Welcome back to Elevating Motherhood! Today, I'm continuing my two-part conversation with Dr. Amy Moore, and we're turning our attention to ADHD in children.Dr. Amy is a cognitive psychologist, clinical researcher, child development specialist, and parent educator with more than 30 years of experience working withneurodivergent children and their families. She's also the host of The Brainy Moms podcast, a TEDx speaker, a Christian counselor, and, as you'll hear throughout our conversation, a mom who brings both professional expertise and personal experience to the table. She's raising three grown sons and is both a mom with ADHD and an ADHD mom.In our last episode, Episode 209, Dr. Amy and I talked about ADHD in motherhood and what it can look like when we're navigating our own brains while raising ourchildren. If you haven't listened to that conversation yet, I encourage you to start there. It's a great foundation for understanding ADHD and will give you some helpful context as we explore what it looks like in our kids.Today, we're taking that baseline understanding the ADHD brain that Amy gave us in the last episode and we’re applying it to children—she walks us through navigating big emotions and challenging behaviors, and finding practical, grace-filled ways to support our kids as they grow and learn.Dr. Amy's new book, Hearts-On ADHD Parenting: Brain-Based, Grace-Filled Strategies for Raising Kids with Big Emotions and Challenging Behaviors, is coming out this fall, and this conversation is full of the kind of insight andencouragement I love bringing to you here on the podcast.Dr. Amy’s Links: Website: www.amymoorephd.com Podcast: www.thebrainymoms.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/thebrainymoms Book: https://link.amazon/B0eewl1mt   Elevating Motherhood Links:  Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.comInstagram: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhood This episode was edited & mixed by: Jordan Tallon

Buy Dr. Amy's ADHD Book: HereWhat if some of the things you’ve always struggled with as a mom aren’t character flaws, a lack of discipline, or evidence that you’re somehow falling short? What if understanding your brain could change the way you see yourself, care for your family, and approach motherhood?Today, I’m joined by Dr. Amy Moore for a conversation about ADHD in motherhood, and I’m so glad you’re here for this one.Dr. Amy is a cognitive psychologist, clinical researcher, childdevelopment specialist, and parent educator with more than 30 years of experience working with neurodivergent children and their families. She’s also the host of The Brainy Moms podcast, a TEDx speaker, and a Christian counselor. I had the pleasure of joining her on The Brainy Moms, and now I get to bring her incredible knowledge and experience to you.But what makes this conversation especially meaningful is that Dr. Amy is both a mom with ADHD and an ADHD mom. She understands firsthand the challenges of navigating motherhood while also helping children whose brains work differently.We talk about what ADHD can look like in mothers, how it affects our everyday lives and relationships, and how understanding the way our brains work can help us approach motherhood with greater confidence, compassion, and practical tools.And this is just the first part of our ADHD series! In thisconversation, we're focusing on ADHD in motherhood, and in the second episode, Dr. Amy and I turn our attention to ADHD in children and how we can better understand and support them. I really encourage you to listen to both, because I think there's so much value in understanding not only our own brains, but the brains of the children we're raising.Dr. Amy's new book, Hearts-On ADHD Parenting: Brain-Based, Grace-Filled Strategies for Raising Kids with Big Emotions and Challenging Behaviors is out in the world (link above!) and I cannot wait for you to hear from her. Thank you so much for joining me for this conversation with Dr. Amy Moore! I hope you walk away with a better understanding of yourself and a few new tools to bring intoyour motherhood.Be sure to join me for Episode 210, where Dr. Amy and I continue our ADHD series with a conversation about understanding ADHD in children and how we can better support the kids we love.Amy’s Links:Website: www.amymoorephd.com Podcast: www.thebrainymoms.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/thebrainymomsBook: https://link.amazon/B0eewl1mt  Elevating Motherhood Links: Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.comInstagram: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhoodThis episode was edited & mixed by: Jordan Tallon

Three years ago, I read a book that greatly influenced my mothering journey.It was RESET by Debra Fileta, and I loved it so much that I named it my favorite book of the year. So naturally, I invitedDebra onto the podcast. We recorded this conversation, I was excited to share it with you…and then my whole world got flipped upside down.And this episode stayed in the archives.For a while, I was a little embarrassed that I had let three years go by without releasing it. But I've also learned that God's timing is rarely mine, and I'm much more willing these days to trust that He knows what He's doing.So when I pulled this episode out recentlyand listened to it again, I was kind of blown away by how relevant it is. There are stories in this conversation that I remembered immediately, and there is so much wisdom here that doesn't have an expiration date.And then I looked up Debra to see what she's been up to these last few years, and I couldn't believe the timing. She just released a brand-new book this week.So if you've never heard of Debra Fileta before, I'm really excited that you're meeting her through this conversation.Debra is a faith-forward licensed professional counselor, bestselling author, speaker, podcast and nationally syndicated radio host, and the founder of the Debra Fileta Counselors Network, where faith and clinically-informed counseling come together to help people navigate their mental, emotional, and relational health.She's now the author of eight books, including True Love Dates, Are You Really OK?, Soul Care, RESET, and her newest book, Relationship Skills.I still 10/10 recommend RESET. It was such an important book for me when I read it, and I would also encourage you to go see what Debra is writing about now, because she has continued to do really thoughtful work around emotional and relational health.But today, we're going back to this conversation from three years ago.Debra and I talk about something I think moms especially need to hear: the importance of taking care of ourselves, notas an indulgence, but because when we aren't well, we can't function the way God intends us to.We talk about saying no as a way of prioritizing what matters, taking a ten-minute pause in the middle of a busy day, why our triggers can reveal places where we still need healing, and how our thoughts lead to our feelings and eventually become our words and behaviors.We discuss what happens when we get angry and frustrated with our children, underlying beliefs that can hold us back,cognitive distortions, burnout, and what it looks like to mother from a place of discipleship rather than anger.There are so many lines in this conversation that I could pull out, but one that has stayed with me is this:“The work of faith is not in the avoiding, it’s in the work of facing.”And maybe that's part of why this conversation needed to wait.Three years later, I hear some of these things differently. Maybe you will too.Debra’s Links:  Website: www.debrafileta.com IG: @debrafileta RESET Book: https://link.amazon/B0cc8tNCi Her Latest Book: https://link.amazon/B09OKcTQk   Elevating Motherhood Links:  Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.com IG: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhoodThis episode was edited & mixed by: Jordan Tallon

Teaching Textbooks Free Trial: HEREToday’s topic is a little bit different but I’m very excited to share this conversation I had with Danielle Zierkelbach because Danielle and I share a Hawaiʻi connection. I spent nearly 20 years on Maui, and Danielle lives on Oahu and is a professional surfer and three-time Hawaiʻi State Champion who grew up in the world of surfing.But this conversation isn’t really about surfing. It is…but it isn’t. Danielle became a mother while pursuing her athletic career and quickly realized that there was almost no roadmap for women trying to navigate motherhood and high-level sport. So instead of waiting for someone else to create what she needed, she built it herself.Danielle founded Imua Moms and created the first surf competition specifically honoring mothers, while also spending six years documenting her own journey through pregnancy, postpartum, and returning to the ocean.In this conversation, we talk about motherhood, ambition, faith, generational cycles, and what it looks like to follow anassignment from God when there really isn’t a roadmap for where you’re going.And as someone who loves talking with other moms from Hawaiʻi, I especially loved hearing Danielle’s perspective and getting a glimpse into her story.I think you’re going to find there’s a lot more here than surfing.Danielle’s Links:  Website: www.imuamoms.com Instagram: @imuamoms Lori Beth’s Links: Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.com Lori Beth’s IG: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhood  Please Visit Our Sponsors: www.elevatingmotherhood.com/sponsors  Teaching Textbooks Free Trial: https://www.teachingtextbooks.com/?cid=LORIBETH  We completely switched up the way we’re doing math in our homeschool this year…we are using Teaching Textbooks—and it has been a game changer. It has freed up so much time in our homeschool day, and honestly, it has helped me overcome some of my own insecurities as a homeschool mom when it comes to teaching math. My kids are learning at a much faster pace and our homeschool and my relationships with my kids are better for it. I love that my kids can work independently, get immediate feedback, and still have a highly effective math education without me feeling like I have to carry the entire weight of teaching everything. If you’re looking for a stress-free, effective math solution for your homeschool, I highly recommend trying Teaching Textbooks. They offer a free trial, and you can access that free trial using the link in the show notes.This episode was edited & mixed by: Jordan Tallon