Ep. 334 - Sharing the Mental Load

In the special segment "Dear Past Me," Shanna and Laura turn back time to give their former selves parenting advice based on what they know now, including wisdom about first-trimester morning sickness, toddler meltdowns and more. Also, Shanna's 5-year-old reaches a milestone that there's no turning back from, and Laura kids take a big leap in their room-sharing journey. Finally, the moms share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 5.5 and 8.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 5.5 years old and 3.5 years old. Topics discussed in this episode: -When to switch your child from a five-point harness to a booster seat in the car -Getting a bunk bed for your kids -Managing your kids sharing a room -Activities that trigger the memory of pregnancy nausea -Handling your child's inconsolable meltdowns -Developing trust with your child -Letting go of diet culture and appreciating your body -Whether or not to buy expensive outdoor toys for your kids -Weird places cats hide -Is my child tall enough to go on the Millennium Falcon ride at Disneyland? This episode's full show notes can be found here. Want to get in touch with Shanna and Laura? Send us an email and follow us on social! Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website! Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura and Shanna introduce a brand-new special segment in which they invite a fellow parent on to participate in a classic BFP segment of the guest's choice and share about what's going on in their parenting world! In this episode, Shanna and Laura chat with mom and writer Heather Sundell, who talks about her experience making a big life decision when she was 8 months pregnant. Also, Laura discusses her struggle to make time for her 3-year-old's school event during a very busy work week, and Shanna reports on hosting a kids' Halloween party at her house. Finally, the moms share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 5.5 and 8.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 5.5 years old and 3.5 years old. Topics discussed in this episode: -Halloween events and parties -Balancing work and parenting -Deciding whether to go back to school when you are a mom -Whether or not to cancel your child's extracurricular activity -Dia de los Muertos This episode's full show notes can be found here. Want to get in touch with Shanna and Laura? Send us an email and follow us on social! Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website! Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the special segment "What I Googled This Week," Shanna and Laura share the hilarious and embarrassing parenting-related questions they have asked the internet recently, diving into the topics of infant snot suckers, surprising swimming injuries, movie mysteries and more! Also, Shanna gives an update on the working-mom overwhelm she has been feeling recently, and Laura reports on a big change in her 3-year-old's bedtime routine. Finally, the moms share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 5.5 and 8.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 5.5 years old and 3.5 years old. Topics discussed in this episode: -Handling overwhelm when you are a mom -Sharing the mental load with your partner -Having trouble getting 3-year-old to go to bed -Should my kids share a bedroom? -Can AI help identify this movie my kid is talking about? -Weird injuries you get when you are older -Using a baby product on a cat -How to get rid of sandbox sand -Handling kids' bedtime with your partner -Fun board games to play with your kids This episode's full show notes can be found here. Want to get in touch with Shanna and Laura? Send us an email and follow us on social! Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website! Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the special segment "Mom Wins," Laura and Shanna celebrate their recent parenting successes, diving into the topics of solving bedtime dysregulation and creating fruitful family fun. Also, Laura reports on her family's deep dive into fall activities, including a trip to a truly unique pumpkin patch, and Shanna opens up about her struggle to manage transitioning back to working in the office while also juggling parenting responsibilities. Finally, the moms share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 5.5 and 8.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 5.5 years old and 3.5 years old. Topics discussed in this episode: -Taking your kids to the pumpkin patch -How much does it cost to rent a Millennium Falcon bounce house? -Struggling to manage being a working mom and handle the transition to returning to the office. -Celebrating your parenting successes -Growing your own pomegranates -Using a creative solution to solve your kids' dysregulation at bedtime -A TV show that's a great alternative to YouTube and TikTok for kids This episode's full show notes can be found here. Want to get in touch with Shanna and Laura? Send us an email and follow us on social! Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website! Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the special segment "Gripe Water," Shanna and Laura share the hilariously petty parenting problems that have been bothering them lately, diving into the topics of troublesome toys and sloppy surfaces. Also, Shanna talks about taking "drop-off playdates" to a whole new level, and Laura reports on managing work and parenting when a deadline is looming. Finally, the moms share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 5.5 and 8.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 5.5 years old and 3.5 years old. Topics discussed in this episode: -How to manage drop-off playdates -Should I let my child ride in someone else's car? -Laura and Gia's potty training book -Managing work and parenting simultaneously -Why are kids' toys so loud? -How to keep surfaces uncluttered when you have kids -Revamping your backyard to make it more kid-friendly -Instilling house rules about toys This episode's full show notes can be found here. Want to get in touch with Shanna and Laura? Send us an email and follow us on social! Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website! Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the special segment "Today I Learned," Laura and Shanna discuss the fascinating or unusual things they have learned recently, including a historical parenting choice that resonates today, a surprising weeklong break that some schools in the U.S. take and more. Also, Laura reports on leaving her kids for two nights for the first time ever, and Shanna talks about her 5-year-old's recent class presentation. Finally, the moms share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 5.5 and 8.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 5.5 years old and 3.5 years old. Topics discussed in this episode: -Going out of town without your kids for the first time -What will happen to my milk supply if I go out of town without my nursing child? -Is walking pneumonia going around? -Parenting when you and your partner are sick at the same time -Are cats affected by having kids in the home? -What is the history of baby leashes? -What is Ski Week at schools? -When toddlers become queens -Do I need to get my tonsils out? -Car seat buckle helper This episode's full show notes can be found here. Want to get in touch with Shanna and Laura? Send us an email and follow us on social! Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website! Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura and Shanna get in the Halloween spirit with a very spooky "Throwback" segment, in which Laura recounts unsettling moments from her childhood living in a haunted house. Also, Shanna reports on how the Halloween season disrupts her life, and Laura discusses the evolution of her 3-year-old's Halloween costume. Finally, they share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 5.5 and 8.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 5.5 years old and 3.5 years old. Topics discussed in this episode: -Halloween -Costume ideas for your kids -Celebrating Halloween with your kids -Growing up in a haunted house -Doing Halloween crafts with your kids -Seeing "The Wild Robot" movie with your kids This episode's full show notes can be found here. Want to get in touch with Shanna and Laura? Send us an email and follow us on social! Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website! Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the special segment "OMG I'm Freaking Out!" Shanna finds herself contemplating the apocalypse when she watches one of her kids' favorite shows, and Laura gets the willies when she imagines the upcoming phase in her kids' dental journey. Also, Laura reports on the spontaneous adventure she took with her 3-year-old, and Shanna reluctantly admits how she has backtracked on her resolve to simplify her family's life. Finally, they share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 5.5 and 8.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 5.5 years old and 3.5 years old. Topics discussed in this episode: -Going on spontaneous adventures with your kid -Visiting the National History Museum in Los Angeles -Should I sign my kids up for extracurricular activities? -Worrying about the apocalypse when you're a mom -The kids show Colossal Questions -Handling overwhelm when you are a mom -Ideas for getting your kid to take antibiotics when they hate the taste This episode's full show notes can be found here. Want to get in touch with Shanna and Laura? Send us an email and follow us on social! Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website! Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part two of "Checkin' the Inbox," Laura and Shanna answer more listener questions, diving into the topics of fertility tests, baby names, diet culture and more! Also, Shanna talks about her daughter's student council campaign, and Laura reports on her 5-year-old's latest writing achievement. Finally, they share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 5.5 and 8.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 5.5 years old and 3.5 years old. Topics discussed in this episode: -Helping your kid run for student council -When letters and writing click for your Kindergartener -How to handle social media when you are pregnant -Handling grief when you are a parent -Trying to conceive -Should I do fertility testing before trying to conceive This episode's full show notes can be found here. Want to get in touch with Shanna and Laura? Send us an email and follow us on social! Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website! Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the special segment "Checkin' the Inbox," Shanna and Laura answer listener questions about strategies for keeping your mom-life organized, handling nudity in front of your kids, discussing your child's development with strangers and more. Also, Laura talks about feeling overwhelmed by managing her parenting, work and home life, and Shanna discusses what happened when she said "yes" to her 5-year-old's surprising idea for a play date. Finally, they share their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 5.5 and 8.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 5.5 years old and 3.5 years old. Topics discussed in this episode: -Feeling overwhelmed as a mom -Juggling parenting, work and home life -Setting up fun play dates for your kids -What apps are good for organizing your mom-life -How do you talk to strangers about your child's development -When should you stop being naked in front of your kids -Identifying where you have confidence as a parent -The Moth story slam -Using cookie cutters to make kids' dinner fun This episode's full show notes can be found here. Want to get in touch with Shanna and Laura? Send us an email and follow us on social! Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website! Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices