The Compassionate Motherhood Experience

Latoya Palmer-Addy speaks candidly about her struggles with pregnancy (a shortened cervix), the wide range of emotions she experienced through her son’s diagnosis on the autism spectrum, how she’s able to manage raising 3 boys, a full time job while running her own apparel company, and her contagious ambition for personal growth and success. Her motherhood journey is beyond inspirational and her attitude and perspective on parenting and life is admirable. Through Latoya’s apparel company, Opinionateed, she not only provides fashionable and high quality clothing for women, she also promotes gender equality and encourages women to stand up for and express themselves. She’s originally from Southern California, but now lives with her husband, E’sha, and three sons Jamaiis, Jahkaii, and Jaraiiah in Atlanta, Georgia.

As mothers, we often picture how we think our pregnancies and births are going to unfold. We even picture and imagine what our children will look like - what their smile will look like. But what happens when you’re told your baby is going to be born needing surgery to change that original smile? Amber vulnerably shares her journey in discovering, birthing, and caring for her son who was born with a unilateral cleft lip. We discuss the shock in finding out, the relief in holding and meeting him for the first time, and the conflicting feelings around changing his appearance. Amber also talks about two unexpected ER visits and what she expects in the future for her son. Her story is filled with strength, courage, and resilience. In addition to being a mother, Amber is a fourth grade teacher and Barre instructor. She lives in Escondido, California with her husband, two sons, and their pup.

With all the anxieties, stresses, and hormones at the end of pregnancy, during labor, and postpartum, it is unimaginable to add in a pandemic. Covid-19 has completely changed the pre and post natal experience for a mama. Krista, mother of 2, opens up and shares the vulnerabilities and real fears she faced during her experience having her daughter during quarantine. She talks about her prenatal and postpartum appointments, the environment at the hospital, and the isolating and lonely feeling of postpartum. During a time of excitement and joy, she discusses the additional emotions of fear, disappointment, and sadness. Despite all of this, seeing the strength and resilience Krista displays proves yet again the power and love of a mother is unparalleled.
Krista lives in Escondido, CA with her husband, Corey, 2-yr old son, Oliver, and one month old daughter, Piper. When she isn't working hard at her job at Illumina (illumina), you can find her crafting something beautiful or walking around her neighborhood with her family. She also has an adorable bulldog named Dozer who was her first baby before the "real" ones. ;-)

Carrying and birthing a child does not make you a mother. It’s the selfless love and care you give your child every single day. In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month and all the women who became mothers through adoption, I asked Lisa Lloyd, from Silicon Valley, to share her story of adopting her two daughters from an orphanage in Bangalore, India. Lisa dives into why she chose adoption and touches on both the struggles and beauty of what that journey can look like. She also explains how to support adoption whether you plan to adopt or not.

In Episode 7, Alexandra and I talk about similarities and differences in the birth, breastfeeding experience, and her overall mentality between each of her three children. We talk about “mom guilt” and the pressure to breastfeed in order to feel like a successful mother. She opens up about some of the difficulties as a full-time working mom and how having her husband as a stay-at-home dad works best for their family. Alexandra’s honesty and perspective about motherhood is refreshing and highly relatable.

Flow Belinsky lives in Escondido, California with her husband, Andrew and daughter, Eva. Her passions are writing, music and dancing. She is the founder of Mama, Get Real and also recently published a book about her personal experience with postpartum depression, anxiety, and addiction, called Postpartum: A Story of Unraveling and Becoming. In this episode, we talk about the raw truths of postpartum depression, anxiety, and addiction and how isolated women can feel as first time moms. Flow is open, vulnerable, and honest and discusses how she used mindful meditation along with other tools to better understand the wide range of complex emotions after having a baby.

Shiloh Reed, her husband Jared, and three kids, Jett, Harper and Luca live in Poway, California. She has her masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, but shifted to owning her own Lifestyle and Family Photography business seven years ago. In this episode, she opens up about balancing her own business, marriage, and three children. She also talks about the reality of mom guilt and how relying on the relationships with mom friends as the best form of medicine for the emotional highs and lows of motherhood.

Lisa Duenas and I dive into body image and how it not only affects us as women, but also as mothers. We talk about the impact that has on having a son versus having a daughter. Lisa also opens up about her personal journey with gestational diabetes and the way it’s shaping her view on health today. Lisa lives in Santa Clara, California with her husband Cal, son Makai, and daughter Kalani. She’s a real estate specialist, life hustler, and a positive force on social media.

Why are millennials having kids later in life? Jenn Smith and I dig deeper into the fears behind starting a family and why it may seem more difficult than past generations.

Jenn lives in Ojai, CA with her husband, Stan, and their dog, Cruz. They have been together for 7 years and plan on starting a family in the near future.

In this episode, I talk to Kim Richards. At the time of this episode, Kim has a 4 month old daughter and lives with her husband in Cardiff, CA. In her story, we talk about how she changed from from one medical group to another in the middle of her 2nd trimester and why she did that. Kim has a new outlook on birth plans and shares what she took away from the experience of delivering her daughter.

In this episode, I talk to one of my best friends, Lisa Sun, two days before going into labor. She lives in San Diego with her husband, Chung and their two dogs Bruno and Toby. We talk about her struggles and long journey with infertility, failed IUIs and eventual IVF success.