Becoming Parents

After several miscarriages, we took the in vitro route.  Even before Gabriel was born, he was saddled with multiple disabilities (physical, mental, genetic), so I like to discuss the problems for parents in similar situations when navigating their attempts to secure assistance, services, or equipment for children in need.  It's my hope that our journey in this maze will help others as they begin their own. I am a retired college English instructor who continues with the occasional class. I have been busy publishing my own books over the past several years (four books of poetry, a collection of short stories, and several manuscripts currently under construction). FIND HIM HERE: https://www.mywriteronline.net/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

- I am a mom of two kids, ages 7 and 3 at the time of the podcast  - For me, one of the hardest parenting transitions was maintaining a sense of self as a working parent, and finding time for the things important to me.  Travel was always a big one.  - Before kids, travel was how I stayed grounded and inspired and connected to my dreams and life goals. It was how I reduced stress, and cleared my head.   - Traveling with kids can be harder, full of chaos -- but I learned it can do the same thing.   - After my youngest had surgery on his cleft lip at 8 months old, during COVID, we were exhausted.  We took an incredible family trip together and really reconnected, and came back with more energy and enthusiasm for life.  - After that trip, I decided to pivot from my career as a lawyer to launch a family travel company.   My goal is to encourage parents who value travel to keep taking those trips with kids -- and to help them do it  in a way THEY enjoy too.  It doesn't have to be all about the kids. It can be about mom and dad too and, in fact, planning trips with your OWN wants/needs/goals in mind can help the whole family have a better, more connected experience.  After being a lawyer in private practice for 15 years, I now run a family travel company.    My website is a resource for new parents looking for travel inspiration from someone who understands the unique challenges of traveling as new parents.    FIND HER HERE: www.mangotreetravel.com instagram.com/mango_tree_travel --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

SPECIAL RELEASE LOCAL EPISODE!  I am a homebirth midwife and mother to a 2.8 year old, Max! I completed my apprenticeship and began my primary practice in the middle of a global pandemic! I experienced pregnancy and postpartum in 2020-2021 while I was still actively in my homebirth apprenticeship and supporting doula clients.  I have held space for birth in many different settings since 2017 starting and a doula and I also specialize in perinatal pilates which I incorporate with my clients from preconception on.  My mission as a midwife and mother is to help families make educated and informed decisions around their choice in childbirth and parenting. I offer online childbirth courses and prenatal fitness programs. I also have a birth deck of cards that should be finished by the time of our podcast! FIND HER HERE: www.expectingwithemily.com Instagram.com/expectingwithemily --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

SPECIAL RELEASE LOCAL EPISODE!  I quit my career for Motherhood  13 yrs as an Architect to Stay at Home Mom Mom died before I knew I was pregnant the first time 6 yrs of severe Postpartum Depression  This Stay at Home Mom thing wasn’t for me! Lessons learned: all about Self-Care (no one is going to care for me except me). Feeling called to empower other moms to find their own self-care, all while discovering my own identity again. Oh the Mom Guilt!!! Realizing that I truly do GET to fill myself first so that I CAN be the Mom I always wanted to be.  Now with 2 teenage boys, they call me out when they notice I’m slacking on my self-care.  I have the BEST kids! I know everyone probably says that lol.  Known as Your Self-Care Concierge I help people take care of themselves on every level - physical, mental, emotional & spiritual - so they can do what they were put on the planet to do.  Bestselling author, international speaker & retreat host, and network marketing skeptic turned successful leader & professional. FIND HER HERE: Website URL:  www.YourSelfCareConcierge.com https://pamelazimmer.com   Facebook Personal URL: https://www.facebook.com/pamela.zimmer1 Facebook Biz URL:  https://www.facebook.com/SelfCareConcierge Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfcareisntselfish/ LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelazimmer1/ Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/pamelakzimmer/ YouTube URL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIojqABEKxPLFXADKiYpSgg/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

SPECIAL RELEASE LOCAL EPISODE!  Jamie Vaughn is a retired school teacher, bonus mom of 3 adult children, wife to her amazing husband, Farrell, dog-mom, and “Glamma” to 2 granddaughters.  Jamie is a recent breast cancer survivor, who is a fierce advocate for other breast cancer patients and survivors. Her journey has been an emotional struggle and still is, at times, in her survivorship, yet she does recognize all of the silver linings as well.  Aside from her mother’s death only 4 years ago, which was downright gut-wrenching, breast cancer has been a whole new level of trauma.  Jamie has shared her story through social media, podcasts, and news programs. She holds a lot of space for others too.  She has her own podcast called “Test Those Breasts!” where she holds important conversations with patients, survivors, caregivers, multiple types of therapists, and a myriad of medical providers, including surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, and nurses, in order to provide much-needed support.  On her podcast, she and guests discuss ALL things breast cancer, including the emotional toll, advocacy, treatment/surgical options, caregiving, and more. She started her podcast as a healing mechanism AND to help shorten the learning curve for the newly diagnosed, survivors, caregivers, and anyone else who is touched by breast cancer. Absolutely nothing is off-limits for me. I am an open book when it comes to my journey, including my initial response to my diagnosis, unexpected detours, disappointments, anger, fear, silver linings, etc.  In learning more about the Becoming Parents podcast, I have noticed that you focus a lot on how cancer affects us emotionally, which is so important. I always encourage others to walk into and honor their emotions (good, bad, ugly) in order to embrace the process of their own individual journeys. I can also speak to support, advocacy, 2nd opinions, my surgeries, etc. FIND HER HERE: (IG) https://www.instagram.com/test_those_breasts/ (Personal Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/JamieAllenVaughn (Private Test Those Breasts! Podcast Group) https://www.facebook.com/groups/305366625452942/?notif_id=1709323493333826&notif_t=group_invited_to_group&ref=notif (LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamieallenvaughn/ (TikTok) https://www.tiktok.com/@test.those.breasts My podcast is on Apple, Spotify, and most other platforms. Here is the Apple link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/test-those-breasts/id1691009242 https://open.spotify.com/show/5KFLrl47VUhywxhY36BjgQ?si=P2jcqqXFRcq7TdFct1judA --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

~Tough time getting pregnant due to an undiagnosed thyroid condition, Hashimotos.  ~Birth trauma (My daughter wasn't breathing when she was born so she was taken to the NICU immediately with my husband and I broke my tailbone during delivery, so recovering was unique/challenging in many ways)  ~Self-care after birth was non-existent and that's the way I thought it should be. Give everything to your child, nothing remains yours, that's what motherhood is.  ~After digging myself out of the darkness of postpartum depression I was determined to change the narrative on self-care for all mothers! ~I created The Great Days For Mom Method Program to empower moms to prioritize their own physical, mental & emotional health for just 2% of the day so that they can tame the chaos of motherhood, have more energy and ultimately experience more joy, resulting in MORE GREAT DAYS!  I am an experienced personal trainer, yoga instructor, CEO & business owner, but most importantly, a mother. Becoming a mother was a dream come true and a nightmare realized all at the same time. I struggled with postpartum depression, extreme mom guilt and anxiety dictating my decision making. Having struggled on my own for so long, I was determined to change the narrative on motherhood. I take pride in helping my clients transform their lives.  As a coach, I spend time understanding the root cause of the issue, set milestones throughout the process, and celebrate when goals and dream scenarios are achieved.  I've been recognized by moms of all ages, and stages of motherhood around the world, for my extraordinary commitment to empower them to feel their best, so they can give their best, to their families each day. Bottom line, I help moms have MORE GREAT DAYS! I teach moms through fitness, yoga, mindfulness, meditation, nutritional awareness, and overall self-care to carve out time each day to focus on their own health. I don't believe in weight loss programs, extreme dieting, or exercising for hours a day. I focus on transformational change that can last a lifetime! FIND HER HERE: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatdaysbysarah/ Facebook Community group for busy moms looking to make their own wellness a priority: https://www.facebook.com/groups/timeoutformoms LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahpariseWebsite: www.greatdaysbysarah.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

SPECIAL RELEASE LOCAL EPISODE!  - Mom at 16, step-mom, and surprise baby at 20, paternal infertility - Four-time surrogate - She currently works as a director at SurrogateFirst - She is a pro-life surrogate - Ashley is very well-known in the surrogacy industry for her work advocating for all surrogates  Surrogacy and religion:  Ashley Mareko is a four-time surrogate who is pro-life and was working in ministry during her first surrogacy journey and part of her second surrogacy journey. Due to her employment agreement, she had to get approval from a board and the pastors. She loves religion and has studied religion and their origins for more than 20 years. Her current Baptist church is okay with surrogacy, as long as all embryos have a chance at life.  FIND HER HERE: https://www.instagram.com/ashleysurrogatefirst/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@surro1st.ash?lang=en Surrogacy Awareness Month is March and here is some INFO! There has been a 400% increase in Black and Latina surrogates: More single women are becoming surrogates:  Surrogacy education is happening on TikTok: Yessenia Latorre and Zarah Hilliard are sharing their surrogacy experiences on social media like TikTok to educate others who may be interested in surrogacy.  Increase in support for LGBTQ couples:  The number of surrogates open to carrying for same-sex intended parents increased from 32% in 2020 to 75% in 2023. Zarah Hilliard, a same-sex surrogate who carried for a same-sex couple is happy to share her story. Her intended parents are also available for an interview.  Higher transfer rates: First time transfer success rates of 88% for surrogates are considerably higher than the national US average of 45.5% for women under 35 years old: screening and improved medical protocols that lead to such high success rates.  Surrogacy total compensation is set to increase by 20%: there will be an increase in total compensation for surrogates in 2024 and beyond.  FROM A FRIEND AND SURROGATE IN NEVADA: While Surrogacy is awesome, companies that embezzle from IPs and surrogates have been an issue. EWS is no longer, or closing down I should say. The owner Kenia German is meant to be arrested anytime now. She has over $1 million of combined embezzlement. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

I have two amazing girls at home, ages 18 months and 5. I grew up in a family that did foster care and childcare for much of my life, including the adoption of my littlest sister, who I helped raise while my father was away on military assignments.  The experience of being surrounded by small children made me realize that the most important job I could ever have would be to help guide a young life as they developed and grew. Moreover, I had a responsibility to make the world a better place for them than it was for me and to help them have a better life than I had been accorded.  I also work in the alcoholic beverage industry. My job is extremely demanding (60-hour weeks are the norm), necessitating a balance between my time with my family and what my company needs. It also means that my daughters have been raised around bars and breweries, something that would be anathema to my extended family that believes alcohol is the root cause of society's ills. It's been a challenge, but also one that I hope will leave them as healthier and more responsible adults  I work for a startup growing exponentially year over year, and while the majority of investment comes from other sources, I was a co-founder of our disruptive business model, and have helped navigate the struggles of the company's early life and the challenges of explosive scaling  FIND HIM HERE: https://shop.bevana.com / findbevana for all social (IG, FB, Twitter, LinkedIn) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

Author Mandy Lemond is a former foster child turned Emmy Award-winning TV Producer.  At just 7 years old Lemond‘s father raped her and left her for dead, that same night, he murdered little Mandy's mother. Lemond's father's crime left the Kentucky native a true orphan.  Mandy aged out of foster care after spending more than 11 years in a group home. She recalls, “I went to college with $5 to my name." With the same tenacity Lemond used to overcome her childhood trauma, she graduated on time from Eastern Kentucky University and was immediately hired by the local NBC affiliate as a TV Reporter.  Lemond continued to beat the odds – statistically only 3% of foster youth have a college degree.  Mandy's life finally seemed perfect, until December 2020, when Lemond's foster-adopted son, high on drugs, shot into the wrong home. The unintended target nearly died, the gunfire blinding the then 5-year-old. Lemond’s nearly 20-year marriage crumbled. She found herself divorced, with a son in jail, and facing homelessness. But, with the same determination she garnered as a child, Mandy found a new purpose.  She developed the 5-method, which is featured in her memoir, The Fostered One. Her book release is planned for December 2023, and her second book release is scheduled for spring 2024. Mandy is also a motivational speaker  FIND HER HERE: https://www.instagram.com/mandy.leighanne/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

The roller coaster of twins' growth as a parent and couple  - prepare for 1 and get 2  - living in love it's not about the fall  - we are born with personalities  - You are no longer number 1  More about Roger:My writing is based more on the motive in motivation. From my experience in the classroom, weight room, and football field, the difference between people's actions and words has always intrigued me. The real measurable difference in action and intensity between comfort and tribulation, along with the ability, at times, to bring the two closer together is just an interesting phenomenon. ​ Roger has written 5 books and is a motivational speaker and high school teacher. FIND HIM HERE:  motiveinmotivation.com  @1rogerpollard  @ourseep on tiktok --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

Immigrant mom of 2 elementary-age kids. Dealing with pregnancy, birth, and raising kids alone in a faraway land. The first one to have kids so no example to look up to.  Marketing executive and business owner FIND HER HERE:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhawnasmarketing https://www.facebook.com/people/Love-Pray-Laugh-Slay/100063828319192/ https://www.instagram.com/love_pray_laugh_slay/?hl=en BECOMING PARENTS: Sharing stories about infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy, labor and delivery, bottle feeding, breastfeeding & relactation, self-care after birth, sex to get pregnant and after kids, birth options, to medicate or not to medicate, adoption, midwife vs hospital, the struggles, surprises, joys and exhaustion, and - holy cow - you’ve become a parent! WHAT NOW?! Jenn Taylor is Mom Of 18 (yes - 18 kids!). She has written the blog - Mom’s Running It since 2011, has been a published author since 2016, and host of the Becoming Parents Podcast since May of 2017. She is an NLP Practitioner, Speaker, and has 15+ years in the foster care sector as both a parent and a trainer. Jenn spent 12 years as a doula, lactation consultant, and CBE trainer in The Bradley Method and Birthing From Within, and ran LaLeche League meetings with a passion for supporting women who have become Moms. Jenn is grateful to be a Certified Birth & Bereavement Doula® to help families struggling with grief and loss, as well as an Adoption & Surrogacy Doula. She is also married to an amazing man in Reno, NV, and is a runner, minimalist, and healthy lifestyle enthusiast. CONNECT WITH JENN! https://linktr.ee/momofeighteen --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

1. Mom of six wonderful parents :) 2. Why would a Harvard grad become a homemaker? 3. Why do people overeat? 4. How can we fill the emptiness within? 5. The Pleasure Ladder as a guide to finding lasting pleasure in life 6. Helping our children become more grateful people  Bracha is the author of 41 picture books and a candid memoir about her journey to joy. HER FIRST PODCAST EPISODE: https://youtube.com/live/7rHT9BoXnns FIND HER HERE:  https://www.goetzbookshop.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/brachagoetz https://www.facebook.com/BrachaGoetzBooks https://www.instagram.com/brachagoetzbooks https://twitter.com/BrachaGoetz https://www.pinterest.com/bgoetzster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ygJS275FPg --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

-My background is in communication - as I teach it at the university level and speak professionally across the country -Relational communication is a big topic I like to discuss: communication between partners, nonverbal communication, interpersonal communication, how we value time, etc.  -I have 2 boys: ages 6 and 8 & we focus on being very active and engaged parents -How to prioritize your time as parents- where you spend your precious time (volunteering, etc.) - I may not have a story of struggle, but one that can help young parents (and Dad especially) prioritize active play and communication with kids -We have a big family, lots of cousins and personalities- learning how to navigate a big family, especially as new parents Jim is a Professional speaker with The Jon Gordon Companies VP of Schools- running The Energy Bus for Schools program FIND HIM HERE: www.JimVanAllan.com www.EnergyBusSchools.com @JimVanAllan Podcast: Search- Communicate to Motivate --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

Concurrent care (OB and midwife of different organizations)Preparing for birth with an abusive partnerHome Birth - no birth workers presentPrecipitous LaborGender Surprise (was told to expect a girl by 2 different providers, with ultrasound, 4xs, and--Boy!) MORE ABOUT I'm the founder and course creator for Train4Birth, a great way to help prevent incontinence, prolapse, discomfort, and prenatal anxiety and have a successful transition into parenthood. I serve as a coach for all expecting parents to assist with safe, functional movement, pelvic floor care, and to address pregnancy-related discomforts as they arise. FIND HER HERE:  www.train4birth.com @train4birth --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message

My passion is reading, and now I help parents transform their children from struggling and/or reluctant readers into more passionate and proficient readers. (1) How did reading become your passion? (2) Why don't kids read? (3) How can parents get their kids to read? (4) What do you do as a parent to get your own three kids reading? (5) What does every parent need to know? I am on a mission to bring JOY back into education & the workplace. To that end, I am passionate about four projects: (1) I speak to schools around the world; (2) I am the co-founder of the world's leading reading engagement program, theREADINGhabit.com; (3) I train entrepreneurs and businesspeople how to craft powerful presentations to grow their business, freedom, and impact; and (4) I consult with CyberSmarties.com, a social media platform for kids ages 5-12, that teaches them how to use social media positively (it has almost completely eliminated cyberbullying in Ireland, and is now also available in India, UAE, New Zealand, and Turkey) FIND HIM HERE: The World’s Leading Reading Engagement Program DannyBrassell.com Danny@DannyBrassell.com YouTube.com/DannyBrassell FaceBook.com/DannyBrassell LinkedIn.com/in/DannyBrassell instagram.com/realdannybrassell Also, I will provide your audience with two freebies: (1) an e-copy of my book, "Read, Lead & Succeed" (2) access to a five-day reading challenge I conducted with about 700 parents, where I share tips with them for an hour/day on how to get their kids to read MORE, read BETTER, and LOVE reading... freeGIFTfromDANNY.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becoming-parents/message