No One Told Us the truth about parenthood. WHY?!
Welcome to No One Told Us, the podcast where we uncover the raw, unfiltered truths about parenthood. I'm your h...
Episode 82: Weaning Methods, Challenges and Tips with Candace St. John
Have you been thinking about weaning your baby or toddler and you have NO clue how to start? Daytime or nighttime first? What if they cry for it? How long will it take?
All of these questions and MORE answered in today's episode with Rachael and "Weaning Pal" Candace St. John, MPH, CLC. This week, Rachael and Candace emphasize the need to normalize extended breastfeeding and dive into the emotional aspects of the weaning process (both for parent and baby!), as well as discuss the complexities of weaning from breastfeeding- addressing common concerns such as guilt, attachment, sleep associations, and the right age to wean. Here's what you'll hear inside this informative episode:
Candace's Journey into Weaning Expertise
Rach and Candace's Personal Weaning Experiences and Strategies
Navigating Boundaries or "Loving Limits" While Weaning
Understanding Nursing Aversions and Their Impact
Navigating Weaning Guilt
Is there a "Right" Age for Weaning?
Managing Weaning-Related Depression
Addressing Picky Eating During Weaning
Alternatives to Cow's Milk
Distinguishing Between Comfort and Hunger Needs
+ so much more!
About Candace: I’m a public health professional (MPH), pediatric sleep specialist, & Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC, #34044) — but most importantly, I am a mom of one weanling! I hold a Master of Public Health from Boston University School of Public Health & worked as an Epidemiologist for 5.5 years in a rural hospital setting. After becoming a mom (& having the most tumultuous start to breastfeeding my baby), I realized that there are many gaps in parenting education & practice. Now, I provide evidence-informed guidance & support to parents in order to feel confident at the end of their breastfeeding journey!
You can connect with Candace and get support on your journey on Instagram @yourweaningpal
Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast.
Instagram | Tiktok | Website
✨For sleep support and resources, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow @heysleepybaby on Instagram! 😴☁️🤎✨
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate 5⭐️ and write us a review! ⬇️
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Episode 81: Postpartum Depletion, Burnout and Exhaustion with Kim Perez
Have you felt completely depleted, exhausted, burnt-out and even a little ragey since becoming a mom? You're not alone but there IS something you can do about it! Join Rachael and guest Kim Perez, a functional nutritionist, to learn all about how to start fueling yourself in ways that can lower stress, improve mood, and boost sleep. A little of what we discuss inside this episode:
Signs and symptoms that you are truly burnt out and depleted
Why it's beneficial to use a "root cause" approach when targeting your symptoms
What's the truth about "high cortisol?"
Prioritizing nutrition and realistic self care for moms
Why incorporating mineral balance and nutrient dense foods into your diet is so crucial for moms
How to curb sugar and caffeine cravings
Accessing functional and nutritional care postpartum
+ so much more!
Kim Perez is a mom of 2, functional nutritionist, and owner of Root & Branch Nutrition where she guides and supports moms in restoring their energy and building resilience so they can thrive in motherhood (and beyond).
Her own journey- especially the depletion she experienced after having her first son- lit a fire in her to more deeply support women in this season of life. Through her work including 1:1 containers, online courses, and a virtual community for moms, she helps women address the root causes of their symptoms, teaches them how to replenish and fully nourish their bodies, and empowers them to fall in love with caring for themselves.
Kim takes a uniquely holistic yet still realistic and practical approach to health and wellbeing that honors the specific needs of parenthood and demands moms are under. And she’s on a mission to make nourished motherhood the norm rather than the exhausted, burnt-out, isolated version we’re conditioned to think we must accept.
Connect with Kim:
Kim’s Instagram: @rootandbranchnutrition
Reignite Your Spark Course
The 5 Day Revival for Moms Free Guide
The Nourished Moms Village Online Community
Kim’s website: https://www.rootandbranchnutrition.com/
Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast.
Instagram | Tiktok | Website
✨For sleep support and resources, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow @heysleepybaby on Instagram! 😴☁️🤎✨
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate 5⭐️ and write us a review! ⬇️
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Episode 80: All About Tummy Troubles with Dr. Ruiz of Solid Starts
Does your little one struggle with tummy issues like constipation, reflux, slow weight gain, picky eating etc? You're not alone! This week Rachael welcomes Dr. Rachel Ruiz, pediatrician and member of the Solid Starts team, to talk all about TUMMY TROUBLES!
In this informative episode you'll learn:
Understanding Normal vs. Worrisome Symptoms
Growth Charts: What They Really Mean
Normal Poop: Frequency, Consistency you DON'T Want to See
Starting Solids: Signs of Readiness and Allergies
Navigating Toddler Picky Eating + When to Worry
Understanding Neurodivergent Feeding Challenges
Potty Training: Myths and Methods
plus so much more!!
Dr. Ruiz is a mom of four, a board-certified general pediatrician, and a pediatric gastroenterologist. She completed her undergraduate at Dartmouth College, doctorate of medicine and pediatrics residency at Vanderbilt University, and pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at Stanford University. Dr. Ruiz is an attending pediatric gastroenterologist at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and an affiliated clinical instructor of pediatric gastroenterology at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. She treats a wide range of children suffering from constipation, abdominal pain, swallowing difficulties, inadequate weight gain, inflammatory bowel disease, fatty liver and other liver diseases, and Celiac disease. In her part-time position at Solid Starts, Dr. Ruiz reviews content for evidence-based accuracy, analyzes choking data and trends, and is a trainer for Solid Starts PRO®.
📱For more from Dr. Ruiz and the Solid Starts Team, and for the best place to find me and any content related to feeding visit solidstarts.com
📖🥦 Find the new Solid Starts BOOK- Available wherever you get your books:
Amazon
Bookshop.org
Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast.
Instagram | Tiktok | Website
✨For sleep support and resources, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow @heysleepybaby on Instagram! 😴☁️🤎✨
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate 5⭐️ and write us a review! ⬇️
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Episode 79: Traveling the World with Kids with Ben Lutz of The Funemployed Family
Today I’m speaking with Ben Lutz, the dad of The FUNemployed Family! In 2018, after more than a decade of rat racing and corporate ladder climbing, he and his wife realized they were firmly on the hamster wheel of life and feared that they would regret not spending more time with their young daughter!
They quit their jobs, sold their house and most of their possessions and set off on a gap year around the world with their toddler. They were looking for a life (and career) reset, and boy did they find it! For the past 6 years Ben and his family have been on a digital nomad journey traveling full time to 35 countries while working remotely and “worldschooling” the kids along the way!
This is what you’ll learn inside this fun and informative episode:
Financial Planning for Long-Term Travel
Choosing the Right Destinations for your Family
Dispelling the Myth: Traveling with Young Children isn't Worth It
Flying with Kids: Tips and Tricks for a Smooth Journey
Embracing Slow Travel: The Benefits of Extended Stays in one Location
Mitigating Over-Tourism
Teaching Kids How to Embrace New Cultures and Experiences
Childcare and Education for Traveling Families
Finding the Perfect Travel Destination
Embracing New Experiences with Kids in Tow
The Rewards and Challenges of this Lifestyle
How to Work as a "Digital Nomad"
"Worldschooling" and How Kids can Get an Education While Traveling
and So much more!
Mentioned in this episode:
Ben’s Global Destination Matrix: https://stan.store/TheWanderCoach/p/the-destination-matrix
Follow Ben + Fam on…
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefunemployedfamily
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefunemployedfamily
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theFUNemployedfamily/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/thefunemployedfamily
website: https://www.thefunemployedfamily.com/
Boundless Life website
Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast.
Instagram | Tiktok | Website
✨For sleep support and resources, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow @heysleepybaby on Instagram! 😴☁️🤎✨
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate 5⭐️ and write us a review! ⬇️
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Episode 78: Why We Should Care about Caregiving with Elissa Strauss
In this episode Rachael speaks with Elissa Strauss, author of the book 'When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others.' They discuss the societal expectations placed on mothers, the cultural issues surrounding care, and the value of caregiving. Elissa also shares her personal experiences with motherhood and how it has changed her perspective on work and identity.
More inside this episode:
How motherhood is often framed as either a "fairytale" or a "nightmare"
Individualism in the U.S. and why it hurts families
The benefits of communal parenting and palliative care
The identity shifts we go through after having a baby and impacts on work life
How caregiving should be valued economically and philosophically
Elissa has been writing about the politics and culture of parenting and caregiving for more than fifteen years. Her work appears in publications like the Atlantic, the New York Times, Glamour, ELLE, and elsewhere, and she was a former contributing writer at CNN.com and Slate, where her cultural criticism about motherhood appeared on DoubleX. Her book, "When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others," is out now from Gallery Books. She is also the mom of two kids, Augie and Levi, ages 11 and 7!
Elissa’s Book: When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others
Elissa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elissaavery/
Elissa’s Substack: https://substack.com/@elissastrauss
Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast.
Instagram | Tiktok | Website
✨For sleep support and resources, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow @heysleepybaby on Instagram! 😴☁️🤎✨
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate 5⭐️ and write us a review! ⬇️
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
No One Told Us the truth about parenthood. WHY?!
Welcome to No One Told Us, the podcast where we uncover the raw, unfiltered truths about parenthood. I'm your host, Rachael Shepard-Ohta, mom of three and founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby. Each week, join me as we dive deep into the joys, challenges, and surprises of raising children with a mix of expert insights, personal anecdotes, and candid conversations.
From navigating postpartum anxiety to mastering the art of making mom friends, and from introducing solids to tackling tantrums, we cover it all. Whether you're a first-time parent or a seasoned pro, this podcast is your go-to resource for honest advice, relatable stories, and plenty of laughs along the way.
Join me as I sit down with experts in their fields, as well as friends, family, celebrities, and influencers, to share their experiences and wisdom on everything from sleepless nights to rocky relationships. No topic is off-limits, and no story goes untold on No One Told Us.
So grab a cup of coffee, pop in your headphones and join the conversation. This is the podcast everyone needed before they had kids- because now that those little ones are here, there's a lot to unpack. So let's pull back the curtain on becoming a first-time mom (or dad!) to share the good, the bad and the ugly. A little education, a little fun, and a whole lot of heart goes into each and every episode of No One Told Us to have you feeling less alone and way more empowered.