Shows
The Hardest Job EverLet Them Sleep (and You Too): Rinie Gupta on Baby Sleep, Culture & SanitySeason 3, Episode 4: Sleep training feels like one of the most guilt-filled, opinion-loaded parts of parenting, especially in South Asian families where “just feed them more” is everyone’s go-to solution. Between night feeds, cultural pushback, and babies who suddenly learn to stand, it’s no wonder moms feel like they’re failing.In this episode, we’re joined by Rinie Gupta (@riniegupta), pediatric sleep consultant and mom, to talk all things baby sleep without the shame, stress, or cultural guilt trips.We cover:• Karen and Purvi’s raw, emotional sleep training stories• The most common cultur...2025-08-1343 minThe Hardest Job EverSleep Regressions: The Surprise That Never EndsSeason 3, Episode 3: You think you cracked the sleep code. Then the regression hits. And the daycare germs. And the teething. And suddenly you’re rocking a baby to Timber at 2am wondering how it all fell apart.In this episode, we’re talking about what happens after sleep training, when the real chaos begins.We cover:• The four-month and six-month sleep regressions• Why daycare means nonstop sickness and zero sleep• Crawling, walking, and the gross motor milestones that wreck naps• Working mom guilt and nighttime separation anxiety• Teething symptoms and the remedies t...2025-08-0632 minThe Hardest Job EverSleep Training: The Math, The Guilt, The Culture ClashSeason 3, Episode 2: If you’re a new mom drowning in sleep deprivation, nap schedules, and unsolicited opinions, this episode is for you. We’re getting real about baby sleep: what we thought it would be, what it actually was, and how sleep training tested everything from our sanity to our cultural values.In this episode, we share:• What no one tells you about sleep training as a first-time mom• How Purvi sleep trained her twins (with an Indian twist)• Karen’s honest take on travel, regressions, and crying-it-out• The emotional toll...2025-07-3039 minThe Hardest Job EverStarting Solids: Culture, Confidence & Baby-Led Weaning with Madhura Kearns (@foodiefirststeps)Season 3, Episode 1: Starting solids feels exciting, until it feels totally overwhelming. What do you feed? How much? What if they gag, or worse - choke? We sit down with Madhura Kearns, the voice behind @foodiefirststeps, to talk all about starting solids with confidence, culture and connection.We cover: • Why feeding feels so emotional and overwhelming• How to introduce cultural foods• Practical tips for making food fun, not stressful2025-07-2341 minThe Hardest Job EverMy Family Had Opinions Postpartum. We Set Boundaries.Season 2, Ep 5: After you have a baby, everyone has opinions—and zero respect for nap schedules. From unsolicited advice to uninvited drop-bys, setting boundaries as a new mom isn’t rude. It’s survival.In this episode, we’re sharing:• Real-life boundary wins (and fails)• How we handled surprise visitors and unwanted advice• The added pressure of cultural expectations (hi, South Asian guilt)• How to align with your partner and stay a united front• What we’ve learned about picking battles—and when to just let it goThis one’s fo...2025-06-1136 minThe Hardest Job EverA Lactation Consultant Tells All: Interview with Michelle Fassell of Your Milk StorySeason 2, Ep 4: Boobs, pumps, nipple shields, breastfeeding supplements—today we’re talking all things breastfeeding with certified lactation consultant Michelle Fassell, IBCLC, who’s seen it all and still manages to make you feel like you’re doing amazing.In this episode, we’re breaking down:• How to boost milk supply without losing your mind• What “triple feeding” really looks like (and why it breaks so many moms)• The deal with nipple shields and galactagogues• Why oxytocin—and your mom’s homemade fenugreek laddoos—might actually be helping• What twin moms need to k...2025-06-0437 minThe Hardest Job EverBoobs, Bottles, Burnout: Karen's Lactation JourneyS2 Ep4: In this episode, Karen takes us inside her meticulous, exhausting, and sometimes maddening breastfeeding journey—from collecting colostrum at 37 weeks to weaning while working full-time.We cover:• How she learned to collect colostrum (and why it mattered later)• Flange sizing, nipple shields, and other ridiculous breastfeeding gear• The chaos of triple feeding and tube feeding—and how she survived it• Pumping in office supply closets, hormonal crashes, and weaning grief• What finally helped her feel like herself again (and why “fed is best” isn’t just a slogan)2025-05-2833 minThe Hardest Job EverFeeding Twins: Purvi's Lactation JourneySeason 2, Ep 3: Two boobs. Two babies. One sleep-deprived mom with a spreadsheet full of milk data. In this episode, Purvi takes us inside her chaotic, emotional, and surprisingly hilarious breastfeeding journey with premature twin boys.We cover:• Pumping 9–10 times a day (yes, really)• Tandem feeding fails and twin Z pillow wins• The pressure to “exclusively breastfeed”—and what happened when mastitis hit• Formula guilt, clogged ducts, and the great European formula rabbit hole• Why fed is best—and your mental health matters more than any number of ouncesThis on...2025-05-2123 minThe Hardest Job EverPostpartum Bodies – The Weird, The Real, The BeautifulSeason 2, Ep 2: There’s the body you had before baby. And then there’s the body that survived birth, surgery, sleepless nights, and somehow—kept tiny human(s) alive.In this episode, we’re talking about the weird, real, and beautiful changes that happen to our bodies after birth, including:• Night sweats, phantom cries, and postpartum hair loss• C-section scars, stretch marks, and the mental spiral of “getting your body back”• How we slowly started feeling human again (think sunshine, Peloton rides, shower bombs, and FaceTime workouts)This one’s for every mom caug...2025-05-1427 minThe Hardest Job EverThe F*ing Fourth TrimesterSeason 2, Ep 1: No one warned us that the fourth trimester would feel like being reborn and slightly wrecked at the same time. You’re stitched, swollen, sobbing at everything, and somehow still keeping a little newborn baby alive.In this kickoff to Season 2, we’re talking about the raw reality of those first 8 postpartum weeks, including:• Physical recovery • Emotional recovery • What helped us feel vaguely human againThis one’s for the moms deep in the fog—healing, holding, and hanging on. You’re not crazy. You’re in the f*ing fourth trimest2025-05-0735 minThe Hardest Job EverWhere Did My Social Life Go? Postpartum Challenges with FriendsEpisode 10, Replaying a hit from Season 1: Karen & Purvi discuss the challenges of maintaining social lives after becoming mothers. They explore the pressures of keeping old friendships alive while trying to forge new connections with other moms. The conversation delves into the emotional struggles of feeling left out from pre-baby friendships and the complexities of navigating new mom friendships. They reflect on their past behaviors towards friends who became mothers before them and emphasize the importance of support and understanding in motherhood. 2025-04-3033 minThe Hardest Job EverI Built a Birth Plan. Ha, That Was CuteEpisode 9: Karen shares her birth plan and Purvi shares her lack of a birth plan. 2025-04-1647 minThe Hardest Job EverPurvi's Birth Story: Honest and UnfilteredEpisode 8: Purvi shares her twin birth story. What was supposed to be a planned C-section turned into a surprise early check-in. Even though she wasn’t fully packed or totally prepared for postpartum life with her twins, she embraced the chaos and came out the other side with a story that’s equal parts real and reassuring.2025-04-0939 minThe Hardest Job EverKaren's Birth Story: Honest and UnfilteredEpisode 7: Karen shares her personal birth story. She details her intense birth experience, which began with a plan to avoid interventions but ultimately led to an unexpected emergency C-section. The conversation highlights the challenges of labor, pain management decisions, and the importance of flexibility in birth plans. She also reflect on lessons learned and the need for mothers to share their stories and support one another.2025-04-0243 minThe Hardest Job EverWhere Did My Social Life Go? Postpartum Challenges with FriendsEpisode 6: Karen & Purvi discuss the challenges of maintaining social lives after becoming mothers. They explore the pressures of keeping old friendships alive while trying to forge new connections with other moms. The conversation delves into the emotional struggles of feeling left out from pre-baby friendships and the complexities of navigating new mom friendships. They reflect on their past behaviors towards friends who became mothers before them and emphasize the importance of support and understanding in motherhood. 2025-03-2633 minThe Hardest Job EverThe Power Pause by Neha Ruch: Book Review & DiscussionEpisode 5: Karen and Purvi discuss the emotional journey following Karen's layoff - exploring themes of motherhood, personal identity, and the concept of the 'Power Pause' as introduced in Neha Ruch's book. They delve into the importance of self-reflection, setting measurable goals, and prioritizing personal well-being amidst the challenges of motherhood and career transitions. 2025-03-2031 minThe Hardest Job EverLaid Off & Lost: A New Mom's Search for a New IdentityEpisode 4: Getting laid off hits hard when you’re really Type A - your career & academics have always been a huge part of your identity. Add in becoming a new mom, and suddenly you’re not just questioning your job—you’re questioning who you even are. In this episode, Karen is unfiltered and talks moments after she’s laid off. She processes what’s happened - the loss of structure, the identity shift, the what now? and why it’s so hard to sit in the uncertainty.If you’ve ever gone through a layoff, join Karen in th...2025-03-1829 minThe Hardest Job EverThe Great Childcare Debate: Nanny vs. DaycareEpisode 3: Karen and Purvi are taking on the the conversation of one of the hardest things about being a parent: childcare. Nanny or daycare? The ultimate parenting debate. One gives you flexibility, the other gives you structure. One costs a small fortune, the other has a waitlist longer than your pregnancy. Purvi chose daycare, Karen went with a nanny. If you’re in the trenches of figuring this out, this one’s for you!2025-03-1328 minThe Hardest Job EverFrom Hubby to Roomie: The Transition No One Prepared Us ForEpisode 2: Karen and Purvi dive into the invisible labor that keeps their households running and how it’s changed their relationships with their partners. Let’s talk about the mental load! They love our husbands, but they're basically co-parenting roommates at this point. And somehow, date nights feel like a distant memory. 2025-03-1034 minThe Hardest Job EverBalance: What does that mean for a Mom?Episode 1: Karen and Purvi kick off The Hardest Job Ever by tackling the myth of doing it all. Between work deadlines, daycare drop-offs, and remembering to feed themselves, balance as a mom feels like a joke. So how do they make it all work as parents, or at least look like they are? Tune in as they get real about the struggle, the mom guilt, and the moments that make it all worth it. 2025-03-0520 min