Shows
Dear Mom MeBRBDoes anyone have a playbook on what it is like to be a new mom? I think the answer to that question is, no. Which is why I am going to be taking a little break for a few months to figure out what being a mom looks like to me. So....BRB.Hang out with me on this last episode before I take a little break. Oh and happy one year anniversary to Dear Mom Me! Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us...2024-12-1008 minDear Mom MeHer Story: Mallory (Egg/Embryo Freezing)Have you thought about freezing your eggs or embryos? Mallory has. In this episode I hang out with Mallory to break down her story. Mallory and her husband decided to go through the process of freezing embryos. Why? They weren’t ready to have kids just yet but they know they wanted to in the future. For many women there are pressures of getting older, putting your career first, living the city life- Mallory gets real with us about those pressures and what impacted her decisions. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subs...2024-11-0534 minDear Mom MeHer Story: Lindsay Martin (Infertility, Pandemics, & More)What is Lindsay’s Story? In this episode I hang out with Linsday to really hear her story about her path to motherhood. Lets just say it was not straight forward- not only were she and her husband impacted by male infertility it was at the height of Covid. Lindsay holds nothing back as she gives us a real look into what her journey was and what they are navigating now. Oh and she wants everyone to go VOTE! Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us o...2024-10-2947 minDear Mom MeMini Series 4: Her StoryWhat is that makes every woman unique? Their own story. In this episode we will introduce our next mini-series- Her Story. This series will dive into what makes every woman unique which is their own path to motherhood or not motherhood. On those journeys, everyone also makes decisions that take their stories in different directions. So hang out with us while we explore these amazing stories. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 2024-10-2202 minDear Mom MeRelationships RecapWhat did you take away from the Relationships mini series? In this episode we talk about my takeaways on the Relationship Mini Series from exploring relationships with key people in your life, yourself, and more. I loved digging into this series and exploring new topics such as fatherhood and male infertility and diving deep with my own mom. Hang out with me while we recap! Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 2024-10-0102 minDear Mom MeMovement with PurposeHave you ever had to modify your movement to best fit your life? Maybe you have an injury, are traveling for work or are just growing a baby. Well, hang out with us as we talk to Joey Madrazo, owner and founder of FitCulture, about how movement can add in an extra layer of purpose to our day and life. How movement can build community, shape futures and help create a better you. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) an...2024-07-1637 minDear Mom MeFatherhood & InfertilityIs a fatherhood journey the same as a motherhood journey? In this episode I speak to James Kaikis about his fatherhood experience. From having a daughter at a younger age and doing everything possible to be in his daughter's life to now where he and his wife have experienced their own fertility struggles. We talk about what the early years looked like, what his experience with infertility was, and what the key relationships are that helped him navigate through his journey. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me an...2024-06-1839 minDear Mom MeRedefining RelationshipsHave you ever had to reimagine or redefine relationships in your life to prepare for the future?In this episode we speak with Carlisha about just that. Redefining key relationships and learning more about herself to prepare herself for the future. For her- the future was motherhood. She focused on the relationship she has with her mother and her health. But we dive into more than just those topics- we hit on her relationship with work, pregnancy and postpartum, and how her and her husband approach parenthood.Thanks for listening! D...2024-06-0446 minDear Mom MeMommy & MeHave you ever heard your mothers motherhood story? In this episode I speak with my mom about her experience and her journey to motherhood. It's fascinating to hear the differences and similarities across generations when it comes to miscarriages, pregnancy, postpartum, working, really everything. Hang out with us while we walk through her journey and the relationships that have helped her along the way. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 2024-04-3049 minDear Mom MeMini Series 3: RelationshipsWhat is it about relationships that are so important to us? When I think about relationships, I think about just more than a person to person but also the relationships we have with yourself and things in your life. In this mini series we break down the importance of relationships through stories. Hang out with me while I introduce our next Dear Mom Me mini series. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 2024-04-2306 minDear Mom MeThe Feel Good RecapWhat did you take away from The Feel Good Mini Series?In this episode we talk about my takeaways on the Feel Good Mini Series from the realization that everyone has their own way to feel good and the fact that three of the areas that make me feel good are a lot deeper than I actually thought. Also I give an update on where I have been on my motherhood journey. Hang out with me while we recap! Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me an...2024-04-0905 minDear Mom MeAlso Focus On YourselfHow do you carve out time to focus on yourself while balancing all of the other demands of motherhood? We talk about just that in our episode today. Our guest, Nikki, dives into why it has been so important for her to remember to focus on herself during her journey. Hang out with us while we dive into her overall motherhood journey which starts at 19 when she is diagnosed with PCOS. Hitting on postpartum, being a toddler mom, and also what it's like to focus on herself through every step of the way. T...2024-04-021h 03Dear Mom MeMusic & PurposeHave you ever wondered what it is about music that makes us feel so good? In this episode we talk to Jasmin French aka DJ French Connxtn to dive into what it is about music that makes us feel so good. Jasmin brings up a great point in our conversation though- music doesn’t just make us feel good. It makes us feel every emotion- we gravitate to music when we are sad or angry too. We talk about more than just music though- we talk about Jasmin's journey to becoming a DJ and her why behind it...2024-03-2644 minDear Mom MeGet Your Hair Done with Jacey GriggsWhy does getting your hair done make you feel so good? In this episode we talk to Jacey, hair stylist, about what it is about getting your hair done that makes us feel so good. Like other episodes in this series I thought it was going to be a surface level conversation but Jacey took us deep, quickly. She dove into how the feeling of getting your hair done doesn't start at looking in the mirror. It is the entire experience, sitting in the chair and talking about your life, the feeling of touch when getting your h...2024-02-2038 minDear Mom MeBri & Her JourneyHave you thought about the difference between a the heterosexual vs homosexual journey to parenthood? The layers of extra decisions, costs, and complexities? In this episode we talk to Bri about her journey to motherhood. Bri is a lesbian and her journey has had its ups and downs, it brought both IUI and IVF cycles- failure and success. She also talks to us about the things that heterosexual couples do not have to think about when planning for a family and the costs and mental burdens that can bring. We also dive into what exercise, nutrition, and b...2024-02-1330 minDear Mom MeStyle, Fashion, Retail Therapy.What is it about fashion, style, and retail therapy that makes us feel so good? In this episode we talk to Immanuel, a style star, about what it is about fashion and style that make us feel good. The power that style and fashion holds on who we are and what we can become. Honestly, before we aired I wanted to talk through how good retail therapy makes me feel and to try and understand why. I found out wh, deeper than I originally thought. Immanuel opened my eyes to the fact that it isn’t the act...2024-02-0634 minDear Mom MeAchievement Through SacrificeHave you had to give up something on your journey to motherhood? Sacrifice can be big or small.In this episode we talk with Julia about her journey to motherhood. A journey that has given her the opportunity to make difficult decisions. We all have to make decisions along our journey; some of those are bigger than others. Julia's story walks us through the balance of personal and professional achievement which has led to the decision of sacrifice. Hang out with us while we talk about the act of giving something up on the journey t...2024-01-3041 minDear Mom MeMini Series 2: The Feel GoodWhat does it mean to do things that make us feel good? What makes you feel good? When I say feel good- I mean what brings you joy, makes you feel happy, or an ounce of positivity when things are not going your way. In this mini series we break that down by diving into a few of the things that make me feel good - such as getting my hair done, retail therapy, and music. Also, we will hear stories from a few women at different points on their motherhood journey and what has helped them f...2024-01-2304 minDear Mom MeOne Journey, Two Experiences.Navigating the same journey doesn't always mean the same experience. So what does it mean?In this episode I talk with Sylvester, my husband, about his experience with navigating the journey we have been on. Understanding what it has been like for him and how he has found balance through it all. Talking through what we do individually and together to feel good through the ups and downs. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 2024-01-1621 minDear Mom Me2024, You've Made It.New year, new me? Nope. Not here. In this episode we say goodbye and thank you to 2023 and hello, you’ve made it to 2024. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 2024-01-0505 minDear Mom Me6: Finding Balance- The RecapWhat did we hear from this first mini series? Where is Steph at in her motherhood journey?In this episode answer all of that. Hang out with us as we break down what we heard in the first mini series, Finding Balance and what our host, Steph, took from the episodes. Also find out where Steph is at in her motherhood journey. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 2023-12-2911 minDear Mom Me5: Is balance a myth?Is the idea of balance real or is it just a myth?In this episode we talk to Jess and her time navigating through the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes for her daughter. Motherhood is not just hard starting but throughout your entire journey life will throw you curveballs and it will not be easy. She brings up the question- is balance even real? And makes a pretty good argument. Hang out with us while we talk about navigating through very difficult times when life throws you curveballs and how Jessica approached the idea of balance.2023-12-2238 minDear Mom Me4: Understanding AcupunctureInterested in acupuncture? Don’t know where to start? In this episode I speak with Lori Sherlock who is nationally board certified in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. We speak about the benefits of acupuncture, what even is acupuncture and why we seem to see it on every fertility blog as something you “must do”. Hang out with us while we break down acupuncture and try to understand what value acupuncture brings to each individual. She talks about tips to get the most out of your sessions and a few other things she has learned through...2023-12-1528 min
Self Care Level 1000Dear Mom Me with Steph KumaSteph Kuma has had a lot thrown at her over the past 2 years from miscarriages and fertility troubles to being diagnosed with BRCA 1. Through all of this, she has maintained a positive mental attitude by putting into practice meditation, journaling and physical health. Through journaling and writing letters to her future mom self, she conceived the idea for her new podcast, Dear Mom Me. Listen to her podcast and an episode with me at https://dearmom-me.com/.In this episode we talk about:Steph's journey to motherhood and the disruptions she has had to o...2023-12-1231 minDear Mom Me3: Anxiety? It's a b*tch.Have you struggled with or struggling with anxiety? In this episode we talk to Madie about her experience with anxiety and the influence it had on her journey to motherhood. She breaks down where some of her anxiety came from and what it has looked like for her to manage it and find her own balance. Hang out with us while we talk about how anxiety impacts relationships and major decisions, like becoming a mother. And how Madie uses tools like exercise, protecting her energy, and vocalizing what is going on in her he...2023-12-0843 minDear Mom Me2: Discovering Balance through Yoga & MeditationDo you think you cannot do yoga because you are not flexible enough? In this Episode we talk Erin Polley- mom, yoga teacher & host of Selfcare1000, to debunk that myth as we dive into the benefits of a yoga and meditation practice. Two key tools that we can use to help bring balance into our day to day. But those are not the only tools Erin discusses that are easy tools we can tap into quickly to help us step out of flight or fight and be more present. Erin’s motherhood journey is tightly aligned with her...2023-12-0135 minDear Mom Me1: Balance She WroteStruggling to find the tools to help you find balance through your fertility journey? In this episode we talk to Dani and unpack the many layers of an entire fertility journey and all of the tools it can take to help find balance through the ups and downs. The emphasis of this episode started with the concept of writing letters and how it can come full circle in helping through the postpartum piece of a motherhood journey. It quickly expanded to so much more. Hang out with us while we talk about the power of...2023-11-2441 minDear Mom MeMini Series 1: Finding BalanceBalance: an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.How do we find our own balance through our motherhood journeys? Emotions run high as we start with Steph's first letter to her future mom self and touch on our first topic. Finding Balance. In this mini series we are going to hear from experts in the field of yoga and acupuncture. And hear from three women all at different stages of their motherhood journey. Answering the question of wha...2023-11-1705 minDear Mom MeSteph's StoryEveryone has their own journey to motherhood and everyone's look different. So here is Steph’s story up to where she is now on her journey. Where it literally all began. Tune in while Steph gives a high level recount of what brought her here today. Through fertility struggles, health diagnosis and much more. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 2023-11-1708 minDear Mom MeIntroducing Dear Mom MeYou’ve made it and you’re listening to Dear Mom Me. A podcast about a journey to motherhood told through my letters to future mom me and a complete look at navigating all of life along the way.I’m Steph, your host as I have been navigating my own motherhood journey- I have started to write letters to my future mom self and I have decided its about time we start talking about the full journey we are on as women- not just the motherhood piece. Which is why I have started Dear M...2023-11-1002 min