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This episode starts with a simple truth few people say out loud: sometimes the first chapter of parenthood is grief. Leah Higgins joins us to unpack an early miscarriage at 28, the shock of a postpartum hemorrhage, and the quiet ways trauma can delay bonding without diminishing love. From there, we zoom out: what happens when a high-achieving identity built in Big Law collides with a life you actually want to live? Leah talks candidly about trading titles for alignment, why a “soft landing” back from leave turned into a firestorm, and how prestige can masquerade as purpose until you call its bluff.

We also get practical about the myth of “having it all.” Corporate policies help, but not nearly enough when the village has vanished, childcare is fragile, and mental load still defaults to moms. Leah breaks down the limits of outsourcing, the emotional labor no app can automate, and the social cost of saying “I need help.” She chooses transparency over performance: yes, she has a full-time nanny she loves; no, she’s not doing it all alone; and yes, childcare should be a baseline, not a brag. That honesty dissolves comparison and reframes the real question: what support would let more families breathe?

Along the way, we talk community, isolation in self-employment, and the strange mix of freedom and loneliness that comes with flexible work. We close with two anchors: advice for a newly pregnant friend—you don’t have to enjoy every second to be a good mother—and the unexpected joy of watching a partner become a parent. It’s a conversation about loss and agency, ambition and care, and the messy, ordinary beauty of building a life that actually fits.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs some honesty, and leave a quick review—your words help more parents find their people.

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Want to know why motherhood in America feels like a solo sport—and how we turn it into a supported team game? We sit with Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First, to unpack the design flaws baked into school calendars, workplace norms, and city life that make caregiving harder than it has to be. From random half-days and late starts to inboxes that only email mom, we trace how policy and culture quietly draft women as default parents while calling it “choice.”

Reshma takes us upstream, connecting patriarchy’s origin story to modern expectations, and then downstream to practical fixes: splitting domains at home instead of vague “help,” inviting community back into weeknights, and letting kids witness real conflict and repair so they build resilience. We explore the pandemic’s role as a wake-up call—revealing that burnout wasn’t personal failure but structural neglect—and how that clarity launched Moms First, elevated childcare as a core affordability issue, and brought fathers into the coalition through new alliances.

We also talk about pace and health. Perimenopause, anxiety, and sleep shifts force a rethink of the grind; boundaries aren’t indulgence, they’re infrastructure for long-term impact. Along the way, we challenge the false choice between trad-wife fantasies and girlboss hustle. The third path centers policy, community, and workplaces that measure outcomes, not hours—places where caregivers can do pickup and still do big work. And yes, there’s joy: the shock of a child seeing a giraffe, the permission to feel and grieve in front of our kids, the ordinary awe that reminds us what we’re fighting for.

If you care about childcare, paid leave, sick time, equitable partnerships, and building cities that welcome families, this conversation is your blueprint. Listen, share with a parent or policymaker, and leave a review to help more people find the show.

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Psychology professor Tovah Klein takes us beyond social media soundbites to reveal what truly helps children develop resilience. Drawing from her 30 years directing the Barnard Center for Toddler Development, Klein offers a refreshingly balanced perspective on the trending "FAFO" (F Around and Find Out) parenting approach and why extremes rarely work when raising children.

Klein's wisdom cuts through the noise of modern parenting discourse, explaining why children need both loving support and appropriate boundaries. "Being a parent is not a soundbite," she reminds us, highlighting how unique each parent-child relationship truly is. Rather than focusing on perfect parenting methods, Klein encourages parents to embrace the inherent ups and downs while fostering children's emotional regulation skills and independence.

The conversation explores how community support for families has diminished in our individualized society, leaving many parents feeling isolated and overwhelmed. Klein shares practical insights on rebuilding supportive networks, allowing children to experience appropriate risks, and resolving conflicts independently – all crucial elements for developing genuine resilience. She distinguishes between harmful teasing and healthy humor, offering examples of how laughter can transform difficult parenting moments into opportunities for connection.

Throughout our discussion, Klein's compassionate approach acknowledges parenting challenges while providing reassurance: "It's going to be hard, and you're going to be okay." Her stories about shared joy with her own children remind us to treasure the meaningful moments amid the chaos. Whether you're struggling with a toddler's tantrums or a teenager's independence, Klein's nuanced perspective will help you parent with greater confidence and connection.

Listen now to discover how finding the middle ground between parenting extremes creates truly resilient children who can navigate life's challenges with both emotional awareness and inner strength.

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Have you ever wondered what it's actually like to take GLP-1 medications beyond the celebrity headlines? In this eye-opening episode, we dive deep into the reality of semaglutide medications like Ozempic, exploring their profound effects on both physical and mental health.

The conversation begins with Sam's candid personal account of using these medications for approximately a year. While the initial motivation was addressing stubborn postpartum weight gain, the most surprising benefits emerged in unexpected areas - particularly mental health. For the first time since becoming a parent, the medication quieted the constant "noise" of anxiety, OCD, and rumination that had become overwhelming. This silencing effect extended beyond food-related thoughts to shopping impulses and general mental clarity - benefits rarely discussed in mainstream coverage.

We explore the physical health transformation as well, sharing how lab results showed dramatic improvements in cholesterol, A1C levels, and other key markers. The episode doesn't shy away from discussing potential side effects either - from GI issues to the importance of protein supplementation to prevent hair loss. Listeners will gain valuable insights into proper dosing, hydration requirements, and how to work with healthcare providers when considering these medications.

The discussion challenges the stigma and criticism directed at celebrities using GLP-1s (Chrissy Teigan, Serena Williams, and more) highlighting how these medications are providing genuine health benefits that extend far beyond weight loss. Major companies are now covering these medications for employees because they recognize their positive impact on long-term health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. Whether you're curious about these medications for yourself or simply want to understand the phenomenon better, this episode provides an honest, nuanced perspective that goes beyond the headlines.

Mindful Wellness Pharmacy mentioned in the pod (Sam, Zara nor the pod are sponsored by this clinic. The clinic didn't even know we spoke about them until after the episode was recorded). Mention the pod or Sam for 10% off your order.

* The content of this podcast, including any discussions of GLP-1 medications, is provided for entertainment purposes only and reflects the personal experiences of the speaker(s). It is not intended as, and should not be relied upon for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition, medication, or treatment plan. Neither the hosts, guests, nor producers of this podcast assume any liability for actions taken based on the information provided.

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What happens when red carpet journalists trade celebrity interviews for motherhood? Katie Krause and Hallie Stevens, Emmy-winning Entertainment Tonight alums, pull back the curtain on their dramatic life pivot in this raw, revealing conversation.

Katie and Hallie spent years building impressive careers interviewing Hollywood's biggest stars. They were living the dream - until becoming mothers completely transformed their priorities. Now hosting their podcast "Between Us Moms," they're bringing the same journalistic instincts to conversations about motherhood that mainstream media often glosses over.

The conversation dives deep into their C-section recoveries, the challenges of back-to-back pregnancies, IVF journeys, and pregnancy losses. Both women share how they navigated these physical and emotional challenges while working in an industry that demands constant presence and perfection. Katie's candid admission that she'd rather put her kids to bed than interview almost any celebrity (except maybe Taylor Swift) captures the profound identity shift many career-driven women experience.

Perhaps most valuable is their refreshing honesty about work-life balance. "You can have it all, but not all at the same time," Hallie notes, challenging the pressure women face to excel simultaneously in every role. They explore the financial dynamics of stepping back from full-time work, the importance of choosing the right partner, and finding fulfillment in unexpected places.

Whether you're contemplating motherhood, balancing career ambitions with family life, or simply curious about the human stories behind the entertainment journalists who interview your favorite celebrities, this conversation offers wisdom, humor, and solidarity for the journey.

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Economist Emily Oster transformed parenting literature by applying data analysis to decisions most books treated as black-and-white rules. After becoming pregnant in 2010, she found herself frustrated with pregnancy recommendations that came without explanations—why no sushi? Why limit coffee? As someone trained to evaluate research, she began investigating the evidence behind these directives, eventually writing "Expecting Better" and subsequent bestsellers that have sold over a million copies. She now runs the wildly popular newsletter and website parentdata (they even have a bot that can help you with those late night parenting AI searches).

What makes Oster's approach revolutionary isn't just her ability to interpret research, but her fundamental belief that data should inform rather than dictate parenting choices. "I think my view about data always is that it is not bossy," she explains. Her work restores agency to parents who want to make thoughtful decisions based on both evidence and their personal circumstances, preferences, and knowledge of their specific children.

During our conversation, Oster tackles controversial topics with nuance—revealing that the best studies show minimal differences between children in high-quality daycare versus at-home care, with these small differences fading by elementary school. She debunks extreme claims about attachment theory and breastfeeding, areas where she believes parents face unnecessary pressure beyond what research actually supports. Most reassuringly, she emphasizes that "a huge share of choices are fine" and that what truly matters in early childhood is much simpler than many parents realize: stability, love, and basic needs being met.

Oster is a Professor of Economics at Brown University and the author of Expecting Better, Cribsheet and The Family Firm. She holds a PhD in Economics from Harvard. Prior to being at Brown she was on the faculty at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Oster’s books analyze the data behind choices in pregnancy and parenting. Expecting Better analyzes the data behind many common pregnancy rules, and aims to improve decision-making for pregnant women. Cribsheet does the same for early childhood — what does the evidence really say on breastfeeding, co-sleeping or potty training. Finally, The Family Firm takes this approach to parenting in the early school years, looking at data on school, extracurriculars, sleep and also providing a framework to make unexpected decisions and address the logistical challenges of this period of parenting.

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Marriage and money—two topics that individually carry enough weight to sink a dinner party conversation, and together create one of the last true taboos in our social discourse. When Sam shared her experience spending $1,650 on Daxxify without discussing it with her husband first, she found herself at the center of a social media firestorm, with commenters quick to label her marriage as toxic. But as this honest conversation reveals, the reality of married finances exists in shades of gray that TikTok's black-and-white thinking can't capture.

So let's talk about it!
Sam and Zara chat about the unspoken threshold (often around $1,000) where purchases shift from independent decisions to conversations requiring joint agreement, to the profound influence of our childhood experiences with money, this episode unpacks the complex dynamics of financial partnerships. We explore how the transition from being a high-earning professional to a stay-at-home parent creates both practical and emotional adjustments, requiring explicit conversations about spending that may never have been needed before.

Whether you maintain joint accounts, separate finances, or something in between, you'll find validation and perspective in this judgment-free conversation about how real couples navigate money matters. Join us as we break the silence around this crucial aspect of partnership and share how our own approaches to finances continue to evolve through different life stages.

Have you established a spending threshold with your partner? We'd love to hear your approach to managing money in relationships. Share your thoughts and join the conversation about this often undiscussed aspect of modern marriage.

hartsone manor, money, finances, sahm, stay at home mom, motherhood, couple money,

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Pre-order DeeDee's new course for parents here

When DeeDee Moore discovered she was becoming a grandmother, she searched everywhere for guidance on doing it right. Finding few resources to help support her grandparenting journey, she created her own – and now shares grandparenting wisdom with over 40,000 Instagram and 15,000 TikTok followers.

DeeDee's approach cuts through the noise of intergenerational conflict that often dominates social media. Rather than perpetuating stereotypes of overbearing in-laws, she offers practical strategies for grandparents to become valuable members of the family village. Her refreshingly balanced perspective acknowledges both the wisdom of experience and the importance of respecting modern parenting approaches.

"I've learned so many things from following parenting accounts," DeeDee explains, encouraging other grandparents to follow the same resources their adult children do. This simple strategy ensures everyone receives consistent information – whether about car seat safety or developmental milestones – and prevents the friction that arises when grandparents insist on outdated practices.

Throughout our conversation, DeeDee shares insights from her 40-year marriage, raising four children, and now nurturing relationships with her grandchildren. She discusses the delicate balance between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, the value of establishing trust before emergencies arise, and why what children truly remember about their grandparents isn't fancy gifts but quality time spent together.

For anyone navigating complex family dynamics – whether as a parent wondering how to set boundaries or a grandparent eager to be supportive without overstepping – DeeDee's wisdom offers a roadmap toward stronger, more harmonious relationships across generations. Her ultimate advice? "Focus on your relationship with parents. It is not about your experience as a grandparent. It is about how you can support parents, and the more that you do that, the closer your relationship with your grandchildren will be."

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