1 in 100,000 people are affected by listeria. But did you know that pregnant persons are 10x more likely to contract the food-borne illness?

In this first episode of this month’s Maternal Health Month series, I speak with Dr. Caledonia Buckheit about her very personal experience contracting listeria at 27 weeks pregnant.

In a candid conversation about listeria and birth trauma, Dr. Buckheit walks us through what those days in the hospital felt like for her, her traumatic birth via C-section at 27 weeks, her daughter's subsequent stay in the NICU, and her return to residency.

Dr. Buckheit shares her advice on how to approach conversations regarding birth trauma, and we talk about the value of "potato time" during a mom's sacred hour after bedtime.

Dr. Caledonia Buckheit is a board-certified OB/GYN and Fellow of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is a full-time generalist and partner physician at Kamm McKenzie OB/GYN, the busiest private OB/GYN practice in Raleigh, North Carolina. Originally from Maine, she earned her medical degree from Dartmouth and completed her residency at Duke University, where she received the award for excellence in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery—twice.

Dr. Buckheit is passionate about supporting women through all stages of life. She is especially committed to promoting safe, healthy birth and takes pride in maintaining a low cesarean section rate. Her clinical interests also include menopause care, pain management for in-office procedures, and minimally invasive surgery.

Outside of work, she enjoys life in Raleigh with her husband and two daughters, along with a lively backyard full of chickens and garden beds.

Follow Dr. Caledonia Buckheit on Instagram and TikTok at @calibmd

Music by Dana Music from Pixabay

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Raise your hand if you have ever felt like a shell of a person after becoming a mom 🙋‍♀️

I know I have.

Motherhood can be lonely. With childcare, work, and general life responsibilities, it can be too easy to get lost in motherhood and forget who we are.

So how do we start to find ourselves? Or rather, are our former versions of ourselves still to be found?

Today I talk with Leadership Coach Jen Gagnon about burnout, how easy it is to lose yourself in motherhood, and how she helps moms reclaim their identity to find purpose and passion.

Jen is a certified leadership coach dedicated to helping women confidently navigate career and motherhood without burning out.

As a corporate working mom herself, she understand the unique challenges that come with juggling both professional and personal responsibilities.

She believes that women don’t have to choose between being a great mom and having a fulfilling career, and they can do so without sacrificing their well-being.

You can follow Jen on social media @leadwithjen.

Music by Dana Music from Pixabay

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There is nothing that I love more than a conversation about my two favorite topics: pop culture and motherhood.

Today I'm sitting down with freelance journalist Zara Hanawalt to talk about her journey into women's journalism and writing about issues central to motherhood.

We talk about Ellen Pompeo's episode on the Call Her Daddy Podcast and some takeaways that we got from listening in, such as a mother’s evolution after motherhood and identity reconciliation. Zara shares what evolving in motherhood looks like for her and why she believes the superhero narrative is flawed.

We also talk about the motherhood penalty, the importance of self-autonomy and workplace flexibility. Zara discusses her non-negotiables when it comes to work schedules, and what she stands firm on at home to prioritize herself.

Finally, Zara shares the ways in which celebrities positively contribute to conversations about motherhood. We talk about our love for reality tv and why we are #sorrynotsorry about indulging in guilty pleasures.

Zara is a mom of twins and a freelance journalist covering motherhood, women's health, and culture. She has written for outlets like the New York Times for Kids, Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Parents, Cosmopolitan, Motherly, and many others. She's passionate about leading conversations about the state of motherhood in the United States. Zara has a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

You can follow Zara on Instagram and TikTok

Music by Dana Music from Pixabay

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It’s a solo podcast episode today and I’m indulging in a little vent session about how difficult return to work has been for our family.

I know I am probably repeating this ad nauseam, but my experience solo parenting only continues to underscore the greater need for more flexible work schedules for parents.

I talk about how often I replay every single conversation I have in my head after talking to other adults (does anybody else do this too?)

I also talk about birthday planning for my two kids, as well as chat about what I love to do most: eat junk food and watch Bravo.

This is an easy listen, don’t forget to like, subscribe and share if you like this episode :)

Music by Dana Music from Pixabay

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How are working parents handling return-to-work mandates? Not well. Today on episode 5 of The Good Moms Podcast, I talk to Content Creator and Mom of 4 Paige Connell about how return-to-work mandates are setting moms back.

In a viral LinkedIn post that later turned into an article for Motherly, Paige Connell shared how return to work mandates were detrimental to working parents.

With a demand for more “workplace efficiency,” companies and organizations have now started calling former remote workers back into the office. This has come at a significant cost for working families, specifically moms.

As Paige notes, moms are disproportionately affected by these policies, and are being left to face the brunt of household labor. We talk about systemic inequities that contribute to a mom’s mental load and why it’s important to have conversations about the mental load with your partner or spouse.

Paige also shares her journey into content creation, and her advocacy for childcare, paid leave and mental load.

About Paige:

Paige is a working mother of four who shares relatable content on TikTok and Instagram, highlighting the everyday experiences of women balancing motherhood, careers, and relationships. Known for her candid insights on the mental load of motherhood and the challenges of creating equity at home and work, Paige’s content resonates with millions. She also advocates for affordable childcare, paid leave, and reproductive rights, sparking important conversations about what families need to thrive. Her impactful voice and relatable storytelling have led to features in Scary Mommy, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and more.

Music by Dana Music from Pixabay

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I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Emma Smith, PhD and Licensed Therapist today to talk about the personal connection in marriage and “the roommate phase.”

You know, that phase where you and your spouse are knee-deep in parenting and it feels like you’re just two ships passing in the night?

We talk about how common it is to go through seasons of “roommates” despite what social media says, and how you can still maintain connection throughout this phase.

We also talk about intimacy during those early baby & toddler years. We reference Dr. Emily Oster's survey on sex frequency, and talk about quality over quantity when it comes to partner intimacy.

Huge thanks to Dr. Emma for sitting down to chat with me!

About Dr. Emma:

Emma Smith, PhD, LPC, CST, CCTP (she/her) is a licensed professional counselor in private practice in Nashville, TN, and serves clients in TN, TX, VA, MD, & DC. Dr. Emma is certified in trauma and transgender healthcare, as well as an AASECT-certified sex therapist. In her private practice, she provides individual and relationship therapy and consultation focusing on sexual and religious trauma, sex therapy, and LGBTQ+ healthcare. Before entering private practice, Dr. Emma worked for the United States Marine Corps in several embedded-civilian positions, served on advisory boards for military families, and was an early advocate of LGBTQIA competency for sexual assault response teams and open transgender military service. She works from an existential-feminist and trauma-informed lens and is committed to supporting survivors of sexual assault, as well as queer, trans, and nonbinary individuals and couples. She also runs the blog “The Intimate Philosopher” on Substack.com. Dr. Emma is a graduate of the University of Scranton and Walden University. In her free time, Dr. Emma is an avid reader, runner, sparkle enthusiast and wishes she could commit to becoming a dedicated yogi. She can be contacted through email (emma@soliloquie.co) or Instagram (@emmasmithphd).

Music by Dana Music from Pixabay

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I am finally back among the living and boy, did we go through it. After a 24 hour stomach bug for my daughter, I was hit with this season’s flu and let me tell you, it was no joke. In this episode, I’m talking about how it’s nearly impossible to parent while you’re sick, the mental load that comes with your spouse getting sick and why that triggers us moms.

Plus, Valentine’s Day card exchanges at preschool and why I felt like an absolute BOOMER. I talk about the competitive nature of holiday treat bags and the huge amount pressure put on moms to outperform one another during holidays.

I cap it off with a little bit of a life change for us due to the federal return-to-work mandate, plus some things that are helping me take a load off.

Enjoy!

Music by Dana Music from Pixabay

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It’s Galentine’s Day and around here, we get deep. Today I’m celebrating in true fashion and have invited my two high school bffs to the pod. We're bringing our group chat to real life, talking about everything from having VERY small villages, to what time to ourselves look like, to feeling resentment and setting personal boundaries, and pink eye on our first day back from maternity leave.

Listen in and like, subscribe and share if you enjoyed!

Music by Dana Music from Pixabay

Music by Dana Music from Pixabay

If you liked this episode or previous episodes, like, rate, or leave a review!

Let's be friends! Follow Good Moms on Instagram at @goodmomspod