After weeks of careful planning, Matthew's baby arrived in the middle of the night—at a completely different hospital than expected.

In this episode, Matthew shares their unfiltered birth story: the telltale signs Mary initially dismissed, the frantic drive across town, and their first days as a brand-new parent navigating meconium diapers and jaundice.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How do you know when labor is actually starting vs. false alarms?
• What happens when the hospital you planned for is full and you get diverted?
• Why did we choose to find out the baby's sex beforehand?
• What's it really like doing your first diaper changes on a newborn?
• How do you handle the unexpected physical realities of newborn care (meconium, jaundice, temperature regulation)?
• What does it feel like to transition from "future parent" to "current parent"?

Matthew's just days away from becoming a parent, while Mandy and Pete navigate the complex world of sharing beloved films and shows with their teens. From handling commercials and consent messaging in Bluey to the heartbreak of watching your kid zone out during your favorite childhood classic, this episode tackles the emotional minefield of introducing kids to the media you love—and accepting when they just don't care.

Questions we discussed:

• When should you start intentionally watching shows and movies with your children?
• How do streaming services change parenting by eliminating commercial messaging?
• Watching problematic favorites (like John Hughes movies)
• Why do kids reject movies their parents love, and how should you handle it?
• How does context and first-viewing experience shape our relationship with movies?

Bonus PSA: No popcorn for kids under five—it's a choking hazard.

What happens when your carefully crafted birth plan collides with medical reality—and your family's overwhelming enthusiasm? This episode explores the gap between Hollywood's dramatic 10-minute labor scenes and the actual days-long delivery process, while navigating the beautiful chaos of well-meaning relatives who can't contain their excitement.

Matthew, Mandy, and Pete tackle the complexities of modern childbirth: How do you balance trusting medical professionals while still advocating for your preferences? What's it really like compared to what we see in movies? And how do you manage family support that becomes more overwhelming than helpful?

In This Episode:

Matthew reflects on the performative pressure to be the "perfect supportive partner" and introduces the "circles of care" model—where support flows inward while emotional processing happens with people further from the center. Pete shares how his performance anxiety vanished the moment actual labor began.

The conversation also covers the medicalization of childbirth and political pressures around birth choices, post-birth food cravings you dream about for months, coordination tools like MealTrain for postpartum support, traveling with babies while managing family expectations, and the realities of C-sections versus natural birth.

Plus, the hosts address a listener question about managing an 18-year-old camp counselor's inappropriate texts to a 14-year-old camper.

Whether you're weeks away from delivery or years from considering kids, this episode captures the beautiful chaos of preparing for parenthood. Sometimes the best-laid birth plans are just the starting point for the real adventure.