The Surprising Journey into Motherhood With Halaina Ostwald

Life, Loss and Motherhood

Welcome to the Life, Loss and Motherhood Podcast. We cover all things loss(pregnancy, baby, identity) womanhood, motherhood, mental health, mindset, life after loss, finding hope and purpose-- literally everything.

Today's Episode

In this heartfelt conversation, Vallen and Halaina reconnect and reflect on their journey into motherhood, discussing the unexpected challenges and joys they faced along the way. They share personal stories about their pregnancies, the realities of parenting, and the importance of support systems. The conversation highlights the emotional toll of motherhood, the significance of open communication with children, and the evolution of their friendships over the years. They also offer valuable advice for new moms, emphasizing the need for self-care and understanding that parenting is a learning process.

takeaways

• Motherhood can be surprising and unexpected.
• Pregnancy brings emotional and physical challenges.
• Support systems are crucial for new moms.
• Every child is unique and requires individual attention.
• Open communication with children is essential.
• Parenting is a learning process with no manual.
• Self-care is important for mothers.
• Friendship evolves but remains a vital support.
• The emotional toll of parenting is real.
• It's okay to seek help and advice from others.

Chapters

00:00 Reconnecting and Reflecting on Friendship

03:08 The Surprising Journey into Motherhood

06:02 Navigating the Challenges of Pregnancy

08:50 The Reality of Motherhood: Expectations vs. Reality

11:53 The Impact of Support Systems in Parenting

15:01 The Struggles of Parenting Multiple Children

17:51 Understanding Child Development and Individual Needs

21:05 The Emotional Toll of Parenting

23:56 The Importance of Open Communication with Kids

27:00 Finding Balance in Parenting and Personal Life

30:01 The Evolution of Friendship and Support

32:59 Lessons Learned from Our Mothers

36:02 Advice for New Moms

38:55 The Future of Parenting and Personal Growth

I want to give you a few extra resources to check out if you need them.

1. We offer in-person or virtual bereavement support in the hospital or at home. This consists of making sure you know all your options, figuring out a support and care plan for when you're home, and holding your hand through it all. These are paid services provided by a Certified Bereavement Doula trained by me or it will be me;)
2. We have a few low-cost products on Amazon that you can use on your healing journey.

• Our Pregnancy Loss Affirmation Coloring Book, HERE.
• Our Pregnancy Loss Journal with writing prompts, HERE.

I'm so honored that you are here and are allowing me to be your guide, your friend, and your fellow loss mom who knows what you are going through ( although different,.) You are brave, you are resilient, you are so f*cking strong mama.

If you find the podcast helpful, supportive, uplifting and just love the message please leave us a 5-star rating and leave a review! This helps our podcast tremendously, especially on APPLE. This helps our podcast go to the top of search and allows other moms to find us.

Every Mom, Every Baby, Every Loss matters.

Sending love,

Vallen & the EJ Team