The Dancer Mama Podcast

Jenna is back much earlier than anticipated from her podcast break- she just couldn't stay away! Tune into this solo episode to hear about the major milestone that is the first night spent away from baby, as well as life updates such as the start of an Invisalign journey, sleep challenges (for mama not baby!) and more! Call for guests: Jenna is looking for podcast guests! If you or someone you know would like to come on the show and chat about anything related to motherhood, pole, health and wellness, fitness, or any other topic you think our audience might be interested, please email Jenna at dancermamapod@gmail.com or connect on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/    If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/

After many weeks without publishing a new episode, Jenna is back, but unfortunately to say goodbye for now. She gives a life update, talking about the pros and cons of being a stripper mama in the early years of parenting, a quick update on the pelvic floor scenario, nursing, and bedsharing, the mental weight of the world, busy toddler fun, and more! While almost everything is going great, it all amounts to just a little too much these days time-wise, and as she is unable to commit to any sort of regular upload schedule at this time, Jenna has decided to take a step back from podcasting for the time being. This will not be the end though- Jenna may well start the podcast back up in the next chapter of her motherhood journey.    Thank you all so much for listening and supporting the podcast over the last year and a half. Have a wonderful holiday season and goodbye for now!

!Content Warning! : Today's episode contains some sensitive topics such as pregnancy loss, fertility challenges, NICU stays, and parenting a child with complex disabilities.  Today Jenna is thrilled to host Emily Laura on the podcast, in which she tells her incredible story of resilience in motherhood and passion for pole. Emily is a pole, heels, and felxibiltiy instructor with an extensive range of certifications, allowing her to serve her students in a unique way informed by education and physiology. She is a former lawyer, mom of two (including her first son who has complex disabilities) and is currently expecting her third. Emily shares her story, relaying the challenges she faced on her parenting journey with grace and eloquence. This episode contains many nuggets of wisdom and solidarity and Jenna is so grateful to Emily for sharing! You can learn from Emily Laura at  https://www.emilylaura.com/ and connect with her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/emily.laura_/ Cover photo by Robotic Clouds Photography If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/

*Content warning*- discussion of digital safety, general mention of child sexual abuse and exploitation, adult themes. Last week's solo episode ended with the question: should adult content creators, or any one of us, be posting our children on social media for the world to see? This week's episode picks up the conversation, delving deep into the topics of "sharenting", both in the context of large influencer accounts and regular social media users just sharing our kids online. Drawing from the educational and awareness raising efforts of @mom.uncharted Jenna discusses how we got to a place where it's so normalized to post intimate moments of our kid's childhoods online and what the concerns are, from digital safety to disrespecting our kids fundamental rights to privacy and dignity. The digital age we are living in is wild, and for most of us, sharing our lives online is something we do without a second thought. But when it comes to our children, a great deal of thought and reflection is needed in order to do right by them.  This is a heavier episode with some potentially triggering topics- it may even feel triggering to hear that we shouldn't be posting our kids online! But Jenna feels this is an essential and timely conversation that we ALL need to be having.  With this episode in particular, please consider sharing, or sharing @mom.uncharted on Instagram to spread this conversation far and wide! https://www.instagram.com/mom.uncharted/?hl=en  If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

*Content Warning: This episode contains frank discussion of adult themes, specifically adult film and adult content creators, and the accompanying mention of sex and sexual relations. Please take care around sensitive/little ears!* For this week's solo episode, Jenna finally dives into a very specific topic she has been wanting to take on for weeks: a discussion of sex workers as mothers and what happens when they are open about both their work and their families online. Using recent events involving fabulous adult content creators and mamas Lena the Plug and Riley Reid as case studies, Jenna talks about the misogyny, stigma, and over all misunderstanding and hate women receive when they openly participate in sex work. Jenna tells the recent story of Lena the Plug making content with a man (other than her husband) and the extreme hate and backlash she received, with people condemning her as a horrible wife but also as a horrible mother. Some commenters went so far as to say that adult content creators should never be allowed to have children...   The intended audience for The Dancer Mama podcast is both pole dancers/athletes and/or sex workers of various kinds. Jenna takes destigmatizing sex work seriously, and she was profoundly disturbed to see the level of misogyny, patriarchal double standards, and misunderstanding playing out online in the case of these two women.  This episode is part one of two separate but related episodes: this episode ends with questioning NOT whether porn stars should be moms, but whether or not they should be sharing their children online. Next weeks episode will dive much deeper into that second question.  Resources mentioned in the show to learn more about sex work from sex workers themselves: https://strippedbysia.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/touchy-subject-with-lena-the-plug/id1632271097  If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

For today's guest episode Jenna is so excited to welcome back the podcast's first return guest, pelvic floor physiotherapist Dr. Ariel Sernek! First things first: congratulations are in order as Dr. Ariel is now a mama! After sharing her professional knowledge and recommendations regarding the perinatal season in episode 20, Dr. Ariel is back to share her own pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience with us. She shares whether she was able to walk the talk and follow her own advice, how becoming a mama has changed how she relates to patients, why would should refrain from commenting not just on women's bodies but also baby's bodies, and more. It was so amazing to have Dr. Ariel back on the show for another insightful conversation.  Content warning: Dr. Ariel shares her birth story which includes an IV, Pitocin, and an epidural.  Connect with Dr. Ariel at https://www.instagram.com/drariel_pelvicpt/   If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

This week's solo episode is a special life update coming at the time of a big milestone: 1 year of being a mama! Jenna's son is a year old now, and she reflects on how the year has crept and then flown by, how her body has changed, her nursing journey, how work is going, and more. Jenna is currently feeling like motherhood is the best thing ever, even as it feels a little relentless and all consuming! If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/    

This week's guest episode is with pole mama, marathoner, obstacle runner and overall powerhouse Manda Ritz! Manda is now a proud mama to two boys, however, there was a time in her life when she wasn't 100% sure she wanted to be a mom. The decision of whether to have kids, how many to have, and changing one's mind is a topic that is less discussed in the motherhood space, and this is an amazing, vulnerable conversation that is sure to make many women feel heard and seen. Manda also shares highlights of her pole career, how she stayed active through her pregnancies, and her shifting priorities in the early motherhood season.  Connect with Manda on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/themomwiththepenguintattoo/   If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

In the first episode back after a short summer break, Jenna recaps her trip with the husband and baby to the Netherlands! Most of her worries about the trip proved to be unfounded, as babyFelix crushed both the long travel days and the time change. The Netherlands is a delightful country, and reflecting on the experience, Jenna can safely say it was one of her best trips ever (minus departing from the Amsterdam airport which was an actual nightmare!)  Jenna also shares the change in her family's housing situation which resulted in a big, unexpected life milestone, not to mention a stressful move which had to happen immediately upon returning from Europe! Thank you for tuning back in after the break! Stay tuned for a new episode every two weeks, alternating between solo and guest episodes.    If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

This is the last episode for a little while! Jenna will be taking a summer break, with plans to return to recording new episodes in August.  In the meantime, enjoy this recap of PSO Canada West: Jenna's first in person competition since 2019 and certainly her first competition since becoming a mama. Jenna shares some of the uncontrollable events that cropped up in the weeks leading up to the competition, the drive from Calgary to Vancouver with a 9 month old and 2 dogs, and a play by play of the weekend. She answers a couple listener questions about her competition experience, including the key differences between this comp and pre-mama comps. Jenna also shares some reflections about medaling, placements, and the nature of competitions.  Thank you all so much for listening to The Dancer Mama Podcast! Enjoy your summer and talk to you all soon. If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/    

This week's guest has been one of Jenna's top pole mama inspirations for years, and has been on her dream guest list since day one of the podcast- Felicity Logan, aka Felicitybambidoll on Instagram! Felicity is an OG pole icon who needs little introduction: she is renowned for her extreme back flexibility, her signature pole tricks and shapes, and her one of a kind sensual performance style. Felicity is truly an open book on her Instagram, sharing vulnerably and openly about her pole and flexibility journey, her career as an exotic dancer, her motherhood journey, and how she has overcome struggles with mindset, self doubt, and more.    In this episode, Felicity shares more about her career as an international exotic dancer, her pregnancy and transition into motherhood, her breastfeeding journey, and balancing mom life and entrepreneurship. She shares valuable insights for pole, motherhood, and life in general, such as focusing on the process and not the result. Listen to the end for an invaluable tip about traveling abroad with young children- the tip is not what you might expect! Connect with Felicity at  https://www.instagram.com/felicitybambidoll/?hl=en And train with her online at  https://alignwithfelicity.com/  Cover Art photo by https://www.instagram.com/poleoclockimages/?hl=en   If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

In this long awaited, highly anticipated (for Jenna at least!) solo episode, Jenna is recapping her return to work in the strip club! This is truly a postpartum milestone, considering there were many points in both pregnancy and postpartum when Jenna doubted she would ever return to the club. In this episode, Jenna discusses how she and her husband handled the logistics of childcare, sleep, handling extreme fatigue, and more. She shares some of her worries heading into her first weeks back, as well as the very specific postpartum body insecurities she is working around. Finally, Jenna basks in the joys of being back on stage, the knowledge that she can still do this job WHILE doing the ultimate full time job of being a mama, and takes a moment to acknowledge how far she and Felix have come in recent weeks.    If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

This week Jenna is thrilled to share her conversation with pole and aerial focused chiropractor, Dr. Emily Rausch! Dr. Emily is known on Instagram for sharing her wealth of knowledge regarding injury prevention and rehab in her signature tough love, no nonsense way. She chats with Jenna about her journey to obtaining her Doctor of Chiropractic, how her pole journey intertwined with her education, and the need she saw for a physiological, scientific approach to pole training and injury prevention. She and Jenna talk about the pros and cons of social media when it comes to people's relationship to their training, why the way hobbyist pole dancers approach their sport that might make them more injury prone, the importance of cross training and more.  Dr. Emily is very knowledgeable and is a straight shooter, but she is incredibly kind and approachable as well! This conversation is a must listen for anyone involved in the pole and aerial world, especially instructors and studio owners. Connect with Emily and check out her digital offerings at www.instagram.com/dr.emilyrausch    If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/    

This week Jenna is chatting with Kat Bailey, an accomplished pole competitor and entrepreneur from the UK, who at the time of recording is about to welcome her third child! Kat shares the ups and downs of her pole journey which spans over a decade, from battling the stigma and public pushback she experienced when first starting pole, to weathering the storm of the pandemic as a studio owner, to pole dancing in Kenya to raise money for charity. She also shares her experience pole dancing throughout all three of her pregnancies, her journey to motherhood through fertility treatment, her struggles with pre and post natal depression and more! Kat's journey is inspiring, and her tenacity, commitment to pole, and love of trying new things truly shine through in this conversation! Connect with Kat at https://www.instagram.com/polekatfitness/    If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

This week Jenna provides a brief update on how life has been with a now 8 month old bubba, including some sleep challenges, teething, and the joys of watching him grow! Then, inspired by Alex Artsy's birth story from episode 39, Jenna explores how her thoughts about birth have changed, in light of her own birth experience and hearing the stories of others. Drawing from her own experience as well as the work of Elinor Cleghorn in her history of women and medicine, Unwell Women, Jenna explores how having the option of effective pain relief in labor was and still is a feminist issue, central to women's ongoing struggle to assert their bodily autonomy and informed consent in interaction with the medical sphere.  If you are interested in Elinor Cleghorn's book, Unwell Women, Jenna cannot recommend it enough. A link is provided for your convenience: https://www.amazon.ca/Unwell-Women-Misdiagnosis-Man-Made-World/dp/0593182979/ref=asc_df_0593182979/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=578815590441&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4038428295646686820&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001334&hvtargid=pla-1595841669723&psc=1    If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/    

This week Jenna is bridging time zones once again to bring you this incredible conversation with Alex Artsy! Alex is a German pole dancer, competitor, graphic designer and recent first mama. She chats with Jenna about her pole journey, what the pole scene is like in Germany, and her experience living and training pole in Australia for a year! They talk about competing and the difference between competing solo and as part of a doubles pair. Alex talks us through her pregnancy, and also shares her birth story in its entirety, sparking reflection on the unpredictable nature of birth and the challenges it presents to mamas to be.  (Content warning: Alex's birth story contains talk of being induced, epidurals, hemorrhaging, and birth trauma. Her birth story begins at 26:20, and if you would like to skip the birth story to avoid any potential triggers, you can skip ahead to 43:00).     You can connect with Alex at:  https://www.instagram.com/alex_artsy/    If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

This week's solo episode is a flashback, recorded back in August while Jenna was still pregnant and indulging all the pregnancy cravings! Jenna talks through her approach to nutrition, her food aversions and her cravings trimester by trimester, touching on preconception nutrition, the importance of going with the flow, and the socio-cultural component of pregnancy cravings. What is the reason behind a pregnant woman craving things she hasn't eaten in years? (In Jenna's case, Frappuccinos, muffins, and pepperoni pizza!)  This is a fun episode, relevant to anyone who is, has been, or plans to be pregnant, or anyone who loves to talk food! If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

This week Jenna is chatting with gogo dancer, preschool teacher, and proud mama, Juicy Lucy! Lucy chats with Jenna about her gogo dancing career, her motherhood journey, her early and how she finds the energy to balance it all! She shares her guiding principles in life, her beliefs about energy and the laws of attraction, and more. Lucy's energy and joy in all she does is absolutely infectious- listening to this episode is like sitting in the sunshine drinking a coffee! Cover photo by https://www.instagram.com/wlpyyc/  Connect with Lucy at: https://www.instagram.com/lucethegoose2.0/  https://www.instagram.com/_juicylucy86/    If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

In this week's solo episode Jenna reflects on her body, brain, and life at 7 months postpartum. It is a cliché that time goes by even faster when you're a parent but Jenna is certainly finding this to be true- the weeks and months just keep slipping by! That said, every week can make a significant difference when it comes to regaining strength on the pole, healing from pregnancy and birth, and adjusting to life with a little one. Tune in for a pelvic floor update and to hear how things are going on the pole! Then Jenna shares a bit about the recent boudoir shoot she did to celebrate her postpartum body, as well as her top tips for pole and boudoir photoshoots.    If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/

This week Jenna is chatting with Canadian pole icon Rosalyn Mow! Rosalyn is a born and raised Vancouverite, Canadian Pole Fitness Champion, notary public, and mama to one little girl! Jenna and Rosalyn talk about her dance and gymnastic background, her incredibly successful competitive career, and some of the stand out public pole performances she has given. Rosalyn shares how she balances mom life with her career as a notary public, as well as her experience returning to pole and flexibility training postpartum. Rosalyn's story of her return to pole postpartum reaffirms what so many pole mamas have shared on this podcast: you will get back to pole, but it will be on your body's time, not your brain's!   Connect with Rosalyn on Instagram at:  https://www.instagram.com/rosalynmow/?hl=en   If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

In this weeks solo episode Jenna chats about 2 completely unrelated topics: starting solids with her little one, and her postpartum body image. She talks about baby's first eats and all things baby led weaning- the trending way to start solids these days! As with everything in parenting, Jenna had found that starting solids has required patience, a sense of humor, and a big adjustment of expectations!  In the second half of the episode Jenna changes gears completely and talks about her body image and how she is feeling about herself at 6 months postpartum.  If you would like to skip the section on baby led weaning, here is the time stamp for the section on body image: 30:55.   If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

This week Jenna is chatting with accomplished touring dancer, competitor, and single mama Jazmin Taylor! Jenna and Jazmin chat about the way stage shows have changed over time in Western Canada, and about how stripper competitions provide the chance to channel those old school show girl vibes. Jazmin gives us some insight into her process when creating a competition show, and tells the story of her scariest moment on stage! She also talks about life working on the road as a single mama and having to navigate childcare challenges, making the most of her time at home, and considering the question “When to tell my kid what I do for work?” This is a great episode that highlights the diversity of motherhood experiences and explores the ups and downs of dancing while your kids are young! Connect with Jazmin at  https://www.instagram.com/the.only.jazmin.taylor/ Cover Art Photo by @eliteambitionsphotography If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/    

In this week's solo episode Jenna recaps her recent trip to Playa Del Carmen, which was baby's first flight and the first trip as a family of three! Jenna recounts some of the adventures and misadventures they experienced on this trip, and gives her opinion on whether traveling with an infant is worthwhile. She discusses her experience doing Mexico “al la carte” vs staying at an all inclusive (spoiler alert: the food is better this way!) Finally, she looks back at the baby travel “must have” items she purchased in advance of the trip and gives her verdict on which ones were essential and which ones she could have done without! This is a fun, light hearted episode with some entertaining stories and (hopefully) helpful product reviews and travel insights! If you are interested in any of the travel items Jenn mentioned in this episode, please consider shopping using the affiliate links below! Jenna will earn a small commission, which helps keep the podcast going! Grow with me Sun Hat: https://amzn.to/3SVXmLZ Summer 3D Lite Travel Stroller: https://amzn.to/3yjOhTq PeapodMat Waterproof bed mat: https://amzn.to/3L2hDgU Disposable swim diapers: https://amzn.to/3ZDl7KY  Mini Fan: https://amzn.to/3L5JqNl 

This week Jenna was so blessed with the opportunity to talk to the iconic Amy Hazel! Pole dancers all over the world know Amy for her flexibility, athleticism, colorful style, and prolific competitive career, which includes titles from Miss Pole Dancer Australia, Aerial All Stars, Pole Theatre, and more! In this episode, Jenna talks with Amy about her career as a professional pole dancer, what her lifestyle was like at the height of her career, and the changes she had to make in order to shift gears and make her dreams of starting a family come true. Amy talks us through her journey to recover from hypothalamic amenorrhea, and how she kept her new goals in mind in order to overcome the challenges that recovery presented. Finally, we chat about her motherhood journey, through her first pregnancy and postpartum experience, into her second current pregnancy, and what she is looking forward to in the future! Amy is a true inspiration: she is mentally tough and her journey is evidence of the incredible power of a strong mind! She is also a delight: she every bit as kind and genuine as she seems on Instagram! If you don't follow her already, connect with Amy at: https://www.instagram.com/amyhazel92/?hl=en    *Please note: there is some discussion of eating disorders and hypothalamic amenorrhea in this episode. Cover art photo of Amy Hazel by @poletheblacklight  If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

This week Jenna is providing a detailed review of the innovative pelvic floor trainer Perifit! Perifit is a pelvic floor training system consisting of an internal sensor and an app that gamifies your kegel training, as well as providing coaching, education, and motivation to help individuals reach their pelvic health goals! Jenna was skeptical at first, but after over 6 weeks of consistent use, she can confidently say that, used in conjunction with pelvic floor physiotherapy, this is an innovative way to supplement your pelvic floor exercise program and improve strength, endurance, and improve pelvic floor symptoms! In this review, Jenna talks about why she decided to purchase Perfit, then gives a detailed walk through of the app interface and the functionality of the device. She concludes by sharing her experience with the product and her results so far! While this review is not sponsored, Perfit has kindly provided a discount code for the Dancer Mama listeners! If you decide to give Perifit a try, you can use the code dancermama20 for 20% off! *This review does not contain medical advice and all listeners should consult with a trusted health care practitioner before implementing changes.  If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

Today Jenna is chatting with Eddy Brianne: a retired stripper, visual artist and crafter, and mama of one with another on the way! They chat about Eddy's dancing career, what she loved about it, and why she transitioned into being a stay-at-home mom once her daughter arrived. She talks about her various creative endeavors, and how motherhood offers yet another, highly rewarding avenue to express her creativity and share it with her daughter!  This is a great episode, highlighting a different approach to motherhood and dancing: not everyone has the goal of returning to the club, and the way Eddy has whole heartedly embraced motherhood while nurturing her various talents is inspiring to hear! Connect with Eddy at https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  https://www.instagram.com/eddylaynebrianne/  https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/CraftyMamaYYC    If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/    

Targeted ads for organic cotton baby sleepers? Influencers selling solutions to problems you didn't know you had? Responsible for ALL the household purchases, from diapers to dog food? This weeks solo episode is a social commentary (grounded in Jenna's own experience of course) on the world mama's find themselves in regarding money, marketing, spending, and consumption. After a recent exorbitantly expensive grocery shop, and a week filled with back to back Amazon deliveries, Jenna was once again asking herself: "Is this just me?? Do I have a spending problem?" Maybe she does, but if so, it is not occurring in isolation from the broader forces at play.  Pulling in content from some excellent books, Jenna explores the topics of "mother as consumer", "ecommerce and the quest for perfection" and the "capitalist impulse to solve every problem with money". She also laments the cost of pole wear and the struggle to resist buying new Pleasers... #relatable. Books mentioned in this episode: How Not To Hate Your Husband After Kids by Jancee Dunn (Pamela Smock is quoted in this book) Baby Unplugged by Sophie Brickman   If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Email us at dancermamapod@gmail.com  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

In this Expert Series episode, Jenna is chatting with Elina Viola: Pilates instructor and osteopath. They talk about Elina's background as a competitive and professional touring figure skater, her coaching experience, and the life skills she has gained and been able to pass on through her skating and coaching career. Then they switch gears to chat about what drew Elina to Pilates, what exactly Pilates is anyway, and how practicing Pilates can benefit the pole dancer as well as the postpartum mama. They wrap up by touching on the newest addition to Elina's extensive education and expertise, osteopathic manual therapy, which has proved to be the perfect complement to Pilates and enables to help her clients on an even deeper level!  Elina has lived a fascinating life, and the combination of her personal experience, deep anatomical knowledge, love of movement, and sincere desire to help makes her a fountain of insight and inspiration! Connect with Elina at: https://www.instagram.com/violapilates/?hl=en  https://violapilatesbydesign.com/  Covert Art Photo by Kevin Stenhouse   If you are enjoying the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/   Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/   

Hey Dancer Mamas! This week Jenna is recounting her first couple classes back teaching in the studio, as well as a brief pelvic floor update (if you've been following along with the saga!) and a general update on her approach to fitness in this postpartum season. Then Jenna gets real with some unexpected, slightly embarrassing #postpartumproblems, in an effort to normalize and bring some humor to some of the less-than glamorous aspects of new mom life! Some notable mentions here include: jaw clenching, achy joints, body odor, and flatulence from both the front and back! There's no such thing as TMI when we are trying to normalize the postpartum body (or at least there shouldn't be). If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/   Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

This week Jenna is talking to title-winning exotic dancer, Sasha Belle! Sasha Belle is a stripper, former fitness competitor, makeup artist, and mom of 2 young kiddos. In this episode, Jenna and Sasha talk about stripper competitions and what it takes to put on those amazing, high production value shows. Sasha shares her pregnancy experiences and how she navigated working in the clubs as long as she felt comfortable, as well as her postpartum return to the club. Finally, Sasha shares some of her postpartum mental health challenges and how she has learned to give herself grace and compassion.  Sasha sharing her story is very valuable for exotic dancer mamas, who may often feel isolated in their experiences and unique challenges. This is an amazing conversation with insightful takeaways for dancers in any season of their life! If you want to connect with Sasha Belle, you can find her at https://www.instagram.com/itssasha.b/  If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/   Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

Hi Dancer Mamas! In this week's solo episode I'm exploring the topic of identity as it pertains to motherhood and pole. Becoming a mom is one of the most profound identity shifts a person can experience in life and it impacts everyone differently! For athletes, dancers, and performers, motherhood can bring on a full on identity crisis as we may have to set aside our sports, passions, and interests as we adjust to our new lives and bodies. In this episode, I explore the question: who am I anyway if I'm not currently pole dancing or stripping? And beyond that, what is the danger of putting too many eggs in a single identity basket? If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/   Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/      

Happy New Year Dancer Mamas! This week I am so thrilled to present her conversation with the sensual fluidity queen, Tia Jax! Tia is well known on Instagram for her signature sensual style, impeccable technique, and for crafting beautiful, vulnerable captions sharing her story behind her dance on any given day. I have followed Tia throughout her pregnancy and into her postpartum journey, and I have always been impressed and inspired by her, and I was beyond excited for the chance to chat with her. Tia shares her origin story as a dancer, how she came to pole, and a glimpse of her time dancing in the clubs. She explains how her mesmerizing movement style is informed by a combination of her classically trained dance technique, her expanding knowledge of anatomy and physiology, and the music and mood of the moment. Then we chat about her pregnancy and postpartum experience, and she shares vulnerably about her experience with postpartum anxiety and depression, her struggles to rehab her core and get back into movement, and the existential crisis so many mothers experience as they struggle to come to terms with their new body and new life. This is an amazing conversation with an incredible dancer that I am so grateful to be sharing with you all! PS: Please don't mind my baby crying in the background towards the end: he was enduring a dramatic diaper change with my husband upstairs! Connect with Tia at https://www.instagram.com/tia_jax/?hl=en  https://www.tiajax.com/tour-dates Cover image photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/taya_pole_pic/    If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/    

This week, Jenna is speaking to pole mama, fitness competitor,and engineer, Juliana! Juliana has expressed herself through movement in many forms throughout her life, starting with ballet as a child, latin dance, fitness, pole, and then coming full circle back to ballet as an adult! In this episode, she discusses her mindset when approaching both pole and fitness competitions, and how she came to focus on the process rather than the outcome. She also shares her inspiration behind some of her most beautiful, memorable routines!  Jenna and Juliana then shift to chatting about Juliana's pregnancy and postpartum experience. Juliana shares her birth, her experience with postpartum mental health challenges and how pole helped her through that challenging period, and what she loves the most about being a mom! She also shares how she manages to balance all the amazing things she does, including stepping back on the competitive fitness stage for the first time postpartum! Full of beautiful anecdotes and valuable insights, this episode is not one to miss! Connect with Juliana at https://www.instagram.com/juliana_wbff_pro/  Cover photo by https://www.instagram.com/yopera/    If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/    

This week is Jenna's last solo episode of the year! The Dancer Mama Podcast will be taking a one week break over the holidays with no new episode on December 27th, then we will be back with our regularly scheduled solo and guest episodes the following week! This episode is a little all over the place and is interrupted by mom duties multiple times! Jenna recaps her 2022, reflecting on her pregnancy journey and her other achievements this year. She reflects on some of the sage advice that she has heard repeated from her different guests, as well as her own takeaways from her postpartum and motherhood journey so far. She also puts out some tentative goals she is setting for 2023 related to pole and stripping. Then to wrap up the episode, Jenna talks about holiday cheer! For something fun and lighthearted, Jenna chats about the holiday season, what she loves about Christmas and traditions she can take or leave.   Jenna is so grateful to everyone who has listened to the Dancer Mama Podcast this year, and is super grateful to all her amazing guests! If you want to give us a free Christmas gift, please consider leaving a star rating on Spotify or a review on apple podcasts! It would mean the world to us and really helps support the show! Happy Holidays dancers and mamas! If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/   Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/ 

This week Jenna is so excited to bring on a very special guest: Dr. Ariel Sernek! Dr. Ariel is a pelvic floor physiotherapist who is passionate about educating people on the importance of pelvic floor health, breaking down the stigma that surrounds common pelvic floor dysfunction, and empowering people to improve their health and quality of life. Jenna's conversation with Dr. Ariel spans from general pelvic floor health, to particular concerns women and birthing people may face in their perinatal season of life, and some practical tips that anyone can implement to improve their physical and mental health if they are working through some dysfunction. This is a great episode: Dr. Ariel was kind enough to share vital information that every woman, man, pole dancer and mama should know! You can find Dr. Ariel on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/drariel_pelvicpt/   If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/      

In this weeks solo episode, Jenna provides a brief update on her baby sleep/bed-sharing journey, including mindset and productivity tips she is implementing to make the most of the situation!  She also muses about the societal preoccupation about getting back to where we were pre-baby: whether that's getting back to work, back to our sport, getting our “body back”, getting our sex lives vack, etc. there is absolutely nothing wrong with striving to return to activities/occupations/relationships we value, but perhaps clinging to idea that we can “go back” to exactly how things were sets up the wrong expectation, and can lead to impatience, anxiety, and disappointment. Perhaps we should lean into the changes, and focus on going forward… If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/   Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

In this guest episode, Jenna talks to her close friend and former stripper sister Veronika Veil! Veronika is a stripper, Russian exotic pole specialist, yoga teacher, digital content creator and mama to a 10 year old boy. In this episode, Veronika and Jenna reflect and share the general highs and lows of working in the clubs, before getting into Veronika's unique motherhood journey. Veronika shares how she navigates the ongoing challenges of balancing the multiple facets of her identity with the often overwhelming role of being a mom. She also discusses her burgeoning career in content creation, her entrepreneurial spirit, and the challenges of raising a child in this digital age.  Veronika's story is unique, real, and inspiring: you do not want to miss this episode! You can find Veronika at  https://www.instagram.com/veronikathewitch/?hl=en  and support her youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/veronikathewitch    If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/   Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  

In this solo episode Jenna recounts where she is at with her physical recovery 9 weeks out from the birth of her son. She talks in candid detail (bordering on TMI?) about her pelvic floor, and some of the troublesome symptoms she is dealing with that have delayed her return to pole. Despite increased awareness about the importance of pelvic floor health, common issues such as prolapse remain somewhat taboo, and are not as openly talked about as some other postpartum challenges. In talking about her own experience with prolapse, Jenna hopes to help increase awareness and lift the veil of shame around this topic.    The episode ends on a positive note, as Jenna reflects on some of the most joyful things about new motherhood so far, and the things she loves the most about newborn life! Because motherhood may be hard, but it's not all bad. Not at all.    If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/ 

This week Jenna had the pleasure of chatting with pole artist, event producer, and soon to be second-time pole mama Lady Jane!  Lady Jane shares how her contemporary dance background and her experience returning to dance as an adult shaped her pole journey. She discusses how she differentiates performing from competing, and how she her passion for performance art led her to co-found her production company, Electra Productions.  Finally, Jane shares her first and second pregnancy experiences, and graces us with beautiful insights about the nature of motherhood! You can find Jane at: https://www.instagram.com/ladyjane_dance/ https://www.poleart.ca/ If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/ 

In this week's solo episode, Jenna muses and reflects on some topics that are very relevant to her current life: baby sleep, postpartum recovery, and navigating newborn life in the digital age. She reflects on her own self doubt and difficulties tuning into her instincts: a difficulty furthered by her addiction to google and her use of social media.  Jenna discusses our cultures obsession with baby sleep, and how the myriad of perspectives and recommendations around baby sleep cause parent's to question themselves and their babies. She reflects on our tendency to compare and despair, and begs the question: "what was it like parenting before the internet and all it's opinions were in the palm of our hand?" Has any generation ever been free of advice, opinions, and external standards when it comes to parenting? Jenna doesn't have the answers, but her reflections may give you food for thought or at least help you feel less alone! If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/ 

This week Jenna is thrilled to be chatting with highly decorated pole athlete, Anna VHH! Anna has been dancing, practicing gymnastics, and training in the aerial arts since childhood, and approaches pole and aerials with all the discipline and intentionality of an elite athlete (which she is!) Jenna and Anna talk about the different approaches in training circus arts vs pole, how to get the most out of training to compete, the importance of cross training and more! Then they dive into Anna's latest athletic endeavor: becoming a mom! (Some would argue it constitutes an extreme sport!) Anna gave birth to her son earlier this year, and shares with us some of her fears going into pregnancy, how she navigated training and running her studio during that time, and how motherhood is going so far! This interview is full of invaluable insight shared by a truly outstanding athlete and artist. Even if you have no intention of becoming a mom, any pole dancer or aerialist will benefit from listening to Anna's take on training and competing! Anna can be found at: https://www.instagram.com/annavhh/ https://www.annavhh.com/ https://www.acropark.ca/   If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/ Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/ 

Contemporary consumer culture, mom vloggers, affiliate marketing and more would have us believe we need a LOT of stuff to get us through pregnancy, the newborn phase, and parenting in general. From Jenna's experience so far, you may not need a lot, but you do need some stuff, and for her, some of the stuff she thought she needed she never used, and some of the things she swore she wouldn't use had to be purchased on the fly! In this light hearted topical episode Jenna goes through a few of the items and services that she found the most useful during pregnancy and in her postpartum/newborn life so far! Product links:   https://www.mybrestfriend.com/ https://www.babybjorn.ca/ https://snugglemeorganic.com/ https://belugababy.ca/   If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/   

This week Jenna brings her husband Skye on the podcast to chat about how fatherhood is going so far, and to share his perspective on some of the topics Jenna has explored so far. They talk about Skye's initial thoughts on dating an exotic dancer, how he found himself privy to the world of competitive pole dancing, how he balances his life coaching background with being a romantic partner, and why being positive, grounded and confident are the some of the best gifts you can give your spouse and child.  Enjoy this little insight into Jenna and Skye's relationship dynamic, and forgive your host for talking too much! Stay tuned towards the end to hear why Skye felt bonded to our newborn baby so quickly and some advice for new dads, new moms, and just anyone looking to enjoy a more level headed approach to life!   If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/ 

Jenna sits down, first at 2 weeks post partum, then at 3.5 weeks, to record her somewhat disjointed reflections on the early postpartum experience. Much like the pregnancy, postpartum and newborn life changes daily, and what sums up the experience one week could be completely different the next!  In this episode, Jenna discusses the role safe bedsharing has played in her postpartum journey, her ongoing struggle with her google addiction, missing the club and pole more than ever, and the paradox that is motherhood. It is a privilege, a sacrifice, and full of seemingly contradictory thoughts and emotions!   If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/

In this week's guest episode, Jenna had the pleasure of chatting with Pole Theatre Canada 2019 Comedy winner, studio owner, pole teacher trainer and second time mama Karolyne, aka Kerosene! Karolyne graciously carved out some time in her postpartum season to chat about her pole journey, her diverse preforming arts background, and how the pandemic contributed to the timing of her decision to start her family (Pole Pandemic Baby boom, perhaps?) Karolyne has leaned into motherhood and become passionate about pregnancy and birth, even starting a blog to document her motherhood journey. However, she discusses how the journey into motherhood was not an easy one, and how the identity shift hit her harder than she expected. Stay tuned to the end of the episode to learn about Karolyne's brand new educational offering for the pole teacher community: the Pre/Postnatal Pole Teacher Training certification! Enjoy the bonus of some sweet baby coos in the background on this one!   Karolyne's Pole IG: https://www.instagram.com/kerosenepole/ Karolyne's Mama IG: https://www.instagram.com/kerosene.mama/ Pole Teacher Training: https://www.instagram.com/poleteachertraining/  https://www.poleteachertraining.com/  https://www.poleteachertraining.com/pre-postnatal-pole-specialist-certification     If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/   

After listening to countless birth stories on other people's podcasts, Jenna finally gets to share her own! Settle in or prepare to come and go from this episode: it's a long one! Jenna recounts the mentally challenging wait between her due date and the birth of her baby 11 days later, before launching into a detailed account of her labor and birth.  Jenna's labor was a significant departure from her birth plan and preferences, but ultimately, it was an incredible and very positive experience. If you are currently pregnant and are holding a narrow vision of how you want your birth to go, or you are anxious about things going off plan during your labor, you may find some comfort in this birth story! TW: some brief discussion of needles/iv throughout, please take caution if you have a fear or sensitivity. If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/   

For this week's super exciting guest episode, Jenna speaks with pole competitor, coach, new studio owner and first time pole mama Virginia Draghi! Jenna got the chance to get to know Virginia better throughout this year after seeing her pregnancy announcement on Instagram and learning that they were only 5 days apart in their pregnancies! Jenna talks to Virginia about her pole career, the ups and downs of competing, pushing through pregnancy symptoms as a pole instructor and studio owner, and managing the tendency to compare ourselves to others when we are the most vulnerable. This was an incredible conversation that you do not want to miss, even if you have no intention of becoming a pole mama: the insights around competing alone are gold! If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Thank you so much for your support.  Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Virginia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viappletown/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/ 

In this topical solo episode, Jenna talks about money and finances during pregnancy, particularly in the context of being a dancer and taking a lonnng unpaid "maternity leave". She touches on topics such as financial dynamics and labor division within relationships, the taboo of talking about financial hardship, how so much of our self worth is externalized onto productivity and financial success, and how being a stripper changed how she perceives and handles money (for better and worse!) This is a super candid episode with sociological underpinnings about a topic we don't talk about enough!    If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/  Lainey Molnar comic I reference at 14:36 : https://www.instagram.com/p/Cgw79xisr1b/ 

This week Jenna is so thrilled to welcome her first guest, Christine aka @littlesnipper to the podcast! Christine is a Pole dancer, competitor, and instructor, as well as an emergency room nurse, dog mom, wife, and proud mom of two! Christine tells us about her pole journey as well as her pregnancy and post partum journeys, and how different the second was from the first. She tells the story behind her infamous and very impressive 39 weeks of Iron X's, how her goal oriented nature kept her not just on the pole but on the competition stage during both pregnancies, and how the Instagram feed is never the full story.  If you are enjoying the podcast, please leave us a rating or review! Connect with us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedancermamapodcast/  Christine's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlesnipper/  Cover Art by: https://www.instagram.com/craftymama.yyc/ 

For Jenna, the third trimester is the best trimester! That is until the last few weeks coming into the due date... Jenna originally recorded this episode at 36 weeks pregnant and had a pretty rosy view of the third trimester: she recaps all the fun pregnancy activities that took place during this time and reports finally feeling comfortable, both mentally and physically, with being pregnant. However, a few weeks later, Jenna had to hop back on a record a little update, because a lot can change in a couple weeks when you're expecting! Listen to the end to hear how she really feels about the wait for the due date and real talk about late pregnancy struggles.

Lot's of people refer to the second trimester as the honeymoon phase of pregnancy: Jenna isn't so sure about that. She reflects on her second trimester, which is a long period of time that see has a pregnant lady experiencing a ton of changes! She talks about ongoing body image struggles, pelvic floor prehab, and the joy of those long awaited first fetal movements!