Totally Mommy

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* To continue listening to this podcast in the future, please subscribe to "Nobody's Listening, Right?" 

* To continue listening, please subscribe to "Nobody's Listening, Right?" 

* To continue listening, please subscribe to "Nobody's Listening, Right?" 

Four years later, Elizabeth and Vanessa have reunited for a one-time live stream show (via internet) for DynastyTypewriter.com !!  If you missed the event and want to hear their good/bad/funnies and unqualified advice, park your ears here! 

To all of our listeners - thank you from the bottom of our hearts (and wine glasses) for being along for this incredible podcast (life?) journey. You've taught us so much about being better mothers and humans and that compassion and kindness and love conquer all. With incredible parents like you out there, our children are in good hands and the future is bright! We'll think of you with gratitude for every good/bad/funny to be. With so much love and respect - Elizabeth and Vanessa. 

Elizabeth and Vanessa get into our very last questions - giving their unqualified advice to listeners about whether or not to get involved with an infant niece when your brother has become an absentee dad, how to handle precocious children who comment on "big tummies", the love is there in droves, but when does the "like" kick in with newborns, how to address severing ties with a toxic mother to your child now or in the future, whether to invite out of town family to a baby shower, what's more important - healthy food or non religious pre school, how to navigate choosing a baby name that is more of a nickname, how to broach the subject of periods with young daughters, and what are the first steps to take when you first get a positive pregnancy test? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa share their good/bad/funnies (Sitting up on own! Love of plants! / Unravelling the sick perks! A long toddler instructions list! / You want ice cream, you got it!  Not interested in what's for dinner!) Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to navigate a former friendship for the sake of the kids, which guardians to choose for your children, how to handle awkward family christmases that aren't good influences for children, what's the appeal of unmedicated birth, whether to continue a blog about motherhood and if it's disrespecting your child's privacy, how to explain makeup to a three year old without guiding him/her into patriarchal stereotypes, how to work from home as a mother and structure your days, and what to do with a facebook happy mother in law whose political views are offensive?

Elizabeth and Vanessa profess their love for the one and only Hillary Clinton! Then they discuss consent, misogyny and a whole slew of awesome listener questions such as - how to deflect anti girl baby sentiment, how to sleep train a four month old, how to overcome PTSD from a first labor to have a good experience with the second, how to cope with mom jealousy, how to teach little ones hygiene, how to navigate a terrible maternity leave nightmare where there's no support, how to encourage  your spouse to address their emotional issues before getting pregnant, how to accept a change in family planning that wasn't expected, and what to do if you thought you'd be ready to start a family but aren't sure. Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa share their good/bad/funnies (bye bye! Forging a hay path!/ Tooth bruisers! Missed the parent night!/ Hot blue! Finding a parking spot game!) before giving their unqualified advice to listener questions about articulating to your husband that you need some "me" time, how to include your deceased parent in your children's lives, how to deflect judgmental statements from a mother figure, how to set boundaries going into parenthood with a narcissistic mother, how to avoid having to attend an awful church when visiting grandparents, and lastly can we all cool it with all these kids snacks all day erry day?! Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa dive right into giving their unqualified advice to awesome listener questions about navigating new sleep patterns after introducing a toddler, bed, how to address some tension with your best friend after a toddler tiff, when and how to begin having a dialogue with your toddler about their bodies and private areas, what to do about a oujia board table in the garage and other creepy stuff going on in the house, how to advocate for your pregnancy when it might be high risk due to cervical issues, how to navigate family get togethers when one relative has guns, how to alleviate the daughter guilt with your mom in order to alleviate your mom's guilt yourself, and what to do about dealing with depression and anxiety going into becoming pregnant? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa share their Halloween costume plans as well as their good/bad/funnies before giving their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to deal with mentally ill and armed neighbors, how to prepare your child for baby number two, how to set a road path for fertility, and what to do as a nanny about exclusive or discriminating mom groups? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa discuss their good/bad/funnies (I'm mad at you! Peeing in the potty! / Make this great day end! / Naked in Michaels! Batman origin story!) before giving their unqualified advice to listener questions about looking into doggy adoption in a home with kids, how to navigate not wanting to travel to family for holidays with a brand new born, what to do about having seen something that bordered on abuse to a child, how to navigate a strained relationship with an alcoholic mother in relation to your child, and how to handle judgment on your child's name? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa share the news that they are bringing this podcast to a close - sending all listeners so much love and gratitude for being along for this wild ride! After the news drop, they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to find joy in the new title of "mommy" and an unpleasant pregnancy, how to proceed in a relationship with a cousin who has a rocky road ahead in motherhood, how to deflect weird comments about babies' weights, and how to reconcile wanting to be a mother but not being comfortable around children? Enjoy!

Elizabeth shares Vanessa's beautiful poem about motherhood before they dive into their good, bad, funnies! Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to deal with an immature and difficult sister for the sake of her kids, how to support a best friend who is proceeding with caution in her pregnancy, what a bedtime routine with two children looks like, how to make sincere mom friends, whether a child's new coping technique is cause for concern, and how to find the joy in a surprise second pregnancy when it is making you sick? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa discuss how life perspective gives us, well... perspective! They give their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to set "birth time" boundaries with a best friend, whether to trust an OBGYN who is playing "fast and loose" with the Clomid :), what gift to give to a friend to make car trips with her toddler a little easier, how to navigate toddler street safety with your spouse who is not on the same page, what to do about a friend who is taking advantage of your generosity as a babysitter, and how to decide when to take the plunge with pregnancy number two after having suffered from PPD? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa share their good/bad/funnies (Preschool success! We have two good eaters! / Sayonara snuggles! Where's Grandma?/ Precious preschool moments! He's growin' up!). Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to choose what kind of labor you want (hospital or home) for a second birth when you know what it's all about, how to prepare for an international flight with a thirteen month old, what to do to start planning and preparing for baby when you've just gotten your positive test, and how to deflect unwanted comments about assumed gender disappointment when there is none? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa dive right on into the pool of listener's fantastic questions! They give their unqualified advice on how to be there for a best friend who is becoming a mom, whether to invest in new friendships in your new neighborhood or keep up with your older mom friendships, what to say to a friend who hasn't been supportive of you but has also been focused on new motherhood, what's the deal with the bravo show, There Goes The Motherhood, how to playdates work when the babies can't yet really "play", how to avoid not feeling heard regarding latching problems with your second baby as you were with your first, what are the rules with baby names that sound close to friends' kid's names, and how to navigate time with an older cousin who is potentially a bad influence? Enjoy!

V-Dog is back in action! She and Elizabeth discuss their good/bad/funnies (Trip success! Otis playing games! / Pacifier weaning! Daycare closing! / Sandcastle-suitcase! I know you love me!). Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to foster healthy sleeping habits after getting off track, how to respond to compliments about your daughter that make you uncomfortable, how to find great babysitters in a new are, how and when to find time to be intimate with you husband with opposite schedules and a toddler, and how to change grandparent names after they've already been established? Enjoy!

While Vanessa's on vacay, Elizabeth's radiant and very pregnant friend, the wonderful Michaela McManus is filling in! They discuss pregnancy the second time around, the beauty of lists and their good/bad/funnies (The end is nigh! Imagination play!/ Transitions! Lack of balance! / The doggie ate it! Restin' and chattin') Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about whether or not to leave your child with a friend who has raised some red flags, and how to navigate correcting grandparents on your child's name/nickname? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa discuss what exactly the term "laying pipe" might mean (Vanessa's still not quite clear...) and then their good/bad/funnies! After that they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about what things to consider in your life to prepare to start trying to get pregnant - financially, emotionally and physically, and how to navigate a friend who always has negative "just you wait" advice when it comes to motherhood? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa cozy up and give a ton of unqualified advice to listener questions about picking the right godparents for your future children, how to navigate grandparents who pressure your child to give unwanted hugs/kisses, how to (if to) offer support to a friend who might be suffering from PPD, whether or not it's normal to miss the baby days when you have a toddler and/or crave the later years when you have a baby, what we'd suggest to do with your first born to create special memories before a sibling enters the picture, how to navigate going on zoloft for PPD when it comes with some mom/wife guilt, how to find peace with a father getting quickly into a new, strange relationship after losing your mom and becoming a mother? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa discuss the heart heavy events of the world as well as their good/bad/funnies (Sibling sharing! being present! / Being bound up! Questioning childcare choices! / Bathtime shenanigans! Spooky spaghetti!) Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about addressing a lack of help and support from a husband who is hands off on childcare duties, how to navigate a spouse who is gunning for a boy baby and compares everything to a golden nephew, and whether or not baby signs are a waste of time?

Elizabeth and Vanessa dive right on into giving their unqualified advice to listener questions in today's episode! They discuss what to do about spending time with friends who have a far different parenting style with their kids which makes you uncomfortable, what things would we tell ourselves to do before getting pregnant now that we know what we know, how to correct people who are mispronouncing your baby's name, how to navigate the issue of vanity and self esteem through motherhood, how to navigate taking a dream trip with your spouse while leaving the baby home with caregivers, and how to react to people who have criticisms of your parenting choices whether it's sleep training or circumcision? Enjoy!

Vanessa's back after a fun filled vacay, yay! She and Elizabeth discuss their good/bad/funnies (Awesome trip, no tantrums! Siblings holding hands! / Flight back fear! Choking scare! / Hola Man! Husband jumped ship!) before giving their unqualified advice to listener questions about whether a toddler's aggressive behavior is just a phase or something more, how to navigate playdates with children of varying levels of aggression and mothers with varying degrees of comfort, and what to do about a sister who is a new mom and might be in a terrible hoarder/controlling husband situation? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa dive head first into question city on today's episode, giving their unqualified advice to queries about a nice gift for your son's step-mom-to be, how to cope with in laws who seem to favor the other grandchildren, what to do with strong feelings of competition with an awesome sister in law, what to do about a childless friend who seems upset about her changing friendships due to motherhood, how to let a relative know that it is not okay to post photos of your children online, how to introduce more veggies into your picky toddler's diet, what a good come-back is for rude people judging your expanding family, and how to let a well meaning mother in law know that she is over staying her welcome? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa share their good/bad/funnies (Medicine! Oliver's box! / Tactical tantrums! Sleep stress! / Why on earth is he crying? Oliver rehearsing scenes! ) before giving their unqualified advice to listener questions about whether or not thank you cards are a thing of the past, how to navigate a trillion toddler birthdays and gifts each summer, what are the must haves for becoming a new mom, and what to do about family planning when you and your spouse are not on the same page? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa dive out of their wine glasses and into some awesome listener questions about what to do or bring for a friend who has just had her first baby, a VERY IMPORTANT question about whether or not it's okay to use "cute" names for private parts with our children, whether it's a good idea to bring baby for a 5 day work trip or leave at home with Daddy, how to navigate a stressful living situation with your sister in law who might be a neglectful parent, and lastly, is it okay to intervene if you suspect there's some learning delays for a child that are not being addressed by a friend? Enjoy!

Vanessa and Elizabeth get into self help territory to start before sharing their good/bad/funnies (Fun in the water! Last pump session! / Rambunctious energy! Weaning hormones!/ Youtube personality obsessions! Inside singing jokes!). Then they give their unqualified advice to a fun listener question about how they chose their children's names! Enjoy!

To kick off another super happy snappy podcast, Elizabeth dives into her crippling fear about death (don't worry, she's going to a therapist!) before she and Vanessa share their good/bad/funnies (Feeling Feelings! Camping Success!/ Sleep Troubles For Both!/ Mama Went Poo! Oliver's "Bits"!) Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to handle family's annoying comments comparing your baby to a cousin, what to do about a friendship that doesn't quite fit in with your life since becoming a mother, and what is our take on around the house nudity? Enjoy!

Vanessa and Elizabeth go all in with their unqualified advice on some great listener questions about the emotional challenge of weaning, pros and cons of daycare, plan for introducing formula, how to bounce back from overstepping bounds with a mom friend, and how to navigate a child care arrangement with a friend? Enjoy!

Laimemoms, we salute you!! We discuss our Mothers Days as well as our good/bad/funnies (Sharing rooms! Adaptable Oliver! /New specs! Scary dreams! / Orangutan mishap! Ordering Chips and guac!). Then we give our unqualified advice to listener questions about what to bring to a unisex baby shower, what's the deal with acupuncture, how to keep from obsessing while trying to get pregnant, and lastly how to reconcile baby photo contests with wanting to promote healthy body image? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa discuss their Napa dreams as well as their good/bad/funnies (Sibling greetings! Playing solo! / Giving Medicine! Sprained ankle! / First baby flirt! Pacifier tribal dance!) before giving their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to handle working mom guilt, how to navigate playground glares, dealing with night wakings and boob obsession at 18 months, and lastly a big question about how to deal with realistic looking toy guns at the park? Enjoy!

Vanessa and Elizabeth are mood soul sisters once again! After discussing their recent social anxiety, they dive into their good/bad/funnies (Smiling at an angel! Book memorization! / Sleep Regression! Food tantrum! / Neighbor goat! Mo Ball!) Before giving their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to temper pregnancy excitement and curb anxiety after several early losses, and how to see eye to eye with a partner regarding adoption and fostering children with potential special needs? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa discuss the beauty and point of life (well, Elizabeth rambles on forever about it...) then their good/bad/funnies (Sibling interactions! Doggie friendships!/ The lack of balance!, New tantrums!/ Goats! No money, Mama!). Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about what we suggest to do for friends who are new moms to make things easy for them, and how to navigate sharing the news of a new pregnancy in a high stress, young skewing workplace? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa discuss Elizabeth's experience of a nursing strike and an eye opening lactaction consultant visit as well as the plague that has befallen both homes. They discuss their good/bad/funnies (Formula for the win! Train joy!/ Failure to thrive!, Scary moment by the street!/ Old Macdonald Mama style!, Mary Had A Little Lamb with choreography!) Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about giving a special gift to a sister who's having a child after having lost a child,  whether or not to get a doula when your husband is not on board, how to handle a friendship with someone whose political views are troubling? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa dive right on into giving their unqualified advice to some awesome listener questions about what to do about having grandmothers as childcare when it's affecting your marriage, how to make new mom friends in a new area, what are the postpartum recovery essentials no one talks about, how to be there for a friend who is having an unplanned baby, what to do about the not great eating habits of your in laws, how to handle a creepy situation with a coworker who is obsessed with your child, whether it's selfish to not have your baby spend the night at a relatives house, and lastly how to put a mother in law in her place about unsolicited (and unqualified!) advice? Enjoy!

Happy Births-days to us! Elizabeth and Vanessa discuss the wonderful new frontier of having two year olds, a challenging mothering moment for Elizabeth and their good/bad/funnies (Birthday boy! Incredible memories!/ Daycare dropoffs! Falling off the bed!/ Sweet wake ups! Teddy tattling on mommy!). Then they give their unqualified advice to a listener question about handling the worry and anxiety around a speech delayed toddler. Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa dive right in and give their unqualified advice to listener questions about setting boundaries in a family with mental health issues who are active in your kids lives, whether to sacrifice the mother's sanity for a child's athletic endeavors, what to do about the fear of losing yourself to motherhood and letting go of a hard won creative career, how to navigate dealing with infertility when you are surrounded by other people's pregnancy joy, what we think a grandparents role should be in grandchildren's lives, and lastly what is a good gift to bring a three month old and their mother? Enjoy!

Warning: Elizabeth and Vanessa get off to an x rated start before launching into their good bad funnies (Mama's Funny! Disney delight!/ Exhaustion!, Working away!/ My mama!, Disturbing reactions!). Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about choosing to be a single mother, what to do about a husband who isn't supportive of having a doula, how to approach freelance writing as a new mom, and what to do to deal with the frustration of not getting pregnant month after month? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa discuss their good, bad, funnies (routines! dog and kid walk! / Prolapse! tantrums!/ pumping noise! Penis butt! ) before really going big on a fantastic listener question about spanking, and whether there is a better way to discipline? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa find out that they have even more in common than they thought via bakery businesses and food issues before diving into their good/bad/funnies (baking together! Solo play!/ Marriage backburner! hair cut!/ Making new mom friends! He loves hats!). Then they answer a two-parter listener question about breastfeeding - what was Elizabeth's experience with elimination dieting for digestive issues, and what can we say in regards to the struggle of breastfeeding and the decision to stop or supplement with formula? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa dive into their good/bad/funnies (Table manners! Great gusto!/ A low moment! Naughty time! / "Thanks!" Poopnut!)  before giving their unqualified advice to listener questions about how to communicate with in laws about their visiting and enthusiasm for a new baby, how to talk to our children about their bodies and sexuality through the ages, what to do about confronting parents who are allowing their child to tantrum in a restaurant, and whether or not to have a third child as a single mom? Enjoy!

Elizabeth and Vanessa share their good/bad/funnies (Valentine's day fun! Fun nephew visit!/ I want to go "home"! A sad three year anniversary / Boogies in your face! Loving that Mexican food!) before giving their unqualified advice how to navigate mentoring a new mother, how to cope with fragile feelings around others parenting, and what to do about worries that your child might be facing developmental challenges? Enjoy!

Vanessa and Elizabeth have a rather dark check in (shout out to The Mental Illness Happy Hour!) before discussing their good/bad/funnies (sunny daycare drop offs! Feeling better all around! / Night wakings! Adorable sleep regression!/ Poop nearly in the potty! The hershey kiss of fecal matter!) Then they give their unqualified advice to listener questions about whether to take a full time job and sacrifice family time or not, whether or not to have a second baby shower, and how to approach the delicate subject of TV time with your child's daycare? Enjoy!

Big news!! Our from here on out all official and all cohost, VANESSA RAGLAND is here to discuss our good/bad/funnies (Otis taking a bottle! Making outside fun!/ Post baby blues! Emotional daycare drop offs! / Coffee again (aka, Elizabeth is dumb)! My son is licking the pavement!). Then we give our unqualified advice to a listener question about reserving pumping space in an office and how to deal with a coworker who doesn't get the rules. Enjoy!

Elizabeth dear friend - writer, actress, and friend to all doggies, KATYA LIDSKY is here to cohost! We discuss our good/bad/funnies (Tantrum avoidance! Waiting 'til you're ready!/ Mom to two guilt! Overwhelming paralyzation!/ Poopy monstah! Honey the dog has passed!) before giving our unqualified advice to listener questions about how to approach a health concern with a parent of a child you provide childcare for, and how to navigate the difficult world of feeling good in your incredible body (that just created a baby!) post partum? Enjoy!

Back in the Mommy saddle times two! Couldn't do it without the eloquent and good-smelling VANESSA RAGLAND! We discuss car birth, two kids and our good/bad/funnies before giving our unqualified advice to listener questions about the fear of passing on mental illness as a qualifier in whether or not to have children, and how to heal a marriage that post partum has had a rocky start? Enjoy!

In this special episode, we are thrilled to share our joyful news of our baby boy, Otis, joining our family! We are over the moon with happiness and excited to share the story of his birth (born in the Volvo!) as well as how the first week has been and how having this sweet little angel in our family has been for each of us. We are filled with love and gratitude and sending that your way as well – Happy Holidays everyone!

Happy Holidays Laimemoms & Dads! Cohostest with the mostest, VANESSA RAGLAND is here to discuss impending baby-dom, our concerns over gun safety as mothers, and of course our good/bad/funnies! (Learning to relax! Pie sharing! Feeling anxious about labor! Turkey day sick den!/ Belly crumbs! Santa impressions!). Then we give our unqualified advice to listener questions about a heartbreaking situation involving a spouse's betrayal and having to face single motherhood, how to cope with "gender disappointment" and why some parents seem hell bent on making it seem like being parents is, well... hell? Enjoy!

Hip hip hooray! The multi talented comedy person and Apple sister, REBEKKA JOHNSON is in the house! We discuss our good/bad/funnies (Waving to everyone! Great fathers!/ No sleep for the sleepless! Feeling overwhelmed!/ The year 3000! What's the deal with sex?) before giving our unqualified advice to listener questions about how a second pregnancy is different, what toys to have on deck for small spaces, and how to handle to beginnings of tantrums? Enjoy!