Cleft Lip & Palate Education: Melissa's Story

In this episode, Jacqueline shares her personal journey through surrogacy, from explaining the concept to her children to celebrating milestones and advocating for surrogacy awareness. She details visiting their surrogate in Texas, the excitement of her pregnancy, and her family's anticipation of welcoming a new baby. Moreover, she interviews Alexandra French, a breast cancer survivor, mother through surrogacy, and the founder of the Gift of Surrogacy Foundation, discussing the emotional, financial, and logistical aspects of surrogacy. They explore the importance of advocating for oneself in medical treatments, the challenges and rewards of surrogacy, and how Alexandra's own experience led her to start a foundation that supports others on their surrogacy journey. The conversation underscores the significance of surrogacy awareness, the transformative impact of gestational carriers, and the myriad paths to parenthood.

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Struggling to conceive? Download this *free* Month-by-Month Roadmap to Your Fertility Success to help you stay calm and focused on your journey to baby.

This episode was made possible by 2ndStarts.
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00:02 Family Trip to Meet the Surrogate

03:58 3D Ultrasound Experience

09:32 Surrogacy Awareness Month and Guest Introduction

10:17 Interview with Alexandra French

10:38 Alexandra's Surrogacy Journey

24:25 Building Trust in the Surrogacy Process

26:38 Financial Challenges in Surrogacy

26:59 Emotional Hurdles in Surrogacy

29:02 The Importance of Support in Surrogacy

29:16 The Role of Agencies in Surrogacy

30:06 The Financial Impact of Surrogacy

30:54 The Emotional Impact of Surrogacy

38:56 The Gift of Surrogacy Foundation

46:47 Advice for Surrogacy Journey

49:51 Conclusion: The Gift of Family

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

In this episode, Jacqueline discusses significant life transitions and reflections on her purpose, mainly triggered by her journey into motherhood. She introduces her guest for the episode, Katelyn Denning, a coach who supports busy working moms find balance between their personal and professional lives. Katelyn shares her experiences navigating multifarious roles and responsibilities, explaining how our purpose can be constantly evolving and shifting. They both emphasize the importance of self-reflection, experimentation, following curiosity, and trusting oneself when making life decisions to feel more in control and fulfilled.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates

00:56 Introducing the Guest: Katelyn Denning

01:49 The Struggles of Being a Working Mom

02:18 Katelyn Journey into Coaching

03:39 The Constant Reevaluation of Purpose in Motherhood

07:16 The Impact of Motherhood on Personal Identity

09:45 Finding Purpose Outside of Motherhood

14:59 The Role of Podcasting in Personal Growth

20:07 Exploring What's Next: Embracing Uncertainty

20:51 The Power of Experimentation: A Personal Journey

21:29 The Role of Self-Reflection in Personal Growth

22:40 The Art of Listening to Yourself: A New Perspective

23:16 Small Actions, Big Impact: A Personal Story

26:21 Overcoming Overwhelm: Practical Advice

27:55 The Power of the Pause: A New Approach

31:42 The Evolution of Purpose: A Fresh Perspective

37:25 The Role of Coaching in Personal Development

39:42 Final Thoughts and Reflections

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• Connect with Katelyn Denning of Mother Nurture!

Struggling to conceive? Download this *free* Month-by-Month Roadmap to Your Fertility Success to help you stay calm and focused on your journey to baby.

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

In this episode, Jacqueline speaks on the gratitude perspective in motherhood and her intentions to create a gratitude journal geared towards women dealing with infertility. She further welcomes Catherine O'Brien, a licensed marriage and family therapist with a focus on the transition to parenthood. Catherine shares insights on sharing the mental load of parenting, relationship dynamics after having a child, and the importance of offloading the feelings of overwhelm for the sake of personal and marital health. She highlights a spreadsheet available on her website as a tool for managing the mental load. They both emphasize the importance of parents doing what works best for them and their family, and not pressuring themselves to adhere to societal expectations.

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• Connect with Catherine O'Brien and grab her free organizer!

Struggling to conceive? Download this *free* Month-by-Month Roadmap to Your Fertility Success to help you stay calm and focused on your journey to baby.

This episode was made possible by the Opensoul app.
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00:00 Introduction and Open Soul App Overview

00:56 Welcome to the Motherhood Intended Podcast

01:33 The Power of Gratitude in Motherhood

04:53 Creating a Gratitude Journal for Infertility Journey

06:37 Introducing Guest: Catherine O'Brien

07:55 Catherine's Personal Journey to Motherhood

19:03 The Mental Load of Motherhood

24:17 Balancing Family Responsibilities

24:38 The Challenges of Raising Young Children

24:59 The Importance of Teamwork in Parenting

25:27 The Mental Load of Parenthood

25:39 Planning and Scheduling as a Parent

26:17 The Evolution of Parenting as Children Grow

27:31 The Bittersweet Nature of Parenthood

28:18 The Importance of Individuality in Parenting

28:59 The Role of Support in Parenting

29:22 The Impact of Health Issues on Parenting

30:42 The Importance of Letting Go in Parenting

37:10 The Different Roles in a Family

39:04 The Journey of Writing a Parenting Book

41:18 The Importance of Community in Parenting

45:51 Conclusion: The Ever-Changing Nature of Parenthood

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

In this podcast episode, Jacqueline invites her sisters-in-law, Rachael and Summer, to share their individual experiences of pregnancy and childbirth. Rachael discusses her pregnancy journey and her son's eventual c-section birth (on his due date!). Summer details her attempts to have a natural labor which ultimately resulted in a scheduled induction. Throughout their conversation, both moms also open up about the unexpected aspects of their journeys. Overall, their stories highlight the varied nature of pregnancy, the shared joy of motherhood, and the resilience of women.

00:00 Introduction and Welcoming Guests

00:19 Rachael's Pregnancy and Birth Story

05:47 Rachael's C-Section Experience and Recovery

11:12 Summer's Pregnancy Journey Begins

13:28 The Struggles of Pregnancy

14:10 Summer's Wait for Labor

19:02 The Long Pushing Stage

21:07 The Magic of Forgetting

22:07 The Joy of New Additions to the Family

•  Join the Motherhood Intended Community
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•  Leave a review for the podcast
• Apply to be a guest on the show
• Join the Montherhood Intended e-mail list! Once a week you'll receive a newsletter with things like fertility tips, recipes, mom hacks, product discounts, and more.

Struggling to conceive? Download this *free* Month-by-Month Roadmap to Your Fertility Success to help you stay calm and focused on your journey to baby.

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

In this transparent and relatable *bonus* podcast episode, Jacqueline shares her conversation with her brother Jake who opens up about his journey of becoming a father while simultaneously battling a gambling addiction. He discusses his struggles and transformation, sharing his process of acknowledging he had an addiction, tackling it head-on, and continuing to uphold his commitment to staying clean. 

The episode highlights the importance of parental perspectives, honesty, resilience, personal growth, and maintaining a supportive network when facing addiction. Jake also emphasizes the potential dangers of prevalent societal influences, specifically for young people in the sphere of gambling, urging parents to equip their children with awareness and wisdom.

00:00 Introduction and Welcoming the Guest

00:44 The Journey to Fatherhood: The Beginning

02:19 The Emotional Rollercoaster of Pregnancy

05:28 The Reality of Parenthood: First Year Reflections

07:34 The Struggle with Gambling Addiction: A Candid Discussion

10:26 The Impact of Addiction on Personal Life and Relationships

13:21 The Turning Point: Acknowledging the Addiction

21:40 The Road to Recovery: Attending the First Meeting

26:50 The Impact of Parenthood on Recovery

27:59 The Role of Support in Overcoming Addiction

30:39 The Unexpected Challenges of Parenthood and Recovery

32:29 The Importance of Transparency in Recovery

34:19 Navigating Unforeseen Challenges in Recovery

39:23 The Role of Education in Preventing Addiction

45:54 The Ongoing Journey of Recovery and Parenthood

•  A one-stop hub connecting people with a gambling problem to local resources
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Struggling to conceive? Download this *free* Month-by-Month Roadmap to Your Fertility Success to help you stay calm and focused on your journey to baby. You'll also be signed up to receive the Motherhood Intended newsletter [coming soon!].

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

In a lively conversation with Jacqueline, Danielle LaShawn, a mom of four, author, content creator, and full-time employee shares her experiences of motherhood and self-transformation. Danielle emphasises the importance of maintaining personal identity and fulfilling individualistic goals alongside motherhood - a principal topic in her book 'Make a Deposit'. 

She explains the concept of identifying 'deposits' or small consistent actions that make significant impacts over time and keeps the individual enriched and motivated. Given the demands of motherhood, she advises on curating daily activities to ensure one's happiness and achievement, which indirectly benefits the family too. Transforming her journey and understanding to her widely acknowledged book presented an opportunity to connect with mothers who lost their identities to become mothers and help them reclaim their individualism.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:15 Getting to Know the Guest: Danielle's Background

01:11 Unveiling Danielle's Book and Its Core Concept

03:04 Understanding the Impact of Daily Choices

03:20 The Power of Vision and Consistency

05:21 The Importance of Self-Identity in Motherhood

05:47 The Role of Structure and Balance in Achieving Goals

10:11 Overcoming Mom Guilt and Embracing Individuality

13:58 The Impact of Daily Choices on Relationships

16:22 The Evolution of Motherhood and Personal Growth

19:24 The Power of Positive Consumption and Self-Discovery

27:05 Final Thoughts and Advice: Just Get Started

28:04 Connecting with Danielle and Conclusion

• Danielle's YouTube Channel, website, and book
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Struggling to conceive? Download this *free* Month-by-Month Roadmap to Your Fertility Success to help you stay calm and focused on your journey to baby. You'll also be signed up to receive the Motherhood Intended newsletter [coming soon!].

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

Gender disappointment. Maybe you’ve heard this term, maybe you haven’t, but it definitely isn’t openly talked about enough. Gender disappointment is a very real parenthood experience which involves holding a preference for having a daughter or a son, then experiencing emotional distress when baby’s sex does not match that vision. But disappointment is only the tip of the iceberg. Often the feelings to follow are ones of grief, guilt, or even shame.

In this episode Jacqueline connects with Cori Leary, a fellow boy mom, to discuss the topic of gender disappointment. Cori shares her experiences with pregnancy including the honest emotions she felt when finding out she was expecting a second boy. Take a listen as we help squash the shame that many women feel surrounding this topic and learn why these feelings can present themselves in the first place.

Struggling to conceive? Download this *free* Month-by-Month Roadmap to Your Fertility Success to help you stay calm and focused on your journey to baby.

•  Join the Motherhood Intended Community
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•  Leave a review for the podcast
• Apply to be a guest on the podcast

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

In this episode, Jacqueline connects with a mom she's known since elementary school and they discuss both of their sons' birth defects. Melissa educates listeners on cleft lip/palate and what that journey looks like for her son. Jacqueline chimes in with her shared experiences as it relates to her son's bilateral clubbed foot diagnosis. 

Topics discussed...

• Birth defects
• Cleft lip and cleft palate
• Clubbed feet
• MFM and anatomy scans
• Speech therapy
• Oral surgery
• Education and support

Struggling to conceive? Download this *free* Month-by-Month Roadmap to Your Fertility Success to help you stay calm and focused on your journey to baby.

•  Leave a review for the podcast
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• Apply to be a guest on the podcast
• Want in on the ground floor of Motherhood Intended? Reach out to Jacqueline for available opportunities! --> hello@motherhoodintended.com

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

We're back with SEASON 3! Pop the champagne, it's the 1 year anniversary of Motherhood Intended!

In this episode, Jacqueline shares the unique conception and birth stories of her six children - the two sons she's blessed with at home, her three angels in heaven, and a baby girl on the way due in April.

*trigger warning*
the topics of premature delivery, miscarriage, and stillbirth are discussed.

In this episode...

• Infertility, a blocked fallopian tube, hypothyroidism
• Clomid, IUIs, IVF
• Clubbed feet birth defect, cervical insufficiency, polyhydramnios
• Bedrest, premature delivery, the NICU, c-sections
• Miscarriages and stillbirth
• Pregnancy after loss
• Placental abruption
• Genetic testing of embryos
• Surrogacy
• Grief, trauma, and anxiety

Struggling to conceive? Download this *free* Month-by-Month Roadmap to Your Fertility Success to help you stay calm and focused on your journey to baby.

•  Leave a review for the podcast
•  Join the Motherhood Intended Community
•  Follow @motherhood_intended on Instagram
• Apply to be a guest on the podcast
• Want in on the ground floor of Motherhood Intended? Reach out to Jacqueline for available opportunities! --> hello@motherhoodintended.com

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

Jacqueline is joined by Mia Funt, the co-founder and president of ByHeart - a next gen infant nutrition company. Mia is a powerhouse and entirely dedicated to shaking up the formula industry through owned manufacturing and Clean Label Certified ingredients, providing a healthier foundation for growing babies. While building the business with her Co-Founder (and brother) Ron, Mia was also building her family. Her mission has always gone beyond the business to ensure all parents can feel confident in their feeding decisions.

In this episode...

• Pop the champagne, it's the 50th episode of Motherhood Intended!
• Mia's formula feeding journey
• The why behind ByHeart and it's whole nutrition formula
• What sets ByHeart apart from other infant formulas
• Breastmilk science and clinical trials
• How ByHeart is helping all parents feel amazing about feeding their baby - no matter how they do it

Struggling to conceive? Go from feeling stressed to calm with this *FREE* Month-by-Month Roadmap to Your Fertility Success!

Download a growing list of special offers exclusive to Motherhood Intended podcast listeners from some of our favorite brands!

•  Connect with ByHeart on Instagram or learn more here
•  Want to snag your first can of ByHeart infant formula? Use my exclusive promo code for 15% off: JACQUELINEB15
*Limited time offer. First time customers only. Limit one (1) per mailing address. See full terms at: ByHeart.com/pages/aff152311
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If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

Support the show

If you're interested in helping give the absolute greatest gift to deserving parents, learn more about becoming a surrogate (and earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12