Chick Chat Nina Spears

Are you someone who has a sweet tooth? Do you get cravings for something sweet throughout the day or in the evening before bedtime? If so, I can completely relate. I get sugar cravings, and when they hit, the cravings are strong. And this happens to kids, too! As parents, we sometimes use sweets to show love, appreciation, and sometimes even bribery. I know I have. These cravings can start young. Sugar is also hidden in our foods, and it doesn't have to be advertised or regulated. It's a major part of our culture's diet, but do we really understand the impact of sugar on our health and our kids' health? I'm not sure. That's why I'm talking to scientist and mother, Dr. Nicole Avena, to understand the science and learn what we can do.
Who is Dr. Nicole Avena?
Dr. Nicole Avena is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and a Visiting Professor of Health Psychology at Princeton University. She is quite impressive! Dr. Avena is also a public speaker and the author of several popular books like "What to Eat When You’re Pregnant," "Why Diets Fail," "Hedonic Eating," and her latest book, "Sugarless," which covers the latest science on sugar addiction and how to overcome it. She has done groundbreaking work developing models to characterize food addiction and the dangers of excess sugar intake. She is the perfect person to chat with about understanding the impact of sugar on our kids' and our health.
What Did We Discuss?
In this episode, we're chatting with Dr. Avena about the impact of sugar and the effect that it has on the health of our families. We all know that the majority of kids (and adults) love sugar. So, we’re gonna "chick chat" about some actionable steps to help reduce sugar impact and why this is so important for us to do so. Here are several of the questions that we covered in our conversation:

What led you to research the impact of sugar on our health?

Tell us more about what you have learned about the effects of sugar on our physical and mental health.

Can you elaborate more on the evidence that sugar is addictive?

Often, we are unaware of how much sugar is in the food we eat. How can we become more aware of what we are putting into our bodies and the bodies of our children?

I think we are all familiar with "sugar cravings." How can we cope with these cravings?

What about artificial sweeteners? What should we be aware of when consuming this type of product?

What are some ways families can begin to remove excess sugar from their diets?

Can you tell us some of the long-term risks of consuming a diet with too much sugar?

What are some of your favorite sugar-free recipes and snacks?

What resources do you recommend for parents who want to learn more about the dangers of sugar and how to lessen their intake?

It was an eye-opening conversation that I think everyone can benefit from and should listen to. Our diets are incredibly important, and because we are the gatekeepers of the kitchen for our kids, these details we discuss are imperative for parents to know. We are building our children's future health now. Tune in to learn all about it and the impact of sugar on our kids and our health!
Dr. Avena's Resources

Website: DrNicoleAvena.com


Dr. Avena's books

Facebook: @drnicoleavena


Instagram: @drnicoleavena


YouTube: @drnicoleavena


LinkedIn: @drnicoleavena


Thank you for listening to this episode! Follow us on our podcast Instagram page @thebabychickchat, and let us know what you think and if there are any other topics you'd like us to cover. Cheers to better health and less sugar!
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One of our greatest roles as parents, in my opinion, is to teach our children how to be independent, good human beings. While academics are important, are we (society) putting enough emphasis on basic life skills and emotional intelligence? I'm not sure. I think that life skills can often be misunderstood as "chores." However, life skills are independence skills and organizational skills. There's more to intelligence than just IQ. There's EQ (emotional quotient, also known as emotional intelligence). And in my opinion, that is just as important, if not more important, especially in this technological, AI/digital world we live in today. So, how do we raise good humans? It's a great question and we're chatting all about it with our guest today, Dr. Jenny Woo.
Who is Dr. Jenny Woo?
Jenny Woo, MBA, PhD, is a Harvard-trained researcher and educator. As the founder and CEO of Mind Brain Emotion, she has created a series of award-winning card games and tools to help adults and kids build emotional intelligence and social mastery. Her product line has been used by teachers, psychologists, parents, and teens in more than 50 countries. In addition to her MEd from Harvard, MBA from UC Berkeley, and PhD from UC Irvine, she also spent several years as a Montessori school director and seven years as a human capital consultant at Deloitte and executive coach at Cisco Systems. Dr. Woo teaches emotional intelligence at the University of California, Irvine.
Dr. Woo is a two-time TEDx speaker, author, and has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Yahoo! Finance, Parents, and The Harvard Gazette.
Dr. Woo is the former host of 52 Essential Conversations to Inspire Children for Life podcast. She has also done two TEDx talks, including "How to Be Self-ish Without Feeling Selfish." Dr. Woo has spoken at the Institute for Child Psychology conference, the Happy Family conference, and other gatherings for parents, teachers, educators, and school administrators across the country. That’s right, she’s been everywhere, and we’re excited to have her here with us on our podcast.
What Did We Discuss?
Today, we’re chatting with Dr. Jenny Woo about how to build life skills and emotional intelligence for children. As I mentioned, life skills can often be misunderstood, so we are thrilled to have Dr. Woo here to "chick chat" with us about mastering these important skills, as well as how to raise good humans. As an educator and mother, Dr. Woo has seen and experienced all of this firsthand. Her warm presence on this episode and valuable insight on these topics are encouraging and refreshing. She gives parents and kids a great place to start to grow life skills, and she gives us hope for what the future can look like for our children. Be sure to tune into this episode and leave us a review!
Mentioned in the Episode

EQ Workshop video

Empty-Nester Coach on Wall Street Journal

Practical Life Skills for Kids on YouTube

Dr. Woo's Resources

Website: mindbrainemotion.com


Mind Brain Emotion cards

Facebook: @mindbrainparenting


Instagram: @mindbrainparenting


YouTube: @mindbrainemotion


LinkedIn: @jennyjcwoo


Thank you for listening to this episode! Follow us on our podcast Instagram page @thebabychickchat, and let us know what you think and if there are any other topics you'd like for us to cover. Cheers to life skills and being a good human!
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Just a few weeks ago, I had a birth doula client who asked me if she would really know when labor was starting. This question surprised me because she was pregnant with her second child. Her first childbirth experience was an induction, but she knew what contractions felt like. However, the more I thought about this question, the more I realized many expecting moms have asked me this, "Will I really know when I'm in labor?" So, I thought it would be a good time to review the signs that labor is starting so you have more confidence in when to contact your doctor or midwife.
How to Know That Labor is Getting Closer
I know that you are so excited for your little one to be here (and not to be pregnant anymore). The third trimester can feel like the longest one. Each week and day can feel like forever because you are getting increasingly uncomfortable. I get it. Thankfully, there are some signs that you should be aware of that can be good indicators that labor is on the horizon! I discuss these FOUR THINGS to look for as you approach your due date. In this episode, I share what each one is, when you can potentially experience them, and what to possibly expect from these signs. This will give you more confidence that your body is doing what it's supposed to and getting you closer to meeting your baby. So exciting!
4 Signs That Labor is Starting
Once you have experienced those signs of labor approaching, you will soon experience the real deal. If you're unsure what to pay attention to and look for, there are FOURS SIGNS that indicate labor is starting. If you want to learn about these signs and what they mean, I talk about them in this episode. Download and play this episode wherever you listen to podcasts, or scroll up and play on the player provided above. I walk you through these signs of labor and what you can expect from each. 
I know that this is an exciting and anxious time. You are so ready to meet your baby that you begin to second guess if you are really in labor. But I promise, if you listen to this show and pay attention to your body, you will really know when you are in labor and when to go to the hospital.
Mentioned in the Episode
Here are some more details on some of the topics mentioned in this episode:

Cervical dilation (cervical checks)

Mucus plug

Contractions

Bloody Show

Water breaking

When to go to the hospital in labor - our very first podcast episode!

Thank you for tuning into this episode. Tell us your thoughts and labor experience on our podcast Instagram page @thebabychick! For expecting mamas still waiting to meet their little ones, I hope this helps you better understand your body and know what to look for when labor begins.
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If you have a new baby, you have probably heard of Moms On Call. Maybe you've heard of their books, their courses, their apps, or their consultants. Either way, it's no surprise that you have because they have helped over 1,000,000 and counting moms and dads across the world parent with confidence. As someone who has been in the mom-and-baby industry for over a decade, I even remember hearing some of my first clients talk about how they were reading Moms On Call. So, these two women co-founders behind this company have been doing some pretty incredible things over the years, and we are so grateful to have them on our podcast today.
Laura Hunter is a mother of five, a pediatric nurse with over 30 years of experience, an entrepreneur, an author, a public speaker, and a highly sought-after infant care consultant with an international following. There’s one common passion for all the areas of Laura’s life—it’s her desire to inspire and encourage parents. Jennifer Walker has multiple roles as well: wife, mother of three, pediatric nurse, public speaker, infant and toddler care consultant, and author. Jennifer has over 30 years of pediatric nursing experience and has the heart to equip parents with practical advice and inspiration for the joys and challenges of parenthood. These are my kind of mamas, and I’m so excited for you to tune in and listen to this episode with these amazing ladies!
These two women are not only amazing mothers and nurses, but it's obvious that their hearts are committed and fulfilled in serving families during these vulnerable times of parenthood. We had a playful yet profound discussion on parenting styles and modern-day motherhood. Be sure to tune in and leave us a review on what you think!
Moms On Call's Resources

Website: momsoncall.com


Moms On Call books

Podcast: The Moms On Call Podcast


Moms On Call Blog

Facebook: @momsoncallparenting


Instagram: @momsoncall


YouTube: @momsoncall


Pinterest: @momsoncall


Thank you for listening to this episode! Follow us on our podcast Instagram page @thebabychickchat!
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I can't believe we first launched this podcast in 2018, and this is my very first solo episode! We have been playing around with the idea of incorporating solo shows into our podcast for a bit. Now that this is my first one, I am super excited to hear what you guys think about it. Because my career background is heavily tied around birth and my work as a doula, I thought "How to Choose the Right Doula for You" would be a great first solo episode for me to share my thoughts and advice with all the pregnant mamas.
What the heck is a doula?
If you are pregnant or have been pregnant in the recent past, you have probably heard the word “doula.” Some of you might be getting some witchy, burning sage, banging-on-the-drum vibes when you read/hear this word. And for those of you who have used a doula during your birth experiences, you may be laughing to yourself as you read this because you know that while we can do those things, if that is what you want as the birthing mother, we don't really do those things. That's at least speaking for myself and many of the doulas I've worked with and know.
I have been a doula for the past 13 years and have attended over 300 births in many different settings — mainly hospitals, a few birthing centers, and home births. I first started working with moms and attending births in 2011. I can’t believe it's been 13 years, and we’re in 2024.
For those of you who have never heard of the word "doula," it’s actually an ancient Greek word meaning ‘woman servant, caregiver, or a woman who serves.’ More recently, it refers to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother and her partner during pregnancy, labor, childbirth, and their postpartum journey.
In This Episode
In this episode, I talk about the different types of doulas there are and my 6 steps to help you pick the best doula for you. I even include a FREE printable of interview questions you should be asking doulas when you are interviewing them. (Click the show notes link to download it!)
Please share your thoughts with us and leave us a review on my very first solo show. I'd love to hear what you think and what you would add to my list. And join us on our podcast's Instagram page @thebabychickchat to continue chick-chatting with us! https://www.instagram.com/thebabychickchat/
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Are you a mother who feels stretched thin and exhausted? Maybe you can't remember anything, and you're feeling lonelier than ever before? If you're saying yes to yourself after reading these questions, you just might be experiencing "mommy burnout." Our guest today is an expert on this topic, and she is sharing her tips on navigating and reclaiming your life while raising healthy and happy children.
Today's guest is Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, a psychologist, author, speaker, and mother. She literally wrote the book on Mommy Burnout and has been counseling overwhelmed, exhausted, and lonely mothers for 20 years. Dr. Sheryl has led over 10,000 face-to-face sessions focused on "mommy burnout" and its related issues, including anxiety, depression, and divorce. With less help available and high pressure on moms to do it all, it's no wonder that there is a loneliness epidemic going on right now. We're so grateful to have Dr. Sheryl Ziegler shed some light on a topic we feel most (if not all) mothers can relate to.
Check our show notes for more details and a FREE well-mom checklist printable to help you take better care of yourself!
Dr. Sheryl's Resources

Website: drsherylziegler.com



Mommy Burnout book - https://amzn.to/48G4IJA

Her podcast: Dr. Sheryl's Podcouch - https://drsherylziegler.com/podcast/

Facebook: @mommyburnout


Instagram: @drsherylziegler


LinkedIn: @drsherylziegler



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