A lot of moms struggle with breastfeeding. It can be really hard. But this week’s guest, Binta’s struggles to breastfeed and the pressure to give her baby her breast milk have been amplified to such a degree that she is willing to hurt herself repeatedly just to get breast milk without blood.

Binta breastfed her first baby for nearly two years, but when it came to her second, she faced immense pain and difficulty every time she tried. Binta wanted to feel like she was trying everything possible to give her baby breast milk. She kept going despite experiencing bleeding and pain because, everywhere she turned, she received the message that she was failing as a mom if she had to supplement with formula.

In the final episode of season 1, Binta shares the issues she has faced with breastfeeding, pumping, and the excruciating lengths she has been going to in attempts to breastfeed her baby. Hear the pain and injuries she has faced as a result, the shocking responses she has received from healthcare professionals that have made her feel like a terrible mom, and the shame and guilt that she continues to feel around having to feed her baby with formula.

“They made me feel like you must breastfeed, there is no other solution. They focused on the benefits of breastfeeding your baby and why it is more important than even your own health, how you are feeling, or the pain you are going through.” - Binta

In This Episode:

- Hear the question Binta really doesn’t like to get asked and why she is so weary and afraid of it.

- Binta shares the two biggest emotions that come up for her when she has to supplement with formula.

- Find out how Binta believes moms who are unable to breastfeed should be treated.

- The shame, blame, and guilt that can come with being unable to breastfeed your child.

- Binta shares the advice she would give her daughter if she were in this situation.

- Find out about the way Binta has been treated by healthcare professionals when trying to breastfeed.

If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/

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We all recall the beginning of COVID when everyone was being told to isolate at home with their families, and this is exactly where this week’s story begins. This week’s story is about a 3-and-a-half-year-old named Norah and her imaginary rainbow family. At the start of the pandemic, Katlynn was heavily pregnant with her third child, and they were forced to stay totally isolated as a family for quite a while. Two months into quarantine, Norah calls for a family dinner and has an announcement: she isn’t part of this family, she is part of her rainbow family, the one that lives in the clouds.

Norah’s rainbow family was always on some amazing adventure that was way cooler than what Katlynn’s family was doing in their daily lives. The rainbow family helped Norah navigate periods of isolation at the beginning of COVID and even death as COVID got worse. The rainbow family was super cool and eventually, her rainbow family became a leverage tool she tried to use with her actual human mom. In this episode, hear more about Norah’s rainbow family and how Katlynn managed this imaginary family her daughter had created. Learn how the rainbow family progressed over the years, how the real family dealt with it, and where Norah is now with regard to her rainbow family.

“We thought this was probably just her way of coping with being in lockdown. Her rainbow family sounded like everything we did as a family before COVID, so we figured this must just be her way of coping.” - Katlynn

In This Episode:

- Find out why it became so hard for Katlynn and her family to compete with the rainbow family.

- Hear the struggles Katlynn faced as she navigated helping her children cope with a pandemic that affected everyone.

- Katlynn shares how Norah’s rainbow family taught her to navigate and process death.

- Even after COVID, the rainbow family stuck around. Here’s how it changed…

- Learn how to use Katlynn’s experience of a rainbow family if your child has an imaginary world.

If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/

Connect with Katlynn:

Website

Podcast

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In last week’s episode, we heard from Kateryna and her experience of having to flee her home with her family as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But this week we’re hearing a different perspective of the war from Marina, whose Mom is steadfast in her faithfulness to the former Soviet Union and now Russian leadership. Marina and her mom are on complete opposite ends with regard to the war, as while Marina vehemently opposes the war and has questioned the communist regime since a little girl, her mom fully supports it and continues to do so. With Russia invading Ukraine, what used to be an underlying source of tension in the relationship has been brought to the forefront.

Marina was born in Russia, but got married and moved to the U.S. in her 20s, while her 92-year-old mom still lives in Moscow. In this episode, hear more about Marina’s experience of navigating a relationship with her mom who remains proud of and loyal to the Russian leadership. Marina shares invaluable insight into the generational trauma that has changed the views and attitudes of Russian people and helps us understand how people just like her mom have been conditioned since childhood to respond positively to Putin. Learn more about how people have been categorized into “us” versus “them” by the Russian regime, how people are entrenched in Russian state propaganda, and why Marina fears she may never see her 92-year-old mom again.

“My mom has a very black and white picture. Putin is right and everybody is wrong. She trusts Russian television and that’s the end of discussion. There are certain things that you cannot compromise on, and my disagreement with my mom on the subject of war is one of them.” - Marina

In This Episode:

- Marina shares more about Russian culture and history and how it’s impacted life in Russia today.

- Discover what generational trauma is and how it completely changes the views and opinions of its victims.

- Even though she has a sister in Ukraine, Marina’s mom STILL thinks that Ukrainians deserve to be bombed. Here’s why…

- Marina shares the moment she really started to question the Soviet leadership.

- Marina has never fully shared her true self with her mom, and hides so much of her life. This is the reason…

- Learn more about the fascism, censorship, and oppression that exists in Russia today.

- Marina tries to share facts with her mom to broaden her mind from Russian propaganda, but her mom won’t listen. This is why…

- In Russia, the communist regime message is perpetuated and instilled from childhood. Here’s how they do it…

If you want to connect with fellow moms or simply want to share your personal journey as a mom, connect with us here: https://mamaihearyou.com/

Resources:

Raising a Thief by Paul Gregory Podolsky

My Mother-in-Law Believes Putin on the War in Ukraine by Paul Podolsky

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