Since I became a mom, I have far less time to do many of the things I did pre-baby, including reading, however, listening to podcasts is often something I enjoy doing while multitasking (i.e. driving, nursing, cooking, folding laundry…I’m sure you can add to this list!). Here are some recommendations you might enjoy.
Pregnancy/ Birth

1. All About Pregnancy and Birth Podcast – Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins
Dr. Nicole Rankins is a practicing OB/GYN and mother of two. In each episode, she addresses a topic related to pregnancy and birth, sometimes speaking from her own knowledge and experience as a professional in the field, but often interviewing experts on that topic. She also invites mothers to share their birth stories in order to offer moms-to-be a wide range of ideas as to what their own birth might look like.
Dr. Rankins also offers an online birth preparation course, as well as a variety of resources on her website. These include an editable birth plan printable reference sheets regarding prenatal tests, mediation, hospital bag checklist, a labor pain management guide, and postpartum warning signs.
I found this podcast extremely helpful in my early days of pregnancy when the choices surrounding my labor and birth experience seemed overwhelming. Dr. Rankins provides research backed explanations about each topic and allows listeners to make their own decisions. She’s really addressed just about any topic or question you might have related to pregnancy and birth!

2. Evidence Based Birth –
Rebecca Dekker
`Rebecca Dekker is a nurse with her PhD and founder of Evidence Based Birth. After she had her first child and had a difficult experience with her labor and delivery, she sought out research to determine what evidence there was to support the interventions she had received. This led to her writing a blog and eventually a book, starting a childbirth education class, and a podcast. Since 2012, she has served thousands of expectant moms, offering them scientific evidence empowering them to make informed choices about their own births.
Much like Dr. Rankins, I appreciate the way Rebecca Dekker presents all sides of an argument and the research to support it, then encourages listeners to make decisions based upon what they feel comfortable with.
3. New Mommy Media: Preggie Pals – Stephanie Glover, Annie Laird, Sunny Gault

The goal of Preggie Pals is to educate and entertain expectant mothers or those trying to conceive. They address a specific topic in each episode and hear perspectives from pregnant women as well as experts in their fields. When I was pregnant, I enjoyed listening to women speak who were in the same point in their pregnancies, as well as further along, so I could both commiserate and anticipate what was to come.
Parenting
1. Big Fat Positive – Shanna Micko and Laura Birek

Shanna and Laura, both moms of two, share their experiences of their day-to-day lives being pregnant and raising young children. The podcast was originally born when these two friends discovered they were pregnant right around the same time as one another and they decide to document their experiences. Shanna and Laura have continued the podcast weekly and chat casually, detailing the highs and lows of real-life motherhood. Funny and entertaining, this podcast is an easy listen and one I always look forward to!
2. The Boob Group – Robin Kaplan, Priya Nembhard, Leilani Wilde

This podcast comes from New Mommy Media (various podcast series). The Boob Group supports families who are passionate about providing breast milk to their babies. From parents who exclusively breastfeed, to moms who exclusively pump, to families who use breastmilk and formula in combination, this show answers questions and addresses topics in all forms related to breastfeeding. I have found this podcast helpful and encouraging with my own breastfeeding journey.
3. Newbies – Kristen Straton

Kristen interviews experts and moms at various stages in their postpartum journeys to help answer questions and provide support to new parents in the first year of their baby’s life. I love the title of this podcast because I sure do feel like a newbie 99% of the time as a brand new mom! Some topics include dealing with diaper rash, tips for traveling with a baby, swaddling, cloth diapering, and understanding baby's body language. This podcast helps me feel less alone, and a little more informed and competent.

4. Parent Savers – Johner Riehl, KC Wilt
Johner and KC interview experts and share their own experiences in order to provide new parents with practical information to help them navigate common questions and concerns facing parents of toddlers. Some topics include baby sleep solutions, signs of a spoiled child, teaching your child to swim, and how to manage screen time.

3. Good Inside – Dr. Becky Kennedy
Dr. Becky is a clinical psychologist who addresses challenging parenting questions from listeners. Some of her popular episodes discuss lying, how to welcome a new sibling into the family, talking to your little ones about sex in a developmentally appropriate way (their questions can come much sooner than you'd expect!), fostering independence and confidence in kids, and responding to pretend weapon play.
Her approach promotes a strong parent-child bond, while empowering parents with authority. The podcast title comes from her refrain that, although our kids will sometimes do and say things we wish they wouldn’t, deep down, we are all doing our best and she believes we truly are all good inside. Her kind, encouraging voice offers me peace as I store up her wisdom for the years ahead with my little one.

4. Moms on Call – Jennifer Walker and Laura Hunter
I will be writing another blog post describing the Moms on Call approach in greater detail so check that out. In brief, Jennifer and Laura are certified pediatric nurses and moms who have developed a book series, website, podcast, and consulting company to help parents establish healthy eating and sleeping habits for babies two weeks of age through toddlerhood.
Their podcast addresses various topics including how to extend grace to yourself as a busy parent, potty training, and challenges with naps and independent nighttime sleep. It is helpful to hear parents who are using the Moms on Call method call in with their questions about how to use it practically in their daily lives. This podcast is a good compliment to their books.

5. Respectful Parenting: Unruffled – Janet Lansbury
First off, don’t you just love the name of this podcast? We as parents deal with so many unexpected and challenging issues from the moment we wake up (often before we were ready) to the moment we lay our heads down at night (and sometimes in the middle of the night, too). Don’t you want a resource that can help you feel a little more “unruffled” amidst that chaos? That is exactly what Janet Lansbury offers!
Similar to Good Inside, Lansbury answers questions from parents of young children addressing topics including attention-getting behavior, helping toddlers appropriately express their emotions, mealtime manners, and holding and teaching boundaries to our little ones. She seeks to help parents develop a better understanding of the way young children act, think, feel, and behave in order to better connect with them. A great listen!
I also highly recommend her books, especially Elevating Childcare: A Guide to Respectful Parenting.
Calesse, this is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing! 😘