Cristina and Melissa dish on their experiences raising children with rare diagnosis - from prenatal scans and NICU stays to expanding their families. Lisencephaly Fertility Anatomy scan Faith Prenatal MRI Feeding tube Rare disease Bedside manner High risk OBGYN Kidney CYSTS PKD NICU Difficult delivery Pumping Breastfeeding stories Relactating

A conversation with Beth Kadish that explores the following topics: Epilepsy Caregiver support Inclusive schooling Sharing your story COVID-19 Virtual schooling pregnancy after a rare diagnosis Siblings of special needs kids Caregiver guilt needing help and asking for it Emergency responses Marriage Choosing the right caregiver for your family Caregiving versus parenting Sustaining caregiver wellness

Nicole M.K. Eiden is a writer and baker. Originally from Ohio, Nicole co-owns Windowsill Pies, a Southern-style pie and tart company in New Orleans, where she lives with her husband and daughter. The poem “Mortgage,” from her debut collection I Am One of You (Mississippi Sound Publishing, 2016), won 3rd place in the 2016 Women’s National Book Association writing contest and will appear in the forthcoming 2019 New Poetry From the Midwest (New American Press). Find out more at NicoleEiden.com and windowsillpiesnola.com. Nicole and I had a lengthy conversation about motherhood during a Pandemic, gender roles in the house, opening a brick and mortar business, faith and the Catholic Church, poetry,  and, of course, pies. I always love talking with Nicole, and am grateful for her insight. Here are some of the topics we cover in this episode: Raising a young daughter during COVID Gender roles in the home Opening a brick and mortar business during COVID Melatonin Evening routine Coping skills Faith Nun - Joan chitister quote Abortion + Catholicism Christianity + Whiteness Patriarchy of the Catholic Church Money mongering Power mongering Art of conversation Enneagram Windowsill pies community vision Nicole’s television debut - Sugar showdown on cooking channel Unicorn cakes Nicole’s definition of modern womanhood and parenthood Sacrificial batches of dough

In this episode, I chat with Madeline about her decade long career as a Kindermusik Educator, her homeschooling philosophy & what it looks like in her home, and how COVID-19 may be changing our approach on schooling in general. We also discuss her work with refugee families through Catholic Charities, and I ask her to define what it means to be a “modern woman and mother” in her own words.

Cristina reads from her blog post, “Fed is Best” and reflects on her  difficult and short-lived breastfeeding journey, as her son was diagnosed with a feeding disorder and eventually needed a feeding tube.

Cristina reads from her blog, "Odd Mom Out" -- a post describing what it's like being a new mom to a child with a rare diagnosis and special needs.

A short introduction from your host, Cristina.