This was such a compelling episode to listen to, especially with how openly it shared the emotional and physical challenges Darlene faced while raising her children in the Army. I appreciated how the storytelling highlighted both vulnerability and strength in such a human way.

New review: I was very excited when this show was rebooted with Hilary as host. Now, I find myself skipping it every time. There are like 60 episodes of the Accidental Gay Parents, episodes about people who don’t even want kids and every week is a recommendation for The Oprah Podcast. I’m not sure what Hilary’s goal here is, but I’m not into whatever this is. Old review: When Hilary was host, this was my favorite show and always the first one I would listen to. I've been really disappointed with the new host. Her manner of speaking is grating and everything she says sounds too eager and like she's bursting with excitement. Her tone and desire to have kids is desperate and off putting. I'm frustrated that this new host just doesn't have the experience of being the mother of a family to draw from. I find her completely unrelatable. And I even listened to this show with Hilary before I was a mother myself, but the show then was different and fun.

Really enjoy this show and the diverse and unique parenting experiences. But confused by the back to backs of the Accidental Gay Parent episodes? Enjoy those stories but also missing the range of experiences that they previously covered.

As a retired woman with grown kids and no grandchildren, I don’t think I’m the target audience. However, I’ve loved every episode. It’s so wonderful to hear honest real stories that weren’t available to me during my childbearing years, when I felt like I was navigating alone. Grateful and happy the world has moved forward for younger women today.

I’m a long-time listener and I feel like the show just keeps getting better! Every story/interview is so interesting and unique but also relatable. Hillary asks thoughtful questions that come out of her natural curiosity and make for great conversation. The interview with Zaraia Fabunmi was particularly intriguing and refreshing. This is such a wonderful and needed podcast! Keep doing what you do.

I found this gem of a podcast 8 years ago during the isolating time of raising my first newborn and it saved my sanity. Hilary is so relatable, a master storyteller, and I wish I every parent and human would listen to LST. Please keep making this wonderful podcast!

Highly recommend this parenting show if you’re looking for super honest conversations you can relate to! Must listen!

I love this podcast and am glad it’s back, but I wish they would stop trying to shove the Oprah podcast into my feed. If I wanted to listen to that, I’d subscribe to it too.

I am so happy that The Longest Shortest Time is back. Hillary isn't my IRL friend2 but listening to her is like talking to my brilliant friends! Thank you for coming back!

I am always late to the ‘party’…TWD & GOT not binged til pandemic…didn’t lock in to LST round 1 until you were multiple seasons in, but new to podcasts and in retrospect, dealing with terrible post partum, this show saved my life and carried me thru the toughest 5 years with 2 toddlers and LIFE…by the time you left the first time, I was stronger, more capable…I never did say, Thank you! And now, to stumble across your return with the Ashley Parker episode was so amazing!My college years drew me to become a journalism major and now I function as an admitted politics junkie so loved, loved, loved this episode! I am here for the return now, LST - keep ‘em coming!

I lost it when I opened the Apple Podcasts app, which I rarely do as a pocketcasts user, and saw a new episode of LST!! I absolutely levitated into the stratosphere listening to the ep with Andrea and I'm locked IN for the new LST era. It really takes me back to listening to this show in college, inexplicably obsessed with being a mom after coming out. I'm currently planning on being childfree and need to process some grief about that, but what hasn't changed is that LST is the best the world of podcasts has to offer!!

I am so happy this podcast is back to help me through adolescence x 4!

This podcast was a godsend when I was home solo with my first kid and feeling very alone and overwhelmed. I continued to enjoy it while raising that kid and having two more. I am so glad you’re back to continue to offer community and parenting insights!

I listened to LST before I had kids, during the first desk job I had (lots of computer/paperwork). I loved it then and I am SO happy it’s back now that I am raising three tiny humans. Before it came back, after our twins were born I listened to most of the back catalogue to get me through the lonelier times.

This podcast has been part of my motherhood journey and I have found support, laughs, and so very much enjoyed the brain stimulation.

This is a great show that I enjoyed in its initial run, and I am liking the rebooted version now. However, I could not find any other place (even Instagram) to give this feedback, so it’s going here. Hillary, as a fan of yours, I am very disappointed to see you allowing advertisements for the military on your podcast. As a mom, the military is the last place I would ever want my children to go, for many reasons. Aside from the danger of death and dismemberment, the vast majority of US wars and interventions are in the service of imperialism and cause untold suffering for civilians, especially women and children. If you are someone who speaks out in favor of women and children, you should oppose the US military machine . And until you can drop these ads, I will not be listening to your show anymore.

This was such a pleasant surprise! I am so glad you are back!! This was one of my favorites podcast and I’m very excited to hear what’s to come!

I’m so excited to have you back! You got me through the first few years when my kids were little, you made me feel less alone, and taught me so much valuable information. I literally cheered out loud when I saw that you’re back!

You got me through such tough postpartum times 12yrs ago I could cry just thinking about it.

It’s so wondering that you are back continuing your Longest Shortest Time Podcast Journey with us! I listened to this podcast when I first got pregnant, had a baby, then got pregnant again, had a miscarriage, and then finally got pregnant and had a second child. Your episodes cover so much of this parenthood journey and I love how open and honest the stories are. And now that my daughter is 8 (my son is 5) and I’m buying all of the books about bodies and consent, you come back with just what is needed. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Listened to this whole show and in my postpartum season it was such a gift. So many great conversations!

I realize this is an old podcast. However this year (2023) I became a mom and I really enjoyed listening from the start those first few months. Like most media endeavors after 2015, the content has more of a slanted-‘progressive’ view which I honestly find boring. One of the reasons I enjoyed the content early on is that it reminded me of a less divisive time. The focus was on relevant content without making the audience listen to a soapbox about the politics of the day. It just devolved into a standard boring podcast you have to ignore the politics of and eventually just end up ignoring all of it. The stars are for the early episodes I really enjoyed.

My name is Ana am 9 1/2 years old. if I have kids someday I can’t wait to use some of the techniques this podcast mentions

I am here from the Ina May Gaskin Episode. You quite literally said “labor was manageable until I got Pitocin” AKA you didn’t fail because you got an epidural, you failed when you decided to give birth at a hospital. This is why she harps on fear. If you had no fear you would have birthed at home and been able to manage! The whole book talks about how things go south when you go to a hospital, did you even read the book?

Holy moly. As a first time mom in the thick of newborn life, this podcast is SO amazing - I feel so seen and understood, and I know I'm not the only one dealing with these things. It's refreshing hearing the specific reflections/struggles of early parenthood by parents who have some distance from it. So often people tell me it will get better/some other platitude, but this podcast actually demonstrates it.

I miss this podcast so much. Still fantasizing about a return!

☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️😑😑😑😑😑😑🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🤮🤮🤮🤮

I love this show so much. I started listening to it when I started high school, and recently graduated college still a huge fan. I love Hillary Frank and her sensitive and thoughtful approach to her topics and guests. This podcast has meant so much to me for so long and I miss it every day! Re-listening to old episodes is making me so emotional that I decided to write my first ever podcast review! Thank you so much for your years of stories. This show is a treasure!

i listened to this podcast when i was trying to decide on kids and during my pregnancy. so informative, inclusive, sensitive, funny, and entertaining. the most real in depth look into issues around parenthood. absolutely recommend to anyone, kids or no kids.

I just listened to an episode as an assignment for class and was so moved by the beautiful story presented. I couldn’t imagine this being my last time listening, so I subscribed. Thank you for this amazing content!

I listened to the late term abortion and it was Heartbreaking. While I don’t have words to speak to this familiy’s loss, I will say that there are some points that were missed. First, Donald trump was speaking to Ralph Northam statement(from cnn.com) “ infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that's what the mother and the family desired. And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother."” Second, a mention about dr gosnell from philadelphia could have been insightful in the podcast. Late term abortion is a complex issue and really deserves more through discussions

This was my favorite podcast for a while. At some point the interviews stopped being about that first year of parenthood and the show really lost its poignancy. So many gimmicky episodes, and the storytelling felt lacking. I’m still giving it 3 stars for those first episodes though, if I was rating the early leg of this show it would get 5.

I started listening to this podcast 2 years before I had my baby and loved hearing about different parenting styles and stories. Now my daughter is one and this podcast has helped me learn so much and not feel so alone as a first time parent.

I think this was my first podcast. I came to understand what good, quality content was through LST. I thank every person who put a hand in this podcast to ensure the public learns, laughs and grows in life. Will always be a fan!

This podcast got me through pregnancy and being a new mom with its great stories and relatable and honest host, but since it switched hosts, I rarely listen. I tried, I really did, but I cannot understand why someone without a child would be chosen to host this show. The show tried to tie in Andrea’s supposed desire for children as reason enough to qualify her for the job, but her whole - should I just have one on my own - narrative is tired and even seems manufactured. I find her to be too giggly and eager and just want Hillary and the old topics back.

I actually look forward to waking up in the middle of the night with my baby so I can listen to these stories.

I am a podcast junkie. This is hands down my favorite podcast. Soooo good.

This show used to be good, but has become way too “woke.”

Love the variety of topics and quality of the show!

...

I’m giving this a four because while it used to be a solid 5, it’s now a 3 for me. At the beginning, this podcast was relatable and really felt like it was about early childhood. But the producer’s child grew up and she was no longer invested in early childhood so she left. She was replaced by someone without kids, so things became less relatable, but I held on because I knew that they could still tell great stories. And they do! Once in a while they pack a punch, and you hear a great story. But all too often I think they’re just filling time. Instead of feeling like a show where a parent is showing you the complex world of children and parenthood, it’s now a show about kids and parents, but not really by or for them. Give it a listen, but don’t be a completionist towards the end.

This is my favorite parenting podcast! Very engaging, funny, interesting. However, I would like less episodes featuring marginalized demographics (for lack of a better term) like trans parents, black parents, adopting parents etc. These are insightful, but I wish there were more episodes based on issues that nearly all parents face, like potty training problems, dealing with in-laws, etc.

I have learned so much from this podcast and feel like a part of a huge family!

Andrea and her incredible guests provide so much love and laughter for families from every walk of life! Engaging, inspiring, and downright hilarious are just a few of the words I’d use to describe the time you’ll spend with them. Thanks so much for putting out such a stellar show Andrea - keep up the great work!

I love this podcast. I have listened to every single episode. I started listening this January and quickly made my way thru them. I especially enjoyed the early episodes, and I really miss Hillary Frank making them. This show evolved with the new host and although it’s good, I really wish there was more moms and dads talking about their experience during pregnancy and after birth. It seems that this show branched way out and it’s beginning to be a bit annoying how much emphases goes on certain topics.

This is such a touching and endearing story My daughter and I fell in love with Linda and Jessica! I want to share this with everyone I know Many thanks!!!

I love the topics! My favorite episode is by far 197. Don’t love how much advertisements there are. Almost down rated it due to this.

This podcast is great, except the voices of the women hosting are so distracting and irritating. They end nearly every sentence in a low vocal fry which makes this so painful for me to listen to. 😕 Ladies everywhere! Please stop this! 🙏🏼

I am not a mother but a full time nanny and I love this podcast! I have been binge listening ever since I discovered it. I also love you Andrea, I think we may be the same person!

I’m going to use the corny saying of ‘knowledge is power’ because for over 18 years I was dead set on not having children. I was also under the impression that I would never marry. I was lucky to find someone who made me want to get married and is now changing my mind about children. I have only been listening to this podcast for about a week, but I’m so drawn to the honesty in everyone’s stories—the variety of happy, sad, gross and exciting stories. Thanks to this podcast I have opened my mind to the thought of having children and am less afraid. I really appreciate the different guests; from experts in the field of birthing to your everyday moms who can share their painful, joyous or challenging stories of becoming a mother. I can’t wait to keep listening and gaining more knowledge. (2011 seems lo such a long time ago, but I am starting with the older episodes...I hope they continue to be just as good as I go along)