Podcast
That's Total Mom Sense
Hosted by Evergreen Podcasts · EN
Kanika Chadda Gupta, a seasoned CNN television journalist, podcaster, and mother of three (including twins), aims to give credit where it's often overlooked - the lasting impact of living your purpose and modeling that for the next generation. She hosts the popular podcast That's Total Mom Sense, where she interviews public figures on their life lessons, parenting journey, and legacy. Guests include Chelsea Clinton, Kelly Rowland, America Ferrera, and Shannon Lee. She has worked in partnership with the Meta, March of Dimes, Mom 2.0, and the White House. Kanika has been featured in Forbes and on ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox. Learn more at www.thatstotalmomsense.com.
20episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
ERICA BETHE LEVIN: Put an End to Picky Eating
1w ago00:44:25Tap to summarizeWhat if picky eating isn’t your child’s fault—but how we’re feeding them? In this episode, I sit down with Erica Bethe Levin, founder of Globowl, the baby food brand redefining how kids experience food from their very first bites. After struggling with picky eating with her first child, Erica took a completely different approach the second time—introducing bold, globally inspired flavors like curry and spices early on, with powerful results. We talk about the critical “flavor window,” why early allergen exposure matters, how gut health is tied to food diversity, and why traditional “kid food” may be setting our children up to fail. Erica also shares her journey from the world of high-end food and Michelin-star influence to launching a fast-growing company—and what she learned along the way, including her experience on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars. If you’ve ever dealt with picky eating, questioned what your kids should be eating, or want to raise adventurous, healthy eaters, this episode is a must-listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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ARLAN HAMILTON: What the 1% Don’t Want You to Know About Building Wealth
2w ago00:49:56Tap to summarizeWhat if your biggest disadvantage could become your greatest edge? In this powerful episode of That’s Total Mom Sense, I sit down with venture capitalist, author, and founder of Backstage Capital, Arlan Hamilton, who went from sleeping on the floor of the San Francisco airport to building a multimillion-dollar fund investing in underestimated founders. With no degree, no connections, and no traditional path into Silicon Valley, Arlan rewrote the rules—and is now helping others do the same. We talk about: The mindset shift that can change your financial future Why “you only need one yes” is more powerful than you think How to build wealth without privilege or access What every parent should teach their kids about money and resourcefulness Why who gets funded can change the world This is a conversation about grit, vision, and redefining what’s possible—not just for yourself, but for generations to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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AUGGIE SERIES: Rewriting the Parenting Playbook: Honoring Moms, Empowering Families
3w ago00:47:33Tap to summarizeFor generations, mothers have been asked to carry an outsized share of the unpaid, invisible, and logistical labor that keeps families functioning. From caregiving and mental load to emotional labor and school forms, modern motherhood has been shaped by systems that quietly assume women will fill the gaps — at home, at work, and in society. But the cultural narrative is shifting — and parents, companies, and communities are rewriting the playbook in real time. Join us for Rewriting the Parenting Playbook: Honoring Moms, Empowering Families, a conversation about how caregiving expectations are changing, why the old model was never sustainable, and what it looks like to build family systems that honor ambition, equity, and shared responsibility. Our panel brings together leaders advancing this movement from three distinct but interconnected angles — childcare access, domestic labor equity, and narrative change. We’ll explore: ✨ Why the traditional parenting model was built around assumptions that no longer match modern family life ✨ How childcare, workplace flexibility, and economic policy shape family decisions ✨ The Fair Play framework and how it changes division of labor at home ✨ The emotional and identity realities of mothers as both caregivers and earners ✨ How storytelling and representation accelerate cultural change ✨ What support actually empowers families — and what remains missing Meet the Panelists: Joan Nguyen, Co-Founder & CEO, Bumo Eve Rodsky, Founder, Fair Play Policy Institute & Author of Fair Play Kanika Chadda Gupta, Journalist & Host, Total Mom Sense Whether you’re a parent, partner, policymaker, or simply someone invested in healthier family systems, this event will offer both clarity and momentum — and remind us that none of this change is happening by accident. WHAT IS AUGGIE? The most trusted community for parents to find the answers. Inside the app, parents get stage-specific guidance, expert content, on-demand events, and a supportive network that reduces the mental load of figuring everything out alone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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LIBBY WARD: The Cycle Ends With You: Healing as a Mother
4w ago00:51:04Tap to summarizeShe built a community of over a million moms by telling the truth—but this conversation goes even deeper. Libby Ward joins me to unpack the realities no one prepares you for: mom rage, postpartum depression, burnout, and how childhood trauma quietly shapes the way we parent. We talk about what it actually means to break generational cycles, why so many mothers feel overwhelmed and triggered, and how healing yourself might be the most important thing you do for your kids. If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing as a mom… you’re not alone—and this episode will show you why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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SHEINELLE JONES: Fight For Your Joy (and Listen to Mom!)
Apr 1600:28:12Tap to summarizeWhat does it look like to live your dream and then have your world shattered? TODAY Show co-host Sheinelle Jones knew since fifth grade that she was made for morning television. She manifested it, worked for it, and built a life of beauty alongside her Northwestern sweetheart Uche. Then came the nightmare no vision board could prepare her for. In this deeply personal Mom Sense conversation, Sheinelle opens up about growing up surrounded by her mother's affirmations, falling in love on a college campus, raising boy-girl twins while anchoring national television, and walking through the unimaginable loss of her husband to glioblastoma. She talks about her debut book Through Mom's Eyes, the friends who put her back together, and the mantra she holds every single day: I am fighting for my joy. Bring tissues — and leave inspired. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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DR. RACHEL GOLDMAN: How to Stop Stress Spirals (CBT Tools That Actually Work)
Apr 900:47:21Tap to summarizeIn this episode of That’s Total Mom Sense, host Kanika Chadda Gupta sits down with nationally recognized clinical psychologist Rachel L. Goldman to talk about something so many parents silently struggle with: burnout, stress, and the pressure to do it all. Dr. Rachel, a cognitive behavioral therapy expert and author of When Life Happens, shares practical tools for navigating emotional overwhelm, breaking patterns of overachieving, and building healthier coping strategies for everyday stress. Together, they discuss why high-performing parents are especially vulnerable to burnout, how emotional eating and chronic stress are often signals from the body, and what it actually looks like to process trauma while raising children. In this conversation, you’ll learn: • How to recognize the early signs of parental burnout• Why overachievers struggle to slow down—and how to reset• CBT tools to manage stress in real time• Healthy ways to respond to emotional eating triggers• Simple daily practices that help regulate the nervous system If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly running but still falling behind, this episode will help you pause, reset, and move forward with more compassion for yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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REPLAY: DANIELLE CABRAL: Fame, Family, & Fashion
Apr 200:26:03Tap to summarizeKanika opens this episode by sharing her personal story living in the “sandwich generation” as a mom of three (including twins) and caregiving for her mother who has dementia. She is later joined by Danielle Cabral, star of Real Housewives of New Jersey, for an on stage keynote interview to talk about motherhood, fame, and the challenges of being on reality TV. They discuss the importance of support from their tribe and dealing with criticism from fans on social media. Their conversation is real, poignant, funny and heartwarming. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Are GLP-1s Right For Me?
Mar 2600:56:10Tap to summarizeAfter kids, many parents notice that their bodies don’t respond the way they used to. Weight loss feels harder. Energy fluctuates differently. Hormones, sleep disruption, stress, and the mental load of caregiving all intersect — and the growing conversation around GLP-1 medications has added a new layer of curiosity, confusion, and questions. Join us for GLP-1s & the Post-Kids Body: What’s Different, What’s Working & What’s Next, a nuanced and evidence-informed conversation exploring how bodies change after pregnancy and caregiving — and where GLP-1s fit (and don’t fit) into the bigger picture of health, metabolism, and sustainability. Moderated by journalist and host Kanika Chadda-Gupta, this discussion brings together clinical expertise and structured behavior-change insight to ground the conversation beyond headlines and hot takes. We’ll explore: ✨ Why the post-kids body responds differently than before ✨ The role of hormones, stress, sleep, and mental load in metabolic health ✨ What GLP-1s do, what they don’t, and who they may be appropriate for ✨ How behavior change, nutrition, and support intersect with medication ✨ Common misconceptions and safety considerations parents should understand ✨ What long-term, sustainable health looks like beyond a single intervention Moderator: Kanika Chadda-Gupta, That’s Total Mom Sense Panelists: Dr. Alexandra Sowa (SoWell) + Olivia Ward (Weight Watchers) Whether you’re curious about GLP-1s, navigating postpartum or post-kids body changes, or simply trying to understand why your body feels different now, this conversation will offer clarity, context, and grounded insight — without judgment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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REPLAY: KELLY ROWLAND: It Starts with Mom
Mar 1900:31:35Tap to summarizeHi everyone. I’m Kanika Chadda Gupta. I’m a television journalist, podcast host of “That’s Total Mom Sense,” wife and mom of three. I am having a fangirl moment right now because I am with the beautiful, talented singer, songwriter, actress, and author who has grown up alongside us. She’s been singing her whole life and began her musical career as a founding member of Destiny’s Child and here we are with children of our own. I’m about to “say her name, say her name.” Kelly Rowland is an American singer, performer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. She soon released her debut solo studio album, Simply Deep in 2002, debuting at #1 on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Rowland eventually became a judge on the eighth season of The X Factor (UK version), as well as the 3rd season of The X Factor (USA) in 2013. She has continued her television career by hosting Chasing Destiny, and starred as a coach on The Voice (Australia). Throughout her career, Rowland has sold 40M+ records as a solo artist, and an additional 60M+ records with Destiny's Child. She's won 4 Grammy Awards, 1 Billboard Music Award, and 2 Soul Train Music Awards — she's also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as part of Destiny's Child, and as a solo artist, she has been honored by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and Essence for her contributions to music. In 2014, Fuse ranked Rowland in their "100 Most Award-Winning Artists" list. Kelly and her husband Tim Weatherspoon have two sons, Titan and Noah. In 2022, she released her children’s book, Always with You, Always with Me. Meet My Guest: INSTAGRAM: @kellyrowland TWITTER: @kellyrowland FACEBOOK: /kylierowland529 YOUTUBE: /kellyrowland Press MARCH OF DIMES: March of Dimes Raises $1.4M at 6th Annual Celebration of Babies®: A Hollywood Luncheon 21NINETY: Exclusive: Kelly Rowland on Marriage, Money Moves And Advice For New Moms: 'Be Patient With Yourself' Mom Haul AMAZON: Always with You, Always with Me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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PARUL SOMANI: The #1 Question to Ask Before Making Any Big Life Decision
Mar 1201:07:32Tap to summarizeWhat if regret isn’t something to avoid, but a compass to guide your biggest decisions? In this episode, I sit down with Parul Somani, business strategist, MIT and Harvard Business School graduate, former Bain & Company leader, cancer survivor, and author of The Path of Least Regret. After being diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer at 31, shortly after the birth of her second child, Parul transformed her personal and professional journey into a powerful framework for resilient decision-making. We explore how to lead through uncertainty, make values-aligned choices, and redefine success beyond conventional achievement. This conversation is about courage, clarity, and choosing intentionally, even when the stakes feel impossibly high. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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