Podcast
The Real Mom Hub
Hosted by Cally and Emily O'Leary · EN
Motherhood is where your softest moments and your strongest ones live – usually in the same afternoon. It changes everything. Your body, your identity, your understanding of love, your threshold for chaos, your capacity for grace. Nobody hands you a map for this. And in a world that's quietly stopped honoring it, nobody's talking about that either. The Real Mom Hub is where sisters Cally and Emily have the honest conversations most people skip: the identity shifts, the invisible work, the inner reckonings, and the unexpected power that emerges when women tell the truth about raising good humans while raising ourselves. This is a space that takes the job seriously — because it’s actually crucial to our collective humanity. This isn't a bounce-back story. It's a becoming one.
New here? We make space for the full experience of motherhood — the beautiful, the brutal, and the borderline mystical. Hit follow so you never miss an episode.
29episodes
Episodes
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Episode 69: Enacting Change: Why “Matrescence” Still Isn’t Recognized, Why the Push to Get it in the Dictionary Matters, and How You Can Help
Apr 2800:53:39Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIt’s hard to understand something you can’t name. Harder to explain why everything feels different. Harder to give yourself grace, when you can't put your finger on exactly what it is that you need grace for. Because things that are not named are often invisible to the people outside of the direct experience. Language isn’t just descriptive—it’s directive. It tells us what matters, what’s normal, and what deserves attention.We have words for adolescence. For burnout. For midlife crisis.But the transition into motherhood? Still largely unnamed outside of buzzwords like 'postpartum depression', or the expectation to 'bounce back'.We’ve named countless human experiences into legitimacy. Becoming a mother isn’t fully one of them.That’s what matrescence is trying to change. Matrescence explains so much of what women experience when they become mothers: the identity shift, the emotional intensity, the reordering of everything that once felt stable.In this episode, we’re revisiting one of our most important conversations on matrescence—why it matters, why it’s been overlooked, and why having language for this season changes how we move through it.There’s also a growing campaign to get “matrescence” officially added to the dictionary and WE ARE IN!If you’ve ever felt like motherhood changed you in ways you couldn’t quite explain, this episode will likely put words to it.And if you believe this experience deserves to be named, recognized, and understood.....add your name to the petition.👉 Sign the petition: It's Time to GAF About MothersLinks & Discount Codes:8Sheep Organics: Click this link for 10% off your purchase!Kindred Bravely: THEREALMOMHUB15 for 15% off!Host & Show InfoHosted by: Cally & Emily O’LearyAbout the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/Like what you hear? Let us know!Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – Help others discover the show!Join the Conversation – Join us on social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), or send us a message at therealmomhub@gmail.com to let us know what you'd like to hear more of.Share this episode – If you e...
Transcribe →Episode 68: Sneaky Periods, Mineral Depletion, and Why Your Hormones Aren't the Problem: A Functional Medicine Deep Dive with Dr. Taryn Stittleburg
Apr 2101:25:57Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailYour body kept score through every pregnancy, every round of breastfeeding, every sleepless night — and nobody ran an assessment test to tell you what's left. In this episode of The Real Mom Hub, we sit down with functional medicine practitioner, chiropractor, board-certified clinical nutritionist and mom of three, Dr. Taryn Stittleburg, to talk about the gap so many women experience between “you’re fine” and how they actually feel. We talk about postpartum recovery, nutrient depletion, burnout, gut health, and the reality that motherhood often pushes women far past their limits while telling them it’s normal. She's here to tell you postpartum doesn't have to suck, your hormones aren't the problem, and your gut instinct about your own health? It was probably right. Dr. Taryn now helps women reclaim their energy, hormones, and overall wellbeing.Main Topics & DiscussionMotherhood, Medical Advocacy & Trusting Your GutTraditional medicine saved her daughter’s life in the NICU, but once the crisis passed, Dr. Taryn found herself staring down a system that had no roadmap for what comes next. She started asking questions that got shut down fast. This conversation digs into how to advocate for yourself and your kids and how to communicate with providers inside a system that runs on six-minute appointments — and why "we've always done it this way" is not a medical answer.Why So Many Moms Feel Depleted, Burnt Out & “Off”Moms are often left physically drained in ways that show up as anxiety, rage, exhaustion, poor sleep, and hormone imbalances. Dr. Taryn breaks down how minerals, gut health, and stress all play a role—and why so many symptoms we’ve normalized are actually signals that something needs support. She also shares what an ideal care model for moms could look like—one that treats women like high-performing humans in a demanding season, not afterthoughts once the baby arrives. The takeaway: feeling terrible shouldn’t be the baseline, and there are paths forward that don’t rely on just pushing through.LINKS:Stittleburg Restorative Healthcare | Instagram | FacebookLinks & Discount Codes:8Sheep Organics: Click this link for 10% off your purchase!Kindred Bravely: THEREALMOMHUB15 for 15% off!Host & Show InfoHosted by: Cally & Emily O’LearyAbout the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/Like what you hear? Let us know!Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – Help others discover the show!Join the Conversation – Join us on social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), or send us a message at therealmomhub@gmail.com to let us know what you'd like to hear more of.Share this episode – If you e...
Transcribe →Bonus Episode: Feel It to Free It: How to Regulate Overwhelm Fast (A Somatic Tapping Practice)
Apr 1700:08:40Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn this bonus episode of The Real Mom Hub, we walk through a simple, powerful somatic tool you can use in real time when overwhelm hits. If you’ve ever tried to “think your way out” of anxiety and felt even more stuck, this is for you. Doula Amanda Granberg introduces us to Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), a body-based tapping practice that helps regulate your nervous system without needing to solve the problem first.This is especially relevant for moms—when your mind is overloaded, your body is exhausted, and your emotions feel close to the surface. Instead of pushing feelings away or fixing them, this practice invites you to sit with them safely.You’ll hear exactly how to do it, what it feels like in real time, and why it works—even if you’re skeptical. This is a simple, accessible tool to help you move from overwhelm to a grounded, more neutral state in just a few minutes.Links & Discount Codes:8Sheep Organics: Click this link for 10% off your purchase!Kindred Bravely: THEREALMOMHUB15 for 15% off!Host & Show InfoHosted by: Cally & Emily O’LearyAbout the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/Like what you hear? Let us know!Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – Help others discover the show!Join the Conversation – Join us on social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), or send us a message at therealmomhub@gmail.com to let us know what you'd like to hear more of.Share this episode – If you e...
Transcribe →Episode 67: Becoming a Mom of Three: The Honest Middle of It (+ mental chess with a toddler)
Apr 1400:43:22Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailThis episode is a real-time snapshot of Cally in it—just a few months into life with three kids and figuring it out as she goes.We talk through what’s shifting, what’s breaking, and what’s unexpectedly working. This is what the transition to three actually looks like in the middle—not the polished version after it’s all figured out.There’s a surprising amount of ease alongside the chaos, and a growing sense that motherhood keeps asking you to loosen your grip, adjust your expectations, and become someone new in the process.If you’re a mom in the thick of it—or wondering what adding another child really does to your life—this is one story of expansion.What Actually Gets Easier With ThreeDespite the added chaos, something unexpected is happening: the kids are stepping into their roles with each other. Surprisingly, there’s naturally more teamwork, more independence, and moments where things work without mom orchestrating every detail. The older kids adapt, help, problem-solve, and sometimes figure things out on their own.Letting Go While Still Holding It TogetherThere’s a quiet recalibration happening—around the house, expectations, and control. Choosing sleep over perfection. Letting things sit undone. Finding small ways to reset mentally so the whole thing doesn’t feel like it’s spinning out. Not a full system… but small practices that create grounding and intentionality. Links & Discount Codes:8Sheep Organics: Click this link for 10% off your purchase!Kindred Bravely: THEREALMOMHUB15 for 15% off!Host & Show InfoHosted by: Cally & Emily O’LearyAbout the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/Like what you hear? Let us know!Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – Help others discover the show!Join the Conversation – Join us on social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), or send us a message at therealmomhub@gmail.com to let us know what you'd like to hear more of.Share this episode – If you e...
Transcribe →Bonus Episode: The 60-Second Breathwork Practice Every Mom Should Know
Apr 1000:08:00Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn this bonus episode, Amanda Granberg (The bEarth Doula) walks us through a simple breathwork practice—Bumblebee Breath (aka Bhramari Pranayama) —that has become a go-to tool in our daily lives. The science behind it is legit — it works on babies in utero, and Emily used it once on a hysterical 2-year-old, and he immediately started asking for it when he was dysregulated. His dad now uses it too. We're not saying it's magic. But it's pretty close.We talk through how this practice works to regulate your nervous system, why it’s so effective for co-regulation with kids, and how you can use it in real-life moments like tantrums, overwhelm, or even just a stressful day. Main Topics & DiscussionYour Nervous System Is Running the ShowAmanda breaks down how the vagus nerve acts as your body's built-in chill switch, signaling the shift from fight-or-flight into rest-and-digest mode. When you're stuck in traffic, spiraling at 2am, or white-knuckling through a witching-hour meltdown, your nervous system doesn't know the difference between a tiger and a toddler. The bumblebee breath gives it a way out.Co-Regulation: Why Your Calm Is Their CalmHere's the part that kind of blew our minds: when your nervous system is regulated, your baby or child literally has a regulated nervous system to sync with. It's called co-regulation, and Amanda explains how practicing the bumblebee breath — especially during pregnancy — actually teaches your baby the technique before they're even born. They're learning it through vibration and sensation in the womb. So by the time they arrive, it's already familiar.How to Actually Do It (And Make It Stick)Amanda guides us through five rounds of the bumblebee breath live in this episode, so you can feel the difference in your own body before you try it on anyone else. The goal isn't perfection — it's practice. The more you use it, the more your kids will recognize it. Connect with Amanda: www.amandajgranberg.comNew here? We make space for the full experience of motherhood — the beautiful, the brutal, and the borderline mystical. Hit follow so you never miss an episode.Links & Discount Codes:8Sheep Organics: Click this link for 10% off your purchase!Kindred Bravely: THEREALMOMHUB15 for 15% off!Host & Show InfoHosted by: Cally & Emily O’LearyAbout the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/Like what you hear? Let us know!Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – Help others discover the show!Join the Conversation – Join us on social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), or send us a message at therealmomhub@gmail.com to let us know what you'd like to hear more of.Share this episode – If you e...
Transcribe →Episode 66: Beyond 'Good Vibes Only Wellness': A Guided Meditation on Surrender, Identity & Feminine Power with Amanda Granberg
Apr 700:29:08Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailAmanda Granberg is back and leading us a guided meditation that goes places most wellness content is too afraid to go — not into gratitude, not into affirmations, but into the void. The fertile, formless, terrifying, sacred void. The place where you're stripped of every label you've been clutching (mom, leader, 'fixer', the one who holds it all together, achiever, people pleaser) and left with just... you. The original you. The one who existed before the to-do lists and the toddler tantrums and the invisible load.It's vulnerable and affirming and kind of gorgeous. Hit play. Give yourself the 20 minutes. You probably needed this yesterday.Main Topics & Discussion'Good vibes only' is a fallacy We've been sold a version of wellness that only wants the highlight reel — good vibes, high frequency, manifest your dreams. But Amanda draws on Buddhist non-dualistic philosophy to make the case that you literally cannot have light without dark, and spending all your energy trying to stay in the light is exhausting you. The shadow isn't the enemy. It might actually be where your power lives.The void and feminine magnetismThis is the part that might rewire something in you. Amanda introduces the Hindu concept of Shakti — primal feminine force — and explains why the void isn't emptiness, it's potency. Feminine energy doesn't chase. It cultivates, then attracts. The meditation is built around this: releasing what's done, creating a vacuum, and letting what's meant for you come in. Calling yourself backSomewhere in the middle of this meditation, Amanda guides you through calling back the parts of yourself you've lost along the way. And if you're a mom, you know exactly what she means — the pieces of you that got quietly set down and never picked back up. This section alone is worth the listen. Come back into your body. Come back into your womb space. Come back into yourself.Connect with Amanda: www.amandajgranberg.comNew here? We make space for the full experience of motherhood — the beautiful, the brutal, and the borderline mystical. Hit follow so you never miss an episode.Links & Discount Codes:8Sheep Organics: Click this link for 10% off your purchase!Kindred Bravely: THEREALMOMHUB15 for 15% off!Host & Show InfoHosted by: Cally & Emily O’LearyAbout the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/Like what you hear? Let us know!Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – Help others discover the show!Join the Conversation – Join us on social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), or send us a message at therealmomhub@gmail.com to let us know what you'd like to hear more of.Share this episode – If you e...
Transcribe →Episode 65: Queen Mother has Entered the Chat - Christina Drain on Maternal Advocacy, Raising Strong Families & Milwaukee's BOMB Doula Program
Mar 3101:09:50Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailMeet Christina Drain — Doula, birthwork educator, birth equity advocate, program manager for Milwaukee's Birth Outcomes Made Better (BOMB) Doula Program, mother of five, and the woman her entire community simply calls Queen Mother. She's a leader in Milwaukee’s maternal health space, and deeply involved in policy, education, and community-based birth work. Her perspective bridges lived experience, professional expertise, and a deep commitment to making sure women feel seen, heard, and supported during one of the most vulnerable and transformative seasons of their lives. Main Topics & DiscussionThe Role of a DoulaIt's not uncommon to think of a doula as a nice-to-have. Something for the crunchy, well-resourced mom with a birth plan and a playlist. But for a lot of moms in America, a doula makes all the difference in the wellbeing of her own health and her baby's. Christina breaks down what a doula actually does—and why it’s so much more than emotional support. From education and preparation to advocacy during labor, doulas help women understand their options, reduce fear, and feel more in control of their experience. Research shows improved outcomes like lower C-section rates and more positive birth experiences, but what stands out most is how women feel—supported, informed, and empowered in the process. The Reality of Maternal Health (and Why Advocacy Matters)This conversation doesn’t shy away from the hard truths. Christina shares the disparities in maternal health—especially for Black women—and the systemic gaps that still exist in care. She explains how doulas can quite literally impact survival rates by ensuring women are seen, heard, and advocated for in vulnerable moments. It’s a powerful reminder that motherhood is not just personal—it’s deeply shaped by culture, systems, and access to support. LINKS:BOMB Doula ProgramQueen Mother Birth Services | InstagramEvidence Based Birth | DAD ProjectLinks & Discount Codes:8Sheep Organics: Click this link for 10% off your purchase!Kindred Bravely: THEREALMOMHUB15 for 15% off!Host & Show InfoHosted by: Cally & Emily O’LearyAbout the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/Like what you hear? Let us know!Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – Help others discover the show!Join the Conversation – Join us on social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), or send us a message at therealmomhub@gmail.com to let us know what you'd like to hear more of.Share this episode – If you e...
Transcribe →Episode 64: Honoring Postpartum as a Full Sacred Season with Birth & Postpartum Doula Amanda Granberg
Mar 2401:00:45Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we sit down with birth and postpartum doula Amanda Granberg to talk about the part of motherhood that gets the least support and the biggest expectations: the postpartum season. We talk about the gap in care for mothers, why modern culture makes this transition harder than it should be, and how women are meant to be held, supported, and resourced during matrescence—not left to figure it out alone.Amanda shares what she sees again and again in her work with new moms: identity shifts, nervous system overwhelm, grief, growth, and the deep rewiring that happens in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. We also dive into the neuroscience of motherhood, the power of community, ancestral wisdom, and the questions that can help you find yourself again when you feel lost.This conversation is for moms in the thick of it, moms-to-be, and women who know motherhood changes you in ways no one fully explains. If you’ve ever wondered why this season feels so big, so hard, and so transformative, this episode will help you understand why — and how to move through it with more support, more awareness, and more compassion for yourself.Links:Website: www.amandajgranberg.comBody Ready Method: https://bodyreadymethod.com?osm=701 $10 off Discount code for BRM® Programs: dczC0701Restore Your Core: https://restoreyourcore.com?rxf=417 10% off Coupon Code: dcOM0417FIT $10 off Coupon Code: dcOM0417Links & Discount Codes:8Sheep Organics: Click this link for 10% off your purchase!Kindred Bravely: THEREALMOMHUB15 for 15% off!Host & Show InfoHosted by: Cally & Emily O’LearyAbout the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/Like what you hear? Let us know!Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – Help others discover the show!Join the Conversation – Join us on social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), or send us a message at therealmomhub@gmail.com to let us know what you'd like to hear more of.Share this episode – If you e...
Transcribe →Episode 63: Less Hustle, More Alignment: Motherhood, Ambition & the Art of Choosing What Fits
Mar 1000:41:18Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailWhat does goal setting look like when life includes babies, toddlers, and about 17 competing priorities? Is it even worth it? In this episode we check in on the goals we set at the start of the year and offer a little mid-quarter reset for anyone who started January full of energy but now feels like the momentum has faded. Instead of the polished “new year, new life” version of goal setting, we talk about what it actually looks like to pursue growth while raising small kids. We share the frameworks guiding our year—including a few that might surprise you: embracing constraints, focusing on energy instead of perfection, and sometimes choosing to half-ass things instead of waiting for the perfect moment.If you’re a mom who wants to keep growing but your life doesn’t look like the productivity podcasts, this conversation is for you.Main Topics• Why goal setting looks different depending on the season of motherhood • The difference between diligence and perfectionism • Setting goals that actually fit inside real life • The surprising power of “half-assing it” • Prioritizing energy, creativity, and community as a mom • A mid-year reset for anyone whose January motivation has fadedLinks & Discount Codes:8Sheep Organics: Click this link for 10% off your purchase!Kindred Bravely: THEREALMOMHUB15 for 15% off!Host & Show InfoHosted by: Cally & Emily O’LearyAbout the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/Like what you hear? Let us know!Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – Help others discover the show!Join the Conversation – Join us on social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), or send us a message at therealmomhub@gmail.com to let us know what you'd like to hear more of.Share this episode – If you e...
Transcribe →Episode 62: Milk, Hormones & Mental Health with Wisco Lactation: The Biology, Information, and Support that Will Empower Your Breastfeeding Journey
Mar 301:18:43Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn this expert episode, we sit down with Molly Peterson and Ashleigh Richmond, IBCLC, the owners of Wisco Lactation to talk about one of the most biologically complex things a woman’s body can do: breastfeeding.We unpack milk supply myths, toe-curling pain that isn’t actually normal, DMER, mastitis updates, workplace pumping rights, and why lactation should be treated as a postpartum vital sign. If you’re a new mom, a mom-to-be, a pumping mom heading back to work, or just a woman trying to understand this incredible function of your body — this episode will challenge what you’ve been told and give you language for what you’re living.Main Topics & DiscussionThe Magic No One Explains: Your baby’s saliva literally communicates with your body to change milk composition in real time. And breastfeeding can lower long-term maternal health risks like breast and ovarian cancer and help regulate postpartum hormones. We explore what’s happening beneath the surface — and why information is best.Low Supply, Pain, & The Myths That Keep Moms Spiraling: The oversupply narrative that's become mainstream isn’t normal. Severe pain isn’t something you should “push through.” And mastitis treatment advice has changed recently. Also: milk supply struggles can point to deeper health issues (like thyroid dysfunction) and we talk about the tools you need to find the core issue. DMER, Hormone Crashes & The Mental Load: If you’ve ever felt a wave of dread at letdown, you’re not broken. We talk about DMER and the dopamine drop behind it, along with the massive postpartum hormone crash that no one prepares women for. And we go there on partnership. Support isn’t optional — it’s a necessity. This episode is for the mom awake at 3am wondering if she’s doing it wrong. You’re not. And you don’t have to figure it out alone.FIND THEM: Wisco Lactation | Instagram | FacebookAdditional Resources: d-mer.org | Moms Mental Health Initiative Links & Discount Codes:8Sheep Organics: Click this link for 10% off your purchase!Kindred Bravely: THEREALMOMHUB15 for 15% off!Host & Show InfoHosted by: Cally & Emily O’LearyAbout the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/Like what you hear? Let us know!Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – Help others discover the show!Join the Conversation – Join us on social (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), or send us a message at therealmomhub@gmail.com to let us know what you'd like to hear more of.Share this episode – If you e...
Transcribe →