Podcast Summary: Totally Booked with Zibby

Episode: Camille Seigle and Ali Mann Stevens, MATERNAL HOPE

Date: January 14, 2026
Host: Zibby Owens
Guests: Camille Seigle & Ali Mann Stevens

Episode Overview

In this emotionally charged episode, Zibby Owens interviews Camille Seigle and Ali Mann Stevens, co-editors of the anthology Maternal Hope: Stories of Unseen Struggles, Unexpected Resilience, and the Untold Ways Families Are Made. The conversation dives deep into maternal mental health, the traumas and complexities of pregnancy and postpartum experiences, and the power of sharing hard stories to break isolation and foster community. Both guests open up about their own intensely personal journeys—ranging from postpartum depression to the heartbreak of neonatal loss—while discussing the purpose and process behind compiling this vital collection of real-life narratives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Genesis of Maternal Hope

• Zibby introduces Camille and Ali, highlighting their professional backgrounds and personal struggles that fueled this anthology.
• [06:13-06:36] The story behind “maternal hope” jewelry gifts: Camille explains how the charms symbolize strength and resilience, echoing the book’s mission.
  • Quote:

    “Each piece has a beautiful meaning...which really lines up with the purpose behind Maternal Hope, all about just strength and resilience and creating community and meaning after a hard time.” – Camille [06:36]

2. Camille Seigle: Postpartum Isolation and Darkness

• [07:46-11:23] Camille shares her journey where pregnancy felt easy, but postpartum depression hit unexpectedly hard, especially amid COVID-induced isolation.

  • She describes a breaking point where she questioned her own existence, saved by her daughter's cry—an anchoring, life-affirming moment.

  • Quote:

    “When I had shared it with Ali...it was just normalizing these experiences and the conversation and understanding that you are not alone in this experience. Yet it feels like when you’re in it, that you are nothing but alone.” – Camille [07:46]

  • Zibby reflects on warning signs like “Eeyore” nicknames, emphasizing the need to listen to loved ones’ cues.

    “If anybody’s husband starts calling them Eeyore, this is a sign you should seek help.” – Zibby [08:51]

  • Camille describes recovery as “small steps,” embracing moments in the darkness as part of healing.

    “It’s small steps...There are joyful moments but there are seasons, and there are just different seasons for all of it.” – Camille [10:10]

3. Ali Mann Stevens: IVF, Loss, and Living with Grief

• [11:34-18:59] Ali recounts a harrowing journey through IVF, a miraculous twin pregnancy, and traumatic preterm labor during COVID lockdown.

  • Ali describes the shock of sudden labor at 26 weeks, delivering her daughter at home, and later her son in a hospital overrun by COVID.

  • Both twins, Max and Liv, are born prematurely; Max dies after 24 hours, and Liv after a NICU battle.

  • Only nine weeks later, Ali discovers she’s pregnant again, launching her into a life where “grief and gratitude and happiness can all be felt at the same time.”

  • Memorable Moment: Zibby admits she had to pause reading Ali’s essay due to its intensity, emphasizing its emotional impact.

    “I actually had to stop reading the essay and sort of put my hand over my heart...It was so intense and so vivid and you shared so much.” – Zibby [11:34]

  • On grief and parenting:

    “You are the mother of four kids and, you know, those are your firstborn kids always...And it’s not talked about enough...You had the grace and strength to take us all the way through, through the pain, which is so important. It’s so important for it to be seen.” – Zibby [17:47]

4. Medical Answers and Trauma

• [22:40-24:14] Zibby asks about the cause of Ali’s preterm labor; Ali details her son’s rare VACTERL syndrome, which led to a cascade of events resulting in premature delivery.
  • Quote:

    “His esophagus got so small that I then in a matter of hours filled up with fluid and my body basically exploded. And there’s not a medical term for that.” – Ali [23:46]
    “But I believe the term is hell.” – Zibby [23:50]

5. Why an Anthology: Collecting Diverse Stories

• [24:14-26:05] Camille and Ali discuss their motivation to expand beyond their own stories by including diverse voices and underrepresented experiences: nurses, LGBTQ+ families, and more.

  • Ordinary people’s stories matter, not just celebrities.
  • Camille:

    “We wanted to share with people that they’re not alone in these experiences. And I think the more that we share, the more that we’re vulnerable with each other, the more we can feel seen…” [24:40]

• [26:26-28:15] Ali describes the therapeutic process of gathering stories and how contributors’ excitement reinforced the importance of the anthology.

6. Who Is This Book For?

• [28:15-29:50]

  • Not just for mothers: hopeful parents, those struggling with fertility, new moms, supportive partners, families, and friends can all connect with these stories.

  • Camille:

    “For some people...if they’re going through fertility and feeling like, ‘Oh, I’m so alone,’...this is a beautiful gift for them to realize there is another side to this.” [28:28]

  • Ali:

    “It’s for friends who are watching their friend struggle...so they can continue to support their loved ones that are struggling.” [29:50]

7. Finding Hope Amid Suffering

• [30:38-32:16] Zibby invites both guests to share what inspires hope for them today.
  • Ali:

    “My healthy living children bring me so much hope...The impact the book will have on the world gives me a lot of hope for the people going through it.” [30:44]

  • Camille:

    “What gives me hope is those small moments of joy and connection...there are still so many good people and good things.” [31:31]

Notable Quotes

• On Breaking Shame and Silence:

  “The more we can hear something from someone else’s story and have an aha moment for ourselves, the more we can feel seen, and then the more we can start to share with each other.” – Camille [24:40]

• On Living with Multiple Truths:

  “Grief and gratitude and happiness can all be felt at the same time.” – Ali [16:54]

• On Compassion in Community:

  “I wish my family could have read this book while I was going through everything.” – Ali [29:50]

Timestamps for Key Moments

• [06:36] – The story behind the maternal hope charms
• [07:46] – Camille’s postpartum crisis and isolation
• [11:34] – Zibby’s reaction to Ali’s essay; Ali’s story of twin loss
• [17:47] – Zibby’s reflections on the power of Ali’s narrative
• [22:40] – The medical explanation for Ali’s labor
• [24:40] – Why the anthology: telling “unseen” stories
• [28:15] – Who the book is for
• [30:44] – Where the co-editors find hope now

Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is raw, candid, and full of empathy—often heartbreaking yet deeply hopeful. Camille and Ali’s willingness to share their darkest moments, and the ripple effect of hearing similar stories from others, underscore the importance of destigmatizing maternal struggles. Their anthology, Maternal Hope, is a resource not just for parents but for anyone touched by the complexities of creating and caring for a family. Zibby’s compassionate approach as a host elevates the conversation, allowing vulnerability and resilience to shine through.

For listeners: Whether you are a parent, hope to be one, or know someone struggling, this episode is a testament to the healing that comes from storytelling, connection, and community.