#65: Operation Stork Speed: PR Stunt or Public Health Crisis? with Natasha Vargas-Cooper of Radical Moms Union
The #BackOffBobbie campaign lives on, because someone has to say what Operation Stork Speed refused to: the real risk in formula isn’t just seed oils or trace heavy metals (the red herrings distracting the #MAHA moms). It’s cronobacter, a rare but deadly bacteria that continues to fly under the radar while mommy influencers parade USDA organic labels and metal-free test results like gold stars.This week, we’re joined by Natasha Vargas-Cooper of Radical Moms Union to expose the uncomfortable truths formula companies don’t want mothers to know. We talk about the fox guarding the hen house of formula testing, the 626 NEC lawsuits filed against major manufacturer Abbott, RFK Jr.'s murky ties to the formula industry, and how social media marketing has become the newest weapon against maternal instinct.This conversation isn’t about shame. It’s about power: power in knowledge, power in truth, and power in numbers. It’s time to reclaim motherhood from corporate capture. Get involved with RMU if mobilizing mothers to advocate for change makes you excited!🎙️ Get Involved with Radical Moms Union: Instagram Website SubstackTimestamps:00:00 Introduction to the Dark Side of Influencer Marketing03:10 The Dark Alliance: Bobby Kennedy and Formula Industry06:57 Heavy Metals and the Formula Industry12:39 The Role of Seed Oils in Infant Formula18:23 Understanding Chronobacter and Its Risks24:04 NEC: The Hidden Dangers of Formula Feeding29:53 Legal Battles and Corporate Accountability32:29 The Role of Corporations in Infant Nutrition34:45 Personal Stories and the Impact of Formula38:51 The Influence of Social Media on Maternal Choices43:42 The Need for Safer Formula and Regulatory Changes49:49 Corporate Interests and the Future of Infant Nutrition53:14 Reclaiming Motherhood56:02 The Formula Industry's Influence58:54 Building Power Among Mothers01:01:21 Strategies for Activism01:05:26 The Radical Moms UnionSupport the showJOIN OUR NEW, PRIVATE COMMUNITY! DONATE (Thank you!! <3)DISCOUNT CODES & LINKSLeaving us a rating and *written* review is one of the best ways to show your support. We're so grateful for your reviews! We love to see what you thought of our episodes on your instagram stories! Remember to tag us @momsofftherecordpod, so we can share your stories with our community.Don't forget to subscribe to MOTR on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on instagram, so you never miss a beat.
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#64: Motherhood is a Spiritual Calling: How Will You Respond?
Motherhood demands that we see the beauty and the lessons in the micro moments that most people take for granted while mindlessly scrolling on their phones, rushing out the door, or even when they’re physically present but mentally checked out. The magic of motherhood happens in the quotidian, mundane, messy interactions, not in the elaborate, grand gestures.The spiritual calling of motherhood is available to every mother; the question is, is every mother ready to answer its call? When our frenetic society obsessed with metrics, productivity, efficiency, and jam-packed schedules is telling us to do more and be more, that should be our cue to slow down and be nowhere else but present. If we aren’t really present for our kids, then what is the point of all of this anyway? What magical, picture-perfect moment are we trying to fast forward to, and why does our culture laud business as if there is no higher honor to achieve? Join just the two of us as we reflect upon how each of us is deepening our response to the spiritual calling of motherhood.Resources + Books Mentioned: Rebecca Giannini - The Present Parents Coaching (code MOTR saves you 15%)Scattered Minds by Dr. Gabor Mate, MDThe Conscious Parent by Dr. Shefali Tsabary, MDThe Seven Spiritual Laws for Parents by Deepak ChopraSupport the showJOIN OUR NEW, PRIVATE COMMUNITY! DONATE (Thank you!! <3)DISCOUNT CODES & LINKSLeaving us a rating and *written* review is one of the best ways to show your support. We're so grateful for your reviews! We love to see what you thought of our episodes on your instagram stories! Remember to tag us @momsofftherecordpod, so we can share your stories with our community.Don't forget to subscribe to MOTR on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on instagram, so you never miss a beat.
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#63: The Sleep Episode Every Mom Needs to Hear with Brittany Chambers of Good Night Moon Child
Is your baby actually a “bad sleeper," or have you just been given bad advice?In this eye-opening conversation, we’re joined by Brittany Chambers, the voice behind Good Night Moon Child, to explore what modern sleep culture gets so wrong. From the myth of self-soothing to the importance of nervous system regulation, we unpack how attunement, not control, is the missing piece in most sleep advice.You’ll hear:- Why sleep starts with the caregiver’s nervous system- How mainstream sleep training often disregards neurobiological development- What attuned sleep support actually looks like - Kat and April’s personal sleep struggles and real-time “aha” momentsIf you’re overwhelmed and disheartened by the rigidity of and disassociation with sleep schedules, wake windows, and one-size-fits-all routines, this episode will help you exhale and tune back in to what you and your baby truly need.This is the sleep episode every mom should hear.Support the showJOIN OUR NEW, PRIVATE COMMUNITY! DONATE (Thank you!! <3)DISCOUNT CODES & LINKSLeaving us a rating and *written* review is one of the best ways to show your support. We're so grateful for your reviews! We love to see what you thought of our episodes on your instagram stories! Remember to tag us @momsofftherecordpod, so we can share your stories with our community.Don't forget to subscribe to MOTR on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on instagram, so you never miss a beat.
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#62, Bye bye, baby-led weaning! Hello, GAPS! You Can Heal Anything with Kate Pope of @Wildnutritionist
Remember when we were all about baby-led weaning? While many aspects initially appealed to us, and it was admittedly fun to watch our babies feed themselves 100 new foods prior to age 1, our values and priorities have shifted as we have learned what matters most. Kate Pope, mom of two, nutritionist, certified GAPS practitioner, and founder of the Regenerative Cooking School, explains why and how the GAPS diet is crucial for healing and sealing everyone's gut— from baby's to mom's and beyond— and how the GAPS protocol is what reverses common but not normal symptoms such as eczema, food sensitivities and CMPA (cow's milk protein allergy), just to name a few.We talk about some taboo foodie topics like the culprit behind the rise in egg and peanut allergies, why sweet potato is not an ideal first food, and those popular plastic food puree pouches our society can't seem to part ways with.Follow Kate at @wildnutritionist on Instagram. Code 'OFFTHERECORD' – gives you $55 off any of these three courses:First Foods PlanMama Baby BiomeFeeding Picky EatersSupport the showJOIN OUR NEW, PRIVATE COMMUNITY! DONATE (Thank you!! <3)DISCOUNT CODES & LINKSLeaving us a rating and *written* review is one of the best ways to show your support. We're so grateful for your reviews! We love to see what you thought of our episodes on your instagram stories! Remember to tag us @momsofftherecordpod, so we can share your stories with our community.Don't forget to subscribe to MOTR on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on instagram, so you never miss a beat.
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#61: Rediscovering Nuance in Pregnancy and Birth: Recalibrating the Swinging Pendulum
In this episode, we call out the problems that have arisen as a result of adoption of and adherence to the Freebirth Society ideology while also holding space for a woman’s legal and moral right to choose to have a Freebirth.Ultimately, this is about the need for leaders to act in integrity and for everyone to remember that rarely two truths exist in extremes. All choices are valid, however in order for them to be authentically empowered, they must be made with true informed consent and an informed risk assessment which is unlikely to happen if a birthworker has solely received a virtual training rooted in biases, hyperbole, and a lack of evidence, just as much as it’s unlikely to happen with a fearful OB who is encouraging weekly routine ultrasounds and a 39 week induction.We unpack the overused and misused phrase “variations of normal” in order to delineate a few examples of what would actually be abnormal and a reason to seek additional support.Freebirth continues to be a valid choice, however women deserve to have the full scope of outcomes objectively presented to them in all fairness.Risk is inherently everywhere, and there will always be a mysterious element to loss, however the key is to walk into your pregnancy with a true sense of confidence and options rather than a false sense of one.Recommended resources:Free MOTR Questions Guide to Vet Your Birthkeeper/AttendantReddit, so you can be the judge of what’s wrong with this organizationNathan Riley podcast episode featuring Kristine LauriaDr. Sarah Wickham’s book “What’s Right For Me”“Whose Body Is It” podcast episode featuring midwife Mary Lou SingletonSupport the showJOIN OUR NEW, PRIVATE COMMUNITY! DONATE (Thank you!! <3)DISCOUNT CODES & LINKSLeaving us a rating and *written* review is one of the best ways to show your support. We're so grateful for your reviews! We love to see what you thought of our episodes on your instagram stories! Remember to tag us @momsofftherecordpod, so we can share your stories with our community.Don't forget to subscribe to MOTR on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on instagram, so you never miss a beat.
April West and Katherine Sigblad examine pregnancy, birth, matrescence, and child rearing through a countercultural and unorthodox lens in their thought-provoking, bi-weekly episodes.If you are curious or skeptical about the childhood jab schedule, breastfeeding, sovereign birth, elimination communication, big pHarma, and baby-led weaning— just to name a few "controversial" subjects— then you came to the right podcast!We'll never tell you what to think or what to do— you can leave that up to your favorite TT docs instead. Rather, we unabashedly share our lived experiences and perspectives with a sprinkle of evidence (only when called for), and we always encourage you to make decisions that feel right for your family. Challenging existing perspectives and thinking critically is what we're all about.Thanks for tuning in!
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