Explore every episode of the podcast Message From Mom

In this deeply moving episode of Message from Mom, Whitney sits down with Lauren Johnson, founder of Choose Joy Nursing, to talk about her motherhood journey, her faith, and the beautiful yet heartbreaking story of her daughter, Lily Ann. Lauren opens up about becoming a mom, what led her to serve mothers as a postpartum nurse, and the unimaginable experience of losing her baby girl after just nine months of life. With remarkable honesty and grace, she shares how she prepared herself emotionally and spiritually for postpartum, the power of co-regulation, and how she continues to find purpose in her pain.

This is an episode about the sacredness of motherhood, the strength it takes to keep showing up, and how sometimes choosing joy looks like surrender. Whether you're a new mom, navigating grief, or walking alongside a friend in the thick of it, Lauren’s words will stay with you long after the episode ends.

You can follow Lauren’s personal journey on Instagram at @choosejoygivegrace and learn more about her company at @choosejoynursing.

Join Miracle Mama founder Whitney Rowell as she navigates the overwhelming world of pregnancy and new motherhood alongside experts, fellow moms, and anyone else who gets it. Whitney creates a safe space for those sometimes awkward, always real conversations you're searching for.

Let's talk about digital safety for our girls. Today, we're joined by Juliette Blake of Moxies, a revolutionary platform changing the game for young girls online. We're diving deep into the impact of today's digital world on children and how Moxies is creating a safe and enriching space for girls aged 8-12. Learn how they're building digital literacy, self-regulation, and real-life connections, while using cutting-edge tech. We'll also get into the crucial roles of moderation, parental guidance, and how we can all contribute to a healthier digital future for our daughters

On this episode of Message from Mom, Whitney chats with Lanning Ardente, founder of Sorette, a platform created to help moms find safe, trusted products through all stages of motherhood. From her background in consumer goods to her own experiences as a mom, Lanning shares what led her to launch Sorette, and why product transparency is so important for mothers today. Together, they dive into the mental load of modern motherhood, how Sorette is bridging the gap for safe product choices, and the future of this empowering platform. Join us for a conversation on building community, motherhood, and the path to creating safer options for all.

In this episode of Message from Mom, we sit down with Liz Swail, co-founder of Alive & Well, a wellness center with locations in Austin, Dallas, and Boulder. Liz shares her inspiring journey from dealing with chronic health issues to becoming a wellness advocate focused on functional health solutions. We discuss the importance of gut health, hormone balance, and the power of making small lifestyle changes that have big impacts on overall well-being. Liz offers invaluable insights on how moms can prioritize their health, manage stress, and create more balanced lives while still juggling the demands of motherhood. Tune in to hear Liz’s powerful 'pain to purpose' story and discover practical tips to feel your best every day!

In this episode, Whitney chats with Brooke Boruff, a pediatric occupational therapist and mom of two, about her journey into motherhood and how it led her to create Infant Insights. Brooke shares how personal challenges, like her son’s developmental delays, inspired her to offer expert resources to help parents navigate baby development and postpartum recovery.

She introduces the Bloom Membership, a new platform that launched this September. The membership offers guidance from experts on baby milestones, mental health, lactation support, and more. Brooke’s goal is to empower moms with the tools they need to feel confident during the early stages of parenthood.

Click here to sign-up for a 7-day free trial of the Bloom Membership program!

In this episode, we have asked our first male guest EVER to join us! Meet, Kevin Lavelle, the founder of Mizzen + Main, a father of two, and now the brains behind Harbor, a groundbreaking platform set to revolutionize the baby monitor industry. Harbor's mission is to provide innovative sleep solutions for families, emphasizing its focus on safety, convenience, and enhancing the parenting experience. Kevin talks about how he is using the Harbor platform to give parents the tools they need to feel supported in early parenthood.  You can now reserve your spot on the waitlist to experience Harbor first, by signing up at Harbor.co.

Message from Mom partnered with Headfirst Mental Health Initiative to launch a new series where moms and mental health experts gather together to have an open conversation about topics relevant to our lives and our culture at this very moment in time. The topic of the conversation was Forging Your Own Parenting Path. We asked Dr. LaKaavia Taylor, a PhD clincial professor at Southern Methodist University to join us to offer her insight. In this episode, you will hear a conversation that took place in a home in Dallas on Thursday, September 7th. We discussed the rising trend of anxiety in very young children and how to recognize what is normal and what isn't. We talked about the influence parents have on their children's behavior and the challenge of balancing control with independence in a world filled with information overload. The conversation also delved into the significance of breaking the cycle of generational trauma, advocating for self-compassion and the willingness to adapt and improve parenting approaches. A special thank you to our guest, Dr. LaKaavia Taylor and our hosts Laura Mclaughlin, founder of Headfirst Counseling and founder of Headfirst Mental Health Initiative, and Tazim Salehani, a board member of Headfirst Mental Health Initiative and founder of 360 to 180. 

Katie Beal Brown is known as the trailblazer behind Lone River Beverage Company, the hard seltzer company inspired by her West Texas roots. Just 11 months after launch, Lone River Beverage Company was acquired by the world's leading alcoholic beverage company, Diageo. But behind the brand, is the inspiring story of Katie. In this episode, Katie talks about how she launched Lone River Beverage Company in NYC at the start of COVID. She then describes how a planned two-week photoshoot in West Texas turned into a year and a half stay due to the pandemic, and how this unexpected time with family supported her business growth. Katie emphasizes the importance of a clear business vision, authentic branding, and connecting with consumers. Her story touches on adapting to unexpected changes, integrating motherhood with entrepreneurship, and finding balance amid life-altering events. You can find Katie on Instagram @katiebealbrown and her company at loneriverbevco.com. 

Annie Stull and Emily Johnson, the co-founders behind the artist-illustrated table linen brand, Fenwick Fields, sit down with us to chat about their journey of building a brand while raising young babies, navigating challenges, and adapting their strategies to create a successful and sustainable business.

We get into the nitty gritty about why they make it a priority to be directly involved in every aspect of their business, from fulfillment and marketing, to collaborations and pop-up events. 

We learn how Fenwick Fields' success stems from Annie and Emily focusing on their core product and perfecting it before branching out, as well as being attuned to the needs of their market and making adjustments accordingly.

You can find Fenwick Fields online at www.fenwickfields.com or follow along on Instagram @fenwickfields

Today I'm chatting with Annie Schmidt. If you are in the Dallas area or love following home design or Dallas based influencers on Instagram, you've probably seen her business, it's SOS Home Organization.  In this episode, Annie talks about how she left her corporates sales job to stay home with her young children, eventually discovered a knack for organization during COVID, and the steps she took to successfully launch and scale the successful luxury home organization business she runs full time today.

You can find Annie on Instagram @soshomeorganization. Her website is www.sosohomeorg.com,

I'm so excited to introduce you to Catherine Cartie as the first interview in our 6-part mini-series featuring mompreneurs that have turned their side-hustle into a thriving business! Catherine's story is unique because she's always been creative, but she didn't really have the idea to start a business of her own until after she had her first child. As a new stay-at-home mom, Catherine decided to take a calligraphy class in Dallas and after taking that class a love for calligraphy was born. From there, Catherine taught herself how to watercolor and then took online courses, eventually launching the incredible design business that she runs full time today. Catherine gets candid about how she has grown her business organically and what she has done to successfully grow her business while simultaneously growing her family. You can find Catherine on Instagram @CatherineCartieCalligraphy  and her website is catherinecartiecalligraphy.com. 

When you hear that a new school is coming to town, it's easy to put it into a category of schools that have come before it. But in reality, The Compass School of Texas was created to be something entirely different than any school that has come before it. The story behind The Compass School is a response to a problem seen my moms. Moms who, like many of us, were disenchanted by the options available to their children. Moms who decided to come together to create a school with full academic transparency, more parental involvement, and an environment that encourages as much outdoor learning as it does indoor. In this episode, the founders of The Compass School fo Texas share why they felt called to start a new school. What it looked like to take that first step, and what we should be looking for as we try to determine the best school for our children. If you are curious about The Compass School of Texas, you find more information at www.compassschooltx.org.

Caitlin Wilson is recognized internationally for making timeless designs that are accessible to all. In this episode, Caitlin takes us behind the scenes of her life to share the raw, yet beautiful story  behind building the life and brand that is known today as Cailtin Wilson. She shares the devastating loss she experienced in her early twenties as a first time mom, how she utilized her blog and social media to launch her business in the early days of e-commerce, the steps she has taken to build a successful business while raising five young children, and the inspiration behind her first book, Return to Pretty, which launches this spring. You can pre-order Caitlin's book now on her website caitlinwilson.com and follow Caitlin on instagram @caitlinwilson.

Dr. Ally Loupe has been practicing pelvic health for over a decade and currently works with Genesis PT in Dallas. In this episode, Dr. Loupe does a deep dive on the prenatal and postnatal issues that are common among most women, but aren't necessarily normal. She addresses bladder incontinence, diastasis recti, managing endometriosis, why we all need to have a better understanding of vaginismus, and so much more. Get ready because we talk about ALL. THE. THINGS. and more!

Jillian, a mom of three, was faced with a breast cancer diagnosis after a lump from mastitis never seemed to go away. With young children to raise, and so much life to give, Jillian embarked on her breast cancer journey with a ton of courage and a lot of faith. Although there is so much hardship and pain in a cancer diagnosis, Jillian's journey is a testament to the fact that the bright spots can overcome even the darkest times. 

In 2014, Boram Nam was living in New York City when she experienced an extremely difficult postpartum recovery period after her second child was born. Originally from Korea, where postpartum care is a priority, Boram recognized firsthand that postpartum support for moms in the US was and is essentially nonexistent. Over the next several years, Boram and her husband worked together to lay a foundation to make postpartum care essential for women across the United States.  In May 2022, Boram Postnatal Retreat was born.

Raevan Bielik is a mother of three young daughters and co-founder of BirthBabyBody, a company geared towards supporting parents and babies through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. In this episode Raevan talks about her passion for helping women recover from diastasis recti and the program she is building called Defeat Diastasis. She also shares exercises we should and shouldn't be doing to build back our core after baby. You can connect with Raevan on Instagram @raevan_m_bielik or learn more about her practice at birthbabybody.com. 

Many may know Brenda Bogart today for her work as an artist, but her art business is actually her third endeavor after running a successful interior design business for years and a children's clothing manufacturing company. In this episode, Brenda shares her motivation behind building businesses, her passion for the marriage ministry she runs with her husband Bill, and why the give-back component of her business today has been an integral part of her growth as an artist. 

Throughout college, Allison Evans struggled with a severe case of PCOS and other underlying health issues which were extremely debilitating. At the same time, Allison’s best friend, Kelly Love, was a witness to Allison’s journey as she tried to regain her health. Allison’s aunt, Marilee Nelson, was a huge advocate of toxin free living. In the summer of 2008 Allison and Kelly moved in with Marilee to embrace a clean and toxin free lifestyle. After they both experienced life transforming health benefits from their time with Marilee, the three women joined together to form Branch Basics. A company that is dedicated to helping everyone live their healthiest lives through the power of pure, toxin free living. 

Victoria and Alex are two moms from LA who were frustrated with the one-size-fit approach of prenatal vitamins currently available on the market. They partnered with OB/GYN Dr. Bayati and a panel of leading OB/GYNs and maternal-fetal medicine specialists to develop Perelel, a prenatal vitamin designed to meet your needs throughout each phase of your motherhood journey.

How should we address the topic of sex with our children? In this episode, Megan Michelson, from Birds & Bees, discusses the importance of being intentional and proactive parents when teaching children about sex in order to build a foundation for future conversations, protect them from danger, and have the power of the first impression. Find them on Instagram @birds_bees or birds-bees.com