More than Milestones – Details, episodes & analysis

If the thought of “kindergarten readiness” has you spiraling, this episode is going to be a breath of fresh air. Today I’m joined by Beth Gaskill, better known as Miss Beth of @bigcityreaders, a former teacher turned literacy specialist who’s changing the way parents think about reading.

Beth breaks down why we’re putting way too much pressure on ourselves when it comes to kids starting school—and what’s really going on inside kindergarten classrooms across the U.S. From the lack of regulation to teachers paying out of pocket for literacy training, she’s not afraid to call it like it is.

We also get into some of the most common questions parents have about reading: whether we’re pushing kids to read too soon, if sight words are really necessary, and what the “science of reading” actually means. Beth shares what to look for in your child’s reading curriculum and why third grade is such a crucial turning point for reading development.

She leaves us with one powerful piece of advice for raising readers: let your kids see you reading. 

Beth’s website: https://www.bigcityreaders.com/

Follow Beth on Instagram @bigcityreaders: https://www.instagram.com/bigcityreaders/

Beth’s FREE Workshop for Kinder - 2nd Grade Parents: https://my.demio.com/ref/NdBsEKF5wWoY4Tbs

Links

A list of KC's favorite children's books: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/childrens-books

Book that KC’s Mom wrote, Grandpa’s Garden: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/yUsgo

LMNT: Get a free 8-count Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavors with any purchase at http://drinklmnt.com/MILESTONE. Find your favorite LMNT flavor, or share with a friend. 

💻 Website & Blog:
 https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/

📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support:
 https://www.instagram.com/milestones.and.motherhood/

🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops:
 https://www.instagram.com/more.than.milestones/

🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence
https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/freetraining

📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates
https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com/fwefz61097

🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds:
 https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amazon/amazonstorefrontmm

🤝 Sponsor or guest inquiries?
Contact us at podcast@milestonesandmotherhood.com

 Go deeper with KC on Substack

More Than Milestones: Unfiltered is my subscription channel where I release 2 exclusive bonus episodes every month. Even more raw, unfiltered motherhood chats you won’t hear anywhere els

Today, I’m joined by my closest social media friend, Amy Kiefer. Amy is the co-founder of Expecting and Empowered, a pregnancy and postpartum workout app she runs with her sister, Krystle. She also co-hosts the HERself Podcast, and her online journey began through @ameskiefer, where our friendship started. She’s now sharing her dream home journey at @athomewithameskiefer, and we dive into all the things — motherhood, social media, and growing through every stage.

This episode isn’t an interview — it’s a real chat between two friends. We share how our friendship began online and how it’s grown. Amy opens up about supporting me through my hardest postpartum chapter, and we talk about the bitter sweetness of leaving the little kid years behind while finding joy in watching our kids grow.

We also get real about social media & the influencer world. Amy shares how she’s learned to handle criticism, reframe negativity, and protect her energy. Her perspective on mean comments will shift the way you think about showing up publicly. Amy shares why genuine friendships matter more than follower counts. She also shares what most people get wrong about influencers — and yes, it involves money.

Whether you’re in the baby years, growing alongside your kids, or navigating friendships and social media, this one will leave you feeling seen, understood, and a little lighter.

Follow Amy on her personal page: https://www.instagram.com/ameskiefer/

Expecting and Empowered: https://www.expectingandempowered.com/

Listen to the HERself Podcast: https://www.herselfpodcast.com/

Links

LMNT: Get a free 8-count Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavors with any purchase at http://drinklmnt.com/MILESTONE. Find your favorite LMNT flavor, or share with a friend. 

💻 Website & Blog:
 https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/

📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support:
 https://www.instagram.com/milestones.and.motherhood/

🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops:
 https://www.instagram.com/more.than.milestones/

🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence
https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/freetraining

📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates
https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com/fwefz61097

🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds:
 https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amazon/amazonstorefrontmm

🤝 Sponsor or guest inquiries?
Contact us at podcast@milestonesandmotherhood.com

Go deeper with KC on Substack

More Than Milestones: Unfiltered is my subscription channel where I release 2 exclusive bonus episodes every month. Even more raw, unfiltered motherhood chats you won’t hear anywhere else.

https://substack.com/@morethanmilestones

In this episode of More than Milestones, host KC Rickerd is joined by Kate Borsato, a mental health therapist specializing in motherhood and perinatal care. Together, they dive deep into the realities of postpartum mental health, shedding light on experiences that often go unspoken—postpartum anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and even postpartum rage.

Kate shares her expertise on how to distinguish between the “normal” worries of motherhood and anxiety that disrupts daily life. She and KC discuss how shame keeps many moms silent, why finding a specialist in perinatal mental health therapy can be life-changing, and the ways unmet needs and expectations contribute to feelings of rage in motherhood.

The conversation also explores identity loss after becoming a mother, and the intentional effort it takes to reclaim joy, self-care, and a sense of self beyond parenting. Kate offers practical strategies for anxiety management, including mindfulness practices, reducing sensory stimulation, and small daily acts of self-care that remind moms of their worth.

This conversation is an honest, compassionate look at the challenges so many mothers face but rarely talk about. Whether you’re navigating postpartum mental health yourself or supporting someone who is, KC and Kate offer insights, validation, and tangible tools to help mothers feel less alone.

Follow Kate on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/kateborsato/

The Calm Mom Course:

https://kateborsato.com/thecalmmom

Follow The Perinatal Collective on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/theperinatalcollective/

Rage Becomes Her:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501189565/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_VXB8CX58SYHN7AR8QM3F?linkCode=ml1&tag=themovemmom-20&linkId=382049ae66a1ab1b10ac20ea80f8f3f4

Mom Rage:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1541601300/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_WP1BWM8QHQ4KQA7102QP?linkCode=ml1&tag=themovemmom-20&linkId=31e76b255414d09adeebb2c36620cf36

Links

💻 Website & Blog:
 https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/

📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support:
 https://www.instagram.com/milestones.and.motherhood/

🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops:
 https://www.instagram.com/more.than.milestones/

🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence:

https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/freetraining

📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates
https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com/fwefz61097

🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds:
 https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amazon/amazonstorefrontmm

🤝 Sponsor or guest inquiries?
Contact us at podcast@milestonesandmotherhood.com

Love what you’re hearing? Follow, leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow mom or caregiver who needs a little less pressure and a little more support. 🤍

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

In this episode of More than Milestones, host KC Rickerd opens up about her deeply personal journey through postpartum anxiety and the realities of maternal mental health. From the moment of childbirth to finally seeking help, KC shares the raw and honest truth about what it’s like to navigate intrusive thoughts, overwhelming emotions, and the unexpected challenges of early motherhood.

She reflects on how her birth experience shaped her mental health, the role of an eventual ADHD diagnosis, and the power of finding the right support systems and therapy. KC also touches on the guilt many mothers feel when prioritizing self-care, and why it’s so important to talk openly about these struggles.

This conversation is for every mom who has ever felt isolated, anxious, or unsure if what they’re experiencing is “normal.” KC’s vulnerability offers both validation and encouragement, reminding us that healing is possible and that no mother should feel alone in her journey.

If you’re walking through postpartum struggles or supporting someone who is, this episode is a powerful reminder that there is help, there is hope, and there is healing.

Tune in now to hear KC’s story and join the conversation on motherhood, mental health, and the milestones in between.

Links

Postpartum Support International - Online Provider Directory:

https://postpartum.net/get-help/provider-directory/

💻 Website & Blog:
 https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/

📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support:
 https://www.instagram.com/milestones.and.motherhood/

🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops:
 https://www.instagram.com/more.than.milestones/

🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence
https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/freetraining

📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates
https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com/fwefz61097

🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds:
 https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amazon/amazonstorefrontmm

🤝 Sponsor or guest inquiries?
Contact us at podcast@milestonesandmotherhood.com

Love what you’re hearing? Follow, leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow mom or caregiver who needs a little less pressure and a little more support. 🤍

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

Welcome to the very first episode of More than Milestones! In this debut conversation, host KC Rickerd introduces herself, sharing her story as a pediatric physical therapist, mom of three, and advocate for caregivers navigating child development.

KC opens up about how her journey was shaped by her own mother’s career, her transition from a physical therapist assistant to a Doctor of physical therapy & pediatric specialist, and her shift into early intervention services. She reflects on the challenges of adapting therapy to telehealth during the pandemic and how that season inspired her to build a supportive community for parents & caregivers on Instagram.

But KC’s story isn’t just about milestones—it’s about real-life motherhood, marriage after kids, navigating mental health struggles and diagnoses, the pressure of showing up authentically on social media, and everything in between. Through More than Milestones, she’s creating a space where parents and professionals can come together, share honest stories, and learn practical tools for supporting children’s growth and development.

Whether you’re a parent looking for child development resources, navigating early intervention, or simply craving community in your motherhood journey, this podcast is for you.

Be sure to subscribe to More than Milestones wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss the upcoming episodes packed with insights, encouragement, and conversations about parenting beyond the typical milestones.

Links

💻 Website & Blog:
 https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/

📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support:
 https://www.instagram.com/milestones.and.motherhood/

🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops:
 https://www.instagram.com/more.than.milestones/

🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence
https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/freetraining

📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates
https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com/fwefz61097

🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds:
 https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amazon/amazonstorefrontmm

🤝 Sponsor or guest inquiries?
Contact us at podcast@milestonesandmotherhood.com

Love what you’re hearing? Follow, leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow mom or caregiver who needs a little less pressure and a little more support. 🤍

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

Hosted by pediatric physical therapist, wife and mom of three, Dr. KC Rickerd, More Than Milestones is the podcast that goes beyond baby checklists and dives deep into real motherhood, real development, real relationships, and everything in between.

Whether you’re supporting your baby’s motor development, navigating big kid emotions, or navigating a new stage of life & parenting, this show blends expert-backed education with the honest, unfiltered reality of motherhood.

Each week, KC brings you conversations with trusted professionals—pediatricians, therapists, sleep and feeding experts, mental health pros, and more—plus raw, relatable stories from fellow moms and caregivers. No pressure to be perfect. Just honest conversations, support, humor, and community for the journey you’re on.

If you're looking for clarity, connection, and a reminder that while supporting our children’s development is important, so is supporting ourselves - you’re in the right place, because it’s always more than milestones.

Today we’re joined by Dr. Morgan Cutlip — relationship expert, psychologist, and author of How to Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself and A Better Share. We’re talking about the invisible weight of motherhood: the mental load.

Dr. Morgan breaks down what the mental load really means and why one of the hardest parts is explaining it. She shares how to get on the same page with your partner without turning it into a fight, and how to visualize the load so it’s easier to communicate.

We discuss why this burden often falls on women and how to build natural check-ins with your partner as life changes — because the load shifts every day. Dr. Morgan also shares what women want most: partners who anticipate needs and show appreciation, and how to invite that change without resentment.

We wrap up with a conversation about mom guilt, the slow erosion that can happen in relationships, and how to stay connected through the chaos. Dr. Morgan reminds us that it’s okay to take the moment you need — because knowing and asking for what you need is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself and your family.

Follow Dr. Morgan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmorgancutlip/

Dr. Morgan’s Website: https://drmorgancutlip.com/

A Better Share: https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amzn/a-better-share

How to Love Your Kids without Losing Yourself: https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amzn/love-your-kids-without-losing-yourself

The Brief: A No BS Guide to the Mental Load for Men: https://drmorgancutlip.com/the-brief

Links

💻 Website & Blog:
 https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/

📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support:
 https://www.instagram.com/milestones.and.motherhood/

🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops:
 https://www.instagram.com/more.than.milestones/

🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence
https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/freetraining

📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates
https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com/fwefz61097

🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds:
 https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amazon/amazonstorefrontmm

🤝 Sponsor or guest inquiries?
Contact us at podcast@milestonesandmotherhood.com

 Go deeper with KC on Substack

More Than Milestones: Unfiltered is my subscription channel where I release 2 exclusive bonus episodes every month. Even more raw, unfiltered motherhood chats you won’t hear anywhere else.

https://substack.com/@morethanmilestones

This episode is a raw one for me. It came out of the blue, right in the middle of an overwhelming season. There’s been a lot happening personally and medically within my family, and when that happens, I tend to put my head down and just get through it without really processing what’s going on.

After a long, exhausting day, I was putting the kids to bed and completely lost it. I yelled, felt terrible, apologized, and cried. It hit me—this is restraint collapse. We talk about it with kids; they hold it together all day and then fall apart at home. But sitting there in tears, I realized I was experiencing the adult version.

All day, I can show up for clients, for work, and on social media. But when I walk through the door, my patience and energy are gone. The guilt that comes with realizing I can give my best to others but not always to my family—it’s heavy. That moment was a wake-up call.

I talked with my kids about creating a safe word they can use when they notice I’m not being my best self. I’ve been working on supporting myself better—prioritizing movement, validating my feelings, being honest with Jay, gratitude journaling, cutting screen time, using noise-canceling headphones, and giving myself a short transition period when we all get home.

We talk a lot about helping kids cope with restraint collapse, but not what it looks like for us. Hard seasons will always come, but how we care for ourselves can change. My hope is that this episode reminds you to take a step back, give yourself grace, and focus on the small things that help you breathe again. This season won’t last forever.

Links:

LMNT: Get a free 8-count Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavors with any purchase at http://drinklmnt.com/MILESTONE. Find your favorite LMNT flavor, or share with a friend. 

💻 Website & Blog:
 https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/

📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support:
 https://www.instagram.com/milestones.and.motherhood/

🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops:
 https://www.instagram.com/more.than.milestones/

🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence
https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/freetraining

📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates
https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com/fwefz61097

🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds:
 https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amazon/amazonstorefrontmm

🤝 Sponsor or guest inquiries?
Contact us at podcast@milestonesandmotherhood.com

 Go deeper with KC on Substack

More Than Milestones: Unfiltered is my subscription channel where I release 2 exclusive bonus episodes every month. Even more raw, unfiltered motherhood chats you won’t hear anywhere else.

https://substack.com/@morethanmilestones

Love what you’re hearing? Follow, leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow mom or caregiver who needs a little less pressure and a little more support. 🤍

Welcome back to part two of our conversation with speech-language pathologist and pediatric feeding expert Bri Miluk (@pediatricfeedingslp), we’re diving into one of the most important topics for parents today—misinformation and pseudoscience on social media. If you haven’t listened to part one yet, be sure to go back to hear our discussion on primitive reflexes and why they matter.

In this episode, we talk about how parents can confidently navigate the minefield of social media and spot misleading or pseudoscientific claims. Bri shares practical tools for identifying red flags like unfalsifiable claims, exaggerated proof statements, emotional testimonials, cherry-picked studies, and overly technical “technobabble”.

We also dig into the world of dark marketing tactics—how trauma-based storytelling and hidden pricing strategies can be used to manipulate parents’ emotions and influence their decisions. These methods often prey on fear, guilt, and trust, making it harder to recognize when information is misleading.

Bri introduces a simple but powerful framework created by Dr. Jessica Stokes-Parish called CRABS, which stands for conflicts of interest, references, author, buzzwords, and scope of practice. This quick mental checklist helps you pause and evaluate what you’re seeing online before believing it.

We wrap up by exploring the issue of predatory journals—what they are, how people can pay to get published, and why not all research is created equal. Bri offers examples of how to verify if a study is credible and how to protect yourself from impressive-sounding but unreliable “science.”

Connect with Bri on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pediatricfeedingslp

Bri’s Podcast Episode with Dr. Jessica Stokes-Parish on the CRABS Framework: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4eSwFr0tpUPG21Z6UQHjOD?si=k5jzl0DaQ8O8KBiBTexcRA&nd=1&dlsi=9bb41e6995b7466d

Links

💻 Website & Blog:
 https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/

📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support:
 https://www.instagram.com/milestones.and.motherhood/

🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops:
 https://www.instagram.com/more.than.milestones/

🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence
https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/freetraining

📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates
https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com/fwefz61097

🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds:
 https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amazon/amazonstorefrontmm

 Go deeper with KC on Substack

More Than Milestones: Unfiltered is my subscription channel where I release 2 exclusive bonus episodes every month. Even more raw, unfiltered motherhood chats you won’t hear anywhere else.

https://substack.com/@morethanmilestones

Today we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood & controversial topics circulating on social media right now — primitive reflexes. I’m joined by Bri Miluk, a speech-language pathologist who specializes in infant and medically complex feeding and is the face behind @pediatricfeedingslp.

In this first episode of our two-part conversation, Bri and I unpack what primitive reflexes actually are, what purpose they serve, and why there’s so much misinformation online about them.

We start by defining primitive reflexes — are they real? What role do they play in your baby’s early development? We’ll talk through common reflexes you’ve probably noticed, how they support survival at birth, and how they naturally integrate as your baby grows.

Bri and I also explore what happens when these reflexes don’t integrate or fail to emerge, and what that might mean for your child’s development. We discuss why parents should be cautious when it comes to “retained primitive reflex” content on social media, especially when it comes to testing and treatment claims that aren’t supported by research.

Bri shares her expert insight on the risks of non-evidence-based interventions, how to assess whether a treatment plan is legitimate, and the importance of task-specific, functional movement when supporting your child’s development.

If you’ve ever come across posts claiming your child’s challenges are due to “retained primitive reflexes,” this episode will help you understand what’s really happening beneath the surface — and empower you to ask the right questions before pursuing any intervention.

Connect with Bri on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pediatricfeedingslp

Links

💻 Website & Blog:
 https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/

📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support:
 https://www.instagram.com/milestones.and.motherhood/

🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops:
 https://www.instagram.com/more.than.milestones/

🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence
https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/freetraining

📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates
https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com/fwefz61097

🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds:
 https://links.milestonesandmotherhood.com/amazon/amazonstorefrontmm

🤝 Sponsor or guest inquiries?
Contact us at podcast@milestonesandmotherhood.com

 Go deeper with KC on Substack

More Than Milestones: Unfiltered is my subscription channel where I release 2 exclusive bonus episodes every month. Even more raw, unfiltered motherhood chats you won’t hear anywhere else.

https://substack.com/@morethanmilestones

Love what you’re hearing? Follow, leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow mom or caregiver who needs a little less pressure and a little more support. 🤍