No One Told Us

Episode 19: Teaching Kids to Love Reading with Beth Gaskill of @bigcityreaders Join Rachael and Miss Beth as they talk all about our children learning to read! Hear some strategies and techniques for fostering literacy skills in kids and the importance of infusing fun into learning to read. You’ll learn about The science of reading (did you know it was a science!?), the evolving understanding of how children best learn to read, and how you can help be an advocate for your child. Rachael even shares about her experience as a public school teacher teaching reading for over 10 years as well as her oldest child's recent entry into the public school system.They also chat about Kindergarten "Redshirting," how to instill early literacy skills and a love for reading in our children, how to talk to our kids after school, plus so much more!Beth Gaskill, known by her community as Miss Beth, is trained in the science of reading, the Orton Gillingham approach and is a multi sensory literacy instructor and a former early childhood and elementary school teacher. She founded Big City Readers to create a space for families to come together, understand how to teach their kids in the unique ways they are wired to learn, not just how to teach reading, build community AND have fun. Big City Readers On Demand Video Courses for babies, toddlers + kidsBeth’s Podcast: Play on Words Podcast we mentioned: Sold a StoryRachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast.Instagram (Show page)Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website (Transcripts available!)For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 18: Emergencies, Injuries, and First Aid with Dr. Nkeiru Orajiaka, Pediatric Emergency Room DoctorNobody ever wants to take their child to the emergency room, but the reality is, it can happen to the best of us! So this week, join Rachael and special guest, Dr. Nkeiru Orajiaka, a Pediatric ER Doctor, as they discuss all things emergencies and safety for our children. Dr. Orajiaka shares some tips for parents to prevent common accidents and keep children safe at home. You won’t want to miss her discussion about head bumps, drowning hazards, and safety proofing. Dr. Nkeiruka also shares a GREAT piece of advice for parents who trying to decide if a symptom or injury warrants a trip to the emergency room or not.Dr. Nkeiru Orajiaka is a board-certified Pediatrician, Pediatric ER doctor, public health physician, wife and mom of 3. Dr. Orajiaka completed her Masters in Public Health at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York and her residency at Columbia University affiliation at Harlem Hospital. She currently practices as an Pediatrics ER fellow in one of the largest emergency rooms in the US. She is a passionate health educator and a strong advocate for children's health and safety.Dr. Nkeiru’s YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Hbqdxg9xMYHDgKahCoDZA Ebook on First Aid: https://drnkeiru.com/first-aid-kit/ Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account)Show Website (transcripts available!)For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram.Disclaimer: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek immediate care from your physician if you have any concerns about your baby or child’s health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 17: Stay at Home Dad Life with Rachael and her husband, MarleyThis episode is a sneak peak into the recent decision for Marley to leave his job so that Rachael could run HSB and NOTU full time. Join your host Rachael and her husband Marley as they debrief about the decision for Marley to leave his Social Work job to become a SAHD. Rachael and Marley discuss what ultimately made them choose this arrangement, what Marley did for work before and what he may do in the future, and more. Marley also gives tips for other dads out there on how to gain confidence with taking your little ones out on your own, dealing with parental preference, and more.Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Marley is LCSW and San Francisco's newest SAHD!Instagram (Show page)Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account)Show WebsiteFor more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 16: Navigating Screen time for Your Kids with Ash Brandin of @thegamereducator We have all done it. We give our kids screen time, and then the guilt sets in. Maybe you even feel like you did something bad by allowing them to use screens. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. Navigating screen time can be such a challenging part of parenting! This week, join Rachael and Ash Brandin, middle school teacher and educational content creator, as they chat about how to find a balance with screen time. They discuss some strategies for parents to foster a healthy relationship between children and screens plus some guilt-free screen time strategies. They also talk about a lot of the common worries parents have surrounding screen time plus chat about some other things we don’t notice that may be worth paying more attention to!Find out how parents can actually view screens as a tool they can use! Ash provides perspective on "screen equity" and the systemic support that would allow more parents to limit screen time (and why in its absence, families need to figure out what works for them). Learn how to support children who are dysregulated from gaming or screen time and how to Identify age-appropriate content and boundaries around screens, plus much more!Ash is a middle school teacher with over a decade of teaching experience. They believe video games can be part of kid’s lives without being the center of their lives, and screens should be used in a way that benefits whole families. They are an educational content creator, whose Instagram page, The Gamer Educator, is a wealth of information about all things technology and children, supporting and empowering parents since 2021.  Ash’s website- The Gamer Educator Kids show & movie recsRachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account)Show WebsiteFor more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 15: How to Fight for your Rights at Work with Daphne Delvaux of @themamattorney Join Rachael and Daphne Delvaux as they talk about women’s rights in the workplace, family leave policies in the US and more. Daphne is an award-winning trial attorney and has even founded her own law firm devoted to women's rights at work. This episode is so powerful and informative for anyone who has a job and is planning on being pregnant, has been pregnant in the past, is back to work and pumping, or is an employed parent. Feeling empowered by knowing all your rights and options can take a lot of the unknown out of the equation and help you to plan for the future! In this episode we discuss the most important things to line up before and after you announce your pregnancy, advice on when to announce pregnancy at work and when you should ask about maternity leave and partner’s leave. Daphne gives an overview of legal protections in place for working moms- such as maternity leave, breastfeeding and pumping accommodations, discrimination prevention, family and medical leave and flexible work arrangements. We also discuss navigating pregnancy-related discrimination, including unfair treatment and wrongful termination, and how to navigate this, plus tips for negotiating family-friendly policies for a better work-life balance and managing the transition back to work after maternity leave ends. Daphne Delvaux, Esq. is an award-winning trial attorney and Founder of Delvaux Law, a law firm devoted to women's rights at work. She has been recognized by major news outlets (both nationally and internationally) as a leader of the women’s rights movement, and has received the award of Outstanding Trial Lawyer for winning an equal pay trial. Delvaux is also the creator of the Mamattorney, a platform on a mission to educate women on their rights at work and teach them how to advocate for their needs so they can receive more financial freedom and time freedom without sacrificing their career goals or ambitions. Daphne is routinely seen as the expert on pregnancy and postpartum discrimination as well as maternity leave regulations. Daphne is on a mission to help ambitious moms achieve professional homecoming. The Mamattorney Academy membership here Employment Rights Guide 20% off all Coterie diapering products (diapers, wipes, pants) for first time customer orders of $40 or more. Use for subscription or one-time purchase. Code: NoOneToldUs Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website For more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 Episode 14: Preparing for Travel, Sleep, or Stress over the Holidays with your host Rachael Shepard-Ohta (of Hey, Sleepy Baby)The holidays are approaching and for a lot of us that means traveling, changes in routine, and big expectations. It can be SO hard feeling the pressure of wanting to create perfect memories and have fun because really it’s a lot of work (and doesn't always go according to plan)! Join me this week as I talk all about what we do as a family to prepare for traveling, being around family, and of course, sleep. Plus I take some listener questions about dealing with in-laws and more!In this episode I talk about what you can and cannot control and how to prep your child beforehand for travel. If you are dealing with time change, I give you tips and tricks to handle that. Holidays can be a time where you may have to set boundaries with family and friends beforehand so I discuss how to get on the same page as your partner so you can work together as a team! Lastly, I talk about how your child's temperament can affect traveling plus how you can still try to maintain routine while away from home! COTERIE 20% off all diapering products (diapers, wipes, pant) with a minimum spend of $40 for new customers on one-time OR subscription with code NOONETOLDUS at checkout!Blog Post on Best Travel Crib for Baby Blog Post on Jet lag Blog Post on My Best Tips for Traveling with Your Kids and ToddlerFree Traveling with Your Baby PDF GuidebookRachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along: Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account)Show WebsiteFor more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 13: Managing Sensory Overwhelm in Parenthood with Larissa Geleris of @steadyparentsDisclaimer: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek immediate care from your physician if you have any concerns about your health.Picture this: you’re cooking dinner, the oven fan is blasting, your baby is crying, your toddler is playing with a noisy toy, and your partner is trying to talk to you. You are filled with overwhelm and overstimulation and maybe even rage. If this sounds like you, you are NOT alone. In fact, this is such a normal response to what is happening around you! This week join Rachael and Larissa to talk all about the over-stimulation, overwhelm, and dysregulation parents experience all the time! They dive deep on how to truly empower parents and help them feel confident and steady in their parenting journey.In this episode, Larissa educates us on understanding sensory overwhelm and the effects of the intense sensory demands of parenthood! She provides us with practical, easy, and quick sensory strategies for times of dysregulation plus how to set yourself up for success and have less times of overwhelm! We talk all about being "touched out" and what to do when you just feel like you have reached your limit. Most importantly, Larissa discusses self compassion as it relates to self regulation and how to coregulate for your baby when you’re barely holding it together yourself!Larissa is an occupational therapist specializing in identifying and treating sensory processing dysfunction. She began her career in pediatrics, but after suffering a major concussion, she had to take some time off work due to her own sensory dysfunction. As she recovered, she shifted focus to parents, realizing just how much she was using her OT knowledge and skills on herself as an overstimulated parent.Founder of Steady Parents, Larissa is passionate about supporting parents who are experiencing overstimulation, overwhelm, and dysregulation to help them feel confident and steady in their parenting journey. Larissa offers 1:1 coaching to help parents tune in to themselves, feel empowered to do the things that are meaningful to them, and explore practical and sustainable ways to care for themselves, while caring for their family. You can find her online program: Sensing Your Needs in Parenthood, a self-paced online program that you can turn to for practical, effective strategies to employ in daily life, participate in your role as a parent, and experience the joys of parenthood the way they’re meant to be experienced.Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along:Instagram (Show page)Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account)Show WebsiteFor more on biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let’s Normalize Caring For Your Pelvic Floor with Dr. Sara Reardon of @the.vagina.whisperer!Disclaimer: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek immediate care from your physician if you have any concerns about your health.Join Rachael and Dr. Sara Reardon as they talk about pelvic floor care before, during and after pregnancy. Dr. Sara Reardon is a mom of 2 and a board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist who has worked with thousands of women for over sixteen years to heal and care for their pelvic floor. SO many of us struggle with pelvic floor issues and are either not receiving the proper care and attention or feel too embarrassed to even seek out help. Dr. Sara Reardon aims to be a support and create a space where we can get the care we deserve!In this episode we discuss what the pelvic floor actually is and the importance of pelvic floor therapy before and after childbirth and postpartum recovery. We dive into all the things to keep in mind for intimacy and exercise postpartum and when Dr. Sara recommends resuming sex and working out. We also talk about how to take care of your c-section scar, as well as birth, and how it affects your pelvic floor. Sara also shares what she wishes she knew before having kids!Dr. Sara Reardon is a board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist, wife and mom of 2. Her instagram page, The Vagina Whisperer, is a go-to resource for taking care of your pelvic floor before, during, and after pregnancy. Since 2006, she has worked with thousands of women suffering from pelvic floor problems which inspired her work on The Vagina Whisperer. She created and launched a V-Hive Membership which is an online, on-demand pelvic floor fitness program, just three 10-minute workouts a week with minimal equipment. Her website has tons of free resources, such as the Pelvic floor guide as well as options for booking 1-1 telehealth appointments with pelvic floor therapists. COTERIE 20% off all diapering products (diapers, wipes, pant) with a minimum spend of $40 for new customers on one-time OR subscription with code NOONETOLDUS at checkout!Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along:Instagram (Show page)Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account)Show Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 11: Making Healthy Eating Fun for Kids with Katie Marston, Mom of 2 and Chief Marketing Officer at Once Upon A FarmDisclaimer: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek immediate care from your physician if you have any concerns about your baby or child’s health.Join Rachael and Katie Marston as they talk about starting little ones on solid foods, feeding pressure and misconceptions and more! Katie is a mom of 2 and CMO at Once Upon A Farm which makes organic snacks and meals trusted by parents and loved by kids and parents. Rachael and Katie dive into healthy eating with kids, some of the common myths around feeding babies, and the important role early exposure plays in your child’s relationship towards food!In this episode we discuss how to get your children interested in food and how to seek out options for feeding and find what works best for your family. Katie answers some popular questions like do you have to choose between BLW or purees or can you do both? And when should you introduce sugar and other treats? We discuss ditching "perfectionism" when it comes to feeding your child and the importance of allowing for fun and sensory play when eating! Katie teaches us how a strong microbiome affects our overall health and the impact of food insecurity and poverty in the US. Plus Katie shares about her own parenting journey as a working mom of 2!Katie is a lover of creativity, laughter, and a good challenge. Possessing these traits has served her well as she has successfully navigated her 20+ year career in a variety of roles, countries, and industries. She has had the great fortune to develop brand strategies for both small- and large-scale companies, even rolling up her sleeves as an entrepreneur with her own consulting business. This background has laid the perfect foundation for her current role as Chief Marketing Officer for Once Upon a Farm where she has been for 3 years.Katie’s love of health-conscious brands began during her early years at Adidas where she spent 12 years in their Portland, Amsterdam, Herzogenaurach, and Carlsbad offices. Katie currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband Brad and their two kids.Get started with Once Upon a Farm today and enjoy an additional 40% off your first order – subscription or one time purchase! Use code NoOneToldUs40 at OnceUponaFarmOrganics.comRachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along:Instagram (Show page)Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account)Show Website (transcripts available!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 10: Perspective is Everything with Hunter & Cam Premo of @hunterpremo and @cameronpremo owners of Premonition GoodsThis week on the podcast Rachael has well known-instagram husband and wife duo, Hunter & Cam Premo as guests! They talk all about the parenting transition from 1 to 2, why they co sleep and how it works for their family, and the importance of perspective while navigating not only parenting but also social media. Join us to talk about how Cam & Hunter prepared for the transition from 1 to 2 kids and why cosleeping works for them. Hunter shares how impactful the power of your own intuition when parenting is. They also discuss their favorite ways to support mom's during postpartum plus how a child’s temperament affects parenting style. Hear firsthand from Cam & Hunter about what it's like working with your partner & so much more!Hunt er is a fashion and lifestyle influencer from Nashville, you can find her instagram @hunterpremo. Cameron is a professional photographer and videographer, you can find his instagram @cameronpremo. They are high school sweethearts who are now married and parents to two adorable boys, Remy & Radner! They recently launched Premonition Goods together which is an online mercantile featuring high quality handmade goods to wear, use, and gift.To find the courses discussed in this podcast, you can visit Dr. Becky’s website here or click on the following links to view the courses: Dr. Becky Deeply Feeling Kids Workshop Dr. Becky Adjusting to a New Sibling  To get 10% off your next order from Bodily use the code: NOONETOLDUS for 10% off of orders of $100 or more! You can also click on the link here to use the discount code!Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Join me & our guests each week for new episodes and follow along:Instagram (Show page)Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account)Show WebsiteFor more on cosleeping, biologically normal infant sleep and a holistic approach to getting more sleep, visit heysleepybaby.com and follow on instagram.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices