Last time we had Jen Hamilton on, we talked all things nursing, advocacy, and her book Birth Vibes. This time? We’re just… hanging out. And honestly, it might be our favorite kind of episode.

Jen is back in the studio and bringing her full, beautifully chaotic, joy-filled life with her. From raising indoor chickens (yes, diapers included) to navigating social media with millions of followers, to building a nonprofit that’s helping moms across the country—this conversation is equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply grounding.

We talk about:

• What it actually looks like to “have it all” (hint: it’s messy and wonderful)
• Why Jen refuses to fit into a single “niche” online—and why you don’t have to either
• The behind-the-scenes of her social media presence (and how she keeps it sustainable)
• Parenting in the teenage years + navigating intrusive thoughts
• Dream vacations (cruise people vs. not cruise people 👀)
• Using your platform for good—even when it makes people uncomfortable
• Letting people misunderstand you and calling that freedom

We also dive into Jen’s nonprofit, Hot Mess Express, and how one Facebook post turned into a nationwide movement helping overwhelmed moms reset their homes—and their nervous systems—with zero judgment and lots of love.

And because we like to keep it real around here, we wrap with some honest confessions about the not-so-polished parts of life (forgotten Valentines, messy houses, and struggling to shower… you know, the usual).

This episode feels like sitting on the couch with friends—laughing, learning, and reminding each other that we’re all just doing the best we can.

Recorded in the Such-N-Such Media Studios at Liberty Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media. Theme music is by Doug Davis.

Love what you hear? Donate in any amount to support our podcast or via LinkTree in bio coff.ee/mamasgonnamakeit

Sometimes the most powerful preparation isn’t for the birth you want—it’s for the one you might actually have.

This week, we host labor & delivery nurse, advocate, and author Jen Hamilton to talk about her debut book Birth Vibes—and wow…we were not emotionally prepared (in the best way). Birth Vibes fills the void between books that explain pregnancy and parenting books. That between space? Actually bringing your baby into the world? THIS IS THE BOOK to help you prepare for the decisions you may need to make in those important, and sometimes scary, moments.

As a nurse, Jen has spent over a decade in ER and obstetrics, supporting families through some of the most vulnerable, intense, and life-changing moments imaginable. In this conversation, she shares how her concept of “birth vibes”—a blend of your values, preferences, and vision—can help you advocate for yourself and feel grounded, even when things don’t go according to plan.

We talk about:

• Why informed consent is more than just a signature—it’s true understanding
• How nurses (and patients) can balance information without overwhelm
• The importance of connection before checklists in medical spaces
• What it actually looks like to advocate for patients—even when it’s uncomfortable
• The reality of systemic racism in maternal healthcare and why it must be addressed
• Preparing not just for your ideal birth—but for the unexpected, too

Jen also shares behind-the-scenes stories from writing her book (including what didn’t make it in), how her own birth experience shaped her work, and why honoring all birth stories—including loss—was non-negotiable.

And we have to say…this book unlocked something for us. Whether you’re currently pregnant, supporting someone who is, or still processing a past birth experience—this conversation (and Jen’s work) offers language, clarity, and a whole lot of healing.

This episode is for:

• Expectant parents
• Birth partners and support people
• Anyone who has ever had a complicated or confusing birth experience
• Healthcare providers who want to lead with more compassion and connection
• Anyone who loves Jen Hamilton’s humor and voice

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about birth—it’s about being seen, heard, and respected in your most vulnerable moments.

Links:
Purchase Birth Vibes
Jen Hamilton Website
Jen Insta, TikTok, Youtube

Recorded in the Such-N-Such Media Studios at Liberty Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media. Theme music is by Doug Davis.

Love what you hear? Donate in any amount to support our podcast or via LinkTree in bio coff.ee/mamasgonnamakeit

Before we even get to today’s topic, Anne & Sarabeth find themselves on a meaningful side quest—talking about how we support our kids’ safety when it comes to consent and bodily autonomy. Whew…nothing like easing in with a “light” topic.

From there, we explore the idea of peace (not peas 😉), inspired by a recent Peace Walk—including one we did with our own kiddos on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

And because this is us, we don’t stay in one lane for long—touching on everything from birth plans to personal finance to navigating truth in an age of AI and digital fakes. It’s a little winding, a lot real, and exactly the kind of conversation we hope makes you feel less alone.

A few takeaways on peace:
• Some forms of peace are a privilege.
• It’s okay to take a break—for your own mental peace—when you can.
• Fight for something, not just against something.
• Peace is powerful—and it requires strength.• And sometimes…silence can be bought with cosmic brownies 🤣

Links:

Don’t hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It)

The Breaking News

Mama’s Gonna Make It Episode 5: Dear Theo

Mama’s Gonna Make It Episode 43:Resilient Parents for Thriving Kids with Deb Armstrong Branch

Walk for Peace

Crayola Colors of the World Skin Tone Crayons

Work with The Podfather Tim Beeman! Book now

A couple clarifications:

• Mamdani is the Mayor of New York City. Not Mondavi… the winery 😅Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself.

• We mention interviewing Isabel Sanchez of MES Financial Coaching- that finance themed episode will be released later in season along with our Creativity Episode! 🤩

Recorded in the Such-N-Such Media Studios at Liberty Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media. Theme music is by Doug Davis.

Love what you hear? Donate in any amount to support our podcast or via LinkTree in bio coff.ee/mamasgonnamakeit

Sometimes the hardest part of anything is getting started.

Ashley Honbarrier eliminates that barrier to growing your own food with her nonprofit Happy Roots—providing therapeutic horticulture to communities of all ages, from 2 to 102 and beyond.

In this episode, we talk about what happens when access meets intention… and how something as simple as a garden box can shift not just what we eat, but how we feel.

Ashley shares ​about Earth Day Jam and how it led to the creation of Happy Roots—a nonprofit now serving schools, families, and communities through hands-on, nature-based education.

We get into:

• how Happy Roots began and why removing barriers matters
• “dirt therapy” and the real mental health benefits of getting outside
• the power of school gardens (and why kids will try what they grow)
• simple, approachable ways to start gardening—especially if you feel overwhelmed
• what it looks like to garden with kids, communities, and across generations
• how growing something can build patience, confidence, and connection

This conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to do it perfectly. You don’t need all the answers. And you definitely don’t need a green thumb.

You just have to start.

About Ashley:

Ashley Honbarrier is the Founder and Executive Director of Happy Roots, a North Carolina–based nonprofit focused on school gardens, sustainable agriculture, and therapeutic horticulture. She also serves on the North Carolina School Garden Network Advisory Board and is the founder of Earth Day Jam.

For nearly a decade, she has helped communities connect to their food, support mental health, and build stronger local systems through hands-on education and gardening access.

​Links:

• Happy Roots: https://www.happyrootsnc.org/
• Earth Day Jam: https://earthdayjamnc.com/
• ​Samantha Fox @mothersfinesturbanfarm
• ​Link to garden kit form

Recorded in the Such-N-Such Media Studios at Liberty Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media. Theme music is by Doug Davis.

Love what you hear? Donate in any amount to support our podcast or via LinkTree in bio coff.ee/mamasgonnamakeit

If you’ve ever felt your chest tighten when your kid is upset… or like you have to fix it right now… or like you’re somehow getting it wrong if it all feels really hard—this episode is for you.

We sat down with pediatric nurse and early years mental health specialist Deb Armstrong-Branch (aka HappyChild2HappyParent). This convo genuinely felt like a deep exhale. We talk about anxiety, control, bedtime battles, guilt, parental confidence, and (new to us but we LOVE it) confident disinterest.

We can all probably relate to that very real moment when you realize: you actually can’t protect your kids from everything. And maybe you’re not supposed to.

About Our Guest:
Debs is a specialist pediatric nurse with over 30 years of experience working with children and families—many of whom have neurodiverse needs. She’s also a mom of three, bringing both professional insight and lived experience to the table.

What We Cover:

• Why parenting is just a different kind of hard at every stage
• The power of “confident disinterest”
• Letting kids feel hard things (without rescuing)
• Regulating yourself before your child
• Understanding temperament vs. personality
• Why taking care of yourself actually matters for your kids

Takeaways:

• You don’t need to fix every feeling
• Your calm matters more than your control
• Kids need space to build resilience
• You’re doing the best you can with what you have

Resources + Links:

• Deb’s Instagram: @happychild2happyparent_
• Website: happychild2happyparent.com
• Her program: The Calm Academy

Recorded in the Such-N-Such Media Studios at Liberty Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media. Theme music is by Doug Davis.

Love what you hear? Donate in any amount to support our podcast or via LinkTree in bio coff.ee/mamasgonnamakeit

What a gift to be launching Season 3 of Mama’s Gonna Make It! In this episode, Sarabeth and Anne catch up and share life updates with listeners, resolve a few open cliffhangers from past episodes, and reflect on the new frontier of our parenting skills’ growing edges. As soon as we think we know what we’re doing, those kiddos go and level up! Tim, Anne, and Sarabeth also take some time to reflect on our most memorable episodes so far (not favorites—that’s impossible) and what made them special.

We have a lot in the works for Season Three, and we’re excited to be here with you. Be sure to find us on social media for updates and to chime in—we’d love to hear what you think!

Recorded in the Such-N-Such Media Studios at Liberty Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media. Theme music is by Doug Davis.

Love what you hear? Donate in any amount to support our podcast or via LinkTree in bio coff.ee/mamasgonnamakeit

Show notes are something a little different today. Almost as I write, both Sarabeth and Anne are decorating their Christmas trees with their families, holiday songs playing, and delicious smells wafting from their respective kitchens. Despite this picturesque scene, played out over both homes on a foggy Sunday morning, holiday magic doesn’t just “happen” — it doesn’t just “magic” itself.

This morning shows up for us today because a) our privileges. We are so very aware of the many privileges we walk through the world benefiting from, and how many people cannot and will not have a cozy Sunday morning like this. And b) we prioritized it. We’re not listening to our episode to prepare genuine show notes today (if we promised some links, I’m sure we’ll catch it on Monday and link in socials). The kitchen is a mess. The laundry isn’t done. Other parts of the house are a disaster. There may or may not still be a poorly patched, limb-sized hole in one bedroom ceiling and some years-old splatter paint courtesy of a smoothie-curious toddler (now FOUR) across another ceiling, just above those cozy little families making this morning a magical one.

It’s never going to be perfect. For some, reaching for magical moments is far easier than for others. As we wrap Season 2 — in the midst of the chaotic, stressful, magical, grief-inducing steam train of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas — let’s lean in on a recurring theme we dove into this season: release the shame. Release the moral hierarchy. Release the perfect pictures we hold in our minds, the old versions of ourselves and those we love, and lean into being present. Even in our grief. Even in the overstimulated chaos. Even as we knowingly dive into a much-needed moment of escapism on our phones, books, or TV screens. Give yourself grace — and know that we are giving it too.

Season 3 coming in 2026. Until then, know that these mamas are doing their best to soak up whatever magical moments we can between the mess, the tears, and the stark realities that our world demands we acknowledge.

Love to you all this holiday season — and grace and care to you in each and every life season.

Love, Anne & Sarabeth
The Mamas

Recorded in the Such-N-Such Media Studios at Liberty Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media. Theme music is by Doug Davis.

Love what you hear? Donate in any amount to support our podcast or via LinkTree in bio coff.ee/mamasgonnamakeit

Britney Dent (@theteenchoicecoach) is back in the studio for a cozy friend chat with Anne, Sarabeth, and Producer Tim to talk all things holidays—the magic and the stress. From navigating blended families to finding the balance between thoughtful and practical gifts, we swap stories about favorite traditions, memorable moments, and what it looks like to craft holidays that feel joyful on your own terms. In the end, we all agree: when we release expectations, care for ourselves, and focus on the people we love, the holidays become exactly what they’re meant to be.

Find Britney on socials

Britney’s website

Jolabokaflod

How to pronounce

Skout’s Honor (SB used the laundry booster)

The Thrifty Gifter

Trader Joe’s Taste Test of Caramels

Recorded in the Such-N-Such Media Studios at Liberty Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media. Theme music is by Doug Davis.

Love what you hear? Donate in any amount to support our podcast or via LinkTree in bio coff.ee/mamasgonnamakeit