In this episode, Kaili dives deep into the topic of “colic” and what it really means when your baby is crying inconsolably. She challenges the catchall label of colic, encouraging parents to trust their instincts and look beyond the surface for possible root causes.

Key Topics Covered:

[01:12] What “colic” actually means and why it’s often just a label, not an explanation.

[03:10] The importance of trusting your parental intuition when something feels off with your baby.

[04:28] Common root causes of excessive crying in babies, including:

• Nervous system sensitivity and sensory overload
• Emotional processing from birth or in utero experiences
• Digestive issues (food intolerances, gut health, reflux, etc.)
• Body tension and compression from birth or positioning
• Oral dysfunction and feeding challenges
• Practical steps for parents:

[09:37] What Parents Can Do

• Trust your gut and observe patterns in your baby’s behaviour
• Consider holistic support options like craniosacral therapy, osteopathy, or pediatric OT
• Focus on co-regulation—your calm helps your baby’s calm
• Seek support when needed; you don’t have to do it alone

Resources Mentioned:

• Free Baby Body Tension Guide
• Kaili’s book, “Mothering From Within”
• In-person and virtual support options for parents

Takeaway Message:
You know your baby best. Colic is not the end of the story—it’s a signal. With the right support and clarity, you and your baby can find your rhythm again. Trust yourself, trust your baby, and remember: you’re doing an incredible job.

Connect with Kaili:

• Kaili's Website
• Kaili's Instagram
• Book a Right Fit Call with Kaili
• For in-person support (Stony Creek/Hamilton area) or virtual resources - www.kailiets.com
• Share this episode with another mama who needs to hear it!

In this heartfelt episode, Kaili sits down with Gail Gabriel, a fellow occupational therapist, NICU mama, and founder of The NICU Collective. Gail shares her raw and powerful journey from the unexpected early delivery of her son at 30 weeks to navigating the NICU, early intervention, and her own emotional healing.

Whether you’ve experienced a high-risk birth, a NICU stay, or just the intense uncertainty of new motherhood, this episode offers real talk, deep compassion, and hard-earned wisdom.

You’ll hear about:

• What it's really like to bring home a premature baby
• How to shift from fear to trust—even after trauma
• The power of community and sharing your story
• Mental health, NICU PTSD, and finding your way back to self
• Why creating space for your healing matters as much as your baby’s development

Gail’s story will resonate deeply with any mama who’s ever felt out of control, isolated, or overwhelmed—and her insights will help you feel seen, supported, and not alone.

🕒 Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome & Kaili’s intro
03:18 – Meet Gail Gabriel: OT, mom, NICU warrior
06:46 – Gail’s birth & NICU story: a 30-week surprise
11:25 – Trauma, healing, and finding her footing again
17:52 – Mental health, fear, and building resilience
22:00 – Finding support when no one else gets it
26:49 – The NICU Collective: creating safe spaces for NICU families
30:25 – Why sharing your story matters
31:40 – Redefining self-care as a NICU mom
36:35 – Gail’s takeaway: the NICU journey shapes you
41:00 – Final reflections + where to find Gail

💜 Connect with Gail:
Instagram: @nicu_collective
Facebook: NICU Collective

📘 Grab Kaili’s Book: Mothering From Within – your compassionate, holistic guide to baby sleep, development, reflux, and more - https://www.kailiets.com/book

✨ Loved this episode?
Subscribe, rate, and share it with a friend who needs this kind of soul-deep support. And tag us on IG @theholisticbabyguru and @nicu_collective—we love hearing your thoughts!

Should You Hire a Doula? How to Know If It’s Right for Your Family.

In this episode of 'Mothering From Within,' host Kaili Ets sits down with Kristen Revere, the owner and founder of Gold Coast Doulas, to discuss the critical role doulas play in both birth and postpartum care. Kristen, an elite certified birth and postpartum doula, shares her journey from political fundraising to founding a successful doula agency in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The conversation touches on the various services doulas offer, including emotional support, breastfeeding assistance, and overnight care. Kaili and Kristen also highlight the often-overlooked importance of preparing for the postpartum period, offering valuable advice for new parents. Tune in to learn how doulas can provide essential support during the magical yet challenging first years of parenthood.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

01:15 Meet Our Special Guest: Kristen Revere

02:23 Kristen's Journey to Becoming a Doula

05:05 The Role and Importance of Doulas

14:16 Personal Experiences with Doulas

16:17 Planned Medical Births and Doulas

20:18 Postpartum Support and Planning

22:51 Fertility Benefits and Postpartum Support

23:26 The Importance of Rest for New Mothers

24:51 Sharing Responsibilities and Overcoming Challenges

26:02 Role and Benefits of Postpartum Doulas

32:08 Hiring a Doula: What to Look For

34:04 Rapid Fire Questions and Personal Insights

36:57 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

37:44 Where to Learn More and Closing Remarks

To learn more about what Kristen offers:

• Kristen's Website
• Kristen's Instagram

Stay in Touch With Kaili

• Kaili's Website
• Kaili's Instagram
• Book a Right Fit Call with Kaili

📘 Want more holistic support? Grab Kaili’s book Mothering From Within

💜 Subscribe + share with a mama who needs this insight.

In this episode of Mothering From Within, Kaili Ets—pediatric OT and holistic baby guru—dives into the fascinating world of Human Design and sleep.

If you've ever wondered why your baby doesn’t follow the "normal" sleep rules, or why bedtime feels harder than it “should,” this episode is for you. Sleep isn’t one-size-fits-all—and Human Design offers a compassionate, eye-opening way to understand your baby’s natural rhythms, rest needs, and sleep quirks.

You’ll learn how each Human Design energy type (Generator, Manifesting Generator, Projector, Manifestor, Reflector) influences sleep patterns and how to adjust your approach to better align with your child’s unique design. Kaili also explores how defined and undefined centers (like Root, G, and Throat) can impact your child’s ability to fall asleep, express sleep needs, and feel safe in their space.

💤 This isn’t sleep training. This is parenting in alignment with your child’s energetic blueprint.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why your baby or toddler may not respond to traditional sleep advice
• How to use Human Design to support better sleep for your child
• Practical sleep tips for each design type
• Why screens, bedtime resistance, or sleep regressions might be linked to design
• What else impacts sleep—like defined centers, environment, and sensory needs

🕒 Episode Breakdown:
00:00 – Introduction to Mothering From Within
01:11 – Exploring Human Design and Sleep
03:15 – Understanding Sleep Needs by Human Design Type
04:42 – Generators & Manifesting Generators: Movement, rhythm & routine
07:30 – Projectors: Winding down and emotional processing
09:21 – Manifestors: Sleep resistance & autonomy
10:27 – Reflectors: Lunar cycles & sensitivity
11:49 – Beyond Energy Types: Root, G, and Throat centers
12:55 – Final encouragement for tuning into your baby’s design
13:21 – Wrap-up and free Human Design & Sleep Guide

👉 Download your FREE Human Design chart here.

🎁 Grab the free Human Design + Sleep Guide
📘 Want more holistic support? Grab Kaili’s book Mothering From Within

💜 Subscribe + share with a mama who needs this insight.

🎙️ Episode 36: Why Your Baby Eats, Sleeps & Plays Differently—And What Human Design Can Reveal

In this illuminating episode of Mothering From Within, host Kaili Ets, pediatric occupational therapist and holistic baby guru, welcomes special guest Meg S. from Wholebeing OT—an occupational therapist and Human Design specialist—to explore a powerful new lens for parenting: Human Design.

Together, they dive deep into how Human Design can help you understand your baby’s unique rhythms, needs, and challenges—especially around sleep, feeding, emotions, and play. Meg shares practical, real-life examples and explains how even the smallest shifts in awareness can lead to big wins in connection, regulation, and flow at home.

Whether you're navigating toddler tantrums, picky eating, bedtime struggles, or just trying to trust your instincts more, this episode is full of aha moments and compassionate insight.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Human Design can help you understand your child’s energy, needs & behavior
• Sleep strategies based on your child’s design type
• The 6 Human Design digestion types (and why your baby might eat “differently”)
• How environment and sound influence your child’s play
• The significance of open vs. defined centers—and how they relate to emotional regulation
• Why Human Design is not a parenting “box,” but a tool for intuition & alignment

🕒 Episode Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome to Mothering From Within
01:15 – Meet Meg: OT & Human Design Specialist
03:22 – Meg’s journey integrating Human Design with OT
07:31 – Why parents should start with understanding themselves
10:49 – Sleep & Human Design: Types, rhythms & routines
19:00 – Feeding based on design: Digestion types explained
25:34 – Ambience, sound & light: The sensory side of Human Design
29:08 – Environments & how they influence your child’s play
35:37 – Understanding defined vs. open centers in the chart
43:41 – Rapid-fire Q&A with Meg
45:59 – Final thoughts: Raising kids by their design

🎁 Want to learn your Human Design?
👉 Click here to grab your free chart

📋Want to go deeper? Grab the FREE Human Design 101 Cheat Sheet here.

📘 Want more support for your baby and on your mothering journey? Grab Kaili’s book Mothering From Within

🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with another mama who’s ready to parent with more ease and alignment.

Welcome to another episode of Mothering From Within with Kaili Ets—pediatric occupational therapist, holistic baby guru, and your go-to guide for intuitive parenting.

In this special episode, Kaili kicks off a brand-new mini-series on Human Design for parents. If you’ve ever wondered why one of your children needs constant motion to settle while another craves calm predictability, Human Design might just be the insight you've been missing.

You'll learn:
💫 What Human Design actually is (and why it’s such a powerful parenting tool)
💫 The basics of the five energy types: Manifestors, Generators, Manifesting Generators, Projectors, and Reflectors
💫 How to better understand your baby’s behaviors, sensitivities, and sleep needs
💫 Real-life ways to support your little one based on their unique design

Whether you're brand new to Human Design or just starting to explore it, this episode will help you feel more aligned, confident, and connected to your child.

Episode Highlights:
00:00 – Welcome to Mothering From Within
01:11 – What is Human Design and how can it help you parent more intuitively?
02:31 – The foundations: How your baby's birth details create a unique design
05:08 – The 5 Energy Types explained (Manifestors, Generators, Manifesting Generators, Projectors, Reflectors)
09:13 – How to apply Human Design to daily parenting and sleep routines
10:28 – The big takeaway: There’s nothing wrong with your baby—or your parenting
12:47 – Where to go next and how to grab your free Human Design chart

🎁 Click here to grab your FREE Human Design Chart for you and your baby
📋Want to go deeper? Grab the FREE Human Design 101 Cheat Sheet here.

📘 Want more support for your baby and on your mothering journey? Grab Kaili’s book Mothering From Within
🎙️ Don’t miss next week’s episode featuring Human Design expert & OT Meg as we go deeper into parenting with design

Hey, mama! Struggling with baby sleep and wondering if there's a way to get longer stretches without sleep training? You’re not alone! In this episode of Mothering From Within, I’m breaking down baby sleep in a way that actually makes sense—no rigid rules, just real, practical strategies that work with your baby’s natural rhythms.

We’ll talk about:
✔️ The real reasons your baby might not be sleeping well (spoiler: it’s not just about bad habits!)
✔️ Simple tweaks to your baby's sleep space—like temperature, lighting, and sound—that make a huge difference
✔️ Why fresh air and movement during the day can lead to better sleep at night
✔️ How your own energy and emotions can impact your baby’s sleep (and what to do about it)
✔️ Creating a flexible routine that works for your family, without stress or pressure

If you're tired of hearing that the only way to get more sleep is through sleep training, this episode will give you the confidence and tools to follow your instincts and support your baby’s sleep in a way that feels good for both of you.

Want More Support? Let’s Work Together!

✨ Book a Right-Fit Call – Let’s chat and figure out the best sleep support for you!
✨ Grab the Sleep Make-Over Guide – My easy-to-follow guide to help your baby sleep better, without sleep training.
✨ Join the Mothering From Within Collective – Get ongoing support, expert guidance, and a community of like-minded mamas.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 – Welcome to Mothering From Within
01:17 – Let’s talk baby sleep—again!
01:51 – The truth about why babies wake up
05:29 – Setting up the perfect sleep space
08:56 – How to create a routine without pressure
11:45 – Why outdoor time is a game changer
13:51 – Your energy matters—here’s why
15:41 – Final thoughts & how I can support you

Listen in and let me know—what’s been your biggest baby sleep struggle? DM me on Instagram @TheHolisticBabyGuru and let’s chat! 💛

In this episode of Mothering From Within, host Kaili Ets, a mom and pediatric occupational therapist, dives into the complex world of baby sleep. Kaili addresses common sleep challenges and their root causes—such as reflux, feeding issues, body tension, cranial nerve compression, sensory processing, temperament, and developmental progressions. She offers holistic solutions and emphasizes the importance of understanding your baby's unique needs. Tune in for valuable insights on improving your baby's sleep without resorting to traditional sleep training methods.

00:00 Introduction to Mothering From Within

01:11 Understanding Baby Sleep

03:39 Common Sleep Disruptors

04:34 Addressing Feeding Issues

05:28 Body Tension and Cranial Nerve Compression

07:12 Sensory Processing and Temperament

09:04 Food Sensitivities and Nutrient Deficiencies

10:23 Developmental Progressions and Separation Anxiety

11:30 Teething, Illness, and Connection

12:55 Holistic Support and Professional Guidance

14:56 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Stay in Touch With Kaili

• Kaili's Website
• Kaili's Instagram
• Book a Right Fit Call with Kaili

Want to learn more about these red flags and root causes? Grab my 'What's Wrong With My Baby?' E-book here.

If you are ready to take a courageous step towards doing motherhood your way, The Mothering From Within Collective is waiting with open arms to help you get curious about your parenting values, tune into your mama instincts, gain clarity about baby sleep, development, reflux and more, so that you can be the confident supermom you have always dreamed of!

We want to hear from you! If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories and tag me, @theholisticbabyguru. Every month I choose a lucky listener to win a signed copy of my book - Mothering From Within.

Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people --- just like you --- move toward more confidence and courage to do motherhood so that you can watch the stress and overwhelm start to melt away. Be sure to let me know what you loved most about this episode!

Also, if you haven't done so already, follow the podcast. There is a ton of amazing content coming your way, and if you're not following, there's a good chance you'll miss out. Follow now.

Video podcast is also available to watch over on Youtube.