Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

My guest this week is Abbey Krumrie from River Valley Raptors, an awesome organization in Wisconsin dedicated to not only educating their local community about raptors and their cool adaptations, but how to protect the habitats they live in right there in their local area. She and her husband started River Valley Raptors together and have since proved that you can incorporate children into your professional life by making River Valley Raptors a family affair!

While Abbey and I spoke about pregnancy while hunting with falcons, breastfeeding in the field (she even tells a great story!), and how working with animals helped her to follow her own maternal instincts around cosleeping, the theme that kept coming up in conversation was about having your kids join your life rather than changing your life for your kids. She tells numerous stories about incorporating her kids into her life and job, from her daughter helping her with the birds to babywearing her son during an educational program. She's even had moms who were attending her programs come up to her afterwards to express support for how she is incorporating motherhood into her job and life.

Check out River Valley Raptors at https://www.rivervalleyraptors.org/

Mothering Wildlife links:
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Email: motheringwildlife@gmail.com

Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

This week, I talk to Hallie Torre, Curator of Marine Mammals and Birds at the Aquarium of Niagara. Hallie chats about life as a marine mammal trainer turned manager and mom of two—everything from working with seals and sea lions while pregnant to figuring out daycare, maternity leave, and finding herself again at work.

Hallie opens up about both of her pregnancies, how she adapted her role while working with seals, sea lions, and penguins, and what it was like returning after maternity leave. Knowing that she had a job to return to that she was passionate about helped her to return to work after her maternity leave. She reflects on learning to balance her passion for her career with the mental load of motherhood, daycare, and the unpredictable demands of this field.

As a manager, Hallie shares how becoming a mother reshaped her leadership style, making her more patient and empathetic. She discusses supporting her staff’s work–life boundaries and normalizing the fact that people have personal lives that are important.

Mothering Wildlife links:
Facebook MotheringWildlifePodcast
Instagram @motheringwildlife
Email: motheringwildlife@gmail.com

Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

This week, I talk to Wendy Boulger, a zookeeper from Zoo Knoxville. Her almost 11-month-old (at the time) daughter, Marcy, even joins us for the interview!

Wendy and I touch base on a variety of topics - from the challenges of postpartum to pumping at work to trying to jump back and forth between the two mindsets of "work life" and "mom life", especially when also trying to focus on safely working with dangerous animals!

Wendy also shares how she has dealt with sleepless nights and how she was able to advocate for her position to go part-time; something that was a game changer for her in trying to "catch up" on her sleep. We've talked about advocating for yourself on the podcast before, so it's nice to hear how Wendy was able to have those conversations with her facility.

Finally, listen out for Wendy's story about how her daughter got the nickname "Baby Tonka" - a sweet testament to the community within the zoo field and how zookeepers can truly be like family.

Mothering Wildlife links:
Facebook MotheringWildlifePodcast
Instagram @motheringwildlife
Email: motheringwildlife@gmail.com