Episode 255: Learning with our Kids through Digital Play with OK Play App co-founders Chris Ovitz and Dr. Colleen Russo Johnson

Can screen time for kids be a positive experience? 📲 When you give parents activities to learn alongside their kids, it can be! This week we interview Chris Ovitz and Dr. Colleen Russo Johnson, two of the co-founders of the new OK Play App. The startup team created the app to connect children and families through play, and it has produced a learning experience for parents to help kids learn social & emotional skills and more.

Bricia and Paulina are personally big fans of the app. As parents with kids stuck at home all day in this quarantine, we’re always looking for new games, shows, and activities to keep our kids entertained and occupied. The best thing about the OK Play app is that it encourages parents to engage in play and learning with our kids. Together we are doing fun activities, like building a golf course like Bricia and Eddie made in the video below, but we’re also learning, communicating, and bonding through fun . Who knew play would be such serious work?

Super Mamas listeners can get a 90 day free trial of the app by visiting okplay.app/supermamas. Happy playing!

View this post on Instagram

Entertained my 5 year old yesterday by making a golf and roll course. Got the idea from the @okplay app. Eduardo is into it and I love their curriculum. Not only are they activity focused but they also have an entire section on kindness and regulating emotions (there’s also free activities on the app daily!) This course is so much fun... we will be working on it as long as weather permits. Eduardo keeps getting ideas on how to make it more and more difficult for me 🤣 #okplay

A post shared by Bricia Lopez Maytorena (@bricialopez) on Sep 3, 2020 at 11:00am PDT

More about Co-founder and Chief Scientist, Dr. Colleen Russo Johnson: Dr. Colleen Russo Johnson is a developmental psychologist with an expertise in children's media and technology who serves as an adjunct professor at Ryerson University and Co-Director of the Ryerson Children’s Media Lab. She is a senior scholar for UCLA’s Center for Scholars and Storytellers and co-author of bestselling children's book, Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide. Colleen previously served as director of research at Sinking Ship Entertainment. Colleen is passionate about disseminating relevant research to parents, teachers, and the children's tech & media industry. She holds a PhD from Vanderbilt University as a National Science Foundation graduate student fellow and now lives in Toronto. She is the proud mom of two dogs and two toddlers, Ripley and Rex.

More about Co-founder and President, Chris Ovitz: Chris Ovitz is a serial tech entrepreneur who has built and advised companies that are inspired by his childhood love of gaming and that expand the possibilities of mobile. Prior to OK, Chris co-founded Workpop (acquired by Cornerstone OnDemand ), which reimagined the job seeking experience for essential workers. In 2011, he co-founded Viddy, a pioneering social mobile video platform that grew to over 70 million users and was acquired by Fullscreen . He led business development and strategy for Scopely and Adly and has served as an advisor to Code.org and Box . Chris is also an active angel investor in companies like Beyond Meat (Nasdaq: BYND), Block Renovation, Songza (acquired by Google), and Seismic Games (acquired by Niantic). Chris is a member of Vanity Fair’s “Next Establishment List” and graduated from UCLA with a BA in History. Chris' single greatest achievement is becoming a dad to his son, Pax.

About OK Play: OK Play is a first-of-its-kind app that sparks creation, conversation, and connection between parents and their children. Through fun activities that are interactive and encourage social and emotional growth, OK Play helps families establish a daily practice of bonding and sharing together. The app was made by parents and entrepreneurs at The OK Company, an LA-based media and technology startup whose mission is to help families be OK with exactly where they are right now. Join OK Play for free at www.okplay.co. 

Parenting Gems 💎 from this Week’s episode

The academic stuff is important but it’s a balance. Play is serious work. - Chris Ovitz

There is no perfect parent, and anyone who is trying to pretend to be perfect in their parenting is doing a disservice to their child. - Dr. Colleen Russo Johnson

Links

Follow @OKPlay on Instagram and Twitter.

Download the app in the App Store or get it on Google Play.

Super Mamas listeners can get a 90 day free trial of the app by visiting okplay.app/supermamas.

Watch Dino Dana and Annedroids on Amazon Prime, Odd Squad on PBS, and Endlings on Hulu.

Episode 254: Voting 101: Resources, Deadlines, & Why Your Vote Matters with Sara Gonzalez

Less than one month until Election Day! This week we talk to Sara Gonzalez, Project Coordinator for the LA City Clerk’s Election Division. We are talking voting 101: how to properly vote by mail, safety precautions poll workers are taking at voting centers, and most importantly, how to register to vote. She also reminds us if you’re not eligible to vote (because of your age or status), you can still make a difference by learning about what’s on the ballot and talking to those who can vote. Your voice matters and every vote counts! So get out there and make a difference!

More about Sara: Sara Gonzalez is a Project Coordinator for the LA City Clerk’s Election Division focusing on outreach and voter education. She’s worked in election operations since 2009. She’s done everything from programming ballot layout to poll worker recruitment to community poll worker training before managing voter outreach to LA’s homeless, faith-based, new American, and senior communities. She loves engaging the public and how information empowers Angelenos to ask more questions, educate others, and mobilize each other to participate in the voting process."

She was raised in Garden Grove by a strong Mexicana (who was raised by a strong Mexicana) and recently became a proud new super mama at 35 to Eleanor Lola, now 10 months old. She lives in South Gate, CA with her teacher husband, Adrian. They’re both currently working from home. (Eleanor’s room is now a classroom/zoom meeting room.) Sara’s working hard trying to get out the vote during this pandemic in between breastfeeding, cuddles, and reading Eleanor’s whole bookshelf.

Voting 101

For local voters, visit LAvote.net or OCvote.com to register to vote, or check out the video below.

Head to IWillVote.com to check your registration status in every other state

Visit your state’s Secretary of State website for election dates and deadlines. California deadline is 10/19!

Learn more about the General Election, how to send in you mail-in-ballot, early voting, and more below.

Pick or Tip of the Week

Paulina is all about making her life easier right now (aren’t we all 🤣). She recently found Yumble, a pre-made meal service for kids, and it is so YUMMY that she wishes she would have ordered some meals for herself! They’re perfect for days when Paulina is working at home and the girls have school, and there’s no time for lunch. Listeners can use the code SUPERMAMAS30 at YumbleKids.com for a discount on your order.

The targeted Instagram ads strike again for Bricia’s pick this week. She’s always looking for cute and inexpensive clothing for Augustina, and Kate Quinn is just that. They have great options, a lot of new prints and great “basics” for baby’s wardrobe.

Episode 253: Learning to Feel Your Best, Nourish Your Body, and Thrive Postpartum with Lorena Garcia, CEO of Majka

Hola Octubre! Fall is here and the year is winding down. Even though we’ve spent most of the year indoors, it feels like it has flown by.

Lately we have been talking a lot about the fourth trimester and how important it is for moms to prepare not just for pregnancy, but for after baby’s arrival. This week’s guest completely agrees. We interview Lorena Garcia, co-founder and CEO of Majka, a brand dedicated to helping support moms thrive postpartum with resources and lactation bites, boosters, oats, and more and we’re big fans.

The three of us are sharing stories about our Mexican moms and entrepreneurial tips we’ve learned throughout the years, but we also talk about Lorena’s personal experience of her fourth trimester and her inspiration behind creating Majka. She shares why it’s okay to ask questions during pregnancy and ask for help & support after baby, and how we must learn to prioritize ourselves because we are not just moms; we are still our own people who need to heal. 

More about Lorena: Lorena Garcia is Mexican entrepreneur and currently the co-Founder and CEO of Majka, a brand dedicated to help support moms to thrive postpartum. Lorena has founded and managed multiple successful businesses and is a digital marketing and branding expert.

Lorena’s Favorite Majka Recipe

Lorena’s youngest son was born earlier this year, so she is incorporating Majka into her daily routine to help nourish herself and baby! She shared her favorite smoothie recipe below to try with the lactation booster. You can find more recipes for drinks with lactation boosters and lactation bites on Majka’s blog.

Orange Ginger Carrot Smoothie - with Booster

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 orange, peeled (I sometimes just use orange juice)

• 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower

• 1 medium carrot

• ½ inch fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds

• 1 scoop Majka Lactation Booster

Blend everything together and enjoy!

Nutrition: 408 kcal, 21g fat, 45g carbs, 13g, 27g sugar, 12g protein, 137% vitamin C

Super Mamas listeners can get a discount on Majka products! Use code SUPERMAMAS for 10% off your order at lovemajka.com/discount/supermamas.

Pick or Tip of the Week

Bricia keeps getting swindled by Instagram ads. 😂 She loves biker shorts and found these by Blanqui which are designed specifically for postpartum. It’s like a faja and shorts all in one.

Paulina’s pick is a face paint kit from Amazon that she bought for Zixta. It’s tough to keep her occupied while Sabina and Krista are doing their school work, but Paulina paints Z’s face in the morning and tells her to transform into whatever animal she’s painted, and it works! She plays pretend all day.

Her other tip is the game called Spot It and Spot It Jr., available in both english and spanish. Paulina sets it up for the girls while she’s making lunch or doing something for work, and it keeps them entertained together.

LINKS

Follow Majka on Instagram @lovemajka and shop for products on lovemajka.com

Follow Lorena on Instagram @callmelore

Episode 252: Curls, Community, Culture, & Family Values with Julissa Prado of Rizos Curls

This week we interview the ultimate curly queen, Julissa Prado, founder and CEO of Rizos Curls. We have been big fans and supporters of this mamacita for the past few years and we’re exited to finally have her on the show!

During our chat, she shares how she created natural ingredient hair product concoctions for herself and ran an underground hair salon in her high school bathroom for all the underground curlies she encountered. She also talks about what it’s like to work with her family, and how all of her family member’s wants to see the other grow & succeed and will do whatever it takes to help each other get there, including working multiple jobs! Julissa honestly has the biggest heart for her family and her community, and she is such an inspiration in the Latinx community. We have so much love and admiration for her and we know you will too!

More about Julissa: Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Julissa Prado is the Founder & CEO of Rizos Curls, a Latina-owned hair care line aimed at embracing and celebrating the beauty of curls, coils and waves everywhere!

After years of making her own curly cocktail and being the “curl whisperer” within her community, Julissa decided to launch her own hair care line Rizos Curls. The result is a line of products made with quality natural ingredients that works across a variety of curly hair textures. The brand has amassed a global following of #RizosReinas, becoming a favorite among the curly hair community, shipped to over 57 countries and now available at Target stores nationwide! As one of the leading faces of the beauty industry and entrepreneurship, Julissa is an active national speaker with past speaking roles at Harvard University, The Girlboss Rally & the U.S. Department of State for The United Nations, among others. She also proudly organizes curated events and resources centered on entrepreneurship, including the Rizos Curls Small Business Summit.

Julissa holds a Masters in Business from Wake Forest University, is an alumni of UCLA, and has held corporate leadership positions at Nestlé.

Our Conversation with Julissa

What is Rizos Curls?

Undercover curlies & straight hair tendencies

How she started her business

What it’s like to work with family

Julissa’s Quarantine Routine

What advice would you give to your 17 year old self?

Pick or Tip of the Week

Bricia’s pick is another loungewear pick, because you know she likes to be comfy at home with her two month old daughter, Augustina. She loves this cropped sweater from Aerie. It’s lightweight which is great as the seasons start to change and it’s easy to breastfeed Augustina when she wears it.

Paulina’s pick is a Mexican movie on Netflix called, “All the Freckles in the World”. It’s such a cute love story and reminded her of when you’re growing up and have your first crush. It would be so cute to watch with your pre-teens or teenagers.

Links

Follow Julissa and her brand, Rizos Curls on Instagram - @julissa_prado @rizoscurls

Shop Rizos Curls online at rizoscurls.com. Head to her site to find a store location near you, including your local Target!

Follow the Prado cousins on Instagram @pradocousins and check out their viral video from last year.

This episode was brought to you by our sponsor Target. Head to Target.com and shop Baby Month Deals for the entire month of September!

Episode 251: Finding Our Core Selves & Changing the Likeability Trap with Alicia Menendez

This week’s interview is with powerhouse Alicia Menendez - MSNBC anchor, co-host of the podcast Latina to Latina, best selling author, and mother of two young daughters. Alicia is dropping straight GEMS 💎 in this episode! We talk about everything from how she balances her successful careers with motherhood to the meaning behind her book, “The Likeability Trap” and why it’s more complicated for women of color to feel likeable at work.

In Bricia’s words, Alicia “takes us to church” during this episode with knowledge she drops, but even Palina and Bricia were sharing real gems. Here are a few 💎:

“Sometimes you’re focusing on the work and sometimes you’re focusing on sharing the work and it doesn’t always have to be the same thing.” - Alicia

“You are no good to anyone else if you’re not taking care of yourself. “- Alicia

“It’s very rewarding to see what I am capable of doing. To know that I am more than what I thought I was.” - Paulina

“I look at her and I tell her, I want you to be a way better version of me and the only way you’re going to do that is if I become a better version of myself.” - Bricia

“If you grow up loving yourself and believing in yourself, how far can you go?” - Bricia

More about Alicia: Alicia Menendez is a journalist and multimedia storyteller. Named “Broadcast Journalism’s New Gladiator” by Elle Magazine, “Ms. Millennial” by The Washington Post, and a “Content Queen” by Marie Claire, Alicia has quickly become a force in American media. Alicia is the author of The Likeability Trap: How to Break Free and Succeed as You Are and an anchor for MSNBC. She is also a contributing editor at Bustle and host of its Latina to Latina podcast. 

A native of Union City, New Jersey, Alicia is a graduate of Harvard College. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters.

Our Conversation with Alicia

The balance of career and motherhood

Has routine helped you?

Alicia’s book, “The Likeability Trap”

Finding the core version of yourself

The messages we give boys vs. the messages we give girls

Tips for being assertive, strong, and the most authentic versions of ourselves

Pick or Tip of the Week

All of Bricia’s tips right now are about babies! This month is Target Baby Month and there are new weekly deals for the whole month! Right now they are running their Car Seat Trade-in program where you drop off an old car seat to recycle and get a coupon to save 20% on select baby gear. Learn more about the program on Target.com.

Her pick for this week is more baby stuff, of course. Bricia’s favorite wipes of all time (for herself and Augustina) are the Honest wipes. They stay moist and don’t get stuck in the wipe warmer, making it easier for whoever is on diaper duty.

Paulina’s tip is Target Drive-up. It’s so much easier for her to load the girls in the car and get all of her items brought straight out to her car! Her other pick is the deep tissue percussion massager. If you’re keeping up with the podcast, you know she was injured a few weeks ago so she’s been focusing a lot on her recovery. Since she can’t go out to get a massage, she found this massager that’s really popular right now and has really helped her muscles after her workouts.

This episode was brought to you by our sponsor Target. Head to Target.com and shop Baby Month Deals for the entire month of September!

Links

Follow Alicia Menendez on Instagram @aliciamenendezxo and Twitter @AliciaMenendez.

Listen to her podcast Latina to Latina with co-host Juleyka Lantigua-Williams and follow their podcast on Instagram @latinatolatina.

Buy her incredible book The Likeability Trap: How to Break Free and Succeed as You Are wherever books are sold.

Watch The Last Dance, the docuseries about Michael Jordan, on Netflix.

Episode 250: Asking For a Friend - Super Mamas Q&A

Back by popular demand, it’s a Super Mamas Q&A! We love answering your questions on Instagram Stories, DM, email, and voicemail, and we were getting so many that we decided to create a new series dedicated to answering them.

This week, we share advice and our personal experiences with anal incontinence, postpartum depression, how to make the most of “mommy and daddy time”, the best tips for online learning, sibling arguments, and starting your own podcast.

Want to ask something else? Email us at hello@supermamas.com or call the hotline at (424) 326-3707. We could feature your question in a future episode!

Pick or Tip of the Week

Paulina was having trouble keeping Krista’s iPad in place during her school time. She found this iPad holder that swivels so she can move it when she’s writing and readjust when she talking to her teacher.

Her second pick is something she loves and hates. 😂 Paulina bought Zixta a bag of kinetic sand, and it’s been great for keeping her occupied for hours while the Krista and Sabina do their schoolwork. And it’s surprisingly not as messy as she thought!

Bricia is sharing Augustina’s night feeding routine. Remember to always consult your doctor, but this is what works for her.

• 4PM: Breastfeeds for about 45 minutes. It’s long, but great bonding with the baby.

• 6:30PM: Bath time for Augustina

• 7PM: Bottle feeds her 6oz. of breastmilk (this is Bricia’s favorite bottle for her) and puts her down for the night. Then Bricia pumps whatever she can and stores it for her midnight feeding.

• Augustina sleeps until 2AM. Bricia keeps this bottle warmer in her room because it doesn’t take much room and uses a skincare fridge to store the milk she pumped earlier for the nighttime bottle (which she’ll repurpose for her skincare when Augustina stops feeding in the middle of the night 😝). She feeds Augustina another 5-6oz. and the baby sleeps until 7AM.

Her best tip is to find your baby a bottle they like! It helps so much with overnight feedings, saves a lot of time. Plus your partner can help too.

Links

This is still #notsponsored, but Bricia and Paulina are both loving the results they are getting from the Every Mother app program. They feel the difference in the back, core, and overall well being.

Catch up on all of Bricia’s Postpartum Essentials, including books and wardrobe essentials for recovering mamas.

This episode was brought to you by our sponsor Target. Head to Target.com and shop Baby Month Deals for the entire month of September!

Episode 249 - Keeping it Real with the Super Mamas: Learning to Ask for Help

It feels like summer just ended, but the end-of-summer / back-to-school routine change has been tough so we are READY for this holiday weekend.

And speaking of a long weekend, there’s no better way to celebrate than with a brand new episode. Bricia is back from maternity leave and it’s been a while since the two of us kept it real. This week we talk about baby Augustina and how much Eduardo loves his “chuchis”, and about Paulina’s girls starting school again.

We also talk about the how important it is to communicate our feelings with our spouses during all stages of our relationships. Whether you’re just starting to date, postpartum with your first child, or married for over 50 years, telling our partner about what and how we’re feeling is crucial to a healthy relationship. We can’t expect them to do everything we need; they can’t read our minds! You should never be afraid to ask for help from anyone, and this latest vent session will help remind you it’s okay to do just that.

This episode was brought to you by our sponsor Target. Head to Target.com and shop Baby Month Deals for the entire month of September!

Pick or Tip of the Week

We have so many picks this week!

A listener recently told Paulina that Joyce Meyer has a podcast. Joyce talks about how to be joyful through in life and how to change our thoughts. Paulina especially loves them because the episodes are only 15 minutes long!

Paulina also found this YouTube page called Activ Chiropractic while she was searching for back exercises last week. Paulina attributes her quick recovery to stretching, core workouts, and the active chiropractive videos, like the one below (always consult your doctor prior to working out after an injury - Paulina’s doctor cleared her for low impact activity).

Bricia is still loving the Every Mother program for her abdominal wall exercises. She happened to find it via an Instagram ad but she truly feels helps heal your abdominal wall and pelvic floor muscles after kids. She’s knows it’s going to take time to get back into shape (she’s in no rush) but working on these muscles now is easy, low impact, and will make a difference of your body in the years to come. Paulina is a big fan too! 

Lastly, Bricia is loving this pajama set from Hatch that her girlfriend, Lucia, gifted her. The material of the robe is so soft, she could wear it all day!

P.S. We want to hear from you! Send us an email at hello@supermamas.com or call the Super Mamas hotline at (424) 326-3707 to leave a message. Tell us about how you’re feeling in quarantine, ask us your questions about us, life, & family, or vent about your partner and kids like we do. 😂

Episode 248: Throwback to The Power of Words with Liz Hernandez from @Wordaful

Bricia is still on maternity leave with Augustina (one week left!), so Paulina is reflecting after a tough week and found this episode perfect motivation for how she was feeling.

This week we throw it back to one of our favorite episodes! We revisit The Power of Words with Liz Hernandez, an episode from 2018. Liz's passion for connecting people inspired her to create WORDAFUL, which is derived from the phrase "words are powerful" through weekly videos and live experiences, Liz showcases feelings of inspiration and motivation which are so needed right now. We talk career, her purpose in creating WORDAFUL, the importance of the words we choose to identify with, her morning ritual and the value of practicing gratitude and affirmations on a daily basis. She drops absolute GEMS along the way, so be sure to have your notes on hand!

Click here to read the original show notes, including all the gems that Liz dropped. 💎

Before the episode, Paulina talks about some set backs she experienced this week and how she had no choice but to push through the literal pain and figure things out. Even though this is a throwback episode, Liz’s powerful words and message about setting yourself up for success every day and speaking positively about yourself still ring true fo Paulina today, and they will for you too.

This is an episode worth listening more than twice!

Episode 247: Rediscovering Our Intimacy & Sexual Wellness in the Midst of a Pandemic with Rebecca Alvarez Story, Sexologist & Founder of @TheBloomi

Let’s talk about sex, baby! It is so important to be able to reconnect with ourselves during this tough time so why not start with our bodies. This week we talk to Rebecca Alvarez Story, Sexologist and founder of Bloomi, who comes to remind us of the benefits of tapping into our sexual wellness & intimacy. We cover all things sexual wellness; why stressors from covid could be affecting your sex drive, we talk about the importance of establishing a healthy relationship with sex from a young age, healthy masturbation habits, the cutest sex toys and much more. This is a super fun, informational episode we are sure you'll enjoy!

Before the episode, Paulina mentions that this episode has been previously recorded prior to Bricia’s

More about Rebecca Alvarez Story:  She is a proud daughter of Latinx immigrants and also focuses on diversity initiatives that empower other womxn of color. Rebecca graduated from UC Berkeley with a major she created, Women's Health & Sexuality, and holds a Master's in Sexuality Studies where she studied Female Desire and Arousal. In 2018, she founded Bloomi, the first marketplace for intimate care products with sex-positive content. Rebecca and the Bloomi team will be launching products focused on naturally increasing pleasure and arousal in 2020.

A respected Sexologist and social impact entrepreneur, Rebecca works with womxn, couples and teens to help them navigate a variety of sexual wellness topics and find holistic ways to maximize their sexual agency. She has been named a “Latina Trailblazer” by Forbes for normalizing conversations about sexual wellness. Rebecca currently lives in Oakland, CA with her husband and two daughters.

Our Conversation with Rebecca

Addressing our intimate relationships with our partner & ourselves in quarantine

The Covid baby boom

What can we be doing to de-stress with our partners when it comes to our sex drives?

What is Bloomi?

How to address sexual wellness & privacy with your child

Healthy masturbation tips

Rekindling intimacy with your partner and yourself

How to boost your sex drive

Crystal sex toys

How to choose the proper toys for yourself

Links

Follow Rebecca on Instagram @rebeccaalvarezstory and Twitter @_rebeccaalvarezs  

Follow Bloomi on Instagram and Twitter @theBloomi. Sign up for their newsletter for weekly tips, new clean intimate care products, and more on thebloomi.com.

A few of the sex toys we mentioned:

Crystal sex toys

Yoni Eggs - Are they good or bad for me?

Elvie Trainer

Ora 3

Luna Smart Beads

Arousal Oil

Episode 246: Throwback - What Does Motherhood Look Like to You & What Has Changed for Us

Bricia is still on a short maternity leave, so we’re bringing you a different kind of episode this week.

Before the episode, per our followers’ request, we have a special cohost introduce the episode with Paulina - our sister, Elizabeth! She’s so grown up and has been just as we have during quarantine. She shares some life updates with us and we also talk and laugh about how much has changed over the past two years since we recorded this episode. We love having Liz visit us on the show! Should we have her on for more episodes while we wait for Bricia to come back??

More about the throwback episode itself - remember our Super Mamas Hotline? We’re sharing a throwback episode from 2018 where we answer one of our listener’s questions from the Hotline from one of our listeners, Natalia, about how motherhood isn’t one size fits all, and that’s okay! Motherhood is a different, wild & crazy journey for all of us but we have each other and that’s what counts.

Take a look at the original show notes from a few years ago. Do you think we have changed since then? What are you loving and what do you wish we would bring back?

Call the Super Mamas Hotline at (424) 326-3707. Let us know how you’re doing in quarantine, what you’re up to with the kids, what questions you have for us. We want to hear from you!

Episode 245: Keeping it Real with the Super Mamas: Bricia & Augustina's Birth Story

You have all been asking for Bricia’s birth story and we finally recorded it for you! We even had a special guest - Augustina herself. Since we’re still recording our episodes via Zoom, you’ll occasionally catch Augustina crying or Paulina swooning over her during this episode - muñequita hermosa!

Like most births, things didn’t exactly go as Bricia planned. Luckily she was prepared with research, help from her midwife, and really made sure to advocate for herself during every doctor appointment to make sure she & baby would have the best options possible. It’s amazing that Bricia really spoke her truth.

We also talk about the baby’s breastfeeding & bottle feeding routine, how Bricia is nourishing her body postpartum, and what a change it has been between her first pregnancy & birth with Eddie to this second experience with Augustina. Both mom & baby are doing well and we are so overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for all the well wishes you all have share with us. Bricia can’t wait to come back in a few weeks to record more brand new episodes!

Pick And Tip of the Week

Bricia has SO many picks this week! First, be sure to read her recent blog post about her essential postpartum items. She also still highly recommends (#notsponsored but she wishes she was 🤣) the book The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother. Check out a few more pick and tips she has to share below:

• After sharing her Boob Shells on Instagram Stories last week, many of you replied for Bricia to try the Haakaa breast pump, which she also loves!

• These really pretty pacifiers from BiBs - Augustina took to them right away and loves them!

• The Kiinde Twist Milk Storage bags - you pump directly into the bag, the nipple screws right on the bag, and they’re recyclable.

• Swaddles from Lou Lou and Company which are so soft and stretchy! Since Augustina is still preemie size and doesn’t have many onesies in this size, she basically swaddled in these blankets all day.

• Every Mother app - workouts to help resolve diastasis recti. They quick, easy exercises that Bricia can complete everyday. For more informations about diastasis recti, you can also listen to our recent episode with pelvic floor therapist Sara Reardon, the Healthy Vagina Whisperer.

• TIP - Talk to the lactation consultant the the hospital and if they can lend you a medical grade pump before your discharged. It’s so great! You can also check with your insurance to see what pump they can lend out to you too.

Since Paulina has three birth stories of her own, she also shared a few tips for moms who are about to give birth:

• Tip #1 - Vocalize what you need. When Bricia told the doctors she wasn’t comfortable with certain choices and wanted to try other options first, she stayed in control. If you stay vocal, you can voice your concerns and be an advocate for yourself. Do not be afraid to speak out.

• Tip #2 - Prepare yourself. Do research for all the possibilities so when doctors and nurses starts throwing fancy terms at you, then you kind of understand and know. And remember you are allowed to ask for resources!

Links

SpinningBabies.com is a great resource for expecting parents. There are videos, articles and images to assist during pregnancy, labor, birth and more.

Episode 244: Clean Beauty for the New Mom and Beyond with Gabriela Babila creator of @MatanaOrganics

You know we are big fans of beauty products and self care. We find that incorporating our beauty and skincare routines into our days is one of the easiest ways to get self care as busy moms, and this week’s super mama guest understand that.

This week we interview Gabriela Babila, creator of clean beauty brand Matana Organics Skincare. She started her business when she realized she couldn’t find clean, safe beauty skin care products during her pregnancy and began making them at home. The line is nature-inspired skin care for pregnancy, postpartum and all mothers who seek clean, safe, and organic products and best of all it’s organic, plant based, and cruelty free.  Gabriela talks to us about how she became fascinated with the beauty & power of plants, and using nature to create her skincare line. Her passion & positivity for her family, her business, and motherhood really shine in this episode and she is dropping all the gems (or matanas, as you’ll learn) that we needed to hear. 

More about Gabriela Babila: Founder, wife, girl mom, LA Native and clean beauty enthusiast, Gabriela Babila is the heartbeat and face behind the brand, Matana Organics. With a background in psychology and expecting her first child, Gabriela knew how important it was to nurture the body AND mind during this transition. Struggling to find safe and effective skincare products to help manage all of the physical changes pregnancy would induce, she thought about her own mom, an immigrant + single mother, and how she would approach her concerns. Her mother didn't have much, what she used for skincare she made, teaching Gabriela the power of natural remedies. So she decide to make it. And now she is sharing it with all mothers. 

Matanas from this week’s episode

Matanas = gift in Hebrew

“I love being a mom but there’s more to my identity.” - Gabriela Babila

“The desire to become an entrepreneur, to do something that i was passionate about; I couldn’t hide that from myself.” - Gabriela Babila

“The fear is not enough of a reason to not go for it.” - Gabriela Babila

“I cant worry about what can go wrong because what if it doesn’t go wrong? What if it goes right? And I’ve wasted precious time and precious brain power thinking negatively.” - Bricia Lopez

LINKS

Follow @MatanaOrganics on Instagram and like their page on Facebook.

Learn more about Gabriela and to shop Matana Organics, go to matanaorganics.com.

Episode 243: Making Language Learning Fun with @bilingual_birdies founder, Sarah Farzam

So many businesses have had to adjust under quarantine but this week's guest had her business flourish even more online. This week we speak to Sarah Farzam, CEO of the bilingual education program, Bilingual Birdies. She shares how her program uses music to help kids stay engaged and excited about speaking a second or even a third language, and how you can make some extra cash as well while keeping the kids busy this summer. Estas Lista? Escucha ahora mismo!

More about Sarah Farzam: Sarah is half Mexican and half Iranian and grew up speaking Spanish, Farsi and English. She’s from L.A. and graduated from UCLA with a BA in English.  In 2006, with zero business experience, Sarah launched Bilingual Birdies, a foreign language and live music program for children up to age six. Today Bilingual Birdies teaches Spanish, French, Mandarin, and English to thousands of children per week across 21 cities in the US, Canada, and Australia through their online training program which certifies and licenses bilingual and educators to launch their own Bilingual Birdies businesses in their own city.

Enrolled families benefit from original Bilingual Birdies products such as bilingual ebooks, music albums, and the most adorable bird puppets you have ever seen in your entire life.  Under Sarah’s leadership, Bilingual Birdies educators have traveled to Guanajuato, Mexico to volunteer and preform in the children’s section of La Calaca Festival., journeyed to Paris, France to train early educators on how to implement their methodology to teach English to children in a fun and musical way, and most recently they traveled to Nairobi, Kenya to volunteer at Little Ray of Hope, an informal preschool in Kawangware, the country’s second largest slum. Nearly 13 years after Sarah started Bilingual Birdies she is more motivated than ever to identify bilingual educators with an entrepreneurial spirit who are looking to share their language and culture with children, make money doing what they love, and transform their communities to encourage future generations of global thinking, open-minded humans. You can learn more about Sarah Farzam and Bilingual Birdies at bilingualbirdies.com. 

Our Conversation with Sarah

Tell us about yourself. How are you? How is life in quarantine?

You’re trilingual! Tell us about your company. Is this how is began?

How many languages do you teach? What is the age range of your students?

How has your business shifted with covid?

What does a class with Bilingual Birdies look like?

What are some tools that you recommend for my parents to use at home to help teach your children another language?

How often are your students taking classes in order for them to feel comfortable speaking the language?

Do you need to be a musicican to start the program as a teacher?

When covid is over and we are no longer required to do social distance learning, can our kids take this class in person?

Sarah’s Tips for Making Second Language Learning Fun

• Amp up second language learning in any area you can! If it feels like homework, chances are your kids won’t want to learn it. Work at it everyday based on your child’s interest.

• Reading books and singing songs/listening to music in another language is a great introduction to the love of language learning.

• Play based learning is super effective. Bilingual birdies gets your kids dancing and moving with the use of puppets, props and more, and you can do the same thing at home!

• Turn learning into a game by incorporating the new language into your daily routine. Breakfast, bath time, and cleaning can be an opportunity to get stuff done and learn new words and phrases.

• Check out video.oznoz.com to watch your kid’s favorite cartoons in up to 10 different languages.

Links

To learn more, sign up your child for virtual language classes, or learn how you can start the program in your city, go to BilingualBirdies.com.

Episode 242: Keeping it Real: Summer Vibes, the 4th Trimester and Five Years of Super Mamás!

Five years of the Super Mamas! Can you believe it?!

This week we’re catching up with each other and talking about what we have planned this summer, how Bricia is planning to announce her baby’s gender, and the best tips we have learned over the last few years. We’re also talking about why expecting moms should learn and prepare for the fourth trimester, and Bricia recommend a couple of books that we’ve linked down below.

So much has happened since we launched 5 years ago - our families have grown, we’ve hosted & attended a lot of events, our cookbook launches and so much more. Check out our roundup of what has happened since our first podcast episode in 2015. What has been your favorite Super Mamas memory?

Our First Episode

Bricia and Eduardo’s Birth Story

Our 100th Episode

Super Mamas Social 2017

Paulina and Zixta’s Birth Story

How We Met Our Husbands

Our 200th Episode

Vision Board Posada 2019

Oaxaca Cookbook Launch

Thank you to all the listeners who has been there for us since the beginning, those who just found us during quarantine and everyone in between. We can’t wait fo bring you even more great interviews, events and meet ups (once it’s safe), and more memories in the coming years! 

TIPS WE’VE LEARNED SINCE WE BEGAN THE PODCAST

We have learned that as wives and mothers, it is important to voice your needs. You must take care of yourself in order to take care of your kids and family. Taking care of your mind, body, and over all health makes a big difference in the lives of everyone around you too. Happiness starts with you first.

LINKS

Bricia listens to the New York Times’ podcast The Daily every day.

The two books Bricia recommends are The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother and Active Birth: The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally

Episode 241: Mothering & Healing Your Soul and Your Inner Diosa with spiritual therapist @CosmicChristine, Christine Gutiérrez

It’s time to do work! Spiritual work, that is. You’ve heard us talk about our own spirituality on this show, so this week’s interview is with Christine Gutierrez, licensed psychotherapist, life coach, and so much more. We talk how she connects the study of the soul to the study of the mind as a spiritual therapy and the journey she took to realize that this is what she was meant to do in life. We’re also talking about her new book, I Am Diosa: A Journey to Healing Deep, Loving Yourself, and Coming Back Home to Soul , plus she mentions the tools we need to tap into our spiritual presence and reminds us that we are all divine. Light a candle, turn up the volume and let Cosmic Christine’s energy bring you to a higher place! Remember, anyone can activate their inner Diosa!

More about Cosmic Christine: Christine Gutierrez, MA, LMHC, is a Latina licensed psychotherapist, life coach, and expert in love addiction, trauma, abuse, and self-esteem. She has a bachelor's degree from Fordham University in human behavior and development, and a master's degree from City College of New York in mental health counseling with a focus on community and prevention. Through her work, Christine offers private coaching, group coaching, and transformational retreats such as her annual Diosa Retreat in Puerto Rico, as well as the iosa Tribe, a global community where like-hearted women come to heal, rise, and lead. She has been featured in Time Out NY, Latina Magazine, Yahoo Health, Ebony, Cosmo for Latinas, Huffington Post and others. Christine currently resides in Puerto Rico with her husband, Fernando Samalot and their pup, Bodhi. For more on her work, visit Christine.tv and follow her on Instagram @CosmicChristine.

Our Conversation with Christine

What does it mean to connect with your spirituality?

What is spirituality to you?

What inspired you to become a spiritual therpist?

How did you find your spiritual path?

What are some tools we can utilize to do own spiritual work?

Can you talk about the work you do with those who are suffering from abuse and/or addiction?

Tell us about your book. What is it about?

What does a workshop and a retreat with you look like?

What can we do for our kids to help them on their spiritual journey right now?

LINKS

Follow @CosmicChristine and learn more about her service, retreats, and more at ChristineG.tv.

Pre-order her new book, I Am Diosa, now! Click here!

Episode 240: Healthy Vaginas and More with Pelvic Floor Therapist Sara Reardon, @the.vagina.whisperer

Ladies, we just don’t talk about our vaginas as much as we should! 😂 But really, women’s health is so important, especially for when our bodies change after we have kids. This week we interview pelvic floor therapist Sara Reardon aka @the.vagina.whisperer. She's teaching us all about our pelvic floor muscles and why it’s important to keep them healthy. We cover everything from why we can’t hold in our pee after having kids and how to poop correctly, plus what a proper kegel feels like and what we should be teaching our daughters about their vaginas. We don’t talk about vaginal health enough! Get your vag ready for some healthy exercises!

More about Sara Reardon: Sara is on a mission to revolutionize the way we approach women’s health with a radical honesty and willingness to openly discuss often-taboo topics. She is a doctor of physical therapy graduating from Washington University in St Louis and board-certified women's health physical therapist. Sara specializes in the treatment of pelvic floor disorders, including changes that occur during pregnancy and postpartum recovery. She is a pelvic health physical therapist in New Orleans, La. and founder of  The Vagina Whisperer. You can find her on Instagram @the.vagina.whisperer.

Our Conversation with Sara

Why can’t moms hold in our bladders when we’re pregnant and after birth?

What can we do to strengthen our bladder? 

What exercises should we implement to strengthen our pelvic floor?

What is the proper way to poop?

What is Diastisis Recti?

What is the proper way to do a kagel?

The Fourth Trimester

What are some things women can do for regular maintenance?

Are there products we should include or avoid for regular vaginal health?

What are some things women can do after having kids?

What can we teach our kids about vaginal health?

Links

Follow Sara on Instagram @the.vagina.whisperer and learn more about her services at thevagwhisperer.com.

Products recommended by Sara

Squatty Potty for a healthier bowel movement

Magnesium supplement to help softer stool

Slipper Stuff Lubricant

Episode 239: How to talk and help educate our family in the Latinx Community about Black Lives Matter with Maricela Becerra @academicmami

How is everyone holding up? Between covid, the safer at home order, and the Black Lives Matter Movement, the last few weeks have been pretty overwhelming. It’s really been a huge awakening for a lot of us when is comes to anti-racism.

On this week’s episode we speak to Maricela Becerra aka @academicmami about what has transpired with the BLM Movement. We are all trying our best to learn and educate ourselves, but we also must acknowledge that racism is learned and exists in our own community. Mari also shares resources on how to address uncomfortable topics with our tíos and grandparents, who may not understand what’s going on. It can be challenging to start these conversations but we have to remember that changes starts with ourselves and our family. 

More about Maricela Becerra: Dr. Maricela Becerra is a professor of Spanish and Latin American literatures and cultures. She researches state violence and social movements, particularly in Mexico. She is also the mom of two very active children. For the last four years, Mari (as she likes to be called) has shared her journey as a mami in academia on social media as Academic Mami and founded the scholarship fund for moms in higher ed called Mami Goes to School. 

Our Conversation with Maricela, the Academic Mami

How do you recommender speaking with our families about the BLM Movement?

What topics can we start with?

How do we talk to our kids about what’s going on?

Links

Learn more about Dr. Maricela Becerra on academicmami.com and follow her on Instagram - @AcademicMami and @MamiGoesToSchool.

Click HERE for a list of anti-racist resources in Spanish mentioned on the podcast.

Episode 238: Teaching Our Kids About Progress, Not Perfection with author Candice Lapin

What does it mean to be a parent during these crazy times? This week we have a pre-rona interview with author Candice Lapin. We discuss her new book, “Parenting in the Age of Perfection”, why you should teach your kids that learning new things takes time, not to be guided by comparison and she reminds us that finding our own learning rhythm as kids will turn into successful habits as adults. This episode is such a good reminder that even if you fail, you just get up, dust off and try again! Tune in and take notes!

Before the episode, we’re talking about how long it’s been since we’ve been indoors and how we need to start thinking of summer activities for the kids to do indoors. But let’s be honest, we know that Netflix and Disney + will be our babysitters these next few months and we are okay with that. 🤣 Even though things are opening up in California/LA County, we don’t feel we will venture out too much until our kids go back to school.

More about Candice Lapin: Candice is the author of Parenting in the Age of Perfection: A Modern Guide to Nurturing a Success Mindset and is the founder of The Ladder Method, a meta-learning and academic coaching company based in Los Angeles. Her goal is to give parents ammunition as they make decisions that align with the best interests for their children. She takes those troublesome behaviors that frustrate parents and breaks down how to change each one. By making micro-shifts in your child’s environment, behaviors and mindsets, parents can lead their tween/teens to success!

Pick or Tip of the Week

Paulina’s pick is for mosquito season and it’s the Sana Salve Balm by Happy Organics Co. We featured them in our swag bags during the posada last year and they were a part of our recent Zocial Online Marketplace. Paulina and her girls apply the salve to their bites and the itching is gone overnight! It’s great for scrapes and burns and it’s all natural.

Bricia’s picks this week are a few of her favorite pantry staples. She’s been eating so many roasted or pan fried veggies while she’s been at home, and this is what she uses:

• Bricia’s must haves - grape seed oil for roasting & panning frying, pepper, and kosher salt

• Garlic mill, which is great for getting big garlic flakes on your roasted veggies

• O olive oil and citrus champagne vinegar

• Aleppo pepper

Her typical breakfast is hard boiled eggs and broccoli with olive oil, balsamic, salt & pepper and aleppo pepper, and it’s really good.

LINKS

Parenting in the Age of Perfection: A Modern Guide to Nurturing a Success Mindset by Candice Lapin. Now available for purchase on theladdermethod.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Learn more about The Ladder Method learning techniques.

The Daily Podcast by the New York Times

Episode 237: Keeping it Real with the Super Mamas - Positive Thoughts on the Rollercoaster of Qua-routines

It’s been a while since we’ve caught up with you and we’re all over the place! It has been 9 or 10 weeks since we’ve started practicing social distancing (depending on when you started). Between new quarantine routines with our families, starting to work out again and eating a lot, it has been tough learning to balance motherhood, kids, school, work, cooking, and intimacy during these wild times. After some lazy, junk food filled weeks, we found that sticking to routine and finding a new way to have “alone time” has really helped us feel better. In this week’s episode, we’re sharing what we’ve been doing to care for our families and especially ourselves. We’re all about staying positive, mamas! Life will get back to normal one day, but for now let’s remember to be kind to ourselves and take it one day at a time. 

Pick or Tip of the Week

We are sharing some good, relaxing tips because these are wild times we’re living in. 😂

Paulina’s pick this week is the Bloom app. She feels that she needs instructions when practicing mindfulness and she loves this app because it talks to you and tells you what to do, plus you can keep track of your feelings. It’s super interactive and gives you activities to do when you’re feeling a certain way. Try it out and let us know how you like it!

She has also really been into plant videos and propagating her plant babies, and has realized that watching plant videos are so calming! It’s her way of winding down at night. Check out this video about propagating plants and one of her favorite YouTube plant guys, Hilton Carter.

Bricia has been having gnat struggles with her plants, so she went on a deep research dive on YouTube about how to get rid of them and found a few products that have been helpful.

• Dual sided sticky gnat traps (also good for flies) - you out them in your indoor or outdoor plants and once the gnats get stuck there, they can’t reproduce.

• Neem oil - It smells weird but it works on all stages of insects so fingers crossed that it works!

• Mosquito bits - to put in your plant soils for the gnats to eat and then they can reproduce. We’re trying this in our backyards for summer nights too!

Bricia’s final tip is to speak positive words in people’s lives. If something negative is coming out of your mouth, rephrase it to be positive.

Let’s remember to be positive, be kind, and take care of your mind, sisters!

Episode 236: Balancing Our Technology Intake During Our Time at Home with Rocio Lopez of Common Sense Latino

After a quick break from our Super Mamas ZOCIAL, we’re here with a new episode! We’re still under the safer at home order, and we’ve been spending so much time watching tv and online, even after homework and work is done. It got us thinking about one of the last guests we interviewed before the lockdown happened - Rocio Lopez from Common Sense Latino. We decided to rerecord her interview for a better update on how we can have a healthy balance of technology during this newfound time at home.

We talk about setting up screen time schedule and tech free zones, child safety while online, and easy tech tips everyone can use while social distancing. She even shared her top technology tips and some free resources below! Every family and situations is different, so there’s no need to feel shame for extending tech time; luckily Rocio and Common Sense Latino will help us learn how to balance it all!

More about Rocio Lopez: Rocío López is the Community Partnerships Manager for Common Sense Latino and facilitates parent workshops and coaching on healthy media habits and wellbeing in the digital age. She is passionate about working in the community and providing free resources for Latinx families to thrive in this world of media and tech. Rocío regularly does segments on Univision LA about technology and parenting. A theatre teaching artist by trade, she has 15 years of professional experience coordinating youth and family programs in California and New York, as well as developing arts programs for children and foster youth. 

Rocio’s Top Tech Tips

1. Set up a screen time schedule for your household. Every child is different, but accommodate their schedule with your work schedule so they coincide.

2. Build in tech free zones and tech free times into your schedule. For example - not technology during meals, in the bed, during exercise, one hour before bedtime etc.

3. Have your kids use their technology in close proximity to you so you can listen and overhear what they’re doing & saying.

4. Be aware of your children’s behavior changes. Are they acting out because of the time they’re spending online (or not spending online)?

LINKS

Learn more about Common Sense Media and the free resources, like technology ratings & reviews for apps, books, games, movies, website and more, and everything else they offer on commonsensemedia.org.

Check out wideopenschool.org, a free resource site for educators and families with kids from kindergarten through 12th grade, for more activities and learning opportunities.

Follow Rocio’s adventures on Instagram or Twitter @itsRocioLopez 

Get FREE weekly bite-sized advice and tips right to your text messages, in English or Spanish!! Just text the word KIDS or FAMILIA to 21555