a "Mama" with Sue Ann

Motherhood doesn’t just add a title—it rewires identity, reshapes priorities, and reorients how we move through the world. In this intimate episode, we sit down with Sue Ann, a longtime friend and former colleague, to explore how stepping into “mama” transformed her career path, her sense of self, and her approach to parenting.

From a smooth pregnancy that pivoted at 37 weeks to a breech baby and a planned C-section, Sue Ann shares how fear gave way to acceptance—and how small, intentional choices made a clinical process feel deeply human: a clear drape, the first cry, and skin-to-skin within minutes.

We go beyond birth stories to talk about the realities of early feeding. The myth that babies “just know” how to latch collided with triple feeding, sleep deprivation, and lactation consults that changed everything. Sue Ann reflects on what shifted with her second child: less noise, more intuition. She shares why “mama” feels right for this season—anchored in safety, comfort, and closeness—and how she’s crafting a parenting style that protects without overcontrolling.

Borrowing a model from student development, Sue Ann imagines parenting as a tandem bike: the child steers, while the adult provides balance, asks questions, and brakes near the cliffs. The goal? Discernment in a world overflowing with information.

We also talk lineage and love. Acts of service from her own mother—meals, laundry, quiet presence—taught Sue Ann how caring for the caregiver sustains the whole family. Together, we reflect on modeling values, embracing firsts that become core memories, and the lifelong nature of this role.

Whether you’re expecting, a new parent, or simply curious about the inner work of raising humans, this episode offers grounded insights you can use: trust your instincts, curate your village, and adapt as your child grows.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Show Opens & Topic Setup
• 0:43 Meet Sue Ann: Life As A Mama
• 4:58 Identity Shift After Kids
• 8:16 Breastfeeding Struggles And Support
• 13:12 Breach Baby And Planned C-Section
• 20:29 Doulas, Midwives, And Feeling Seen
• 22:20 Why “Mama” Feels Different Than “Mom”
• 24:38 Helicopters, Tigers, And The Tandem Bike
• 29:05 Modeling Values And Being The Mirror
• 34:24 Choosing Parenthood And Its Demands
• 37:20 Constant Change And Learning As Parents
• 41:16 Firsts, Wonder, And Family Memory
• 44:33 Advice To Future Mamas: Trust Yourself
• 48:56 Closing Thoughts And Sign-Off