Moms of Triathlon (Amy Henderson and Aly Wilson)

Meet Amy and Aly, two triathlete moms that decided to start a podcast about all things parenting (pregnancy and postpartum) and triathlon. In this first episode, Amy and Aly start off with some introductions, what’s been going on with them this week, and what big races they have coming up. They talk about their sports background, how they got into triathlon, and how it was this podcast came to be. You’ll also get a chance to hear both Amy and Aly’s big mom wins for the week (Go Mama of the Week). 

In Episode 2 of the Moms of Triathlon Podcast Amy and Aly dive into one of the most obvious but under-discussed parts of pregnancy; body image and body changes. They’ll share some personal experiences on pressures they felt before, during, and after pregnancy, and how they dealt with those big changes. They also share their thoughts on social media’s impact on women feeling the need to “bounce back”. The episode finishes with their big mom wins for the week (Go Mama of the Week)

This week Amy and Aly are talking about goals, upcoming races, and what motivates them to continue training even now that their lives have become more complicated with children. They discuss a big pregnancy announcement in the triathlon world and share what they did for their own announcements. Aly asks about playground etiquette, and Amy talks about taper week going into Chattanooga 70.3. They close out the episode with their big mom weeks of the week (Go Mama of the Week).

It’s race week for Amy! Today we get to hear how Amy is feeling about going into her first 70.3 as a new mom and as a rookie pro triathlete. Also on today’s episode Amy and Aly discuss all things epidurals; personal pros and cons, what the research says, how they’re perceived, how they may (or may not) be related to endurance sports, and their own experiences with them. They close out the episode with their big mom wins of the week (Go Mama of the Week).

In episode 5 of the Moms of Triathlon Podcast we hear a little bit about what’s been going on with Aly this week, and Amy recaps Chattanooga 70.3.  She’ll talk about what it was like traveling to a race without the kids, and a little bit about her experience pumping during a travel trip and on race day. The episode finishes with Amy and Aly’s big mom wins of the week (Go Mama of the Week).

This week Amy and Aly talk about racing planning as parents, and how it has changed since before having kids, including how much more you have to rely on your partner.. Aly recaps her triathlon relay bike leg and talks about kids and water safety. Amy talks about how her first family meeting went and what Ollie suggests for an easier bedtime routine. The episode closes with their big mom wins of the week (Go Mama of the Week).

It’s still raining in Portland! On this week’s episode Amy and Aly talk about mental health as it relates to parenting and athletics, and the role the weather has been playing on their ability to stay motivated and keep moving. They each share some personal experiences with mental health struggles, some coping mechanisms to stay positive, and how they feel mental health affects them as parents. Aly talks about the mental health epidemic among Olympic athletes and how even everyday athletes struggle when sport is no longer their top priority. They finish the episode with their big mom wins of the week (Go Mama of the Week).

This week’s topic was a listener suggestion! Amy and Aly discuss their timelines on getting back into training, and compare how different each of their postpartum recoveries were from each other. Amy discusses some differences between both of her postpartum experiences and talks about what she thinks helped her return to fitness faster with her second baby. She also shares her thoughts on pelvic floor physical therapy for before and after birth.  You’ll hear how many weeks postpartum they both were when they got back into each sport, and how they began to build back into full training. The show ends with their big mom wins of the week (Go Mama of the Week)!

Physical Therapist Return to Running Guidelines: https://absolute.physio/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/returning-to-running-postnatal-guidelines.pdf

With both Amy and Aly having just gone on vacation, this week seemed like the perfect opportunity to discuss training on vacation with kids in tow. Amy talks about her trip to Italy for her brother’s wedding; complete with yoga, a bike ride around Italy, and surviving two 17hr flights solo with a 10 month old. Aly shares a little bit about her trip to Bend and the opportunities she had to ride and run while there since they had a little extra help with Beth. Both women agree that traveling (and training) on vacation with kids is a challenge, and the best approach is to figure out what your priorities are, and to accept that missed workouts will most likely happen, and that’s ok! The episode finishes with their Go Mamas of the Week!

This week Amy and Aly share their experiences with breastfeeding and pumping.  Amy talks about learning how to breastfeed her son including dealing with back pain from bad positioning, and baby having a shallow latch. Aly talks about the emotional rollercoaster she experienced the first few weeks of her daughters' life on the unexpected path to becoming an exclusively pumping mother. They talk about timing workouts around nursing/pumping and the acceptance that grew for their bodies in the postpartum stage as they knew that the only thing that mattered was fueling themselves enough to produce enough milk for their babies. 

Also this week Amy gets ready for Oregon 70.3, where she can’t wait to see her kids at the finish line! The episode finishes with their big mom wins for the week (Go Mama of the Week).

Aly’s favorite lactation cookies linked here!!

This week Amy recaps her second pro race at Oregon 70.3, from the fast downstream swim, to a strategic pass on the bike, capped off by seeing her kids at the finish line. Amy and Aly discuss the differences in motivation when you’re racing as an amateur compared to being a pro. And Aly shares her experience spectating the race with Beth in tow. They finish with their Go Mamas of the week.

Here is the toddler leash Aly used for Beth while spectating the race.

In this Episode of the Moms of Triathlon Podcast, Amy and Aly dive into their personal experiences with working with a triathlon specific coach. Aly shares that when she first started in triathlon she was loosely following a plan she’d been given but it wasn’t until years later that she made the transition to working with a coach one-on-one and gained an invaluable amount of knowledge that she’ll carry with her as she continues with the sport. Amy talks about the club team she was on when she first started racing triathlons in college, and how she transitioned to working with a one-on-one coach when she decided to take her triathlon career to the next level. 

They both share their timeline for when (and why)  they stopped working with a coach during their pregnancy and when they started back up again after their babies were born. As with most things during pregnancy they can definitely agree that the number one priority as a pregnant  athlete is to listen to your body. The episode finishes with their Go Mamas of the Week.

This week’s topic was a listener suggestion, Amy and Aly discuss how they manage to maintain some balance in their lives with training, parenting, work and home life. They go into detail about how they each do meal preparation, grocery shopping, split up parenting duties, house/yard work, and how their perception about how it “should” be done has changed with time. They share some tips that work for them at home and talk about things they know they could work on. They finish the episode with their Go Mamas of the Week!

The cooking club Amy referenced: https://www.nataliecooks.com/

Some parenting instagram accounts Aly recommends:
@montessori.mothering
@busytoddler
@kids.eat.in.color

This week Amy and Aly share what’s been going on with them this week and Aly gives a full recap of her race weekend in Bend, OR. From a 2:40am alarm clock on race day, to relaxing lakeside afterwards and dealing with anxiety about actually relaxing vs immediately heading home when the race was over. You’ll get to hear some fun details about open water racing in a competitive pack! The episode finishes with their Go Mamas of the Week.

This week’s episode dives into all things stroller running. Amy and Aly discuss tricks to keep the kids happy, some examples of runs that haven’t gone as planned, and timing a run with kids (during naptime or not). They also talk through all the details including their favorite gear, locking the front wheel, running form, where to run, and pacing a run with the stroller. The episode finishes with their Go Mamas of the Week.

Gear we mention in the episode:
Thule Urban Glide 2 Jogging stroller
Thule Rain Cover
Thule Footmuff (sleeping bag type cover for kiddo–straps attached to top of stroller so prevent sliding down)
Thule Kid’s Snack Tray Attachment
Thule Water Bottle Holder Attachment

Ever notice that Amy and Aly don’t post photos with their kid’s faces on Instagram? On this week’s show they dive into their thoughts on social media and personal preferences when it comes to posting in general and sharing photos of kids. They cover the benefits of social media, like increased motivation and new parentings ideas, and also the drawbacks. And the episodes finishes with their Go Mamas of the Week.

This week we got to try out A Squared Bikes. A^2 makes the most affordable, adjustable triathlon-specific bikes on the market. Check out their TT bikes and road bikes and use our discount code MOT2022 for $150 off. https://a2bikes.com/

This week Amy and Aly are excited to share their first ever interview! Mother, coach, Olympic athlete, and age-group world champion, Juliet Hochman joins them to discuss her pregnancy and postpartum experience to her now 21 and 24 year old sons. After many years of being a high level athlete she was unaware of any other competitive outlets available to her following her collegiate and Olympic careers. She compares the resources that she had at the time to the resources available to women now. Juliet shares that after college even though she was no longer competing (and didn’t know if she would again) she always considered herself an athlete. She also talks about her decision to become a stay at home mom, discovering the sport of triathlon in her 40s, and the importance of encouraging kids to participate in sports. We are left with some very thought provoking and meaningful advice. This week’s episode finishes with Amy, Aly, and Juliet’s Go Mamas of the Week.

You can find Juliet on Instagram @juliethochman

Find us on Instagram @momsoftriathlon and send us an email at momsoftriathlon@gmail.com

On this week’s episode Amy and Aly talk about one of Amy’s favorite topics, mental toughness. They both share what mental toughness means to them, and some of the skills they keep in their mental toolbox to pull out when things get hard. Both have found success in encouraging others along the way in a race.  Amy's go-to strategy in training and racing is repeating various mantras (such as 'Easy speed'), whereas Aly reminds herself of similar sets she’s succeeded at before.  They agree that with the right tools, even in the middle of a race that’s not going as planned, you can turn your mindset from “I can’t do this'’ to “I AM doing this!”. They compare common mental/breathing strategies used in labor and how those types of strategies can be applied to racing and training, and talk about the importance of practicing mental toughness skills just as you would practice nutrition going into race day. The episode finishes with their Go Mamas of the Week.

On this week’s episode Amy and Aly share updates from their last two weeks. Aly talks about the decision not to race due to wildfire concerns and local planned power outages. Amy gives a recap of spectating the cold, rainy Ironman Wisconsin with kids (i.e. from the car). Amy and Aly both share recent kid sleep struggles they have been experiencing. And Amy shares some perspective on scheduling in rest time during vacation with kids. They close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

Jen Gottschalk, mother, Ironman attorney, Ironman athlete and former college swimmer, joins Amy and Aly in today’s episode to talk about her experience training for Ironman Alaska with the goal of competing in it when she was less than 10 months postpartum. Jen discusses her decision to pump in transition and the logistics that went into it, as well as the immense amount of support shown to her by Ironman and the volunteers. She talks about  her unplanned c-section birth and shares a little bit about her recovery and return to training postpartum with a very big race on the horizon. You can find Jen on instagram @jengee12

The episode opens with what’s been going on with Amy and Aly. Aly discusses her big 16% grade hill climb, and Amy talks about not overdoing it while training with a friend. The episode closes with Amy, Aly, and Jen’s Go Mamas of the Week! 

On this week’s episode Amy and Aly talk about Mirinda Carfrae’s recent video announcing why she made the decision to not go after a Kona slot this year and also Chelsea Sodaro’s Ironman World Championship victory. In Rinny’s video, she talked about wanting to have more time to focus on her family rather than the long training hours Ironman training demands. Amy and Aly reflect on how that relates to their own decisions in how they race and balance their time. And then Amy shares some post-race thoughts on Chelsea Sodaro’s history making win at the Ironman World Championships as an American Kona rookie mom. They also open the episode with updates and close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week Amy and Aly discuss what off season means to them and how they approach the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Both agree on the importance in finding the positives and trying to embrace the changing of the seasons. Amy talks about the importance of resetting the mind and body, what she feels is the appropriate amount of time to take off and that it's different for everyone! Aly talks about how important it is to her to have structure to stay motivated to maintain fitness when not following a formal training plan leading into a race. They also share some activities they enjoy doing with their time when the number of hours of training is decreased. They open with what's been going on with them this week including Aly getting ready to take 18 month old Beth on her first flight, and Amy’s escape to the coast for the weekend. The episode closes with their Go Mama’s of the Week!

NYT Article Amy mentions about the Scandinavian winter mindset: ​​https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/15/well/mind/Scandinavia-Norway-Winter-Mindset.html

This week on the podcast Amy talks about her recent cyclocross accident that resulted in a broken collarbone and a concussion. Amy and Aly tie it into experiencing sports related injuries in general and how they have approached them both mentally and physically. They talk about preventative physical therapy and how it’s important to schedule it in, especially when life gets busy with kids. And they discuss how injuries can impact parenting - turns out you need both clavicles to change a diaper. Aly shares her experience during her first flight with Beth and swimming in the ocean with a local triathlon group on a trip to San Diego. She also shares how she organized a 40K time trial with friends. The episode closes with their Go Mama’s of the Week!

This week Amy and Aly discuss Amy’s recent decision to officially quit her job, how that decision came about and how that ties into her goal of focusing more on triathlon and bike racing. Aly shares some of the thought process that went into the decision to stop working when Beth was born and become a full time stay at home mom. They discuss some of the challenges that stay at home parents face, especially as motivated and goal oriented individuals. They also touch on some of the things they will take into consideration when the time comes to rejoin the work force; everything from what type of jobs they’re interested in and how they hope to shift back into working full time after kids start going to school. The episode starts off with Amy sharing a bit about how her recovery from a broken collarbone is going, and Aly talks about struggling to get back into a training routine after a couple of weeks off of consistent training. It finishes with their Go Mommas of the Week! 

This week on the show Amy and Aly address a listener requested topic: Amy’s experience having an au pair. Amy discusses everything from how the decision to get an au pair was made, a bit about the process of working with a program to match with an au pair, and finally how it has been to have someone living in their home and becoming a part of their family. The episode starts off with a brief discussion about 70.3 Worlds and Amy gives us an update on how her injury recovery is going. Aly brings up the topic of kids climbing out of cribs at a young age and what they are doing to keep Beth in hers for longer. They also have fun talking about how Halloween went with their young kids. It finishes with their Go Mommas of the Week!

It’s the time of year when triathlon brands are recruiting for their teams! Amy and Aly discuss their experience having been on the Tres Piñas team and Team Zoot. They talk about the benefits, like community and discounted gear. And they also touch on some drawbacks, like cost to buy a new team kit each year and lack of time to devote to the team with young kids. In their weekly updates they discuss kids' sleep schedules and the time change, a first haircut, and a broken furnace. And they end with their Go Mommas of the Week!

On this week’s episode Amy and Aly decided to dive into the sometimes complicated world of maintaining friendships once kids are involved. They talk about some of the changes they’ve had to make in their lives in order to maintain long-standing friendships, and some of the differences that they feel when making new friends that never knew them before having kids. They discuss compromises that they have to make and also acknowledge that once you have kids you find yourself asking more of your friends, like having them come to you more often than you going to them. And they end with their Go Mommas of the Week!

This week on the podcast Amy and Aly share their ideas for gifts going into this holiday season. Ideas span from triathlete-specific, some general ideas , and gift ideas for young kids. They also discuss Zwift riding and racing and 18-month sleep troubles.

• Lobster gloves
• The Athletic Socks
• Otto lock bike lock
• Reflective vest with lights
• Polar Verity Sense
• Compete  journal 
• Run fast eat slow
• Oxo Silicon measure cups
• Garmin Varia bike light/radar
• Feetures socks
• Tres Pinas Socks
• Table for laptop on trainer
• Road ID
• Go guarded
• TTL mug
• photo calendar
• Cheese slicer
• Master classes
• Silicon measure cups
• Bluetooth meat thermometer
• Oonie Pizza ovens
• Fat brain toys - magnetic boards, ball tower
• Rice by rice plates for kids 
• Sandra Boynton books
• Never touch a …books (rosie greening/stuart lynch)
• Swan lake story orchestra 
• Jelly cat stuffed animals
• Tow behind alligator

This week on the podcast Amy and Aly interview Tiffany Carlin, a pelvic floor physical therapist just about to run her first postpartum half marathon 8 months after giving birth to her daughter. Tiffany shares her perspective as both a PT and a mom who has gone through the process of training through pregnancy and returning to exercise and running after birth. She gives some of her favorite pelvic floor exercise and shares the recommendation that every mom to see a pelvic floor PT at least once postpartum. She also gives details on safely returning to run. Amy and Aly open the show talking about Thanksgiving and updates on their holiday PT streak. They also discuss the recent Ironman announcement that the Ironman World Championship in 2023 will take place in a location outside of Kona for the men’s race. And they close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

Find our guest Tiffany on Instagram at @scrubs_n_spandex

Interview starts at 25:55

This week on the podcast Amy and Aly share how their athlete identities have evolved over time, from when they were younger to adulthood and then through pregnancy and parenthood. They talk about imposter syndrome when injury and pregnancy prevents you from training. And what it’s like to not be “one of the fastest” on the team when parenting means less time to train. Amy divulges her fears of embracing her future mom identity and how quickly that changed when her son was born. They also share updates on their holiday PT streak and their Go Mommas of the week.

This week Amy and Aly discuss how they have approached training during the holidays in the past, the present, and the future.  Amy talks about past holiday travel and how that impacts training. Aly shares the crazy workload that was expected of college swimmers and how she approaches things now as a triathlete. They talk about coordinating it to be a rest week or off season if it aligns, and how to prioritize family through it all. They top it off with training they like to do on the actual day of a holiday, like a simple run or a walk with family. In sharing weekly updates, Amy gives a unique idea for motivating a 3-year-old to get outside and Aly discusses the complications with getting a 20-month-old to sit and eat dinner. They close with their Go Mommas of the Week. 

This week Amy and Aly dive into what it means to have a growth mindset in sport and theorize about which sport is more innate vs developed through training: swimming, biking, or running. They also share some of their holiday traditions. In their weekly updates, Amy shares the struggles of getting a 3-year-old to wash their hands and Aly celebrates a return to consistent training. 

For the last episode of 2022, Amy and Aly give updates on how all of the holiday events went with their kids, including multiple instances of a crying baby in a stroller. Then they talk about how they like to approach New Year’s resolutions. They talk about picking a one-word theme for the year and discuss ideas including ‘believe’ and ‘balance.’ Then they dive into more specific resolutions, such as photo organization and budgeting. In the end Amy shares some of her goals for the podcast for the next year. And they close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

On this week’s episode, Amy and Aly get personal on their experience with drinking culture in the US generally, and also as it relates specifically to sports. Aly talks about collegiate swimming and the “dry season” from New Year’s to conference. And what it was liking working in the beer industry where drinking was a part of work events. Amy talks about how her focus on triathlon helped her to cut back on drinking habits that were developed in college. They dive into the negative effects alcohol has on recovery and sleep, and also how the culture in mass participation sports makes it difficult to avoid. 

For more information about this topic, we recommend:

Does cycling have a drinking problem? 

Does running have a drinking problem? 

The reward cycle could explain triathlon’s drinking problem 

This week on the show Amy and Aly share ideas on how to stay safe while biking, running, and open water swimming. The number of cyclist and pedestrian fatalities is rising in the US, and while we can do more gravel riding or trainer riding, what can we also do to keep ourselves safe on the roads? Amy and Aly share some of their own close calls. They talk through ideas like being more visible with bright colors and lights and staying aware and defensive while out on the road. A lot of the biking and running tips overlap, but they also share some run specific tips like running in a populated area or a place you feel comfortable when possible. Aly shares her open water swimming tips like wearing a buoy (like this one), swimming in a group, and staying close to shore. Aly also celebrates her New Year’s Day 10K swim and Amy celebrates her 500k bike challenge. And they close with their Go Mommas of the Week. 

This week Aly shares some exciting news - she is pregnant! Aly is 20 weeks with her second baby. To go along with the news, Aly and Amy share how they decided when to start trying to conceive each of their kids. They talk about each planning to start trying after big races (or mock races in 2020). Amy shares that her second pregnancy was actually earlier than she had originally planned because once races were shut down during the pandemic she wanted to take advantage of that break to have a smaller gap between kids. Aly talks through her overthinking of trying to perfectly plan baby number 2 and then deciding to just go for it. They both acknowledge the difficulties some couples can have in trying to conceive and that it is not as easy as picking a time and getting pregnant then. And they close with some Go Mommas of the Week.

This week on the podcast we share pregnancy updates that were recorded in real time from Aly’s first trimester and the first half of her second trimester. Because pregnancy announcements are so frequently made after the first trimester, it can be hard to get an accurate account of what that first part of pregnancy is like - especially from another mom athlete. Aly talks about her excitement to maintain strong bike fitness when she was just 5 weeks along, which by the next update is not going as well as she had hoped. She talks about how fighting fatigue and nausea impacted her overall plans to maintain consistent fitness, and discusses some of the challenges of pregnancy with a toddler at home. Aly also shares some challenging moments including a miscarriage scare, three weeks of unexplained bleeding, and a trip to the hospital for a painful incarcerated hernia. 

Amy and Aly talk about their plans for the 2023 race season. Amy will have a bike focus so she shares what she has been learning about how to plan a bike season. Specific focuses are keeping it sustainable for the family, being flexible as the season progresses, earning points to upgrade to Cat 2, and finding ways to test herself. Aly has a big A race in May - the due date of baby girl! She shares that her postpartum plan this time will not include a specific race to build up to, but rather will focus on learning how to find a maintainable fitness routine. And hopefully she can throw in some Master’s Swimming Virtual Challenges in, too. In their weekly updates Amy talks about her recent solo trip back home to WI and pumping during the trip and plans for weaning in the future. Aly talks about feeling baby move and being motivated by Tour de Zwift.

In this episode, Amy and Aly share some recommendations on things to watch and listen to:

• Bring Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman (book)
• Friends, Lovers, and the Bike Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry (book)
• Good Girl by Lauren Fleshman (book)
• Younger (tv show)
• All For One (documentary)
• House of the Dragon (tv show)
• Yellowstone (tv show)
• 1883 (tv show - Yellowstone spin off)
• 1923 (tv show - Yellowstone spin off)
• My Favorite Murder Podcast
• That Triathlon Life Podcast
• Happier with Gretchen Rubin (podcast)
• Nobody Asked Us with Des and Kara (podcast)

Amy and Aly discuss their personal experiences with mental health, and specifically how much hormonal shifts can impact mental health. They talk about the ways IUDs impacted their emotions. They discuss the heightened emotions they felt after giving birth, including feelings of rage, depression, guilt, and anxiety. Amy shares the ways that her anxiety increased after her second baby was born. She talks about how difficult it was to know when to try medication to help after working on it in therapy. In their weekly updates they discuss the transition from crib to toddler beds. And they close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week on the podcast Amy and Aly interview Olympian and World Champion triathlete Katie Zaferes. Katie is returning to ITU racing this year after giving birth to her son Kimble last July. Katie shares that she originally was not planning to return to triathlon after having a baby, but once she got pregnant she realized she didn’t want to rule it out before she tried. She used the time during pregnancy to take a mental break from focused training, just listening to her body and exercising in ways that felt good to her. 

Katie reflects on how valuable it has been to see other pro women return to triathlon after having babies. She shares the way she receives support from others that have made things possible for her - from help from strangers on planes, to friends’ parents watching Kimble, to her mom and friend traveling with her to her first two races this season. And she shares the way she and her husband Tommy are learning how to make things work for their family. 

Amy and Aly discuss the shifts of priorities over time. They both share how the ebb and flow of various priorities has shifted for them over time. For Aly, that meant that the intense focus on swimming during school left her ready for a mental break to focus on her career after college. For Amy, that meant that after being intensely focused on academic work in college, she was excited to focus on other hobbies after school, specifically triathlon. Now, with kids, they discuss how their priorities have again shifted. Aside from family always being the top priority, the amount of time and energy they are able to put into other aspects of life is always changing. And they touch on the different scales - from multi-year, seasonal, weekly, daily. 

Amy and Aly discuss their own experiences biking during their pregnancies and share their top tips. They discuss the decision of whether or not to bike on the road or stick to the trainer in the second half of pregnancy. Zwift was a tool both used to stay entertained on trainer rides during pregnancy and they share the types of workouts and rides they did. They also talk about what to wear and alterations that can be made to a bike to accommodate a growing belly, including flipping the handlebars up. In Amy’s weekly update, she shares details on how potty training went for her. She followed the method found in the Oh Crap! Book and also in the online course from Big Little Feelings. Her son was 3 and a half and the 3-day method was surprisingly as advertised, for the most part.

Aly’s recommended bike shorts during pregnancy: Giro's Chrono Sport Halter Bib

Amy’s potty training resources:

• Big Little Feelings Course 
• Oh Crap! Book 

This week on the podcast Amy and Aly welcome Stephanie Go - a radiologist and mother of two. This year Stephanie is training for multiple marathons and 70.3 races. They discuss how she fits in training with her shifting schedule and how she is doing more with limited time. Stephanie shares how she wants her daughters to learn that it’s fun to move your body, along with the confidence and other benefits that come with it. She also dives into her love of the Boston marathon including how she finally qualified after incorporating Crossfit into her training, some of her different experiences racing there, and her endorsement of their new pregnancy deferral policy. And Stephanie opens up about her difficult pregnancies including extreme nausea, gestational diabetes, cholestasis, and giving birth during the early pandemic.

This week on the podcast, Amy and Aly get controversial! They give their quick-fire stance on some of the hottest topics in the pregnancy and parenting world, including epidurals, finding out the baby’s gender, gender neutral clothing, co-sleeping, and sleep training. In her update, Amy shares updates on potty training, cycling bump drills, and the big Portland snow day. Aly talks about getting through Beth’s first big sickness with a false positive coronavirus scare. And they close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

In this episode, Amy and Aly share their own experiences running during pregnancies and different tips and ideas they have. In Amy’s first pregnancy she ran up until she started feeling pain from her hip labral tear around 20 weeks and she ran until 36 weeks in her second pregnancy. In Aly’s first pregnancy, she was told not to run at 7 weeks. She started a return to run program around 13 weeks but given the added difficulty of starting after a break during pregnancy, she stopped running around 20 weeks. She hasn’t run in her second pregnancy due to a foot injury that she had beforehand. They discuss belly bands, the urge to pee, and racing during pregnancy.

ReCore Fitness Belly Band

This week Aly and Amy dive into the difficulties they have faced fueling their workouts, and just eating enough in general, with kids. Everything from kids demanding your attention, and your snacks, to putting other’s needs first, to forgetting to eat. They share some tips that have worked for them, like making sure to pack extra post workout food for the car ride home, and having easy snacks on hand. Some favorite snacks that are discussed are pita chips and hummus, greek yogurt and granola, and the classic PB&J. And they close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week on the podcast Amy and Aly talk with Michelle Wieland, creator of the Moms for Triathlon Facebook group. Michelle talks about how she started the group back in 2016 because she was seeing mom-specific topics come up in the Womens for Tri Facebook group and wanted to create a specific space for them. She shares her own experience as a mom of two young kids fitting in training with a husband who is a pilot and as a trainer and coach. Michelle also opens up about her experience having two c-sections and learning to give her body grace and time to recover. 

On the show this week Amy and Aly go into more of the common parenting decisions and what they have chosen to do so far. They talk about topics like posting kids on social media, following parenting philosophies, swearing in front of kids, screen time, and toddler leashes. Some topics are not just divisive between Amy and Aly, but also between them and their partners. Amy talks about her tendency towards RIE parenting and mentions following Janet Lansbury and Dr. Becky. Aly shares an interesting philosophy towards swearing in front of kids and how it actually plays out with a 2-year-old. 

This week on the podcast Amy and Aly give a crash course on how to be a fan of triathlon. They give their tips on where to get the most up-to-date information and how to watch races. They talk about the various types of professional triathlon racing, from Super League, World Triathlon, Ironman, Challenge, and PTO races. And they both share their favorite triathletes to follow on social media, which is a big part of being a fan, too. Also this week, Aly celebrated Beth’s second birthday and shares about the different ways they celebrated that milestone. Amy has been sick and shares how difficult it is to back off a training even when you know it’s the best decision. 

Some of the recommendations we share this week:

• Triathlonish Newsletter
• Triathlete Magazine
• That Triathlon Life Youtube
• Lucy Charles Youtube
• Lionel Sanders Youtbue
• PTO Youtube
• Slowtwitch
• PTO Rankings
• Thorston Radde Tri Rating Stats
• Ironwomen Podcast
• Pro Tri News Podcast

This week on the podcast, Amy and Aly dive into one of the most pervasive experiences of parenting - guilt. They talk about its different forms, from guilt over not living up to the personal or external expectations or even guilt for the added “burden” you place on a partner or caregiver when leaving your kid with them. Throughout the conversations, a consistent theme is that the guilt evolves and changes over time as we go through new phases with kids. They talk about how guilt can come up in any situation, for instance guilt if you’re unable to nurse your baby or, alternatively, guilt if you are nursing and have to leave your baby to use a bottle while you train or work. They touch on some strategies to help reduce feeling of guilt, including setting realistic expectations and thinking long term.

This week Amy and Aly talk about their potty training experiences with a newly turned 2-year-old and a 3-year-old. They share what worked and what didn’t work for them from some of the common methods. They close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week on the podcast Amy and Aly have a hot debate - in which season is it *harder* to be pregnant. All joking aside, they have a fun conversation where Aly shares what’s difficult about a late winter baby (tying boots and finding a big enough coat) and Amy goes deep on the annoyances of a summer baby (heat waves and baby sunscreen). In their weekly updates, Aly talks about a labor scare that ended in labor & delivery. They close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

In this episode, Amy and Aly welcome a new co-host, Jen Gottschalk, to the podcast. The trio discuss what it was like for them swimming during pregnancy getting into experiences with muscle cramps and gagging on excess saliva. They also dabble on some of the concerns they had, like if they’d know if their water broke while swimming. And they share favorite suits they wore during pregnancy and how to make use of tools like pull buoy and fins. In their weekly check-ins, we hear about Jen’s new job and first work trip away from Maddox. And they discuss the news about Collin Chartier’s doping in triathlon.

Aly's recommended swimsuit during pregnancy here

This week on the podcast we celebrate Aly’s upcoming due date with an episode all about baby showers! We share the fun details of Aly’s shower this past weekend, complete with flower crowns and baby bump estimations. We get into our favorite baby shower games and the conversation turns to baby naming. In the main segment, Amy, Jen, and Aly give some of their best tips and bits of advice for new moms. Some are very specific and concrete - like the Frida Mom disposable underwear and making use of baby carriers. Others are more general advice on how to approach parenting - like reducing expectations, trusting your mom instincts, and not worrying about “bounce back” culture. They close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

In advance of Aly giving birth to her second baby, Amy, Jen, and Aly share some tips for how to introduce baby and big sibling and how to foster a positive relationship in the early days. Amy talks about what it was like introducing Ollie and Margot, including the gift for baby Margot from big brother that went awry. The trio touch on ways to make sure the bigger sibling still feels loved and gets enough attention, how to include them in taking care of the new baby, and what to do when things don’t go so well. In her update for the week, Jen describes their method for weaning Maddox off of his pacifier. And Amy overviews her first stage race. They close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week on the one year anniversary of the podcast, Aly, Jen, and Amy reflect back on the first year. They give some behind the scenes stories of the first year, like recording the first episode 3 times and improving in the editing process. They each share their most memorable episodes, their favorite moments, and things they learned from each other. In weekly updates they talk about doing tie dye with toddlers, making the most of the last week before Aly’s new baby, and Jen traveling to Minnesota with the family for her sister’s graduation. They close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week on the podcast Amy and Jen share all their tips for having the best triathlon transition (for your goals) possible. They get into transition mindsets, how to make use of helpful volunteers and wetsuit strippers, bathroom stops, and flying mounts and dismounts. Jen shares an update on a sudden surgery for Maddox. And the two discuss kissing kids on the lips and making mom friends. Plus, we get an update from Aly on her first week with baby Hannah. 

This week we welcome Coral Owen to the show. Coral is a triathlete mom and head coach and founder of Team Babe Athletics. Coral got hooked on triathlons at a young age from her parents. She has gone through many iterations of the sport, from racing competitively in college to racing just to finish and have fun during pregnancy and again shortly after her son was born. Coral shares with us her mindset toward training and focusing on long term health and fitness for herself and her athletes.

It’s getting hot! Amy and Jen share their experiences training in the heat and how they have worked through it. They talk about how to plan routes with water and shade in mind. They discuss different hydration strategies on the bike and the run. Amy and Jen both share stories of instances where they struggled in the heat during races and how they pulled themselves out of it. They also get into taking kids for runs in the heat and what extra precautions to take and signs to look for in them. In their weekly updates, Jen talks about the struggles of having a kid home sick from daycare and Amy contrasts the workouts that are worth the extra commuting time and effort and those that aren’t.

How do you fit in workouts around work and parenting? How much is it okay to talk about your kids (or your training) at work? This week on the podcast Jen and Amy get into the what it has been like for them to train for races as a working mom. They talk about nursing and pumping, what happens when babies don’t take the bottle, and the struggles in finding daycare. And they share some practical ideas for making workouts happen. In their weekly updates, the two cover screen time, long weekends in mom mode, and tapering for a stage race. 

Ever wonder how to turn pro in triathlon? Well, you could read the USAT qualification criteria or you could listen to this podcast and hear all of Amy’s insider tips. Amy and Jen have a fun conversation about Kona slots, sandbagging, and getting the most out of yourself. They touch on the big question of whether to take your pro card or not (hint: the answer is YESS, but also, you do you). In their weekly updates, Amy gives an overview of her recent stage race at the Baker City Cycling Classic, where the team got first and second overall and Jen talks about a special weekend with her college bestie. 

In this episode Amy and Jen welcome Amber Pierce, a collegiate swimmer turned professional cyclist. Amber is now starting a new podcast, the Be A Good Wheel Podcast, which will “spotlight the value in all the messy unfiltered moments behind [the] shiny outcomes and offer a place to support each other in process.”

This interview covers a lot of ground, from systemic problems in sports that don’t support collegiate athletes and women to our personal theories on why swimmers struggle to run and vice versa. Amber talks about the ways she has continued to find joy in training after her pro career, including taking up mixed martial arts. She gives perspective on how she hopes to raise her daughter to approach competition and movement. And we hear more about her upcoming podcast.

If you want to hear more about Amber’s athletic career, check out these podcast episodes:

Amber Pierce Career Retrospective Part 1 - Successful Athletes Podcast

Amber Pierce Career Retrospective Part 2 - Successful Athletes Podcast

If you want to hear more about Amber’s experience training during pregnancy, check out this episode:

Amber Pierce on her pregnancy and training on the Ask A Cycling Coach Podcast

Find Amber on Instagram here

This week we catch up with Aly on how her first two months with baby Hannah have been going. Aly shares with us what her recovery has been like from her c-section, postpartum physical therapy, and getting into a new routine with a newborn. She gives some insight into her return to training including master’s swimming on Monday nights, an open water swim, nap time trainer workouts, and core exercises. In their weekly updates, Amy talks about sleep struggles on vacation and pre-race nerves and Jen gives an update on toddler swim lessons and Maddox’s serious face in home depot. 

This week on the podcast we go back in time to hear about Jen’s first triathlon and how she got her start racing draft legal after college. She shares how she got connected with a coach, started training with a group in San Antonio, and even got to do a training trip with Barb Lindquist. She shares many familiar experiences to new triathletes like falling over at stop lights when she couldn’t unclip from her bike. In their weekly updates, Amy gives a recap of her race at the Boise Twilight Criterium. Jen shares a personal update of a miscarriage and I know all of our listeners are sending love and support her way. 

In this episode, as Amy prepares for Oregon 70.3 on the upcoming weekend, Jen and Amy discuss all of their race week routines. They talk through packing for a triathlon, getting bikes checked and ready to race, and final workouts. They also talk about the final bits of preparation they do mentally including visualizations, preparing mantras, and planning ways to find joy on race day. In her intro, Jen shares an update on her recent miscarriage and learning that her company’s bereavement policy includes pregnancy loss. Jen hopes that spreading the word about this policy might encourage other companies to follow.

This week on the podcast we get the full report from Amy’s recent race at Oregon 70.3. She talks about the lead up to the race including a podcast meetup with Mike Bosch from the Everyday Ironman Podcast. The morning started with two surprises - finding her missing timing chip and a non-wetsuit swim for the pros. After a slower swim than last year she eventually caught up with some of the other women and tried to pass strategically. She made a rookie nutritional error of not taking enough water on the bike and struggled with that during the run, but still came away from the day with a solid time of 4:31. Aly and baby Hannah came out to cheer her on at the finish line, which was the highlight of the day. In her weekly update, Jen talks about their last goodbyes in Florida and finding daycare in Reno. They close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week on the podcast we interview Kayla Bowker - pro triathlete, mom of two, and coach. Kayla and Amy recently raced each other at Oregon 70.3 and they share their different perspectives from that race. In the conversation Kayla talks about going from unsure if she even wanted kids to being completely changed and finding a more emotional side of herself after becoming a mom. Kayla talks about how important it was to continue to nurture her entrepreneur side and her athlete side even as a mom. She shares her journey from a very active childhood to finding triathlon and training through pregnancy and postpartum. As a mental performance coach, Kayla also gives her favorite strategies for preparing for races. 

In this episode, Amy and Jen dive into some of the more unique mental differences between triathlon, cycling, swimming, and running. They discuss the mental comparison game with other athletes and how it varies in a sport with bigger focused A races like triathlon compared with a sport like cycling in which racing is more tactical and frequent. They talk about how being a part of a team can affect the amount of pressure they feel and their attitude towards racing. And they discuss varying feelings of control and pre-race nerves.  In their weekly updates, they talk about kid’s birthday parties and their takes on getting presents, having a theme, and cake.

This week on the podcast we talk with Krista Nuegebauer, registered dietitian and triathlete mom of two. Krista tells us about how she came to the sport through training for a marathon with Team in Training and wanting to complete an Ironman next. Her husband also races and she shares how they have found ways to both fit in their training and racing as parents. And we get into some of our fueling questions. Krista shares what it looks like to work with a dietitian. We talk about iron deficiency, fueling as a mom, late night snacks, and “race weight.” In their weekly updates, Jen talks about a surprise food Maddox enjoyed and Amy recaps a double criterium weekend. 

In this episode Amy and Jen reminisce about their past world championship races. Jen gives the insider scoop on racing a World Championship in Nice when 70.3 Worlds was there. Amy compares that experience to racing on the big island. They talk about different race-week events, how they planned their race trips, and how they were able to be both spectator and racer. They then discuss one of the hottest hot topics of the year - is a world championship still “special” if slots are more prevalent? In their weekly updates, Jen’s moving saga continues as her stuff gets stuck in Texas. And Amy discusses balancing travel with family.

This week on the podcast Amy and Jen each share a significant injury that disrupted their triathlon career and how they came back from it. Jen talks about a ski injury right before her move to Florida and starting her job at Ironman. She sprained her MCL and torn her meniscus and it took a lot of time, the help of a PT roommate, and a slow build back to return to racing. Amy goes into her hip labral tear that was discovered after she qualified for Kona, the winter before the big race. She was able to address the pain with focused PT, though it comes back from time to time. They share some reminders, like the importance of keeping up with preventative PT and not rushing back too quickly. And they close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

On the show this week Kristen Yax joins and shares her love of training and how she finds energy and refuels by integrating swim, bike, and run into her lifestyle. Kristen and Amy race together on the virtual Zwift team Aeonian Race Team. Kristen talks about her experience as a Zwift Academy Tri Team winner for the Worlds race in St. George. She shares her advice on following her 8-year-old’s lead on his involvement in sports. And she tells us about making the switch from the canceled Ironman Canada in August to Ironman California in October. In their weekly updates, Jen shares an update on the latest delay in their cross-country move and Amy talks about the rocky start to her cyclocross season. 

The interview starts at 31:30.

This week on the podcast Amy shares a big update - that she is moving with 2 weeks notice. Since Jen recently also moved, the two play "hack or quack." They discuss internet moving hacks and whether they think they are good ideas or not. Knives in oven mitts? Color coding boxes? Free boxes? Listen to find out what is worth trying.

This week is for our most loyal listeners, who want to hear the (hopeful) ending to Jen’s moving saga, Amy’s anxiety over a missed birthday party, and other random musing. If you don’t want to listen in on a group therapy session, feel free to wait for next week when we will be back to our normally scheduled programming. 

Aly is back for this special episode where we recap the incredible women’s World Championship Race in Kona last weekend. We celebrate Lucy’s win that it feels like everyone was cheering for. Jen and Aly, the swimmers, weigh in on which win meant more for them - Lucy or Chelsea. The trio recap some other notable stats, like having 3 moms and 5 Americans in the top 10. They also talk about what it meant that it was a women’s only race day in Hawaii and also where the coverage still fell short. In the opening updates Jen talks about deciding to take a personal day and Amy shares about her return to cyclocross. They close with Go Mommas of the Week.

This week on the podcast the main topic is the MAIN topic - how do you fit in workouts as a new mom. Aly is there to share her experiences getting in workouts – and choosing to not get in workouts – as a mom to a 4 month old and a 2 year old. In the early days when baby slept more it was easier to sneak away for a quick swim or hop on the trainer. Now Aly is focused on leaning in to the mom identity and this period as a time to focus on kids and fit in movement when it’s possible. The trio talk about the ways that breastfeeding has a huge impact on the ability to exercise, including feeding schedules and energy depletion. Other topics include sleep struggles, stroller runs, feet growth in pregnancy, Maddox’s second birthday, and maternity hand me downs. And they close with Go Mommas of the Week.

On the podcast this week we welcome Jocelyn Wong Neill. Jocelyn is a co-host on the If We Were Riding Podcast from Feisty Media. Talking to Jocelyn it’s clear that she loves to chase big goals - which shouldn’t have been a surprise knowing she got herself on to Team TBB back in 2008 training under notorious triathlon coach Brett Sutton. Even after all her years in the sport and having her almost 3-year-old daughter, she is still finding new motivation in the sport. Next year she is aiming to qualify for the first ever women’s World Championship Ironman in Nice, France.

On the show we talk about her early triathlon days, her transition back to age-group racing after being a full time pro, and her experience training as a mom. Jocelyn shares her birth story and experience with a c-section and struggles with postpartum training injuries. She and Amy also nerd out about triathlon podcasts. In their weekly updates, Amy and Aly talk sickness as a mom and potty training regressions.

Zoom bath baby swim courses - https://watermellow.ca/

National Kids Running Series - https://healthykidsrunningseries.org/

If We Were Riding Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/feisty-triathlon/id1265466545

Find Jocelyn on her website and on Instagram @jwneill302 

Off season is a phrase all over the place in triathlon nearly as soon as the pumpkin spice lattes comes out (so August). But what is it and do you need to take one? We talk about different versions of off season - a very specific short break where you can do whatever you want, viewing the whole winter period as an off season, or skipping it altogether, especially if you aren’t training for a specific event or your training has been disrupted by kids. We talk about the ways off season can be both a mental and physical break. It can be an opportunity to set goals and new routines when you return. And it’s a chance to can come back with new energy and purpose

Shared in this episode: Gretchen Rubin's Calendar of Catalysts

This week’s topic is all about making mom friends. Is it weird to use an app? How do you ask for someone’s number at the park? How can you reduce the pressure of a new friend connection? We get into the nuances and share our own experiences.  In their weekly updates, Aly talks about baby Hannah starting solid foods. And Amy discusses helping Ollie deal with conflict at school. 

It’s officially the holiday season! After adding the Moms of Triathlon merch to your wishlist (shameless plug), listen to this episode to get ideas for other people in your life. We list off recommendations for kids, husbands, triathletes, grandparents, and friends/ourselves. Jen shares the helpful idea for kids: “Something to wear, something to read, something you want, something you need.” 

And in her weekly update, Amy shares her experience weaning Margot who turned 2 a few months ago. She shares how it was a struggle to fully commit to weaning, but once she did it was easier than expected. She used some books that prepare kids for weaning, including the book called Booby Moon. 

Here are some of the top recommendations we shared that were specific products:

• Shop our merch! 
• Custom calendar from Artifact Uprising 
• Aura Digital Frame 
• Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers 
• Anker Magnetic phone grip for iPhone 
• Bull in China cocktail making set 
• Jolyn swimsuits

This week we welcome Carleigh Moore on the podcast just before her first 70.3 postpartum. She shares how she has delayed this return to 70.3 twice already and is excited to finally get the monkey off her back at Indian Wells. Carleigh gives the details on her workout routine with work, a 14 month old, and an ultrarunner husband. And she shares their method for keeping a routine with a sick kiddo home from daycare. We loved hearing Carleigh’s perspective on why it’s okay to view triathlon as something just for herself and how that makes her a better mom. Carleigh also goes into her experience with pregnancy and a sudden induction that led to a c-section. And she gives some helpful tips and resources for c-section recovery. We came away from this episode motivated and ready to sign up for more races!

Follow Carleigh on Instagram @adventure.moore 

A c-section recovery account Carleigh recommends is @askjanette 

This week Amy and Aly discuss the ways holiday events can throw off baby and toddler routines and how they approach the adjustments. Aly gives some ideas for altering baby nap times. Amy shares concerns about how relaxing around screen time, sweets, and bedtime schedules can come back to bite you. Aly has a holiday themed update with thoughts on ornaments and addressing holiday cards. Amy’s update focuses on getting kids involved in sports. 

Many of us head indoors for training during the winter months, but does your workout space “spark joy?” On the podcast this week, Amy and Jen discuss all the important elements of a dream pain cave. Mirrors, motivational decor, good fans, smart trainer, Woodway treadmill, squat rack, nutrition station, maybe a recovery zone? In their weekly updates Jen talks about a trip to visit her very pregnant sister and Amy gives some details on her newly created bike team. They close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week on the podcast we welcome back registered dietician Krista Neugebauer. We catch up with Krista and hear about her kids’ turkey trot and her recent 70.3 and then we ask her all of our pregnancy, postpartum, and young toddler nutrition questions. This is a long one so feel free to jump to the questions that interest you most. 

24:10 Updates from Krista on her kid’s Turkey Trot and Waco 70.3
34:50 Eating with morning sickness
43:10 How much extra to eat during breastfeeding
50:20 Dealing with sugar cravings
54:00 Impact of Mom’s diet on nursing babies
1:01:10 Addressing clogged ducts and hydration while nursing
1:11:15 Postpartum fueling for recovery
1:12:25 Feeding picky toddler
1:30:55 Kids and desserts

Ep. 69: Krista Neugebauer on fueling as an athlete mom

You can find Krista on Instagram at @fuelfearlessly

This week on the podcast Amy, Jen, and Aly share their New Year’s Resolutions for 2024 and a theme emerges - making things bite-size and manageable. Amy shares her idea to have “experimental” periods, going all in on a resolution but for a smaller period of time. Jen’s themes of the year are consistency and healing, and to achieve that consistency reducing the overall expectations. And Aly chooses to focus on general themes over setting highly specific goals. In the conversation they help each other process their own themes and goals. Resolutions discussed include drinking less, consistency in exercise routine, budgeting, and prioritizing friends.

This week Amy, Jen, and Aly get together for a casual chat after the holidays. They reflect back on their episode on keeping kids’ routines during the holiday chaos and what worked or didn’t work. Aly successfully survived a full calendar of holiday parties by pushing back bedtime and embracing car and carrier naps. Jen was able to have a relaxing time at a “cabin” in Mammoth. Amy balanced a sudden trip right before Christmas and celebrating the holiday with family events in town. There were some big milestones during the break including Maddox starting potty training and Hannah starting to crawl. And the three share resolutions their husbands suggested for them. 

This week we talk about a very personal topic - the period of trying to conceive. We know that this can be a difficult and mentally challenging period. We hope that sharing some of our difficulties and struggles could relate to some of our listeners. Jen shares her current struggles in trying to conceive (TTC) and how she is approaching the process both practically and mentally. We get into topics around training and race planning when TTC, false positive pregnancy tests, ovulation tracking, and the difficulty of the two week wait. 

On the podcast this week we hear some big updates. Jen talks about her recent diagnosis of hypothyroidism and the symptoms that have been impacting her life for the past year. Amy and Jen share updates on the kids’ potty training progress. For the main topic they dive into season planning. Amy details her plans to race national level races and the logistics that adds to planning the race calendar. Jen talks about finding triathlon races after moving to Reno. And they close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week we revisit the topic of mental health and our own personal journeys and experiences. Amy gives an update from Episode 39 when she had recently started taking anti-anxiety medication. Aly shares her own struggles with anxiety and how she has addressed them by starting therapy and medication. Jen talks about her feelings of depression this past year and discusses the possible tie to her recent diagnosis of hypothyroidism. The three talk about the difficulties in finding a therapist and what the process of therapy has been like for them. And they emphasize the importance of sharing these experiences openly.

This week we share some stories about moments in training and racing that went wrong and what we hopefully won’t get wrong again next time. Missing bike parts, bad sunburns, bike crashes, wrong gears, and where to put the body glide. And we get into the controversial question - do you wear underwear under leggings? In the weekly updates Jen talks about a work trip to the office and Amy questions how much she doomed Margot’s future as a swimmer by helping with a “face squeegee.”

This week on the podcast Amy and Jen discuss sleep hygiene. They talk about their current nighttime routines and how they would ideally shift things to get more and better sleep. They get into some of their struggles to get better sleep, like revenge bedtime procrastination and household chores. They also get into the ways partners can impact each others’ sleep. And they answer the question - do you hit SNOOZE?

This week Amy, Jen, and Aly are back after a little break so we check in and get lots of updates. The three share some recent challenges, like a 9-month-old’s nursing strike and potty training accidents. They talk about recent adventures - camping in the sand dunes, hosting a baby shower with kids, and using daycare for the first time. And they reflect on when to bring kids to social events and when to leave them home. 

On the show this week Aly brings up her recent process of re-establishing a fitness routine. Amy and Jen weigh in on their experiences getting back to training after an extended break. The three discuss how different methods work for different people. Some people prefer to go all in all at once. This time around Aly is focusing on adding in one training session at a time and getting it established in her weekly routine before adding in the next one. Jen has shared in the past her method of trying to do a small thing most days of the week. 

In their weekly updates Jen talks about solo travel with a toddler and Maddox being with his baby cousin. Aly tells us about Beth’s first gymnastics class and the difficulty of socializing with other moms. And Amy shares some relatable stress of trying to stay calm with an independent two year old. 

We are so thrilled to talk about Jen’s exciting news this week - she is pregnant! Listeners know that last year Jen experienced a miscarriage and has been trying to conceive for a little while, which we talked about in episode 87, which makes this news extra sweet. She shares all about her first 14 weeks of pregnancy, including advocating for herself in the healthcare system, feeling anxious after a recent miscarriage, and what exercise has looked like. And listen until the end (or look at our Instagram) to find out the gender! Amy talks about a tough week with a sick kiddo who was diagnosed with serum sickness-like response, which led to multiple ER visits and two nights in the hospital.