Welcome to Season 4 of Dear Doula. After an intentional break, I'm back to talk about the emotional load of parenting and how the way we frame it shapes our experience. Modern parenting is often painted as exhausting and miserable, and I think it's worth questioning what that mindset does to us and our families.

In this episode, I share why 2025 felt overwhelming for me and what I'm choosing to do differently in 2026—being more intentional, putting myself back on my own list, and focusing on connection over survival.

Resources:
• Follow me on Instagram: @brandijordanofficial
• Follow the podcast: @deardoulapodcast
• Questions or topic ideas: brandi@deardoulapodcast.com

Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome to Season 4 of Dear Doula & why I took a parenting break
01:00 – The emotional load of parenting in 2026 and modern parent burnout
02:30 – Why social media frames parenting as miserable (and how that affects us)
03:10 – "You only get 18 summers": borrowed time and raising children intentionally
04:00 – Parenting mindset shifts: connection, gratitude, and emotional presence
06:40 – Why 2025 felt overwhelming as a working mom and business owner
09:10 – Putting yourself back on the list: self-care for parents in 2026
12:30 – Creating family non-negotiables and a parenting manifesto
15:10 – Intentional parenting vs perfectionism
18:00 – Reframing difficult stages: toddlers, tweens, and teens
20:30 – How to raise children more peacefully and intentionally in 2026

TW: This episode contains adult content of a sexual nature

As a doula, I've had countless conversations with new parents navigating the complexities of intimacy after childbirth. Whether it's regaining libido, feeling physically or emotionally more comfortable having sex, or adjusting to the significant hormonal shifts postpartum, there's a lot tied into it.

This week, I'm joined by one of the best people in the business to help me unpack these issues: somatic sex educator Kiana Reeves. Our conversation highlights the importance of patience, understanding, and open communication in postpartum intimacy and Kiana encourages us to prioritize self-care, redefine intimacy, and seek professional support when needed. As the chief education officer for sexual wellness brand Foria®, we also get to hear her top product recommendations for enhancing intimacy after childbirth!

References

Visit the Foria® website

(Use discount code "DearDoula" for 20% off all Foria® products!)

Follow Foria® on Instagram

Connect with Kiana:

Follow her on Instagram

Visit her website

Steamy Chick Institute

Ellen Heed

Tami Lynn Ken

Kimberly Ann Johnson

You can follow Brandi and her work @deardouapodcast on IG, @brandi_jordan_official IG, and send questions, comments and platitudes to brandi@deardoulapodcast.com. Have a question you want Brandi to answer? Shoot her an email or a DM and she might include it on her next podcast episode!

Audio Stamps

• 01:27 - Brandi's guest, Somatic Sex Educator Kiana Reeves, tells us about her background and the people she serves.
• 03:23 - Kiana discusses the emotional, physical, and hormonal aspects of postpartum intimacy.
• 09:22 - As the chief education officer at Foria®, Kiana shares how this company and its products cater to the female body.
• 11:03 - Brandi and Kiana discuss how lack of sexual education can cause problems further down the line with consent and sexual pleasure.
• 14:42 - Kiana talks about the role of sexual pleasure in childbirth and the shame surrounding this.
• 15:41 - We find out what moms should focus on to maintain sexual health and wellness and what to do if you're still struggling in the pleasure department.
• 21:54 - Kiana explains how to judge if someone is a reputable sex therapist or not.
• 24:50 - Brandi asks about the stigma surrounding somatic vaginal work.
• 30:32 - Kiana recommends some fun products that she thinks listeners would enjoy using and trying

TW: If you have lost a child, had birth complications, or know someone who has, please be aware that some of those themes will be discussed in this week's show.

Many of us dream of the day that you finally get to meet your baby. Labor and delivery is one of the most powerful, life-changing events not only for you, but for your family too. And so getting ready for that moment to make sure that you deliver a healthy baby, and that nothing happens to your baby during childbirth is so incredibly important.

Gina Mundy is a childbirth attorney and mother of three. After spending over twenty years analyzing the decisions made during childbirth, it is now her mission to share this information so that families around the world can experience safer childbirth.

I am delighted to speak with Gina in this episode about some of the insights from her one-of-a-kind book that blends together the realms of medicine and law: A Parent's Guide to a Safer Childbirth. Listen in to discover some of the most common problems that occur during childbirth and how YOU can help prevent them.

References

A Parent's Guide to a Safer Childbirth by Gina Mundy

Connect with Gina:

Visit Gina's website

Instagram: @GinaMundy

Facebook: Gina Mundy, Author

Linked In: Gina Mundy

Twitter: @ginamundy_

You can follow Brandi and her work @deardouapodcast on IG, @brandi_jordan_official IG, and send questions, comments and platitudes to brandi@deardoulapodcast.com. Have a question you want Brandi to answer? Shoot her an email or a DM and she might include it on her next podcast episode!

Audio Stamps

01:28 - Gina shares her journey to becoming an attorney that specializes in childbirth cases.

02:55 - We discover the most common factor in the childbirth cases Gina deals with.

07:33 - Brandi asks what Gina recommends with the use of Pitocin to enable a safer birth.

09:44 - Gina explains how busy labor and delivery units are preventing safe births and the importance of having a baby advocate.

11:47 - Brandi and Gina discuss the role of doulas in supporting parents by working alongside the delivery team.

18:00 - We learn how every hospital system is so different and the importance of checking out the hospitals in which you went to birth if possible.

21:57 - We discover how the complications and the mistakes that Gina sees in childbirth cases typically occur after the patient's water has broken

26:13 - Brandi asks if Gina has seen evidence of the black maternal health crisis in the work that she does.

27:42 - Gina talks about the approach she took when writing her book. It is not about scaring people about what can go wrong, but how to make sure it goes right.

31:36 - Gina encourages us to be ready and have a plan for your birth so you can enjoy the moment you've been looking forward to.