The Mental Load of the Holidays & The Big "Should We Have More Kids?" Conversation

Welcome to the very first episode of Judgment, Not Judgmental — the candid podcast where Rosie and Rachel talk about the things moms usually only talk about in the comfort of their best friend’s presence.   In this debut conversation, your hosts dive straight into the two biggest themes dominating their lives right now: → the invisible mental load of the holidays and → the emotional, complicated “Should we have more kids?” conversation. They also open up about postpartum experiences, spiritual dreams that shaped their pregnancies, and navigating family gatherings with toddlers and babies. Grab a warm drink (and possibly a snack hidden from your kids) and settle in for an honest, comforting girl chat.   The TL;DR: → The invisible mental load moms carry during the holidays → How pregnancy dreams and spiritual moments influenced their families → Postpartum preeclampsia and healing from difficult pregnancies → The pressure — internal and external — around having more kids → Traveling and hosting during the holidays with little ones → Managing expectations with partners before family gatherings → Why their friendship is a safe, grounding space in motherhood   Episode Highlights → Rachel’s vivid dreams that seemed to predict the births of all her children → A psychic reading that said she’d have four kids (!?) → Rosie’s experience with postpartum preeclampsia and recovery → Honest reflection on wanting more kids… and honestly, not knowing → Their go-to communication trick that keeps holiday chaos manageable   We’ll Never Leave You Without A Use-Today Nugget: Before any holiday gathering:
check in with your partner in the car on the way there. Anything you already know is likely to go awry... make sure one of you isn't "it is what it is" while the other is... the opposite. Clarify expectations, roles, and what your kids might need — it prevents stress and keeps you a united team.   📣 Connect With Us You’re part of this trio—so we want to hear YOUR takes. → Are you ready for the holiday mental load? Been unsure about having more kids? Tell us about your pregnancy dreams.   SAY HI to Rachel on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/regulatingwithrachel/ Email us → [email protected]   If this episode resonated with you, hit subscribe and leave a review — it helps more moms find the show and helps us keep getting better for you. 💛