It's Not Too Complicated Cristina Edmunds

Cristina and Melissa dish on their experiences raising children with rare diagnosis - from prenatal scans and NICU stays to expanding their families.
Lisencephaly
Fertility
Anatomy scan
Faith
Prenatal MRI
Feeding tube
Rare disease
Bedside manner
High risk OBGYN
Kidney CYSTS
PKD
NICU
Difficult delivery
Pumping
Breastfeeding stories
Relactating

A conversation with Beth Kadish that explores the following topics:


Epilepsy

Caregiver support

Inclusive schooling

Sharing your story

COVID-19

Virtual schooling

pregnancy after a rare diagnosis

Siblings of special needs kids

Caregiver guilt

needing help and asking for it

Emergency responses

Marriage

Choosing the right caregiver for your family

Caregiving versus parenting

Sustaining caregiver wellness

Nicole M.K. Eiden is a writer and baker. Originally from Ohio, Nicole co-owns Windowsill Pies, a Southern-style pie and tart company in New Orleans, where she lives with her husband and daughter. The poem “Mortgage,” from her debut collection I Am One of You (Mississippi Sound Publishing, 2016), won 3rd place in the 2016 Women’s National Book Association writing contest and will appear in the forthcoming 2019 New Poetry From the Midwest (New American Press). Find out more at NicoleEiden.com and windowsillpiesnola.com.

Nicole and I had a lengthy conversation about motherhood during a Pandemic, gender roles in the house, opening a brick and mortar business, faith and the Catholic Church, poetry,  and, of course, pies. I always love talking with Nicole, and am grateful for her insight. Here are some of the topics we cover in this episode:


Raising a young daughter during COVID

Gender roles in the home

Opening a brick and mortar business during COVID

Melatonin

Evening routine

Coping skills

Faith

Nun - Joan chitister quote

Abortion + Catholicism

Christianity + Whiteness

Patriarchy of the Catholic Church

Money mongering

Power mongering

Art of conversation

Enneagram

Windowsill pies community vision

Nicole’s television debut - Sugar showdown on cooking channel

Unicorn cakes

Nicole’s definition of modern womanhood and parenthood

Sacrificial batches of dough

In this episode, I chat with Madeline about her decade long career as a Kindermusik Educator, her homeschooling philosophy & what it looks like in her home, and how COVID-19 may be changing our approach on schooling in general. We also discuss her work with refugee families through Catholic Charities, and I ask her to define what it means to be a “modern woman and mother” in her own words.

Cristina reads from her blog post, “Fed is Best” and reflects on her  difficult and short-lived breastfeeding journey, as her son was diagnosed with a feeding disorder and eventually needed a feeding tube.

Cristina reads from her blog, "Odd Mom Out" -- a post describing what it's like being a new mom to a child with a rare diagnosis and special needs.