The Woman Within

Nicole Mejia & Sarah Stewart
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Weekly

A podcast offering honest conversation, storytelling, and shared reflection for women navigating identity, motherhood, and personal becoming. Through honest dialogue and lived experience, the Woman Within podcast is a place to exhale, process, and reflect without judgment, fixing, or performance. Rather than positioning itself as an authority or expert, The Woman Within shows up as women in the work, fostering connection through relatability, presence, and emotional depth.

  1. 5d ago

    19. Toddlerhood Part 2: Big Emotions, Firm Boundaries

    Two months later, we’re back in the thick of toddlerhood—and realizing just how much there is still to learn. In this episode of The Woman Within Podcast, we get honest about intense toddler tantrums, big emotions, boundary-pushing, and the moments when our parenting philosophies get put to the test. We talk about holding space for our children’s emotions while still holding firm boundaries, and how to know what your child actually needs in the moment. We dive into emotional regulation, co-regulation, conscious parenting, authoritative parenting, and adaptive parenting—learning to respond to the individual child and the situation rather than following a rigid parenting philosophy. We also get vulnerable about parental rage, frustration, guilt, and repair, including what it looks like to come back to our children when we lose our patience. And of course, we get practical: navigating tantrums, transitions, car-seat battles, temperament differences, playfulness, distraction, and finding ways to hold boundaries without losing connection. In this episode, we talk about: Toddler tantrums & big emotionsEmotional regulation & co-regulationFirm, healthy boundariesGentle, authoritative & conscious parentingAdaptive parentingStaying regulated when your toddler is dysregulatedParental frustration, rage & triggersRepairing after we lose our patienceRaising emotionally resilient kidsUnderstanding your child’s temperamentPlayfulness, distraction & connectionNavigating transitions & car-seat battlesLearning to parent the child in front of you New Episodes drop every Monday! Join our email list to get reminders about new episodes and future offerings ⁠https://womanwithinpod.myflodesk.com/joinus⁠ Follow us on Instagram @womanwithinpod @nicole_mejia @soulfully_sarah_stew If this episode resonates with you, don't forget to like and subscribe. Thank you so much for listening!

  2. Sep 21

    18. Toddlerhood Part 1: The beautiful, messy work of raising tiny humans

    What if the “terrible twos” aren’t actually terrible? In this episode of The Woman Within Podcast, we’re getting honest about the beautiful, messy, confronting world of raising toddlers—and the ways toddlerhood asks us to grow right alongside our children. We talk about tantrums, boundaries, self-regulation, co-regulation, and the constant trial and error of figuring out what works for your individual child. We explore how toddlers mirror us, why their behavior can be so triggering, and the difference between responding with intention versus reacting from our own dysregulation. We also dive into a bigger question: Are we trying to make our children well-behaved, or are we helping them become who they are? We share how we're learning to nurture our kids' individual strengths, autonomy, curiosity, and natural interests while still giving them the boundaries and framework they need to move through the world. In this episode, we talk about: Reframing the “terrible twos”Toddler tantrums and big emotionsSelf-regulation & co-regulationBoundaries without fear or punishmentResponding vs. reactingRepairing after we mess upParenting as a mirror for our own growthNurturing your child’s individual strengthsAutonomy and independenceTeaching toddlers how to navigate the worldRespect vs. obedienceModeling the behavior we want to seeGiving ourselves grace as parents New Episodes drop every Monday! Join our email list to get reminders about new episodes and future offerings ⁠https://womanwithinpod.myflodesk.com/joinus⁠ Follow us on Instagram @womanwithinpod @nicole_mejia @soulfully_sarah_stew If this episode resonates with you, don't forget to like and subscribe. Thank you so much for listening!

  3. Sep 14

    17. The Six-Week Lie: Rethinking the Postpartum We’ve Normalized

    What if the conversation around postpartum mental health needs to start long before a mother reaches a crisis point? In this episode, we take a wider look at maternal mental health, postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and the emotional transition into motherhood. We explore the identity shift that comes with becoming a mother, the difficulty of knowing what’s “normal” postpartum, and how sleep deprivation, anxiety, rage, nutrition, and lack of support can impact a mother’s mental and emotional well-being. We also talk about the importance of building a village, postpartum doulas, midwifery care, extended family, bodywork, rest, and creating more intentional support for mothers. Looking at postpartum traditions in other cultures, we question why Western culture often expects women to quickly return to “normal” instead of recognizing that becoming a mother is a profound physical, psychological, and emotional transition. Drawing from our own postpartum experiences, we get honest about sleep deprivation, anxiety, breastfeeding, identity, receiving care, and finding our way back to ourselves after birth—and ask what we can do individually and collectively to create a healthier postpartum experience for mothers. In this episode, we talk about: Maternal & postpartum mental healthPostpartum depression, anxiety, and rageThe identity shift into motherhoodSleep deprivation, nutrition, and nervous system regulationBuilding a postpartum villagePostpartum doulas and midwifery careCultural differences in postpartum recoveryThe six-week postpartum expectationLearning how to receive supportOur own postpartum experiencesHow we can show up differently for new mothers Books we mentioned: The First Forty Days: https://a.co/d/0cTiRL7HThe Body Keeps The Score: https://a.co/d/044TJizF New Episodes drop every Monday! Join our email list to get reminders about new episodes and future offerings ⁠https://womanwithinpod.myflodesk.com/joinus⁠ Follow us on Instagram @womanwithinpod @nicole_mejia @soulfully_sarah_stew If this episode resonates with you, don't forget to like and subscribe. Thank you so much for listening!

  4. Aug 31

    16. Let’s Talk About Sex After Having a Baby: Part 2

    Our last conversation about sex after having a baby sparked thousands of comments—and made us realize there was another side of the conversation we hadn't fully explored. In Part 2, we’re widening the lens to include both the woman’s and the man’s experience of postpartum intimacy. What happens when a woman is touched out, exhausted, healing from birth, navigating hormonal and neurological changes, and struggling to access her sexual self—while her partner may be craving physical connection and feeling rejected or forgotten? We talk about postpartum sex, libido, matrescence, emotional connection, resentment, sexual desire, boundaries, touch, and the complicated transition into parenthood. We explore why the same touch can feel loving to one person and violating to another, how couples can communicate their needs without making each other wrong, and what it means for both partners to take ownership of rebuilding intimacy. We also get into the dynamics that can develop around chores, motherhood, “mothering” your husband, masculine and feminine polarity, and the ways resentment can affect sexual connection. Ultimately, this isn't a conversation about who is right. It's about understanding that both people are going through a massive transition—and figuring out how to find your way back to each other. Because postpartum intimacy isn't necessarily about getting back to the sex you used to have. It's about discovering intimacy, desire, and connection as the new versions of yourselves. In this episode of The Woman Within Podcast, we discuss: Sex after having a baby and why intimacy can change so dramaticallyPostpartum libido and why desire may look different for women and menMatrescence and the physical, hormonal, and neurological changes of motherhoodWhy women can feel “touched out” while men may feel sexually disconnectedThe difference between sexual touch and touch as an expression of loveEmotional connection as a pathway to physical intimacyHow sleep deprivation, stress, postpartum anxiety, and hypervigilance affect desireRestraint, patience, and giving each other space during early parenthoodFinding other forms of physical intimacy when sex isn't availableResentment, household responsibilities, and how “mothering” your partner can affect attractionTaking ownership of your own desire and learning what helps you get back into your bodyLetting go of expectations about who your partner used to beRebuilding intimacy and finding your way back to each other after having a babyWhy good sex isn't about looking sexy—it's about being embodied, connected, and presentNew Episodes drop every Monday! Join our email list to get reminders about new episodes and future offerings ⁠https://womanwithinpod.myflodesk.com/joinus⁠ Follow us on Instagram @womanwithinpod @nicole_mejia @soulfully_sarah_stew If this episode resonates with you, don't forget to like and subscribe. Thank you so much for listening!

  5. Aug 24

    15. The Ways We Move: Pre Baby, Pregnancy, and Postpartum

    Our relationship with movement changes throughout our lives—and pregnancy and motherhood can completely redefine it. In this episode of the Woman Within Podcast, we take a deep dive into our personal histories with movement, exercise, fitness, dance, gymnastics, strength training, and yoga, and explore how the way we move has evolved as we've grown, become mothers, and moved through pregnancy and postpartum. We talk about the difference between moving for performance, appearance, and achievement versus moving for connection, mental health, strength, mobility, nervous system regulation, and simply feeling at home in your body. We also get into how pregnancy can be an invitation to slow down, listen to your intuition, and let go of expectations about what your workouts “should” look like. Then we explore postpartum movement and recovery—rebuilding your relationship with your core and pelvic floor, reconnecting with your body after birth, and learning to move again alongside your baby rather than feeling like you need to “get your body back.” Ultimately, this is a conversation about moving with your body rather than against it, and allowing your relationship with movement to change as you change. In this episode, we talk about: Our childhood relationships with movement, gymnastics, swimming, and danceHow competitive fitness shaped our relationships with our bodiesMoving from performance and achievement toward embodiment and connectionOur journeys through strength training, CrossFit, yoga, and functional movementHow pregnancy changes your body, nervous system, and relationship with exerciseWhy pregnancy may be an invitation to slow down and softenMovement during pregnancy and preparing the body for birthPostpartum recovery, core and pelvic floor rehabilitationReconnecting with your body after pregnancy and birthBody image and the pressure to “get your body back”Moving as a way to connect with your babyHow movement can support nervous system regulation and mental healthLearning to trust your intuition and meet your body where it is New Episodes drop every Monday! Join our email list to get reminders about new episodes and future offerings ⁠https://womanwithinpod.myflodesk.com/joinus⁠ Follow us on Instagram @womanwithinpod @nicole_mejia @soulfully_sarah_stew If this episode resonates with you, don't forget to like and subscribe. Thank you so much for listening!

  6. Aug 17

    14. When Your Friend Gets What You Prayed For

    What happens when a close friendship changes because your lives suddenly take very different paths? In this deeply honest conversation on The Woman Within podcast, we explore female friendship, changing friendships, pregnancy loss, jealousy, grief, boundaries, and emotional vulnerability. After Nicole experiences a pregnancy loss while her close friend continues into pregnancy, the two are forced to navigate emotions neither expected—and confront what it really means to stay connected when your lives no longer look the same. We talk about friendship differentiation, when friendships naturally fade versus when they have the potential to grow deeper, how to communicate difficult emotions without blaming the other person, and why healthy friendships require both reciprocity and the ability to give each other space. A conversation about what it takes to keep loving someone when life takes you down different roads. In this episode, we discuss: Navigating friendship through major life changesPregnancy loss and complicated emotions like jealousy and griefWhen friendships fade vs. when they deepenBoundaries, space, and emotional safetyReciprocity and managing expectations in friendshipVulnerability and communicating your needsHow to stay connected when your lives stop matchingBuilding deeper, healthier female friendshipsNew Episodes drop every Monday! Join our email list to get reminders about new episodes and future offerings ⁠https://womanwithinpod.myflodesk.com/joinus⁠ Follow us on Instagram @womanwithinpod @nicole_mejia @soulfully_sarah_stew If this episode resonates with you, don't forget to like and subscribe. Thank you so much for listening!

  7. Aug 10

    13. Let's Talk About Sex After Having a Baby

    What happens to intimacy after you have a baby? In this episode of The Woman Within, we’re getting really honest about sex, desire, and intimacy after motherhood. We talk about finding your way back into your sexual body, navigating postpartum body changes, breastfeeding, hormones, limited time and privacy, and the mental load that can make it difficult to simply “drop in” and connect with your partner. We also get into the harder parts: what happens when sex becomes infrequent, how resentment and disconnection can build, the importance of actually talking about what you need, and how intimacy can evolve as you and your relationship move through different seasons. In this episode, we talk about: Finding your sexual self after having a babyPostpartum sex, desire, and changing needsBreastfeeding, hormones, and weaningBody image and learning to love your postpartum bodyMaking space for intimacy with little ones aroundCommunicating your needs with your partnerResentment, disconnection, and becoming “roommates”Rebuilding intimacy and connection in a new season of lifeRedefining what sex and intimacy can look like after baby New Episodes drop every Monday! Join our email list to get reminders about new episodes and future offerings ⁠https://womanwithinpod.myflodesk.com/joinus⁠ Follow us on Instagram @womanwithinpod @nicole_mejia @soulfully_sarah_stew If this episode resonates with you, don't forget to like and subscribe. Thank you so much for listening!

  8. Aug 3

    12. Embracing Aging: Beauty Standards and Self-Love

    What if aging isn't something to fight—but something to embrace? In this episode of The Woman Within Podcast, we're diving into beauty standards, natural aging, Botox, cosmetic procedures, body image, and the messages women receive about staying young. From childhood influences and social media to motherhood and the beauty industry, we're exploring how our relationship with appearance is shaped—and what it looks like to choose a different path. We share our own experiences with makeup, skincare, cosmetic treatments, wedding pressures, body image after breastfeeding, and the subtle ways comparison can creep into our lives. Rather than telling women what they should or shouldn't do, we're inviting a deeper conversation: Where are our choices coming from? Fear? Insecurity? Self-expression? Curiosity? Self-love? We also talk about the beauty we see in growing older—the wisdom, confidence, freedom, and deeper sense of self that can come with age. Our hope is that this conversation encourages you to define beauty on your own terms and to approach aging with more curiosity, compassion, and self-acceptance. In this episode, we discuss: Beauty standards and the pressure to stay youngNatural aging vs. cosmetic procedures, Botox, and fillersSocial media's influence on body image and beauty idealsChildhood experiences that shape our relationship with appearanceThe difference between self-expression and seeking external validationWedding culture, skincare, and wanting to "look your best"Body image after pregnancy and breastfeedingSunscreen, skincare, and differing philosophies on caring for our skinWhy wrinkles can represent wisdom, joy, and a life well livedLearning to accept change instead of trying to erase itHolding space for different choices without judgmentRedefining beauty through self-acceptance, purpose, and authenticity New Episodes drop every Monday! Join our email list to get reminders about new episodes and future offerings ⁠https://womanwithinpod.myflodesk.com/joinus⁠ Follow us on Instagram @womanwithinpod @nicole_mejia @soulfully_sarah_stew If this episode resonates with you, don't forget to like and subscribe. Thank you so much for listening!

See All (19)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

A podcast offering honest conversation, storytelling, and shared reflection for women navigating identity, motherhood, and personal becoming. Through honest dialogue and lived experience, the Woman Within podcast is a place to exhale, process, and reflect without judgment, fixing, or performance. Rather than positioning itself as an authority or expert, The Woman Within shows up as women in the work, fostering connection through relatability, presence, and emotional depth.

Information

  • Creator
    Nicole Mejia & Sarah Stewart
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Nicole Mejia & Sarah Stewart
  • Show Website
    The Woman Within

You Might Also Like