Viva la Mami - Latina Motherhood, Modern Parenting, Latina Well-Being

Jessica Cuevas | Latina Mami Mentor
  • 4.7 (23)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Latina motherhood is a complex journey, interwoven in two identities that often make us feel ni de aquí, ni de allá (not from here, not from there). However, Viva la Mami® is committed to providing Latina moms, allies, and professionals who support Latina moms with the knowledge and tools to further identify and understand the challenges and triumphs of Latina motherhood. Join Jessica Cuevas as we discuss culturally relevant topics that will help inform and empower Latina moms in whichever season they are in on their motherhood journey.  We'll be joined by Latina moms, experts, and professionals who can offer advice, practical tips, relatable stories, and honest conversations. This podcast will cover an array of topics that is geared toward the modern Latina mom that will empower you to find balance between tradition and progress. Bring your cafecito as we all create honest conversations and share the complexities about madrehood.

  1. 15H AGO

    160. Mamis Abroad: How Fear of Staying Can Push You to Move Abroad with Jess Winns

    In this episode of the Mamis Abroad series, I'm sitting down with Jess Winns, a mom of four, published author, entrepreneur, Board-Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, and Transformational Leadership Coach, who made the bold decision to pack up her family and move to Playa del Carmen, Mexico as a single mom. We talk about the moment she knew it was time, what it's really like to build a life from scratch in a new country, and why she says the secret is to stop telling people your plans. This episode is for every mami who has whispered "what if" to herself, and hasn't given herself permission to find out. For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode160 What You'll Hear: How to reframe fear as a signal that you're moving in the right direction — not a reason to stop.Why protecting your dream from other people's doubts might be the most important step before making a big move.A practical mindset shift for mamis worried about uprooting their children — and why kids adapt faster than we think.Key things to know before starting the journey, including why adding a foreign parent to a birth certificate matters more than most people realize.What it really takes to create income and community when you move abroad without a village waiting for you.Resources Mentioned: Jess's personal Instagram: @thejesswinnsFamily travel IG page: @thisfamilywinnsJess's book: Beneath the SkinJess's skincare line: Ari Rose Body CareListen to Jess's first interview on the VLM podcast! Episode 39Support the show SHOP MY NEWEST PRODUCTS - "How to Get Dual Citizenship in Mexico" E-Guide & Digital Course 🇲🇽 🇺🇸 Love this episode? Subscribe wherever you are listening, share this episode with an amiga, and leave a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Apple podcasts. Watch this podcast episode on YouTube! Follow Viva la Mami on Instagram @vivalamami Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Viva la Mami newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ so you won't miss a thing! Have a suggestion for an episode topic? Click HERE Have a suggestion for a guest? Click HERE Visit the Viva la Mami Website www.vivalamami.com Have questions or want to connect? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@vivalamami.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    58 min

  2. APR 23

    159. Mamis Abroad: How to Build a Home Anywhere in the World with Lina Molina

    In this Mamis Abroad series episode, I sit down with Lina Molina, a Latina mama of three who has been raising her family across continents. Lina shares what it really looks like to pick up your life, move to a country you know nothing about, and still show up as a grounded, intentional mother. We talk about building community from scratch, raising trilingual global kids, keeping your cultura alive far from home, and redefining what "home" even means when you've lived in five countries. If you've ever dreamed about moving abroad but felt scared, this episode is for you. For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode159 What you'll hear: How Lina and her Colombian-American husband went from Bogotá to Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Bolivia, and now West AfricaThe real challenges of giving birth and raising three kids abroad without family supportTwo go-to strategies for building community anywhere in the worldHow to preserve your culture and the heritage language at homeWhy home is not a place but it's the people you're with and the connections you build along the wayFollow Lina Molina on Instagram: @latinamomtravels@latinamomcoachesSupport the show SHOP MY NEWEST PRODUCTS - "How to Get Dual Citizenship in Mexico" E-Guide & Digital Course 🇲🇽 🇺🇸 Love this episode? Subscribe wherever you are listening, share this episode with an amiga, and leave a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Apple podcasts. Watch this podcast episode on YouTube! Follow Viva la Mami on Instagram @vivalamami Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Viva la Mami newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ so you won't miss a thing! Have a suggestion for an episode topic? Click HERE Have a suggestion for a guest? Click HERE Visit the Viva la Mami Website www.vivalamami.com Have questions or want to connect? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@vivalamami.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    53 min

  3. APR 16

    158. How to Raise a Bilingual Child Without Losing Yourself

    In this VLM Spotlight episode, I sit down with Cynthia Contreras, a wife, Latina mom, and bilingual reading specialist. What started as a chat about raising Spanish-dominant kids turned into a beautiful exploration of identity, healing generational trauma, and what it really means to show up for our children while still showing up for ourselves. Cynthia shares her journey from being the only Latina in her Wisconsin classroom, to becoming a first-gen college graduate, to intentionally building a bilingual home for her 5-year-old son. If you've ever felt the pressure of raising kids between two cultures - this episode is for you, mama. For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode158 What You'll Hear in This Episode How Cynthia went from feeling ashamed of her Spanish to majoring in it in college, and what that identity shift taught her about the power of owning your rootsWhy raising a Spanish-dominant child takes inner work firstWhat parents often misunderstand about how children learn to read in two languages, and simple things you can do at homeThe role of travel, cultural immersion, and daily habits in keeping heritage aliveNavigating the "millennial sandwich": healing generational trauma, raising bilingual kids, growing professionally, and still keeping your marriage and identity intactFollow Cynthia on Instagram: @cynthia.ccontreras Support the show SHOP MY NEWEST PRODUCTS - "How to Get Dual Citizenship in Mexico" E-Guide & Digital Course 🇲🇽 🇺🇸 Love this episode? Subscribe wherever you are listening, share this episode with an amiga, and leave a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Apple podcasts. Watch this podcast episode on YouTube! Follow Viva la Mami on Instagram @vivalamami Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Viva la Mami newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ so you won't miss a thing! Have a suggestion for an episode topic? Click HERE Have a suggestion for a guest? Click HERE Visit the Viva la Mami Website www.vivalamami.com Have questions or want to connect? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@vivalamami.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1h 10m

  4. APR 2

    157. Best of VLM: How to Raise Spanish-First Kids Without the Guilt with Lucía Garrett

    This week, we welcome Lucía Garrett, founder of Pato Pato and the brilliant mind who coined the term "Spanish-first kids." As someone currently raising Spanish-dominant children myself, I was so excited to dive deep into this intentional approach to bilingual parenting. Lucía shares why the Spanish-only stage is so crucial for our kids and how we can stay confident in our choices, even when family members question us or when we feel like we're not doing enough. Want more? Listen to the full, original episode. What You'll Hear: What it means to raise "Spanish-first kids" and why this approach gives Spanish the head start it needs before English takes overHow to handle pressure from family, self-doubt about your Spanish skills, and the fear that your kids will learn incorrectlyReal tactics from families successfully raising Spanish-first children, including how to handle mixed-language householdsWhy isolation is one of the biggest challenges and how finding your tribe makes all the differenceWhat to do when your kids start resisting Spanish and try to switch to EnglishWays to Follow Lucía: Instagram: @play_patopatoWebsite: playpatopato.comFacebook: @playpatopato1Support the show SHOP MY NEWEST PRODUCTS - "How to Get Dual Citizenship in Mexico" E-Guide & Digital Course 🇲🇽 🇺🇸 Love this episode? Subscribe wherever you are listening, share this episode with an amiga, and leave a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Apple podcasts. Watch this podcast episode on YouTube! Follow Viva la Mami on Instagram @vivalamami Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Viva la Mami newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ so you won't miss a thing! Have a suggestion for an episode topic? Click HERE Have a suggestion for a guest? Click HERE Visit the Viva la Mami Website www.vivalamami.com Have questions or want to connect? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@vivalamami.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    18 min

  5. MAR 26

    156. Best of VLM: How to Heal Your Gut Health as a Latina Mom with Dr. Alma Medina

    In this powerful conversation, I sat down with Dr. Alma Medina, a certified functional medicine coach and pharmacist, right here in the Chicago area. As a fellow first-gen Latina mama, we dove deep into healing from the root - addressing gut health issues, hormonal imbalances, and chronic fatigue that so many mujeres in our community struggle with. We also explored how to reclaim the nutritional power of our traditional Latino foods and why functional medicine is the key to breaking generational health cycles. Want more? Listen to the full, original episode. What You'll Hear: Why functional medicine looks at the whole person vs. treating symptoms in piecesHow our immigrant upbringing and traditional healing practices connect to modern holistic careThe truth about gut health being the "command center" of our bodiesWhy Latino foods are actually incredibly nutritious (despite what we've been told)Practical tips for busy mamas wanting to eat intentionally without the overwhelmResources Mentioned: Continuous glucose monitors for understanding how foods affect your bodyFunctional medicine lab reviews as an entry point to better healthMeal prepping strategies for busy familiesWays to Follow Dr. Alma: Social Media Pages: Instagram, Facebook, & TikTokWebsite: www.soulbodyholistix.comServices: One-on-one coaching, group cohorts, lab reviewsSupport the show SHOP MY NEWEST PRODUCTS - "How to Get Dual Citizenship in Mexico" E-Guide & Digital Course 🇲🇽 🇺🇸 Love this episode? Subscribe wherever you are listening, share this episode with an amiga, and leave a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Apple podcasts. Watch this podcast episode on YouTube! Follow Viva la Mami on Instagram @vivalamami Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Viva la Mami newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ so you won't miss a thing! Have a suggestion for an episode topic? Click HERE Have a suggestion for a guest? Click HERE Visit the Viva la Mami Website www.vivalamami.com Have questions or want to connect? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@vivalamami.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    15 min

  6. MAR 19

    155. Best of VLM: Breaking Generational Cycles Through Restorative Parenting with Alex Fernandez

    I had the privilege of sitting down with Alex Fernandez, a father and educator with over 15 years of experience. Alex has presented on restorative practices and brought such valuable insights about intentional parenting from the Latino dad perspective. Our conversation really resonated with me, especially as we discussed the challenge of breaking generational cycles while honoring our cultural roots. Want more? Listen to the full, original episode. What You'll Hear: Why "what are you modeling?" is the most important question we can ask ourselves as parentsHow to validate our children's feelings while still maintaining boundariesBalancing traditional Latino values with intentional parenting approaches and handling family criticismWhy therapy and personal growth are essential, plus how modeling accountability changes everythingResources Mentioned: Mistaken Goal ChartSupport the show SHOP MY NEWEST PRODUCTS - "How to Get Dual Citizenship in Mexico" E-Guide & Digital Course 🇲🇽 🇺🇸 Love this episode? Subscribe wherever you are listening, share this episode with an amiga, and leave a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Apple podcasts. Watch this podcast episode on YouTube! Follow Viva la Mami on Instagram @vivalamami Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Viva la Mami newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ so you won't miss a thing! Have a suggestion for an episode topic? Click HERE Have a suggestion for a guest? Click HERE Visit the Viva la Mami Website www.vivalamami.com Have questions or want to connect? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@vivalamami.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    14 min

  7. MAR 12

    154. Creating Maternal Health Awareness After Loss

    In this deeply moving episode, I sit down with Eddie Garcia, Elisa Garcia, Christina Galindo, and Jessica Bess to hear Francilia Garcia's story - a beloved wife, first-time mother, and advocate who tragically passed away from childbirth complications just weeks after welcoming her twin boys. Through their grief, Francilia's family created Francilia's Twice the Love Foundation to raise awareness about preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and postpartum risks that claim too many mothers' lives. For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode154 A note before listening: This episode discusses pregnancy loss, maternal death, and grief. The content is deeply personal and may be difficult for some listeners, especially those who have experienced similar losses or trauma. Please listen when you feel emotionally prepared, and know that it's okay to pause or step away if needed. What You'll Hear: Francilia's journey through infertility and her tragic passing from pregnancy complicationsThe warning signs of preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome that every pregnant person and new mother needs to knowRacial disparities in maternal healthcare and why women of color are the most vulnerableHow to advocate for yourself during pregnancy and postpartum The creation of Francilia's Twice the Love Foundation and how they're supporting families while keeping Francilia's memory aliveResources Mentioned in the Episode: Preeclampsia FoundationPost on maternal health statistics and researchAnnual Walk Event - Join Francilia's Twice the Love Foundation in MayFollow Francilia's Twice the Love Foundation Instagram: @franciliastwicetheloveTikTok: @franciliastwicetheloveEmail: franciliastwicethelove@gmail.comSupport the show SHOP MY NEWEST PRODUCTS - "How to Get Dual Citizenship in Mexico" E-Guide & Digital Course 🇲🇽 🇺🇸 Love this episode? Subscribe wherever you are listening, share this episode with an amiga, and leave a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Apple podcasts. Watch this podcast episode on YouTube! Follow Viva la Mami on Instagram @vivalamami Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Viva la Mami newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ so you won't miss a thing! Have a suggestion for an episode topic? Click HERE Have a suggestion for a guest? Click HERE Visit the Viva la Mami Website www.vivalamami.com Have questions or want to connect? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@vivalamami.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    59 min

  8. MAR 5

    153. How to Stop Feeling Stuck and Rethink the "American Dream"

    In July 2024, I was featured in The New York Times in an article about how childcare costs are limiting women’s ability to work. The headline captured exactly how we felt at the time: stuck. In this solo episode, I share the real story behind that moment and how my family made the strategic decision to move from Chicago to León, Guanajuato. I break down the real cost of living for a family of four in the U.S., the childcare math that so many moms are quietly navigating, and the mindset shift that helped us stop blaming ourselves and start thinking strategically. If you’ve ever looked at your numbers and thought, “Why does this feel impossible?”, this episode is for you. For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode153 What You'll Hear: The reality many moms are experiencing with childcare and workThe real cost of living for a family of four in Chicago (and why the math didn’t work for us)How childcare costs can create a hidden barrier for women trying to re-enter the workforceThe mindset shift that helped us not feel stuckHow moving to Mexico created breathing room for our family financially and emotionallyResources Mentioned: New York Times feature (July 2024)Episode 151: 3 Things You Must Do Before Moving AbroadFree Moving to Mexico Discord Community1-on-1 Moving to Mexico ConsultationWall Street Journal on Americans relocating abroadSupport the show SHOP MY NEWEST PRODUCTS - "How to Get Dual Citizenship in Mexico" E-Guide & Digital Course 🇲🇽 🇺🇸 Love this episode? Subscribe wherever you are listening, share this episode with an amiga, and leave a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Apple podcasts. Watch this podcast episode on YouTube! Follow Viva la Mami on Instagram @vivalamami Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Viva la Mami newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ so you won't miss a thing! Have a suggestion for an episode topic? Click HERE Have a suggestion for a guest? Click HERE Visit the Viva la Mami Website www.vivalamami.com Have questions or want to connect? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@vivalamami.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    26 min
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4.7
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Latina motherhood is a complex journey, interwoven in two identities that often make us feel ni de aquí, ni de allá (not from here, not from there). However, Viva la Mami® is committed to providing Latina moms, allies, and professionals who support Latina moms with the knowledge and tools to further identify and understand the challenges and triumphs of Latina motherhood. Join Jessica Cuevas as we discuss culturally relevant topics that will help inform and empower Latina moms in whichever season they are in on their motherhood journey.  We'll be joined by Latina moms, experts, and professionals who can offer advice, practical tips, relatable stories, and honest conversations. This podcast will cover an array of topics that is geared toward the modern Latina mom that will empower you to find balance between tradition and progress. Bring your cafecito as we all create honest conversations and share the complexities about madrehood.

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