LezBeMommies Radio | Lesbian Parenting

Danielle LoPresti and Alicia Champion are on the show discussing their new lesbian-family themed holiday music video "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus".  The video stars real life couple, Danielle and Alicia, and their four year old fost-adopt son Xander Lucian.  Says Danielle regarding the video, “As a multi-racial, same-sex, foster-adoptive family, Alicia and I are always seeking out examples in the media of other families like ours to share with our child. We looked online and per usual, didn’t find a single video of a family that resembled ours… so we thought that since we have access to the resources, we could have some fun helping to fill that void.” Tune in to hear Danielle and Alicia discuss the video, activism in music, the fost-adopt process that got them little Lucian and their thoughts on what's next for lesbian-family themed media. Catch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pasgHh4gBOI Danielle and Alicia are the founders of San Diego Indie Fest (http://sandiegoindiefest.com/) and members/founders of the band Danielle LoPresti and the Masses.  Find out more about Danielle LoPresti and the Masses here: www.danielleandthemasses.com. Find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/danielleandthemasses Find them on Twitter @DLPandtheMasses

Did you know there is a correlation between bra wearing and breast disease?  Did you know that wearing your bra less, or even not at all, could have a significant impact on your breast health including potentially preventing breast cancer? Medical anthropologist Syd Singer is on the show to discuss the findings from his studies showing a correlation between bra wearing and breast disease, which he presented in his book Dressed to Kill.  While correlation is not causation, these and other findings do indicate that breast health could be dramatically improved by reducing the amount of time women wear bras.  Tune in to why you may want to nix the bra and enjoy the freedom of bra free living. Find out more about Syd and his work at http://www.killerculture.com/. Find LezBeMommies Radio online at http://www.lezbemommies.com/.

As a two mom family in the South, Courtney and Mandy knew the importance of creating community.  On this episode, Courtney and Mandy share about being a gay family in the South and what they did to create a large and supportive community of two mom families in their area. They will share specific tips for how you can create a community of two mom/gay families in your area. Find Courtney and Mandy on Instagram: @court12712 and @mandyb2400. Find LezBeMommies online at www.lezbemommies.com and on Instagram @elizabethcaliva.  

Couple Angie and Jackie are documenting their conception and pregnancy journey on a new podcast, The Baby Mamas Podcast.  Tune in to find out how it's going and what it's like to share all your intimate details with the world. Definitely check them out on iTunes or listen here:  http://thebabymamas.podbean.com/. Facebook is: https://www.facebook.com/thebabymamaspodcast Twitter is @babymamascast.  Or email them at TheBabyMamasPodcast@gmail.com.  

The Reese's are a military family based in Washington state.  One this episode, moms Courtney and Korinne share about being a married military couple before and after the fall of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as well as the adoption of their daughter Aela through the fost-adopt program.  Follow them on Instagram at @courtreese817 and @korinnereese.  

What's it like to raise a special needs child, specifically one with down syndrome? I know many of us have fear of that diagnosis during pregnancy, but is it something to fear or something to celebrate? Jaime Harman, a single lesbian mom is on the show to share her experience being a parent to beautiful Jaiden, a four year old born with down syndrome to Jaime and her ex.  Jaime has joint custody of Jaiden and shares their journey with the most adorable photos on Instagram (check her out at @jaisquared).  Read Jaime's interview on the Promote Love Movement at http://promotelovemovement.com/2015/07/downsyndromepromotelove/. Check out LezBeMommies Radio online at www.lezbemommies.com.      

For some of us, the choice to become parents is not an easy one.  It's an enormous decision, a huge responsibility and there is a lot to consider.  Generation Baby Buster is a documentary by Terra Renton that explores the choice of parenthood.  Terra interviews authors, parents, professors and more in this eye opening documentary that explores the sacrifices and joys of parenthood.  It also examines some of the myths that exist regarding what's required of parents. It is her intention that you make the best decision for you--to have or not have children--and move forward happy with your choice. Tune in to hear Terra share about her own decision making process in becoming a parent as well as a discussion of several of the topics explored in the documentary including: The price of motherhoodImpacts on relationshipHaving balance as a parentBreastfeeding as a feminist issueBuilding a life around your kids vs. bringing kids into your lifeParenting guiltFree-ranging your kidsOver-parentingHow not to be one of "those" parents Find out more about the Generation Baby Buster documentary at http://www.generationbabybuster.com/. Find LezBeMommies Radio online at http://www.lezbemommies.com/.   

As a single lesbian/queer woman that knows she wants children, have you ever thought about having a child on your own?  Ever wished you could talk to a women that's done this already and get your questions answered?  I mean, what's that like to go through the journey of conceiving without a partner?  How important is it to build a community around you when you go through that experience?  Then after baby comes, what tips would this wonder woman have for you on how to balance a job and single parenthood? And what's the lesbian dating scene like when you have a baby?  Lots of questions.  Of course it's managable--there are tons of single moms out there, but our situation is a little different, and great to get some advice, right? Well you got it!  Bad ass single lesbian moms, Suzy Theron, is on the show tonight to share about her experience as well as some tips for other strong ladies looking to take the parenting plunge solo.  

We all know that parenting is one of the hardest yet most rewarding "jobs" out there. But what about foster parenting?  As a foster parent, you're taking in children that have had tough situations, children that may challenge you, lie, and purposely be difficult as a result of the pain and/or instability they've often endured at such young ages.  And then there's the foster care system that sometimes seems to create more challenges for these kids than it solves.  The strength, committment and big heartedness required for foster parenting must be enormous--and the rewards likely are enormous as well.  Meet Diane and Kristin Ponist, foster parents to five children, who blog about their experience on TheNextFamily.com.  Tune in to hear about this lesbian family's experience caring for and loving some of our countries most vulnerable children and the difference they're making in these kids' lives. Read about Diane and Kristin's adventures in foster parenting at http://thenextfamily.com/author/diane-ponist/.  Find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DianeKristinPonist. Find LezBeMommies Radio online at www.lezbemommies.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LezBeMommiesRadio.      

As lesbian or two mom families, the cost of creating a family can be very costly.  Then once kids come into the picture, a whole new set of financial considerations and costs arise, like maternity leave, diapers, schooling, college.  All this on top of retirement planning.  How do we handle all that?  How much should we save?  Are there investment options that work particularly well for us? What if we're not legally married, does that impact which options we choose? Peggy Garvin of Garvin Financial Group LLC is on the show to share financial planning tips to help you best set yourselves up to navigate the financial part of creating and having a family.  Find out more about Peggy Garvin at http://www.garvinfinancial.com/.  Garvin Financial Group, LLC, is an independent firm with securities offered through Summit Brokerage Services, Inc.,  member FINRA & SIPC with advisory services offered through Summit Financial Group, Inc., a registered investment advisor. Find LezBeMommies Radio online at www.lezbemommies.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LezBeMommiesRadio.  

Betsy Kershner is a photographer and founder of the Pride & Joy Project, a family portrait series featuring two mom families.  Betsy is on the show discussing the visibility of lesbians and two mom families in photography/media and how she's out to impact that with her current project.  We discuss the history of lesbian and two mom families in photography, the importance of accurate representations of the diversity of our community in the media and how you can get involved if you want to be a part of the project. Find out more about Betsy and The Pride & Joy Project at http://www.prideandjoyproject.com/ and http://www.betsykershner.com/. Some notes from Betsy on lesbian photography you can check out: 1979 Joan E. Biren (aka JEB) created a book called, Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians 1993 - 1998 Catherine Opie created a lesbian portrait series called The Domestic Series. Check it out online and in various museum collections.  1995 Love Makes a Family (Book) and photo series by Gigi Kaeser and Peggy Gillespie. http://familydiv.org/  In January 2014 lesbian photographer Sarah Deragon created The Identity Project. http://www.identityprojectsf.com/  In 2014 lesbian photographer Meg Allen created a portrait series of butch women: http://megallenstudio.com/butch/ The Lesbian Herstory Archives:  http://www.lesbianherstoryarchives.org/ Find LezBeMommies Radion online at

Annoyed with how "unsexy" and clinical the lesbian conception process can be?  Wishing you could actually deeply connect with your partner during baby making rather than having to stop and decide who's going to push the plunger down in the syringe this time? Find yourself wishing you could knock up your lady the old fashioned way?  Having penis envy? Frustrate no further!  Introducing The Semenette, the first and only lesbian conception tool that allows you to make love and make a baby at the exact same time! Creator Stephanie Berman is on LezBeMommies Radio sharing how you and your partner can have a more authentic, passionate and fulfilling journey making baby.  Find out more about The Semenette at thesemenette.com and on their YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1hfPyVJVLYnxsS4vOcRK1Q. Find LezBeMommies Radio online at www.lezbemommies.com.  

Most of us don't get how important a healthy vagina is to health, fertility and particularly a healthy pregnancy. An unbalanced vaginal microbiome can lead to pre-term labor, the number one cause of infant mortality.  Studies show that preterm labor and inflammation during pregnancy can lead to wheezing in infants, higher rates of asthma and there's even an association with autism.  So it's important to consider the health of your vagina prior to pregnancy.  A healthy microbiome, whether in your vagina, your gut, your skin or anywhere on your body is critical to overall health and vitality. Midwife Augustine Colebrook, CPM, LM of Wise Women Care in Medford, Oregon is on the show sharing tips for how you can keep your vagina as healthy and balanced as possible. On this show you will learn: * Why the health of your vagina matters, before and during pregnancy and birth * What a vaginal microbiome is and how it impacts your fertility, pregnancy and health * Common vaginal complaints and how to treat them naturally and why antibiotics may not be the best course of treatment * Tips and tricks for keeping your vaginal microbiome happy, healthy and balanced * How to improve the microbiome of your infant if born by C-section Find out more about Augustine Colebrooke at http://www.wisewomencare.com/. Find LezBeMommies Radio online at http://lezbemommies.com/.

When you're working parents, one of the hardest decisions you've got to make is finding the right childcare for your family.  Many families choose to hire a nanny to have a more personalized and one-on-one interaction with their children.  But when you're hiring an individual, how do you ensure you're finding someone you completely trust with your child and your home, who's reliable, honest and great with kids?  It's like hiring a second (or third) parent for your children.  For many parents, it's hard to find the right match. On this episode Lindsay Thompson and Anna Stivers of The Nanny League are on to give you tips on how to find the right nanny, including: * What to look for in a nanny * What to think about when writing a job description * Suggestions for interview questions, reference checks and background checks * How to do a trial run with prospective nannies * Standard benefits for nannies and basics on the legal aspects of hiring a nanny * The benefits and costs of nanny placement services * A special offer for LezBeMommies Radio listeners Find out more about the Nanny League at http://www.thenannyleague.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thenannyleague and on Twitter @thenannyleague.  Lindsay can be reached directly at (310) 893-9355. Find LezBeMommies Radio online at http://www.lezbemommies.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LezBeMommiesRadio.

Have you ever thought about why we circumcise our little boys in this country? We are told it's healthier for the boy, that it protects them from future health problems.  But is that really true? What if there are actually health consequences and risks due to circumcision?  And what about the sexual impacts it has on him as a man?  On tonight's show we're talking to psychologist Dr. Ronald Goldman about the American tradition of male circucision and why you may want to re-think this procedure for your son. On this episode we discuss: * The history of circumcision and it's "anti-mastrubation" beginnings * The health risks of circumcision * The actual procedure of circumcision for a newborn boy * The sexual and psychological impacts on boys and men from circumcision * Why this practice of cutting off a functional part of a male's body continues to this day Find out more about Dr. Goldman and his work at the Circumcision Resource Center at http://circumcision.org/.  Find LezBeMommies Radio online at http://www.lezbemommies.com/.