In this solo episode, Sarah dives deep into the topic of being "one and done" – and her family’s decision to have only one child. With a mix of personal experience, societal observations, and a dash of humor, Sarah unpacks the complexities of family planning in the face of infertility, societal pressure on what a “normal” family looks like, and personal convictions.

What do we chat about?

Coming from a large family but being at peace with the idea of having just one child.

The brutal journey to parenthood, struggling with infertility and IVF, and what it took to get the one.

Reasons for being "one and done". Emotional and physical toll of infertility treatments and pregnancy. Financial considerations (IVF is expensive, y'all!). Feeling complete with their current family dynamic.

Addressing common criticisms and questions about only children.

The pressure to have more children and how she responds.

What else?

Sarah's vivid description of the "romantic" process of trying to conceive: Nothing says "sexy time" like peeing on sticks and trying not to pee on your hands.

The classic "my dog walker's hairdresser's second cousin's best friend's sister got pregnant no problem after IVF" advice. Because clearly, that's a statistically significant sample size.

Join us for the convo!

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski

Two CHATTY KATHY's are in the tent with this exciting episode with Liz Lehman of Nourished Families.

What do we talk about? Well....A LOT. As Liz says, "human-ing is HARD". The tent has to agree.

• What is a postpartum doula and how they support new families.
• The challenges of the "fourth trimester" and early parenthood.
• Letting go of perfectionism in parenting and life.
• The importance of self-care and maintaining identity as a parent.
• Honest communication with children about difficult life events.
• Embracing change and evolution throughout different life stages.
• Trusting your intuition as a parent.
• The value of simple acts of kindness and connection.

As Liz's dad noted to her, "The son of a bitch of it all is... life just keeps on going".

What will you take away from this conversation?

• How postpartum doulas provide full family support, not just baby care.
• That it's okay to not love every moment of parenting - it's normal to struggle.
• Why maintaining your identity outside of parenthood is crucial.
• That there is no one "right" way to parent - trust your instincts.
• Why small gestures of kindness can have a big impact. WE AGREE LIZ, WE AGREE!

Find Liz at her website HERE or on the interwebs HERE.

Thanks for tuning in to The Welcome to my Tent Podcast!

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski

Welcome back Tenties! This week, Sarah Johnston welcomes the fabulous Claire Ayoub, a filmmaker who's turning Hollywood's beauty standards on their heads. Claire's here to dish about her upcoming movie "Empire Waist" - think "Mean Girls" meets "Project Runway," but with way more body diversity and zero Regina Georges.

What you'll will hear about (Besides the Fact That BMI is BS):

• How Claire went from angsty teen playwright to body-positive film maker.
• How her work on “Gyno Kid” is a comical ode to her gynecologist parents.
• The wild ride of making "Empire Waist” and how it got to where it is today.
• Why seeing diverse bodies on screen is more important than your daily green juice.
• How to make a movie about body image without triggering half your audience.
• The time Claire's mom accidentally revolutionized sex ed (go Claire’s mom!).

To quote our new life coach, Claire: "If the diet industry worked, it would have put itself out of business."

Things that will make you LOL:

• Claire's brief, ill-fated acting career (turns out being typecast as "fat friend #3" isn't super fun).
• The saga of Claire's childhood Xanga blog (pray it never resurfaces).
• Sarah's brief dream of becoming a Rockette (spoiler: being 5'4" is not ideal).

What is next for Claire!?

• "Empire Waist" hits theaters Fall 2024!!
• An educational curriculum that might actually make health class bearable.

Follow Empirewaistfilm and Claire on Instagram for behind-the-scenes peeks, body-positive pep talks, and the occasional fashion emergency. And hey, while you're at it, maybe give your body a high-five

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski