The Coffee + Crumbs Podcast is your companion for kitchen cleanups, stroller walks, or the daily carpool hustle. Join hosts Ashlee Gadd and Katie Blackburn as t...
Amanda spends two years of her impressionable adolescence under the care of Larry Nassar, former family medicine physician and team doctor of the US women’s national gymnastics team. Having not fully understood that what she experienced was abuse, it’s only later—when Amanda and her husband struggle to conceive—that the details of her painful story come to light. Then, just as the case against Larry begins to hit the media, Amanda becomes pregnant. She steps forward, along with 155 other women, to testify against Nassar in court. Amanda uses her voice for the daughter she’s carrying, and in the process re-discovers her own. Content warning: sexual abuse. At the close of this series, we want to extend a special thank you to each woman who bravely offered their story to the project. If this series impacted you, encouraged you, or opened your heart or mind in some way, please help us spread the word. We’d love for you to share this series with your friends and family, your colleagues, and even your online circles. If you’ve only got a minute to spare, please leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to podcasts, which helps other women find our show. “Making a Mother” is a production of Coffee + Crumbs. Executive Producer, Writer: Ashlee Gadd. Producer, Writer, Host: Julie Vlahon. Writer: Sonya Spillmann. Music, Sound Design, Mix Engineer: Scott Vlahon. Special thanks to WDIV in Detroit for permission to use their reporting on the Nassar case and trial. We also want to thank Stacy Kaiser and Dr. Lauren Bouchard for their expertise. To learn more about RAINN or M-Power or any of the information we shared in today’s episode visit our show notes at coffeeandcrumbs.net/makingamother. This episode is brought to you by Needed—offering Radically Better Nutrition™. Use CC20 at checkout to get 20% off your first order. This series is also brought to you by the paid Substack Community of Coffee + Crumbs. To support our work in the future, head to coffeeandcrumbs.substack.com. From all of us at Coffee + Crumbs, thank you for listening to Making a Mother.
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Making a Mother E4: Why Aren’t We Doing Things To Change This?
Jerrell’s first baby is born six weeks premature, despite an otherwise typical and healthy pregnancy. At her postpartum appointment, she learns that Black women are 60% more likely to give birth prematurely than white women, and that Black maternal and infant mortality rates are more than double those of white women — regardless of socio-economic status or education. Experts weigh in on why these disparities exist and challenge all of us to ask: what are we doing about it? “Making a Mother” is a production of Coffee + Crumbs. Executive Producer, Writer: Ashlee Gadd. Producer, Writer, Host: Julie Vlahon. Writer: Sonya Spillmann. Music, Sound Design, Mix Engineer: Scott Vlahon. Special thanks to Dr. Lauren Bouchard and Cecily Smith. To learn more about Abide Women’s Health, the Cleveland Clinic or any of the information we shared in today’s episode visit our show notes at coffeeandcrumbs.net/makingamother. If this story impacted you, please consider sharing it with a friend and leaving a 5-star review wherever you listen to podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Needed—offering Radically Better Nutrition™. Use CC20 at checkout to get 20% off your first order. Thank you for supporting the brands that helped make this series possible.
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Making a Mother E3: You're Not Gonna Quit On This Kid
From the time she is young, Faith has a desire to foster or adopt, and assumes it will happen after she gets married. But a life-changing conversation with a pastor challenges her to pursue foster care, even though she is a 29-year-old single woman. This one decision sets off a cascade of events that lead her to motherhood, love, and a fresh appreciation for how God’s plan isn’t constrained by our idealized timelines. “Making a Mother” is a production of Coffee + Crumbs. Executive Producer, Writer: Ashlee Gadd. Producer, Writer, Host: Julie Vlahon. Writer: Sonya Spillmann Music, Sound Design, Mix Engineer: Scott Vlahon For more information on today’s episode—including podcast club discussion guides—check out our show notes at coffeeandcrumbs.net/makingamother. If you’d like to support the show, please share this episode with a friend and consider leaving us a 5-star review wherever you listen to podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Needed—offering Radically Better Nutrition™. Use CC20 at checkout to get 20% off your first order. This episode is also brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/CC10 and get 10% off your first month. Thank you for supporting the brands that helped make this series possible.
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Making a Mother E2: Your Story Doesn't End Here
When Kate receives the call about a newborn boy in need of foster care and a forever home, her heart is ready to open wide. Assured that the baby’s mother is unlikely to regain custody, she dreams of a future with this child. Meanwhile, Cindy begins to see glimmers of hope amidst all her struggles. Fueled by faith and a determination to turn her life around, she begins the hard work of creating a stable home. Through time and a mutual love for the same baby boy, Kate and Cindy form an unlikely friendship. Together, they navigate the complexities of love, sacrifice, and what it truly means to put the best interests first for the child they both cherish. “Making a Mother” is a production of Coffee + Crumbs. Executive Producer, Writer: Ashlee Gadd. Producer, Writer, Host: Julie Vlahon. Music, Sound Design, Mix Engineer: Scott Vlahon Special thanks to Amanda Morales. To learn more about Serenity Foster and Adoption or other information shared in today’s episode visit our show notes at coffeeandcrumbs.net/makingamother. If this story impacted you, please consider sharing it with a friend and leaving a 5-star review wherever you listen to podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Needed—offering Radically Better Nutrition™. Use CC20 at checkout to get 20% off your first order. Thank you for supporting the brands that helped make this series possible.
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37:31
Making a Mother E1: Did I Do Something Wrong?
After struggling with infertility, IVF and multiple losses, Kate and her paraplegic husband choose to pursue adoption through the foster care system. Meanwhile, Cindy—battling homelessness and addiction—gives birth to her sixth child, a boy, who is immediately removed from her care. In the next episode, we learn how these two women’s stories collide and intertwine in the most unexpected ways. Content warning: sexual assault and pregnancy loss. “Making a Mother” is a production of Coffee + Crumbs. Executive Producer, Writer: Ashlee Gadd. Producer, Writer, Host: Julie Vlahon. Music, Sound Design, Mix Engineer: Scott Vlahon For more information on today’s episode—including podcast club discussion guides—check out our show notes at coffeeandcrumbs.net/makingamother. If you’d like to support the show, please share this episode with a friend and consider leaving us a 5-star review wherever you listen to podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Needed—offering Radically Better Nutrition™. Use CC20 at checkout to get 20% off your first order. This episode is also brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/CC10 and get 10% off your first month. Thank you for supporting the brands that helped make this series possible.
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The Coffee + Crumbs Podcast is your companion for kitchen cleanups, stroller walks, or the daily carpool hustle. Join hosts Ashlee Gadd and Katie Blackburn as they chat about the beautiful, holy work of motherhood. We hope you leave this show feeling safe, known, encouraged and loved.
New Zealand