<![CDATA[Rooted Family Podcast]]>The Rooted Family Podcast brings Rooted Family Wellness Centre’s heart‑centred approach to you, offering honest, evidence‑informed conversations for every stage of family life, from fertility and pregnancy to postpartum and parenting. Based in Ottawa, Rooted Family is a hub for holistic wrap-around care, emotional support, and education that helps families feel connected and confident. (rootedfamily.ca)


]]>https://rootedfamilypodcast.buzzsprout.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Tue, 20 Oct 2026 19:35:26 GMTWed, 29 Jul 2026 14:39:11 GMT60Erin Kasungu and Christine Crook<p>The Rooted Family Podcast brings Rooted Family Wellness Centre’s heart‑centred approach to you, offering honest, evidence‑informed conversations for every stage of family life, from fertility and pregnancy to postpartum and parenting. Based in Ottawa, Rooted Family is a hub for holistic wrap-around care, emotional support, and education that helps families feel connected and confident. (<a href="https://www.rootedfamily.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">rootedfamily.ca</a>)</p><p><br /></p>episodicErin Kasungu and Christine Crookerin@rootedfamily.cano<![CDATA[Pregnancy Loss Doula on Grief, Support, and Pregnancy After Loss]]>Trigger warning: This episode includes conversations about pregnancy and infant loss.

This episode is for anyone who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss, as well as partners, friends, family members, and others who want to better understand how to support someone through it.

We speak with pregnancy and infant loss doula Jennifer Thompson about grief, advocacy, pregnancy after loss, memory-making, and what meaningful support can look like.

Jen also shares her own experience with infant loss and how it shaped the work she now does with families.

]]>b8e02a84-edee-4a7e-9f95-0f7629ce0252Wed, 14 Oct 2026 11:00:00 GMT<p>Trigger warning: This episode includes conversations about pregnancy and infant loss.</p><p>This episode is for anyone who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss, as well as partners, friends, family members, and others who want to better understand how to support someone through it.</p><p>We speak with pregnancy and infant loss doula Jennifer Thompson about grief, advocacy, pregnancy after loss, memory-making, and what meaningful support can look like.</p><p>Jen also shares her own experience with infant loss and how it shaped the work she now does with families.</p>no00:36:0819Pregnancy Loss Doula on Grief, Support, and Pregnancy After Lossfull<![CDATA[Going Home Without Your Baby: Preterm Labour, PPROM & NICU story]]>In this episode, Amanda shares the reality of giving birth to a three-pound baby, leaving the hospital without him, navigating a 65-day NICU stay, and learning how to bond, feed and parent a baby she couldn’t take home. She also shares their breastfeeding journey, the moments that helped her feel like his mom amid all the medical care, and what she wishes other families facing an unexpected premature birth knew.

]]>172dfc8f-73df-40b1-bd8e-0a9c025715d7Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:30:00 GMT<p>In this episode, Amanda shares the reality of giving birth to a three-pound baby, leaving the hospital without him, navigating a 65-day NICU stay, and learning how to bond, feed and parent a baby she couldn’t take home. She also shares their breastfeeding journey, the moments that helped her feel like his mom amid all the medical care, and what she wishes other families facing an unexpected premature birth knew.</p>no00:55:16Going Home Without Your Baby: Preterm Labour, PPROM & NICU storyfull<![CDATA[Becoming a Single Mom by Choice: Donor Sperm, Fertility & Postpartum]]>Rosalyn always knew she wanted to be a mom. When the right partner didn’t come along, she decided she wasn’t going to wait.

In this episode, she shares the very real journey to becoming a single mom by choice. From choosing a sperm donor to navigating failed fertility treatments and IVF, becoming a mom to two children, and learning just how important support can be along the way.

She also opens up about the harder parts of pregnancy and postpartum, advocating for her baby when something didn’t feel right, and finding the village that helped her through it.

]]>9f4f3fda-dec8-428f-b217-bd29a2503e73Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:00:00 GMT<p>Rosalyn always knew she wanted to be a mom. When the right partner didn’t come along, she decided she wasn’t going to wait.</p><p></p><p>In this episode, she shares the very real journey to becoming a single mom by choice. From choosing a sperm donor to navigating failed fertility treatments and IVF, becoming a mom to two children, and learning just how important support can be along the way.</p><p></p><p>She also opens up about the harder parts of pregnancy and postpartum, advocating for her baby when something didn’t feel right, and finding the village that helped her through it.</p>no00:48:1117Becoming a Single Mom by Choice: Donor Sperm, Fertility & Postpartumfull<![CDATA[Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist: The Kegel Trap and Habits that are Wrecking Your Pelvic Floor]]>"You're cleared at six weeks." It's one of the most common things postpartum moms hear, and according to Slesha Shah, our pelvic floor physiotherapist at Rooted Family Wellness Centre, it's also one of the most misleading. Six weeks is not the all-clear most moms think it is.

In this episode, Slesha walks Erin and Christine through what your pelvic floor actually is, why symptoms you think are normal are actually not, and what's really going on with leaking and pain.

They also get into why C-section moms need pelvic floor care too, the Kegel trap, pediatric pelvic floor, and the daily habits wrecking your whole system.

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]]>Buzzsprout-19237569Wed, 27 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT<p>"You're cleared at six weeks." It's one of the most common things postpartum moms hear, and according to Slesha Shah, our pelvic floor physiotherapist at Rooted Family Wellness Centre, it's also one of the most misleading. Six weeks is not the all-clear most moms think it is.</p><p>In this episode, Slesha walks Erin and Christine through what your pelvic floor actually is, why symptoms you think are normal are actually not, and what's really going on with leaking and pain.</p><p>They also get into why C-section moms need pelvic floor care too, the Kegel trap, pediatric pelvic floor, and the daily habits wrecking your whole system.</p><p><a href="https://www.rootedfamily.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rooted Family Wellness Centre</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/rootedfamilywellnesscentre" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Facebook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rootedwellnesscentre/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rootedfamilyottawa" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">TikTok</a></p>no00:32:1813Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist: The Kegel Trap and Habits that are Wrecking Your Pelvic Floorfull<![CDATA[Are You Preparing Your Body for Labour or Just Waiting for It?]]>Pregnancy discomfort may be common, but that doesn’t mean you have to simply live with it.

 In this episode, Dr. Kaitlyn Jacklin, Doctor of Chiropractic, joins us to unpack what may really be behind lower back pain, pelvic pressure, lightning crotch and the symptoms many people automatically call “sciatica.” We also talk about why belly bands are not always the preventative solution people expect, what chiropractic care during pregnancy can actually look like, and how movement may support your body as it prepares for labour.

You’ll learn why babies rotate through the pelvis during birth, how practicing different positions can help build physical and mental endurance, and why feeling dismissed should never be the end of the conversation.

Listen for practical, reassuring guidance to help you feel more informed, more confident and better supported through pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

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]]>Buzzsprout-19503935Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMT<p>Pregnancy discomfort may be common, but that doesn’t mean you have to simply live with it.</p><p> In this episode, Dr. Kaitlyn Jacklin, Doctor of Chiropractic, joins us to unpack what may really be behind lower back pain, pelvic pressure, lightning crotch and the symptoms many people automatically call “sciatica.” We also talk about why belly bands are not always the preventative solution people expect, what chiropractic care during pregnancy can actually look like, and how movement may support your body as it prepares for labour.</p><p>You’ll learn why babies rotate through the pelvis during birth, how practicing different positions can help build physical and mental endurance, and why feeling dismissed should never be the end of the conversation.</p><p>Listen for practical, reassuring guidance to help you feel more informed, more confident and better supported through pregnancy, birth and postpartum.</p><p><a href="https://www.rootedfamily.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rooted Family Wellness Centre</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/rootedfamilywellnesscentre" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Facebook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rootedwellnesscentre/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rootedfamilyottawa" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">TikTok</a></p>no00:34:3816Are You Preparing Your Body for Labour or Just Waiting for It?full<![CDATA[Everyone Said It Was Colic: A Mom on Reflux, Tongue Tie, and Finding the Real Answer]]>Hours of crying, an uncomfortable baby, with no real explanation. Stephanie was told what so many parents are told: he's just colicky, he'll grow out of it. She didn't accept it. In this episode, she shares her journey in getting to the bottom of it and why she believes "colicky baby" is usually a clue, not an answer. If you've got a baby who cries and a gut feeling there's more to it, this one's for you.

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]]>Buzzsprout-19387608Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT<p>Hours of crying, an uncomfortable baby, with no real explanation. Stephanie was told what so many parents are told: he's just colicky, he'll grow out of it. She didn't accept it. In this episode, she shares her journey in getting to the bottom of it and why she believes "colicky baby" is usually a clue, not an answer. If you've got a baby who cries and a gut feeling there's more to it, this one's for you.</p><p><a href="https://www.rootedfamily.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rooted Family Wellness Centre</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/rootedfamilywellnesscentre" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Facebook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rootedwellnesscentre/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rootedfamilyottawa" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">TikTok</a></p>no00:43:3815Everyone Said It Was Colic: A Mom on Reflux, Tongue Tie, and Finding the Real Answerfull<![CDATA[Ontario Midwife: Why No One Is Checking on Mom and the Postpartum Care Gap]]>Most birthing people have one six-week postpartum appointment focused on contraception and whether they want another baby. No one screens their mental health. No one asks how they're feeding. No one checks on them at all. In this episode, Ontario midwife Ola Levitin (15 years in practice) talks about the postpartum care gap that midwifery is designed to fill, the three care provider options most people don't know they have, and why the way we talk about birth shapes how we experience it. If you've had a baby and felt invisible after, or if you're pregnant and wondering who's actually going to look out for you, this is the episode for you.

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]]>Buzzsprout-19171389Wed, 13 May 2026 17:00:00 GMT<p>Most birthing people have one six-week postpartum appointment focused on contraception and whether they want another baby. No one screens their mental health. No one asks how they're feeding. No one checks on them at all. In this episode, Ontario midwife Ola Levitin (15 years in practice) talks about the postpartum care gap that midwifery is designed to fill, the three care provider options most people don't know they have, and why the way we talk about birth shapes how we experience it. If you've had a baby and felt invisible after, or if you're pregnant and wondering who's actually going to look out for you, this is the episode for you.</p><p><a href="https://www.rootedfamily.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rooted Family Wellness Centre</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/rootedfamilywellnesscentre" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Facebook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rootedwellnesscentre/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rootedfamilyottawa" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">TikTok</a></p>no00:50:3212Ontario Midwife: Why No One Is Checking on Mom and the Postpartum Care Gapfull<![CDATA[Infant Bodyworker on Colic, Torticollis, and the Difference Between Massage and Cranial Work]]>If you've been told your baby has colic or torticollis, you've probably also been told to "go see someone," with no real idea what that visit involves. In this episode, registered massage therapist and infant bodyworker, Kelly Gibbons, clears it up. She explains why "colic" is usually a catch-all for a baby trying to tell you something, the difference between true torticollis and a baby who favours one side, and how she chooses between massage and craniosacral therapy. She also talks about how a baby's whole body is connected, what cranial work actually does, and when she stops and refers a family back to their GP. If your baby fusses, fights feeds, or favours one side, this one's for you.


Upledger Institute is where Kelly studied Craniosacral Therapy and is a great place to learn more: https://www.upledger.com/

As always, this conversation is for informational and emotional support only and is not medical advice.

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]]>Buzzsprout-19331770Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT<p>If you've been told your baby has colic or torticollis, you've probably also been told to "go see someone," with no real idea what that visit involves. In this episode, registered massage therapist and infant bodyworker, Kelly Gibbons, clears it up. She explains why "colic" is usually a catch-all for a baby trying to tell you something, the difference between true torticollis and a baby who favours one side, and how she chooses between massage and craniosacral therapy. She also talks about how a baby's whole body is connected, what cranial work actually does, and when she stops and refers a family back to their GP. If your baby fusses, fights feeds, or favours one side, this one's for you.</p><p><br /></p><p>Upledger Institute is where Kelly studied Craniosacral Therapy and is a great place to learn more: https://www.upledger.com/</p><p>As always, this conversation is for informational and emotional support only and is not medical advice.</p><p><a href="https://www.rootedfamily.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rooted Family Wellness Centre</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/rootedfamilywellnesscentre" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Facebook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rootedwellnesscentre/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rootedfamilyottawa" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">TikTok</a></p>no00:57:2814Infant Bodyworker on Colic, Torticollis, and the Difference Between Massage and Cranial Workfull<![CDATA[The Birth I Pictured, the C-Section I Got, the Mother I Became]]>Most birth plans don't happen the way they're written. In our first episode, Camille, host of The Kind of Bold podcast and one of Erin's first doula clients, shares her unplanned C-section, including the moment in the OR when she had to choose between holding her son or seeing him, and the postpartum anxiety she lived with for years before it had a name. We talk about matrescence, the love-and-grief paradox of becoming a mother, the failure of postpartum care to screen the birthing person for mental health, and the kind of postpartum support that should be standard everywhere. If your birth didn't go the way you pictured, or if you've ever felt like you lost yourself in motherhood, this one's for you. 

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]]>Buzzsprout-19091324Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT<p>Most birth plans don't happen the way they're written. In our first episode, Camille, host of The Kind of Bold podcast and one of Erin's first doula clients, shares her unplanned C-section, including the moment in the OR when she had to choose between holding her son or seeing him, and the postpartum anxiety she lived with for years before it had a name. We talk about matrescence, the love-and-grief paradox of becoming a mother, the failure of postpartum care to screen the birthing person for mental health, and the kind of postpartum support that should be standard everywhere. If your birth didn't go the way you pictured, or if you've ever felt like you lost yourself in motherhood, this one's for you. </p><p><a href="https://www.rootedfamily.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rooted Family Wellness Centre</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/rootedfamilywellnesscentre" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Facebook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rootedwellnesscentre/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rootedfamilyottawa" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">TikTok</a></p>no00:54:4711The Birth I Pictured, the C-Section I Got, the Mother I Becamefull