#107: Raising a Big Family: Logistics, Judgment & Joy with Arianna Alloway

04/09/25 • 78 min

Today on the podcast, Arianna Alloway talks about having a big family and the various dynamics around structuring their life to make it all work. Arianna is "Oh that hippie mom is lots of kids" on Instagram, and she's been a favorite motherhood account for Dr. Morgan for many years. She just had her NINTH child, and so she offers us wisdom from her lived experience on many topics today, like listening for a feeling your babies before they come in (also known as spirit babies), how she and her husband decided to add more each time, their vasectomy reversal story, postpartum mental health factors, how to deal with the judgement of family/friends and strangers about having many children, the logistics of bedrooms/cars/chores etc, and some advice around sibling dynamics.

This episode is sponsored by:

Redmond Salt >> Click here and use code HEALTHYMOTHER to save 15% on your order.

Needed >> Click here and use code HEALTHYMOTHER to save 20% off your first order.

Resources From This Episode:

Follow Arianna on Instagram: @oh_thathippiemomwlotsofkids
Spirit Babies by Walter Mackichen Book
Arianna's Podcast The Hum of Home: Spirit Baby Connection and Communication Episode
Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth Book
Hannah’s Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth with Catherine Pakaluk Podcast Episode

Stay Connected With Us:
Healthy As A Mother: www.healthyasamother.com
Instagram: @healthyasamotherpodcast
Dr. Leah: www.womanhoodwellness.com
Instagram: @drleahgordon
Dr. Morgan: www.milkmedicine.com
Instagram: @morganmacdermott

This episode is sponsored by:

Redmond Salt >> Click here and use code HEALTHYMOTHER to save 15% on your order.

Needed >> Click here and use code HEALTHYMOTHER to save 20% off your first order.

Resources From This Episode:

Follow Arianna on Instagram: @oh_thathippiemomwlotsofkids
Spirit Babies by Walter Mackichen Book
Arianna's Podcast The Hum of Home: Spirit Baby Connection and Communication Episode
Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth Book
Hannah’s Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth with Catherine Pakaluk Podcast Episode

Previous Episode

#106: The Motherhood Shift: Embracing the Pain, Growth & Power

This is an important one for all soon-to-be and already established mothers. On today's show, we get really gritty about the process of becoming a mother - and the opportunity of amazing transformation that CAN take place from it - but sometimes is not, due to lack of support, proper expectations, and overall societal failure at valuing mothers and children in general. We use two posts to guide the conversation, each detailing an aspect of how coming into and through motherhood carries with it important steps of pain and challenge that are GOOD and PURPOSEFUL and OK to feel. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this one.

This episode is sponsored by:

Redmond Salt >> Click here and use code HEALTHYMOTHER to save 15% on your order.

Needed >> Click here and use code HEALTHYMOTHER to save 20% off your first order.

Resources From This Episode:

Next Episode

#108: Surviving a Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy with Sophia Pavia

In this episode, Dr Leah interviews Sophia Pavia, the TTC Nutritionist, about her own recent personal experience with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. This condition is life-threatening and although many don't know about it, it's more common than you would think. She shares the unexpected diagnosis, why it happened, what she went through, and advice for any woman to hopefully prevent it or what to do if you suspect it or have gone through it.

Trigger warning: We do mention the loss of her baby during this experience, so just know that in case you need to protect your heart at this time.

This episode is sponsored by:

Redmond Salt >> Click here and use code HEALTHYMOTHER to save 15% on your order.

Needed >> Click here and use code HEALTHYMOTHER to save 20% off your first order.

Resources From This Episode:

Sophia's podcast: Food, Freedom and Fertility
Sophia's Website
Follow Sophia on Instagram: @ttc.nutritionist
Healthy As A Mother Episode #81: Your Cycle: Using the Fifth Vital Sign as Birth Control with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack