Viva la Mami - Latina Motherhood, Modern Parenting, Latina Well-Being

I sat down with Angela Fernandez, founder of Dulce Dreams, to discuss something we don't talk about enough - sleep hygiene and how it connects to our wellbeing as Latina moms. Angela shared her journey from sleep-deprived new mom to entrepreneur who created the bamboo pajama brand she couldn't find anywhere else.

For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode134

What you'll hear:

• Why women ages 35-44 get the ...

This week, we welcome Lucía Garrett, founder of Pato Pato and the brilliant mind who coined the term "Spanish-first kids." As someone currently raising Spanish-dominant children myself, I was so excited to dive deep into this intentional approach to bilingual parenting. Lucía shares why the Spanish-only stage is so crucial for our kids and how we can stay confident in our choices, even when family members question us or w...

In this episode of the "Living in Mexico" series, I address my recent hiatus and share the journey of moving my family from Chicago to León, Guanajuato. 

You'll hear about the planning and preparation for our road trip with two toddlers and a cat, the challenges and decisions we faced, and the valuable lessons we learned along the way. I also answer your frequently asked questions, discuss community support, and refle...

In this powerful conversation, I sat down with Dr. Alma Medina, a certified functional medicine coach and pharmacist, right here in the Chicago area. As a fellow first-gen Latina mama, we dove deep into healing from the root - addressing gut health issues, hormonal imbalances, and chronic fatigue that so many mujeres in our community struggle with. We also explored how to reclaim the nutritional power of our traditional Latino food...

In this first episode of the "Living in Mexico" series, I'm diving deep into our family's big move to Mexico! After posting about our decision on social media, you all flooded my DMs with the most thoughtful questions, and I'm answering them all. From the practical logistics of dual citizenship to finding schools for the kids, I'm sharing everything about this crazy adventure we're embarking on as...

In this Father's Day episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Alex Fernandez, an educator and father who's been working in Chicago Public Schools for 17 years. As someone who works at my son Diego's school and presented on restorative practices, Alex brought such valuable insights about intentional parenting from the Latino dad perspective. Our conversation really resonated with me, especially as we discusse...

En este episodio EN ESPAÑOL, invitamos a Liscar Bonilla, fundadora de Amalactar y autora de su primer libro, "Amamantar y no rendirse en el intento: 100 consejos para mamás." En esta conversación, compartí mi propia experiencia de relactación, y Liscar nos brindó consejos invaluables sobre cómo navegar la lactancia como mamás latinas, y desmitificamos algunos mitos que han afectado mamás que desean amamantar.

Lo que escuch...

The secret is finally out - my family and I are moving to Mexico! In this episode, I'm joined by my husband as we share the announcement that's been two years in the making. We're relocating to León, Guanajuato with our boys, and I'm so excited to bring you along on this incredible journey.

I open up about how this decision came together - from our four-week trip to Mexico that changed everything, to the stars al...

Welcome to Season 5 of Viva la Mami! I'm so excited to share this new season focused on reclaiming our cultura as Latina mothers. In this premiere episode, I open up about what's been happening in my household with my boys who are 4 and under, and how watching them naturally connect with our traditions inspired this season's theme.

I share updates on our podcast journey - we now have over 120 episodes and 6,000+ downl...

You're listening to the Best of VLM episode series featuring the most popular episodes of the Viva la Mami podcast!

In this episode, we welcome Mariana Dineen, a registered dietitian and founder of Elemento Health. She shares the importance of nutrition within the Latino community, especially for mothers striving to adopt a healthier lifestyle while preserving cultural traditions. Mariana emphasizes the significance of cultural...

You're listening to the Best of VLM episode series featuring the most popular episodes of the Viva la Mami podcast!

In this episode, I delve into the all-too-common experiences of emotional dysregulation and ‘mom rage’ that many Latina moms face. Joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Jocelyn Flores, founder of Raíz Parenting, we discuss practical tools like mindful breathing techniques and setting healthy boundaries ...

You're listening to the Best of VLM episode series featuring the most popular episodes of the Viva la Mami podcast!

In this episode, we welcome Erika Milla, creator of Spanish En Casita, an online community for parents striving to raise bilingual children. As a dedicated mom raising bilingual kids, Erika shares how she's preserving Spanish at home.

In our conversation, we dive into the mental and emotional struggles of bili...

In this special bonus episode, I talk with author Catalina Margulis about her debut novel "Again, Only More Like You" which releases TODAY, April 29th, 2025! Catalina shares her journey from journalism and magazine editing to becoming an entrepreneur, book coach, and author while raising four children.

For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode122

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Catalina's experiences as...

In this special season finale, I wrap up our transformative Balanced Madrehood series by bringing all the pieces together and showing how they create a cohesive approach to motherhood that honors both your heritage and your vision for your family's future.

Throughout the past seven episodes, we've explored the essential elements of creating a balanced madrehood experience: reclaiming our time, prioritizing self-care, redis...

In this seventh episode of our special 8-episode Balanced Madrehood series, I discuss how aligning your parenting with your core values can transform your motherhood experience from reactive to intentional.

As busy mamás juggling careers, households, relationships, and more, it's easy to parent on autopilot - reacting to situations rather than responding based on what truly matters to us. But when we take the time to identify o...

In this sixth episode of our special 8-episode Balanced Madrehood series, I share one of the most challenging aspects of modern Latina motherhood: giving ourselves permission to break harmful cultural traditions while still honoring our rich heritage.

As Latina moms, we've inherited beautiful traditions that connect us to our roots - but if we're honest, we've also inherited patterns that don't serve us or our ch...

In this fifth episode of our special 8-episode Balanced Madrehood series, I dive into what might be the most challenging topic for Latina moms: setting boundaries with family.

For many of us, family is everything - our support system, our community, our foundation. But without boundaries, we can't fully show up for the people we love. When we're stretched too thin, resentment builds and our relationships actually suffer.

I ...

In this fourth episode of our special 8-episode Balanced Madrehood series, I touch on another crucial challenge modern Latina moms face: reconnecting with who they are outside of motherhood.

When we become moms, our identity shifts almost overnight. Between sleep deprivation and the mental load of running a household, it's easy to lose touch with the woman you were before - the parts that had nothing to do with taking care of o...

In this third episode of our special 8-episode Balanced Madrehood series, I tackle a topic that resonates with so many Latina moms: the misconception that taking care of ourselves is somehow selfish.

As Latina moms, we've often been conditioned to believe that self-sacrifice is the ultimate expression of love. Today, I challenge that notion and explore why true self-care isn't just nice to have, it's absolutely essent...