These KIDS are crushing!! We were not ready! Nothing is sacred and they are starting YOUNG. One of Codie's twins has already developed a crush. Felicia's daughter Peace has willed her crush into the universe. Ashley's daughter went and kissed someone and Melanie's son is ready to take someone out on a date (he's 6). Of course it's all innocent because they're children, but now the Mamas are thinking about the future and what will it look like when their kids bring home their first serious partne...
Nov 07, 2022•33 min•Ep. 31
🥳 IT'S CODIE'S BIRTHDAY!!! 🎂 It's also Halloween🎃, but it's 🥳CODIE'S BIRTHDAY!!🎂 [Insert party horns] So we decided to go into our Grab Bag and answer some of your questions! Monique in Charlotte wants to talk about conscious parenting, Sherry in Houston needs help with a picky eater, Ellen in Fresno has our Mamas ready to roll up, and Farrah Columbus GA wants more parenting tips from Melanie's mom (y'all!). We are here for you so make sure you keep asking all the questions , and go wish Co...
Oct 31, 2022•41 min•Ep. 30
BOO!👻 It's Halloween time and we don't know about our community but for us over here in The Mama's Den it has come up on us QUICK! Today the Mamas are talking everything Halloween from last minute costumes, to actual Trick or Treating plans, and just what do you do with all that free candy? Plus Melanie shares a Halloween story about how her mother leveraged Halloween into her parenting. What does Halloween look like for you? Do you all go all out let us know over @themamasdenpodcast Mamas! Our...
Oct 24, 2022•34 min•Ep. 29
Today's episode is brought to you commercial free by our friends at PROUDLY. The Mama's Den is glad to bring you a a special deal just for our Mama community! Save 20% off your order of at least $50 (excluding subscriptions) with code BLACKLOVE! Shoutout to PROUDLY for looking out for our melanated babies! Mamas, do you remember your first time you brought home your first born? That new baby smell? The all new terrifying reality of BATHTIME! That first bath can be very scary for new mamas, and a...
Oct 17, 2022•25 min•Ep. 28
Mamas we gotta be honest with you, we are burned out. We are tired. Our lives, our businesses, social media, it seems like it's coming from all directions. So we're just gonna talk about it. What do we do when it feels like we can't push any further? How has hustle culture gotten us here? Pull up and let's have a conversation. Mamas! Our friends at PROUDLY have a special deal for you! Save 20% off your order of at least $50 (excluding subscriptions) with code BLACKLOVE! Shoutout to PROUDLY for l...
Oct 10, 2022•33 min•Ep. 27
It's Monday and the Mamas are back to answer some of your questions! Have any of them ever dealt with infidelity in their marriages? How do they find ways to spend quality time with each of their 50 eleventy kids? Plus we get confirmation on the strength of Ashley's vagina. Yup, you read that right! Don't forget that you can always ask the mamas questions by filling out our form! Mamas! Our friends at PROUDLY have a special deal for you! Save 20% off your order of at least $50 (excluding subscri...
Oct 03, 2022•36 min•Ep. 26
Ladies, we've heard how hard it's been to maintain friendships are to maintain after... well... everything. After you get into a relationship, after your twenties, after you have kids, but real talk...should it be hard? Today the Mamas have a conversation all around friendships. Truth be told, some friendships have expiration dates. Or maybe, we haven't exactly been the best friends to people in our lives? Listen, we're getting into all of it today! ======== Mamas! Our friends at PROUDLY have a ...
Sep 26, 2022•30 min•Ep. 25
Melanie Fiona is back in tha MF building just in time for the start of the school year! Mamas! Ladies! All you people listening! How are your mornings holding up? The Mamas Den group chat is a whole situation. These children have us unable to keep a single schedule. This is especially true when trying to get out of the house in the mornings! It's like these children just stay late. Luckily, Ashley and Felicia have some tips they have learned to help keep a routine, and what they do when their ch...
Sep 19, 2022•29 min•Ep. 24
Gentle parenting, conscious parenting, patient parenting... we've all heard the terms but honestly, we're not too sure what the difference is. We just know that we're out here trying to break those generational traumatic bonds that we had to deal with growing up. We know a lot of y'all have been asking us about gentle parenting and where to start so we brought in our gentle parenting expert Charisse Sims! Charisse is an educator, PBS Early Learning Champion, and a mama of six so she knows a thin...
Sep 12, 2022•44 min•Ep. 23
Mamas, Aunties, and all of yall listening, today the Mamas (sans Melanie who is out being a rockstar) are answering some of your questions! Shanna in Sandy Springs GA needs to know how to not feel overwhelmed doing all the things, Leah in Tupelo MS speaks for all of us wondering why Black Love Doc has to come to an end, plus Kim in Brooklyn is wondering about gentle parenting! (Psst you should def listen to our sis Charisse over at Parenting for the Culture ) If you have a question for the Mamas...
Aug 29, 2022•27 min•Ep. 22
Okay y'all we have to give Codie her flowers for a minute... did you all catch this past episode of Black Love Doc? If not, get yourself over to the Black Love+ App (it's free!) and watch it cause it had us all in our Mama feelings. It was all about the HARD things about parenting that often just don't get talked about. Codie and Tommy's story about her own baby's name, to what to do when our children don't turn out to be who we thought they were going to be... whew! It's a whole lot of hard con...
Aug 22, 2022•38 min•Ep. 21
Hey Mamas! Before You get too excited, we're going into the vault today for a NEVER BEFORE heard episode from the early days before Ashley and Melanie had officially announced their pregnancies. Listen in to a very real conversation about the anxiousness of being pregnant again, and what they wanted to do this round. Plus take a listen to That Newborn Life and see how much what they hoped would line up with what actually happened. If you have a question for the Mamas? Let us know so we can answe...
Aug 15, 2022•38 min•Ep. 20
Ladies! Ashley's oldest is setting boundaries with her presence on her socials! And look, we all know it's a delicate line choosing what to and not to share. So much of how we communicate and build our brands are tied into sharing pieces of ourselves like here on the podcast! But not everyone comes into these spaces with good intentions. Listen in as the Mamas share their thoughts about all things social media and what they do to help keep the balance in their lives! If you have a question for t...
Aug 08, 2022•24 min•Ep. 19
Y'all, Ashley needs therapy. Actually, we all need therapy. Listen in as Ashley breaks down what's been keeping her out of therapy, what the other Mamas love about therapy, and why we should ALL be talking to somebody. If you have a question for the Mamas? Let us know so we can answer it in a future episode! Or send us an email at podcasts@blacklove.com Ladies! Are you for or against therapy? Let the Mamas know! Ashley - @watermeloneggrolls Codie - @codieco Felicia - @felicialatour Melanie - @me...
Aug 01, 2022•23 min•Ep. 18
Codie's back y'all! It's been a minute but she is back with stories to tell. It wasn't just one thing that kept her away from chatting with the Mamas. It was ALL the things. How do we continue going in moments where everything seems to be changing? The Mamas also get into the Final Season of Black Love Doc. Codie shares why it's coming to an end plus what else might be coming down the line. Also, somewhere there's a chat about word pronunciations that we promise gets back on track. If you have a...
Jul 25, 2022•33 min•Ep. 17
Mamas, Aunties and all of yall listening, today the Mamas (sans Codie who IS coming back we promise!) are answering some of your questions! Ebony in the ATL has a bone to pick with Ashley, Briana in North LA County has some shout outs (and has the ladies wondering where North LA County is), plus Jamelia in Dallas needs some help from Felicia! Also, some how the ladies start a conversation about finances! If you have a question for the Mamas? Let us know so we can answer it in a future episode! L...
Jul 18, 2022•37 min•Ep. 16
It's Melanie Fiona's 40th birthday!! [insert party horn] OR, it was last week which has the ladies talking about the next Act of their lives. Learning to celebrate and love where you are now is a whole word. What are the ladies looking forward to in Act II and what are a few hang ups that keep us from loving where we're at? Ladies! It's time to love this season of our lives. Let us know what you're doing to celebrate yourself! Ashley - @watermeloneggrolls Codie - @codieco Felicia - @felicialatou...
Jul 11, 2022•29 min•Ep. 15
Alright ladies! It's summertime and our Mamas are glowing! But truth be told, it isn't easy learning to love and celebrate yourself even if your homegirls are cheering you on. This week the Mamas discuss learning to love their bodies at where they're at now, and the struggles they've had along the way. Plus, we all know just how social media and filters make it real hard to figure out what's real and what's not real. Ladies! It's time to love your bodies. Let us know what you're doing to celebra...
Jun 27, 2022•35 min•Ep. 14
Mamas! Remember when you were younger, pre children, and you would dream about all the amazing things you were going to do with your babies once you became a mom? Maybe you idealized bath time? Or putting your babies to sleep? Maybe just how cool of a mom you were going to be? and then, BAM. These kids get here and it ain't nothing like what you imagined? Well the Mamas got you. Today, Ashley, Melanie, Felicia, and Codie all share what they thought motherhood would be like and what them babies h...
Jun 20, 2022•23 min•Ep. 13
Never Have I Ever.... This week the Mamas play a round of Never Have I Ever parents edition, and we find out some things along the way. Have you ever let your kids pee outside? Cursed around your kids? Listen in to hear just what the Mamas have and have not done. Were you playing along? Connect with the Mamas and let us know your never have you evers. Ashley - @watermeloneggrolls Codie - @codieco Felicia - @felicialatour Melanie - @melaniefiona ======== Have a question for the Mamas? Let us know...
Jun 13, 2022•32 min•Ep. 12
CW: Suicide, Depression This episode of The Mama's Den deals with postpartum depression and suicide. If these are triggers for you, we encourage you to go back and listen to one of your favorite episodes. If you are struggling with postpartum depression, there is help. Call the PSI HelpLine: 1-800-944-4773 or Text “Help” to 800-944-4773 (EN). If you are in crisis, call your local emergency number or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). -------- 1/2 of our Mamas (Ashl...
Jun 06, 2022•37 min•Ep. 11
This past week has been awful. It's been really, really awful. So much so that the Mamas don't even really know where to begin this conversation. With the mass shooting in Uvalde just 10 days after the shooting in Buffalo, it sometimes feels like it all is too much. Listen in as the Mamas share what they have on their minds about the state of things, and what very real fears they share for their own families. Plus, what have they been sharing (or not sharing) with their own children? This conver...
May 30, 2022•30 min•Ep. 10
How do you talk to your kids about racism? There's no one answer, and every conversation is different. In this episode, the Mamas share whether they have discussed the White supremacist mass shooting in Buffalo with their children. Plus, what are the expectations of schools to educate our kids around not only this event, but around racism as a whole? This is a conversation that everyone needs to hear as the Mamas get real about the challenges they have faced while trying to protect and educate t...
May 23, 2022•32 min•Ep. 9
Y'all, Codie needs some help and she has turned to her Mamas for some guidance. She is struggling with her boundaries (lowkey, she's got none). How can she (and all of us) learn how to set them? Listen in as Ashley, Felicia, and Melanie share how they have learned to set their professional and personal boundaries. Plus how they teach the importance of setting boundaries with their children. ALSO can we give it up for Felicia and 3 years of MindfulFee? *cues party horn* What are some of your boun...
May 16, 2022•30 min•Ep. 8
Ladies! We're doing Mother's Day in the Den today! We know this is a day about celebrating all things motherhood, but look, sometimes the best gift is a day by ourselves! Listen in as the ladies share what their Mother's Days have looked like up to this point, what they all really want for mother's day, and what they do for their mothers. Plus we just might find out the best gift they've ever gotten in this celebration of mamas! We wanna hear your Mother's Day traditions and best gifts! Reach ou...
May 09, 2022•34 min•Ep. 7
Y'all Felicia has some questions for the married folks! The dating game can be a whole situation, especially when you know exactly what you're looking for in a partner. How did the Mamas know that the men they're with now was the one? What speed bumps have come up along the way, and what do they think about the journey that got them to now? Is there a time frame? The Mamas are here to share their journeys to the one and what they found that they needed in a partner. Make sure you tell the Mamas ...
May 02, 2022•36 min•Ep. 6
Let's talk about joy. Happiness is often overlooked by the busyness of life, and today the Mamas (sans Codie) reflect on what joy looks like to them. How has it changed with time, and how can one maintain peace along the journey. Make sure you tell the Mamas what you think! Ashley - @watermeloneggrolls Codie - @codieco Felicia - @felicialatour Melanie - @melaniefiona ======== Season 3 of Couch Conversations is HERE and it's featuring your favorite Auntie and Uncle, Tabitha and Chance Brown! The ...
Apr 25, 2022•28 min•Ep. 5
Are we all happy with where we are? Oftentimes we find ourselves reflecting on everything we have done and find ourselves in a loop of “we haven’t done enough”. But let’s get real ladies, sometimes getting up in the morning is the accomplishment. It's easy to fall into the trap of believing that we should be further than where we are right now OR that it's too late to accomplish all the things and dreams we've had. Today the Mamas share not only what they accomplished, but what they had hoped to...
Apr 18, 2022•37 min•Ep. 4
Y'all, Codie has a secret: she is obsessed with women's bodies. Especially women's bodies post pregnancy. So today, the Mamas are discussing their own body image pre an post pregnancy. What has their journey looked like, and what exactly did they feel through it? Do they still hold any insecurities? Listen in to part one* of this conversation as the Mamas get real about their bodies and the ins and outs of body image. *This conversation took place before our Mamas added two new little ones to th...
Apr 11, 2022•35 min•Ep. 3
Sometimes kids ASK the darndest things. What is the line that Mamas need to take with having those difficult conversations with their kids? Hint: There is no consensus here. From anatomy to periods, to Santa Claus, and even death, we all need to find the best way to explain the tough topics to our kids. In this episode, the Mamas each share their philosophies and the stories that helped get them there. ======== Season 3 of Couch Conversations is HERE and it's featuring your favorite Auntie and U...
Apr 04, 2022•44 min•Ep. 2
