Motherhood is a job! No really. If we weren't doing it, and in those moments where we can't watch the kids, we have to pay someone else to do it. It is a whole job! Now why is it that it doesn't get treated that way? Today, Ashley, Felicia, and Melanie (you gotta make sure you're following the Black Love socials to find out what Codie's been working on!) are speaking on not only that, but on finances in general. Prenups? Splitting the household finances? We're getting into all of it! Mama's Den ...
Jul 31, 2023•38 min•Ep. 60
You will never have more patience than your child has, but you have to try. Y'all Ashley has the bars today! Codie is out doing some super secret stuff (yall just need to follow @Blacklove on IG to keep up) and the ladies are talking about these babies. Sometimes it's hard when they're yelling at you and can't communicate in the ways that we, as parents, want them to. Fee shares what she has recently done to help make sure that Zen has all the tools he needs going forward that we think is a tota...
Jul 24, 2023•39 min•Ep. 59
Marlo's in the House! If you've been riding with us from day one you've heard the ladies talk about Blair, and today she's here to defend her honor. We kid! Aside from all the stories you've heard on the pod, what you might not know about Blair is that she's a mama of 2, a wife, an entrepreneur, and so much more. We know that you're going to find her to be just as dope as we do! Mama's Den village what did you think? Does your friend group have a Marlo? Drop in and let us know what's on your min...
Jul 17, 2023•28 min•Ep. 58
Okay village! We know you've peeped it on her gram, that you've heard bits and pieces on the pod, and TODAY you get to hear it straight from Fee herself! Luckily we've got Mrs. Black Love (aka Codie Elaine Oliver) here to help get all the facts, but we know you've been wondering just how she met her new boo. What was it like introducing him to her kids? What work did she need to do on herself to get ready for a new partner? We're getting into all of it today! Y'all we LOVE this for our sis! Mama...
Jul 10, 2023•33 min•Ep. 57
Mama's Den village! We're headed back into our DMs to answer some of your questions. A long time Black Love fan is wondering how to balance being a woman who wears many hats AND navigating being a first time mom with no family nearby to support her. Dani out of Los Angeles needs some bonus mama advice from Felicia, and a mama in Memphis needs help navigating what to do with the kids for the summer! Have our Mamas figured out their situation yet? (Let's hope so, it's practically July) PLUS Micaye...
Jun 26, 2023•37 min•Ep. 56
Mamas! The new movie The Perfect Find produced by our very own Codie Elaine Oliver is out THIS FRIDAY on Netflix. Today we have the film's director Numa Perrier in the Mama's Den to chat all things motherhood! If you don't know Numa, let's get you caught up! She's a multi-talented actor, director, writer, and visual artist who has emerged as a premier voice in the film and television landscape with The Perfect Find being her feature debut. PLUS she's a mama to a soon to be teenager and a bonus m...
Jun 19, 2023•47 min•Ep. 55
Ajike “AJ” Owens was a mother of four who was fatally shot after she reportedly knocked on the door of her white neighbor's residence to retrieve her child’s iPad, and the story has been weighing heavy on the ladies. What do you do when it feels like it's non-stop? What can we do as Black mothers to negate the feeling of hopelessness? Can we do anything? As the ladies discuss, sometimes the most revolutionary acts are finding the moments of joy in their corners of the world. Mama's Den community...
Jun 12, 2023•23 min•Ep. 54
Whew! We spent all of May talking with our Mama's and it was amazing to hear not only what raising our Mama's Den mamas was like, but how they feel about how they are raising their little ones! If you missed it, we'll give you some links below. Today, our mamas reflect on what it was like hearing from their moms. What surprised them the most? What made them feel validated in their motherhood journey? PLUS what did our mamas hear that has them looking at their children a lil differently? What was...
Jun 05, 2023•28 min•Ep. 53
We are celebrating Mother's Day all month here at The Mama's Den and what better way to do it than to have our Mama's Den Mamas here! That's right we are bringing the Grandmamas into the Mama's Den all month long! Today we are wrapping up our Mama's mamas conversations with Somebody's Mama's Mama. That's right we got Felicia's mom in the Den! Mama Laurie is the youngest of our Grandmamas, but look she was not one to be played with! She shares what it was like being a single mom, what it was like...
May 28, 2023•47 min•Ep. 52
We are celebrating Mother's Day all month here at The Mama's Den and what better way to do it than to have our Mama's Den Mamas here! That's right we are bringing the Grandmamas into the Mama's Den all month long! Today all the way from Columbus, Ohio is Mama Laura! And yes, you can call her Mama Laura. Does she think she and Ashley are alike? What advice does she have for parents today? Also, Ashley asks what was the hardest part of parenting after losing a child? Next week we finish it up our ...
May 22, 2023•48 min•Ep. 51
We are celebrating Mother's Day all month here at The Mama's Den and what better way to do it than to have our Mama's Den Mamas here! That's right we are bringing the Grandmamas into the Mama's Den all month long! Felicia is out taking care of her babies, but guess which mama came by to defend herself? That's right! Ready to hold it down TEN TOES DOWN it's Melanie's mama: The one and only Mama Donna! You think you know all the stories, but Mama Donna is here to share everything. Is there anythin...
May 15, 2023•54 min•Ep. 50
We are celebrating Mother's Day all month here at The Mama's Den and what better way to do it than to have our Mama's Den Mamas here! That's right we are bringing the Grandmamas into the Mama's Den all month long! First up is Mama Renee the Mama to Codie. Mama Renee is a mama of two, and a grandmama to all boys. What are her thoughts on how Codie is parenting? What was it like to be a parent and entrepreneur back in the day? What was it like co-parenting Codie after her divorce? PLUS what is it ...
May 08, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 49
Mamas! We've got some of our favorites joining us in the Den today! Jamilah Mapp and Erika Dickerson are best friends, single mothers, and the creators of the Good Moms Bad Choices podcast! Now we can call them published authors with the arrival of their new book A Good Mom’s Guide to Making Bad Choices . Erica and Jamilah share how they met, the importance of Mom friends, their opinions on Mom Guilt and what you can expect in the book! They also have an amazing Mother's Day giveaway that you ca...
May 01, 2023•50 min•Ep. 48
Alright Mamas we've gone from Destiny's Child to Destiny's Twins as Ashley is out working and Felicia is out sick, but Codie and Melanie are holding it down for you! Was Spring Break as long for you as it was for us? Have you figured out what you're doing to keep your children entertained for summer? Melanie and Codie discuss all the activities AND serve as your gentle reminder that NOW is the time to start looking at summer programming. PLUS, Codie needs advice when it comes to the twins which ...
Apr 24, 2023•48 min•Ep. 47
There was a moment of...need... in the Mama's Den group chat. Ashley needed some advice(?), about her next excursion with her family. And let's be real here, this isn't just a normal trip for the Cheas. When they return, they will be returning to a new home. There are a lot of new moving parts with a lot of new stresses hence the need for her Mama village! In this episode the Mamas talk not only about what you can do to get the kids ready to travel, but what it's like to have kids that just aint...
Apr 17, 2023•37 min•Ep. 46
It's Black Maternal Health Week and the Mamas have brought in Kimberly Durdin who is a Licensed Midwife, Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Childbirth Educator and Doula Trainer, Plus she's a mother of six and grandmother of five! She and business partner Allegra Hill are co-owners and co-founders of Kindred Space LA, South LA’s only Black-owned Birth Center and hub for midwifery care, doula support and training, lactation consulting, education, parenting support group, enrich...
Apr 10, 2023•57 min•Ep. 45
You've asked and our Mama's are here to answer! That's right it's listener question time, and y'all are getting straight to the point this time around. An anonymous listener in Chicago wants to know if it's wrong to cut off a bad friend? Crys_Shine (c'mon Instagram handle!) in Wilmington, DE wants to know how to handle tantrums. A friend (or foe) from Codie's home state of Texas wants to know just how far each one of our Mamas would go to stand up for their kids, and more! Alright Mama's Den com...
Apr 03, 2023•35 min•Ep. 44
Hey Mamas! We've got a bit of a different situation this morning. Felicia is out doing mom duties and Melanie is tending to a house emergency so Ashley's best friend Tiffany O . aka Kyla's mom to help keep the Mama's Den going! Tiffany and Ashley have known each other since they were toddlers in Columbus, OH. However, their friendship truly started in high school just so you all know how long their bond goes back! PLUS their daughters have been best friends since out of the womb. Tiff and Ashley...
Mar 27, 2023•47 min•Ep. 43
Mamas, Felicia has a new experience with Zen and she needs to know if the rest of y'all raising little boys have experienced it... Morning wood. Don't laugh! Okay laugh a little, but today we are talking through it all! What do you tell your children when they first have those natural experiences? Is there a right time or a wrong time to talk to your children about their bodies? Have you been thinking about having this talk with your children since before you even had them like Codie? (She even ...
Mar 20, 2023•47 min•Ep. 42
Codie's best friend Kim is in town (and Felicia is out for the day) and the Mamas have all the questions about building a career before children. As you may (or may not know) our Mamas all had their children very quickly into their relationships/marriages. Kim and her husband, however, waited five years before having a child. What is it like to have children after climbing the corporate ladder? Do relationships stay the same? Get stronger? Fall apart? We ain't got all the answers, but Kim is her...
Mar 13, 2023•44 min•Ep. 41
Have y'all seen this Chelsea Handler video that's been going around? She basically breaks down "A Day of a Childless Woman" in a hilarious way, but had the milquetoast men of Fox News foaming at the mouth. Even though it's none of their business, it does have the ladies wondering "Is it okay for women to NOT want children?" Meaning, do we respect women who make the decision to not start a family enough? Moreover, what's the decision like to decide to not want anymore children once you've had som...
Mar 06, 2023•33 min•Ep. 40
Would you let your child wave in the air like they just don't care? Did you know that is part of a type of parenting style? Listen, Ashley and Felicia have been watching this parenting show that has them wondering all the things. Is there one "good" type of parenting style? Should we as parents only stick to one way? Have we been to strict with our kids? Listen in as the Mamas discuss not only their parenting styles, but how it has evolved as they had more children. Alright Mama's Den community ...
Feb 27, 2023•26 min•Ep. 39
A friendly conversation about Ashley's home makeover quickly turns into how does one go about protecting the home? More importantly would any of the ladies get a gun? It's a question that is heated, genuine, and touches on not only the necessity for some, but the real fears, and the situations that have had the ladies think twice about their opinions. This is a conversation that goes there, and we definitely want to hear from you all afterwards! Alright Mama's Den community what do you do to kee...
Feb 20, 2023•35 min•Ep. 38
Valentine's Day is tomorrow and the ladies of the Mamas Den are ready thanks to the help of one Felicia La Tour! Listen in to hear how the Mamas do Valentine's Day with their children, how it's evolved over time, love languages, expectations of their partners, and some last minute pick ups you can grab if you're trying to scramble to put something together for this micro holiday! Alright Mama's Den community what do you do with your little ones for Valentines Day? Let us know over at @themamasde...
Feb 13, 2023•29 min•Ep. 37
Welcome back to the Den Mamas! We know you've been waiting for us to come back and we're recharged and ready to get back to talking about all of the things. We didn't know a better way bring us back in than by answering some of your questions! What should one do when a co-parent ain't acting right? What's Black History month like in Canada? and a shout out to all the Aunties! (We love our Aunties here!) Alright Mama's Den community what have you missed the most? Let us know over at @themamasdenp...
Feb 06, 2023•39 min•Ep. 36
Mamas, Aunties, Ladies, and even the Fellas....we're NOT back! BUT we know that you've been feenin worse than Jodeci for NEW Mama's Den episodes so we wanted to drop a special episode to help get you through the weekend. In this very special episode, the Mamas share how these kids have been keeping them on their toes. What does it look like to keep going when everything seems to be going wrong? Plus, what makes every single one of the ladies cry mid episode? What moments have had you stuck betwe...
Feb 03, 2023•34 min
Tis the season for all the things: events, gifts🎁, holiday parties, colds (we miss you Melanie!), and trying to stay on top of everything that still needs to get done. Our Mamas recap Felicia's amazing Merry and Mindful event, and why we have a tendency to sell ourselves short even though we have no reason to do so. Plus, Felicia, Codie and Ashley share their current Christmas traditions. Apparently we're all missing out on Elf on the Shelf, 🎄fake trees are better than real trees🎄, and 3 gift...
Dec 12, 2022•37 min•Ep. 35
What was life like before motherhood? Do you remember it? Were you in the club living your best life? Chasing those career dreams? Sometimes it's easy to forget just what things were like before we had these children in our lives, and what we thought our lives would be. Today the Mamas are sharing just what their lives were like before motherhood. What were the career dreams? Did they always want to be moms? How did that first child change that life plan? Mamas! Aunties! Village! What was your l...
Dec 05, 2022•51 min•Ep. 34
The Mamas are just catching up this week and they're talking about everything . First with the holidays fast approaching gifts are on everyone's mind and everyone has very different opinions on what types of gifts they life to receive. Plus, at what age do women stop wearing underwear? Is there an age? Does it depend on the vagina? Also, it's cold season! What is everyone's favorite cold remedies? It's just a fun conversation between friends. So shake off the turkey hangover, stake out your cybe...
Nov 28, 2022•33 min•Ep. 33
It's Thanksgiving week! Felicia is out taking care of a sick little one but the rest of the Mamas are here with their Thanksgiving plans. What traditions do each of our Mamas look forward to the most? PLUS Travel tips! Look, we know that a lot of our Mama's Den village is wondering how to get in and around the airport this holiday season and we've got you covered! Melanie, Ashley and Codie are pros when it comes to traveling with these kids, and they know just what you need to make it through th...
Nov 21, 2022•38 min•Ep. 32
