New Mama Happy Hour

03/26/2026

Anyone interested in joining a study?
My name is John Leri, and I'm a researcher in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School. I'm reaching out because I thought you might be willing to help us connect with new and expecting mothers in the Austin community.



We're running a study on how exercise can improve important forms of learning during the postpartum period, and we're actively recruiting participants. I've attached a flyer that I'd be grateful if you could share with any clients or colleagues who might be interested. I've also included a newsletter with more background on the study and where things stand.



The basics:



• Who: Women who are pregnant or who have given birth within the last 12 months

• What: A Zoom interview followed by three in-person visits at the Health Discovery Building, Dell Medical School

• Compensation: $150–$300

• Sign up: https://redcap.link/newmomstudy



Here's a shareable blurb if that's easier to pass along:



Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School are seeking women who have given birth in the past 12 months to take part in a study. Participation involves an interview on Zoom followed by three in-person visits at the Health Discovery Building, and participants can earn $150–$300. Participants will be interviewed about their childbirth experience, play learning and memory games on a computer, and get to participate in guided exercise designed for the postpartum period. This will help us understand how exercise can be used to improve important forms of learning during the postpartum period. Learn more and sign up here: https://redcap.link/newmomstudy

Researchers at Dell Medical School are actively recruiting mothers to participate in a paid research study. There are two specific goals of the study. The first goal is to understand how childbearing impacts learning and memory. The second goal is to understand how different forms of exercise (such....

03/03/2026

Reminder-- We meet IN PERSON tomorrow March 4th 11am-12:30pm at the Mothers Milk Bank of Austin Community Room. No need to RSVP, just show up! Bring some water and snack for yourself, babies of all ages are always welcome. Great way to connect with other mamas and continue the support you need in this first year of postpartum! Email Shelley directly if you have questions! shelley.scotka@gmail.com

02/03/2026

Reminder we meet IN PERSON at the Mothers Milk Bank of Austin tomorrow- (first Wed of each month) Feb 4th from 11am-12:30pm in the Community Room. Babies welcome (not required) Bring a water bottle and a snack for yourself-- join us for friendship and support!!

11/18/2025

Exciting news! Starting in Jan 2026 we will be meeting at the Mothers Milk Bank in Austin! First Wednesday of each month 11am-12:30pm. Expectant mothers, new moms and babies welcome! 5925 Dillard Circle Austin, TX 78752

12/27/2024

Want to do something for your relationship this year?
Love Strong After Baby has a workshop coming up January 26th from 1-5pm. Learn how to communicate better, improve your friendship and connection with your partner, and reduce conflict in your relationship. Email LoveStrongAfterBaby@gmail.com for more info!

09/05/2024

This morning I listened to the latest episode of 10% Happier: A Buddhist Recipe for Handling Turmoil - Kaira Jewel Lingo.

Coincidentally, I was washing a HUGE pile of dishes as I listened. (My dishwasher is broken.) I say 'coincidentally' because the guest of the show and author of "We Were Made for These Times: 10 Lessons for Moving through Change, Loss, and Disruption" relayed a story about dish washing.

A zen student living in the buddhist community was washing dishes frantically so that he could return to the group lesson that he was missing out on. The teacher (Thich Nhat Hahn) asked him, "Why are you washing dishes?"

The student answered, "To get them clean."

The teacher responded, "No. You are washing dishes to wash dishes."

Productivity, rather than experience (aka LIFE) for it's own sake, so often automatically takes over my existence. I *allow* it to. But, what Lingo also offered in this podcast episode was the 5 daily Remembrances of Buddhism.

1. I am of a nature to grow old; I cannot avoid aging.

2. I am subject to illness and infirmity; I cannot avoid illness and infirmity.

3. I am of a nature to die; I cannot avoid death.

4. I will be parted from all that is dear and beloved to me.

5. I am the owner of my actions and heir to my actions.

At first perusal these seem like we could rename them the 5 Daily Buzzkills. But when I notice how really facing these truths effects me, I notice that I am at peace, and more focused on what's right in front of me. I washed those dishes like they were last dishes I would ever wash. I smelled the soap. I noticed the beauty of the bubbles. I truly appreciated that they were clean. And that I have dishes to eat from. Food to eat from them.

And it didn't take me any longer to wash them. I just did so with a quality of action that I am proud of. That I enjoyed.

I also am sure that I will enjoy that the dishwasher repairman is headed here later this afternoon!

As a Nurse Coach I have settled into coaching mothers. Usually single moms or working moms (though not necessarily), as well as pregnant women (because of my extensive perinatal nursing background and passion and ease of working in that realm).

If you have read this far and identify as someone who could use a little more of this LIFE in your life rather than the constant compulsion to be productive or value yourself for that productivity, then send me a message or give me a call.

I have space in my schedule next week for 2 free calls. One of them could be for you.

08/14/2024

Please share this with any friends you have who may not know me on FB, but who would benefit from this group!

The first iteration of my Harness coaching group has started and the energy within the group is A-MAZING! I mean, I knew it was gonna be good…but it’s even better than anticipated.

Here are some of the things the participants are bonding over, why they say they joined the group, and are already noticing shifts in:

🤷‍♀️ A sense of having “lost themselves”; not even knowing what they enjoy anymore
😵‍💫 Have very little boundaries - and wanting to change that
🤔 Successful - but don’t “feel” that way
⏳ The need to make space and time for themselves
📚 Interested in learning new things, growing, and improving
⛈ Feeling stuck
💆🏻‍♀️Their bodies are telling them that they need to spend more time on themselves
🥇 A need to acknowledge their own worthiness
💭 Need an opportunity to reflect
🌪 Find it difficult to “stay in the now”
🌍 Craving a more well-rounded life
🤤 Have had these goals for awhile but have always put them on the back burner
🌬 Notice their body is tensed up and they breathe shallowly throughout the day

The progress and support I’ve witnessed these women experience (in just the first two meetings!) is so beneficial that I’m eager to start another group in the fall!

There are 6 slots and I’ve already got interest from 3 women, so contact me soon to secure a spot.

It will run from the end of September - end of January which is perfect to help “stabilize” the experience of the holiday season and get the New Year off to a well-supported start.

Direct message me for more details or contact me at
512-739-6759!

And share this post!

07/28/2024

Any one who is perinatal right now (trying to conceive, pregnant, or postpartum) is invited to this Holistic approach to anxiety series that I am facilitating in August at Austin Yoga Lounge!

Series details and registration on our Punchpass website.

06/12/2024

"The world's on fire."
Because the other half don't think like us, don't believe like us. Scary stories incend wildly through open channels from all sides of all the lines straight to our brains and catch them on fire -
Making it true.
"There's nothing we can do."
Because the inferno is so huge, so wide-spread. The arsonists are out of our control. We externalize the world. We pretend the fire is raging outside of us.
"As within, so without."
Until we turn our attention inward and wake up to the fact that we are the fire, the embers of our brains' unrest continue to ignite the brains adjacent to our own - collectively burning this Whole Mother down.
"You have to put that fire out," says Betty the park ranger. Cracking us all up, because the 'fire' is a beautiful flickering light from a speaker that we are all dancing around. Betty's fire continues to rage because she lost the chance to shut the party down. But the flickering light illuminates our skin, and the music soothes our souls and moves our feet to the beat. Together. We dance together. We laugh at each other's weird with joy and belonging and respect. Our fires haven't died down as much as settled into our hearts.

~ Lauren Jones Hagen

04/25/2024

For those of you interested-- a local doula (now a newly certified midwife!) Ruth Bailey and her husband Kyle have started a non-profit called Ma Bailey Ministries. Basically they are offering short term housing to pregnant/postpartum families who need access to a hospital who live far away from medical facilities... think NICU families or those who have complicated pregnancies. www.mabaileys.org
The GRAND OPENING is this weekend-- Sunday 4/28 from 5:30-8:30pm. You can buy tickets (this is considered a tax deductible donation) here https://www.zeffy.com/.../3dbebe41-61fa-47f0-a5e2... whether you plan to come or not! Let's show some support for this amazing work she's doing!

Ma Bailey's provides short term housing for pregnancy and postpartum support and Women's Clinic

11/15/2023

Want to learn skills and techniques to help you better communicate with your partner? Want to learn how to fight less? Want to feel more connected?
Love Strong After Baby is a workshop designed for parents of kiddos under 5 years who want to learn the tricks to a happy and fulfilling relationship AFTER baby. Our in person hands on workshop is on Dec 3rd followed by two virtual sessions to continue to build your skills. Want to learn more? Email LoveStrongAfterBaby@gmail.com.

10/19/2023

Free event for expectant families!!