Embracing the Trials of Motherhood
How did a mother of a preemie parent build resilience and purpose? In this episode, Andrea Hecht connects with Jodi Klaristenfeld, the founder of FLRRiSH, which supports preemie parents from hospital to home. They explore the unpredictable nature of motherhood, discussing both its difficulties and triumphs.
The critical birth of Jodi’s daughter, born prematurely due to a rare and severe condition combining preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome, became a transformative life event. This led Jodi into an intensive learning phase on medical challenges and motherhood.
The episode explores the emotional toll of Jodi’s experience with her daughter’s time in the NICU, addressing feelings of isolation and guilt. Emphasizing the importance of support networks, Jodi discusses how she established FLRRiSH to aid other mothers facing similar trials.
Andrea and Jodi discuss how societal norms and personal pressures influence motherhood, advocating for acceptance of life’s unpredictability and the importance of community and self-care in navigating parenting challenges.
Quotes
“Since I’ve become a mother, I’ve always been all about helping other mothers.” (02:03 | Jodi Klaristenfeld)
“The mission of the podcast and why I started is to form a community of other mothers supporting each other and to be able to share our journeys openly and honestly. I think, sometimes, maybe with our best friends—even though they are our best friends—we might be afraid to openly share because of fear of judgment or whatever it is, but this is supposed to be an open, honest community, and that we can seek support and comfort from other people’s journeys.” (02:31 | Andrea Hecht)
“I started a company called FLRRiSH, and it's all about growing, empowerment, learning, and support, because I do believe our life’s work is learning, growing, and flourishing every single day.” (21:26 | Jodi Klaristenfeld)
“If your child is in the NICU, self-care is the last thing that you can think of doing. But the truth is, you can’t be there all day, every day. It’s not healthy for the child, it’s not healthy for you… Because when you’re in the NICU, you’re in this constant fight or flight mode. You have no idea what’s going on, you don’t feel like yourself. So I tell parents: do something that makes you feel like you. The doctors and nurses are watching your child. You need to take that time away so that you can fill your cup.” (32:50 | Jodi Klaristenfeld)
“It takes a village to raise a family and we need to be able to show up the best that we can for ourselves first, and then be able to project that positive energy to our family.” (47:56 | Andrea Hecht)
Links
Connect with Jodi Klaristenfeld:
FLRRiSH, Inc; https://www.flrrish.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/flrrish
FB: https://www.facebook.com/flrrish/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/79013380/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flrrish
Connect with your host, Andrea Hecht:
Work with Andrea one-on-one to unlock your true potential and lead a fulfilling life. Gain clarity, build confidence, and discover personal insights that will empower you to pursue your authentic ambitions and improve your well-being.
Fill out the form here to set up a FREE 30-minute consultation, and visit https://www.fullyinformedlife.com to learn more.
Connect with Andrea on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fullyinformedlifecoaching.
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