Redefining Motherhood: How It All Started
Episode Summary In this episode, Maria and Esohe trace their friendship back to a chance elevator meeting as new moms in Jersey City, and open up about the very different paths their motherhood experiences took from there. Maria shares her story of undiagnosed, late-onset postpartum depression that went unspoken for years, even to her closest friend, while navigating early motherhood without family nearby. The conversation moves through the idea of matrescence, the overlap of postpartum struggles with perimenopause, and why community functions as therapy — not just a nice-to-have. It closes with the real origin story of Mama's Got Mojo: an idea sparked by Maria's husband in 2015, a 2018 UN conference that lit a fire under both hosts, a pivot to in-person events when the podcast wasn't yet possible, and finally, 8 years later, this launch. Key Quotes "Motherhood is everything, but it also changes everything. Your body, your brain, your sense of self, and nobody tells you that part." — Maria "It wasn't until almost two years in... that's when I realized I had completely lost myself." — Maria "We definitely need that community, the village. We need to bring all of that back." — Esohe About the Hosts Maria Collin Goodman Founder of Mama's Got Mojo. Maria's own experience with late-onset postpartum depression, diagnosed nearly four years after her son was born, and compounded by perimenopause - shaped her mission to build a space where mothers don't fall through the cracks the way she did. Esohe Alile Co-host of Mama's Got Mojo and a newborn and maternity photographer. A mom herself, she knows the overwhelm firsthand - and through years of hearing other moms' struggles and birth stories, she's seen up close why community matters. Her encouragement helped set Mama's Got Mojo in motion. Actionable Takeaways WHAT MOMS CAN DO • Say the hard thing out loud, even at the six-week checkup • Look for or build a “village” substitute if family isn’t nearby • Learn the word matrescence — naming the transition makes it easier to recognize WHAT PARTNERS CAN DO • Notice the gap between how someone looks in public and how they might feel at home • Actively create an outlet or project, rather than waiting to be asked • Ask more than “is the baby okay” — check in on the mom specifically SIGNS TO WATCH FOR • Late-onset postpartum depression — it doesn’t have to show up in the first weeks • Crying without a clear reason, irritability, sadness • Postpartum and perimenopause overlapping — especially for moms who had kids later KEY REMINDERS • Community isn’t a nice-to-have — research shows it functions as medicine • The guilt spiral is common, not personal failure • This episode closes a loop nearly ten years in the making Listen & Connect • Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube • Follow @mamasgotmojo for episode drops, guest news, and behind-the-scenes • Sign up for the newsletter at mamasgotmojo.com Your mojo? It never left. Let's find it together.
