Mom Wars

In this episode, Bethany is joined by writer and comedian Bridget Phetasy to talk about how becoming a late-in-life mother was transformative, and how our culture gets the narrative wrong on motherhood. Phetasy is the host of the podcasts Walkins Welcome and Dumpster Fire.

Bethany is joined this week by the Free Press's Kat Rosenfield to talk about the situation in young adult publishing and the polyamarous craze, and her column on Lindy West.

In this week's episode, Bethany sits down with Senior Political Correspondent at Jewish Insider, Lahav Harkov, talking about what it's like to be a mother in Israel amid yet another war. With her husband serving in the military reserves, Lahav is juggling parenting 3.75 children while also reporting on the war that's sending her to a bomb shelter in her home several times a day.

Bethany and Kara welcome in Ericka Andersen, author of the new book Freely Sober, how a former "Wine Mom" came to the realization that she needed a way out of a habitual and destructive relationship with alcohol.

Pediatrician Dr Ali Carine rejoins the show where we discuss and break down the new CDC vaccine schedule changes and the controversial updated food pyramid emphasizing meat and whole milk with reduced grains.The Moms and the Doctor are in.

Bethany is packing six kids for Greece and Israel, Kara has just imported sausage rolls via Belgium and sent her husband to Alaska on a whim, and somehow that all leads to… Grandma Jan and the daughters-in-law she tries to leave at home during her family vacay. The moms unpack the viral “grandma camp” reel, mother-in-law drama, and what it’s really like to be a boy mom watching your sons emotionally edge away.

In the latest episode of The Mom Wars, Bethany talks us through her weightloss journey with Zepbound, and the girls discuss the latest postpartum body discourse.

In this lively and intimate episode, Bethany Mandel and Kara Kennedy are joined by Arden Jamison, a woman she recently bonded with on a homeschooling apple-picking trip — the kind of instant connection that happens when you realize someone else also wrangles a throng of kids.The trio dives deep into faith, motherhood, and autonomy, exploring how religion shapes their choices around family and education. The conversation turns candid as they share personal experiences with home birthing, comparing the spiritual, practical, and political dimensions of bringing life into the world outside of institutions. Kara also gives a preview of her latest investigation into freebirthing groups, revealing a subculture that’s both radical and tenderly devoted to maternal sovereignty.

Second-generation homeschooling mom Caitlin Francis (@MrsCMFrancis on X) joins the program for a wide ranging discussion including what everybody is watching on television - with and without their husbands.

Melinda Strauss (@therealmelindastrauss) is a New York-based Jewish content creator and influencer with over 1.6 million followers on TikTok and Instagram. She is celebrated for her engaging and educational content, which explores Orthodox Judaism, kosher recipes, Jewish history, Antisemitism, and Zionism, while sharing insights into her everyday life. Through her blend of cultural practices and modern storytelling, Melinda provides followers with a fresh perspective on preserving tradition.Born and raised in Seattle, WA, Melinda has been blogging and sharing her love of cooking since 2011. Her debut cookbook Eat Jewish is set to release on September 2nd. Connect with Melinda on TikTok and Instagram @therealmelindastrauss or visit her website at melindastrauss.com.

This week Bethany and Kara are joined by Nicki Neily, the President of Defending Education. They discuss how the madness usually associated with higher ed has now filtered down in the world of K through 12 and what you can do about it.Neily is the President & Founder of Defending Education and Speech First, a national campus free speech organization, and has worked at the Independent Women’s Forum and the Cato Institute. She is the mother of two school age children. Follow her on X at @nickineily.

According to the CDC, almost 10% of American women of child bearing age are on SSRIs - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - a class of antidepressants that include such medications as Lexapro, Prozac and Zoloft. But are they safe to take during pregnancy?Tracy Beth Høeg, MD, PhD and Senior Advisor for Clinical Sciences in the Office of the FDA Commissioner, joins the show to talk about what the science says and what it doesn't say.Prior to joining the FDA in March of 2025, Dr. Høeg worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management and was a practicing Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physician specializing in interventional spine and sports medicine. She is a Danish American dual citizen and completed her MD at the Medical College of Wisconsin, PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology at the University of Copenhagen and Residency at University of California-Davis.