In a world where the village it proverbially takes to raise a child has gone increasingly digital, Caitlin Houston wanted to create a space to talk about motherhood honestly. So did Megan Schinella, Charlotte Smith, and Kallie Branciforte—in fact, all four Connecticut-based motherhood content creators had been doing so on their own platforms for years. But Caitlin knew all three women independently, and was the one who suggested they link up for their new podcast Just 4 Moms. “We are all moms, but we all have different niches,” Caitlin tells Westport Lifestyle. “I felt like we would all bring something different to the table, and come up with interesting conversations.”
Since officially launching in January, the foursome have covered topics ranging from family schedules to balancing time among their kids to the challenges of making friends as an adult, bringing their perspectives as moms of kids ranging in age from babies to teenagers. Each of the women takes a turn as the episode’s “main” host, spearheading an authentic conversation that—to the listener— feels like getting coffee with your girlfriends. “It's kind of fun that way, because topics that maybe I wanna talk about might not be one that, for example, Charlotte would've picked,” says Kallie. They choose episode topics via a very active group text— Megan says it starts popping off around 4:30 a.m. every day!– with the goal of talking about relatable, honest experiences of motherhood. “When I’m listening to a conversation and there are those moments where I go ‘oh my God, me too’– those are the moments I’ve felt most excited about,” says Charlotte. “It’s not usually the deep, profound moments— though sometimes it is!— but when someone is like ‘have you ever gone to the pediatrician wearing two different shoes?’ That’s when I think ‘I am glad I am not the only one moving through the world this way.’” They’re the kinds of conversations you didn’t realize you needed to hear. “I’ve learned so much from these women,” says Megan.
With their large social followings (across their individual accounts, they have a combined follower count of more than a million), they also have easy access to tons of real-time feedback about the show. “I was kind of worried," admits Kallie. "[I wondered] do people need another podcast? But I have been so surprised by how many people message me about it. And it's not just that people are listening to it, but it's resonating with them. I think it's a chance for people to see us in a different way, and relate to us as moms.”
New episodes release weekly, on Wednesdays. “These three people have become such an important part of my life,” says Caitlin. “[The podcast] is this creative outlet where I get to think about life in a different way, and present that to someone else to show them that they’re not alone. I feel less alone. I love this community that we’ve built.”
Listen to Just4Moms wherever you get your podcasts, or go to just4momspodcast.com to learn more.
"It's not just that people are listening to it, but it's resonating with them," says Kallie.