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This week's guest is LeShea Cochu, Animal Care Supervisor of Birds, Mammals, and Ambassadors at the Chattanooga Zoo. She is also freshly postpartum and had only been back to work for a few weeks at the time of this interview!

LeShea shares how early in her career working with elephants and giraffes, a workplace injury unexpectedly led her from large mammals to smaller ambassador species—a change that, while difficult, ultimately revealed her true passion for education and outreach.

Now, as a supervisor at the Chattanooga Zoo, she manages more than twenty staff members while navigating the challenges of leadership and the ever-changing rhythms of zoo life.

LeShea opens up about becoming a mom later in life, fertility struggles, and the realities of being postpartum while working in the zoo field. She shares insights on returning to work postpartum, setting boundaries, and finding purpose amid the chaos of raising two young boys and managing a dynamic zoo team.

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

Join me this week as I talk to Morgan Duffy, an Animal Hospital Keeper at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. As a hospital keeper, Morgan gets to see and take care of so many different species - from those entering into quarantine upon arrival at the zoo to those needing treatment due to injury or illness.

Morgan and I talk about how her job, working in the Animal Hospital, has impacted her motherhood journey. From finding out she was pregnant shortly after starting, to having to sit out certain procedures due to pregnancy, and now navigating having two small children with the emotional load of caring for animals and keepers alike, sometimes during very stressful or sad times. The life of a hospital keeper is never the same two days in a row!

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

My guest this week is Jess Sorrentino, a Development Associate (and cheetah enthusiast!) for the Cheetah Conservation Fund. Her current role primarily involves building partnerships with zoos; however, last year, she helped to organize the Global Cheetah Summit, and she occasionally balances travel with remote work. With a background in animal care as a zookeeper, she transitioned into conservation work by staying in touch with Cheetah Conservation Fund after an internship there, volunteering when possible, and seizing opportunities (like caring for confiscated cubs in Somaliland!).

Jess candidly discusses the challenges of being a working mom — from navigating pregnancy as a keeper, to balancing childcare, to managing emotions and the emotional load of parenting a spirited toddler.

Her advice to other moms in the field: don’t compare yourself to others, trust your gut when making career decisions, and prioritize the fleeting moments of childhood.

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

My guest this week is Carolyn Mikulskis, Assistant Curator at the Greensboro Science Center. Carolyn and I chat about a variety of topics, including how your priorities can change once you become a mother. One day you’re living that “zoo life”, throwing all your energy into your career and the next you have a baby at home and you’re questioning how you can possibly go back to work.

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

My guest this week is Caitlin Rodriguez, a doula who owns Blessed Mother Birth Services in the Dallas/Forth Worth area of Texas. When I first met Caitlin, I totally fangirled over her - why, you might ask? Well, Caitlin was not only a zookeeper but also a doula when I met her in 2017!! In my eyes, she was living my dream and had the best of both worlds; an awesome zookeeper job AND was helping mamas welcome their little ones into the world. I've mentioned before on the podcast that I've often thought about becoming a doula, and I was just so starstruck by the fact that Caitlin was a doula AND a zookeeper!! I poured my heart out to her over lunch one day at work and found her to be so supportive. We recently reconnected and I thought she would be the perfect guest to talk about this amazing profession!

If you've ever wondered what a doula is, what it's like to be a doula, or how to become one, then this episode is for you! Caitlin's story of how and why she became a doula is so selfless and amazing and definitely worth a listen. We also talk about how she juggled being at work as a zookeeper and still being available to attend her clients' births; something I was always so curious about!

Connect with Caitlin here: https://www.facebook.com/blessedmotherbirthservices

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

My guest this week, Amie Mercado, is a Senior Herpetology Care Specialist at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.

She offers a new perspective on being a pregnant animal care specialist. What do zoo guests think when they see a pregnant person doing "dangerous" things? In Amie's case, working with venomous snakes or feeding alligators. In this world of social media, does doing these roles while pregnant open you up to criticism?

Amie helped to organize a conference for iguana specialists last year. As a working mom, she spent a lot of time in and out of work organizing all the details. We talk a bit about how to balance professional opportunities when your children need you. You don't have to justify your decision for how and at what level you are involved, either!

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

This week, my guest, Kirsti Mahon, and I dive into her journey to become a mother. A journey that includes IVF, a hurricane, and the best outcome ever - a beautiful baby girl!

Kirsti candidly shares her journey, from the support she received at work, to how pregnancy affected her role as an Ambassador Animal Field Supervisor, to ultimately how she pivoted to a new role that allowed her to have a better work/life balance.

Kirsti's journey to motherhood is not the only thing we chat about. A year ago, Kirsti transitioned away from animal care to being the zoo's Animal Registrar. This was a game changer in her ability to leave work at the end of the day and helped her focus more on being present as a mom at the end of the day.

Have I mentioned how awesome it is to be a zoo registrar?!?! (seriously, best job ever).

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

My guest this week is Chelsie Bedingfield, an ungulate keeper at the Sacramento Zoo. Her and I really dive into what a zookeeper's daily roles and responsibilities are, and then what it is like to be a pregnant zookeeper doing those tasks. Chelsie talks about how she really had to learn to advocate for herself while pregnant. It wasn't that she didn't want to do certain tasks; it was that she physically couldn't, and she ultimately didn't want to compromise the health of her baby while working in the hot California summer. It can be hard to communicate that to your team, especially when they are not in the same season of life and might not understand.

We also talk about pumping at work and Chelsie shares her tricks of the trade - what pump she uses as well as what she uses to store her milk at work! Coming back to work as a pumping mom often means you have different priorities than when you left. Now you're responsible for making sure you can make enough milk to feed your baby! Sometimes this can leave you asking, "Where do I fit in now that I'm back?" Team dynamics change, animals change, coworkers have had successes in training, and as much as you want to walk back into your work life, you sometimes feel as if your priorities are now different than your coworkers.

Finally, I'd like to pose the question to listeners: Do working moms thrive better as moms when they get to use work as a way to "fill their cup"? Chelsie and I talk a bit about this and how the postpartum period can often leave you wanting or needing to return to work for the sake of your mental health.

Mothering Wildlife links:
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