It's Okay To Not Be Okay: Child Loss, Grief, and Vulnerability with Taylor Ortolani Artwork

The Sparkle Project

(Formerly Worthy Mother Podcast)

The Sparkle Project is a feminist podcast for moms who are done carrying the weight of motherhood alone and are ready to connect with who they truly are - their sparkle, if you will.

So many of us feel overwhelmed not because we’re failing, but because we’re mothering inside a patriarchal system that expects us to give endlessly, stay quiet, and lose ourselves in the process. This space challenges those outdated expectations and embraces a more empowered, more supported, more self-honoring version of motherhood.

Hosted by Emily Rose MacDonald, a divorced mom of two on her own journey to shine a little brighter, each episode explores the realities of modern motherhood through a feminist lens that values equity, autonomy, mental health, and the humanity of moms.

You’ll hear conversations about identity, mental health, self-care, healing, and the many ways we can reclaim ourselves in a world that often overlooks the needs of mothers.

If you’re a mom who believes we deserve more than survival, and that our culture has to evolve for moms to truly thrive, you’re in the right place.

Welcome to The Sparkle Project.

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The Sparkle Project

It's Okay To Not Be Okay: Child Loss, Grief, and Vulnerability with Taylor Ortolani

May 28, 2024 • Episode 99

There is so much connection and understanding that can come from sharing and listening to one another's motherhood experiences, and Taylor Ortolani's platform is an incredible example of that. For the past few years, Taylor has shared her life on Instagram, from a triplet pregnancy, the loss of two of her boys, raising a child with disabilities, and so much more. And this week, she is sharing her story with us and opening up about the power of vulnerabilty in her own healing journey.

In this episode, Taylor and I talk about:

The story of how Taylor became a mother
How she felt through the time in the NICU and losing two of her boys
What sharing her story on Instagram has done for her own healing
The experience of raising a child with multiple disabilities
A critique of how our culture emphasizes milestones and standardized expectations
Why Taylor lives by the motto, "try your best"

A little about our guest:
Taylor Ortolani, a 34 year old, Connecticut mom is an open book on social media. She shares about life and loss, grief, motherhood challenges and triumphs. Her son Ryan was born at 23 weeks and has multiple disabilities and delays, including visual impairment. Taylor tries her best to take life one day at a time and enjoys sharing the ups and downs of every day life while navigating infertility, IVF, a medically complex child, and maintaining her own identity through it all.

To connect with Taylor, follow her on Instagram @taylor.ortolani.

If you found this episode valuable, share it with other moms in your life. Follow along with The Worthy Mother Podcast on Instagram @emily.rose.hardy and @worthymotherpodcast, and don’t forget to subscribe wherever you listen!

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