Featured Post! 13,000 + Mamas Took The Quiz!

Let's Dish Series No. 1: Take Mama's Sex Quiz

As featured on

I'm Joanne Ilaqua.

a.k.a MamaSoup

I’ve spent about 20 years serving women as a nurse, doula and Lamaze educator. I also have 4 kids so I know first-hand how lonely and isolating it can be to be a mama. That’s why I created Mamasoup.

Most days you can find me working away in my home office (without a bra on), bopping out to Hip Hop (which I’m WAY to old to listen to, btw- but I just can’t quit it!) and searching my teenagers’ rooms for all the plates and bowls.

Featured Posts...

labour and delivery

Take Mama's Sex Quiz

As part of a new series, “Let’s Dish,” we’ll be sharing interactive quizzes related to a number of mom topics that will give you a bit of ‘virtual girl talk’ by revealing answers of other moms once you've completed the quiz yourself.

Read More
labour and delivery

5 Commonly Missed Signs of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Don't miss out on this incredible information on pelvic floor health from Jessica Dalliday of Pilates on Demand (POD), along with FREE video access, a printable to help fix the dysfunction and a fabulous deal to get you started on POD!

Read More
labour and delivery

5 Things First Time Moms Wished They'd Known Before Giving Birth

If you’re pregnant with your first baby, this information is for you, Mama! This post is full of information and helpful (& FREE!) printables to help prepare you for the incredible birth of your baby!

Read More
breastfeeding newborns

How to Succeed at Breastfeeding in the First 48 Hours

Breastfeeding is something every mom should have the best chance at - and the foundation of a great breastfeeding journey stars in the first 48 hours of baby's life. This post has incredibly detailed instructional printables that will help you succeed at breastfeeding!

Read More

All of Mama's Posts:

The Ultimate Postpartum Gifts for a New Mom: Holiday Edition

Check out our ultimate holiday gift guide for the postpartum mom on your list this year! These six gifts are practical and cost very little money.

Read More

How Cabbage Leaves Help Relieve Engorged Breasts from Breastfeeding or Weaning

Breast engorgement is caused by a build up of fluids like blood and breastmilk in the breast tissue after giving birth. Cabbage leaves are an effective and cheap way to manage breast engorgement from breastfeeding or weaning.

Read More

Study: Instagram is Bad for Postpartum Body Image

A new study on the effects of Instagram on postpartum body image suggests that social media is not accurately representing postpartum bodies and it's having a negative impact on moms' health and wellness.

Read More

Postpartum Hair Loss

Postpartum hair loss is common and it occurs about three months after birth and can last up to six months. It's important to note that it's a normal part of pregnancy and it won't last forever. Most people will enjoy a full head of hair again.

Read More

What to Expect the First 6 Weeks Postpartum

Nobody really tells a new mom what to expect in the first six weeks postpartum. Check out these 10 things women polled really want you to know about the postpartum period.

Read More

All About Postpartum Sex

Read More

How my Postpartum Client Overcame Exhaustion, Breastfeeding Difficulties and Loneliness by Working With Me!

It’s no secret that having a baby comes with a lot of sleepless nights. And most of the time, you’ve got to just buckle in and deal with them until your baby is old enough to sleep through.

But sometimes, there are strategies that you can implement to help you maximize your awake time to minimize your awake time, you get my drift?

Read More

Don't Have Your Baby Until You Do This

A recent study from Lansinoh came out and it found that:

While the majority of women felt prepared to care for their baby, 92% said there were parts of the postpartum period they were not prepared for. Nearly two-thirds or more were unprepared for breastfeeding, mental health concerns, lack of sleep, and physical recovery.

Read More

The 4 Biggest Mistakes I Made After Having Babies

Having a baby is such a momentous occasion in a person’s life. It’s so weird because it’s not just another day, even though the process is one hundred percent normal.

Read More

How to Choose the Right Postpartum Support

Sometimes, the best way to learn about something is to look to people who've already done it. The postpartum experience is no different!

Read More

5 Common Mistakes New Moms Make

I’ve supported enough women through this transition to know that it always comes with some hiccups. And as someone who’s had four kids, I know personally the postpartum struggle is REAL. I want you to have the best possible experience because this is the only time you’ll have to truly meet each other. 

Read More

The Postpartum Period Can Last for Years, Not Weeks

I always feel that the best way to shine light on a dark subject is to talk about it. Let's stop being ashamed that we may not be handling motherhood as well as society says we should. Let's talk about how tough it is to adjust to this new life and help other moms understand that they're not alone.

Read More

The 3 Stages of Postpartum Bleeding

It’s not that normal for us to chat with our friends about what to expect when you’re bleeding after you have your baby. Afterall, it’s not a sexy topic. In fact, feminine bleeding when it comes to menstruation and the postnatal period is a little bit taboo in many social circles. But here at MamaSoup, we bust through all of the barriers so YOU can have an informed birth experience.

Read More

3 Reasons to Hire a Virtual Postpartum Doula

Any doula worth their fee will tell you that the whole point of hiring a doula is to make sure you have the birth or postpartum support you need. It’s not up to us to decide what’s best for you, but it’s on us to help you figure it out and support the hell out of you.

Read More

Vaginal vs C-Section: How your Recovery is Different

The way you give birth affects the way you recover. And while the one thing having a baby does is unite us in the Mom Club, every person experiences their postpartum differently.

Read More

Postpartum Audio Series: Episode 2, 7 Signs that you Need Postpartum Help

A 5-minute audio that outlines seven signs that you need help after you have a baby and where to find it. This is a must-listen!

Read More

The Ultimate Guide to Your Postpartum Body

Hey, Girl? I know you’re a little surprised at how big your body has grown during this pregnancy. Did you ever think your stomach and boobs could  s t r e t c h  like that? And how about those cankles? I’m sure you’re wondering if all of this will ever go back to it’s original place.

Read More

Postpartum Audio Series : Episode 1, Making Post Birth Support a Priority

An 8-minute audio that outlines 8 reasons you need to plan your postpartum support. If you're pregnant right now, this is a must-listen!

Read More

Common Signs That you Need Help After Having a Baby

Show me someone with a brand new baby and I’ll show you someone who needs some kind of help. Whether they realize it or they literally can’t see it, there are some serious signs when it comes to postpartum overwhelm.

Read More

8 Reasons Pregnant Moms Should Make Postpartum Support a Priority

A lot of women create a birth plan, but did you know that a postpartum plan is just as important? The fourth trimester is the longest stage of birth and we can help guide you through it!

Read More

Online Quiz: Do you Have Postpartum Depression?

Over the years I've offered the test to women as a free download and it's been very popular! But I've taken it one step further: I put the entire test online so all you have to do is answer the ten questions and get your instant results.

Read More

Postpartum Depression: Symptoms, Causes and Prevention

You may have had an easy pregnancy or a hard one. Maybe you tried for years to have this baby and your pregnancy has been full of love, hope and gratitude. When you finally give birth, you’re among the 80 percent of new moms who will experience some type of postpartum mood disorder.

Read More

How to Tell if it's Postpartum Depression or Baby Blues

Maternal mental health isn’t exactly a sexy subject. Let’s be honest: society seems more interested in talking about the Kardashians and that hot mess of a turnip that runs the United States. But the truth is that the statistics for mental health disorders in pregnant and postpartum women are startling.

Read More

How Will You Know When to Call the Doctor? Information For Newborns and New Moms

Although there so are many reasons to call the doctor, these are the most common. Nobody expects you to know everything that’s going on with your postpartum body or your brand new baby, so don’t hesitate to call the doctor if you’re not sure.

Read More

All About Postpartum Fatigue and my #1 Tip to Avoid it

If you’re pregnant right now, there’s something you need to know about. I don’t care if this is your first baby or your fifth, there’s a syndrome that we don’t talk about enough and it’s called “Postpartum Fatigue (PPF)”.

Read More

5 Steps to Your Postpartum Plan: Don't Have a Baby Without One!

A lot of women hesitate to reach out before the baby is even born because they think they'll be able to "handle things" and there's a good chance that they will! But why? Why try to be a hero and become a sleepless zombie when you can rely on the kindness of friends, family and even paid support people?

Read More

5 Things You Didn't Expect After Having a Baby

Ahhhhh girl….this is the least talked about part of pregnancy. It’s messy, it’s painful and it’s emotional. This isn’t the stuff that we’re talking to our girlfriends about, and many of us don’t even talk to our mothers about it. You're definitely not going to scroll through Instagram and find this. But as a L&D nurse, a doula, a Lamaze educator and a mom who's given birth 4 times, I'm gonna give it to you straight.

Read More