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The Mama's Den

Black Love Podcast Network

Welcome to The Mama's Den! This podcast features R&B singer Melanie Fiona, writer Ashley Chea, and Black Love founder Codie Elaine Oliver - 3 mamas with 9 kids between them - having honest conversations about life, love, and all the messy, magical moments of motherhood and sisterhood. Every week, they’re keeping it real with stories, laughs, lessons, and a little advice that hopefully helps you with your journey in raising kids. This is the show the Mamas wish they had before becoming moms. So whether you’re a mama, daddy, auntie, uncle, or part of the village - tap into The Mama’s Den. They got you!

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20 episodes
Avg 47 min
English

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June 1 · 27 min
Summer Crushes & College Dreams: A Mama Check-In from Disneyland
This week, the Mamas are recording from the Happiest Place on Earth! Right in the middle of the tour - while Melanie stayed on the east coast - Codie and Ashley are joined by their families at Disneyland Resort for a special summer check-in filled with laughter, reflections, and a little bit of Disney magic. From celebrating Asiyah's birthday and debating the best rides to swapping summer plans and parenting updates, this was the family time the Mamas needed. The Mamas also open up about the
May 25 · 1 hr 12 min
Mom’s Night Out: Chicago, Hormones & Holding On By a Thread
Over the last 7 days, The Mama’s Den did live shows in Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia ANNNNNDDD Ashley and Codie recorded at Disneyland! The Mamas are out here doing this most! The MOM'S NIGHT OUT tour ended this past Saturday but here is your glimpse into the live experience which is filled with the kind of honest, hilarious, healing conversations only the ladies of the Den can deliver. From Ashley hand-expressing breast milk in the club to the mamas juggling parenting schedules, colleg
May 18 · 47 min
Ashley’s Literal Day One: A Friendship That Has Lasted a Lifetime
The Mama's Den podcast is still on tour and guess who is with us!! Ashley’s literal day one, Nalo Wise, of course. This week in the Den, we are running back our conversation with Nalo after she held us down for the first ever Mama's Den live show. Born just days apart and best friends since infancy, Ashley and Nalo have grown up side by side through every stage of life. From childhood memories and teenage growing pains to marriage, motherhood, their bond has endured because of honesty, forgiv
May 11 · 48 min
The Parenting Conversation Most of Us Avoid
This is one of those conversations every parent needs to hear...so we had to RUN IT BACK. Certified sex educator, intimacy expert, and bestselling author Shan Boodram joins the Mamas for an honest, hilarious, and deeply informative conversation about how to talk to our children about their bodies, boundaries, consent, crushes, and sex—without fear or shame. From toddlers touching themselves to teenagers navigating their first relationships, Shan walks us through what healthy sexual development
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May 4 · 33 min
Mother’s Day Expectations vs. Reality (And Why We’re Choosing Ourselves)
Mother’s Day is coming… but what do moms actually want? In this episode, the Mamas get real about the gap between expectation and reality—from breakfast-in-bed moments that still come with responsibility, to the truth that sometimes the best gift is space, rest, and not being needed for a few hours. We talk about: Why “a day off” doesn’t always feel like a day off Navigating Mother’s Day with partners, kids… and your own mama The guilt (and necessity) of choosing yourself Teaching our kids t
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April 27 · 30 min
How We Pulled Off Our First Live Show (Even When It Felt Impossible) — Updated
Right after our very first live show, we sat down and told the truth about what it actually took to make it happen — the pressure, the fear, the behind-the-scenes chaos… and the moments we weren’t sure we could pull it off at all. We went back and tightened this episode because the message still hits. We went back and tightened this episode because the message still hits. It’s scary. It’s hard. And it’s exactly what moms do. The Mama’s Den is on tour starting one week from today, May 4th. Nas
April 20 · 48 min
What Midwives Actually Do (And Why It Changes Everything)
When our guest was born, her mom’s labor was candles, olive oil, and vibes… Unfortunately, we didn’t have the same experience. In this episode of The Mama’s Den, we’re getting real about childbirth — because between us, we’ve experienced a little bit of everything. The beautiful births. The “this is not what I planned” moments. The amazing providers… and the ones who had us like, wait, is this normal?! And if you’ve ever walked away from a birth experience feeling confused, dismissed, rushed, o
April 13 · 47 min
Doulas, Medi-Cal & Black Maternal Health: What You Need to Know
Black mamas deserve support — not just during birth, but before, during, and long after. It's Black Maternal Health Week and, in this powerful episode of The Mama’s Den, we’re joined by doula leaders Khefri Riley and Dr. Sayida Peprah-Wilson to talk about what it really means to be supported in your birth journey — emotionally, physically, and mentally. From breaking down what doulas actually do to unpacking the realities of giving birth on Medi-Cal, this conversation is both eye-opening and em
April 6 · 32 min
The Snapback (Part 2): It Was Mental Warfare
This conversation? It’s deeper than surgery. This week on The Mama’s Den, we’re talking about the mental warfare of body image—the quiet, constant battle so many women face in their own minds. Melanie and Codie open up about their decision to get tummy tucks—not from a place of vanity alone, but from a place of healing, functionality, identity, and finally choosing themselves. Because for some women, this isn’t just about how you look… It’s about how you live. From abdominal separation and p
March 30 · 47 min
The Truth About Doing It All: Country Star Mickey Guyton on Burnout, Motherhood & Redefining Success
In this episode of The Mama’s Den, the Mamas are joined by Mickey Guyton—Grammy-nominated country star, trailblazer, and one of the most powerful voices changing the face of country music. From her breakout anthem “Black Like Me” to becoming the first Black woman to host the Academy of Country Music Awards and delivering a stunning National Anthem performance at the Super Bowl, Mickey has built a career full of historic moments. But in this conversation, we are talking about burnout. She brings
March 23 · 45 min
Social Media vs Real Relationships: The Truth No One Shows
This week in The Mama’s Den, we’re getting honest about relationships—and why social media often gets it wrong. From judging couples online to loving a version of someone instead of their full self, the Mamas unpack the real, nuanced reasons relationships work… and why they don’t. Because not everything you see online tells the full story—and sometimes, neither does love alone. If you’ve ever looked up and thought, “Wait… who have you become?”—this one is for you. The Mamas are building our
March 16 · 45 min
Tabitha Brown in the Mama's Den - RUNNING IT BACK
The last year or so have been hard for a lot of us - SO if you’ve ever felt like you were stuck in the hard part of your story, we are running it back to when Tabitha Brown dropped into The Mama's Den to remind us all—it’s okay to put yourself first! Tab's journey is a masterclass in faith, being present, and trusting that your moment is coming—even when it feels impossible. Tab got real about the tough seasons in her marriage and how she and Chance got through them. She also shares how losing
March 9 · 58 min
How That Chick Angel is Raising Four Respectful Boys
Some moms just get it… and Angel Laketa Moore (aka That Chick Angel aka the One Margarita Lady) is one of them. In this episode, the comedian, actress, podcaster, and mama of four boys - including a set of twins - pulls up to the Den and gives us the real on raising kind young men, balancing a full career with motherhood, and why parenting with intention matters. From the story of how she literally trained her son for his first homecoming date (PowerPoint included) to the sweet way she sings t
March 2 · 53 min
The Love Comes Back with Donna Jordan
There are mothers… and then there are matriarchs. This week in the Den, we sit down with Donna Jordan — lifelong visual artist, educator, proud grandmother, mother of three — and yes, the mother of Michael B. Jordan. But this conversation? It’s about her. Donna shares what it really looked like to raise three creative children while nurturing her own artistry — creating art between caregiving and callbacks working in hand-painted silk and design to help support her family, and making sure her
February 23 · 1 hr 1 min
Protecting My Peace (And My Babies) with Apryl Jones
This week in The Mama’s Den, we’re kicking it with Apryl Jones — single mama of two, entrepreneur, creative, and yes… someone many people think they know from reality TV, but trust us, there’s so much more to her story. Apryl gets real about doing the work to release old relationship hurt and issues with her father so she can show up lighter, freer, and fully present for herself and her kids. We talk motherhood hustle, protecting your peace, dating as a single mom, what still scares her, and wh
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February 16 · 38 min
Faith Over Fear: Choosing Motherhood Solo with Kellee Stewart
This week in The Mama’s Den, actress, storyteller, and new mama Kellee Stewart joins us for a deeply honest conversation about faith, timing, motherhood, and trusting your own path. After a seven-year relationship ended in her 30s, Kellee made the powerful decision to freeze her eggs — a choice that would shape her future in ways she never expected. Thirteen years later, through what she describes as a divine nudge delivered through her mother, she embraced motherhood on her own terms - at 50 y
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February 9 · 55 min
Wait — Is This Perimenopause?! Real Talk With Dr. Jessica Shepherd
Hot flashes, hormones, mood swings… oh my. 😅 This week in the Mama’s Den, OB-GYN, menopause expert, and Generation M author Dr. Jessica Shepherd joins us for a honest, funny, and super informative convo about perimenopause, menopause, and everything in between. If you’ve ever wondered what’s happening to your body (or what’s coming next), this episode is packed with clarity, reassurance, and practical gems. Honestly? Required listening for every woman — and the people who love us. Keep up wi
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February 2 · 37 min
GOAT Talk: Main Character Mama Moments
This week on The Mama’s Den, we’re coming together in our LA studio in the best way — with a conversation inspired by the upcoming animated film GOAT, a story all about dreaming big, overcoming expectations, and discovering the greatness already inside you. Using themes from the movie, the Mamas ask each other powerful questions about legacy, pressure, confidence, setbacks, and what it really means to keep going — not just for our kids, but for ourselves. And because we hadn’t been in the same
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January 26 · 1 hr 6 min
Hoops, Heart, and God's Timing with Simone I. Smith
This week on The Mama’s Den, we’re joined by the radiant Simone I. Smith — jewelry designer, mother of four, grandmother of four, devoted wife to LL Cool J, and a true embodiment of sisterhood. Simone is the definition of a girl’s girl: a woman whose brand and spirit are rooted in community, friendship, and showing up for other women. From her signature hoop designs under Simone I. Smith Jewelry to the wisdom she carries as a cancer survivor, Simone’s story is one of resilience, grace, and deep
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January 19 · 54 min
Choosing Love & Laughter with Katryce Pedro
On this episode of The Mama’s Den, we’re joined by Katryce Pedro aka The Funny Momma, who proves that you can tell the truth about hard seasons and laugh your way through them. With humor, honesty, and zero fluff, Katryce opens up about being a mom of two by two different fathers, what she learned from two failed marriages, and why she’s still choosing love as she steps into 2026 engaged and embracing a well-deserved soft life. She also shares the very real—but often heavy—experience of parenti

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