The Unplanned Podcast with Matt & Abby

Today's episode is sponsored by Shopify, Pocket Pivot, Little Spoon, and Upwork.

Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://shopify.com/unplanned

Pocket Pivot: Text UNPLANNED to 64000 to get a free pocket pivot and 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of any size Copper Head hose; message and data rates may apply, see terms for details.

Little Spoon: Go to https://littlespoon.com/unplanned30 and enter code UNPLANNED30 for 30% off your first order of real, nutritionally balanced meals and snacks for kids at every stage.

Upwork: Visit https://upwork.com to post your job for free and connect with top talent ready to help your business grow.

In this episode Matt and Abby get honest about what this rainbow baby pregnancy has actually felt like: the joy, the grief, and the complicated space where both live at the same time. They open up about the fear leading up to that 17-week appointment and what it has meant to finally let themselves feel hopeful again.

Follow The Unplanned Podcast:
https://www.instagram.com/unplanned__podcast/
https://www.tiktok.com/@unplanned_podcast

Listen to the pod on Spotify/ Apple Podcasts:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1ToDA4ufQuWuEgMq07zN6t
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unplanned-podcast/id1669604504

Follow Matt & Abby:
Abby's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/abbyelizabethoward/
Matt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/_matt_howard_/
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@matt_and_abby
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mattandabb
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@MattandAbbyHoward

#unplannedpodcast #mattandabby

Chapters:

00:47 - Why we waited to share
05:15 - Finding out we're pregnant
15:28 - Bleeding scare and coping
22:50 - Ad Break
26:31 - Finding out the gender
29:07 - Telling our family
38:36 - Reaching the 17 week mark
45:35 - Gender reveal party
49:11 - Ad Break
52:02 - Pelvic Rest
59:52 - Telling our boys
01:02:09 - Feeling the baby kick
01:09:21 - Talking about baby #4
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Matt and Abby open up about what it feels like to raise boys in a moment where conversations around masculinity feel louder and more polarized than ever. They unpack the difference between healthy and unhealthy masculinity, how criticism aimed at grown men can be internalized by young boys, and the role social media plays in amplifying extremes.

They also share their biggest hopes as parents — raising sons with strength, humility, emotional awareness, and a sense of purpose in a rapidly changing world.
This episode is sponsored by Zoc Doc, Better Help, Kindred Bravely, Olipop, and Flamingo.
Zoc Doc: Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/UNPLANNED to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.
Better Help:Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp/unplannedpodcast
Kindred Bravely: Get 20% off your first order at https://KindredBravely.com/UNPLANNED with promo code UNPLANNED. Exclusions apply.
OLIPOP: Get a free can of OLIPOP when you buy any 2 cans in store—just visit https://drinkolipop.com/unplanned
Flamingo: Our listeners get the Flamingo Starter Set for just $7 at https://www.shopflamingo.com/unplanned

Chapters:

00:00 - Modern Masculinity

01:53 - Living in a man hating culture viral clip

08:05 - How did we get here

10:08 - Redefining masculinity

17:36 - Not all men

18:42 - Raising good men

25:50 - Teaching our boys emotional regulation

29:46 - Boys vs. Girls

38:41 - Consequences

41:06 - Service in healthy masculinity

45:10 - Why young men are afraid of emotions

50:44 - Pay disparity in the home

01:00:17 - Normalizing therapy

01:03:47 - Social Media and the gender wars
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George and Whitney Kamel join Matt & Abby for an honest conversation about money, marriage, and what financial freedom actually looks like behind the scenes. Known from The Ramsey Show and Smart Money Happy Hour, George shares how he and Whitney followed the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps to pay off all their debt, eliminate their $165,000 mortgage in just 26 months, and reach millionaire status by age 32.

They talk cutting up credit cards, renting vs. buying, why so many Americans feel stuck financially, and the real sacrifices required to become debt-free. We also answer listener questions about budgeting on one income, saving while paying off debt, and buying your first home, before putting George and Whitney to the test in a fun round of Agree to Disagree: Financial Edition.

This episode is sponsored by Upwork, Little Spoon, Square, and Olipop.
UPWORK: Visit https://Upwork.com right now and post your job for free.
LITTLE SPOON: Give them meals + snacks that are actually right for where kids are developmentally—balanced, intentional and made to support real growth. Go to https://littlespoon.com/UNPLANNED30 and enter
code UNPLANNED30 for 30% off your first order.
SQUARE: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/unplanned! #squarepod

Chapters:
00:00 - George Kamel
02:17 - How we met
06:13 - Working for Dave Ramsey
07:42 - We got our wedding paid for
11:15 - Ramsey Solutions Baby Steps
22:08 - Getting out of debt
36:07 - Buying a house w/out a credit score
39:16 - Credit Cards
45:54 - Talking to our kids about finances
50:00 - How frugal are you really?
58:38 - Viewer questions
1:12:48 - Agree to Disagree
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As they approach the due date of the daughter they lost last September, Matt and Abby open up about how this season has truly felt, how they’re coping with grief in everyday life, and what healing looks like while life keeps moving forward.

If you or someone you know has experienced pregnancy loss and needs support, these are the resources we mentioned in the episode:
The Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Centre: https://PILSC.org
Postpartum Support International: https://postpartum.net

This episode is sponsored by Huel and Square.

Huel: Limited Time Offer – Get Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code UNPLANNED15 at https://huel.com/unplanned15 New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show!

Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/unplanned! #squarepod

Chapters:
00:00 - Matt & Abby
02:16 - Life Update
18:09 - Wuthering Heights
29:12 - Our daughter's due date
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Matt’s parents are BACK and we made a questionable decision: play 'Never Have I Ever' together. We cover sexting, stalking an ex, reading each other’s private diaries, parenting fails, marriage boundaries, and the generational differences we did NOT see coming.

This episode is sponsored by Little Spoon, UpWork, Olipop, Zocdoc & Nutrafol.
Little Spoon: Give them meals + snacks that are actually right for where kids are developmentally—balanced, intentional and made to support real growth. Go to littlespoon.com/UNPLANNED30 and enter code UNPLANNED30 for 30% off your first order.
UpWork: Visit https://Upwork.com right now and post your job for free
Olipop: Buy any 2 cans of Olipop in store, and we'll pay you back for one Works on any flavor, any retailer https://drinkolipop.com/UNPLANNED
Zocdoc: Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/UNPLANNED to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.
Nutrafol: For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you visit https://Nutrafol.com and enter promo code UNPLANNEDPOD
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