The Unplanned Podcast with Matt & Abby

This episode is sponsored by Hiya Health, Factor Meals, Ladder, & ASPCA Pet Insurance.

Hiya Health: Get 50% off your first order of Hiya's clean kids vitamins and new Kids Daily Growth + Protein at https://hiyahealth.com/UNPLANNED—this deal is not available on their regular website.

Factor Meals: Head to https://factormeals.com/unplanned50off and use code UNPLANNED50OFF to get 50% off and free daily greens per box with new subscription only, while supplies last until 09/27/2026.
Ladder: If you have an iPhone, go to https://ladder.fit/UNPLANNED to take a quick quiz and get a free 7-day trial with no credit card required, plus $10 off your first month if you join.

ASPCA Pet Insurance: To explore coverage, visit https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/UNPLANNED

Today on Unplanned, we’re sharing a huge update on our birth plan. Abby opens up about becoming a VBAC candidate, navigating the risks and emotions that come with it, and why reaching the third trimester feels especially meaningful after our loss. We also talk pregnancy hormones, strange sympathy symptoms, birth prep, AI robots (for some reason), and why we’re trading a babymoon for a “nesting moon.” Plus, Matt and Abby take an ultimate pregnancy quiz.

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/@MattandAbby

Chapters:
01:35 - Travel Diaries
10:33 - 3rd Trimester Struggles
22:28 - Nesting
25:59 - Ultimate Pregnancy Quiz
46:13 - Change in birth plan
01:00:54 - Hypno Birthing
01:04:32 - Pregnancy symptoms
01:08:26 - Sympathy Symptoms
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This episode is sponsored by: Unreal Snacks, Square, Good Wipes, and Cash App

Unreal Snacks: Visit https://unrealsnacks.com/unplanned o get $4 off a bag of Unreal—terms and conditions apply.
Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/unplanned ! #squarepod
Good Wipes: Head to https://goodwipes.com/UNPLANNED to learn how to snag a free pack of goodwipes!
Cash App: Download Cash App at https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/kssum24w and use code FAMILY10 at signup to earn $10 when you send $5 to a friend within 14 days. Terms apply.

Today on Unplanned, we sit down with Matthew and Paul — an interabled married couple loved by millions for their honest conversations around disability, identity, and life online. Paul opens up about being diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease that will eventually leave him completely blind, while Matthew shares his experience growing up in a strict religious cult and the journey that led him to finally leave.

We also talk about internet trolls, misconceptions about blindness, their dream of becoming parents, retiring a guide dog, and how they’ve built a life centered around creativity, advocacy, and finding joy in the face of adversity.

Matthew & Paul's IG: @matthewandpaul
Paul's Children's Books IG: @paulcastlestudio
Find Paul's books here: https://paulcastlestudio.com/
Find Matthew's music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/31WEJvJ77B3sv45clvu889/discography/all

Guide dog resource mentioned in this episode: https://www.guidedogs.com/

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/@MattandAbby

Chapters:
01:02 - Traveling with a guide dog
07:15 - Retinitis Pigmentosa
11:15 - How we met
15:09 - Breaking up
17:35 - Growing up in the IBLP
30:00 - Escaping the IBLP
33:30 - Dealing with the internet trolls
42:40 - Family planning
46:00 - Coping with grief
53:00 - Getting married
01:00:00 - Retiring our service dog
01:11:30 - Running a marathon as a blind person
01:13:00 - Applying for a new guide dog
01:20:00 - When my guide dog saved my life
01:30:00 - Authoring children's books
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Today's episode is sponsored by Kiwi Co, ASPCA Pet Insurance, Rocket Money, and Zoc Doc.

Kiwi Co: Build the best summer ever with KiwiCo—get $10 off your Summer Adventure Series at https://kiwico.com/SUMMER with promo code UNPLANNED.

ASPCA Pet Insurance: Explore coverage at https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/UNPLANNED.

Rocket Money: Let Rocket Money help you find and cancel unwanted subscriptions, monitor your spending, and lower your bills—join at https://RocketMoney.com/UNPLANNEDZoc Doc: Stop putting off those doctor appointments—go to https://zocdoc.com/UNPLANNED to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.

Today on Unplanned, we sit down with everyone’s favorite Love Is Blind redemption story — Zack Goytowski and Bliss Poureetezadi. They open up about second chances, getting married in secret, life after reality TV, growing their family, and what really happened after the pods. We also talk postpartum depression, internet backlash, Zack’s difficult childhood, and how all of it shaped the marriage and family they’re building today.

Bliss' IG: @blisspoureetezadi

Zack's IG: @zackgoytowski

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/@MattandAbby

Chapters:

01:00 - Love is Blind casting process + How we met

10:00 - Singing in the pods

15:23 - Redemption arc

22:26 - Ad break

24:50 - Love is Blind Divorces

30:13 - Childhood trauma

39:56 - Ad Break

44:49 - First birth story

48:47 - Postpartum Depression

52:41 - Having a boy!

55:39 - Ad Break

01:00:07 - Authenticity online

01:08:43 - Questions from audience

01:11:44 - Ad Break
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This episode is sponsored by Better Help, Ladder, Wayfair, & Kindred Bravely

Better Help: Find support and get 10% off therapy at https://betterhelp.com/UNPLANNEDPODCAST . #ad

Ladder: If you have an iPhone, go to https://ladder.fit/UNPLANNED to take a quick quiz and get a free 7-day trial with no credit card required, plus $10 off your first month if you join.

Wayfair: Get prepped for patio season for way less at https://wayfair.com

Kindred Bravely: Get 20% off your first order at https://KindredBravely.com/UNPLANNED

On this episode of Unplanned, Matt & Abby sit down with Abby’s mom, Lori, for one of their most honest family conversations yet. They finally unpack why the family was so against them getting married young, why the move to Hawaii caused so much tension, what Abby was really like growing up, and the parenting debates they still disagree on today.

Check out Lori's Travel Book! : https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Travel-Hawaii-Guide-Kids/dp/B0GX7BFTGJ/

Follow her insta: @whatasmartcookiepublishing

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/@MattandAbby

Chapters:

02:10 - Dad's camera phobia

03:45 - Abby's childhood

10:45 - Matt and Abby meet cute

13:13 - Ad Break

16:37 - Mom is an author!

22:50 - Getting married in college

29:09 - Ad Break

32:54 - Asking for Abby's hand in marriage

38:35 - Social Media career

40:42 - Moving to Hawaii

48:57 - Being a teacher and a mom

50:13 - Ad Break

01:06:30 - Living in Arizona

01:08:16 - Questions from our audience

1:15:40 - Ad break

#unplannedpodcast #mattandabby
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This episode is sponsored by Goodwipes, Hiya Health, Shopify, and Tumble Living.

Goodwipes: Grab the new Peaches & Cream or any other goodwipes item at Walmart or Walmart.com, buy any two packs, text your receipt, and get reimbursed for one of them—details at https://goodwipes.com/UNPLANNED.

Hiya Health: Receive 50% off your first order of Hiya's best selling children's vitamin at https://hiyahealth.com/UNPLANNED . This deal is not available on their regular website.
Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://shopify.com/unplanned
Tumble Living Inc: Get 10% off plus free shipping on machine washable rugs at https://tumbleliving.com/UNPLANNED #Tumble #ad

This week on Unplanned, we sit down with Madison and Kyler Fisher from the Fish Fam to talk about joining The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, the pressure of raising 5 kids online, and what scares them most about entering the reality TV world.

Madison's IG: @madisonbontempo
Kyler's IG: @kylerstevenfisher

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/@MattandAbby

Chapters:
01:28 - Secret Lives of Mormon Wives OC
06:09 - LDS
14:36 - Baby blessings
20:20 - ad break
21:31 - filming a reality tv show in your home
26:21 - swinging scandal
32:32 - How does your family feel?
34:44 - $$
37:20 - ad break
38:49 - Raising 5 kids
43:57 - Living in Utah
46:44 - Finding purpose
55:20 - ad break
01:01:16 - Who's more likely
01:09:50 - ad break

#unplannedpodcast #mattandabby
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