Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Mathews.
Hi Ashley, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My husband and I welcomed our first child, a sweet boy we named Caleb, with so much joy and anticipation. But when Caleb was just 14 months old, something began to feel off.
He was lethargic. Constantly thirsty—like, crazy thirsty—downing bottle after bottle of water. Deep down in my gut, I knew something wasn’t right. I voiced my concerns to my husband and asked a few friends if this was something to worry about. Everyone reassured me it was probably nothing.
But I couldn’t shake the feeling.
There was a deep urgency inside of me, even though at the time I didn’t fully understand why. I just knew time mattered.
I began researching his symptoms, and everything kept pointing back to one thing: Type 1 diabetes—an autoimmune disease. I immediately demanded that we be seen by our pediatrician and refused to take no for an answer.
Within hours, that gut feeling—and what I now know was God’s prompting—was confirmed. Caleb was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. His blood sugar levels were nearly ten times higher than normal. Time truly was of the essence.
He became increasingly sick and was admitted to the hospital. After a week, we were sent home with the unimaginable task of becoming his pancreas.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas no longer produces insulin—a hormone essential for breaking down sugar in the blood. It is life-threatening and must be managed 24/7. Insulin must be given carefully, every day, through injections or a pump, simply to survive.
I was completely devastated. Shocked. Heartbroken.
And yet, I was also deeply grateful. Grateful that our son was alive. Grateful that I listened to my gut. Grateful that God gave my husband and me the grace to face this together.
Before Caleb’s diagnosis, I had a coaching business where I supported moms walking through various health challenges. I understood the basics—lowering toxic burden, increasing nutrient density, supporting the body instead of just managing symptoms. I also knew that our previous home had black mold, and that Caleb had a genetic predisposition that made detoxing mold especially difficult for him.
Armed with what I knew—and with a fire in me like I had never felt before—I set out to do everything I could to support my son.
I began to look at his body like a complex puzzle. With every discovery, every small win, every piece of information, another puzzle piece clicked into place. I also had another mama come alongside me, whose own child had Type 1 diabetes and who understood this journey in a deeply personal way. While I am deeply grateful for every doctor and specialist we encountered, this journey opened my eyes to something powerful:
A mother’s voice matters.
Her intuition, her lived experience, her love for her child—there is nothing stronger. There is no length a mother won’t go to in order to help her child heal and thrive.
As we began making changes to Caleb’s diet and lifestyle—removing toxins, supporting his gut, nourishing his body—we started to see real, tangible changes. His immune system grew stronger. He had more energy. He slept better. His inflammation decreased. His A1C improved.
At first, I thought this journey was only about helping Caleb.
But the more I researched the growing epidemic of autoimmune disorders in children, the more I realized how desperately parents needed support, education, and hope. What I was learning—and the changes I was witnessing—weren’t just for my son. They were for other mamas too.
That’s when this shifted from survival to mission.
I began creating simple, approachable resources for overwhelmed moms—gentle starting points, simple swaps, and nourishing recipes that didn’t take hours or add more pressure.
Still, I knew there was more.
This was never meant to be about me or my voice alone. It was meant to be a movement—a collective of moms walking together, encouraging one another, and reclaiming health and wholeness for their families.
Then came 2024.
My husband and I welcomed our daughter, Norah Joy, into the world. With that season came a deeper desire to be a present mama, along with the decision to homeschool Caleb. I began prayerfully considering bringing on a business partner—another mama with a strong voice, deep conviction, and lived experience in the very things I was teaching.
In 2025, Rachel joined me.
Rachel had walked alongside me in previous seasons, coaching women together. She is a passionate, knowledgeable mama in the holistic health space, an incredible mother, and someone who truly lives out what she teaches—especially through nourishing, from-scratch meals for her family.
With this new season came the call to birth something new together.
That’s how The Gut of a Mother was born.
Our mission is simple: to support gut health—where much of the immune system lives—and to help moms learn to trust their God-given intuition as they discern what’s best for their family’s health.
We believe a mother is a powerful steward of her home. You don’t need a medical degree to care for your family well—healing doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming.
At The Gut of a Mother, we don’t position ourselves as experts, but as guides—mamas walking alongside you. Our heart is to help you trust yourself, trust how God speaks to you, and confidently steward the health of your family—spirit, mind, and body.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
What challenges have you faced along the way?
The challenges have been far greater than I ever could have imagined. But I’ve learned that within hardship lies an invitation—one to grow, to be strengthened, and to search for deeper answers. It was through the hardest seasons that I was pushed to learn, to advocate, and ultimately to discover ways I could help not only my own son, but other families as well.
There were challenges from the very beginning: navigating a life-altering diagnosis, believing I could step into the role of daily caregiver for my son, and learning to manage a disease that never takes a break. There were challenges when others—including doctors—didn’t understand or support the choices we were making because we were often choosing a harder, more intentional path. In many ways, it felt like choosing “the road less traveled.” As Robert Frost wrote, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
I had to confront fear, uncertainty, and self-doubt, especially when it came to trusting my instincts and believing that what I was learning as a mother mattered—even without formal credentials.
There were also personal challenges I never expected: learning to speak publicly, to teach and share what I was discovering, and to step onto platforms that once terrified me. Each step required courage I didn’t know I had.
In the early days of Caleb’s diagnosis, life felt overwhelming. Everything we fed him had to be measured and calculated. We learned complex formulas, overcame a fear of needles, and injected our baby up to six times a day. Nights were sleepless. Every decision felt heavy, and every step came with new unknowns. Having a child with Type 1 diabetes is challenging for any parent, but it was especially difficult navigating care for a child so young—often alongside medical professionals who had limited experience treating infants.
My husband and I constantly had to discern when to follow medical guidance and when to learn, in real time, what our son uniquely needed. I remember asking another mama early on, “When does this get easier?” Her answer stayed with me: “It doesn’t get easier—but you get stronger.”
And she was right.
Through God’s grace, I did get stronger. He gave me the wisdom to know when to keep asking questions, when to pursue deeper testing and answers, and how to thoughtfully implement what we were learning into our son’s life. Over time, that wisdom expanded beyond our family and into a calling—to create resources that could support and empower other moms walking similar roads.
As we began uncovering what was happening in Caleb’s body through blood work, food sensitivity testing, and other evaluations, I started to see his health as a complex puzzle. With every piece we uncovered, clarity grew. And through that process, one truth became undeniable: a mother’s voice matters. Her intuition, influence, and willingness to advocate are powerful—and far more impactful than I ever imagined.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Gut Of A Mother ?
The Gut of a Mother exists to support families at the intersection of gut health, immune resilience, and maternal intuition.
We serve overwhelmed moms who want to care for their families naturally and intentionally—but who don’t want to feel buried by information, fear, or unrealistic expectations. Our work is rooted in the belief that much of our health begins in the gut, and that a mother’s intuition, when paired with simple education and support, is a powerful tool for healing and stewardship.
What sets us apart is our approach. We don’t operate from a place of fear or perfectionism, and we don’t position ourselves as medical authorities. Instead, we act as guides—mamas who have walked hard roads and learned how to simplify what truly matters. Our resources are designed to be approachable, faith-anchored, and practical for real life with kids.
We specialize in helping moms:
• Support gut and immune health through simple, nourishing rhythms
• Navigate sick seasons with confidence instead of panic
• Reduce toxic burden and support the body holistically
• Learn to trust their God-given intuition alongside wisdom and discernment
Our offerings include digital courses, challenges, and practical tools, such as healing maps and nourishing routines, that help moms know what to do and when to do it, without overwhelm. Everything we create is designed to bring clarity, calm, and confidence into the home.
What I’m most proud of, brand-wise, is the heart behind it all. The Gut of a Mother isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters. It’s about reminding moms that they are capable, called, and not alone. We’ve watched women move from fear to confidence, from reaction to discernment, and from isolation to community.
Above all, I want readers to know this: we believe a mother is one of the most powerful advocates for her family’s health. You don’t need a medical degree to steward your home well. Healing doesn’t have to be complicated. And you don’t have to walk this journey alone.
What’s next?
The Gut of a Mother just celebrated our one-year birthday, and it’s humbling to look back at all that has been built in such a short amount of time. What started as a burden on our hearts has grown into a space where mothers feel supported, informed, and reminded that they are not alone.
Looking ahead, we are deeply excited about the year to come and the ways we will continue to serve families. Our vision is simple but intentional: to provide trustworthy education, practical tools, and encouragement for every mother-whether she ever purchases from us or not. We believe support should never be gated, and our heart is to meet moms right where they are.
One of the ways we do this is through our growing library of free resources, including our Nourish Morning Reset.
This reset helps moms gently focus on gut health, nourishing family rhythms, simple kid-friendly recipes, and meaningful ways to pray with their children. It’s designed for the mom who feels overwhelmed and unsure where to begin, offering clarity and confidence without pressure or perfection.
In addition to our free offerings, we are thrilled to be launching our first course, The Medicine Cabinet Course. This course was created to help moms navigate sick seasons with calm and confidence using holistic, faith-anchored approaches. Instead of panic and endless searching, moms are given simple, practical guidance so they know what to do, what to reach for, and how to support their children’s bodies naturally when illness arises.
As we move into this next season, we are most looking forward to deepening our impact-walking alongside more families, expanding our educational resources, and continuing to remind moms that they are capable, called, and equipped to steward their homes well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thegutofamother.com
- Instagram: @thegutofamother
- Other: https://thegutofamother.com/-516144
