Barely Balanced

The birth story is only the beginning.

In this episode, Shell sits down with Katherine to unpack what the first eight weeks postpartum have really looked like – from leaving the hospital and navigating those early newborn days, to slowly finding her rhythm at home.

They talk openly about the physical recovery, emotional shifts and the realities of the fourth trimester that often aren’t spoken about enough.

Katherine shares what has helped her most during this time, including the support systems that made the biggest difference, the nutrition and supplements she prioritised for healing, and the small rituals that helped her feel like herself again.

This episode is an honest look at postpartum life – the beautiful, the messy and everything in between.

If you’re pregnant, newly postpartum or supporting someone who is, this conversation is packed with practical advice and reassurance for the fourth trimester.

• Katherine’s journey from hospital to home
• What the first eight weeks postpartum have really looked like
• Physical recovery and emotional adjustments
• The importance of support during the fourth trimester
• Nutrition and supplements to support postpartum healing
• The products and rituals that helped make those early weeks easier

Clare’s episode is coming soon.

Listen to our Creatine episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/creatine-for-mums-the-science-behind-strength-energy/id1620331292?i=1000753154281

Listen to Katherine’s Birth Story - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-birth-story-weve-all-been-waiting-for-with-katherine-hay/id1620331292?i=1000747909193

Part & Parcel - Code: BB20
https://partandparcel.com.au/bb20

Whole Bowl
https://thewholebowlco.com.au

Foxes Pantry – meal prep support for postpartum

Breastfeeding chair
https://www.iltutto.com.au/products/louie-electric-recliner-glider-nursery-chair-in-olive-teddy

Kappis non-negotiable postpartum brands

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements in the world… yet it’s still widely misunderstood, especially when it comes to women, postpartum recovery and motherhood.

In this episode we’re joined by nutritionist Laura from Chief Nutrition to break down everything you need to know about creatine and why it might be one of the most supportive supplements for mums.

We chat about what creatine actually does in the body, why it’s often associated with gym culture, and the emerging research showing benefits for energy, brain health, muscle recovery and overall resilience — all things mothers could use more of.

If you’ve ever wondered:
• Is creatine safe for women?
• Can it support postpartum recovery?
• Will it make me bulky?
• How much should you take?
• When is the best time to take it?

This episode answers all of your questions and clears up the confusion so you can make an informed decision for your body.

Whether you’re navigating the early postpartum period, rebuilding strength after babies, or simply trying to keep up with the demands of motherhood, this conversation is packed with practical insights you won’t want to miss.

As always, we love hearing from you. Come join the conversation over on Instagram and let us know your biggest takeaway from the episode.

Other episodes spoken about:

• https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ejd97zGuZVuVpxiWZoYRO?si=8e1fd6a262214411

✨ This episode is brought to you by Chief Nutrition — the brand we’re a little bit obsessed with. Their clean, high-protein snacks are made from real food, nothing fake or processed, and they actually taste amazing. Whether it’s their beef bars, collagen bars, or liver capsules — we’re huge fans. Use the code BARELYBALANCED for 20% off your order.

This week on the podcast, we’re officially stepping into the prep kid era.

Shell shares exactly how she’s preparing her family for school mornings — with one very clear goal in mind: calm over chaos.

Inside this episode, she walks you through:

• The simple alarm system she’s implemented to reduce nagging (and protect everyone’s nervous systems)
• Why meal prep is non-negotiable when it comes to lunchboxes
• Her freezer stash strategy for midweek dinners
• How she gets three kids down solo every night by 7pm
• Why early bedtimes are a cornerstone for calmer mornings
• The mindset shifts that have changed the tone of her home

This episode is practical, honest and very “in the trenches” of motherhood. If you’re preparing for prep, juggling multiple kids, or just craving smoother mornings — this one’s for you.

We would LOVE to hear your tips and tricks too. Come and join the conversation over on Instagram and share what’s working in your home.

Today we’re joined by Davina Rankin — Certified Spinal Energetics Practitioner, Somatic Therapist and Embodied Counsellor — for a deeply honest conversation about love, healing and what it really means to reconnect with yourself before inviting someone else in.

Davina shares her personal journey through celibacy and how that intentional pause became a powerful season of self-discovery. We talk about nervous system healing, embodiment, breaking old relationship patterns and learning to feel safe within yourself first.

This isn’t just a conversation about dating — it’s about identity, self-worth and showing up differently when you’ve done the inner work.

If you’ve ever found yourself repeating the same relationship dynamics, questioning your standards or wondering what it would look like to truly choose yourself first… this episode will land.

Raw, reflective and incredibly empowering. You’re going to love this one. 💫

Show links:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2shlh9Q6JuGaxzi8D1Pyv9?si=yHszNCsXRZCTo68V91rl-g

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

✨ All Things Better – A carefully curated online wellness store bringing together the best in natural products, home essentials, and feel-good finds. They source brands that align with health, sustainability, and style, so you can shop knowing you’re choosing better for yourself, your family, and the planet. ⁠Explore their range⁠.

Ooo this is such a special one 🥹🎙️

After walking alongside Katherine through her extended fertility journey, navigating endometriosis, pregnancy, and all the in-between moments… today we finally get to hear the part we’ve all been waiting for — her birth story.

And trust us — you’ll want to settle in for this. It’s raw, it’s real, it’s emotional, and of course… there’s plenty of laughter too. The kind that only comes after you’ve been through it. There are tears, there are goosebumps, and there are moments that will stay with you long after the episode ends.

If you’ve followed Katherine’s journey, this will feel like the final chapter of a story you’ve been invested in for so long. And if you’re on your own path to motherhood — whether trying to conceive, pregnant, or somewhere in between — this episode will hold you in the most beautiful way.

This is more than a birth story. It’s a story of resilience, trust, surrender, and the wild, transformative power of becoming a mum. 🤍

An episode you truly don’t want to miss.

✨ This episode is proudly brought to you by Comfy Koalas — our go-to low-tox nappy and wipe brand. If you haven’t tried their subscription boxes yet, they’re an absolute game changer (no more emergency nappy runs mid-week 🙌).

You can get $35 off your first box with the code BARELYBALANCED — which basically means two free bags of nappies. Yes please.

This week we’re joined by the brilliant Solaine Douglas, Nutritionist and women’s health expert, for a deep dive into gestational diabetes — what it actually is, why it happens, and how women can support their bodies through it.

We unpack the new reference ranges now being used in Australia, what they mean for testing, and why more women than ever are being diagnosed.

Together, we chat about:
✨ What gestational diabetes really means for you and your baby
✨ Why blood sugar balance matters long before the test
✨ The new Australian guidelines — explained simply
✨ Nutrition strategies that actually help
✨ Why diagnosis isn’t a failure — and what to do next

Whether you're currently pregnant, planning to be, or supporting someone who is — this episode will leave you feeling informed, empowered, and far less anxious about the GTT.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

✨ All Things Better – A carefully curated online wellness store bringing together the best in natural products, home essentials, and feel-good finds. They source brands that align with health, sustainability, and style, so you can shop knowing you’re choosing better for yourself, your family, and the planet. ⁠Explore their range⁠.

✨ This episode is brought to you by Chief Nutrition — the brand we’re a little bit obsessed with. Their clean, high-protein snacks are made from real food, nothing fake or processed, and they actually taste amazing. Whether it’s their beef bars, collagen bars, or liver capsules — we’re huge fans. Use the code BARELYBALANCED for 20% off your order.

This week, Katherine and Shelley dive into all things labour prep — what’s worth doing, what’s backed by evidence, and what might just be another pregnancy myth.

Katherine shares exactly what she’s doing to prepare her body for birth (and why), while the girls unpack some of the most common tips and tricks floating around the internet.

They chat about:
- Raspberry leaf tea — when to start and what it really does
- Medjool dates and how they can support a smoother labour
- Evening primrose oil — helpful or hype?
- Acupuncture and colostrum harvesting
- The benefits of sex (yep, you read that right)
...and so much more!

It’s an open, honest, and slightly cheeky chat designed to help you feel informed, empowered, and ready for birth.

Show sponsors:

This episode is proudly brought to you by Comfy Koalas, our go-to low-tox nappy and wipe brand. If you haven’t tried their subscription boxes yet, they’re a total game changer — no more running out of nappies mid-week! You can get $35 off your first box with the code BARELYBALANCED, which pretty much means two free bags of nappies.

This episode is brought to you by Chief Nutrition — the brand we’re a little bit obsessed with. Their clean, high-protein snacks are made from real food, nothing fake or processed, and they actually taste amazing. Whether it’s their beef bars, collagen bars, or liver capsules — we’re huge fans. Use the code BARELYBALANCED for 20% off your order.

Today, Katherine and Shelley have a real and honest catch-up — and things get personal. Shelley opens up about her feelings around wanting a fourth child, the tug-of-war between heart and logic, and what life has really been like with three kids under three.

They dive into:
- The pros and cons of expanding their family
- The emotional thought process behind the “maybe baby” conversation
- The realities (and chaos) of having three little ones so close together
- Why Shelley and her husband decided on a vasectomy — and how that decision feels now

It’s a raw, relatable chat for any parent who’s ever wondered if their family is complete… or if there might be room for one more.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

✨ This episode is brought to you by Chief Nutrition — the brand we’re a little bit obsessed with. Their clean, high-protein snacks are made from real food, nothing fake or processed, and they actually taste amazing. Whether it’s their beef bars, collagen bars, or liver capsules — we’re huge fans. Use the code BARELYBALANCED for 20% off your order.

Today we’re joined by the incredible Nicola Laye — a breathwork coach who specialises in guiding women to reconnect with their bodies and find calm through the power of breath.

This session is completely pregnancy-safe and perfect for the woman who’s feeling overwhelmed, scattered in her thoughts, or simply craving a moment of stillness.

Take this time for you — to pause, slow down, and calm your nervous system.
Allow Nicola’s gentle guidance to help you drop back into your body and breathe a little easier.

Save this episode so you can revisit it whenever life feels a little full — and gift yourself a few moments to simply breathe.

This week we’re joined by the beautiful Davina Rankin for a conversation that every woman — and especially every mother — needs to hear.

Together we explore what it means to reclaim your energy, reconnect with your body, and remember the woman underneath all the layers of motherhood, work, and daily life.

Davina shares gentle yet powerful wisdom around self-love, boundaries, and learning to trust the flow of life again.

In this episode, we chat about:

✨ Reclaiming your energy as a woman and learning to say no without guilt

✨ Letting go of the people-pleasing patterns that leave you feeling depleted

✨ Rediscovering who you are beyond motherhood

✨ Sitting in the pleasure of the present moment (even when life feels messy)

✨ How to love yourself harder — right now, as you are

✨ Simple daily practices to check in with your body and heart space

✨ Tuning into signs from the universe, god, or angels — and trusting the process

✨ How reconnecting with yourself brings more pleasure, clarity, and joy into your life

This conversation is your gentle reminder to slow down, come home to your body, and celebrate the woman you’ve become.

This weeks show sponsor:

This episode is proudly brought to you by Comfy Koalas, our go-to low-tox nappy and wipe brand. If you haven’t tried their subscription boxes yet, they’re a total game changer — no more running out of nappies mid-week! You can get $35 off your first box with the code BARELYBALANCED, which pretty much means two free bags of nappies.