In this episode, my husband and I chat on a Friday night just before our five-year wedding anniversary, then dive into our second pregnancy and birth story with Sophie.

I got pregnant quickly and blurted it out on the phone, but early scans had us anxious when I measured two weeks behind.. before everything thankfully eventually progressed normally.

From about seven weeks, I experienced relentless hyperemesis gravidarum (HG): vomiting daily, surviving on broth and frozen cokes, struggling with pelvic floor issues, and feeling depressed, embarrassed, and like I had lost my personality. Meanwhile, my husband carried much of the load with Jamie. A quick Bali trip gave brief relief, but the pregnancy challenges kept coming.

Late pregnancy brought a big twist: Sophie was frank breech. After a failed ECV and the hospital declining support for a vaginal breech due to head entrapment risk, I very reluctantly chose a caesarean, despite desperately hoping for a home birth.

Sophie’s cord was wrapped around her head multiple times, and her early days included NICU care for severe jaundice, almost requiring a transfusion. My recovery was very very tough too, tense pain, fluid buildup at my scar, and the emotional weight of feeling robbed of the birth I had envisioned.

Through it all, the guidance of our midwife and the support of our community helped us navigate this challenging journey. In this episode, we share both the hard truths and the breakthroughs, hoping to offer solidarity for anyone going through pregnancy and early motherhood struggles.

💌 We’d love to hear from you! If this episode resonated, or if you’ve faced similar pregnancy challenges, leave a comment or review. Your story helps create a supportive community for other mums navigating these experiences.

Come find me over at @doulamarley @becomingboth

Email me at [email protected]

A 5 star review helps so much!

Trigger warning: This episode discusses termination for medical reasons, pregnancy loss, and infant death. Please take care while listening and pause if you need to.

In this episode of Becoming Both, I’m joined by Jess for a conversation that is incredibly complex, honest, and ultimately a beautiful tribute to her first son, Jasper.

Jess is married to Dylan and is mum to Sage (2). She’s also currently pregnant with their third baby at 33 weeks. But before Sage, before this pregnancy, there was Jasper.. a deeply loved and very wanted little boy whose life, although short, has shaped their family forever.

Jess shares their journey through IVF using donor sperm, and how everything changed during the 20-week morphology scan when doctors first noticed bilateral club feet. What followed were weeks that many parents unfortunately know all too well: urgent appointments with maternal fetal medicine specialists, an amniocentesis, MRIs, and meetings with genetic counsellors. Eventually they received a rare genetic diagnosis with only a handful of documented cases and increasingly severe prognoses.

Jess and Dylan were faced with an unimaginable decision.. one no parent ever expects to make, and ultimately chose a termination for medical reasons so their sweet Jasper wouldn’t suffer.

Jess speaks so openly about that experience. From the feticide procedure, to the induction and birth of Jasper at 26 weeks, to the precious time they spent with him in hospital, taking photos, holding him, creating memories, receiving a heartbeat teddy, and saying goodbye with the support of a cold cot. She also gives us insight to the moment of leaving the hospital without him, and all the emotions that can come with pregnancy after loss continue to weave their way through life and parenting.

Jasper remains part of their family. He is spoken about, remembered, and loved. This episode is a gentle tribute to him, and to all the babies who are deeply loved and missed.

If this conversation brings up anything for you, or if you or someone you love has experienced termination for medical reasons or pregnancy loss, please know you’re not alone and support is available.

Some organisations that offer support include:

🤍 Red Nose Australia – counselling and grief support for pregnancy, stillbirth and infant loss

🤍 Bears of Hope – peer support, resources and community for bereaved families

🤍 Sands Australia – support groups and resources for miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal loss

🤍 ARC Australia – specialised support for parents facing or who have experienced termination for medical reasons

🤍 Red Tree Foundation - Supports the health and wellbeing of bereaved parents by the provision of free professional grief counselling and bereavement support to any parent who is affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a baby or child from conception up to 17 years of age.

If you’re listening and carrying your own grief, please know your baby matters and your story deserves space too.

And Jess, thank you for trusting us with Jasper’s story. He will always be part of your family, and now part of this conversation too.

In this episode of Becoming Both, I’m talking about resentment in motherhood.

As a mum of two under five, this is something I know really well. I start by sharing a little life update about hosting my first ever mothers’ retreat (still can’t believe that’s happening), and then we get into the real stuff.

Because resentment can show up even when you have a supportive, involved partner.

Sometimes it's amazing to think we aren't MORE resentful of motherhood, right? The mental load, sleep deprivation, the lack of village, the identity shift.. feeling constantly needed but not always seen and that can fester if we don't find ways to move through it.

I chit chat about how resentment can show up as snapping, irritability, pulling away, burnout, or those quiet thoughts of wanting to escape for a bit. And honestly, it doesn’t just get directed at our partners.. sometimes it’s towards our kids, other mums, work, or the expectations that come with being a mother.

The biggest thing I wanted to share is that resentment is information.

It usually points to an unmet need.

So we talk about naming it without shame, getting curious about what’s underneath it, communicating it clearly (and kindly), and what to do if you feel dismissed when you try to speak up.

Because when resentment sits there unresolved, it slowly impacts connection!! Especially and including intimacy.

This one is honest and I hope you love it!

Come find me over at @doulamarley @becomingboth - I would love to chat.

A 5 star review would mean the world xx

In this episode I’m back after an unplanned break sharing a life update. The last few months have felt heavy. Mental health has taken work. Money has felt tight. The cost of living is no joke and juggling our small business, nanny shifts and school logistics has been a lot.

The kids are in big seasons too. Jamie’s riding those intense leap phases that flip the whole house upside down, Sophie is deep in her independent two year old era, and the sibling bickering is next level. I’m trying to be intentional with one on one time and keep everyone afloat.

There are good things coming. A mum’s retreat. Bali. A date night. More gym. More us time. And I’m ready to properly lean back into the podcast with more guests and an honest chat with T Squiz about mental load, resentment and intimacy.

Let’s stay connected 🤍

If you loved this episode, the best way to support the podcast is by following the show and leaving a quick 5 star review. It helps more mums find these real, honest conversations.

You can find me over on Instagram at @doulamarley where I share all things motherhood, birth, relationships and the behind the scenes of real life. You can also connect with the podcast page at @becomingboth.

Prefer email? Reach me anytime at [email protected] — I genuinely love hearing your thoughts, feedback and story.

Thanks for being here. It means more than you know 🤍

In this episode of Becoming Both, I’m joined by Erin, a registered psychologist and mum to a 15 month old, for a raw, honest chat about the real side of motherhood. The 2am wake ups, the daycare guilt, the identity shift, the comparison spiral and that constant feeling of not doing enough.

From a psychologist’s lens, Erin unpacks the difference between baby blues, postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression, what intrusive thoughts actually are, and when it’s time to reach out for support. We talk therapy options, practical grounding tools, and how hard access and affordability can be for mums.

Erin also shares her deeply personal experience of two pregnancy losses while still parenting, and what it looks like to grieve while showing up every day.

This one is warm, heavy, validating and real. If you’ve ever thought “is this normal?” this episode is for you. You are not crazy, you are not failing, and you are definitely not alone.

If this episode resonated with you, I would be so grateful if you could take a minute to leave a 5 star review. It honestly helps the podcast reach more mums who need to hear these conversations and it means the world to me.

You can find me over on Instagram at @doulamarley where I share more real life chats about motherhood, birth and relationships, or you can email me anytime at [email protected]. I genuinely love hearing your thoughts, feedback and stories.

If this episode brought up anything for you around maternal mental health, please don’t sit with it alone. In Australia you can speak to your GP for a Mental Health Care Plan and access subsidised sessions with a psychologist. You can also contact PANDA on 1300 726 306 for perinatal anxiety and depression support, or Lifeline on 13 11 14 if you need immediate crisis support. If you are in danger or at risk, call 000.

Reaching out is a sign of strength, not failure. You deserve support just as much as anyone else.

Welcome back to Becoming Both! I am so excited to have the lovely Mary from Nourished Bites By Mama Mez join me, an amazing holistic nutrition consultant specialising in pre and postnatal care. Mary shares how she went from architecture to building her beautiful business and why supporting mums through whole-food nutrition became her thing.

We get into starting solids, baby-led weaning versus purées (yes, you’re allowed to do both), and why consistency and patience matter way more than doing it perfectly. We also chat about sugar, kids’ behaviour, and how tuning into our children’s hunger and fullness cues can save you from turning every meal into a power struggle. We also deep dive into why the patterns our parents showed us and the ones we show our children matter deeply when it comes to forming healthy relationships with food,

For the mums, we talk nourishment that goes beyond survival mode. Why coffee alone is not a personality trait (rude, but true), how small tweaks like actually eating breakfast or throwing together a smoothie can change your whole day, and why feeding yourself properly is not selfish, it’s necessary! Espesh if you're breastfeeding!

f you’re a mum overwhelmed when it comes to introducing solids, trying to keep tiny humans alive while also remembering to eat something green, this one’s for you.

A 5 star review means the world! You can come find me over at @doulamarley @becomingboth - I would love to connect! x

Hey friends, welcome back to Becoming Both ✨

This episode is a classic “life lately” brain dump where motherhood meets being a human with thoughts, feelings, and zero chill some days. I’m sharing updates from nannying life, how we’re trying (keyword: trying) to be better with family budgeting, and what it’s like parenting kids with very different needs under one roof.

I also chat about my ADHD diagnosis and the very glamorous journey of medication side effects (spoiler: not glamorous at all). We talk body image after pregnancy, the weird relationship you have with your body once it’s grown humans, and the honest reality of keeping intimacy alive when your calendar is full and your energy is not. This ep has a lot about sex tbh.

Towards the end, I answer your questions on things like timing a second baby, navigating in-laws without losing your mind, and all those “am I doing this right?” thoughts we all have. I also share some practical tips for anyone curious about starting their own doula business and what I’ve learned the hard way.

We finish up with a little reminder to take care of yourself, soak up the small moments, and give yourself credit for what you’re doing even on the CRAZY days.

This episode is perfect listening for the car, the couch, or hiding from your kids for five minutes ✌️

Find me over at insta @doulamarley @becomingboth where I discuss all things motherhood, birth, pregnancy, life and relationships.

Giving me a 5 star review really helps this channel and I am so appreciative of it!

Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of Becoming Both 🤍

In this episode, I start by chatting about how nice it is to have T home and just how much he actually does for our family. Having him away really highlighted everything he carries, and I was so glad I could support him taking some time for himself after all he gives to us. I am looking forward to my 2 night stay in a hotel this weekend!

Then we get right into parenting values and routines. I share what matters most to me in our house, and I also asked other mums over on Instagram @doulamarley to share what’s important to them too. The responses were so varied and honestly hope you feel way better about how different we all do this! I see it so much in my experiences babysitting and nannying.

Things get a little spicy when we move into parenting “icks” 👀 which definitely created a bit of controversy and a lot of opinions. Not everyone agreed (shock), but it made for a really interesting and very real conversation.

We finish on the best note, talking about the things we genuinely admire about other mums. This part was super wholesome and such a good reminder that mums are pretty bloody amazing.

Find me over at insta @doulamarley @becomingboth where I discuss all things motherhood, birth, pregnancy, life and relationships.

Giving me a 5 star review really helps this channel and I am so appreciative of it!

n this episode, I’m joined by Tess for a conversation that sits very close to my heart: what it’s like to mother without a mother.

I was so grateful to finally have Tess on the podcast to talk openly about her estranged relationship with her mum and how that has shaped her own journey into motherhood. Tess shares honestly about the complexity of being completely estranged from her mother for over 12 years, and how becoming a mum herself brought up old wounds, unanswered questions, and grief she didn’t even realise she was carrying.

We talk about the emotional layers of mothering without that maternal support so many people rely on. The guilt, the expectations, the longing, and the quiet sadness that can show up around moments like pregnancy, postpartum, illness, and milestones where you suddenly realise there’s no one to call. Tess reflects on how having her daughter, Marni, shifted her perspective on her own childhood and deepened her commitment to breaking generational cycles.

We also get into the very real, practical side of things. How not having a mum impacts the logistics of daily life, and why building a support system becomes so important. Tess shares why she chose to hire a doula to help fill some of that gap and how powerful it was to feel supported during such a vulnerable time.

We touch on the emotional heaviness of days like Mother’s Day and other family-focused milestones, and how complicated they can feel when your experience of “mother” doesn’t fit the narrative. Throughout the conversation, we come back to the hope and healing that can exist in creating loving, secure relationships with our own children.

This episode is honest, tender, and deeply validating. If you’re navigating motherhood without a mother, whether through estrangement, loss, or complicated family dynamics, this conversation is for you. You are not alone and it's bloody hard. For those who might not be able to relate, I hope this gives you an insight into the hardship of trying to mother without a blue print.

I would love to connect! Come find me over at @doulamarley @becomingboth

To support the pod, it would mean the world to me if you left a 5 star review xx

In today’s solo episode, I’m opening up about my childhood and what it was like growing up as the daughter of a heroin addict.

I talk about my mum’s addiction, from finding her unresponsive as a young child to navigating the long-term emotional impact that comes with loving a parent who is unwell. I share how those early experiences shaped my sense of safety, my relationships, and the way I learned to survive emotionally.

We explore the grief that comes with accepting that a parent may never be who you needed them to be, and the process of holding compassion without losing yourself in the process. I reflect on how those experiences still live in me and how motherhood has brought a deeper awareness of the cycles I want to break.

This episode is tender, honest, and deeply personal. My hope is that sharing my story creates space for understanding, healing, and connection 🤍