Beyond the Bump

Welcome to EP18 of Beyond The Balls!

This is a chat with the amazing Jonny Casella on grief, loss, love and dealing with this worst tragedy any parent could face. Jonny’s first child Mackenzie was a perfect little baby – the picture of health but at 10 weeks old, she was diagnosed with a condition called spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) – a severe inherited neuromuscular condition without a cure. 

Jonny and his wife Rachael were shattered by the news. The couple had no family history of genetic conditions and undertook all the recommended preparations to have a healthy child. They had never heard of SMA and were not aware that they were both genetic carriers for the condition. As ‘carriers’, the couple do not have the condition themselves, but have an increased chance of having a child with SMA.

In October 2017, Mackenzie Casella passed away at just seven months and 11 days old. Believing no couple should face this tragedy, the Casellas launched a campaign calling for reproductive genetic carrier screening to be routine and free for all prospective parents in Australia. This would become Mackenzie’s Mission.

What they have achieved through adversity is one of the most inspiring stories you will listen to. We thank Jonny for his time, vulnerability and willingness to share his story.

Resource links:

Mackenzie’s Mission

Rachael’s Episode on Beyond The Bump

Lumi Health

Jonny’s Instagram

Beyond the Balls is a fatherhood podcast brought to you by Jayde Couldwell and Chi Lo, a Beyond The Bump production. This podcast is targeted at dads, dads to be, their partners and anyone interested in the journey of fatherhood. 

We believe that every dad wants to be the best they can be so our purpose is to entertain, educate and empower our audience. We promise to have open and honest discussions in the hope to leave you feeling more supported after every listen. Join us in celebrating the ups and downs of fatherhood today!

Yeah the dads!

Follow us on Instagram: @beyondtheballs.podcast

Follow Jayde on Instagram: @londonxboston

Follow Chi on Instagram: @chi_lo

Follow @yummmchi for some cooking adventures!

This episode is proudly sponsored by Comfy Koalas!

Our good friends at Comfy Koalas are offering a $35 discount on your first box of nappies or wipes for a limited time only. Use code BEYOND35 at checkout.

Today on the poddy, we chat with the lovely Dr. Beth—aka the Tooth Fairy! (Heads up: there’s some tooth fairy talk in this one.) We never imagined a conversation about teeth and dentistry could be so fun, but we learned so much! Many parents feel ashamed or anxious about their kids’ teeth, worried about being judged at the dentist. Dr. Beth shares practical tips and reassurance to help ease those fears and make dental visits less daunting. 

We hope this episode gives you confidence and puts your mind at ease. And as always we hope you love the episode as much as we did!

Resources links:

Follow Dr. Bth on IG: @drbethanystoothtales

Beyond the Bump is a podcast brought to you by Jayde Couldwell and Sophie Pearce! A podcast targeted at mums, just like you! A place to have real conversations with honest and authentic people.  

Follow us on Instagram at @beyondthebump.podcast to stay up to date with behind the scenes and future episodes. 

Join our Facebook chat Beyond the Bump Community Chats!

Sign up to our newsletter HERE 

Email us HERE

Today on the poddy, we welcome back the amazing Fiona from Mama Matters! If you haven’t heard of her, you’re in for a treat—we highly recommend giving her a follow. In this episode, we dive into the pressures of motherhood and how to shake off the “shoulds” to focus on what truly matters to you. It’s all about tuning into your values and letting go of unrealistic expectations.

We hope you love this chat as much as we did—enjoy the episode!

Resources links:

Follow Fiona on IG: @mamamatter.au

Listen to our episode with Kacey Edwards: How can we raise our girls to like themselves?

Beyond the Bump is a podcast brought to you by Jayde Couldwell and Sophie Pearce! A podcast targeted at mums, just like you! A place to have real conversations with honest and authentic people.  

Follow us on Instagram at @beyondthebump.podcast to stay up to date with behind the scenes and future episodes. 

Join our Facebook chat Beyond the Bump Community Chats!

Sign up to our newsletter HERE 

Email us HERE

Welcome to EP17 of Beyond The Balls!

Dr. Hugh Porter is an obstetrician, husband, legend and father of two!

He’s experienced an amazingly varied career and quite a lot of life, so we thought there was no one more qualified to help us out with some Q&A from our audience.

We answer questions as sticky as ‘my wife wants a Caesarean but I think she can do it naturally’ all the way to ‘what’s the weirdest pregnancy craving you’ve heard of?’ with entertaining results.

We thank Dr. Porter for his time and I can guarantee you he’ll be back for round 2! This was an amazing interview and he blew us away with his knowledge, candour and approach to obstetrics. Thank you to all the Ballers who submitted questions via Instagram.

Resource links:

Dr. Hugh Porter’s Instagram

Beyond the Balls is a fatherhood podcast brought to you by Jayde Couldwell and Chi Lo, a Beyond The Bump production. This podcast is targeted at dads, dads to be, their partners and anyone interested in the journey of fatherhood. 

We believe that every dad wants to be the best they can be so our purpose is to entertain, educate and empower our audience. We promise to have open and honest discussions in the hope to leave you feeling more supported after every listen. Join us in celebrating the ups and downs of fatherhood today!

Yeah the dads!

Follow us on Instagram: @beyondtheballs.podcast

Follow Jayde on Instagram: @londonxboston

Follow Chi on Instagram: @chi_lo

Follow @yummmchi for some cooking adventures!

This episode is proudly sponsored by Bubka Breastfeeding Essentials for Aussie Mums.

Bubka is an Aussie family business helping new mums regain their independence by making pumping simple. Bubka have just released Breast Pump Eco Wipes which are the ultimate on-the-go cleaning solution for breastfeeding mums.

Designed in Australia and an Aussie first, these hygienic wipes effortlessly remove tough breast milk residue from your breast pump without the hassle of washing in soap and water while you're out and about.

The unscented, chemical-free formulation contains no alcohol or bleach, providing a gentle clean every time. Packaged in a convenient resealable pouch of 40 wipes, they're perfect for travel and quick clean-ups.

Beyond breast pump parts, these versatile wipes are designed to clean a variety of baby accessories, making them an essential addition to any parent's toolkit.

https://www.bubka.com.au/products/breast-pump-wipes?srsltid=AfmBOooIIIJSQcki42QCiUo6F6g0W0jmnyH3u6nYs8FgnrkmLoJf5b4

Use the promo code BALLS when you buy a 2-pack of Breast Pump Wipes, and you’ll get a FREE "Running Late" Mum + Dad Cap valued at $25.

Today on the poddy, we welcome back the fabulous Jane from ADHD Mums! It’s been about a year since Jayde had her big ADHD lightbulb moment, so we thought, what better way to mark her one-year ADHDiversary than to get Jane back on for a recap? 

As always, we hope you enjoy the episode!

Resources links:

Beyond the Bump is a podcast brought to you by Jayde Couldwell and Sophie Pearce! A podcast targeted at mums, just like you! A place to have real conversations with honest and authentic people.  

Follow us on Instagram at @beyondthebump.podcast to stay up to date with behind the scenes and future episodes. 

Join our Facebook chat Beyond the Bump Community Chats!

Sign up to our newsletter HERE 

Email us HERE

We are so excited to have the beautiful Konnie on the poddy! Konnie is Jayde’s long-time friend (what a legend!), and we’ve managed to pull her out of her newborn bubble to chat with us all about her experience with an elective caesarean.

She dives into why she chose this birth option but also shares how hard it was to find information about it—so much out there focuses on vaginal births or emergency C-sections! Konnie spills all the things she wishes she had known before her C-section and the little gems of wisdom she’s picked up as a first-time mum. If you’re considering an elective C-section or just love a good, honest birth chat, this one’s for you!

And as always, we hope you enjoy!

Beyond the Bump is a podcast brought to you by Jayde Couldwell and Sophie Pearce! A podcast targeted at mums, just like you! A place to have real conversations with honest and authentic people.  

Follow us on Instagram at @beyondthebump.podcast to stay up to date with behind the scenes and future episodes. 

Join our Facebook chat Beyond the Bump Community Chats!

Sign up to our newsletter HERE 

Email us HERE

Welcome to EP16 of Beyond The Balls!

Jeff is 38, a father of two beautiful children and has Motor Neurone Disease (MND). He was diagnosed 7 months ago and his body is robbing him of his life with his family. 

Chi’s father also passed away at 68 from MND (Also known as ALS / Lou Gehrig’s). It’s a terrible disease which shuts down your nerves, but leaves you in full faculty of everything happening around you - including what’s being taken away. That includes your movement, your speech, your dignity and ultimately your breathing. 

It sadly is a disease that is becoming much too common. It is also incredibly poorly understood. We don’t know what causes it and there is no cure, with average life expectancy from diagnosis being 2 years.

So when we got introduced to Jeff and his wife Sarah, we agreed we would try to change that, to increase awareness of the disease. 

Jeff & Sarah came on the podcast  to talk about what they’re going through and it is one of the most profound, inspiring and heartbreaking pieces of work we could ever hope to be a part of.

Jeff talks about resilience. About being grateful for a life well lived. About love. About his family. The grace in which he & Sarah have approached his diagnosis is truly, truly astounding. They are by all definitions, incredible human beings, dealt the most unfair hand in life. 

We hope you can be inspired by this difficult interview.

Resource links:

Jeff & Sarah’s GoFundMe

Beyond the Balls is a fatherhood podcast brought to you by Jayde Couldwell and Chi Lo, a Beyond The Bump production. This podcast is targeted at dads, dads to be, their partners and anyone interested in the journey of fatherhood. 

We believe that every dad wants to be the best they can be so our purpose is to entertain, educate and empower our audience. We promise to have open and honest discussions in the hope to leave you feeling more supported after every listen. Join us in celebrating the ups and downs of fatherhood today!

Yeah the dads!

Follow us on Instagram: @beyondtheballs.podcast

Follow Jayde on Instagram: @londonxboston

Follow Chi on Instagram: @chi_lo

Follow @yummmchi for some cooking adventures!

This episode is proudly sponsored by Tommee Tippee! Happy 60th Anniversary! 

Tommee Tippee’s award-winning bottles have been trusted by parents for over 60 years. From the self-sterilising bottle range for ultimate convenience, to the #1 Natural Start Bottle designed to make switching between breast and bottle effortless, to the Advanced Anti-Colic Bottle that’s proven to ease colic, gas, and reflux, their scientifically-backed bottles support every stage of your feeding journey. Loved by parents, and we know you’ll love them too.

We’re so excited to have the beautiful Roisin back on the poddy! This time, we’re chatting all about daycare transitions as her twins recently started. She shares how this experience has been different from when her eldest began, the emotional rollercoaster of returning to work, and, of course, mum guilt.

We also dive into practical tips for making the transition smoother, what’s worked for Roisin’s family, and how to feel more confident about this big change. If you’re in the middle of daycare drop-offs or preparing for the future, we hope this episode gives you some reassurance and helpful insights.

Resources links:

Beyond the Bump is a podcast brought to you by Jayde Couldwell and Sophie Pearce! A podcast targeted at mums, just like you! A place to have real conversations with honest and authentic people.  

Follow us on Instagram at @beyondthebump.podcast to stay up to date with behind the scenes and future episodes. 

Join our Facebook chat Beyond the Bump Community Chats!

Sign up to our newsletter HERE 

Email us HERE

In this episode of Beyond the Bump, our beautiful VA Clare jumps on the poddy with us! Both Clare and Jayde have just sent their little ones off to school for the first time, and we’re chatting all about what that transition has been like—the nerves, the tears (from kids and parents), the wins, and the wobbles.

We share our honest experiences, a few tips that helped, and the little surprises we weren’t expecting. If you’re in the thick of this big change or it’s just around the corner, this one’s for you!

Join us for a real, raw, and reassuring chat—you’re not alone in this wild ride. We hope you enjoy!

Beyond the Bump is a podcast brought to you by Jayde Couldwell and Sophie Pearce! A podcast targeted at mums, just like you! A place to have real conversations with honest and authentic people.  

Follow us on Instagram at @beyondthebump.podcast to stay up to date with behind the scenes and future episodes. 

Join our Facebook chat Beyond the Bump Community Chats!

Sign up to our newsletter HERE 

Email us HERE

Welcome back legends! Here we are kicking off another year of Beyond The Balls. In this episode we give you an update on some big changes including Chi’s wife finishing maternity leave and him taking on solo primary care. We play a bit of a ‘get to know each other’ game as well as discuss what’s on the horizon for 2025. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be back!

Resource links:

Chi’s first episode on Beyond The Bump talking about being a SAHD

Beyond the Balls is a fatherhood podcast brought to you by Jayde Couldwell and Chi Lo, a Beyond The Bump production. This podcast is targeted at dads, dads to be, their partners and anyone interested in the journey of fatherhood. 

We believe that every dad wants to be the best they can be so our purpose is to entertain, educate and empower our audience. We promise to have open and honest discussions in the hope to leave you feeling more supported after every listen. Join us in celebrating the ups and downs of fatherhood today!

Yeah the dads!

Follow us on Instagram: @beyondtheballs.podcast

Follow Jayde on Instagram: @londonxboston

Follow Chi on Instagram: @chi_lo

Follow @yummmchi for some cooking adventures!

This episode is proudly sponsored by Stokke!

To celebrate, Stokke are offering Beyond The Balls and Beyond The Bump audiences a unique never before discount code on the full range - from Tripp Trapp to Flexibath to YOYO Pram - BTB15 with some Ts & Cs you can read on the website.  Go to stokkeshop.com.au to look at the range!