In this bonus episode, I talk to Ruth Brennan, whose periods started to change when she was 36 years old, and who eventually went on to be diagnosed with POI (premature ovarian insufficiency). We talk about her journey to a diagnosis, what it was like to realise that she was infertile, navigating treatments and bone health issues, and the psychological and identity aspects of POI.

Since this episode was recovered, I've spoken to Ruth again and written an article about her experience, including the results of her latest DEXA scan, which she was still waiting for when we recorded this podcast. You can read the article here. 

There are currently no new episodes of Bits of Me in the pipeline, but there's a back catalogue of 44 episodes about everything from pregnancy loss and pelvic organ prolapse to cervical cancer, the mesh implant and period poverty. If you enjoy the podcast, please rate it on iTunes, share an episode with a friend and subscribe on your choice of podcast platform to help others discover it too.

Music: Ice and Snow by Icreage, licensed by Soundstripe.

#POI #prematureovarianinsufficiency #prematureovarianfailure #prematuremenopause #menopause #earlymenopause #HRT #womanhood #motherhood #periods #osteopenia #osteoporosis #bonehealth #perimenopause #midlife #infertility #queercommunity

Jenny Cooper has experienced more loss and grief than most, and in this episode of Bits of Me she shares her story of having four consecutive miscarriages, followed by a full-term pregnancy that ended in the birth of her daughter, Georgia Penelope, who died in the womb at 38 weeks' gestation. It's about love and fear, about anxiety and loss, and about learning to say goodbye way too soon.

Jenny generously shares everything from the hopes and fears throughout the pregnancy with Georgia, to the day she noticed that the movements had stopped, the birth and the days at the hospital following the birth, the time spent at home with Georgia and the funeral, which took place under pandemic restrictions.

People say that you should always try to remain reasonably neutral as an interviewer, that you shouldn't allow yourself to get too emotional. My interview style tends to give a lot of space – but I don't switch my feelings off. So perhaps, in this episode, that means I've failed – but so be it. This episode is also the first to go over 1h in length, despite my commitment to keeping all episodes under an hour. It's just what this episode needed – I didn't feel it would be fair to edit more.

If you've experienced something similar to Jenny, you might want to follow her on Instagram as she regularly talks about her experience and about Georgia. Bits of Me is on Instagram here and on Twitter here.

This is the last episode of season two of Bits of Me. 

Music: Ice and Snow by Icreage, licensed by Soundstripe.

#bitsofmepod #bitsofme #stillbirth #babyloss #pregnancyloss #miscarriage #babylossawareness #bereavedmother #mybabydied #childloss #grief #bereavement #motherhood #childbirth #rainbowbaby #infantloss #womenshealth #womensstories #womensvoices #stillborn #bereavedparents #grieftalk #oneinfour #oneinthirty 

In this episode, I talk to Margaret O'Connor, a counsellor and psychotherapist who is childfree by choice. A few years ago, she decided to set up a dedicated service called Are Kids For Me, specifically for those trying to make the decision whether or not to become parents.

We talk about the factors that influence the decision, the reasons why it's not always a straight-forward one, and the societal norms and lack of representation that sometimes make being childfree by choice that bit more difficult.

You'll find information about Margaret O'Connor's work, services and podcast on her website, as well as on Instagram and on Facebook. Bits of Me is on Instagram here and on Twitter here. Any sharing, tagging, rating and reviewing is much appreciated. 

Music: Ice and Snow by Icreage, licensed by Soundstripe.

#bitsofmepod #bitsofme #womenshealth #motherhood #parenthood #pregnancy #childbirth #childfree #childless #childfreebychoice #childlessness #childfreeness #childfreedom #arekidsforme #fertility #parentingchoices #lifechoices #therapy #counselling #societalnorms #socialnorms #gendernorms #becomingaparent 

Is breast always best? Can mastitis always be treated with cold cabbage leaves? And if we talk about the uptake of breastfeeding being too low, what does that even mean?  

In this episode of Bits of Me, I talk to podcaster and mother of one (very soon two) Laetitia Gordon-Furse, who went through hell pumping relentlessly for weeks when her first son ended up spending five weeks in NICU. She explains what it's like to spend days on end in 'the dairy' with industrial-style pumps, how the narratives surrounding breastfeeding impacted on her mentally, how long it took for her to make sense of it all and the post-natal depression that followed, and how she learnt to read her son's cues and bond with him while bottle feeding at home.

We also talk about the politics of it all: the lie that breastfeeding is free, the lacking supports post-natally and in society in general, and the damage the shaming of mothers does. You'll find the Nutshell article we talk about here, and the Emily Oster book Laetitia mentions is this one.

Also check out Laetitia's own podcast, New Leaf, which aims to support new mothers when they're going back to work, and check out the hashtag #mymotherhoodmychoice. You can also follow Laetitia and her podcast on Instagram.

Bits of Me is on Instagram here and on Twitter here. Any sharing, tagging, rating and reviewing is much appreciated. 

Music: Ice and Snow by Icreage, licensed by Soundstripe.

#bitsofmepod #breastfeeding #pumping #lactating #lactation #feeding #motherhood #babyfeeding #bottlefeeding #thedairy #mastitis #shame #NICU #nursing #womenshealth #womensbodies #womensstories #PND #postnataldepression #postnatalanxiety #pregnancy #birth #childbirth #Csection #Csectionrecovery #antenatalcare #postnatalcare #SIDS #feedingmyths #breastfeedingmyths

In this episode, I talk to Anita Elawure, who was diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) at just 19, meaning that she entered premature menopause. We talk about what it was like to be told that she would be infertile and had to go on HRT at such a young age, what it means to enter menopause prematurely, her encounters with healthcare professionals and all the research she has done, and the emotional and psychological journey of it all.

You can follow her at @blossomlivingwithPOI on Instagram as well as on YouTube, where she shares her experience and tips, and talks to other women with knowledge and experience of POI. Bits of Me is on Instagram and Twitter, and there's a Patreon page for those of you who may want to support the making of this podcast.

If you're listening for free, please take a moment to rate the podcast and giving it five stars on Apple Podcasts, and maybe even leave a short review or share an episode on your socials. It helps others discover the podcast and might make another woman feel less lonely in her experience.

Music: Ice and Snow by Icreage, licensed by Soundstripe.

#POI #prematureovarianinsufficiency #prematureovarianfailure #prematuremenopause #menopause #earlymenopause #HRT #hotflushes #brainfog #ovulation #periods #osteopenia #osteoporosis #bonehealth #hearthealth #midlife #infertility #adoption

Jen Hall is the social media and website coordinator at The MASIC Foundation, which supports women who have suffered serious injuries during childbirth. Jen suffered a third-degree tear after a forceps delivery in 2013, and shares her story of the birth, the consequences, and her work with MASIC. We talk about the Ockenden report, the culture that contributes to severe birth injuries, the narratives surrounding C-sections and vaginal births, and the implications for informed choice and consent.

You can follow MASIC on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and as usual, Bits of Me is on Instagram and Twitter as well. If you know anyone who's recently had a birth injury, send them a link to this episode and point them in the direction of MASIC. If you haven't already, it'd also be much appreciated if you'd give the podcast a quick five-star rating on iTunes, and maybe even a short review, as it helps others discover it.

Music: Ice and Snow by Icreage, licensed by Soundstripe.

#bitsofmepod #birthinjuries #OASItears #thirddegreetear #fourthdegreetear #3rddegreetear #3ctear #4thdegreetear #analsphincterrupture #prolapse #pelvicorganprolapse #incontinence #urinaryincontinence #fecalincontinence #childbirth #birthing #maternitycare #postnatalcare #forcepsbirths #forceps #instrumentalbirths #instrumentaldelivery #Csection #caesareansection #motherhood #postnatalanxiety #postnataldepression #PND #NHS #Ockendenreview #Ockendenreport #vontouse #donnaockenden #shrewsburyandtelford #informedconsent #informedchoice #maternityrights #bodilyautonomy #abortionrights #whoseneedsarebeingmet #traumaticbirth #birthtrauma #traumainformedcare #masic

What happens if you have to choose between period pads and crucial food items for your weekly shop? What should period education look like, and why is it still the worst thing in the world for a girl to bleed through at school? Friday the 28th of May was World Menstrual Hygiene Day. This week's episode deals with related issues as I speak to Claire Hunt, CEO of Homeless Period Ireland, about period poverty, sex and menstrual education, period equity, the environmental impact of period product waste, product access, and more.

You can and should follow Homeless Period Ireland on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and send them some good products if you can. Claire and her gang do hugely important work, bringing pads and other products to people who would otherwise need to use tissue, cloth and similar, or risk infection by using each product for much too long.

You can also follow Bits of Me on Instagram and Twitter, and if you haven't already, it'd be much appreciated if you'd give the podcast a quick five-star rating on iTunes, and maybe even a short review, as it helps others discover it. If you're feeling flush, you can sign up to become a patron and get early access to episodes plus some exclusive writing and a Bits of Me badge, in addition to that good feeling of supporting a project you believe in.

Music: Ice and Snow by Icreage, licensed by Soundstripe.

Linda Kelly is a Trade Union Official by day and a long-time women’s rights campaigner, now also the founder of Women Ascend and member of the Better Maternity Care campaign. She gave birth to her second baby during lockdown.

Emma Carroll is an environmental scientist and farmer who had her first baby at the start of the pandemic, and since September last year, she also runs In Our Shoes – Covid Pregnancy, which gives a voice to the people affected by the restrictions.

In this episode of Bits of Me, I talk to Linda and Emma about their experiences, the ways in which they believe the restrictions in maternity hospitals have been flawed and damaging, the implications of the restrictions on informed consent and maternity mental health, and the lessons the campaign has taught them. There's also a bit of a rallying cry and a first-in-the-air moment at the end, so you can always fast-forward to that for a bit of an activist boost, should you need it!

Follow Linda and Women Ascend here, and read the stories of those impacted by the maternity restrictions on the In Our Shoes – Covid Pregnancy page. You can follow Bits of Me on Instagram and on Twitter, and as always, ratings, reviews, shares and recommendations are much appreciated. You can also become a patron of the podcast to help cover the running costs and keep the conversations going. Just go to patreon.com/bitsofme. 

Music: Ice and Snow by Icreage, licensed by Soundstripe.

#bitsofmepod #maternitycarerestrictions #maternitycare #maternityrestrictions #covidrestrictions #covidbabies #lockdownbabies #lockdownpregnancy #lockdownbirth #birthunderlockdown #maternityhospitals #maternityhospitalrestrictions #birthingpartner #whoseneedsarebeingmet #bettermaternitycare #postnatalcare #antenatalcare #pregnancy #birth #childbirth #pandemicrestrictions #hse #stephendonnelly #womenascend #inourshoes #inhershoes #womenshealth #womensrights #birthrights #informedconsent #activelabour #establishedlabour #consent #motherhood 

In this episode of Bits of Me, I talk to mother-of-two Dee Naughton about her experiences of papillomas, lobectomies and a mastectomy. She was pregnant with her first child when she started having some unusual discharge and eventually started bleeding from her nipple, and she shares her story of a short stint of breastfeeding, of navigating the changes to her body, and coming to terms with losing a breast despite the lack of malignant tumours.

Patrons get access to episodes of Bits of Me three days before everyone else, but since a big part of the mission behind the podcast is to raise awareness and give more people access to information that is not otherwise widely discussed, all episodes are eventually available to the public.

You can follow Bits of Me on Instagram and on Twitter, and as always, ratings, reviews, shares and recommendations are much appreciated. If you want to support the making of the podcast, you can become a patron from as little as €2/month and get early access to all the episodes, monthly writing, and a Bits of Me badge.

Music: Ice and Snow by Icreage, licensed by Soundstripe.

#bitsofmepod #papillomas #lobectomy #mastectomy #breastcancer #breastfeeding #nippledischarge #bleedingfromnipple #breastcheck #mammogram #motherhood #childbirth #pregnancy #postnatalcare #maternitycare #breastlump #benigntumour #benignbreasttumour #malignanttumour #breastsurgery #bodyimage #lobectomies #papilloma

How do you know when you're ready? What does that even mean? Will it hurt? Where did your libido go? What about episiotomy and C-section scars and all the physio-related issues? What if you're just feeling touched out and you can't stop thinking about nappies, breastmilk and whether you're running out of bananas? How do you even begin to talk to your partner to all of the above, and why oh why do some midwives insist on referring to it as getting back on the horse?

In this episode, I talk to women's health specialist and physiotherapist Elaine Barry and sexual health educator Anna Keogh about sex after childbirth, what to expect, how to find what works, and everything in between.

You'll find Elaine here and Anna here, while Bits of Me, as usual, is here on Instagram and here on Twitter, and ratings, reviews, shares and recommendations are much appreciated. If you want to support the making of Bits of Me, you can become a patron to get early access to episodes, exclusive monthly writing, and a Bits of Me badge.

Music: Ice and Snow by Icreage, licensed by Soundstripe.

#bitsofmepod #womenshealth #womensbodies #sexafterchildbirth #postnatalhealthcare #postnatalcare #maternitycare #episiotomy #Csection #episiotomyscar #Csectionscar #physiotherapy #womenshealthphysio #pelvicfloor #pelvicfloorphysiotherapy #sexualhealth #sexualwellness #sexed #sexeducation #sextherapy #intercourse #intercourseafterchildbirth #vaginalbirth #breastfeeding #relationships #bleeding #touchedout