Cuppa with a doula

Hey hey, 

Thanks for tuning into today’s conversation. Today I chat with Emma, mum to 2. In this episode, Emma takes us through how she dived into motherhood at 23 and the birth of her son.

In this conversation we chat about 

✔️unexpectedly falling pregnant at 23, 6 months into a new relationship  

✔️birthing in a hospital by default as she didn’t really know what options were available to her 

✔️feeling lucky to have experienced what she thought was the norm, an undisturbed physiological birth in a hospital, with midwives that were “hands-off”

✔️developing strong mother intuitions reassuring her than she knew what was best for her baby and following those 

✔️Emma’s partner, Jake, experiencing postnatal depression in the early postpartum period, difficult to find his place as a new dad

✔️returning to exercise quite quickly and feeling the consequences 6 months postpartum 

To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast. 

If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA 

This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube 

Follow me on social media for more content 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula 

If you would like to work with me head over to www.triskwell.com 

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Alicia :)

Hey hey, 

Welcome back to another episode of Cuppa with a pro where I interview professionals that work within the pregnancy, birthing or parenting space to chat about their expertise. 

In today’s episode, I am chatting with the lovely Amber who has previously come to the podcast to share with us the birth story of her first born. 

In this episode we chat all about 

✔️what is the pelvic floor, what its function are and how our breath works in relation to the pelvic floor muscles 

✔️what a pelvic floor lift should feel like and the importance of both learning to strengthen and relax the pelvic floor muscles 

✔️when is the best time to get a pelvic floor assessment to check on overall health 

✔️integrating pelvic floor exercises into your normal exercise routine so then it becomes part of your daily life too 

✔️what real time ultrasound of the pelvic floor is, how it is done and what is measured 

✔️how a physiotherapist’s assessment can help you to assess overall health, meet your goals and achieve what you want to do 

✔️the benefits of Telehealth when it comes to physiotherapy/exercise physiology and the benefits they provide 

✔️debunking the myth that having a c-section means you don’t have to worry about rehabbing your pelvic floor postpartum 

✔️caring for a caesarean scar, scar mobilisation, what it is, who can help and how to get started 

✔️the importance of core muscles in order to be able to do exercises correctly and not feel pain anywhere else 

✔️regressing exercises when returning back to exercise to ensure correct activation, engaging core muscles and having good technique 

✔️considering the lack of sleep/interrupted sleep during the postpartum period and how that might impact our recovery when returning back to exercise 

If you want to listen to Amber’s birth story for her first born, you can find it here https://podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/021-amber-physiotherapist-van-willebrand-disease-hypnobirthing/id1663704129?i=1000622853589&l=en-GB 

You can find Amber on her socials at https://www.instagram.com/amberhanrahan.physiotherapist/ 

To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast. 

If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA 

This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube 

Follow me on social media for more content 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula 

If you would like to see my offerings including doula work, birth and parenting education classes head over to www.triskwell.com 

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Alicia :)

Hey hey, 

In this new series, I am interviewing professionals that work within the pregnancy, birthing or parenting space to chat about their expertise. In today's episode I am chatting with a very passionate student midwife Kiersten who takes us through the behind the scenes of her midwifery studies, what being a student midwife looks like and where her aspirations for the future.

In this conversation we chat about 

✔️the role and benefits of having a student midwife to help bring continuity of care to the antenatal and postnatal period 

✔️inability of student midwives to attend homebirths 

✔️learning to practice holistic midwifery, being taught by Rachel Reed, learning to critically analyse and think 

✔️supporting women’s informed decisions regardless of what those decisions are 

✔️how a student midwife can help bridge the gap for women who missed out on a continuity of care model for their pregnancy 

✔️how to find a student midwife 

✔️researching what you’re interested in knowing and what you want to learn more about to avoid being overwhelmed by all the info out there 

✔️finding mum friends during the postpartum period 

✔️student midwives being burned out due to the high case load demand on top of studying, placements without financial rewards 

✔️managing trauma as a student midwife and resources available 

If you are looking for a student midwife, there are 2 Facebook groups you can post or search in  

To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast. 

If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA 

This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube 

Follow me on social media for more content 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula 

If you would like to see my offerings including doula work, birth and parenting education classes head over to www.triskwell.com 

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Alicia :)

Hey hey, 

Thanks for tuning into today’s conversation. Today I chat with Emma, mum to 2. In this episode, Emma takes us her second birth, an empowered and inspirational one, which took place at home, undisturbed with her partner and doula present. 

In this conversation we chat about 

✔️how Emma’s first birth experience led her to explore further options for her 2nd birth 

✔️experiencing the stigma of having a baby outside of the hospital system 

✔️surrendering to the idea of free birthing, accepting full responsibility, which ever the birth goes, feeling a deep sense of trust in her body and instincts 

✔️involving her son into the birth preparation and teaching him about what birth is, what it can look like

✔️how to get her daughter’s birth registered after a free birth 

✔️reflecting on her previous postpartum and wanting to do things differently. Taking the time to honor her body postpartum and setting firm boundaries this time around

To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast. 

If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA 

This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube 

Follow me on social media for more content 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula 

If you would like to work with me head over to www.triskwell.com 

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Alicia :)

Hey hey, 

Thanks for tuning into today’s conversation. Today I chat with Lenny

In this conversation we chat about 

✔️learning about her cycles prior to conception via natural family planning and falling pregnant quickly after trying

✔️having clinical knowledge as a midwife going into her pregnancy and being able to contrast her clinical knowledge with what she was experiencing 

✔️doing hypnobirthing to help partner be prepared and gaining a deeper understanding that she didn’t have before

✔️wanting to experience a homebirth for the their last child but being met with a reluctant GP and a partner who needed convincing 

✔️finding a private midwife and going down the homebirth pathway with confidence in her ability to birth undisturbed 

✔️as a health professional herself, highlighting the need for other professionals to give autonomy to women to make decisions for themselves and their baby and not rely on someone telling them what to do 

To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast. 

If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA 

This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube 

Follow me on social media for more content 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula 

If you would like to work with me head over to www.triskwell.com 

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Alicia :)

Hey hey, 

In this new series, I am interviewing professionals that work within the pregnancy, birthing or parenting space to chat about their expertise. 

In the first episode of this new series, I am chatting with the lovely Chloe from Chloe Halter Nutrition about all things postpartum depletion, the factors that may contribute to it, reframing our postpartum and giving ourselves permission to do it the way we want 

In this conversation we chat about 

✔️out of nowhere starting to have intrusive thoughts at 8 weeks postpartum 

✔️building a strong support network in the early postpartum period to help her navigate her motherhood journey 

✔️feeling like intrusive thoughts were a symptom of postpartum depletion rather than postpartum depression 

✔️viewing postpartum has a continuum where mothers can experience symptoms of depletion many years after having their baby 

✔️reflecting on her previous postpartum during her second pregnancy and trying to do things differently 

✔️symptoms of postpartum depletion and the multitude of factors that play a role into it 

✔️the impact of breastfeeding on postpartum depletion

✔️finally we finish off by Chloe telling us about her very fast birth as a first time mum and how she really tuned into her body despite midwives telling her that she “still had long to go” 

If you want to get in touch with Chloe, head over to her website https://chloehalter.com.au/ 

To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast. 

If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA 

This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube 

Follow me on social media for more content 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula 

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Alicia :)

Hey hey, 

Thanks for tuning into today’s conversation. Today I chat with Ebony, mum to two girls.

In this conversation we chat about 

✔️experiencing hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) from 6 weeks of pregnancy 

✔️having preeclampsia during early labour after being monitored on/off during 3rd trimester 

✔️experiencing a very big blood loss post delivery (postpartum haemorrhage) 

✔️having a very rough start to motherhood, being separated from baby, both sick with an infection and trying to establish breastfeeding 

✔️mixed feeding baby due to low milk supply post blood loss

✔️society having an opinion on how Ebony should settle her baby and what she shouldn’t do so she isn’t “spoiling” her baby 

✔️ the cultural differences between our society and African societies when it comes to baby wearing and settling a newborn 

✔️being more confident in her parenting style with baby 2, not putting adult expectations onto a baby 

✔️learning to lean on others in your support network to help you with the load of parenting, especially when having babies 18 months apart 

✔️having a healing birth and parenting in a much more relaxed way 

✔️receiving a late diagnosis of postpartum depression after her 2nd daughter was born and struggling for a while

✔️learning mental health strategies to help improve mental health and put things in perspective 

To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast. 

If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA 

This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube 

Follow me on social media for more content 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula 

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Alicia :)

Hey hey, 

Thanks for tuning into today’s conversation. Today I chat with Katie, mum to baby boy Alexander.  

In this conversation we chat about 

✔️the different models of care options available as a first time mum, which option Katie went for and how she found it 

✔️disliking being pregnant because of the discomfort, aches and pains but looking forward to the birth of baby

✔️experiencing urinary incontinence in the 2nd trimester

✔️dealing with a hypertonic pelvic floor with the help of a women’s health physiotherapist, working on relaxing muscles and using dilators 

✔️spontaneously going into labour, waters breaking and labour stalling for a few days 

✔️pressured into getting an induction by obstetrician 

✔️trying everything to have the most natural labour and avoid induction with help of her doula 

✔️the power of labouring at home in a comfortable and relaxed environment, feeling safe and loved, helping to bring on contractions 

✔️the intensity of transition on Katie’s body after a very fast dilation from 4 to 7cm in 20 minutes 

✔️feeling so relieved after getting the epidural, felt like she could instantly relax and could get back in her zone and finally get some sleep 

✔️baby not breathing really well at birth, having a room full of doctors and specialists and baby needing to go to NICU for a day

✔️experiencing postpartum haemorrhage 

✔️feeling no sensation in her pelvic floor straight after birth and experiencing urinary incontinence as a result and feeling terrified that this would be her reality now 

✔️loving her breastfeeding journey, once her son’s tongue ties were released and still breastfeeding at 16 months 

To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast. 

If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA 

This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube 

Follow me on social media for more content 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula 

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Alicia :)

Hey hey, 

Thanks for tuning into today’s conversation. Today I chat with Bethany, mum to baby boy Flynn.  

In this conversation we chat about 

✔️doing as much research as possible during pregnancy to feel empowered 

✔️being told baby had a high risk of trisomy 21 and how it affected Bethany’s pregnancy 

✔️preparing for birth and doing calm birth course 

✔️the waiting game that starts once going “past your due date” and how it mentally was draining for Bethany 

✔️going into labour a day before scheduled induction and being in disbelief that she was actually in labour  

✔️not feeling like herself in the first weeks after baby’s arrival 

✔️feeling like she had no motherhood instincts and other intrusive thoughts 

✔️reaching out early to find help for her mental health 

✔️not wanting to be alone with baby early on due to feeling anxious 

✔️debriefing birth and fourth trimester with a psychologist

To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast. 

If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA 

This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube 

Follow me on social media for more content 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula 

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Alicia :)

Hey hey, 

Thanks for tuning into today’s conversation. Today I chat with Alana who at the time of the episode is a mum of one boy with one underway, now mum of 2 boys. 

In this conversation we chat about 

✔️being diagnosed with haemochromatosis in pregnancy and how it impacted on Alana’s iron levels during pregnancy and postpartum 

✔️having a long first labour and the trauma that was involved 

✔️mental health in the postpartum period and knowing that something wasn’t right but being told it was “just the baby blues”

✔️mixed feeding baby until baby refused breastfeeding 

✔️navigating a difficult start to postpartum and how long it took for Alana to see her mental health get better after seeking help from a psychologist and regularly exercising

✔️finding a new routine once baby is here, getting out of the house and surrounding yourself with supportive people 

✔️body image in the postpartum period 

✔️reframing postpartum weight loss and seeing more in terms of feeling like you have the body strength to look after baby and carry them around as needed on a daily basis 

✔️having an unexpected 2nd pregnancy and how that affected both Alana and her partner 

✔️how normal it is to not be jumping for you straight away when you find out you are pregnant, needing time to adjust to the news 

✔️preparing differently for her 2nd postpartum period 

To be sure to be notified when a new episode comes out please subscribe to the show on your listening platform. If you would like to support the show, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a 5-star review on your podcast listening platform or Apple podcast. 

If you would like to come on the show and tell your own birth story please get in touch through this link here https://forms.gle/YCCP5dMg8bYSXuAYA 

This podcast is available on Deezer, Spotify, Apple podcast, most other podcast listening platforms and Youtube 

Follow me on social media for more content 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuppawithadoula 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuppawithadoula 

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Alicia :)