Feed Play Love

The body we have after childbirth isn't the same as the one we started with. But not all of us want to jump on the exercise wagon after having our baby. Your body is probably tired and sore. But sometimes moving feels good after you've been sitting in a chair feeding your baby for 24 hours straight. Jen Dugard is a personal trainer who founded MumSafe a program that educates personal trainers on the best way to help mums feel fit and healthy. Jen explains the best way to rebuild your strength, and the types of things you should avoid.

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Should kids get pocket money? And if they should what is the right amount? Kate Browne is the editor-at-large for Finder.com.au They've done research into how Aussie parents give pocket money. Kate talks about whether kids should do chores for their money and the average weekly wage for kids.

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They say that the one thing that is constant in life is change. Yet as human beings none of us like it very much. And when it comes to life changes, you can't get much bigger than starting a family. Jana Firestone is a psychologist, podcaster and author of Embracing Change. She knows first hand the experience of another of life's big changes: losing a parent. Jana talks us through the ways we can embrace some of the more confronting changes we can experience as parents.

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Since the start of the pandemic parents were reassured that children were likely to be less affected by the virus. It was less likely they would catch it, and if they caught it their symptoms would be less severe. And while it appears that the latter is still true, the Omicron variant has meant many more children have caught the coronavirus. Dr Nusrat Homaira is a paediatric respiratory epidemiologist at UNSW and Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick. She says that we can make some educated guesses on the long term impact of the coronavirus based on what we know from older respiratory viruses that affect children. 

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Babies and small children can make things tense between parents, particularly when you're sleep deprived. Elisabeth Shaw is the CEO of Relationships Australia NSW. She talks through some of the pain points parents come across after they have children, and gives us some ideas on how we can manage them.

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When Rob Sturrock was suddenly made redundant in March last year he felt despondent and a bit like a failure. But with time he realised that it was an opportunity: to spend more time with his kids and to help with the running of the house. Rob talks about how we live in a world that expects men to be the breadwinner, but where there is a lot of meaning and satisfaction to find within the four walls of the family home.

Rob is also the author of Man Raises Boy. 

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There are some areas of motherhood that feel like they have been untouched by the hard work of feminists. Areas like how we birth our babies, feed or generally look after them. Clementine Ford is an author, feminist and mother. Clem talks about her own experiences of raising a child and why motherhood remains an area of judgment for women.

Clem's latest book is called How We Love. 

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The short answer is no. But if you have a child with a food allergy you will know how stressful it can be for you and your family. Even while awareness of allergies is much higher in schools and the community, you are always looking out for a possible allergen. Allergic reactions to peanuts range from the mild (puffy eyes, vomiting) to the severe (trouble breathing) but Professor Mimi Tang, Group Leader of Allergy Immunology at Murdoch Children's Research Institute says that any kind of reaction has a significant impact on a child's lifestyle. Mimi's latest study has shown how oral immunotherapy while not a cure might be the solution that parents are looking for. Mimi is joined by Kate Lawlor, whose son Declan is now in remission for his peanut allergy.

For more information on the study check out the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.

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Ever had a toddler decide the best place to have a tantrum is in the food court of your local shopping centre? How did you handle it? Toddlers are renowned for having mini breakdowns at the least convenient moment, but parenting educator and obstetrics social worker Genevieve Muir has some practical tips (and comfort) to offer parents of toddlers. Gen explains why toddlers are having tantrums, and how we can manage them well.

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Once babies come along it can be hard to find time for romantic dinners. It can be hard to want to do anything other than sleep! But Associate Professor Gery Karantzas says that it's not a given that romance disappears once you start to have a family. Gery is from the School of Psychology at Deakin University, and he researches love. Gery talks about the different kinds of love, how it changes all the time, and why this Valentine's Day you might just need a cuddle on the couch.

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