Growing Up Raising Us

Hello beautiful listeners, today Chels and Em are sitting down for a catch up. It’s been a while since we’ve had a proper chat and we have a few updates to share with you: Chelsea has moved house and we’ve both been navigating different childcare issues. 

Grab a cuppa and come join us for this chat.

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Wilam and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. Every month, I Pay The Rent and so can you - click⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to learn more.

Our recommendation this week:

Resources or links mentioned:

Welcome to our first ‘In Your Words’ episode. In Your Words is a new segment in which we hear directly from multiple parents on their experiences on a certain topic. We ask our listeners a few questions on a topic, and they send us voice notes to share with you all. Our first In Your Words is on the topic of homebirth. 

Today, June 6th, is International Homebirth Day. In bringing you this episode, we want to honour women and birthing people’s decision to birth at home as well as the supportive, dedicated, and knowledgeable homebirth midwives out there supporting them through the transformative experience that is labour and birth. We also want to bring awareness to and normalise homebirth as a safe and wonderful option for birthing people.

In this episode, we asked our 9 incredible guests two questions: why did you choose to birth at home and what does homebirth mean to you? 

Thank you to our guests in this episode, listed in order of appearance:

We are so grateful for all of these women for sharing their insights and experiences on this topic. We’re so proud of this episode and hope that you enjoy it. If you think this episode will resonate with someone in your life, please share it with them. 

Join our community on instagram ⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases.

We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land. Every month, I Pay The Rent and so can you - click⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to learn more. 

Today, we have an episode that deeply impacted both of us. Please know this episode is about child and infant loss. It’s a powerful episode and we think so important to share, but please only listen if you feel able.

Today, we’re joined by Sarah (she/her), an incredible mother to three children. Two of her children are with her earthside, but Sarah’s first beautiful son devastatingly passed away just one month after he was born. We will let Sarah introduce her beautiful son to you.

Sarah joins us on the podcast to share his story, as well as her own experience navigating his birth, life and death. She discusses how her grief has evolved over the years (and how the saying ‘it gets easier with time’ isn't totally true) plus the family traditions she uses to honour her son and his memory; social stigmas associated with infant loss and grief; and what she did and didn’t find helpful in the days, weeks and months after her son’s death. 

We were truly so honoured that Sarah joined us to share her and her son’s stories. Grief is a normal, devastating part of our lives and it is often left unspoken. We hope this episode helps in a small way for anyone navigating loss, or perhaps for anyone supporting someone who is grieving. 

Resources for parents or loved ones experiencing child or infant loss:

Statistics mentioned from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

Join our community on instagram ⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases.

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Wilam and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. Every month, I Pay The Rent and so can you - click⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to learn more. 

In this episode, we have a co-host catch up with Chels and Em all about losing, gaining and redefining our identity in motherhood. 

We walk you through a research article Em has found on the topic of identity in motherhood (think concepts like: ‘fractured identity’ and ‘expansion of self’), and we also go through your listener poll responses sharing your own experience coming ‘back’ to yourself in motherhood. As always, we share our recommendations for the week and any wins/in the bins. 

It’s a great, informative chat if we say so ourselves, and we hope you enjoy the listen x

Things mentioned in this ep:

Join our community on instagram ⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases.

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Wilam and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. Every month, I Pay The Rent and so can you - click⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to learn more.

In this episode, we bring you a discussion with the incredible Rebecca Black from @themindfulbirthmovement. Rebecca is a psychologist, hypnobirthing practitioner, founder of the Mindful Birth Movement and, most importantly, mum of three.

This episode is hard hitting and covers so many incredible discussions, including:

The work that Rebecca, her colleagues and others in this space do is truly changing the narrative for mothers and we think it’s fitting to release this ep prior to Mother’s Day this weekend. We really hope you enjoy this episode and get a lot out of it - our wish is for you to feel valued on Mother’s Day and every day xx

People and resources mentioned in this ep:

Rebecca Black's instagram: @themindfulbirthmovement⁠

Website: The Mindful Birth Movement

Dr Sophie Brock 

Fair Play Cards

Join our community on instagram ⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases.

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Wilam and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. Every month, I Pay The Rent and so can you - click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to learn more. 

In today’s episode, we are back with Olivia (she/her) as she shares her two birth stories. Olivia (@physio.therapeutic.yoga) is a women’s health physio, yoga and pilates instructor, and was on the podcast last week chatting all things pelvic floor. 

Olivia is also a mum to two beautiful boys and she shares her journey bringing them both earthside. Olivia’s first birth was a planned homebirth, supported by private midwives. At 41+3 weeks she ended up transferring to hospital and had a caesarean section under general anaesthetic, meaning she was asleep for the birth of her son and woke up separated from him in recovery. Olivia speaks openly about how heartbreaking this was for her and discusses the process of coming to terms with her birth going so differently to how she hoped and prepared for. She goes on to describe her second birth, a vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) which she had in hospital with a private obstetrician.

Olivia speaks so beautifully about how she holds space for her two different births, and we feel so honoured that she chose to share her birth stories with us. We hope her stories make you feel less alone if you have faced similar circumstances. 

If this episode brings anything up for you and you would like some extra support, we have listed some resources below: 

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Wilam and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. Every month, I Pay The Rent and so can you: click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to learn more. 

In today’s episode, we are speaking with Olivia (she/her), a women’s health physio, yoga and pilates instructor, and mum to two from Naarm/Melbourne. 

Olivia chats with us all things pelvic floor in pregnancy, immediate postpartum and beyond. Olivia is trained in internal pelvic floor release and explains what pelvic floor release involves, why it can have such a positive impact on birth preparation and recovery, and when to consider seeing a women’s health physio for internal release or other support. Olivia also answers some of your listener questions, covering prolapse, return to exercise and how different birth modes (caesar, vaginal, assisted) can impact your recovery.

We loved chatting with Olivia, we learnt so much from her and I think this discussion really reinforced to us the importance and significance of healing after birth. Olivia offers physio appointments via telehealth and in person in Naarm, and you can find out more through her instagram @physio.therapeutic.yoga 

This episode is available now wherever you get your podcasts.

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Wilam and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. Every month, I Pay The Rent and so can you - click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to learn more. 

In this week’s episode, Chels and Em sit down and chat about their collective postpartum experiences. This conversation is sparked by Chels leaving her fourth trimester and she reflects honestly on the first three months of her second postpartum, as well as the transition to two children. Em throws back to her own postpartum experience three years ago.

We also unpack your listener postpartum experiences, chatting all things sleep, feeding, postpartum body image and more.

To join our community on instagram @growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases.

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Wilam and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. Every month, I Pay The Rent and so can you - click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to learn more.

In this week's episode, we're joined by Keshia (she/her) and Ariel (she/her). Keshia and Ariel are mothers and business women, and have recently founded @from__day__one - a drop-in space and community for new mothers in Naarm/Melbourne. 

Keshia and Ariel share their breadth of experience and wisdom from their six collective postpartum experiences. Ariel shares insights from birthing overseas in America, and they both draw from the unique time that was giving birth during the pandemic. 

Keshia and Ariel reflect on their lives and sense of self prior to becoming mothers, and how their early corporate careers and postpartum experiences influenced their desire to create a business and change the postpartum space for good. They touch on the values and aspirations behind From Day One, and the value of collective knowledge, continuity of care and sense of community for new mothers.

We absolutely loved our chat with Ariel and Keshia, it was so validating and clear to see the passion and research that has gone into @from__day__one.  From Day One opened in early 2024, so be sure to check out their instagram or website for more info. 

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Wilam and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation.  Every month, I Pay The Rent and so can you - click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to learn more.

This week is Multiple Birth Awareness Week (March 17 - 22) - a week to spotlight parents of multiple babies (twins or higher order multiples) and bring awareness to their unique parenthood experience. Hosted by @ausmultiplebirthassociation, this year’s theme is ‘Multiples unfiltered. Tell your story. Find your community.’ 

We are thrilled to be releasing today’s episode during Multiple Birth Awareness Week. Today, we are joined by the incredible, warm and thoughtful Georgia and Silje, two mothers who connected through their experiences of becoming triplet mums. 

Georgia (she/her) is a lawyer and mother to three triplet boys - Finn, Jude and Marlo. Silje (she/her) is a lawyer, director of the Australian Multiple Birth Association and mother to an older son, Mads, as well as triplet toddlers - Teddy, Eric and Ada.

Silje and Georgia share their story unfiltered, and walk us through the experience of caring for triplets in a society that offers little extra support. Parents of multiples are more likely to experience postnatal anxiety or depression than parents of singletons, and only 11% of parents of multiples feel adequately supported by the programs and policies in place to support them. In Australia, parents of multiples do not receive additional paid parental leave, premature baby leave or appropriate government allowances to assist them with the enormous undertaking of raising multiple babies.

We hope this episode raises more awareness into the needs of parents with multiples, and helps advocate for change.

To join our growing community, see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases, follow us on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠.⁠

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Wilam and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation, the Wadawurrung people of Wadawurrung Country and the Ngambri peoples of the Ngunnawal/Ngunawal region. Every month, I Pay The Rent and so can you - click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to learn more.