Growing Up Raising Us

SURPRISE! I'm pregnant! All the feels!

In this episode, my partner Hagan and I chat about our feelings around having a second baby. We muse on work, support, energy, juggling the love and attention for two babies, our relationship, and the uncertain transition from one to two. 

The first part of the episode shares a segment from when I was 7 weeks pregnant, then one from 13 weeks, and a final one at 15 weeks in which Hagan and I ask each other some questions we'd each planned.

CW: I want to include a content warning as we discuss falling pregnant very easily, and I’m sorry if that triggers anyone because I acknowledge that pregnancy announcements can be difficult. I’m sending so much love to anyone who’s struggling with fertility or falling pregnant. 

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CW: Postnatal Anxiety, OCD, Intrusive Thoughts

In this episode, we’re joined by Amy (she/her). Amy and her husband, Andy, have a blended family with four children. While three of the children are Amy's stepchildren from Andy's previous relationships, they recently welcomed their daughter, Lola, who is now 14 months old.

Amy's experience as a mother has been shaped by the challenges of Lola's health. Lola was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at six weeks old, which required her to wear a Pavlik Harness from nine weeks until 6.5 months. This brought about difficulties in feeding and bathing her, and regular check-ups were necessary. Additionally, Lola experienced delays in her motor skills development, such as rolling, crawling, and walking. Amy emphasises the importance of raising awareness about hip dysplasia and wishes there had been more information available to parents.

The stress of Lola's condition, along with disrupted sleep and restlessness, contributed to Amy's anxiety. Balancing the responsibilities of being a new mother and a step-parent to three other children, she began feeling overwhelmed and pressured to manage household tasks, placing a lot of self-imposed pressure on herself. While her husband, Andy, reassured her that she didn't need to do everything, Amy struggled with her own anxieties and feelings of responsibility.

Recognising the need for support, Amy self-admitted herself to a Mother Baby Unit when Lola was eight months old. The break provided relief, and the nurses helped Amy identify her symptoms of OCD and intrusive thoughts related to Lola. After her stay at the Mother Baby Unit, Amy emerged feeling more relaxed and better equipped to manage her thoughts. While challenges still arise, Amy has developed tools to rationalise them and cope with the accompanying stress.

Amy also shares her experience with building a support network. As her local parents' group didn’t align with her needs, Amy and a friend from work formed their own mothers' group, including other mothers and even reconnecting with an old housemate who also had a baby. She reflects on the regret of allowing many people to visit during the early weeks and expresses a desire to go back in time to savour those precious moments with Andy and the children.

Furthermore, Amy discusses her transition back to nursing work, highlighting the change in perspective she has gained. While she used to thrive in the fast-paced nursing environment, she now realises the importance of family and cherishing time with her young children. Currently working in the cardiovascular unit, which offers a more family-friendly schedule and a close-knit atmosphere. Amy also shares her experiences with Lola's transition to daycare.

Amy addresses the changes in her relationship with Andy, acknowledging their enduring strength but limited opportunities to connect. Since Lola's birth, they have not been on a date, as it is challenging for Amy to let go and trust someone else to care for their daughter besides Andy or daycare.

I highly encourage you to visit these resources if the topics discussed in this episode bring anything up for you:

COPE (Centre of Perinatal Excellence): ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠

Beyond Blue: ⁠⁠https://www.beyondblue.org.au⁠⁠

PANDA: ⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠

Lifeline: ⁠https://www.lifeline.org.au/⁠

Follow our instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for photos of weekly guests and episode updates and releases.

Welcome to the second part of Georgia’s story. Georgia (she/her) and her husband, Matt, are parents to triplets Finn, Marlo, and Jude. 

In this episode, Georgia shares her experience with her triplets' early days and the rest of their journey in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Special Care Nursery (SCU). For five days, the triplets remained in the NICU, which coincided with the isolation length for Georgia’s positive Covid-19 status. Subsequently, they were moved to the SCU, where they stayed for a total of 32 days, with 27 days specifically spent in the SCU.

Georgia expresses the indescribable feeling of leaving her babies in the hospital while going home. On day 3, her emotions overwhelmed her, and coupled with the hormonal changes, she found herself in tears as she departed the hospital. The unnatural sensation of separation from her babies left her yearning to have them home with her.

To ease the transition, Georgia and her partner, Matt, stayed at Georgia's parents's house for two weeks, where they received valuable support. During this time, her parents took care of household chores, cooking, and provided assistance, which proved essential during this period.

Contrary to the idyllic portrayal of the "Fourth Trimester" and the "baby bubble" on social media, Georgia's early postpartum experience involved frequent visits to the hospital, instead of rest and relaxation. Reading about these idealised experiences contrasted greatly with her own reality.

However, after the 32-day hospital stay, Georgia and Matt finally brought their babies home and began to experience the cherished and serene "baby bubble" they had longed for. Despite being born prematurely at 31 weeks and 4 days, the triplets thrived and remained remarkably healthy, exceeding Georgia's expectations.

The process of introducing breastfeeding was calm and gradual due to the premature birth and the babies' underdeveloped suck and swallow reflex. Georgia allowed each baby to spend time on her chest, encouraging their curiosity around breastfeeding by sniffing, licking, and suckling at her breast.

Upon returning home, Georgia adopted tandem feeding and began supplementing with bottles, combining half breast milk and half formula. Two of the babies, Finn and Marlo, have naturally weaned themselves from breastfeeding, while Jude is still feeding at night now.

Matt played a crucial role in supporting Georgia, taking four months off work to assist with feeding. As he returned to work, Georgia adjusted her feeding routine, utilising bottles during the day and exclusively breastfeeding overnight.

Throughout their journey, Georgia and Matt maintained a positive attitude and are grateful for their overall experience. Georgia takes pride in being a mother to her delightful triplets, thoroughly enjoying their interactions with one another.

Follow our instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@definitelybabypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for photos of weekly guests and episode updates and releases.

CW: This episode touches on the topic of foetal reduction, so I’ll let you decide if you would prefer not to listen right now or come back to the ep at a later date.

In this episode, we're joined by Georgia (she/her), who, along with her husband Matt, is a parent to triplets named Finn, Marlo, and Jude. Finn and Marlo are identical and shared a placenta, while Jude is fraternal and had his own placenta.

In the first part of Georgia’s story, Georgia shares the journey of discovering her pregnancy and the shock they experienced upon learning that she was carrying three babies. She speaks about telling her family and friends, and how the news of triplets surprised them as well.

During the first trimester, Georgia experienced intense nausea and hunger.  At their scans, they were told that there was a risk of miscarriage of one or two of the babies. Despite being offered the option of foetal reduction, Georgia and her husband were on the same page in their decision to go ahead with the triplet pregnancy. 

As the pregnancy progressed, Georgia had to come to terms with the likelihood of preterm birth, which is common with multiples. The second trimester went more smoothly, and by the third trimester, Georgia felt great and remained active while continuing to work.

However, at the 28-week scan, they received unexpected news about uneven blood flow between the two babies sharing the placenta. This marked a turning point, as subsequent scans revealed restricted growth in the identical pair. Georgia received a steroid injection to aid in the development of the babies' lungs and faced the fear of an earlier hospitalisation than planned.

Georgia was determined to carry the babies until 35 weeks, so when she was admitted to hospital after her 30 week scan, she was feeling unprepared to meet her babies sooner than anticipated. Despite her concerns, she managed to prolong the pregnancy for an additional 11 days, which would make a significant difference in the babies' time spent in special care. During that time, she felt a lot more comfortable with the prospect of meeting them. 

On the day of the scheduled caesarean section, a routine COVID-19 test revealed that Georgia was positive, although she showed no symptoms. This didn’t affect her birth and she describes it warmly. In the surgery room, there were 13 people working, and a room next door with three humidity cribs, three special care nurses and paediatricians. The boys were born at 31 weeks and 4 days. 

After the birth, her positive COVID-19 status brought about various challenges for her and her family. Despite the circumstances, Georgia made the decision to visit and hold her babies while following the necessary precautions.

Before her journey to the nursery, Georgia fainted, resulting in a code blue and the presence of a team of medical professionals. However, she persisted and was able to visit her babies in the nursery, although she remained with a catheter in.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Georgia’s story, dropping later this week. 

Follow our instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@definitelybabypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for photos of weekly guests and episode updates and releases.

In this bonus episode, we're joined by Addison (Addi) Landry (she/her). Addi founded her own business, the Uplifted Collective, as a space for nurturing the feminine. She works as a postpartum and provides fertility and pre and postnatal care and support for women, focusing on vitality and holistic health. Her studies in Energy Medicine and Applied Nutrition allow her to treat issues within the energy field and uncover energetic cellular imbalances. Addi specialises in the Morphogenic Field Technique, Emotion Tuning, Reiki, and Postpartum Care.

I was super interested to hear about these topics that were new to me. Addi talks about postpartum nutrition and the concept of ancestral nourishment, which draws off the idea of what our ancestors were eating, and how we should be eating similar diets instead of processed foods containing additives and minimal health benefits. We speak about the postpartum pillars, what they are and why they're essential for the wellbeing of new mothers. We also speak about energetics, bodywork, and what the shifts she sees in mothers and families that she works with.

We thank you, Addi, for sharing your beautiful thoughts with us.

You can find Addi on instagram at @upliftedcollective.

And her website is: https://www.upliftedcollective.com.au/.

Follow our instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@definitelybabypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for photos of weekly guests and episode updates and releases.

In episode 24, we’re joined by Aimee (she/her). Aimee and her husband Jared are parents to their daughter Ivy who’s 2 years and 3 months, and are expecting another baby in the next few months. 

Aimee takes us through Ivy’s pregnancy, a typically ‘normal’ pregnancy up until 36 weeks when she was diagnosed with Preeclampsia. Having hoped for a drug-free, vaginal, water birth, she felt that all of her dreams of  birth had been shattered as they spoke about induction and the possibility of a c-section. When Ivy turned around into a breech position, after a failed ECV attempt, and Aimee’s hospitalisation for her Preeclampsia, the decision was made for a c-section. Besides being terrified, her caesarean was a positive experience for her.  

After her birth, she went into hypertensive crisis, so she shares with us her experience of being taken into ICU as a result. She was put on a magnesium drip for 24 hours and needed the close help from nurses and midwives to help care for Ivy, as she was quite dazed. 

Having a fascination with hearing about people’s birth and postpartum stories meant Aimee felt pretty prepared for things that would arise in her own postpartum journey. They had the wonderful support of her mother who stayed with them to help with Ivy, and the cooking and cleaning. 

Aimee holds a lot of her identity in being busy and independent, and the term ‘Mum’ didn’t resonate with her during her first pregnancy. But in following mums on social media that she found inspirational helped her to embrace her new identity. 

We also get to hear about their experiences with sleep, co-sleeping, gentle parenting, relationship shifts, and surprises that have arisen along the way. 

Aimee hosts her own beautiful podcast The Post Party Project. You can listen on Apple or Spotify.

Follow our instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@definitelybabypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for photos of weekly guests and episode updates and releases.

In this episode, we're joined by Lidija (she/her). Lidija is a mother to her five-year-old daughter, Nika, and has been with her partner, Lachie (he/him), for 14 years. They are also proud parents to their dog, Kino. Lidija shares their love story, starting from how they met at a house party to their first kiss in Lidija's backyard by the veggie patch.

During Lidija's pregnancy with Nika, which she was thankful for being easy, apart from the emotional challenge she faced of losing her first dog to cancer. She had an induced labour that lasted 19 hours with minimal progression, leading to Nika's birth via a c-section. Nika faced health complications after birth, spending a week in the special care unit. However, once they returned home, Nika thrived and progressed positively.

Lachie had a one-week paternity leave, which Lidija describes as a brief "holiday" together. Adjusting to Lachie's return to work, Lidija found ways to entertain her newborn and quickly adapted to the parenting routine. They discovered the benefits of meal-prepping to manage their parenting days.

Lidija shares her experience of letting go of preconceived notions about setting rules for babies when Nika preferred co-sleeping and feeding to sleep. They practised baby-led weaning, allowing Nika to wean naturally at her own pace. As a vegan family, food culture holds significant importance to them, and Lidija, being a nutritionist, ensures a healthy relationship with food for Nika.

Lidija discusses Nika's strong emotions and their efforts to anticipate and address them. Lidija finds it magical to witness Nika's academic development, particularly as she learns to read, and Lidija sees Nika's nerdiness reflected in her own and Lachie's traits. Transitioning into motherhood, Lidija found support from friends who had toddlers, guiding her through the journey. As Nika started daycare and kindergarten, Lidija reconnected with her pre-baby self and explored different career options.

Lidija and Lachie experienced adjustments in their relationship during the first year of Nika's life. They navigated the challenges of parenting, which involved adapting to their different parenting approaches and finding time for each other amidst their new roles as parents. However, their strong bond, built over eight years of shared experiences pre-baby, helped them find their groove. They prioritise quality time and continue to nurture their relationship, going on regular dates and occasional weekend getaways.

Lidija's upbringing, with her parents who immigrated to Australia from Croatia shortly before Lidija was born, influenced her parenting approach. Growing up with busy parents, she now prioritises quality time and hands-on parenting, ensuring a balance between play and academics for Nika.

Lidija's story is a wonderful reminder of the incredible influence we have as parents. Through her experiences, we see the power of shaping our children's values and the impact it can have on their lives. 

Follow our instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@definitelybabypodcast⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for photos of weekly guests and episode updates and releases.

In this episode, I'm joined by Matilda (⁠@matildathenutritionist⁠) and Olivia Maree (@wildnwell.counselling) from @isthisflatteringpodcast join me to discuss body image, nutrition, and to answer your questions.

TW: Postpartum anxiety and depression, intrusive thoughts

In this episode, I'm joined by Jess (she/her), a mother to a 14-month-old son named Ryker. Jess and her husband have been together for 12 years and married for the last 6. After conceiving just five months after getting her implanon out, Jess felt overwhelmed by the prospect of parenthood, as she hadn't prepared herself for the life adjustment it would bring.

She experienced mixed emotions during her pregnancy, from feeling blankness seeing her baby on the screen to taking on birth mapping and creating a detailed birth plan. At 39 weeks, she went into labour despite the initial plan to induce her. The first few days after Ryker's birth were great, but overwhelming feelings and regret set in shortly after.

Living far from family, Jess struggled with isolation and depression. The absence of her pre-parent identity, tied to work and hobbies like playing football, added to her distress. 

Feeling like a burden on her family, partner, and baby, Jess hit a low point and experienced a strong desire to run away. Her struggles became apparent to a friend, which left her feeling defensive at first, but subsequently led her to open up to a maternal child health nurse. The nurse referred her to a parent-infant unit where she participated in a program called Circle of Security. During her stay, she learned about "distress intolerance" and the importance of prioritising social outlets and self-care.

Jess also dealt with imposter syndrome and challenges with her son's sleep patterns while in the unit. Connecting with other mothers who felt similarly provided immense value during her stay. Over time, she began to bond with Ryker as he became more interactive, and now describes him as their "best mate" with a cheeky and soft-natured personality.

We extend our gratitude to Jess for generously sharing her story, as shedding light on topics like these is crucial.

I highly encourage you to visit these resources if the topics discussed in this episode bring anything up for you:

COPE (Centre of Perinatal Excellence): ⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠
Beyond Blue: ⁠https://www.beyondblue.org.au⁠

PANDA: ⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠

Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Follow our instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@definitelybabypodcast⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for photos of weekly guests and episode updates and releases.

In this episode, I'm joined by Ash (he/him), a father living in Hobart, Tasmania, with his partner Chelsea (she/her) and their two-year-old son, Luen. Ash shares their journey of becoming parents.

Ash and Chelsea went through the process of IVF for 2.5-3 years and sadly experienced a miscarriage in the process. They made the move from Melbourne to Tasmania during their IVF journey and we speak about the process of transporting their embryos over there.

Ash's unwavering support for Chelsea during her pregnancy, labour, and birth is a significant part of their story. Chelsea had an induced labour due to reduced amniotic fluid, which resulted in a swift but painful experience. They had a wonderful obstetrician and felt supported throughout the transformative process, and Ash got to catch Luen as he was being born. The labour and birth became a deeply spiritual journey and the most profound experience of Ash's life.

The initial month of parenthood created a magical atmosphere, even through the sleep deprivation. Ash reflects on how fatherhood has changed him, forcing him to confront himself and become the best version of himself for his child.

As Chelsea manages her own thriving hairdressing business, Ash took on the primary care for the first two and a half years of Luen's life and is now transitioning back into his art and music career. Balancing his responsibilities as a father, partner and retaining his creative practice has shown his dedication and enduring love for his family.

Ash also talks about witnessing their child's unique personality emerge each day. The joy he finds in seeing their son grow and thrive reflects the incredible journey they have embarked upon as parents.

PANDA: ⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠

Pink Elephants: ⁠https://www.pinkelephants.org.au/⁠

SANDS: ⁠https://www.sands.org.au/

Follow our instagram ⁠⁠⁠@definitelybabypodcast⁠⁠ ⁠for photos of weekly guests and episode updates and releases.