Inside the Box

In this series we are joined by four mum’s from our Inside The Box Community (including one of our own, Kat). Four mum’s share the good, the bad, the awkward and all the raw insights and realities of getting back to sex and intimacy after having a baby. Today we have Maddi and Jo speaking to their experience. 

Maddi - Wife, mum of 2 under 2, and part-time legal receptionist. Maddi and her husband have been together 13 years and have 2 boys aged 2 and a half years and 9 months old. 

Jo - Wife, mum of one baby boy and step-mum to a teenage girl. Executive assistant at a big bank. Jo and her husband have been married for a year.

Anisa Varasteh is a clinical sexologist based in Adelaide and owns Relate Sexology. She is a trained professional who specialises in human sexuality and helps navigate people through areas in which they may find themselves stuck, confused, needing more information, or desiring to improve their sexual and relational well being. She is a new mum herself and shares a passion for helping women in the space of relationships and intimacy as they navigate new parenthood. 

In this episode we cover:

• What are the most common blocks women describe after having a baby in regards to sex and intimacy?
• What is normal in terms of sexual experiences and labido post birth?
• The impact of birth trauma on relationships 
• Strategies to enjoy intimacy again with partners after pregnancy and birth 
• How feeling touched out, drowning from mental load and feelings of resentment towards a partner for perceived freedoms can impact intimacy and how to overcome these?
• What to do if you and your partner have mismatched desires 
• Words of wisdom for healthy relationships when raising young people

Links: 

Relate Sexology https://www.relatesexology.com/

Society of Australian Sexologists https://societyaustraliansexologists.org.au/sys/website

 Instagram @relatesexology 

In this episode we chat to Caitlin about the beautiful story behind the birth of her second baby, Luna.

In this episode we cover:

- The early signs of labour

- Strategies Caitlin used for pain relief in labour

- An almost accidental waiting room birth

- A vaginal water birth with Luna arriving in her amniotic sac

- How the early recovery has been

- The outcome of her six week check

We hope you enjoy hearing this story as much as we did!

Instagram: @pelvicfloorwithcaitlin

Jess Stenson is one of our and Australia’s most inspiring female athletes. Amongst many other things Jess is a mum, a physiotherapist, a professional athlete and running coach. We sit down with Jess to chat about all things pregnancy, birth and recovery and the nuances of being a professional athlete (and competing at the top of her field) at the same time.

In this episode we cover:

• How becoming pregnant impacted Jess’s training and her pregnancy journey 
• Jess’s birth story and early recovery
• Who was on Jess’s team post partum and how she was supported in return to running and training 
• What her training journey looked like from birth to the 2022 Commonwealth games
• How becoming a mum has changed her career as an athlete 
• Advice to new mums looking to return to running 

 Instagram @jess_tren 

Tanya is a qualified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Mum of 2 and a very well known social media personality (with over 350 thousand people joining in to watch her journey and soak in all her fitness wisdom). Tanya is known for her unique mix of strength training, high intensity work and mobility. She is also pre and postnatal certified. 

In this episode we cover:

• Tanya’s career so far
• Her experience training during her pregnancies and the insight she gained
• Tanya’s 2 birth experiences and how they have impacted her training
• Her experiences returning to exercise, how she did it and the impact having such a large following has had on the journey
• The most challenging things for her about returning to exercise after 2 kids
• The biggest myths in the fitness industry surrounding pregnancy and post partum exercise

We finish with Tanya answering “what do you wish more women knew about exercise and pregnancy?”

Tanya’s instagram: @tanyapoppet 

You asked, we answered! In this episode Kat and Caitlin are put to the test as expert guests covering some juicy topics such as how to ensure you choose the right healthcare team for you, how to prepare for birth, what to consider if you have a prolapse and are looking at decisions for future vaginal deliveries, and all the latest of epidurals including when they could be appropriate for YOU. 

Also sharing with you all the Born Ready Course link which Kat speaks about on this episode - this course is a MUST if you are preparing for birth <3

https://www.bornready.com.au/

If you would like us to answer any of your questions in future episodes, drop us a DM @insidethebox_pod

In this episode Britt shares with us her birth stories, the first of which resulted in a 3b tear and postpartum haemorrhage. She chats with us around her speedy labour, diagnosis of OASI, the challenges of recovery alongside her journey of healing and how she navigated her decision in choosing to rewrite her birth story in what she describes as a 'blissful' caesarean birth. Happy listening! 

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses forceps and postpartum haemorrhage. 

In this episode Hannah shares with us her 2 very different birth stories, the first of which resulted in a 3rd degree tear. She chats with us regarding labour, things she has learned, diagnosis of OASI, her journey of healing, and how she navigated the decision around having another vaginal birth. 

Dr. De Lacavalerie is a specialist Colorectal and General Surgeon. She is passionate about providing holistic care for all her patients and in particular to women in the birth space following perineal trauma.
In this episode we cover:

• What is an Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury? (OASI/ 3rd or 4th degree tear)
• How common is this injury in Australia?
• How is an OASI treated?
• Risk factors for perineal tears and how women can assess this prior to birth
• How do women best make a decision about subsequent birth methods after sustaining a tear in their first birth?

Sydney OASI Specialists: https://www.sydneyoasispecialists.com.au/

Holly is a boy mum of 2, who prior to her babies was a competitive gymnast, dancer, runner, netballer and powerlifter. Holly shares her journey of her prolapse diagnosis that (almost) derailed her aspirations of returning to the sporting past times she loves. 

In this episode we cover

• Holly’s birth stories
• When she saw a women's health physio post-partum and what that assessment involved 
• How she knew she had a prolapse and who diagnosed it
• The key factors in her rehab journey so far in treating her prolapse symptoms
• Holly’s biggest piece of advice for anyone suffering from prolapse and wanting to return to exercise