Life After Bump Diaries

In this episode I speak with Sheridan, who is mum to toddler Elle and  also pregnant with number two. Sheridan shares the challenges she experienced adjusting to becoming a mum and the unrealistic expectations she placed on herself thanks to social media. She shares her experience of breastfeeding including why she exclusively pumped for 13 months and why it didn’t help her mental health when people praised her for the effort. Sheridan offers some insightful advice around what you could do if you see someone pumping like she was and why it’s ok to give yourself permission to stop.

Sheridan also spoke about how being in the health and fitness industry impacted the pressures she felt to ‘bounce back’ and what she expected her experience would look like, vs what it was.

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In this episode I speak to Kath, a mum of three girls and women’s physio. Kath has over 16 years’ experience guiding women through their pregnancy fitness journeys and postnatal rehab, and she specialises in pelvic floor rehabilitation. 

Kath shares her passion and desire for every woman to have access to post natal rehab. She shares her knowledge about pelvic floors, abdominal separation, how to best return to exercise and why it’s so important for us to rest our bodies after birth, including a story about what happened to her when she didn’t rest.  

Finally, Kath shares her tips for prioritising exercise and movement when exercise is the first thing that drops off the ‘me’ list.  Listen now.

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Tess is a vet from Forbes in Central NSW. Being a vet has always been a huge part of her identity and she knew from a very young age that this was her calling – so when she had her daughter Tilly,  Tess was amazed at how differently she looked at the animals she’d spent her whole life working with. From the pain she felt for them as she had to do an episiotomy or caesarean, to having so much empathy when the animal was having trouble breastfeeding or had mastitis. Tess shares how going back to work part time gave her life balance and she’s now the happiest she’s ever been. She also talks about what it’s like living in a country town, from access to doctors to what it’s like breastfeeding in public.

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Imagine going for your first scan excitingly waiting to see your baby for the first time... only to be told there’s not one baby in there, there’s three! This is what happened to Kacie who 11 years ago gave birth to three beautiful little kids. Kacie’s story doesn’t end there though, in 2019 during a period of extreme stress and at the age of 34, she had a stroke. Her experience of being ignored at the hospital is shocking, but how she recovered and was unexpectedly healed by her fourth baby, 11 years after her first pregnancy, is extraordinary. You don’t want to miss this episode, listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
 
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In this episode Katie, mum to 7 year old Lucia and 7 month old Ahlia, shares her story.  Katie shares how she’d finally accepted that having a second baby wasn’t on the cards for her and husband Neale, and she'd begun conversations about menopause with her doctor, when she happily fell pregnant. Katie shares the differences in parenting she’s noticed over the past 7 years including what’s changed and what hasn’t. Katie reflects on what she’s learnt in her 7 years so far as a mum and has some beautiful insights and perspectives you’ll want to hear. Listen now on all podcast platforms.

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Sonya had a successful career in the banking and finance industry when she momentarily stepped away to go on maternity leave. What happened during that time would change not only her identity – but her career path.

Sonya and her husband travelled a lot with their son from four months of age. She shares how they managed his routine amidst different time zones, how he adapted to the constant moving and what tips she has for parents who are taking their kids on flights. 

It was on one of these trips where Sonya had a moment that broke her – but which triggered an idea that would change the direction of her life, and she started working on her new business idea, a nappy rash spray.

Sonya speaks about what it was like walking away from a successful career to launch something on her own in a new industry which she had no experience in. She shares how it felt right for her to focus on her family and being a mum and what drove her to keep going when her idea seemed impossible. It took two years and over 20 formulations to get her nappy rash spray right!

Sonya created the beautiful product malo – you can listen to her story now, available on all podcast platforms.

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Picture this – your travel plans have all been ruined but the itch to explore remains... you have a 7 month old and you’re on maternity leave. What do you do? Well, if you’re Jen, my guest this episode, you buy a van with your husband, pack up your whole life and travel Australia in a great van adventure. Jen shares her experience of road tripping our beautiful country amidst lockdowns and border closures, explains what it’s like travelling with a baby and what she learnt along the way. Check out my Instagram page for some stunning photos from their experience but for now, listen now on all podcast platforms.

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If you had the chance to speak to a mum who’s a paediatric nurse what would you ask her? I sat down with Penny from sick happens who shared so much of her expertise. From fevers and bumps on the head to rashes and advice for navigating the health care system, Penny shares a wealth of knowledge that will help you feel more confident when dealing with sickness in your child. Penny also talks about her mum life experience including how she juggles everything, what it’s like being a boy mum and more.

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Sick Happens

In this episode I speak to Hollie, mum to Jaxon and Winter. Hollie shares how motherhood has shaped her and the joy she gets from being a mum, but also how she’s trying to find herself again after being consumed by mum life. Hollie’s run a few businesses in her time and she talks about juggling business ownership and mum life, the boundaries she sets and gives advice to women who might be wanting to take the plunge with a side hustle or start their own business. Hollie beams positivity despite going through some pretty tough times and she shares her experience of having a miscarriage and how she changed after her son had a particularly fall which saw him in hospital. Listen now on all podcast platforms.

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In this week’s episode, I chat with Bernadette, mum to two boys and owner of Core and Floor Restore.

For those that know or follow Bernadette, you’ll know of her passion for helping women restore and strengthen their cores and pelvic floors before and after pregnancy, and how she’s changing the lives of women through her education and exercise programs. 

Bernadette shares her journey of developing C+FS, including how it began long before she’d even imagined the business as it is now.

Bernadette shares the journey she’s been on with her post-partum body, why she makes the active decision to love her body and what she tells herself if negative self-talk creeps in. 

Bernadette passionately describes how she prioritises her physical health and why she believes this is so important. In her words: ‘you can do the dishes tomorrow, you can’t do today’s exercise tomorrow!” She talks about how exercise makes her a better person and mum and that she refuses to feel guilty for prioritising it, even if it’s only 5 minutes.

Bernadette also talks about what being a mum has taught her about the world, and reflects on her own childhood, describing how her experiences shaped how she now chooses to parent her two boys. 

It’s a jam-packed episode full of motivation, hard truths and a little bit of newborn breastfeeding! Listen now on all podcast platforms.

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Find out more about Core and Floor Restore