Mum Brain

I can't quite believe it but this week marks week TEN of Mum Brain - the delulu project I launched just a few weeks after getting made redundant on maternity leave.

For today's episode, I'm getting personal - answering questions that you guys have sent me - on everything from babies, life as a tv news reporter, and what on earth I'm doing with my life now. Think of it as a voice note from me to you!

This episode also marks the end of season one of the pod - I have some big ideas brewing for next season so I promise I will be back again soon. Thank you SO much for all your support so far xx

I can't be the only person who did a baby first aid course during pregnancy - only to forget most of what was taught - due to mum brain! Today the lovely Nicole Gleeson from Rhythm First Aid joins us to talk through the practical first aid tips we need to know - think of it as a ten minute refresher of some of the things you're likely to *actually* use day to day.

You can follow Nicole on Instagram @rhythm.firstaid

The Australian Senate recently passed a motion to establish a "senate select comittee" into women's health, including postpartum care. To find out what this actually means, I speak to the mum behind it all - Senator Marielle Smith. In this episode, Senator Smith shares about her own postpartum struggles - and how they propelled her to push for national change. I'm so grateful that the Senator took time out of her busy Canberra schedule to come on Mum Brain - I hop you enjoy the ep!

To make a public submission to the select committee, click here: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Womens_Health/WomensHealth

Today I'm chatting with wills and estates specialist Ilana Kacev about why it's so crucial that we as parents make wills. As Ilana says in this episode, death is the last thing most of us want to think about when we're in the phase of bringing new life into the world - but it is so, so important that we do. Ilana explains what a will is, the main things they cover, and why she advises against 'diy' will kits.

This week I'm joined by pelvic health physiotherapist Rosie Purdue of Hatched House to talk all things pelvic floor - and ask the questions we all want to know. How often do we ACTUALLY need to do our exercises - and how often do mums neglect to do their pelvic floor 'homework'?

You can follow Rosie at rosie.physio.founder and @hatched.house

Today I'm speaking with the incredible perinatal and reproductive psychiatrist Dr Edna Lekgabe about all things matrescence. Edna speaks beautifully about the huge hormonal shift and 'developmental earthquake' that we go through as women when we transition into mothers. I personally found this conversation very validating and I hope you do too.

Dr Edna Lekgabe is the founder of Warm Health Collective, which provides psychiatrist-led mental health care for women and families . You can follow her on Instagram at @drednalekgabe.

This week I chat with primary school teacher and school readiness expert Sammy Richardson about what our kids REALLY need to know before they start school. Sammy is a wealth of knowledge is this space and offers a lot of reassuring advice as well as practical tips for what you can do right now to prepare your child for school.

You can follow Sammy on Instagram at @covelearning

In today's episode, I'm getting vulnerable and sharing my experience with postpartum rage. You'll also hear from my therapist - perinatal mental health nurse practitioner Emily Hodges - about why we as mums can be so susceptible to rage. Emily will also share her practical tips on how to cope with anger both in the moment - and long term.

Emily Hodges is a perinatal mental health practitioner based in Melbourne, Australia. She consults in person at the WARM Health Collective in Collingwood and can also be seen via Telehealth. You can find her on Instagram at @emily.mhnp

Free resources on postpartum rage can also be found at cope.org.au and gidgetfoundation.org.au

If you are confused by the terms 'childcare subsidy', 'family income threshold' or 'hourly rate cap' - this is the episode for you. I ask Anika Parr from Care For Kids to explain all of these concepts to me like I'm a five year old - and she very patiently does just that!

You can find the Care For Kids childcare subsidy calculator here: https://www.careforkids.com.au/child-care-subsidy-calculator

In today's episode, I speak to Penny Parker, employment lawyer and senior associate at Maurice Blackburn, about what to do if you're made redundant while pregnant or on maternity leave.

I share how I felt after I accepted a redundancy from my TV news job while on maternity leave with my second baby, and hear from two other mums who were freshly postpartum when they were told they no longer had jobs to return to.

You can follow me at @estellegriepink and @mumbrainpodcast and Penny at @pennyforherrights