Postpartum Stories With Steph

This is an exciting one, and listeners can join in a giveaway too! On the podcast today I’m joined by the amazing Regan Figg. With a background in exercise physiology and yoga teaching Regan never believed she would develop postnatal depression and anxiety, as she looked after her mind and body for a living. Fast-forward 6 months postpartum and she received the diagnoses of PND.

Through her struggle and overcoming the challenges of living with PND, Regan came out the other side. Like a caterpillar wrapped in a cocoon, eventually she emerged with wings, the butterfly goddess within had been awakened.

She used her experience and dark days to learn and grow, and now she is running a business that coaches, mentors and supports mothers to find their spark.

This episode not only covers the early postpartum but the equally important conversation of what comes next?

Regan has generously offered listeners of the poddy a chance to work with her for free in her Divine Days course starting September 9. This course shows you how cultivate ‘goddess energy’, living with intention and harmonising your feminine and masculine energies. It honestly sounds amazing and perfect for mamas who are currently in lockdown.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Follow @regan_figg and @postpartum_with_steph on Instagram

2. Leave a five star rating AND review of the podcast in Apple Podcasts

3. Send a screenshot of your review to Regan. For bonus entries share your review to Insta stories and tag myself and Regan.

A winner will be drawn at random and announced on Monday 7 September.

You can find Regan on Instagram @regan_figg and learn more about her offerings here: www.herhavenco.com.au

You can find me on Instagram @postpartum_with_steph

Did you know that back in ‘hunter gatherer’ times our children were cared for by up to 14 adults each day!? Mind blowing right?

Today I talk to Julia Jones who runs the postpartum doula training company called Newborn Mothers.

We talk a lot about the village; what it used to look like and what it looks like now (hint: it’s basically non-existent) BUT we talk about ways to recreate it in the 21st century.

Julia is also really well versed in the science behind “baby brain” and how our brains change when we become mothers (you can even see the changes on a brain scan!)

She chats about isolation, and how to overcome it, especially now during stage 4 restrictions in Melbourne.

Julia has written a number of books about postpartum life including a recipe book which can be found here: www.newbornmothers.com

You can also find her on Instagram @newbornmothers and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewbornMothers/

And you can find me on Instagram here: @postpartum_with_steph

If you enjoyed today’s episode please leave a five star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts.

In this episode I chat with Nicola Street who is a postpartum doula in Auckland , New Zealand.

She’s a single mum of three kids so she has a lot of experience of the early days and months of postpartum.

After the birth of her first two children she had amazing support from her mum Bronwyn, who was an independent midwife. Sadly during Nicola’s third pregnancy Bronwyn passed away from a terminal illness.

Nicola speaks openly about what her experience was like in postpartum and beyond without her mother by her side, and how she copes with grief alongside the many emotions that play a role in early postpartum.

Nicola has embraced her experience to help her work and support with other women in postpartum, especially those who have or are experiencing grief at the same time.

You can find Nicola on Instagram here @_nicola.street.doula_

As always you can find me on Instagram: @postpartum_with_steph

If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode please leave a 5 star rating and review!

On today’s episode I’m joined by nutritionist and doula Joelle Thom. Joelle lives in Melbourne with her partner Zephyr and her 10-month-old son Elio.

Joelle shares her experience of early postpartum, what it was like to have support from her partner, private midwife and doula. She basically had the postpartum dream team! She talks about recovery from an episiotomy, breastfeeding and what support looked like for her.

We also have a very interesting conversation about placenta consumption, which I’m always fascinated about! Joelle had her placenta cooked and she ate it for lunch. She also encapsulated some too.

She also shares about the hardest few weeks and months for her when her son would cry for hours on end each evening. It’s such a difficult thing to experience but Joelle really had to learn to surrender to it and ride the wave.

You can find Joelle on Instagram @joelle.constance and as always you can come say hi to me here @postpartum_with_steph

On today’s episode I’m joined by Lauren Parr. Lauren is a single mum to her 2.5 year old son Marley. She’s recently moved back to England after living in Australia for a few years. She is a yoga teacher and emerging doula.

Lauren talks about how she had plans to sleep train and start formula feeding at six weeks. Then her baby arrived and that all went out the window!

She talks about her first 40 days of postpartum where she really honoured herself and her boundaries, and spent that time bonding with her son without too many interactions with the outside world.

She speaks about her experience of pregnancy and postpartum as a mixed race woman, and how she has found her voice to standup for herself and her son when confronted with racism.

You can find Lauren on Instagram here: @thisislaurenparr

You can find me here: @postpartum_with_steph

Today’s episode is the first in my new series called ‘You Got This’ where I talk to industry experts about postpartum care, health and support.

In this episode I’m joined by Amberley Harris to talk all things breastfeeding. Amberley is an endorsed midwife and works in private practice in Melbourne with her own breastfeeding consultancy business.

Today we chat all things boobs, breastmilk, initiating breastfeeding, attachment, what helps and what doesn’t, and how to support yourself in those early days. It’s basically your breastfeeding 101 crash course!

You can find Amberley on Instagram @maternalinstinctsbyamberley or on her website www.maternal-instincts.com.au.

As always you can find me over on Insta here @postpartum_with_steph

I know I say this about every episode BUT I love this one! I’m joined by Georgi Fitzpatrick who is originally from Romania but now lives in New Zealand with her two sons and husband.

She works in a range of different ways with women and birthing people. She teaches about pelvic floor health and returning to exercise postpartum, teaches yoga and kanga training classes.

On the podcast she shares about her first postpartum experience where she had great support from her family and was basically treated like a queen for the first few months after birth (like all women should be!) But after those initial few months she moved to a new town in New Zealand where she knew no one. She talks about the ways she tried to meet new mums and find her community.

After the birth of her second son she talks about the challenges she had breastfeeding compared to her first son. Coupled with postpartum was also the diagnoses of her first son with autism. Georgi speaks so openly about this, about her sons autism and how she navigated all of that during early postpartum.

You can find Georgi on Instagram @georgi_anna_fitzpatrick

You can find me on Instagram here: @postpartum_with_steph

Today’s episode is with Anna-Maria Flynn. Anna-Maria is a first time mum to Alaska who is 8-months-old.

Anna-Maria talks very openly about her experience with early postpartum after experiencing birth trauma. Her plans to have a quiet 40 day postpartum experience were quickly dismantled when she realised how much she needed her friends and family around her for support. So much so that when Alaska was two-weeks old the two of them flew from their home in Hobart to Melbourne to be with her village. She also talks about how her husband experienced post-natal depression, and how that effected their relationship. Anna-Maria also shares about the challenges in her breastfeeding journey after the removal of her breast implants.

You can find Anna-Maria on Instagram @inner.unravellings

You can keep up to date with the podcast on Instagram @postpartum_with_steph

Today it’s just me, Steph, chatting about my experience with baby sleep and sleep training. I must admit I was feeling quite angry when I recorded this, so really this is a huge vent from me! This episode stemmed from a post I put up on Instagram about how my dad was left to cry it out when he was a baby. It was accompanied by a photo of him literally strapped down into his cot. The photo breaks my heart and it struck a chord with many people, mainly mums, who have felt this pressure to sleep train. This episode is just my thoughts and opinions, I’m not an expert and don’t claim to be. You can see the original post on my Instagram @postpartum_with_steph

Today’s episode is with Marnie Hillier, a New Zealand based business owner, mum, and wife. Her business, Ms Marnie, is a t-shirt and accessories line, but like she says, it’s so much more than that. Through her business she’s created a women’s empowerment movement. Through the slogans and images in her products she has brought together a community of women who are supporting each other and themselves through the ups and downs of mum life.

Marnie also shares openly and honestly on her Instagram about the challenges she faces as a mother and a wife. She is a deep and critical thinker and is always willing to question the things in her life that aren’t serving her.

Today a lot of our conversation focuses on sleep, baby sleep, adult sleep, sleep deprivation. We also talk about martyrdom and motherhood, about how for a long time Marnie felt like she needed to put all of her needs last in order to be a good mum, which in the long run left her burnt out, and exhausted. 18 months ago her husband became a stay at home dad so Marnie could run her business full time from home, which she talks about too. You can find Marnie on Instagram @msmarnie_is_here.