The Juggling Act

Does it sometimes feel like every time you have a big day coming up at work, your toddler has a nightmare night’s sleep? You end up dragging yourself into work wondering how on earth you're going to string two words together. It's like they come with some sort of crazy ability to read your calendar and really push you to your limits! After the first 12 months of a baby’s life, you think you should be getting more sleep - but that’s not always the case. We’re joined today by Steph Gouin who is a Baby and Child Sleep Consultant, a Registered Nurse of over 15 years and mum to three beautiful children for some valuable advice to making sure the whole family is sleeping well.

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It can be difficult as a parent to know whether your child is meeting milestones at the right time, particularly when it comes to speech. Some children are just late starters and can take a while to utter their first word, while others seem like born broadcasters! So how do you know if you should wait or seek professional advice? Sarah and Mel share their experiences and the challenges around knowing what to do.

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This week, Sarah and Mel talk about the sweet and wacky things we find ourselves doing and saying as our kids head off to sleep each night. Psychologist Belinda Williams joins us with advice around how to let go of being perfect and accept being 'good enough'. We met the mum so obsessed with Bluey she launched a podcast about it! Dr Jodie Lowinger is in the studio to talk about how we can turn anxiety into our superpower (and help our kids). And Sarah and Mel ask whether you should feel responsible for your child’s behaviour in front of others.

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We all try our best to make sure we're teaching our kids to be kind and polite, but let's be honest, they're not always going to be perfect angels! We are all learning and making mistakes. But when they misbehave in front of others, or even worse, do something to a friend's child, it feels terrible. It's hard not to feel responsible for their behaviour, but in reality, there's only so much you can do - they are their own little beings! Sarah and Mel open up about their experiences and how to handle it when it happens.

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Becoming a parent often means your anxiety reaches a whole new level.  With newborns we worry that they’re eating and sleeping enough, growing, meeting milestones. Then they head to daycare and school and you worry that they’re being taken care of, making friends, being kind. Now, imagine being able to take those anxious feelings and make them work for you. Dr Jodie Lowinger is a clinica; psychologist and founder of The Anxiety Clinic in Sydney, and she’s just released a fascinating new book called The Mind Strength Method, which has strategies for how we can do just that.

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When journalist turned communications advisor Mary Bolling was pregnant and on maternity leave, she listened to A LOT of podcasts to help her feel connected to the world outside of her nappy / feed / exhaustion bubble. Her friend Kate was also a big podcast listener and when they were on mat leave with two kids each, they realised they were talking less and less about what podcasts they loved, and more and more about a certain kids TV show. That show was Bluey, and in 2019, that’s how their podcast Gotta Be Done was born. Mary joins us to explain why she loves the show so much and why that obsession is now with her for life!

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That desire for perfection can start to drive you mad after a while. Trying to be the perfect mum, the perfect boss, the perfect co-worker, sister, partner, ugh! It’s just not feasible and the pressure can start to impact you physically and mentally. But it’s so hard to get off the treadmill and accept that what you do and who you are, is absolutely fine. Psychologist Belinda Williams from The Bumpy Road (and little bubba Angus) join us with some practical tips to changing our mindset and learning to accept that good enough, is enough.

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Do you often find yourself doing and saying unusual things to get your child to go to sleep? Then suddenly you've fallen into a habit of doing it and a year or two down the track you can't even remember how it started?! Sarah and Mel know the feeling all too well! In this ep, they reveal the funny and sweet things they say to their children right before they nod off.

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This week, to celebrate International Women’s Day and this year’s theme of “Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”, we meet the incredible mum who is helping our girls find their place in the professional world. We chat with baby sleep consultant Maryanne Sayers about juggling sleep issues and your return to work. We get all your COVID vaccine questions about pregnancy, fertility, breastfeeding and your family, answered by Infectious Diseases physician and microbiologist Professor Peter Collignon. Hollywood star and mum-of-three Jennifer Garner chats with us about her kid’s most embarrassing public tantrum (this story is so good!) And Sarah and Mel talk about the pros and cons of getting a family pet. Two words – guinea pigs. They were not why Mel expected…

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From Vogue Australia, hosted by Jesinta Franklin and Remy Rippon, introducing the new 8 part podcast called Baby Steps.

Baby Steps is a no-nonsense pocket fertility guide for anyone trying to have a baby. Jes and Remy talk to the experts on everything from obstetrics, fertility, miscarriage, loss and explore everything from IVF to egg freezing.

Search Baby Steps Vogue Australia wherever you get your podcasts.

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