In this episode of The Mama Circle Podcast, Natalie chats with Hannah Clapham from Little Nest Sleep about the reality of baby and toddler sleep. Hannah shares how she went from feeling out of control and exhausted to helping families find what works for them, without rigid routines or guilt.

They talk honestly about why there’s so much pressure to ‘do sleep right’ and how easy it is to feel like you’re failing when your child doesn’t follow the rules.

Inside this episode:

• What ‘sleep training’ really means (and why it’s not just cry-it-out)

• The cultural myths that tell us sleep should look the same for every family

• Why short naps and early wake-ups can be normal

• How sleep needs change as your child grows

• How to handle naps without losing your mind

• Tips for adding baby number two and managing different sleep needs

• Permission to trust yourself more and shut out the noise

This chat is full of nuance, real stories and reminders that you’re not alone. It’s for anyone feeling stuck in the trenches of sleep deprivation or second-guessing every bedtime.

Need some help with your little one's sleep? Connect with Hannah

• Hannah's website: www.littlenest.uk
• Instagram: @littlenestsleep

🤩 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.If you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it – this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Overcome those moments of overwhelm with some light hearted fun! ⁠⁠Download my Overwhelm Busting Bingo sheet here⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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This episode is not a pep talk. It’s a personal share from the floor of my son's bedroom, nap-trapped with my sick toddler on my chest, period pain in full force, and all the ‘shoulds’ swirling in my head. This is real life: the messy moments that don’t make it onto Pinterest boards.

I share how sometimes the healthiest thing is not to ‘fix’ yourself but to let yourself be distracted (yep, even by mindless Instagram scrolls). Sometimes the only question is: What’s the absolute minimum that needs to get done today

If you’ve ever felt stuck under the weight of sick days, laundry piles, emotional overwhelm or just the relentlessness of it all, this one’s for you. You are not alone.

🤩 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.If you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it – this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Overcome those moments of overwhelm with some light hearted fun! ⁠⁠Download my Overwhelm Busting Bingo sheet here⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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What if your relationship doesn’t ‘bounce back’ after the baby? What if it actually takes years?

In this Mums Talk episode, I sit down with my friend Sophie Jane Hardy - writer, coach and host of the Menstruality Podcast, to talk about the unspoken parts of motherhood and how long it can take to feel like you again.

We talk about:

• Sophie’s four-year journey to rebuild her relationship after becoming parents
• The grief and rage underneath infertility, birth that didn’t go to plan and letting go of the version of motherhood you’d imagined
• The invisible mental load and the surrender that nobody prepares you for
• The moment Sophie realised she had to stop trying to control everything and trust her partner’s way of parenting too
• Why nervous system care is the real work, and how we find our way back to ourselves (and each other)

If you’ve ever thought, “Why does this feel so hard?” this one is for you.

Want to connect with Sophie?

• Sophie’s website: https://www.sophiejanehardy.com
• Instagram: @sophie.jane.hardy
• Menstruality Podcast: https://www.redschool.net/podcast 

🤩 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.If you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it – this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes – ⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Overcome those moments of overwhelm with some light hearted fun! ⁠⁠Download my Overwhelm Busting Bingo sheet here⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

📢 Don’t forget to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode

In this voice note from a very sunny (and sweaty!) Berlin, I’m sharing something that’s been on my mind during our time here. As I’ve been walking and cycling around with Jackson, I’ve noticed something that honestly made me pause. Every child I see on a bike is wearing a helmet (which is great!), but hardly any of the parents are.

It reminded me of a short video I saw from a paediatric doctor who made a really simple point: if you’re riding a bike, you need protecting too. Especially when your child is relying on you.

This episode isn’t about guilt, it’s just a loving nudge. I know how easy it is to put our own safety last when we’re focused on our kids. But the truth is, they don’t just need to be protected. They need us. Healthy, safe, and here.

🤩 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.If you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it – this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes – ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Overcome those moments of overwhelm with some light hearted fun! ⁠⁠Download my Overwhelm Busting Bingo sheet here⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

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What happens to the placenta after birth, and why do some women choose to have theirs turned into capsules?

In this episode, I’m joined by my longtime friend Lynnea Arnold, formerly Lynnea Shrief. Lynnea is a doula, baby massage therapist, mum of four and the founder of IPEN, Europe’s first placenta encapsulation network.

We talk about what a doula actually does and how continuous support can shape a woman’s experience of pregnancy and birth. Lynnea also takes us behind the scenes of placenta encapsulation, explaining what the process involves, why some mothers choose it and what she believes women should understand before making that decision.

We also explore baby massage as a way to spend intentional time with your baby, support bonding and build confidence in responding to their cues.

Beyond birth work, Lynnea shares what it has meant to build a business, train practitioners and create a lasting impact while raising four children. An honest conversation about birth support, placenta encapsulation, baby massage, motherhood and creating change without needing to be the loudest person in the room.

Mentioned in this episode:

👋🏽 Connect with Lynnea: https://www.everwelltherapies.co.uk/ 🤓 Learn more about placenta encapsulation: https://www.placentanetwork.com/ 🤩 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.If you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it – this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes – ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Overcome those moments of overwhelm with some light hearted fun! ⁠⁠Download my Overwhelm Busting Bingo sheet here⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

📢 Don’t forget to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode

Many couples feel disconnected after having children and wonder what happened to the relationship they had before. But what if part of the problem is expecting ourselves, our partners and our relationships to remain the same after such an enormous life change?

In this voice memo, recorded on my walk to work, I explore whether the traditional relationship escalator truly prepares us for parenthood. We can spend years getting to know somebody before having children, only to discover that neither of us knows who the other will become as a parent.

We talk about the identity shift of motherhood and fatherhood, the gap between our expectations and the reality of parenting roles, and why knowing somebody before children doesn’t necessarily tell you how they’ll respond to sleep deprivation, responsibility and the demands of family life.

I also ask a deliberately provocative question: could having children earlier in a relationship ever make the transition easier because there is less expectation that everything will remain as it was?

This isn’t advice to rush into having children or a claim that there is one correct relationship timeline. It’s a thought experiment about relationships after having a baby, why couples can become disconnected and whether we need to prepare for change rather than expect parenthood to leave us untouched.

🤩 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.If you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it – this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes – ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Overcome those moments of overwhelm with some light hearted fun! ⁠⁠Download my Overwhelm Busting Bingo sheet here⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Okayyy - it's time I talk about Emetophobia, the thing I've carried around with me for the last 37 years!

This week I'm sharing my journey with fear of vomiting and how it’s shaped my life. From a traumatic experience at four years old to how I avoided certain foods, places, and even situations that most people take for granted. But that changed this year. Because becoming a mum made me realise: I needed to get a grip on this phobia for myself, and for my son.

I walk you through:

• What emetophobia actually is and how it shows up in day-to-day life

• My personal origin story (and why it’s not actually the root cause)

• The behavioural patterns that kept the fear alive

• Why motherhood made me face it head-on

• The Thrive Programme that finally helped me feel better

• The progress I’ve made and what I hope for you too

Whether you’ve experienced this fear yourself or know someone who has, I hope this episode reminds you: you’re not alone, and it can get better.

If you or a loved one has Emetophobia too, here are the resourced mentioned:

• Emetophobia Free Podcast
• The Thrive Programme and Emetophobia.co.uk (for more info)

🤩 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.If you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it – this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes – ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Overcome those moments of overwhelm with some light hearted fun! ⁠⁠Download my Overwhelm Busting Bingo sheet here⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

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We spend years being taught to avoid pregnancy, then suddenly expect our bodies and minds to switch seamlessly into trying to conceive. But how much do most of us really understand about our fertility and menstrual cycles?

In this episode, I’m joined by fertility coach and yoga teacher Amanda Baumann. Amanda shares how a difficult experience with the contraceptive pill led her to discover fertility awareness, first as contraception and later as a way to understand and prepare her body for pregnancy.

We talk about fertility awareness, trying to conceive in your thirties and the mind-body connection, as well as the shame and fear many women learn to associate with their periods, bodies and fertility from a young age.

But this conversation goes far beyond conception. Amanda also shares what it was like to become a mum, start a fertility business during maternity leave and move from London to the south of France with her husband and toddler.

We explore the identity shift of motherhood, finding community after moving abroad, the reality of raising a child without your established village, returning to work and finding small, realistic ways to rest when family life never feels completely finished.

An honest conversation about fertility, pregnancy, matrescence and creating a new life after becoming a mum.

🤩 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.If you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it – this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes – ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you’re constantly rushing between nappy changes, school runs, work and everything else motherhood demands, when do you get a moment to simply breathe?

In this short voice memo, recorded beside the Danube, I share a small way to create moments of rest when you don’t have the time or space for a proper break.

We talk about why waiting for a large stretch of free time can mean never pausing at all, where you might find 30 seconds or one minute within an ordinary day, and how briefly slowing down can help you reconnect with yourself.

A micro-moment isn’t a substitute for the real rest, support and time mothers need. But when those things aren’t available right now, one intentional breath can still offer a moment of relief.

🤩 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.If you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it – this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Overcome those moments of overwhelm with some light hearted fun! ⁠⁠Download my Overwhelm Busting Bingo sheet here⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In today’s solo episode, I share something I’ve never really heard anyone talk about: how my deep connection to my spiritual self was quietly lost when I became pregnant, and how that disconnection lingered into motherhood.

I talk about:

• The unexpected shift in my relationship with yoga, meditation, and cycle tracking

• Why pregnancy felt like being in emotional ‘no man’s land’

• How motherhood became both my disconnection and my practice

• The shame I felt seeing other spiritual mums still thriving

• What’s helping me reconnect now

This one is close to my heart. If you’ve ever felt untethered from your spiritual self as a mother, please know: you’re not alone. I hope this episode gives you a sense of understanding and a gentle invitation to come back to yourself.

🤩 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.If you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it – this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Overcome those moments of overwhelm with some light hearted fun! ⁠⁠Download my Overwhelm Busting Bingo sheet here⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📢 Don’t forget to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode