In our final episode of the season, Gen sits down with paramedic, educator and founder of Baby Safe Basics, Eliza Leslie, for such an important conversation around starting solids, infant first aid, choking vs gagging, fevers, sickness, hydration and the red flags parents need to know.

This episode is packed with practical education designed to help parents feel calmer, safer and more confident — not fearful.

We chat about:

• the anxiety many parents experience when starting solids
• the difference between choking and gagging
• when to seek medical help for babies and children
• fevers, hydration and respiratory illnesses
• why first aid education matters
• how to feel more empowered and less overwhelmed as a parent

Eliza brings such a grounded and reassuring approach to first aid and parenting education, and I know so many families will take comfort from this conversation.

You can find Eliza here:
Instagram: @babysafebasics
Website: Baby Safe Basics

Thank you so much for being part of Season 2 of the podcast 🤍

In this episode, we’re joined by Christine Bladeni, a sleep consultant who shares a realistic, supportive approach to navigating baby and toddler sleep.

After experiencing her own challenges with sleep deprivation, Christine now helps families improve sleep using a holistic and flexible approach — focusing on routines, sleep hygiene, awake windows, feeding, and settling methods.

We dive into:

• Common sleep challenges like catnapping, frequent night waking, and bedtime resistance
• Why “never wake a sleeping baby” isn’t always helpful
• How early introduction of solids can impact sleep and digestion
• Safe sleep practices and how sleep needs evolve from baby to toddler
• Navigating nap transitions and recognising readiness cues
• Gentle, responsive settling techniques (without “cry it out”)
• The importance of partner alignment and consistency when making changes

Christine also shares how modern sleep support has moved away from rigid, one-size-fits-all approaches — instead focusing on what works for each individual family.

This episode is a reminder that baby sleep is not linear, and with the right support, small changes can make a big difference — for both parents and little ones.

https://www.christinesleepconsultant.com.au/

Instagram @christinesleepconsultant

In this episode, we’re joined by Chantel Spiteri, a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner and energy healer, who shares how TCM can support women through fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum.

Chantel explains her holistic approach using acupuncture, cupping, herbal medicine, and Reiki — all centred around balancing the body, supporting energy flow, and preparing for a healthy pregnancy and birth.

We dive into:

• Why pre-pregnancy care matters (nutrition, stress, sleep, cycle health)
• Common imbalances like irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, and PCOS
• How TCM supports pregnancy symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, and morning sickness
• The importance of looking at optimal health vs “normal” ranges
• Support during the first trimester, especially after fertility journeys
• How acupuncture can help prepare for birth, including baby positioning and labour readiness
• The role of rest, nourishment, and emotional support in both pregnancy and postpartum

Chantel also shares insights into postpartum healing, encouraging mums to prioritise recovery, support, and self-care during this critical phase.

This episode is a reminder that preparing your body for pregnancy and birth isn’t just physical — it’s about creating balance, reducing stress, and supporting your body as a whole.

Website https://www.wellnesswithintcm.com/

Insta @dr_chantel_spiteri_tcm/

In this episode, we’re joined by Emily Brittingham, an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant and mum of five, who shares her journey into supporting mothers through breastfeeding and early postpartum.

We dive into the reality that breastfeeding is a learned skill — not something that always comes naturally to mum or baby. Emily highlights the importance of prenatal education, understanding normal newborn behaviour, and recognising what effective feeding actually looks like.

We also explore:

• Common challenges like low milk supply and feeding discomfort
• The importance of support — from partners, family, and professionals
• Why mixed feeding is common and completely valid
• The benefits of prenatal colostrum expression
• The increased nutritional demands on mums during breastfeeding

Emily shares powerful client stories and reminds us that every feeding journey is unique — and that mums deserve support without pressure or guilt.

Whether you’re preparing for baby or navigating early motherhood, this episode will leave you feeling more informed, reassured, and empowered.

ADHD in women.
Hormones.
Postpartum.
Perimenopause.

This is the conversation so many Melbourne mums didn’t know they needed.

In this episode, we unpack the rising diagnosis of ADHD in women — and why so many are only discovering it during motherhood, postpartum, or perimenopause.

Our guest Christine shares how a simple podcast recommendation sparked her own diagnosis journey. What began as “I’m just overwhelmed” during a busy season in her sleep consulting business turned into clarity, validation, and a deeper understanding of her brain.

This conversation is honest, validating, and deeply important.

• Why ADHD is often missed in girls

• The difference between inattentive ADHD and hyperactivity

• Diagnosis pathways (GP referrals, psychiatrists, telehealth, school reports)

• Medication experiences — Ritalin vs Vyvanse

• Sleep hygiene and ADHD symptom management

• The link between hormones, postpartum, and symptom flare-ups

• Nutrition, protein intake, and gut health for brain support

• Coaching, psychology, and holistic management options

• The impact of menstrual cycle phases on focus, energy, and performance

We also talk about the grief… and the relief… that can come with diagnosis.

Because sometimes it’s not that you’re lazy.
Or disorganised.
Or “bad at coping.”

Sometimes your brain is simply wired differently.

And when women understand their nervous system, their hormones, and their unique neurodivergence — self-compassion replaces shame.

• Mums navigating postpartum brain fog

• Women noticing focus or emotional regulation changes

• Mothers moving through perimenopause

• Anyone questioning whether ADHD could be part of their story

• Melbourne women seeking validation and clarity

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, exhausted, or frustrated with yourself — this episode may help you see your story through a completely different lens.

If this episode resonates, share it with a woman who might need to hear it.

We’d love to hear from you — have hormonal changes ever shifted your focus or mental clarity?

Find Christine on inst @christinesleepconsultant

https://www.christinesleepconsultant.com.au/

Have you ever wondered why some pregnancies feel calm and aligned… while others feel full of doubt and second-guessing?

In this episode, we’re joined by Aviva — Melbourne-based Human Design reader — to explore how understanding your energy, intuition, and authentic self can completely shift the way you move through pregnancy, birth, and motherhood.

Aviva shares how her first pregnancy surprised her — in the best way. Her body adapted beautifully. Decisions felt clear. There was ease instead of overthinking. And she credits much of that to understanding her Human Design.

This conversation will expand the way you think about birth preparation — beyond the physical and into the energetic.

• What Human Design actually is — and why your birth time matters

• The five energy types:

  • Projectors

  • Generators

  • Manifestors

  • Manifesting Generators

  • Reflectors

• How deconditioning limiting beliefs supports confident decision-making

• Navigating big life transitions — career, identity, and motherhood

• Using Human Design to understand your child’s personality and nervous system

• Making aligned choices in pregnancy and birth

Because birth prep isn’t just about what’s happening physically.
It’s also about who you are energetically.

When a woman understands how she’s designed to make decisions…
When she trusts her intuition instead of outsourcing her power…

Everything changes.

• Pregnant women wanting deeper self-trust

• Mothers moving through identity shifts

• Women curious about Human Design

• Melbourne mums navigating big life transitions

• Anyone wanting more aligned decision-making in pregnancy and birth

If you’re curious about Human Design, wanting to understand your energy more deeply, or seeking a more intuitive approach to motherhood — this episode will open your thinking in the most beautiful way.

Aviva also shares about her guidebooks, workshops, and upcoming maternity leave if you’ve been considering booking a reading.

If this episode resonated, share it with a friend who’s navigating pregnancy or a big life transition.

Find Aviva on insta @lovemydesign_

https://www.lovemydesign.com/

Hormones. Periods. Birth. Postpartum. Intuition.

This is the episode every Melbourne mum (and mum-to-be) needs to hear.

We sat down with clinical nutritionist Tris for a deeply empowering conversation about PCOS, hormonal imbalances, postpartum depletion, intuitive birth, and advocating for your preferences.

After being diagnosed with PCOS in her early 20s, Tris chose a different path. Instead of masking symptoms with hormonal birth control, she turned to natural health, functional testing, and targeted nutrition to restore balance from the inside out.

This episode connects the dots between hormones, birth, and mental health — because none of them exist in isolation.

• Signs your hormones may be out of balance:

  • Heavy or painful periods

  • Fatigue and brain fog

  • Unexplained weight gain

  • Hair loss

  • Cyclical anxiety

• Why “normal” test ranges don’t always mean optimal

• How blood sugar balance impacts mood, energy, and mental health

• The reality of postpartum nutrient depletion (especially for busy mums with multiple little ones)

• Fermented foods and gut health for hormone support

• Learning to work with your cycle instead of fighting it

And we talk birth, too.

Tris shares her personal experience of:

• Working with a private midwife

• Navigating a fast labour

• Posterior positioning

• Hospital transfer

• Advocating for her birth preferences

Her story is a powerful reminder that:

✨ Education creates confidence
✨ Informed decisions create empowerment
✨ Understanding your body creates trust

Women’s health isn’t separate from birth.
Birth isn’t separate from hormones.
Hormones aren’t separate from mental health.

It’s all connected.

• Women navigating PCOS or hormonal imbalances

• Pregnant mums preparing for birth

• Postpartum mothers feeling depleted

• Women wanting to understand their cycle more deeply

• Melbourne mums seeking holistic support

If you’re preparing for birth, healing postpartum, supporting your hormones naturally, or simply wanting to feel more empowered in your body — this conversation is for you.

If this episode resonated, share it with another woman who needs to hear it.

We’d love to hear from you — did anything about your cycle change after having babies?

Find Tris on insta @trisalexandranutrition

https://trisalexandranutrition.com/

Breech. Posterior. Pelvic pain. Fast labours. Long labours.

This episode is for the Melbourne mum who has been told, “That’s just normal in pregnancy”… but knows in her gut something doesn’t feel quite right.

We sit down with Gabrielle from G. Lorri Body Labour Work — a former midwife turned bodywork specialist — who now supports women to prepare physically and holistically for birth.

After witnessing the increasing medicalisation of childbirth, Gabrielle felt called to go deeper. To support women in creating the optimal space for physiological birth — not just mentally, but structurally and neurologically too.

This conversation will completely shift the way you think about birth preparation.

• Why pregnancy pain is often a clue — not something to ignore

• How baby positioning (breech and posterior) connects to pelvic alignment and nervous system health

• What fascia (your body’s connective tissue network) has to do with labour progress

• Why treating the root cause of tension matters more than chasing symptoms

• Pelvic floor care beyond just “strengthening”

• Supporting the nervous system after a traumatic birth

• The importance of pre-pregnancy preparation for smoother labours

Gabrielle shares how hands-on fascial work, alignment, softness techniques, and intuitive listening can transform the way babies navigate the pelvis — and how mothers experience their births.

Because birth preparation isn’t just mindset.
It’s not just education.
It’s physical, structural, emotional and nervous system work too.

• Pregnant women in Melbourne

• Mums experiencing pelvic pain

• Those navigating a breech or posterior baby

• VBAC preparation

• Women wanting deeper body-based birth support

If you’re looking for holistic birth preparation and a new lens on what’s possible — this episode will open your eyes.

If this episode resonates, share it with another mum who needs to hear it.

Follow along for more conversations on motherhood, birth and reclaiming your intuition.

Find Gabrielle on Insta @g.lorri.labourbodywork

https://glorrilabourbodywork.com.au/

🎧 Connect & Listen

If this episode resonates, share it with another mum who needs to hear it.

Follow along for more conversations on motherhood, birth and reclaiming your intuition.

This episode is a wild one!

In just one hour and ten minutes, Gens third baby, Alaska, made her grand entrance into the world — fast, fierce, and completely unforgettable.

In this episode of Mother of All Journeys, Michelle and Gen sit down to share every bit of the story — from that first “Wait… are these real contractions?” moment, to realisng things were moving a lot faster than anyone expected.

We talk about the rush, the fear, the laughter in between contractions (because of course there was!), and the overwhelming calm that came the moment Alaska was finally in my arms.

We chat about:

• What it’s like when labour takes you completely by surprise

• The mix of chaos and calm that comes with a “fast and furious” birth

• Trusting your instincts and surrendering to the moment

• How Alaska’s arrival shifted my whole perspective on motherhood (again!)

This episode is real, raw, and full of heart — a reminder that every birth writes its own story, and they’re all just as powerful in their own way.

Grab a cup of tea (or reheat the one you forgot earlier — we get it ) and come hang out with us as we relive one of the wildest, most beautiful hours of my life.

Food is more than fuel in the postpartum period — it’s a key part of healing, energy, and emotional wellbeing. Yet postpartum nutrition is often overlooked, with so much focus placed on pregnancy and birth instead.

In this very special episode, recorded just at five weeks postpartum, Gen shares her lived experience navigating nutrition during recovery. Along with Michelle, she dives into the role of food in supporting healing, milk supply, mood, and strength during those tender early weeks.

We explore:

• Why postpartum nutrition is just as important as prenatal nutrition

• Key nutrients to focus on for recovery and energy

• The connection between food, mood, and healing

• Practical tips for meal prep, support, and realistic eating in the newborn haze

• Gen’s personal reflections on what worked (and what didn’t) in her own postpartum journey