In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Jane, an occupational therapist and mum of two from Melbourne, to talk about matrescence, birth trauma, infant sleep, and learning to trust your instincts as a mother.

Jane shares how motherhood transformed the way she understands herself, reflecting on the concept of matrescence and the many identity shifts that accompany becoming a parent. Together, we explore the power of reframing birth trauma on your own terms, the importance of preparing for birth and the postpartum period, and why trusting your instincts can be one of the greatest gifts you give yourself as a mother.

Drawing on both her lived experience and her background as an occupational therapist, Jane also shares her perspective on infant sleep, navigating the early months with confidence, and letting go of the pressure to do motherhood perfectly. Her thoughtful approach is a gentle reminder that there is no single right way to mother—only the path that feels right for you and your family.

If you're navigating matrescence, processing a birth experience, wondering about infant sleep, or learning to trust yourself in motherhood, I hope Jane's story leaves you feeling reassured and empowered.

Book mentioned

• Mama Rising by Amy Taylor-Kabbaz

Topics discussed: matrescence, birth trauma, birth stories, infant sleep, motherhood identity, occupational therapy, trusting your instincts, postpartum support, motherhood, self-trust.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Kaylee, a mum of three from Western Australia, to talk about preparing for a VBAC, birth stories, motherhood during COVID, and the power of finding the right support.

Kaylee shares the stories of her first two births as she prepared for her VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean) journey. She reflects on becoming a young first-time mum during the COVID-19 pandemic, the isolation of navigating early motherhood without the village she expected, and the lessons those experiences taught her about trusting herself.

Together, we explore how meeting the right birth support team—including a doula—completely changed Kaylee's perspective on pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. Her story is a beautiful reminder that knowledge, support, and feeling genuinely heard can transform the way we approach birth and parenting.

If you're preparing for a VBAC, interested in positive birth stories, navigating motherhood after COVID, or wondering whether a doula might be right for you, I hope Kaylee's story leaves you feeling informed, empowered, and encouraged.

Podcasts mentioned

• The Great Birth Rebellion

• The Midwives' Cauldron

• Australian VBAC Stories

• VBAC Birth Stories

• VBAC Home Birth Stories

• The Renegade Mama

• The Birth Realm

Books mentioned

• Birth After Caesarean by Hazel Keedle

• Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

• Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage by Dr Rachel Reed

• Home Birth on Your Own Terms by Heather Baker

• Plus Size Pregnancy by Sara Wickham

Instagram mentioned

• @wombtobloomdoula

Topics discussed: VBAC, preparing for VBAC, birth stories, vaginal birth after caesarean, birth preparation, doula support, COVID pregnancy, pandemic motherhood, young motherhood, positive birth, birth education.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Madeline, a counsellor for millennial women and mum of one from Melbourne, to talk about mum rage, self-compassion, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and the identity shifts that come with motherhood.

Madeline shares how becoming a mother challenged her lifelong people-pleasing tendencies and became the catalyst for a deeper understanding of herself. Together, we explore how motherhood can uncover parts of ourselves we've spent years trying to silence, and how approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS) can help us respond to those parts with curiosity and compassion rather than judgement.

We also discuss mum rage, perfectionism, creativity, and the unexpected ways motherhood can reconnect us with who we really are. Madeline offers a thoughtful perspective on embracing our emotions instead of fearing them, reminding us that healing often begins with self-understanding rather than self-criticism.

If you've experienced mum rage, you're learning to let go of people-pleasing, or you're curious about Internal Family Systems and self-compassion, I hope this conversation helps you feel a little less alone and a little more at home within yourself.

Book mentioned

• No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma & Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard C. Schwartz

Topics discussed: mum rage, maternal anger, Internal Family Systems, IFS, parts work, self-compassion, people-pleasing, motherhood identity, creativity, emotional healing, counselling, maternal mental health.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Grace, a mum of two living in New Zealand, to talk about pregnancy and postpartum during COVID, VBAC, home birth, and finding her way through motherhood far from family.

Grace shares her experience of becoming a mother during the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period while living overseas without the support of family nearby. She reflects on the isolation of those early months, the emotional transition from one child to two, and the village she had to build from afar.

Together, we explore Grace's VBAC and home birth journey, the invaluable support of a doula, and her belief that motherhood can be a quiet, counter-cultural act of rebellion. Her story is a beautiful reminder that even in seasons of uncertainty and isolation, connection, intuition, and community can help us find our way.

If you've experienced pregnancy during COVID, motherhood in isolation, you're planning a VBAC or home birth, or you're navigating life away from your support network, I hope Grace's story leaves you feeling understood and encouraged.

Topics discussed: COVID pregnancy, pandemic postpartum, motherhood in isolation, VBAC, vaginal birth after caesarean, home birth, doula support, postpartum support, motherhood identity, New Zealand, community, resilience.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Kim to talk about conceiving through IVF, recovering from postnatal depression, and finding support through a Parent and Infant Unit.

Kim shares her deeply personal journey to motherhood, from conceiving through IVF to experiencing postnatal depression after the birth of her daughter. She reflects on the challenges of recognising she needed help, navigating the mental health system, and the life-changing support she received through a Parent and Infant Unit.

Together, we explore the realities of maternal mental health, the importance of timely and compassionate support, and Kim's experience of seeking an autism diagnosis for her daughter. Her story is an honest reminder that motherhood rarely unfolds the way we imagine, and that asking for help is an act of strength, not failure.

If you've experienced IVF, postnatal depression, you're considering admission to a Parent and Infant Unit, or you're navigating an autism assessment with your child, I hope Kim's story helps you feel seen and reminds you that support is available.

Perinatal mental health resources

Parent and Baby Unit (NSW)
https://www.slhd.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/ParentBaby.html

Additional support

• @gidgetfoundation – gidgetfoundation.org.au

• @pandanational – panda.org.au

• @lifelineaustralia – Lifeline Australia (13 11 14) – lifeline.org.au

Topics discussed: IVF, IVF pregnancy, postnatal depression, postpartum depression, Parent and Infant Unit, Parent and Baby Unit, Mother and Baby Unit, maternal mental health, autism diagnosis, neurodiversity, perinatal mental health, recovery, motherhood.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Adele, a mum of three, to talk about becoming a young mother, surviving domestic violence, recovering from trauma, and rebuilding a life shaped by extraordinary challenges.

Adele became a mum at just 19 years old. Since then, she has survived domestic violence, a near-fatal car accident, and continues to live with an active thyroid cancer diagnosis. Rather than allowing these experiences to define her, Adele reflects on how each chapter has shaped her perspective on motherhood, identity, resilience, and what it means to keep moving forward.

Together, we explore the strength it takes to begin again after trauma, the ongoing process of rediscovering yourself through motherhood, and the way life's most difficult experiences can transform the way we love, parent, and show up in the world. Adele shares her story with remarkable honesty, humility, and hope, offering a perspective that is both deeply moving and incredibly inspiring.

If you've experienced domestic violence, family violence, cancer, or you're rebuilding your life after trauma, I hope Adele's story reminds you that healing isn't about erasing what you've been through—it's about discovering your own strength on the other side.

Podcasts mentioned

• Armchair Expert

Books mentioned

• Women Who Think Too Much by Susan Nolen-Hoeksema

• Books by Robert Sapolsky

Topics discussed: domestic violence, family violence, young motherhood, trauma recovery, thyroid cancer, cancer diagnosis, resilience, healing, identity after trauma, motherhood, post-traumatic growth, self-discovery.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Nicole, a mum of three from Victoria, to talk about postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and finding confidence in your own way of mothering.

Nicole shares her experience of becoming a young mum and navigating postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety while learning to trust herself in the face of overwhelming expectations. Together, we explore the challenges of early motherhood, the resilience she developed through those difficult seasons, and the confidence that comes with embracing your own parenting journey rather than trying to meet everyone else's standards.

Nicole also reflects on pregnancy after miscarriage, raising a neurodivergent child, and advocating for her daughter after she was diagnosed with craniosynostosis. We discuss birth trauma, intrusive thoughts, medication, the realities of working motherhood, military family life, and the pressure mothers often feel to live up to impossible ideals. Throughout the conversation, Nicole shares how therapy, self-reflection, and experience have helped her become the mother she once doubted she could be.

This is an honest conversation about maternal mental health, trusting your instincts, advocating for your children, and discovering that confidence in motherhood often comes not from getting everything right, but from learning to trust yourself.

If you've experienced postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, pregnancy after loss, you're raising a neurodivergent child, or you're learning to let go of other people's expectations of motherhood, I hope Nicole's story reminds you that there is no single 'right' way to mother, and that you are capable of finding your own.

Resources mentioned

• Perinatal mental health support

• Royal Children's Hospital Craniofacial Unit

• Pilates (postpartum exercise)

Topics discussed: postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma, maternal mental health, medication, therapy, young motherhood, military families, miscarriage, pregnancy after loss, neurodivergence, ADHD, craniosynostosis, NICU, birth advocacy, working motherhood, gentle parenting, confidence in motherhood.

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In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Kendra, a soon-to-be mum of two living in London, to talk about matrescence, breastfeeding challenges, postpartum isolation, and the identity shifts that come with becoming a mother.

Kendra beautifully describes motherhood as a "coming home" to the essence of who she is—a perspective that completely reframed the way I think about the transition into motherhood. Together, we explore the concept of matrescence, the profound transformation that takes place as we become mothers, and the reckoning that occurs when past versions of ourselves no longer quite fit.

Kendra also shares her experience of navigating breastfeeding challenges, the shock and loneliness that can accompany the postpartum period, and the importance of feeling seen and supported as we adjust to life with a new baby. Our conversation is a gentle reminder that motherhood isn't about losing yourself—it's about discovering a new version of who you've always been.

If you're navigating matrescence, breastfeeding difficulties, postpartum isolation, or you're trying to find yourself again after becoming a mother, I hope Kendra's story helps you feel understood and reminds you that you're not alone in this transformation.

Instagram accounts mentioned in this episode

• @drsophiebrock

• @amytaylorkabbaz

• @lifeafterbirthpsychology

• @raisedgood

Topics discussed: matrescence, motherhood identity, identity after motherhood, breastfeeding challenges, breastfeeding support, postpartum isolation, postpartum support, maternal mental health, motherhood, self-discovery.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Yong-Li, a business owner and mum of two, to talk about endometriosis, pregnancy after loss, Chinese postpartum confinement, and finding gratitude through motherhood.

Yong-Li shares her journey to motherhood after living with endometriosis and experiencing pregnancy loss, reflecting on the emotional challenges of trying to conceive and the perspective those experiences have given her. She also opens up about the importance of practising gratitude for everything our bodies carry us through, even when the journey hasn't looked the way we expected.

Together, we explore the value of community, the traditions of Chinese postpartum confinement, and the role they can play in supporting mothers during the fourth trimester. Yong-Li also shares how she balances motherhood with running a business, and the lessons she's learned about slowing down, accepting support, and appreciating each season of family life.

If you've experienced endometriosis, pregnancy after loss, or you're curious about postpartum confinement traditions, I hope Yong-Li's story offers encouragement, perspective, and a reminder that every path to motherhood is unique.

Resources mentioned in this episode

• The Wonder Weeks app

• The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel

• The Postnatal Depletion Cure by Dr Oscar Serrallach

You can connect with Yong-Li and learn more about her business on Instagram at @enbacci.

Topics discussed: endometriosis, pregnancy after loss, miscarriage, fertility, Chinese postpartum confinement, confinement, postpartum recovery, fourth trimester, motherhood, gratitude, business owner, maternal wellbeing, community.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with my beautiful friend Erin to talk about pregnancy with type 1 diabetes, birth trauma, PTSD, and recovering from postpartum depression.

Erin shares her deeply personal journey through pregnancy and motherhood while living with type 1 diabetes, including the unexpected complications she experienced along the way. She reflects on a traumatic birth that resulted in PTSD and postpartum depression, the loneliness of navigating the early postpartum period, and the long road towards healing.

Together, we explore the realities of living with a chronic illness during pregnancy, the emotional impact of birth trauma, and the strength it takes to keep moving forward when motherhood begins in ways you never imagined. Erin's story is an honest and courageous reminder that alongside the joy of motherhood can exist grief, fear, uncertainty, and incredible resilience.

If you've experienced type 1 diabetes in pregnancy, birth trauma, PTSD, postpartum depression, or you're finding your way through a difficult season of motherhood, I hope Erin's story reminds you that you are not alone.

Topics discussed: type 1 diabetes, pregnancy with type 1 diabetes, preeclampsia, PUPPP (PUPPS), birth trauma, traumatic birth, emergency caesarean, general anaesthetic caesarean, PTSD, postpartum depression, maternal mental health, resilience, motherhood.