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Mama Chatters

English, Parenting, 27 seasons, 40 episodes, 1 day, 5 hours, 24 minutes
About
Flip the bird to the mainstream sleep paradigm and join the Mama Chatters gal gang for honest stories and expert advice that honours your maternal wisdom. Through honest chats with experts and each other, we will help you to cut through the noise of all of the conflicting advice and information, and feel confident and relaxed around sleep and parenting.
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Cath Counihan (@psychotherapy_mum) on perfectionism in motherhood and shifting the narrative

This was SUCH a great chat with Cath - we touched on all of this and more: Aligning our values alongside our parenting Taking the pressure off being a cycle breaker Parenting as a performance and relation to our own shame stories Seeing our kids for who they are and having the congidence to advocate for them How our childhood impacts our parenting and perfectionism How perfectionism can impact our relationship with baby sleep Celebrating our own wins in parenting Expanding our window of tolerance in parenting and worst case scenario planning You can find Cath here: Insta: @psychotherapy_mum Podcast: Grow Yourself Up https://catherinecounihan.co.uk/ My membership community Coming Home is coming SOON! Make sure you're subscribed to my mailing list to be in the know when the doors open. www.mamamatters.com.au Please if you loved this ep, be a dear and leave a rating and review - it means so much to me.
3/21/20231 hour, 3 minutes, 8 seconds
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Siobhan Kennedy-Constanti (@science_minded) on her postpartum experience: parenting an unsettled baby, PPD & PPA, relationship, traumatic birth and her support plan for her second baby

I am so grateful to Siobhan for sharing her raw postpartum experience with us. This episode mentions postpartum depression & anxiety, traumatic birth and suicidal ideation. Please be mindful of your own mental health as you listen, and if you need to reach out for support you can contact PANDA National Helpline on 1300 726 326. We also have our Perinatal Mental Health Social Worker at Mama Matters, Samantha - and you can learn more about her and bookonline HERE. Dr Siobhan Kennedy-Costantini is a Child Development researcher with over a decade of experience studying children's social & cognitive development and the parent-child relationship. She's passionate about educating and empowering parents and Early Learning educators with knowledge of children's social and cognitive development by providing tips and resources to help them better understand the magic that is a child's mind. You can find her on Instagram @science_minded and her website https://www.scienceminded.org/ And don't forget you can download our first Chapter of Sleep Matters sleep guide absolutely bloody free here: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63e75b640f93ed601fa2a460 And if you love me - pleeeease be a dear and leave a rating and review! I'm forever grateful that you are here. Fiona x 
3/3/20231 hour, 7 minutes, 20 seconds
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Ep 29: Sleep regressions/ progressions/ developmental leaps - what does it all mean? How to ditch the anxiety about the 'dreaded sleep regressions'

Today's episode is allll about bloody 'sleep regressions'. We chat about the following: - The fear mongering around sleep regressions in the mainstream sleep industry - Sleep regressions as a tool to sell - introducing problems that you need to fix - The trap of the 4 month sleep regression and fear of failure - Wonder weeks and whether they help or hinder your parenting - Common tricky times for sleep - Helpful reframes for sleep 'regressions' - Coping strategies and perspective shifts that we can help to spread to mothers everywhere Join my email list here and nab yourself the first chapter of my sleep guide totally FREE: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63e75b640f93ed601fa2a460 Today's episode is sponsored by my beautiful friend Emma Norris, Perinatal Clinicial Nutritionist at Maia Mothers Collective. Are you thinking about conceiving again in the next 6 months, but concerned your body isn't quite ready to go again? Do you feel exhausted, foggy and overwhelmed? Are you anxious to have a better pregnancy, birthing and postpartum experience that your previous one?  My friend Emma is a Clinical Perinatal Nutritionist and she wants to change the way women approach their pregnancies by empowering them to take control of their health in the few months prior to conception. Emma has just launched an online course called Your Trimester Zero.  The live 6-week course explores all of the important stuff you need to know to get your body and mind ready for a thriving pregnancy and postpartum. She walks you through preconception nutrition, supplements, the menstrual cycle, sperm health and lifestyle practices that are helpful before you get pregnant again. The course has tonnes of value like weekly handouts, preconception meal plan, interactive food planning template, blood pathology cheat sheet, weekly journalling prompts, meditation and even breath work guides. As a mum herself, Emma knows how easy it can be to put your own needs last. But she wants you to feel in control, empowered and confident you're doing everything you can to optimise your own health, future pregnancy and postpartum period by teaching you the tools she knows can make a difference in your experience. Emma has generously given poddy listeners an exclusive 20% discount to the course. Just use code MAMAMATTERS at checkout. https://www.maiamothers.com.au/your-trimester-zero
2/23/202328 minutes, 37 seconds
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Ep 27: Busting the BS on breastfeeding, home births, tongue ties and more with Kate Visser, Milky Business Lactation

Kate is an IBCLC and midwife and is incredibly passionate about supporting mothers in their pregnancy, birth and feeding journeys. You can find her on her digital home land @milkybusinesslactation on Instagram, or reach out to her via her website www.milkybusiness.com. Never met a midwife so passionate about physiological birth and breastfeeding. We chat about: - Kate's personal experience with breastfeeding challenges, tongue tie - When home birth turns hospital birth - the stigma and navigating as a hospital midwife - What is tongue tie and do we need to release every tongue tie we find? How we weigh up risk vs benefit - Who do we see when we suspect a tongue tie? - What's the one thing you'd like to see change in the way we support breastfeeding? Download the first chapter FREE of my Sleep Matters sleep guide HERE. And make sure you are in my Insta fam, @mamamatters.au (slide into my DMs while you're there - I love a chat!).
2/15/202359 minutes, 32 seconds
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Ep 26: Honest chatter: Our decision (or indecision) to have a third child when our kids are 6 & 3

Today I am speaking to our personal experience in deciding to go for a third child. It definitely wasn't a clear decision, and honestly? It probably won't help you to decide either.  Life isn't black and white, and neither is this. I let you in on my personal adjustment to finding out I was pregnant and share with you our worries and our excitement. Hop on over and follow me on Insta @mamamatters.au, and if you like it here, I will love you forever if you leave a rating and review. Fi x
2/13/202321 minutes, 33 seconds
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Ep 25: The unseen mental labour of motherhood: Inviting your partner to share the load with Dr Elyse McNeill, PhD

Have you heard of mental labour? It's all of the thinking, organising, planning, management, emotional work that underpins all of the aspects of family life, household life, everything related to our children. And for women especially - it's a lot. Dr Elyse McNeil has been a clinical psychologist for nearly a decade and has recently completed a PhD on the topic of mental labour. Through her work at Share to Thrive she is creating education and information for couples to significantly improve the way they manage mental labour and improve their relationship. She lives on the beautiful Gold Coast with her husband and little boy. Today we chat about: - What is mental labour and why does it fall moreso on the shoulders of women? - How can we help our partners to understand the mental load? - How can we have productive and respectful conversations around mental labour without inviting defensiveness or conflict? - What are some practical ways that we can better share the mental labour? - What are some systems we can put in place to make things feel a little more fair? Note that this research was conducted on heterosexual couples and more research is required to apply to all families. Dr Elyse's brand new course Share to Thrive is available now and she has kindly gifted our Mama Chatters listeners with a 25% discount using code MMLISTENERS. https://mentallabour.sharetothrive.com/ TRANSCRIPT  
2/8/202353 minutes, 28 seconds
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Honest Chatter about maternal mental health: my experience and how I have accessed support

I haven't been feeling myself lately - in this episode I chat about the steps I have taken to seek the mental health support I need. I also speak about small practices and rituals that I have been focusing on to help myself in this season. - How to identify depressive, anxious or stressed symptoms in pregnancy (or postpartum) - Accessing the GP Better outcomes Mental Health plan - Daily practices to help my mental health This episode is brought to you by my Sleep Matters Sleep Guide: The Guide your baby wants you to read. Steeped in evidence, and laced with compassion. You can learn more here: https://www.mamamatters.com.au/sleep-guide
2/6/202318 minutes, 33 seconds
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Ep. 23: Real life Mama Amy on ovarian cancer, IVF, birth trauma and her downfall brought on by the sleep training industry

Amy is a mama from my Mama Matters Academy who has a helluva story to share with us. Please reach out if her story resonates with you. Follow on Insta @mamamatters.au I'll love you forever if you leave a review and subscribe to the poddy!
11/22/202251 minutes, 5 seconds
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Ep. 22: Dr Kristyn Sommer on science of babies, screens and her own motherhood journey feat. postpartum anxiety, autism and an unsettled baby

This chat was so fun! Dr Kristyn Sommer has a PhD in developmental psychology where she explored how young children learn from social robots and screen media. She is now a Griffith University Postdoctoral Research Fellow exploring social robots and children again alongside her new research stream investigating the impacts of social media on parenting. This second research stream was inspired by her TikTok platform which skyrocketed to nearly half a million follows since 2021 where she translates the science of children and parenting into bite sized videos with humans, entertainment and toys. You can find Kristyn on all of your favourite social media platforms under the handle @drkristynsommer. We chatted about: - Being a robot scientist and the role of social robots and screen media in kids' learning - Her journey into motherhood laced with unsettled baby, CMPI, postpartum anxiety and panic attacks and a surprise later diagnosis of autism - The science of babies and their inability to regulate their emotions or practice impulse control- appreciating children as tiny scientists
11/15/202252 minutes, 25 seconds
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Ep. 21: Alissa Boyer, Mentor for Highly Sensitive People on being highly sensitive in motherhood, postpartum anxiety and perfecting sleep

Alissa Boyer is a Mentor for Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) with a passion for helping fellow HSPs learn how to unapologetically embrace their sensitivity and use it as a strength in their lives. She’s the creator of several online programs including The Highly Sensitive & Soulful Membership and Sensitive & Soulful Self-Worth. Alissa also offers business mentorship to HSPs, hosts a podcast called The Sensitive & Soulful Show, and writes for the award-winning HSP blog, Highly Sensitive Refuge. You can learn more about Alissa on her website https://www.sensitiveandsoulful.com and on Instagram @lifebyalissa.   We chat about: - What is high sensitivity and Alissa's own journey discovering - What makes a highly sensitive person amazing - Strengths of high sensitivy in motherhood - Navigating sensory overwhelm in motherhood  
11/8/202245 minutes, 5 seconds
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Ep. 20: Tracy Gillett, Raised Good on finding joy in motherhood without the shoulds, expectations and white noise of society

Tracy Gillett is the founder, writer and advocate behind the award-winning blog, Raised Good - a guide to natural parenting in the modern world. Written from Vancouver with millions of readers worldwide, she educates and inspires women to reclaim the wonder of motherhood and the joy of childhood by parenting without the shoulds, expectations, and white noise of society. She is the host of the Raised Good Online Summit, and she offers courses, eBooks and guides on her website raisedgood.com. Tracy and her family enjoy traveling, being active and spending as much time exploring the outdoors as possible.   We chat about: - Tracy's own motherhood journey including moving across the world and experiencing infertility - How we can find joy in motherhood and be in flow with our children - How we can have confidence in our parenting choices and advocate for our children   You can connect with Tracy here: www.raisedgood.com Insta @raisedgood
11/1/202238 minutes, 52 seconds
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Ep 19: My family's sleep circus: how we have navigated the messiness of sleep in our home over the past six years

Two kids, six years, and a whole lot of musical beds; our family's sleep sitch has looked less than perfect over the years. But, we love it! Here's to normalising messiness of childhood sleep. I chat today about: - surrendering to safe bedsharing with my babies - transitioning toddler to own room - being flexible with naps and bedtimes - our ever-changing sleep arrangements over the years - how temperament affects sleep - sleep apnea - nighttime breastfeeding and weaning experiences - how you can choose how sleep looks for your family Insta is where I hang out: @mamamatters.au If you are looking to uplevel and optimise your family's sleep with a group of likeminded mamas; check out my upcoming Honest Sleep Groups for mamas of babies 0-8 months: https://www.mamamatters.com.au/honest-sleep-groups So happy you're here, Fiona xx
10/25/202220 minutes, 41 seconds
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Ep 18: Jessica Donovan, Natural Super Kids on gut health in babies and kids, impact on sleep and development

Jessica Donovan is a mama of 2 and naturopath who helps mums raise super kids with healthy food and natural medicines. She is passionate about educating parents on nourishing their children with real food, helping to boost their health and heal naturally. Jessica combines her extensive naturopathic knowledge with a realistic, empathetic, inspiring, and down-to-earth approach to empower women to look after themselves and take charge of the well-being of their families. Come along and join Naturopath Jessica Donovan in this FREE online masterclass where you will learn 3 SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE ways to Transform Your Kid's GUT HEALTH. When we focus on gut health we see improvements in our Kids: Mood and behaviour Immunity Tummy troubles Allergies Eczema and Asthma Fussy eating and more Register now, it's free: https://naturalsuperkids.com/gut-health-masterclass-oct22?orid=68805&opid=28 I also spoke about my newly release Mama Mantras and I would LOVE for you to see them too! https://www.mamamatters.com.au/mama-mantras Check out our upcoming Honest Sleep Group here: https://www.mamamatters.com.au/honest-sleep-groups
10/21/202240 minutes, 33 seconds
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Ep 17: Emma Morris, Clinical Nutritionist on Postnatal Depletion and advocating for our health

Today we chat with Emma Morris, Clinical Nutritionist about Postnatal depletion and the impact it can have on our wellbeing as mothers. Emma is mama to one, a Clinical Nutritionist and Co-founder and Director of Maia Mothers Collective, a holistic clinic for mums and babies in Brisbane. She is passionate about supporting women in all aspects of childbearing including preparing for birth, maintaining a healthy pregnancy and assisting women with postpartum depletion and mental health issues such as postpartum depression and/or anxiety. You can find Emma here: https://www.maiamothers.com.au/our-team Insta @maiamothers.collective @emmamorris_nutrition  
9/19/202242 minutes, 24 seconds
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Ep 16: Yara Heary on maternal anger, relationships and identity after baby, the good mum & good girl syndrome, the anger iceberg, and nervous system regulation

Yara is a Perth psychologist who works exclusively with women throughout conception, pregnancy, and motherhood. Yara started Life After Birth Psychology following the birth of her first son which started her on yet another journey of self-rediscovery. Her experiences throughout early motherhood drew her to support other women as they navigate their own family of origin dynamics, the social programming of the “good mother”, relationship changes with those around them, identity shifts, and role changes to find their place of balance and authenticity as mothers. We chat about soooo much good stuff! - Relationships after baby - Anger, the anger iceberg, why we get angry in motherhood - How our childhood affects our experience with anger as adults - Reparenting the inner child - Regulating our nervous system in motherhood - The good mum myth, intensive mothering and anger - Breathing practices You can find Yara here: @lifeafterbirthpsychology https://www.lifeafterbirth.com.au/
9/13/202252 minutes, 21 seconds
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Ep 15: Honest Chats: Rachael Shepard-Ohta (Hey Sleepy Baby) and Mariana Castaman on where we are going so wrong with sleep

Grab a cuppa and join us for our honest chat about all the things we have a problem with in the mainstream sleep industry. We chat about: - Rach and Mariana's personal experiences with sleep training - How sleep programs win us over with 'gentle' then end up being not so - The unnecessary divide between sleep training vs. not sleep training and how much room there is in between - When 'trust your intuition' feels overwhelming and impossible - how trial and error can help us to find our confidence - How Rachael plans to approach sleep with her third baby Rachael: @heysleepybaby Mariana: @marianacastaman We have so much more to talk about - join us for Part Two, soon!
9/6/202249 minutes, 15 seconds
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Ep 14: P2: Health anxiety, OCD and Panic Attacks: Fiona and husband Ross' raw chat about living with (and living with someone with) health anxiety

The second part to our raw, honest and open chat about living with health anxiety and how we navigate it as a family.
8/30/202231 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 14: P1: Health anxiety, OCD and Panic Attacks: Fiona and husband Ross' raw chat about living with (and living with someone with) health anxiety

This is a super raw, unedited and informal chat over a few wines between Fiona and husband Ross. We chat about Ross' history with health anxiety and answer some questions from the Instagram community. Frequent hospital and doctor visits, body checking, and panic attacks - no stone is left unturned! This is Part 1 of a two part series - we can talk. Part 2 will be released later this week. If you would like to reach out, please do. Language warning - few F-bombs so please be mindful around little people!
8/22/20221 hour, 19 minutes, 52 seconds
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Ep. 13: Hannah on the sleep obsession, when 'gentle' sleep approaches is anything but, the need to know all of the things and coming out the other side

Hannah is a real-life mama who I met through my Mama Matters Academy. Today I am so grateful to her for this honest chat about her experience with a prem baby, how the sleep obsession can sneak in, and being taken for a ride with sleep consultant programs. Hannah talks about tuning into her intuition and coming out the other side with fierce confidence.
8/15/202254 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 12: Georgie Stephen, naturopath for tired mums and their babies on nourishing ourselves in a season of tired; exploring underlying causes of wakefulness or unsettledness in babies

Today I speak with Georgie Stephen who is a naturopath for mums and babies. We chat about: How mothers can feel nourished in a season of intensive mothering and sleep deprivation The common biophysical reasons your baby may be restless or waking frequently Iron, magnesium, zinc, food intolerances & allergies Recommended tests and exploration for mothers in their postpartum Georgie is a mama to one spirited little girl and lives with in her family Melbourne. She is a degree-qualified naturopath and an SOS trained feeding therapist. Georgie works with new (and not so new) mothers alike who are struggling with fatigue and exhaustion, postpartum depletion, sleep deprivation, hormone imbalances, and the many other challenges that arise out of the demands of pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum. She’s on a mission to change the way mothers are cared for (and care for themselves) in postpartum and the early years of their mothering journey so they can go on to enjoy the wild ride that is motherhood for many years to come. Georgie also works with babies and toddlers, and uses her training as a feeding therapist regularly in clinic to help parents of picky eaters. Georgie works 1:1 with mothers all across Australia via Telehealth. Find her at www.georgiestephen.com.au or on Instagram @georgiestephen_   Check out my free workshop - Getting Honest about Infant and Child Sleep in the first few years: and get on my waitlist for our upcoming live round of Mama Matters Academy, while you're there! https://www.mamamatters.com.au/mama-matters-academy   Follow me on Instagram: @mamamatters.au For more about me and what I do, check out my website: www.mamamatters.com.au  Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any other Mama Chatters goodness coming up. Thanks for being here, Mama x
8/1/202250 minutes, 28 seconds
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Ep. 10: Alita Blanchard on Honest, Messy Motherhood, Parenting through Grief and Loss and Raising Boys

Today I chat with Alita Blanchard who is a parent coach. We chat about:  Her experience with postnatal depression, baby loss and her inner work journey The importance of listening to feelings and how we can protect our own capacity for listening Authenticity in parenting, honest and messy motherhood - Re-parenting ourselves and self-compassion Rites of passage particularly for young boys Aggression and frustration in boys, the Boy Code and impact of societal stereotypes Feeling triggered by our kids’ behaviours Being okay with setting boundaries to care for ourselves Alita is a mother of 4 young boys (including one in the stars) on the NSW Central Coast. She is a certified Conscious Parent Coach, Rites of Passage facilitator and holds Mothers Circle and events to support mothers who feel lost and overwhelmed within mothering. Alita supports mothers in normalising anger and healthy aggression, softening expectations, building self compassion and bringing awareness to their own needs and emotions so that they can feel more aligned to their values and connected to themselves AND their children. She has some upcoming events: Mothers Retreats: rest, connection, sharing - coming soon in NSW. Sign up for email updates at www.theawaremama.com.au Instagram - alitablanchard_parentcoach   Check out my free workshop - Getting Honest about Infant and Child Sleep in the first few years: and get on my waitlist for our upcoming live round of Mama Matters Academy, while you're there! https://www.mamamatters.com.au/mama-matters-academy   Follow me on Instagram: @mamamatters.au For more about me and what I do, check out my website: www.mamamatters.com.au  Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any other Mama Chatters goodness coming up. Thanks for being here, Mama x
7/25/202252 minutes, 37 seconds
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Ep. 11: Short and Shiny: "If not sleep training, then what?" How we can support and optimise sleep without controlled crying or separation-based methods.

I am answering a question from the community today; on if not sleep training, then what?! I had someone say that they were wanting some support with sleep but didn't want to sleep train. They also just couldn't envision what sleep support could look like without it. So that's what I walk you through today! There is so much SPACE between wait it out and cry it out. There are lots of ways we can get creative and make sleep a nicer place to be for everyone. If you are seeking some 1:1 sleep support pop over to my website: www.mamamatters.com.au or flick me an email hello@mamamatters.com.au. You can also book directly through Instagram now. Thanks for being here, Mama.
7/24/202214 minutes, 4 seconds
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Ep. 9: Fiona on Dr Sophie Brock's podcast chatting about parent-child relationships, getting to know our children and why behavioural parenting strategies aren't ideal

Dr Sophie interviewed me on her podcast, The Good Enough Mother - this is a re-broadcast because I truly loved this conversation so much. We chat about the parent-child relationship and what gets in the way of seeing our children for who they really are; and how this impacts on our relationship with them. We chat about the goodness of fit with our children, how their temperaments and sensory preferences play a part in our relationship with them, and how we can use play to work with challenging behaviour and build connection. Dr Sophie is an absolute wisdom-machine and I encourage you all to check out her podcast for more thought-provoking conversations.
7/18/202251 minutes, 42 seconds
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Ep. 8: Nicole Pates Kids Physio on milestone anxiety, patting and shushing in a dark room, and role reversals in the home

Nicole is a Paeds Physio and the founder of Western Kids Health in Perth. She is on a mission to demystify motor development and focus your attention on connecting with your baby through play. We chat about: How she has created an epic community of over 100k followers after starting a rogue Insta account back in the pandemic Her transition to motherhood with her eldest in 2016 and how pressure to perfect sleep created anxiety Having her second during a pandemic, navigating isolation and unexpected separation from her first born Her observations on how information overload has triggered milestone anxiety in so many parents Her return to work full time and role shake-up in the home and how it has impacted their relationship You can find Nicole here: Insta @nicole_kidsphysio www.babyplayacademy.com Follow me on Instagram: @mamamatters.au For more about me and what I do, check out my website: www.mamamatters.com.au Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any other Mama Chatters goodness coming up. Thanks for being here, Mama x
7/11/202248 minutes, 30 seconds
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Ep. 7: Jess Urlichs on Messy Motherhood, Creative Writing and Parenting a Highly Sensitive Child

In today's episode we chat to Jess Urlichs. Jess is a beautiful mama and author whose words reach far and wide as she shares her vulnerable, heartfelt words through her Instagram account as well as her poetry books. Jess' words have resonated with so many and bring communities together in the real, raw, honest accounts of motherhood. Jess Urlichs is a poet and children's book author based in New Zealand. Aside from looking after her 3 and 4 year old (with one on the way) Jess found a passion for writing and sharing about the highs and lows on early motherhood. In turn Jess self published an early motherhood poetry collection which has sold over 50,000 copies worldwide and created a beautiful and honest community on instagram of like minded mums who are here for the messy beautiful truth of motherhood. We chat about: Having babies a year apart Parenting a highly sensitive child Creative writing and where she is most inspired Ambivalence in motherhood and sharing vulnerability Her family’s sleep journey Drawing on mindfulness in the hard nights Her advice for mothers seeking a space for their own creativity Here’s where you can find Jess: Instagram: @jessurlichs_writer www.jessicaurlichs.com Follow me on Instagram: @mamamatters.au For more about me and what I do, check out my website: www.mamamatters.com.au Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any other Mama Chatters goodness coming up. Thanks for being here, Mama x
7/4/202235 minutes, 21 seconds
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Ep. 6: Elise Disher on Perfectionism in Parenting - and the Freedom in Lowering Expectations

Today we get to chat with my friend Elise Disher, who I have been connected with on Instagram for a couple of years. I love this chat - it’s an honest, down-to-earth chat between friends about the trap of perfectionism in motherhood and how being a professional in the space can impact the way we see and interact with our children; and also the way that we judge ourselves in our mothering.   Elise is an Early Learning Consultant who works with early childhood professionals, as well as families to understand the importance of attachment relationships in the first five years. She has over 18 years experience in the space and a master degree in early education. Elise is also a Circle of Security facilitator and holistic sleep and wellbeing specialist. In 2020 Elise opened her own company U.Me Play where she supports the idea that all learning in the early years happens in the context of relationships and play.   We chat about: Elise’s experience with her daughter Max born prematurely How feeling attached to a certain parenting style (RIE) created pressure and rigidity The ‘bloody balance bike’ and Elise’s reflection on being caught up with the ideal situation- how research and knowledge can take away from tuning into your unique child The rush for independence and why it gets in the way of being in relationship with our child ‘The Imagined Child’ and getting caught up in ideals of who we thought our children would be Negotiables and non-negotiables in parenting and flexibility to evolve How diving into the research on everything can completely overcomplicate parenting Lowering expectations and finding freedom in good-enough parenting   Here’s where you can find Elise: Instagram: @elisedisher.ed www.umeplay.com.au   Follow me on Instagram: @mamamatters.au   For more about me and what I do, check out my website: www.mamamatters.com.au   Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any other Mama Chatters goodness coming up.   Thanks for being here, Mama x
6/27/202237 minutes, 49 seconds
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Ep. 5: Sarah Ashton OT on Sensory Overwhelm in Motherhood

Do you feel totally overwhelmed in motherhood? Sarah Ashton, Perinatal Occupational Therapist helps us to make sense of overwhelm from a nervous system and sensory system perspective and gives us some tips about how to regulate ourselves in these moments. Sarah Ashton is a Perinatal Occupational Therapist and a proud mother to two spirited little kiddos. She is a Matrescence Reveller & an OT for Mothers – supporting women reorient, make meaning and adapt to motherhood – because matrescence matters.  Sarah moved into this practice 12 years into her profession after experiencing a deeply complex and unexpected challenge in adapting to motherhood. She’s walking the walk alongside you!  You can find Sarah here: https://www.sarahashtonot.com.au/ Instagram: @matrescencematters Email: hello@sarahashtonot.com.au   For more about me and what I do, check out my website: www.mamamatters.com.au Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any other Mama Chatters goodness coming up - PLUS for the month of June, anyone who leaves a rating and review on my podcast will receive a little thank you pack in the mail.. because I appreciate you a lot!  
6/20/202233 minutes, 4 seconds
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Ep. 4: Dr Sophie Brock on Intensive Mothering Ideology and the Perfect Mother Myth

Today I chat with my friend Dr Sophie Brock whose work I admire endlessly. We chat about: The undermining of motherhood as an integral part of our economy - The superficial narrative around 'self-care' and how societal factors impact this - The perfect mother myth - how we can make sense of it, and push back - Idealised mothering, Intensive mothering and the expectations on us to perform How intensive mothering & the perfect mother myth feeds into guilt and shame - 'Mum guilt' and why there doesn't seem to be an equivalent for fathers and secondary caregivers During this episode Dr. Sophie speaks about some reflective exercises we can do to help us to make sense of our Idealised Mother. You can download a worksheet here. About our guest: Dr Sophie Brock is a Motherhood Studies Sociologist and Mother living in Sydney, Australia. She provides analysis of Motherhood in our culture, exploring the ways individual experiences of Mothers are shaped by broader social constructs. Sophie supports professionals, business owners and creatives in revolutionising what Motherhood means in our society, and how individual Mothers are supported and understood. Sophie’s offerings include self-study courses for Mothers and practitioners, her podcast The Good Enough Mother, and her Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification program. To connect further - https://drsophiebrock.com/ @drsophiebrock on Instagram and Facebook info@drsophiebrock.com. Follow me on Instagram: @mamamatters.au For more about me and what I do, check out my website: www.mamamatters.com.au Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any other Mama Chatters goodness coming up - PLUS for the month of June, anyone who leaves a rating and review on my podcast will receive a little thank you pack in the mail.. because I appreciate you a lot!
6/13/202246 minutes, 52 seconds
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Ep. 3: Navigating Information Overload and Conflicting Advice in Motherhood

Knowing stuff can be great, and having information and research available to us about parenting and baby sleep can be a real privilege. But when does it feel like too much? When do we start to rely on information too much, and what does that mean for our own maternal confidence? Today we are going to explore how it feels to parent in the information age and how we can start to take back our power as being the experts on our children. I hope that you find this episode thought provoking and empowering.   Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any other Mama Chatters goodness coming up - PLUS for the month of June, anyone who leaves a rating and review on my podcast will receive a little thank you pack in the mail.. because I appreciate you a lot!
6/6/202217 minutes, 22 seconds
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Ep. 2: Beth Ryan (Birth With Beth): First Time Motherhood + How Pressure Around Sleep Sneaks In and Consumes You

Show Description: Today I am having a chat with Beth Ryan who you might know as Birth With Beth. Beth is a registered midwife, childbirth educator and mum. In her role, she has had the privilege of supporting many many people during birth and beyond. Beth is the owner and creator of PowerBirth Courses, a series of educational resources designed to make parents feel confident and excited during this season of life.   Beth and I have somewhere along the way connected on Instagram and we have an incredible chat about Beth's experience of having a baby in the Pandemic, the confronting reality of working as a midwife in a tertiary hospital whilst pregnant, and having followers along for the ride of her motherhood journey. We chat lots about the pressure to perfect sleep and how easy it is to become consumed, and Beth shares how she broke free of these same expectations. I am so sure you will love this conversation, and I would LOVE it if you could leave a rating and review if you found this episode helpful in any way. For the month of June, all reviews left will receive a thank-you gift in the post.   We will chat about: Having a baby in the pandemic, and as a midwife How biz took off in the pandemic How protects her space on Instagram Working as a midwife whilst pregnant - dealing with loss and complexity etc The pressure to 'get sleep right' and how it can feel all consuming The challenge in coming back to your intuition in your values after following rules around sleep The lack of support once baby is no longer a newborn   Links and resources:   Today's guest: vBeth Ryan Instagram: birthwithbeth_. Website: www.powerbirthcourse.com.au   Follow me on Instagram: @mamamatters.au For more about me and what I do, check out my website.   Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any other Mama Chatters goodness coming up - PLUS for the month of June, anyone who leaves a rating and review on my podcast will receive a little thank you pack in the mail.. because I appreciate you a lot!  
6/6/202254 minutes, 5 seconds
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#1 Welcome!

Welcome! Just popping in to let you know what you can expect from the Mama Chatters poddy. I am so happy you're here!   Here's where you can find me: www.mamamatters.com.au Insta @mamamatters.au hello@mamamatters.com.au
5/31/20224 minutes, 8 seconds