Anna Asks

Anger. Rage. Fury. So many parents, especially mothers, tell me they never felt the same white hot anger before they had kids as they do now. A few mums have written to me and said they skipped straight to this chapter, and others have told me they’ve given this one to their partners to read because it gave words to the experience they couldn’t properly describe to get the message through. We cove...

This episode looks at feelings of overwhelm in motherhood. It is the longest chapter by far and rightly so, the sheer size and weight of the load mothers carry within our families and society is really intense. It can look as though the mums around us are managing fine, so we feel like failures in some way for struggling, but the reality is that the majority of mothers are not coping. Here’s the s...

This episode looks at loneliness. Whether it’s feeling physically isolated or emotionally alone in a crowded room, early motherhood is a really paradoxical experience. It’s pretty common have very little time away from our babies, but also to feel really lonely, even without lockdowns. This is a social issue, even though it feels like a personal one. Enjoy. Anna Cusack is a Motherhood Revolutionis...

This episode looks at fear. No sidestepping this one - it’s a pretty scary time in world history to have kids really isn’t it? We talk a bit more on our brain’s survival skills as we practice parenting, as well as covering climate, coronavirus, post-natal anxiety, unwanted harm thoughts and more. Anna Cusack is a Motherhood Revolutionist, author, podcaster, postpartum doula, Certified Motherhood S...

This episode looks at invisibility. After being the centre of attention during pregnancy, biological mothers often get pushed aside after the birth as the baby becomes the star of the show. We talk birth injury, feeding and how “mothering” and “fathering” a child are very different social roles, even in 2021. Anna Cusack is a Motherhood Revolutionist, author, podcaster, postpartum doula, Certified...

Hello and welcome to part 3 of the “Mama, You’re Not Broken” audiobook, written and read by me, Anna Cusack. This episode looks at the uncertainty we can feel as mothers. There is so much information, misinformation, solicited and unsolicited advice when it comes to pregnancy, birth and child raising, and it can all feel very messy! In this chapter I explore how your brain is rewiring as you becom...

Hello and welcome to part 2 of the “Mama, You’re Not Broken” audiobook, written and read by me, Anna Cusack. This episode explores guilt, more specifically, mum guilt. Mum guilt is really intertwined with modern motherhood and so having a strong foundation about how, when and why it operates is really key to be able to access the other nine unspoken emotions of modern motherhood we’ll be going ove...

My entire audiobook is coming to you, live and free, right here!  Get your print copy, dive into sources and further reading, browse my blog, join my Lighthouse Mama membership or become a patron of the podcast, all at www.annacusack.com.au  I’d love to connect on socials too - you can find me @annacusackpostpartum on Instagram and Facebook.  This, from the back cover:  “What i...

The good girl, good woman, good wife, good worker and good mother narratives are all intertwined - is it any wonder today's mums are struggling? Join me in conversation with Motherhood Studies sociologist Dr. Sophie Brock to unpack the social construction of motherhood. We discuss the inherent interdependence of the mother-child relationship, the flawed argument behind maternal self-sacrifice and...

We all hear about "evidence based" health advice, professional practice and baby care, but what does that even mean? Join Dr. Renee White and I as we cut through the crap around research, biases and books that aren't what they're cracked up to be. We discuss the intersection between not-so-scientific sources, social media and mamas desperately seeking solutions, and how postpartum nutrition is bot...

This episode I speak with Katie Bowman, a mama of three (including double trouble twin three year olds) keeping it real. She speaks as she writes - with a trademark blend of sarcasm and seriousness, with the occasional swear for good measure! We chat about the craziness of life as a mother and the ways we each carve out time for creativity. The episode opens with a conversation about moving often...

Dr. Haya Zedan is an maternal support professional, public health researcher, academic and mother. With one eye on health policy and the other on individual experience of motherhood, she has a unique take on what motherhood means in her home country of Saudi Arabia. Dr. Haya is a translator of scholarly research to the mothers on the ground (in both English and Arabic), an identifier of gaps in th...

Lucy's dream of a "natural birth" did not go to plan, but her experience with birth trauma-related PTSD did lead to her a love affair with helping women recover holistically after childbirth. She is a physical therapist, master of many healing touch modalities and speaks to what has helped her in her recovery from birth trauma. We discuss emotional sensitivity, separation, worthiness and parenting...

Introducing: Alicia Johnson. Alicia is an Indigenous woman, academic and mother. In her work, studies, motherhood and all other areas of her life, she is navigating colonisation in the 21st century, challenging racial stereotypes and type casts of what it means to be “black, fat, proud and a mummy”! Alicia combines her usual hard-hitting social commentary with trademark humour and stories from her...

In this episode I speak with Tanieka Riley - a proud Wiradjuri woman, mum of two (with a third on the way) and founder of Yaali Creations. At 24, Tanieka has set about creating change in the way we children (and adults) of all backgrounds learn about culture both at home and in educational settings, through creation of an evolving suite of interactive resources. We touch on her experience with bir...

Breast or bottle? If we’re being realistic, explains Lucy Ruddle, it’s not as simple as one or the other. Most most mums spend time in both camps, and even more spend time using both their own and extra milk simultaneously for significant parts of their feeding journey. Lucy is one of the most passionate (and funniest) women on the internet. She talks us through how to make it work – how to protec...

Kimmy Smith is a powerful voice for mothers who want to move well. Having spent years as a professional athlete and corporate lawyer, her own transition to motherhood was anything but smooth. We talk candidly about prolapse, its management, and how she faced pregnancy and birth after her diagnosis. We also dig into the creation of the Empowered Motherhood Program (Australia’s most comprehensive an...

What is Queen energy? How can we cultivate it inside the (ironically masculine) practice of mothering, and within our relationships with our partners, colleagues, children and even our baristas? Mother daughter duo Zoe and Tracey Meacham are enamoured with embodiment, relationship and all things feminine energy. This episode discusses how we can inject Queen vibes into our everyday experience as w...

Want the next 10 chapters of gold? Get it all over world in eBook and paperback format via www.annacusack.com.au/book/ or follow along with me on insta @annacusackpostpartum

What is the role of partners in the birth space? How can we best prepare them to support us during birth? What is the role of a doula in birth, for partners and birthing parents? This week I speak with Annie Tayleur, a Victoria-based writer, childbirth educator, birth worker and mum, who has the answers to these very questions. She is the host of the "Mama Up" podcast You can connect with her via...

How going with what feels good helps with mothering, relationship, build a business...even birth! After a decade of yoga, meditation and spiritual teachings, motherhood still hit Regan like a ton of bricks. The way out was through pleasure, not though hard slog. The Pleasurepreneur herself walks us through how it’s done...  Find Regan on Instagram @regan_figg and tune into her podcast “Dive I...

Baby massage, parent bonding, reflux, maternal mental health, postpartum support and the lack of... this chat with Claire goes every which way, just like the experience of early motherhood. I'm so glad to share this episode with you and have her serving mums in my local Lake Mac area. Get in touch with Claire at @babymassageaus Contact The Nurture Centre - https://www.facebook.com/thenurturecentre...

Shelley Clarke is a wealth of knowledge on all things playful parenting and has transformed my tooth-brushing troubles, and I couldn't wait to have her on the podcast to share just some of her insights with us all. On this episode we talk attention seeking vs connection seeking, control vs cooperation with our kids, therapeutic touch and play-based emotional processing for children.  You can...

Body safety. Online safety. Consent. Learning to look after our bodies. Is this stuff the responsibility of schools, parents or governments?  How do we have these conversations in our home, and teach our kids this stuff from the start? Caroline Ellen is a social worker and parenting coach who believes all children deserve a childhood free to play and discover. Caroline is the founder of Safer...

Want the letdown on breastfeeding? How can we prepare ourselves to breastfeed, and what do partners need to know to support us in our quest? Meet Emma Maher, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, midwife, nurse and mum of two. She is passionate about breastfeeding education, troubleshooting breastfeeding and giving families the expert information they need to make empowered choice...