Attempting Motherhood

Navigating Burnout, Motherhood, and Reconnecting In this raw and unfiltered episode, Sam returns after a four-month hiatus to open up about her recent experiences with burnout, the challenges of balancing motherhood, and the isolating nature of her life.  She touches on her struggles with maintaining motivation, particularly after a family holiday and outlines the difficulties of managing her cont...

Tips for any type of travel but especially for International travel. In this episode I personal experiences and practical tips for traveling internationally with a young child. As an AuDHDer who has travelled internationally with my daughter several times I share the preparation strategies, essential items to pack, and accommodations available for hidden disabilities that I've learned. Key ti...

*Not medical advice. Please consult a medical practitioner before starting any new supplements or vitamins .  7-Day FREE trial + 20% off your first month of Attempting Motherhood Community In this episode, we are joined by Erica Garber , a functional nutritional practitioner based in Canada. The discussion covers what it means to be a functional nutritional practitioner, the supplements recommende...

*This episodes includes discussion of intercourse and pelvic anatomy.  Understanding Pelvic Health: Common but Not Normal Issues Postpartum This episode features a conversation with Lynn Schulte, a pelvic floor physical therapist, who addresses common postpartum issues like leakage and painful intercourse. Lynn stresses that these issues are common but not normal and discusses the importance of wo...

Understanding and Managing Restraint Collapse and Transitions In this solo episode, Sam discusses the concept of restraint collapse , where individuals release pent-up emotions and stress upon reaching a safe space or person. Although often linked to children, Sam explains that adults also experience restraint collapse.  The episode also offers practical techniques for mitigating its effects and n...

In this short episode I breakdown what you can expect for Season 2, what 2025 plans I have, and take a deep dive into the Attempting Motherhood Membership. 20% off + 7-Day Trial for The Attempting Motherhood Membership https://www.attemptingmotherhood.com/membership Code: PODCAST for 20% off! What do you think of the new podcast cover? Share your feedback, suggestions, and thoughts in the "Se...

This week I'm joined by Grace Koelma of Future ADHD This was a special conversation. Grace is the newly published author of “ The ADHD Focus Friend ”. We chat about the book, launching January 8th , which explores strategies for managing ADHD, alongside her popular digital planners which have been transformative tools for many. We open with Grace sharing her personal journey of motherhood and...

This week I'm joined by Steph from Abundant on a Budget. I cannot even explain how much I learned from this conversation! She talks about budgeting and how to make it realistic - meaning you'll actually stick to it- as a neurodivergent person. She share how you can make money doing side hustles (surveys, user testing, etc) with no experience or huge social media following necessary. Sinc...

We all know the holidays can bring with them joy and merriment... and a mountain of additional mental load! In this episode I provide actionable strategies you can do to better navigate this time of year. Additionally, to help you, I've created some guides, lists, and trackers to give you a hand managing the mental load this holiday season. Resources: Mental Load Bundle (all of the below in o...

I'm joined by Megs from Organizing an ADHD Brain We chat about motherhood and being neurodivergent (of course) and dive into why organizing is about more than making your house "Pinterest perfect". Megs shares the moment she realized she needed to reevaluate their Christmas plans and traditions, and how she's helping herself and others do it differently this year. She shares ho...

In this episode I talk about ways you can accommodate you and your family members during the holidays. This includes: -reflecting on past years -questioning traditions (and making new ones) -maintaining routine during the holidays -giving your child autonomy during this time (with examples) -advocating for your child's personal boundaries -have an "out" at gatherings -using social s...

In this solo pod, Sam talks about the perceptions vs reality we may experience - that may be in part due to internalised ableism, unrealistic expectations, and the lie of modern mothers being able to "do it all"... or a bit of all of those. There are ACTIONABLE TIPS broken down to help you work through this as well as some "reality checks" to keep in mind for the times your per...

I'm joined by Kendra Koch, founder of Divergently a community platform for late diagnosed neurodivergent women. We start, as always, with Kendra's motherhood story- which, like my own, is so intertwined with her ADHD diagnosis and realisation. She offered amazing insights on the importance of listening to mother's and their intuition as well as the lost aspect of community in mother...

Everyday Mama: Series This series consists of chats between Sam and "everyday mamas" sharing their unique and interesting experiences. Today I'm joined by Regina - a mom who shares her journey of migrating to Australia, discovering her daughter is AuDHD(PDA) and her own late realisation of AuDHD. We go into what the diagnosis process was like for her daughter ( and when she realised...

I am not a doctor or a medical professional. All information provided in this episode is meant to act as a springboard for you to do your own research and speak to your prescribing practitioner about cyclic dosing of your ADHD Medication. Resources mentioned: Study: Female-specific pharmacotherapy in ADHD: premenstrual adjustment of psychostimulant dosage LetterLife Blog: ADHD Medication Across th...

In this episode, Sam chats once again with the wonderful Dr. Lotta Borg Skoglund to explore ADHD in women - with a special focus on the unique challenges they face, including hormonal influences and the critical role of community support. Together, we delve into important topics that highlight the intersection of ADHD, gender, and life changes. Key Points Covered: The Importance of Non-Ad Content...

Trigger Warning :police violence against autistic individuals Autism Advocate Erin Garcia joins me to talk about her evolution of "I don't know what to do" after her child's autism diagnosis, to now advocating and creating resources to help other parents. Her podcast, " ASK! Autism Support and Knowledge " launched earlier this summer- she has guests (including me) to...

My guest, Dr. Ceri Cashell, and I get into all things Perimenopause and MHT / HRT today! We open with some Perimenopause Myth Busting and then dive head first into women's hormones and Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT / HRT) - while the hormones we talk about are relative to anyone going through perimenopause, she outlines specifics about what is available in Australia , what is subsidized on t...

This is part 2 of 2. Listen to PART 1 "Navigating ADHD & Motherhood"   Dr. Gilly Kahn shares stories from her clinical experience with neurodivergent individuals. We discuss the difference between male and female brains and she shares what she'd like to include in the diagnostic criteria to make diagnosis more inclusive and comprehensive. Lastly, she gives more information about...

This is part 1 of 2. TW Infertility (Gilly mentions her fertility journey and struggles)   Dr. Gilly Kahn and I spoke recently and a big part of our conversation was around  our late in life ADHD diagnosis and motherhood, and how the two are intricately intertwined.  She was so generous with sharing her story, her ups and downs from adolescence and her journey into motherhood. Dr. Kahn is a Clinic...

In today's conversation I'm joined by autistic author, producer, journalist, and mother, Clara Törnvall. We talk about her experience of her late diagnosis, as well as how it has impacted her work and life in general. We also go into her hilarious new book and the unexpected feedback she's received. This was such a great conversation where we really highlighted how powerful the know...

In this solo episode I outline different strategies ( all free ) that you can implement to get better sleep. These techniques can work for everyone (and all ages), but I highlight specifically how ADHD and neurodivergent folks may need to adapt or reconsider "typical" advice. FREE DOWNLOAD "Better Sleep for Neurodivergent Brains" This episode has an accompanying download, follo...

This is part two with Dr. Taylor Day. Listen to Part 1 "The Whole Family Approach with Autistic Children" Our conversation continues as we talk about different therapies and approaches for autistic children. We touch on PDA (pathological demand avoidance), masking, and allowing autonomy. Dr. Taylor Day is a child psychologist who uses a neuro-affirming approach she calls The Whole Family...

In this short episode I outlined how estrogen (and its fluctuations during our monthly cycle) can impact our ADHD symptom presentation. I also went into cyclical dosing - what it is and how it can help those of us with a cycle. In the second half of the episode I elaborated on perimenopause and the difference between a neurotypical in perimenopause and someone who has made it to perimenopause with...

Dr. Taylor Day is a child psychologist who uses a neuro-affirming approach she calls The Whole Family Approach in working with families of autistic children. Her own experience of having an autistic younger brother (and a mother who fiercely advocated for him) has shaped not just her career path but her approach within her clinic. This is PART ONE of two. Listen to PART TWO: Diagnosing High Maskin...