First Time Mum's Chat

#153 - Imagine being pregnant and being sick up to 15 - 20 times per day at times, with what you thought was morning sickness. This was the day to day struggle that physiotherapist and holistic health practitioner Jes Reynolds endured for the first 5 months of her pregnancy! During our chat you'll hear Jes talk about her frustrations with the medical system, feeling unsupported, facing endless...

I've always been a big believer in getting into a regular routine of reading to children as soon as possible after they are born. This benefits their future development in many ways, and I've discussed this in a number of earlier episodes with some wonderful guests. Recently, I was fortunate enough to meet a wonderful woman on Instagram whose handle is Nanny Miss Monique. I was intrigued a...

Welcome back to First Time Mum's Chat. I'm kicking off the year with a second chat with Kelly Durbin. Kelly is a mother of 2, lactation consultant, childbirth educator, author, and volunteer breastfeeding counselor and this week we'll be talking about how breastfeeding can enhance or protect a mother's health after giving birth. During the episode, you'll hear Kelly talk about:...

This week, I am thrilled to be bringing you the 150th episode of First Time Mum's Chat. Please help me celebrate reaching this amazing milestone by sharing this episode with other mums. Way back in January 2021, when I started the First Time Mum's Chat podcast, I had a goal to help mums who were about to become parents or who had just entered the daunting world of parenthood by providing a...

Recently, I was surprised to learn that in the USA and Australia, that the cesarean rate is in excess of 30%. So more than one third of moms will experience a cesarean! Of course when you add the other routine labor interventions this percentage goes up. I've wanted to talk with someone about how these routine labor interventions can cause problems for breastfeeding for some time and in this w...

Helping expecting and first time mums prepare for what is ahead is my main goal of First Time Mum's Chat. This week's guest, Jessica Dawson is a mum who has been through it all. To help other mums who are about to embark on this journey, she published a book last month called 'Postpartum: The Expectations & Reality of the Fourth Trimester', which focuses on the often-overlooked...

Jill Wright has recently finished writing a book, Happy Healthy Wealthy and Wise, which launches later this week, which is the culmination of 20 years of work! It is geared towards anyone who wants to create a better life for themselves and is willing to do some work to get there. It is a collection of the most impactful and inspiring quotes, ideas, practices, habits, tactics, and strategies that...

In this week's episode of First Time Mum's Chat, I'm talking with certified Academic Language Practitioner, Sarah Scheldt about why it is important to talk to your baby. During our chat you'll hear Sarah talk about:- How you can start creating language development that leads to literacy development as early as the 3rd trimester of your pregnancy instead of waiting until after birth...

In this week's episode, I'm discussing the topic of postnatal depression with Lisa Quinney, a perinatal counsellor located in Melbourne, Australia. Lisa had her baptism of fire when her second daughter was born and she faced a few years of postnatal depression. Lisa now supports families so they don't have to go through what she did and you'll hear her talk about her journey includ...

I'm sure you will agree that it's always valuable to have all the facts at your fingertips so you are prepared, so why should childbirth be any different? This week I'm discussing this with special guest Gina Mundy. Gina is an attorney that has specialised in childbirth cases for more than two decades. Gina wants to share mistakes that are made during labor and delivery with the world...

In this week's episode of First Time Mum's Chat I'm talking about the importance of sleep to you as a parent. Yes, I'm focusing on you instead of your little one because you won't be at your best and able to be there 100% for your child if you are sleep deprived. Don't underestimate the importance of sleep because it refreshes your mind and repairs your body. During this ep...

If you're fighting feelings of misery, hopelessness and despair and your little one is difficult to get to sleep, awake for hours at night, waking frequently or fighting sleep then this episode of First Time Mum's Chat is just for you! I'm chatting with sleep coach, mom-mentor, podcast host and mother of 5, Meredith Brough who shares her expertise on holistic sleep methods. Meredith ha...

Your journey as a mum is often a stressful one, right! Well imagine to add to the stress and overwhelm of your new parenting journey, discovering that one of your children has Celiac disease! This is what mum of 2, registered nurse and natural health professional, Laura Tate faced in her parenting journey and she quickly needed to find ways to structure a life that met her family's health need...

When it comes to building a bond with your little one, then a great way for you to do this is by introducing them to the water early on. In this week's episode I'm chatting with Jo Wilson. Jo is the founder of the child-development program in water; Aqua Sensory, and is a Developmental Play Practitioner, Aquatic Tutor and author. Jo is passionate about what she does and during our chat, yo...

A lot of the parents that I talk to via my baby massage classes, ask me whether everything is going as it should with their little one's development. I've been on the lookout for an expert to talk to who knows their stuff when it comes to baby development and in this week's episode of First Time Mum's Chat, I'm chatting with Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Munira Adenwalla. M...

This week on First Time Mum's Chat I'm talking about comfort and pain relief in birth with birth and postpartum doula, Janet Purcell. Janet shares some excellent tips from her wealth of experience and if you are pregnant or in the family planning stages, then I highly recommend listening. You'll hear her share:- How devices such as TENS machines, birthing combs and acupressure balls he...

In this week's episode, I'll be focusing on the topics of healthy eating and raising your children in a healthy nurturing environment. You'll hear me talk about:- The dangers of feeding your family processed food and caffeinated drinks. Ways to encourage more family time and to avoid screen time during meal times. Why role playing is so vital when it comes to setting your children on t...

Potty training doesn’t fail because the method is wrong — it fails because most parents aren’t shown how to use it properly. In this episode of First Time Mum’s Chat, I’m joined by certified potty training consultant Kaley Medina to unpack why the popular 3-day potty training method often breaks down for parents — and what actually makes it work. If you’re feeling unsure about when to start, worri...

Matrescence which is the process of becoming a mother, is a difficult time for many women and occurs each and every time we have a child! For many of the mums I speak with, it often leads to feelings including disconnect, grief and self-doubt. For many this is a highly challenging time as bodies, hormones and brains change. This week's guest, Kirryn Lee, is a Matrescence Mentor, Energy Coach,...

I've spoken with a number of wonderful women on First Time Mum's Chat who help women during their fourth trimester including lactation consultants and doulas and this week's guest, Dr. Cindy Rubin is a general pediatrician, international board certified lactation consultant and breastfeeding medicine specialist. Dr. Cindy has taken the step to operate her practice outside the US insura...

In this week's episode of First Time Mum's Chat, I'm chatting with motherhood coach and mum of 3, Jenna Hodge. The commencement of Jenna's journey into parenthood wasn't an easy one and Jenna also discovered that child number 2 was on the way when her first was just 7 months old, adding to an already stressed household! During our chat, you'll find hearing her approach to w...

This week on First Time Mum's Chat I'm chatting with Amanda de la Madriz who is a certified life & mindset coach. Amanda focuses on helping make motherhood easier for moms by helping them to create awareness around their thoughts. During our chat you'll hear Amanda talk about:- How to increase your awareness of your thought process and learn how to let beliefs go that do not serve...

Pediatricians and other professionals emphasize the importance of talking and communicating with your baby and the amazing benefits that result from these interactions, including brain development, social skills, and improved cognitive development. However, what is often lacking is actually instructing parents how to do it and explaining to them why it is so important. Perhaps one of the most impo...

In this week's episode I'm exploring the importance of taking steps to restore your body's flexibility and normal range of movement as you go through your postpartum recovery period with mum of 2, yoga and flexibility teacher, Devin Garcia. During our chat you'll hear Devin:- * Talk about her online library of classes which is ideal for mums who are often time poor and unable to at...

I'm a big believer in complementary/alternative therapies which are about treating the whole person and not just symptoms or diseases. Earlier this year I interviewed midwife Beau Wilson who mentioned how she is beginning to help mums through their whole birth process education using homeopathy. In this week's episode I'm exploring homeopathy and how it can help both mums and babies fu...