Postpartum like a boss

In our third snapshot episode, Gemma chats the good, the bad and the ugly of navigating friendships in the postpartum period. You'll hear about:  Common elements of friendship Why your perception of friendship matters Turning points in friendships When/ how to call it quits on a friendship and What you can do for better friendships in postpartum. Gemma also shares a personal story of a friendship...

In this episode we hear from mother (of a little rainbow boy), partner, postpartum doula and business coach - the lovely Emelia @motherbearpostpartum! Emelia candidly shares her journey to parenthood - and in this episode you'll find out how she:  - Navigated fertility decisions within her same sex partnership - Prepared for and experienced birth, including her education, her own (amazing) birth s...

In this episode we are joined by the ever bubbly product stylist and mother of three (to a daughter and twin boys) @paigenoellestylist. Paige shares her motherhood journey, with a focus on the way motherhood has positively impacted her career as she pivoted from the world of fast-paced editorial styling to creating an energised, adaptable and aligned styling business that serves fellow mothers as...

In our second snapshot episode, your host Gemma Smith covers a big ticket postpartum topic - postpartum relationships.  While it's no secret that having a baby adds pressure to a relationship - Gemma shares some of the expectations, realities, socio-cultural/ historical considerations, key skills and resources for better  understanding and  maintaining healthy postpartum relationships.  Resources:...

This episode has it all - from corporate events in London to an unexpected positive pregnancy test in the Amazon jungle, to immigrating across the world during pregnancy, to a magnificent empowered birth to postpartum haemorrhage, PTSD and prolapse to recovery and helping others. Join hypnobirthing practitioner Kathryn and I as we explore the highs (legit even high-altitude hiking!) and lows of he...

This is the first of a series of short episodes I will be creating to provide an accessible overview of key concepts relevant to optimising perinatal mental health.  In this episode, I discuss Matrescence - which can broadly be defined as "the physical, emotional, hormonal and social transition into motherhood" (much like the transition we go through earlier in life as we  transition from child to...

In this episode, we are lucky to be joined by the lovely Amelia Anderson, mother of two and Intuitive Business Coach for Mums. We talk through Amelia's journey to and within parenthood including intuitively navigating; conception, birth x2 (with her second son being born in front of her home), postpartum, shifts in business, gentle parenting and her mother's devastating motor neuron disease diagno...

We are so lucky in this episode to be joined by perinatal fitness specialist and Mums in business advocate Monique Morgan. Monique runs @fitphilosophyau providing amazing perinatal group fitness classes as well as @mumsinbiz_brisbane a directory, community and resource centre for businesses run by mothers. In this episode we talk all things perinatal fitness including how Mon's own postpartum expe...

Our guest this week is Linda Fruits, best known for her hugely popular @fruitsofmotherhood Instagram blog which aims to normalise "the sweet, sour and sometimes rotten Fruits of Motherhood" . In this episode Linda openly shares her A-type personality approach to conception, postpartum struggles and catalysts for her original blog, the background of her very public split from her husband and the pr...

This week we are joined by Gary Keys. Gary is a father of three, successful professional (with credentials in business, strategic leadership, NLP, fitness and coaching) and owner of @mantnatal - an organisation delivering man-to-man education about fatherhood right from receiving the news to birth and beyond. Gary shares his personal journey to fatherhood from initially being travel and career foc...

In our first episode of 2022 we're joined by Cheryl - best known for her amazing blog @mums_who_brunch, a directory of all the best child friendly cafes and activities in South East Queensland. Cheryl shares her pregnancy, birth and postpartum experiences including; feeling underprepared for birth and breastfeeding, facing cervical cancer, an early return to full-time employment and fertility chal...

The lovely Jade Tolhurst joins us to talk about starting her personal blog @postpartum.jade during her experience facing postpartum depression after the birth of her first child. While the blog began with her reaching out for support online - it quickly gained a large following and has now transformed into Jade's passion for online peer support and perinatal mental health advocacy. Jade is also re...

In this episode we hear from Kathryn Millhouse @_motherup about her transition from large-scale corporate finance and health economics into motherhood, which left her feeling blind-sighted as she faced her first significant mental health challenge with Postpartum Depression and Anxiety. This experience birthed Kathryn's passion and advocacy for preemptive investment in postpartum (through quality...

Dr. Lisa, Postdoctoral Research Fellow and owner of @playnourishthrive, openly shares the ins and outs of her challenging first pregnancy to postpartum journey including her postpartum depression diagnosis. Like a true researcher, Dr. Lisa learnt as much as she could during and from this experience, which for her included the importance of the fourth trimester as a concept - and spurred her furthe...

The lovely Cia Hudson, founder of @parentspotbulimba (as well as former TV producer and teacher) joins us to chat about the importance of finding her people. Cia shares her two very different postpartum experiences in the USA - one where she had to return to work when her first baby was just eight weeks old, and another where she joined an ad-hoc parents' group while at home with her second child....

In this powerful episode we explore resilience and surrender with the beautiful Amy Barber, Yoga and Meditation teacher @inspiredbyyogainspiredbylife. Amy had been working on large-scale production costume/ set design for many years before shifting careers around the same time as she started to 'try for a family'. In this episode, Amy openly shares the highs and lows of her five year fertility jou...

Liz Hutchinson is a mother, food scientist, meditation teacher and gut health advocate. Liz candidly shares her journey to parenthood and beyond as a UK-based Aussie expat navigating struggles with IBS, unplanned pregnancy and a challenging birth/ subsequent postpartum period. We also learn about Liz's passion project - born from seeing the benefits of holistic approaches to treating her IBS sympt...

My unofficial twin, long time BFF and successful career woman (Assistant Director in the Australian Federal public sector) , Corrina Linton-Smith shares a whole lot of serious stuff (with equally as many LOLs) with us in this episode.  We quite literally laugh and cry as we chat (in retrospect and with reverence) about Corrina navigating unexpected pregnancy, miscarriage, 'young' parenthood, birth...

The lovely (and extremely knowledgable!) Lana Hall joins me for a powerful chat about her transition to parenthood as a registered psychologist. Lana is now a mother of two, owner of @sage.and.sound psychology & counselling as well as author/ founder of the @slowlifeprojectco - bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to this episode which centres around the importance of identify...

Primary school teacher and one of my best friends Michelle Kmon shares her pregnancy to postpartum experiences - from an unexpected pregnancy to her life as a mother of two with her partner in remote NT. Michelle juggled teaching contracts, challenging pregnancy and birth experiences, interstate relatives, skin conditions for her first child and moving to remote Arnhem Land for her partner's work...

Founder and CEO of 'Mums Who Wine', Lauren Oliver, shares her journey from gung-ho career focused corporate Lawyer (who wasn't sold on the idea of having children) to Mother of three and leader of one of the largest global movements for maternal mental health and wellbeing.  Lauren's top tips for doing 'Postpartum like a boss' include:  1. Trust yourself (and your motherly instinct!) to make the r...

Principal Civil Engineer and my lovely friend Jeannie van Zyl shares her pregnancy to postpartum experience as a South African expat in Australia. Birthing in a different country during a pandemic was not without its challenges but Jeannie's personality (which I would describe as determinedly optimistic) shone through as she remained open to new opportunities and possibilities - consistently makin...

Saviour to all toddler Mums on instagram, Tiffany from @inspire.learn.teach joined me to chat all things professional motherhood. With her second little girl in her arms, we hear from Tiffany about her 'unconventional' first postpartum experience, her return to work as a teacher and the importance of finding ways to build and nurture connection with your children.  Tiffany's top tips for doing 'Po...

Another of my previous bosses (as well as close friend and personal motherhood mentor) Bek Capper shares her decade + parenting experience and her pregnancy to postpartum journey managing expectations of an interstate move, traumatic birth and early parenthood as an executive professional.  Bek's top tips for doing 'Postpartum like a boss' are:  1. Manage your parenting expectations in line with y...

One of my previous executive bosses and all 'round wonderful human, Sophie Ader, talks candidly about her pregnancy to postpartum journey and life as a working mother of two in her dream role.  Sophie's top tips for doing 'Postpartum like a boss' are:  1. Do some research and or a course on breastfeeding if you're thinking this is how you want to feed your child.  2. Get practical help to be looke...