Thriving Parent-ing

Overtiredness has become one of the most talked-about explanations for baby and toddler sleep struggles, but is it really the cause of every difficult nap, early wake-up, or bedtime battle? In this Baby Bite-Sized episode, Jen unpacks the truth about overtiredness, why it's often misunderstood, and how the fear of getting sleep "wrong" can leave parents feeling anxious, exhausted, and stuck. You'l...

In this episode of Thriving Parenting , we dive into why so many parents are struggling with self-doubt in today's world of sleep apps, parenting experts, developmental checklists, and endless online advice. When we're constantly looking outside ourselves for answers, it's easy to lose confidence in our own ability to understand and respond to our children. Through a powerful client story, we expl...

Motherhood can leave many women feeling stuck in survival mode—constantly rushing, reacting, and carrying the invisible mental load of family life. In this heartfelt conversation, breathwork facilitator and mind-body coach Tash Forbes shares how chronic stress, anxiety, and a dysregulated nervous system can keep mums trapped in fight-or-flight without even realising it. Tash explains the powerful...

“Why won’t my newborn just sleep properly?” If you’ve ever found yourself asking that question at 2am while bouncing, feeding, or googling wake windows in desperation, this episode is for you. In this honest and reassuring Baby Bitesize conversation, the host unpacks why newborn sleep feels so unpredictable in the early weeks and what’s actually biologically normal. Instead of chasing perfect rout...

What if self-care in motherhood wasn’t a luxury, but a necessity? In this heartfelt episode of the Thriving Parent-ing, the conversation explores a powerful reframe around self-care — not as something mums “earn” after everything is done, but as an essential form of stress management and nervous system regulation. Through relatable examples and practical insights, this episode unpacks why parentin...

Stepping from one child to two is one of the most emotional and identity-shifting transitions a parent can experience. In this honest and reassuring Baby Bitesize episode, we unpack the guilt, fear, and uncertainty that often arise before welcoming a second baby—especially the worry that your first child will lose something or that your love won’t stretch far enough. Through lived experience, this...

If you've ever wondered why your child snores, breathes through their mouth, or struggles with crowded teeth, this episode is going to be a game-changer. Jen sits down with Mel Van Schelven — Oral Health Therapist, Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist, and founder of The Face Place to unpack the often-overlooked connection between how our kids chew, breathe, and sleep. Mel shares why the mouth is tru...

If your baby wakes up crying after every sleep, it can feel confusing, exhausting, and even like you’re doing something wrong—but the truth is, this behaviour is often completely normal. In this Baby Bitesize episode, we unpack what’s actually happening beneath those tears, from sleep cycles and body clock misalignment to the powerful role of your response as a parent. You’ll learn why your baby’s...

Even when you’ve slowed down, changed your approach, and feel like you’re doing everything “right,” your baby may still resist sleep—and it’s not because you’ve failed. In this episode, Jen unpack the powerful role of your baby’s brain and how it predicts sleep based on past experiences, not just what’s happening in the moment. Drawing on insights from neuroscience, this conversation helps you und...

In this episode of Thriving Parent-ing, we explore why connection must come before correction, especially when parenting children with different neurological wiring. Joined by psychologist and parenting educator Leanne Tran, the conversation dives into how behaviour is often just a signal of deeper needs, not something to simply fix. Instead of relying solely on rewards and consequences, this epis...

When your baby suddenly becomes overwhelmed, crying harder than usual and unable to settle, it can feel confusing and even distressing as a parent. In this baby bite-sized episode, we unpack what’s really happening in those moments of dysregulation, breaking it down in a simple, relatable way. You’ll learn how your baby’s nervous system is still developing, why even small triggers like tiredness o...

In this episode of the Thriving Parenting Podcast, Jen explores one of the most common and emotionally loaded questions parents ask: Do I need to co-sleep? Rather than offering a simple yes or no answer, Jen unpacks why sleep choices are far more nuanced than the internet often suggests. She explains that the real issue isn’t where your baby sleeps, but how connection and safety are maintained wit...

In this thoughtful and reassuring conversation, the host sits down with perinatal clinical psychologist Dr. Bianca Mastromanno to unpack the pressure many mums quietly carry, the belief that they must be perfect. Together they explore the “perfect mother myth,” where it comes from, why high-achieving and people-pleasing women often struggle with it most, and how striving to meet every need perfect...

In this Baby Bitesize gold nugget episode, we gently unpack one of the biggest sources of anxiety in early parenting: sleep habits and attachment. If you’ve ever worried that feeding to sleep, rocking, co-sleeping, or lying beside your baby is creating bad habits or damaging secure attachment, this conversation is for you. You’ll hear a powerful mindset shift inspired by attachment expert Eli Harw...

In this episode of Thriving Parenting , we explore what’s really happening when your child’s big emotions set off something big in you. From meltdowns at bedtime to public tantrums and sibling fights, these moments can feel overwhelming and deeply personal. But what if your child’s behaviour isn’t something to fix, it’s communication? Drawing on insights from Circle of Security, we unpack why beha...

What happens when a woman who thrives on structure, achievement and control steps into a season where none of those strategies work the same way? In this deeply honest episode, we explore the identity shift that can shake high-achieving women to their core when they become mothers. From birth plans that unravel to feeding struggles, sleep disruptions and the quiet grief of losing your old self, th...

In this Baby Bitesize episode, Jen speaks into a space so many parents find themselves stuck in. That confusing, exhausting grey area where everyone says catnapping is normal, but in your home it feels anything but okay. Through a real conversation with one of her Sleep Godmother clients, Jen gently explores the difference between what’s biologically common and what is actually working for your ba...

In this special 100th episode of Thriving Parenting , Jen looks back on the motherhood moments that shaped not only her parenting journey, but the passion and purpose behind this podcast and the community it has become. From becoming a mum at 26, navigating an emergency caesarean, postpartum anxiety, and feeling deeply unequipped in those early days, to raising three very different children and le...

Postpartum rage is rarely spoken about, yet so many mums quietly carry it with shame. In this episode, Jen sits down with Beth Caniglia business owner, brand strategist, speaker, and mum of two to share her lived experience of postpartum rage after her second baby. Beth opens up about the brutal shift from one child to two, the sleep deprivation that tipped her from “thriving” into survival, and t...

In this gentle, baby bite-sized episode of Thriving Parenting, Jen explores one of the most powerful and often overlooked parenting tools: the pause. When our baby cries or our child becomes upset, the instinct to fix, stop, or intervene immediately can feel overwhelming. And that instinct exists for a reason. Our nervous system is wired for protection. But when hypervigilance runs the show all da...

In this episode of Thriving Parenting , Jen is joined by Dr Bianca Mastromanno , perinatal clinical psychologist, for a compassionate, grounding conversation that helps new mums feel seen and less alone. Together they unpack what postpartum anxiety can actually look like, why a degree of hyperawareness is expected, and how to tell the difference between normal maternal vigilance and anxiety that n...

Welcome back to the Thriving Parenting Podcast , where we explore the parent behind the act of parenting itself. In this episode, Jen dives into one of the most accessible yet overlooked parenting tools we all already have, even on our most exhausting days: humour. If parenting feels heavy, serious, or like you’re just pushing through the afternoons, this episode is a gentle reminder that laughter...

In this gentle baby bitesize episode of Thriving Parenting, Jen invites you to pause and reflect on a pattern many parents know all too well. Rushing through the day, counting down to bedtime, and only truly delighting in our children once they are asleep, through photos, videos, or the baby monitor. Jen explores why this happens, especially during busy seasons like Christmas, and how the mental l...

Airway health is one of those invisible pieces of the parenting puzzle that can quietly shape everything, from feeding and sleep to behaviour, development, and long-term health. In this episode of Thriving Parenting , Jen dives into what many parents are never told to look for early on: the spectrum of airway dysfunction that often starts long before a child would ever be diagnosed with obstructiv...

Welcome back, Thrivers, to another baby bite-sized episode. This short and gentle conversation is for the parents who don’t often feel seen in baby sleep spaces. The ones whose babies settle well with space, sleep independently, and don’t always need to be held to drift off, yet somehow feel guilt or quiet shame because of it. In this episode, we explore why it’s not only possible, but completely...