The Australian Mothers Group (Vanessa Lenegan)
Explore every episode of The Australian Mothers Group
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
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| 24 Nov 2022 | Geri, Oscar & Tilly | 00:59:41 | |
On todays episode I interview Geri who is Mum to 4 year old, Oscar and just turned 1 year old, Matilda. Matilda’s entrance to the world started with a c-section ending in her being taken to the NICU. Geri had another series of hurdles to overcome in her feeding journey as multiple issues presented with Tilly, including weight loss, breast refusal, cows milk protein intolerance and tongue tie. Geri implemented gentle sleep training, including spaced soothing. We talk about a bad case of nappy rash turning into a Staph infection, all the while Tilly was teething. Geri shares a tragic story of the sudden passing of her young gorgeous nephew, Remy. Due to the emotional triggers that are attached to this, please be mindful of your own mental headspace as you listen to this episode. | |||
| 11 Nov 2022 | Lindsey & Hudson | 00:45:15 | |
On todays episode I interview Lindsey, who is first time mum to 13 month old Hudson. Her first year of motherhood has seen Lindsey navigating a colicky baby and difficulty establishing feeding with an undiagnosed tongue tie. In addition to this they had ongoing difficulties with sleeping and shortly after Hudson turned 1 he had a couple of febrile seizures. We talk about not having her village around to provide support and the emotional and mental roller coaster that comes with being a new mum. Solid Starts - Introducing Solid Foods to babies | |||
| 13 Oct 2022 | Hettie & Felix | 00:48:47 | |
On todays episode I interview Hettie who is a first time mum to newly 1 year old, Felix. Hettie had a difficult start to her motherhood journey with Felix losing 15% of his body weight and being rushed back to hospital a couple of days after being born. The following months were complicated by managing weight issues and silent reflux. We talk about sleeping, teething and introducing solids. Information on Feeding Aversions Starting Solids - How to wean your baby *book*
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| 29 Sep 2022 | Aliesha & Poppy | 00:37:10 | |
On todays episode I interview Aliesha who is a first time mum to 9 month old, Poppy. Aliesha has been navigating her motherhood journey which started with going into labour on Boxing Day, the high expectations mums place on themselves and the loss of identity after having a baby, implementing gentle sleep training, trying to find the balance of incorporating for her postpartum health and the difficult decision of when to return to work. | |||
| 01 Sep 2022 | Lisa & Gabriella & Theodore | 00:52:36 | |
On todays podcast I interview Lisa who is a first time mum to 8 month old twins, Gabriella and Theodore. Lisa has been navigating her first year of motherhood which has included figuring out the eating, sleeping (raving and repeating) logistics of 2 babies, the impact of not being properly assigned into a mothers group and the toll motherhood has taken on her mental health. | |||
| 19 Aug 2022 | Suni & Emilio | 00:56:37 | |
On today's episode I interview Sunny who is a first time mum to 7 month old, Emilio. Sunny has so far navigated motherhood which has included abdominal separation after birth, having "mummy's thumb" in both wrists, getting assistance from a lactation consultant, being vegan and providing a balanced diet for her son, opting to use resuable nappies and what it means to be raising a mixed race baby in Australia. | |||
| 13 Aug 2022 | Kellie & Ronan | 00:51:20 | |
On today's episode, I interview Kellie who is a first time mum to the newly 1 year old, Ronan. Originally from Scotland, Kellie has navigated her first year of motherhood which involved her baby being tongue-tied, potential hip dysplasia, dairy allergies, difficulties with sleep training and the balance of a husband who has to work alot. Information on Sleep Consultants | |||
| 28 Apr 2023 | Kat & Bodhi | 00:52:18 | |
On todays episode I speak to Kat, who is a gorgeous first time Mum to 1 year old, Bodhi. Kat shares the story of her home birth which was a beautiful experience and fairly uncomplicated for both her and baby. Kat is a Naturopath who specialises in sleep and anxiety, so we talk about Bodhi's sleeping journey and the challenges they have faced. Kat shares about her increased levels of anxiety and the importance of self care during postpartum life.
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| 01 Sep 2023 | Hannah & Tessa | 00:54:04 | |
On todays episode I speak to Hannah, who is Mum to 19 month old Tessa. Hannah's pregnancy was cut short when she was air lifted to Melbourne for an emergency c-section at 28 weeks due to severe pre-eclampsia which developed into HELLP syndrome - a rare but life threatening condition in pregnancy. It causes red cells in the blood to break down. It also causes problems with the liver, bleeding, and blood pressure. When Tessa was born at a tiny 829grams, she spent the next 2 months in NICU before moving into Special Care closer to home. Once Hannah and Ryan could take their little girl home, life settled into a bit of normality with Tessa proving to be a great sleeper and a resilient wee kid. We talk about advocating for ourselves and our children as well as the expectations we either perceive or put onto ourselves as new Mums. With a history of anxiety and depression, Hannah talks about the importance of prioritising mental health to make sure we are the best version of ourselves. Hannah and a friend were talking about Postpartum Depression and decided to do a fundraiser called Mums Matter - to shine a light on a very real aspect of parenting and create a space for women to feel heard and comfortable talking about their struggles. On September 9th they have organised a family fun day in the town of Quambatook, Victoria to raise awareness and funds for Dr Jean Hailes Foundation. Mums Matter 2023 Event Info/Tickets
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| 21 Jul 2023 | Cassandra & Sire | 00:51:56 | |
On todays episode I speak to Cassandra, who is mum to 20 month old, Sire. Cassandra shares her difficult birth experience, which included a lot of interventions across 5 painful days and resulted in significant birth trauma that has taken a long time to process. Her birth experience set Cassandra up for big hurdles for establishing breastfeeding, and with Sire being allergic to Dairy and Goats milk forumla, this put increased pressure on Mum. Cassandra also mentions she experienced D-MER (Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex) which presented as waves of anxiety when feeding. Cassandra shares about how the sleep deprivation coupled with her birth trauma left her with Postnatal Depression. Inlisting the help of a sleep consultant was a key step to improving Cassandra's mental health. | |||
| 12 May 2023 | Beth, Belle & Issac | 00:55:46 | |
On todays episode I speak to Beth, who is Mum to Belle (2.5) and Issac (5 months old). We speak about our positive birth experiences, including Beth's life-changing homebirth with Issac. Beth shares the difficulty she faced with managing her firstborns emotions when it came to introducing her to the new baby. We speak about postpartum rage, intrusive thoughts and the anxiety that occurs with motherhood, along with the different sleeping needs of her children and how she adapted her approach. Beth's Birth Rebel's Instagram | |||
| 26 Aug 2022 | Kat & Kimberley | 00:55:16 | |
On today's podcast I interview Kat, who is a first time mum to the 7 month old, Kimberley. Kat has been navigating her first year of motherhood which has included latching difficulty, insomnia coupled with post natal anxiety, her baby going on a breastfeeding strike leading to mastitis, discovering baby has a dairy and soy intolerance, being involved in a car accident, and a stay in the hospital for sleep training. Information on dairy allergies | |||
| 27 Jan 2023 | Silvana & Lola | 00:50:15 | |
On todays episode I interview Silvana who is a first time mum to 11 month old, Lola. Her first year of motherhood has seen Sil manage difficulties with establishing breastfeeding, work through post partum anxiety, establish expectations in her relationship, build a community of mums in a new place and the joys of starting solids. | |||
| 30 Jun 2023 | Emily, Daisy & Polly | 00:53:03 | |
On today’s episode, I speak to Emily who is Mum to 3 1/2 year old Daisy, and almost 2 year old, Polly. Emily shares how her relationship broke down shortly after the birth of Daisy so she had to come to terms with being a solo parent. Not long after Daisy was born, Emily felt so passionately about giving Daisy a sibling, she successfully found a sperm donor resulting in her second daughter being brought into the world. We talk about the challenges Emily establishing breastfeeding and the struggle of the two girls not being fantastic sleepers. Emily shares how overwhelming the mental load can be as a solo parent, and her creative approach to introducing the new baby to her toddler. Emily has created a really incredible business - The Love Mum Project - targeted at mums wanting to leave a legacy for their kids. | |||
| 24 Feb 2023 | Elka & William | 00:48:55 | |
On todays episode I talk with Elka who is originally from Austria and is Mum to 6 month old, William. We talk about Elka's pregnancy while living in Sydney during Covid and the implications that then had on her breastfeeding journey and access to support which was less available to her during this time. Elka shares her proactivness for finding Mothers Group support and how her identity and priorities have shifted since becoming a Mum. | |||
| 20 Oct 2022 | Katie & Max | 00:44:54 | |
On todays episode I interview Katie who is a first time mum to now 4 year old, Max - but she is also expecting baby number 2 in the not too distant future. Katie has been navigating motherhood which included the journey of processing her birth trauma, difficulties with feeding and a colicky baby, challenges with baby sleeping and overcoming the loss of her identity through the transition into motherhood. Katie really harnessed her expertise in events to help bring mums together with a great business called Connecting Mums | |||
| 04 Nov 2022 | Denelle & Hunter | 00:42:56 | |
On todays episode I interview Denelle who is first time mum to 16 month old, Hunter. Her first year of motherhood has seen Denelle have to overcome the disappointment of not being able to successfully establish breastfeeding, and implement sleep training to limited success. We talk about how it felt when Hunter turned 1, returning to work and putting her baby into daycare. In amongst this conversation I share a bit about my diagnosis of gestational diabetes. | |||
| 08 Sep 2022 | Hayley & Arielle | 00:40:45 | |
On today's episode I interview Hayley who is a first time mum to 6 month old Arielle. Hayley has been navigating her first half year motherhood which has included signifcant struggles with breastfeeding, including milk fever and severe nipple damage, implementing gentle sleep training, the sensitive balance around socialisation with a newborn in a covid world and the importance if incorporating exercise for her postpartum mental health. | |||
| 20 Oct 2023 | Gabrielle, Nellie & Maeve | 00:46:36 | |
Gabrielle is Mum to a 3 year old girl, Nellie and 9 month old girl, Maeve. Gabby fell pregnant unexpectedly when she was 25, which made that first pregnancy a huge life changer for both herself and her partner, Rhett. Isolation and anxiety led to Gabby struggling to find her confidence in her role as Mum. We talk about intrusive thoughts and the importance of having a community of support around you. Luckily she had another new mum, Emily, show up with a coffee and help her get out of the house and meet with her mother’s group! On a side note, Emily has also shared her incredible motherhood journey on a previous episode, which I highly recommend listening to. Gabby shares how she felt so lost and overwhelmed in motherhood that she wishes now she had the perspective of being truely present with her baby. She also shares the different experience getting pregnant and having her second baby - when it was actually planned - but also how lovely it is so share this with experience with Nellie and seeing what a great big sister she is. | |||
| 03 Mar 2023 | Alex & Remy | 00:50:15 | |
On todays episode I talk to Alex who is a fabuous first time Mum to 7 month old, Remy. Alex's motherhood journey has included a blissful 4th trimester, navigating sleeping while feeling external pressures of creating good habits, the adventures of introducing solids, experiencing the overwhelming mental load that comes with motherhood and balancing relationships and work. Alex had anorexia when she was younger - to the point where she didn't have periods for a while and didn't know if she could get pregnant. We talk about this and her priorities of nutrition for Mums and Bubs. Alex's Nutrition Instagram Page | |||
| 04 Aug 2023 | Kirsty, Linley & Asha | 00:55:43 | |
On todays episode I speak to Kirsty, who is Mum to 2 beautiful little girls named Linley who is 15months and Asha who is 3 months old. We talk about Kirsty having pain and difficultly establishing breastfeeding with Linley but also how she is an absolute legend of a sleeper. Kirsty shares how she felt a massive sense of Loss of her identity - which is something I can really relate to. We then go on to talk about Kirsty falling pregnant again when Linley was only 3 months old and the concerning diagnosis of an umbilical cord valve failure resulting in too much blood being pumped to her unborn babies heart. Although Kirsty had an uneventful birth with Asha, it then led to a challenging two weeks with Asha undergoing lifesaving abdominal surgery at two days old and the identification of potential developmental issues in the future. Kirsty shares openly about the challenges of motherhood that people don’t talk about before hand and the critical support that is required during the fourth trimester. We talk about the importance of exercise and how that helped her process the challenging time postpartum. | |||
| 18 Nov 2022 | Kate & Xavier | 00:46:48 | |
On todays episode I interview Kate, who is a first time mum to 13 month old, Xavier. Kate started having heart issues during labour and has since been diagnosed with Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (Also called: POTS.) We talk about endometriosis and gestational diabetes in pregnancy. Kate shares a story of Xavier getting a secondary degree sunburn at 2 months old. She also dealt with significant breastfeeding issues with Xavier having undiagnosed lip and tongue tie. With all their family interstate, we talk about the incredible benefits of a Doula service | |||
| 09 Jun 2023 | Fiona + 3 | 00:44:54 | |
On todays episode I talk with Fiona who is mum to a 16 year old, 11 year old and an almost 9 year old. Fiona shares how her first birth experience left her disconnected from her baby and set her up for a really challenging feeding journey and first year of motherhood. After multiple pregnancy losses, she went on to have a much more positive birth experience with her second and third. The journey Fiona went on to find healing for herself and her marriage was so significant, she has since become a specialist councillor in perinatal and trauma, and started her own successful practice where multiple councillors are working to support families. She talks about her struggle with mental load and how the age gap with her kids actually worked to her advantage. The Birth Trauma Support Space
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| 12 Sep 2022 | Tamsyn & Finley | 00:44:49 | |
On todays podcast, I interview Tamsyn who is a first time mum to 10 month old Finley. Tamsyn has been navigating her first year motherhood which has included having a retained placenta and ongoing health issues as a result of pre-eclampsia, significant struggles with breastfeeding, tendonitis in her wrist, being put on a heavily restrictive diet, living in remote Western Australia and the impact of that on her support networks for raising her son. | |||
| 28 Oct 2022 | Jennifer, Xavier & Isabelle | 00:50:56 | |
On todays podcast, I interview Jennifer who is a two time mum to 2 and a half year old, Xavier and 1 month old Isabelle. Jennifer has navigated motherhood which included Xavier being code blue at birth, starting her motherhood journey as the pandemic also started, a relatively straightforward breastfeeding journey, managing the mental load of a mum and now the different experience she is having with baby Isabelle. Susie Proud - Lactation Consultant Bub 2 Sleep - baby and toddler sleep expert Dr Kyla - paediatric dietitian Play at Home Mummy - play ideas Raise Toddlers - Toddler Development Specialist Speech with Alex Trichilo - Speech Pathologist Brooke Turner - Pre & Postnatal Wellness | |||
| 10 Feb 2023 | Georgia & Acre | 00:56:07 | |
On todays episode I interview Georgia, who is a first time mum to a gorgeous 10 month old boy named Acre. Her first year of motherhood has seen Georgia face a challenging journey to pregnancy, significant birth trauma leading Georgia to have PTSD and baby being taken straight to the NICU. The birth circumstances contributed to months of challenges with establishing breastfeeding, in addition to Georgia having to seek counselling support for her birth trauma and PTSD. Recently, when introducing solids to Acre, he had an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts, in addition to an allergy to dairy and eggs. Raphael Services - Perth based Australia Birth Trauma Association Fiona Rogerson - Birth Trauma & Perinatal Counselling (Perth) Teela Tomassette - Birth Trauma Specialist Real Life Midwife - Birth & Other Trauma
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| 03 Feb 2023 | Bex & Hunter | 00:53:41 | |
On todays episode I talk to Bex who is a fabulous first time mum to now 3 year old, Hunter. Bex's first year of motherhood included bringing her baby into the worls after recently separating from her husband, baby getting a serious infection during labour which resulted in a NICU stay and a really steep mental load being piled on a new single Mum. We talk about her identity shift, challenging breastfeeding journey, post natal anxiety and comparrison-itis, resilience and the importance of community support.
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| 17 Mar 2023 | Camille & Jack | 00:42:55 | |
On today’s episode, I speak to Camille, who is a first time Mum to 17 month old, Jack. Camille lives on a remote cattle station in in the Kimberley, and is a four hour drive from the nearest town. When Jack was only about a month old, Camille‘s mum was diagnosed with late stage pancreatic cancer. We speak about how this and her isolated location has impacted her motherhood journey - including her previous history of anxiety and anorexia. Camille shares the struggle of her loss of self as being a Stockwoman is a huge part of life and identity, and then the balance of returning to work whilst still breastfeeding her son. | |||
| 17 Feb 2023 | Sam, Jamie, Pia & Steph | 00:47:42 | |
On todays episode I interview Sam, who is a third time mum to 3 girls - Jamie who is almost 4, Pia who is 2 and a half and brand new baby Steph, who is 6 weeks old. Sam is a Doula in WA and also the host of a podcast called Stories from the Birth Sweet, where she shares birth stories from the partners perspective. We talk about her different birth preparations, including the differences that the pandemic made to each baby experience. Sam shares about her postnatal anxiety that came from baby number 2 and how her parenting has evolved with each additional child. We talk about her successful breastfeeding journey and so much more! Stories from the Birth Sweet Podcast Sam - Pregnancy & Birth Doula Support (WA)
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| 22 Sep 2022 | Jo, Jack, Freddie & George | 00:46:59 | |
On todays episode I interview Jo who is a third time mum to boys Jack (9), Freddie (5) and George (2). Jo has been navigating her motherhood journey which has included living in a remote aboriginal village with her first born, and the isolation and anxiety associated with that, moving back to the UK to be near family for baby 2 and 3, and the impact that made for raising her sons. We talk about the difference between raising 1 baby versus raising 2 and then 3 children. Jo was so inspired by the significance of supporting mums during this life changing period, she went on to train as a baby massage instructor, and now works as a therapeutic councillor who focuses on helping parents build attachment with baby. Jo offers pre and post natal counseling online or in person and she has written a blog to go with this episode Information on Safe Co-Sleeping Jo Bealey Therapeutic Councillor Jo’s Blog - Attachment Parenting; What is it and why is it important?
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| 19 Jan 2023 | Jen & Luca | 00:55:33 | |
On todays episode I talk to Jen, who is a fabulous first time mum to 8 month old, Luca. Jen’s first year of motherhood has included difficulty establishing feeding and creating a sleeping routine that would work. Jen also shares her journey of becoming pregnant and the added complexities of parenting with her husband who has multiple sclerosis. On maternity leave, Jen has created a wonderful new Mum's business network named She Says Launch. Check it out on Instagram here - She Says Launch | |||
| 24 Mar 2023 | Mandy, Libby & Tigs | 00:48:01 | |
On today’s episode, I interview Mandywho is Mum to Libby who is four and Tigs who is 2. Mandy shares her slow recovery after the birth of her first born, and the challenges of compromising herself and her baby in order to please other people. We talk a lot about anxiety and mental load and the importance of communicating your needs, along with prioritising your health and well-being especially during the first year of motherhood. Mandy shares how she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis as a result of being really depleted and sleep deprived. She also talks about her decision to become a doula and how much she loves supporting mums during this critical time in life. Australian Breastfeeding Association | |||
| 06 Oct 2022 | Lynda & Jude | 00:51:40 | |
On todays episode I interview Lynda who is a first time mum to now 4 year old, Jude. Lynda had to navigate her first year of motherhood which included her baby being tongue tied and having laryngomalacia which created significant feeding difficulties, baby developing a flat head and how best to treat that, and then Lynda was heartbreakingly diagnosed with breast cancer when her baby was only 6 months old. Information on Babies developing flat heads | |||
| 10 Mar 2023 | Holly & Allegra | 00:52:43 | |
On todays episode I talk with Holly, who is a first time Mum to 13 month old, Allegra. Holly's motherhood journey started with a carefully managed pregnancy and birth, due to being a type 1 diabetic. She went on to have a really beautiful breastfeeding journey and we talk about the benefits of breastfeeding in regards to diabetes. Holly shares the grief and added complexities that occured during her pregnancy as a result of her Father-in-law being diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, and at the same time her Mother-in-law being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers. Taking on the care for her in-laws in addition to having a newborn contributed to Holly seeking help for postnatal anxiety. | |||
| 26 May 2023 | Maddi, Alby & William | 00:53:56 | |
On todays episode I speak to Maddi who is Mum to Alby (almost 2!) and William (2 months). We talk in depth about losing control of decision making during her first pregancy and birth, as it became micromanaged by the medical system. This ended in an emergency cesarean and birth trauma for both herself and her husband. Maddi then tried to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) with her second but that didn't work out, resulting in another c-section. Maddi speaks about having to acknowledge her feelings of gender disappointment when she realised her second baby was a boy, and not the girl they thought they might be having. We talk about her living arrangements not being condusive to establishing good sleep for Alby and the resulting sleep deprevation being the hardest part of navigating motherhood. She also shares about her mental load and the transition from 1 to 2 kids. | |||
| 29 Sep 2023 | Jacqui & Collins | 00:51:42 | |
On todays episode I speak to Jacqui who is Mum to 6 month old, Collins. With both Jacqui and her husband, Reece being semi-pro athletes, Jacqui shares how they balanced their commitment to sport and returning to the hockey scene post baby. We talk about the dynamics of establishing feeding and the great balance that they achieved with mixed feeding, which also allowed her husband to bond with baby. We discuss the hot topic of sleep! and the information overload when it comes to what to do and how to do it, alon with the unwanted comments and advice that is hard to ignore. Jacqui shares about addressing the unexpected mental load of motherhood and the strain that can put on relationships. We talk about how sometimes we overthink or prepare for worst case scenario but that gets in the way of living and travelling with a baby. Through our conversation we realise our styles of parenting are really opposite but how awesome it is that parenting and lifestyle choices can be so different and yet still successful and rewarding. | |||
| 01 Dec 2022 | Season Finale - Vanessa, Ryan & Adam | 00:47:45 | |
Todays episode is a little bit different. In addition to being the season finale, my husband Ryan and I sat down to record this episode together to mark the first birthday of our son. We talk about our birth experience and the challenge of becoming new parents while setting boundaries with your own parents. We chat about the difficulties of ensuring a work/life balance within our family and the importance of being present in parenting. We touch on my feeding journey and the sleeping journey that we continue to navigate, including co-sleeping and the consequences of sleep deprivation on mental health and relationships. | |||