The Mother Space Podcast: Recent Episodes
Annalisa Gardiner
Welcome to motherhood, and all of the highs and lows that come with it! Whether you are thinking about becoming pregnant, currently pregnant or in that fragile first year of motherhood, you are welcome in this space. In this podcast you’ll hear stories about my personal experience during the first year of motherhood, whilst also hearing “words of wisdom” from other parents who have been where you are right now. The postpartum journey is never a linear one, but I hope that by listening in each week you will pick up a range of tips to help you thrive in your Matrescence and to help you feel more connected to yourself, your baby and other Mummas.
Join me in today's episode where I chat with provisional psychologist, Mumma of 3 and founder of The Brave Space, Jacquie Ward.
Jacquie has a special interest in Developmental Psychology and helps to support parents who have children requiring a little extra support. The work she does in supporting parents is incredible!
In this episode we chat about Highly Sensitive children.
Jacquie discusses:
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Her own experience with raising a highly sensitive child.
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Some of the telltale signs that our children may be highly sensitive.
-Ways to support your highly sensitive child so that they can flourish.
-Ways to care for ourselves as parents of a Highly Sensitive Child.
And much more.
To find out more about Jacquie's work, go to :
http://www.thebravespace.com.au/
To follow Jacquie on Instagram, go to : https://www.instagram.com/the_brave_space_/
For more information about Dr. Elaine Aron go to :
https://hsperson.com/about-dr-elaine-aron/
Enjoy, and as always, if you like what you hear please share this episode with a friend and leave me a rating or review. Xx
In today's episode I chat about my caesarean experience and share some tips about ways to make your caesarean experience empowering, whether it is planned or unplanned. I wish I had known this information before I had my csection.
I also share some tips about recovering from csections in a mindful and holistic way.
Knowledge is power and so I recorded this episode in the hope that it will help women feel more empowered before, during and after the birth of their babies.
Here is Lyz Evan's Maternal Assisted Caesarean birth story and more information about this type of csection: https://www.empoweredmother.com.au/blog/maternal-assisted-caesarean-birth
Join me in today's episode where I chat with Kat Thomson, owner of Miscarriage Transformed.
Kat is a mum of four: to 2 angel babies and 2 healthy Earthside children, a Mama Rising Facilitator, highschool science and biology teacher, a university tutor, ocean lover and a Miscarriage and Matrescence Activist and Guide.
In this episode, we chat about Kat's experience with Miscarriage, the lack of support she received and what she truly needed to feel seen and held at this time in her life.
We also discuss the deep shift that occurs when a person experiences miscarriage and the spiritual, emotional and physical transformation that takes place.
We need to support women differently at such a pivotal time in their lives and I am grateful that Kat took the time to share her story and chat about life, loss, grief and what we need to begin to heal a broken system and feel less alone in our experience of miscarriage.
We truly are stronger together.
To find out more about Kat and the support she offers go to :
https://www.instagram.com/miscarriage_transformed/
In today's episode I chat with the delightful Dr Chelsea Todd, Author, Mama Rising™️ Facilitator, Yoga Teacher, Ceremonial Cacao Guide, and Mama to 2 divinely wild boys. Chelsea was very generous in sharing her struggles with endometriosis, infertility and her IVF journey. She speaks about the divine birth of her two boys, her use of hypnobirthing as a tool in labour and the deep shift that comes with matrescence.
I am so grateful Chelsea could share her story with you, my beautiful listeners. To follow Chelsea, go to : https://www.instagram.com/drchelseatodd/
In today's episode I share my wisdom aboout the Ayurvedic Doshas (constitutions) : Vata, Pitta and Kapha, so that you can begin to discover your dominant Dosha and live in harmony with your mind and body. I also chat about how to pacify or balance each Dosha through some simple lifestyle practices.
Ayurveda is an ancient system of well-being and health, stemming from India and following Ayurvedic principles of living has been hugely beneficial to me, especially as a mother.
I hope you enjoy this episode and I hope it sparks an interest within you to learn more about this amazing system of health and well-being.
It is truly life-changing when you start to give your unique mind and body what they turly need.
As always, if you enjoy this episode, please leave me a review.
Today I chat with Pre/Postnatal Yoga Teacher and Doula, Sarah Newling, owner of Yogimama. We talk about how to have an empowering pregnancy and birth experience. Sarah shares tips on:
- The role Prenatal Yoga plays in helping women prepare for birth and motherhood.
-Whether we really need a birth plan and the difference between a birth plan and a birth map (I wish I had known about this when I was pregnant)!
-The role of pain/ sensation in the birthing space and ways we can work with sensation rather than fear it.
-The importance of the golden hour after we give birth and ways to make this time extra special.
And so much more. To find out more about Sarah's work, go to: www.yogimama.com.au
In today's episode I am joined by Mumma, PNDA Advocate, Inspirational Speaker and Women's Empowerment Coach, Tammy Louise from Mumma Life is Now. We chat about Tammy's experience with mental health issues and Hyperemesis Gravidarum in her pregnancy and then also her ongoing challenges with anxiety in motherhood.
Tammy shares some wise words about the healing modalities that have helped her most in her motherhood and how becoming a mother during the pandemic has impacted her.
Tammy is a shining example of someone who has learnt to use her anxiety as a driving motivator to make a difference in the lives of mothers and she openly and honestly shares her story.
For more information on Tammy's work, go to : https://mummalifeisnow.com/
In this week's chat I am joined by Clinical Psychologist, Dr Rhiarne Pronk- Scholes to discuss mental health issues in motherhood and the many ways that mothers can get the support they need when times get tough.
We discuss the signs to recognise when you feel your mental health may be deteriorating, what mothers truly need to be supported and where we are lacking in mother care support.
We also touch on the difference between Postnatal Depression and Postnatal Depletion.
Dr Rhiarne is the co- founder of The Family Well-being Hub on the Gold Coast and you can find more information on her website: https://www.drrhiarnepsychology.com/
You are not alone, there is support out there for you and if this discussion raises any issues for you please reach out to :
Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/anxiety
Lifeline Australia: https://www.lifeline.org.au/
PANDA Australia : https://panda.org.au/
As always, if you find this episode helpful, please leave a review and share it with a friend.
Until next week, stay well x
In today's episode I chat with mum of four, Jodie (Jodz) Nguyen, about her experience with a high risk (twin) pregnancy, the birth of her sons and their stay in the NICU. She shares some strategies she used to cope with having her boys seperated from her and in hospital for a significant amount of time.
Jodz also discusses what life was like for her family once the boys were strong enough to come home.
We chat about ways to stay grounded and positive in motherhood, even when times get hectic (which, as we all know, can be often). This woman is a powerhouse, women are simply amazing, and I know you will get a lot out of this episode.
To follow Jodz on instagram go to : https://www.instagram.com/jodznguyen/
Welcome back to Season 3 of the Podcast. I am so excited to bring you these important conversations. Join me in today's espisode where I chat with Wild Feminine Coach, Charlotte Pointeaux about where we went so wrong historically when it comes to honouring women and their cycles and how to reclaim our cyclical power and begin to heal menstrual shame for ourselves and generations to come.
This is such a beautiful and eye-opening conversation and I truly hope you get a lot out of it. If you'd like to learn more about Charlotte, head to : https://www.charlottepointeaux.com/
Enjoy xx
Welcome to Season 3 and a little life update from me!
Can't wait to connect with you in 2022.
In the final episode for Season 2 I have a very special guest, Kimmy Smith! Kimmy is the co-founder of the Empowered Motherhood Program, is mummy to three little girls and is a pregnancy and postnatal exercise specialist. She has so much wisdom to share with you.
In this episode we discuss:
- Kimmy's births and physical postpartum recovery journey and how she went about finding the right support to heal from her injuries.
- Some of the common physical challenges women face after the birth of their babies and some words of wisdom around feelings of failure if birth didn't go to plan.
- The importance of working with a women's health physio in pregnancy and postpartum.
- The why behind the AMAZING program she has created with physio Lyz Evans " The Empowered Motherhood Program".
And so much more! You do not want to miss this episode.
To find out more about The Empowered Motherhood Program (use the code EMPAPP for $30 off) go to : https://www.empoweredmother.com.au/
To find out more about Kimmy go to : https://www.kimmysmithfit.com/
Thank you all SO much for being here each and every week, if you enjoy what you hear please subscribe and leave a review.
See you all next year! xx
In today's episode I chat to the amazing Carla Lombardo, Founder of Eagle and Owl Conscious Affirmation Cards for Kids. Carla has had quite the health journey and is an advocate for natural health and the power of positive affirmations to help shape the life of your dreams, to help our children to thrive and and to heal from dis-ease.
In this episode Carla shares :
- How she went from being a burnt out new mother to being diagnosed with a stroke and how she worked hard to overcome the limitations that doctors placed on her.
- The way that Carla completely transformed her life, health and mindset after her diagnosis.
- How to slow down and listen to your body and why it is so important to trust your intuition as a woman and a mother.
- How positive affirmations can help to empower you as a mother, why they're so important and how to use them.
- The power of positive affirmation cards to help shape a growth mindset in our little people.
You don't want to miss this episode! It will leave you feeling inspired and grounded.
For more information about Carla's work, go to : https://www.eagleandowl.com.au/
Join me in this week's episode as I interview the vibrant Andrea, mindset coach for mothers and owner of Made to Mother Co.
In this chat, we discuss:
- Tips to empower you to thrive in your Matrescence.
- Ways to adopt a growth mindset in motherhood, even when times are tough.
- What mothers tend to focus on in the lead up to their birth and motherhood and why that needs to change.
- How to emotionally prepare yourself for the identity changes that occur with motherhood.
- We also throw in some #realtalk about the effects of being in extended lockdown with small humans and the little blessings we have discovered along the way.
To find out more about Andrea's amazing work, go to : https://madetomotherco.com/contact/
Nancy McLean is back this week (YAY) and in this episode we chat about how to better support women during pregnancy, birth, the fourth trimester and beyond!
We chat about :
- How to find the right Doula for you.
- How the support of a Doula is different to the support you may receive through the hospital system.
- I spoke a bit about my birth story and the role that Nancy played in helping me to have an empowering birth.
- Why the Fourth Trimester is so much more challenging than many people expect it to be.
- Why asking for help is so important yet so hard to do.
And so much more!
To find out more about Nancy, go to : https://www.nancymclean.com.au/
Sensitive content warning- this podcast discusses the death of a baby.
This is a beautiful, raw, vulnerable conversation with Mother and Doula Nancy McLean.
Nancy shares her very personal motherhood journey with us, including the birth and death of her first son Edison and then the birth of her second son Henley.
She discusses her grief and what motherhood looked like after the death of a baby, including how it shaped the way she mothers Henley.
We also chat about continuing to breastfeed an older toddler and the judgement society places on mothers who choose to do so.
We briefly begin to chat about what a Birth Doula is and the important role they play in helping women to feel empowered in the birthing space.
But more on that next week...
For more info on Nancy go to :
https://www.nancymclean.com.au/
Grief comes in waves
https://thelossfoundation.org/grief-comes-in-waves/
This week I was lucky to chat with the wonderful Mon Blackwell, owner of MOND Women, a unique Yoga studio especially for women which is due to open in Sydney's Inner West soon. It was amazing to discuss all things relating to women's yoga, moving mindfully and why yoga is for every woman at every stage of life.
Mon also talks us through her three Postpartum periods and her experiences with Perinatal anxiety and depression. She shares some tips on how to live in sync with your cycle and touches on the different life transitions that women go through.
A fun, fascinating and informative conversation that I am sure you will love!
For more info on Mon's work and MOND Women go to : https://www.instagram.com/mondwomen/
Mother rage, anger, sadness and grief are all very real emotions which some women feel more than others. Could learning how to express these emotions safely be the key to becoming a more conscious parent?
In this chat with Conscious Parent Coach, Alita Blanchard, we discuss why many of us suppress emotions as adults and how this can spill over into our parenting.
We discuss what conscious parenting looks like, the importance of nervous system regulation and feeling seen and heard as mothers, tips to begin to release pent up emotions that are causing us distress and embracing radical self-care.
To find out more about Alita's amazing work, go to : https://www.theawaremama.com.au/ (If you sign up to her newsletter you will receive a copy of Alita's Radical Self Care eBook).
Were you a morning person before you had children? I know I was, I used to jump out of bed and complete my meditation, affirmations and exercise before the sun rose. Then I somehow lost the motivation to continue with my morning routine once I became a mother.
In this conversation, I chat with the inspiring Tara Hegerty, a Mumma, Author, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Counsellor for Mothers who reminds us of the importance of taking time out for ourselves to reconnect with what we really desire as mothers and women.
We chat about Tara's fertility journey and how having the solid foundation of a morning routine has helped her to thrive in her motherhood journey. She gives so many helpful tips and so much advice around the benefits of rising early and how to implement a morning routine, even if you are chronically sleep deprived and feeling burnt out as a Mumma.
This chat will leave you wanting to embrace your mornings to really get the most out of life.
Enjoy!
To find out more about Tara's work and to grab a copy of her book, go to: https://www.dawnwarrior.com/?r_done=1
Join me in today's conversation with Diana Cruz, a Sacred Ceremonies for Women facilitator with a focus on supporting mothers in their Matrescence. We talk all about the deep transformation that takes place when we become mothers.
Diana shares the touching story that lead her to doing the work she does today in supporting women through this transition and we dive deep into the concept of matrescence and why so many of us struggle to slow down and listen to our bodies once we become mothers.
This is a really beautiful conversation and I know you will get so much out of it.
To find out more about Diana's work go to : https://www.instagram.com/dianacruz.sacredceremonies/
Join me in this powerful discussion with owner of Our Family Chiropractor, Cronulla, Dr Kerry Falzon (who just so happens to also be in her third trimester of pregnancy).
We discuss the importance of Chiropractic care during the pre and postnatal periods, discuss common issues that pop up during these times and we also dive into the importance of having a well-functioning nervous system to enhance our bodies innate ability to heal in order to live our best lives.
For more information about the amazing work Kerry does go to : https://ourfamilychiropractor.com.au/
Want to step into your full feminine power, learn how to honour your womb wisdom and hear two incredibly empowering birth stories? This is a beautiful discussion with feminine empowerment and embodiment guide Saoirse Connolly where we dive deep into all things female empowerment and talk about the importance of taking back our power in the birthing space and in our lives whilst also "unbecoming" all we have been lead to believe about ourselves.
To find out more about Saoirse, her book and her offerings follow her over at https://www.instagram.com/sessionswithsaoirse/?hl=en
How would your ideal Fourth Trimester look? In which ways would you like be supported and nourished? How can you put plans into place before bub comes along to help make this dream a reality?
It is so important to think about these things before we give birth, yet there is generally so much focus put on the birth of the baby that we rarely give a second thought to the birth of a mother.
In this episode I discuss my why for creating Mother Space and I also outline what an ideal Fourth Trimester looks like for me.
In our 'Words of Wisdom' segment I chat to the amazing Angela from New Mama Kit about founding a business based on the need to support women better in the Fourth Trimester.
Happy listening!
For more info on New Mama Kit click on the link below:
https://www.newmamakit.com/our-story
In this episode I share my experience with early pregnancy loss in the hope to break the stigma attached to an experience that happens to so many but is so rarely spoken about.
I also chat to my amazing husband, Luke who shares his experience of parenthood after loss and how it has shaped the way he views fatherhood.
If you have experienced pregnancy loss or loss of a baby then my heart truly goes out to you.
Here are links to a few of the support networks I wish I had known about after our loss :
For miscarriage and early pregnancy loss support:
https://www.pinkelephants.org.au/
Miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death support:
https://www.sands.org.au/
As a new Mumma, you may find that things feel a little (or a lot) different on so many levels.
Many Mumma's are realising that jumping straight back into intense exercise after having a bub is not a great idea and are drawn to exercising in a new way that not only helps with their postnatal recovery, but helps to energise the mind and body.
Join Exercise Physiologist Alex Kookarkin and I as we delve into postnatal recovery from a rehab perspective and discuss effective movement for new mothers to help prevent injury and strengthen the pelvic floor.
I hope you get a lot out of this one!
For any Mumma who has recently returned to work, who is thinking about returning to work or who is considering a change in careers, this is a must listen.
Join the super motivational Career Coach for Mummas, Mikhaila Warburton and I as we discuss returning to work as a Mumma and all of the highs and lows that come with it.
Mikhaila also provides a range of amazing mindset and motivational tips to help reframe the way you think about your career and ease anxiety to ensure your transition back into the workforce runs smoothly.
To find out more about Mikhaila and the work she does go to :
https://www.workitmumma.com.au/
Have you ever felt the pull to stay at home with your precious little humans, but also felt pressure from external sources to return to work before you were ready? Maybe you feel guilty for staying at home with your little loves, rather than getting back out into the workforce.
In our busy society, to take time out to mother and be present with our children isn't always easy.
Something we can't deny is the huge shift that comes with transitioning from maiden to mother, and for many people this shift means that perhaps the career they had as a maiden no longer serves them as a mother.
Join beautiful Mumma of two, Emma Hayes and I as we discuss our conscious decisions to stay home and care for our children whilst also wanting to make a difference in the world by being of service to women.
Today marks World Maternal Mental Health Awareness Day and so this episode couldn’t be more relevant. One of the major protective factors of PNDA is having a strong social support network. In this episode, we dive into different ways to find a community of likeminded women and to help find connection in a disconnected society.
I discuss my experience with Mother's Group and also chat to the wonderful Rachael Moffat from All About Mumma about her experience of new motherhood whilst living on the other side of the world from her parents. We also discuss the importance of community and having that 'village' you can rely on throughout your motherhood journey.
If you are in need of support a great place to start is here : https://gidgetfoundation.org.au/about-us/what-we-do/
How many times have you heard of celebrities “bouncing back” after the birth of their babies? How many times have you felt the pressure to return to your pre-baby body? In this episode we debunk the myth of bouncing back and talk instead about bouncing forward into our new, beautiful bodies and into our new identity as a Mumma.
I also chat to the wonderful Seryna Lock who talks about her newfound appreciation for her amazing body after she gave birth.
As women, I believe we are fed a story that breastfeeding will come naturally to us.
But what happens when it doesn't?
In this episode I share my breastfeeding struggles in those early days and talk a bit about how I overcame them, sharing what I wish I knew before becoming a Mum.
I also chat to Hayley Wilson, who talks about what happens when breastfeeding doesn't go to plan and the pressure we put on ourselves to get everything right as new mothers.
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/https://www.motherspace.net.au/
Were you an 8 hour a night kinda gal before having your baby? Me too! I found sleep deprivation one of the hardest hurdles to overcome after the birth of my daughter. In this episode we chat about sleep deprivation and ways to ‘rest’ even when you can't get a solid 8 hours per night, because let's face it, as new Mumma's, we're all tired AF.
In today's 'Words of Wisdom' segment, I chat to Priscilla, who discusses the sleep challenges she faced with her son, Darlo, and how she was able to reach out and seek support. We also discuss ways that Priscilla was able to re-energise her mind and body, despite being in a constant state of fatigue.
Did you give birth to your baby and notice a huge shift within? If you are anything like me you may have prepared so much for the birth of your baby that you didn’t quite consider the immense transformation that would take place within you AFTER your baby was born. Join me in this episode where I chat about becoming a mother, the challenges I faced in those early days and the concept of 'Matrescence'.
In today's 'Words of Wisdom' segment, I chat with Georgia Wright from The Nurture Co to discuss her empowering motherhood journey.
Welcome to the Mother Space Podcast, a podcast dedicated to helping you to thrive in your postpartum journey and beyond.