everymum

My guest this week is Amanda McGuinness from LittlePuddins.ie. Amanda is a truly inspiring voice in the parenting community and a powerful advocate for autism acceptance and understanding. Amanda is a mum of four beautiful children, all of whom are neurodivergent, and her journey into the world of neurodiversity has shaped not only her family's life but also the lives of so many others who follow and learn from her. Through her blog, her Instagram presence, and the incredible visual resources she's created, Amanda brings honesty, heart, and hope to conversations that can sometimes feel overwhelming. She's not afraid to talk about the hard days, the big emotions, and the small wins, and she does it all with such empathy, as she is a woman with autism herself. In this episode, Amanda shares so much about her family experience, from those early days of diagnosis to building a platform that now supports thousands of families across Ireland and beyond. We talk about parenting, advocacy, inclusion, and the beauty of seeing the world through a different lens. So whether you're navigating your own neurodivergent parenting path, or simply looking to better understand the autistic experience, this episode is a great one. Back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is author and mindfulness educator Louise Shanagher. Louise is also the founder of the Creative Mindfulness method, a programme that introduces mindfulness and self-compassion to children through creative activities like storytelling, art, and meditation. She has authored several children's books, and through her Creative Mindfulness Practitioner Training, has introduced mindfulness practices to tens of thousands of people, reflecting her deep passion for sharing that important knowledge. We talk about how mindfulness has evolved over the years, how it can now apply to and be used by children and young people, and how to equip children with lifelong self-care tools. I don't know about you, but I was terrified by the recent Netflix series Adolescence, and speaking to Louise gave me confidence that with the right tools, you can raise a self-compassionate and self-aware child who knows their parents are there as a safety net for them no matter what. Louise is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to how to speak to young children in a way that is understandable but effective too. Louise's latest book, Growing Self-Compassionate Children, is available now should you want to know more. A really practical episode, I know you'll love this one. I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I spoke to returning guest Emma Flynn. Emma was first on the podcast with the lovely Sinead more than three years ago, but her story was so compelling and so important that I wanted to catch up with her and see how things are for her now. Emma's story can be difficult to hear and can be triggering, so if you're a new mam or in a particularly sensitive place, just use caution and take care when listening. Now a mother of three, when Emma's first child, Jack was born, she went through the darkest and scariest moments of her life. She felt she didn't love her son, but worse, she felt the only way through her suffering was to hurt herself and her baby. With help from medication, her therapist, her husband and her supportive family, she managed to survive through it and go on to have two more children, and to absolutely adore all three of them. She has an incredibly supportive online community too where sharing her story has helped (and will continue to help) so many people going through similar but afraid to talk about it. We spoke about finding healing, her return to faith and how she is now, several years on from those traumatic days. It was a tough episode to record but so worthwhile. I'll be back next week, speak to you then. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The lovely Niamh O'Sullivan is my guest this week, and although I've known Niamh for a good few years, and she's always radiant, she was absolutely GLOWING with the joy that only arrives when you're expecting your first baby. At the time of recording, Niamh is about half way through her pregnancy, and she's just now coming out of the horrendous sickness she endured for almost the whole first half... which I can identify with, and that's something literally anyone who listens to this podcast will know, as I never shut up about it. Niamh and I discuss the perils of pregnancy Googling, how sometimes you DON'T want the gory birth stories and how the phrase "You just wait!" is Niamh's biggest peeve. We talk about birth plans (or the lack thereof) and feeling nervous about birth, but it's clear that Niamh is just thrilled to be about to welcome her baby to the world. I can't wait to have her back on after she has her little angel to talk all things fourth trimester. Enjoy this, and I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I absolutely LOVED this week's episode. Not only was Louise Galvin extremely sound to chat to and I left wanting to be her pal, she was so open and honest and candid about how she and her husband manage parenting. Louise, for those unfamiliar, is one of Ireland's most successful sports stars – playing at senior level with the Kerry football team, playing in the Rugby 7s World Cup AND as the captain of a National Cup winning basketball team. She probably made GAA history when, following one of her particularly important semi-final matches, Louise ran off the pitch to breastfeed her baby just as the final whistle blew, making her the first player to breastfeed in the dressing rooms at Croke Park. Louise has a three year old son and twin babies who are not even five months yet, and she's making sure she makes time to be match fit to catch the end of the football season. I for one was in awe listening to her tell me all this, while she was just taking it totally in her stride, making it clear that she doesn't get mam guilt because she knows her sport is an important part of who she is and an important example to set for her three children. I think you will love this episode as much as I did – and I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is award-winning lactation consultant Orla Dorgan, who is the founder of mylactationconsultant.ie. Orla is a nurse by profession, but when she breastfed her children and had a good experience, she wanted to bring the tools and advice she had to as many parents as possible. This episode covers a lot – both general chats about feeding, holds, using nipple shields and whether cabbage leaves actually do anything, and also answers to specific breastfeeding questions too, such as how can a partner help the breastfeeding journey, and the transition back to work while still feeding. Orla also give her three-step approach to stopping mastitis from taking hold, and how to tell it might be beginning in the first place. A really fascinating episode, this will help anyone at the start of a breastfeeding journey. I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This weeks episode was just such a pleasure to record from start to finish – Ailbhe Garrihy is my guest this week and she is just the most engaging and warm person to chat to, and I know it's such a podcast cliche but I really could have talked to her for hours. Ailbhe is not only the general manager of her thriving family business Dublin Bay Cruises but she's also a mam of two little boys, Sean and Fionn, who at ages 4 and 2 keep her very busy. We chat about raising boys having known only sisters and girls in her family for most of her life, about taking her two on an 11 hour flight to San Francisco and living to tell the tale, and her disciplining hacks for getting her two lads to comply (I call them threats in my house, but maybe that's too strong a word?) Ailbhe has the most grateful and positive approach to parenting, and this episode will give anyone expecting a boy, or a second boy, a real insight into all the loveliness to come. I'll be back next week with another episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest for our first episode of season 16 is the lovely Grace Mongey Gernon. Grace has been working full time as an influencer for the past nine years – there was somewhat of an urgency with getting Grace's episode recorded, because when we spoke she was 39 weeks pregnant and eagerly awaiting the arrival of her third child, a little boy who's name she's already got embroidered on a little jumper for when he's born. We talk about the transition she's about to face from two children to three, and the age gap between her other two being big enough that going back into nappies and night feeds will be a huge change to their life all over again. We chat about her life online, how her family feel about her work as an influencer, and how trolling almost made her give it all up to be a midwife, but how now she's in a good place mentally and feels good about it again. Grace is so loved online for her no nonsense approach and for being upfront and honest about her reality. this was a lovely episode to record and while nobody went into labour during it, it's still worth a listen. Back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I was delighted to welcome the lovely Millie Mackintosh to the podcast. She's a reality TV star turned entrepreneur, she's a mother to two girls and many of you will recognize her from her breakout role on Made in Chelsea. Since then, she's carved out an incredible career as a wellness advocate, businesswoman, and with her new book, Bad Drunk, an author now too. During the episode, we discuss the contents of the book, which as the title suggests is about Millie's complicated journey with alcohol, through a parenting lens. She is so wonderfully open about how alcohol negatively impacted her world, including her ability to parent. She also talks me through how she attempts to navigate disciplining her girls, which believe me I was taking notes on. It's a deeply personal and empowering episode, and whether she's sharing her journey through motherhood, her love of fashion, or her passion for mental well-being, Millie's authenticity, and insight shine through. Enjoy this last episode, thank you so much for your support, comments, DMs, and listens, and I'll be back to you next season with lots more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Katie Healy Nolan, whose life is chaotic but filled with gratitude, as she parents her five young children, ages 8 down to just six weeks. Her eldest child, her daughter Penelope, is living with a life-limiting illness and requires 24-hour care, with Katie provides, as she says herself "with a heart and a half". Katie and her husband Dave also parent their four boys, while advocating for the care their eldest needs. Penelope's illness is extremely rare and therefore isn't straightforward when it comes to accessing the supports she needs. Katie, through all of this, remains astoundingly positive, and is an absolute hero as far as I'm concerned, as she talks about how lucky and grateful she is to be able to have her family, and how a big family was always on the cards for both herself and her husband. Having survived the terrorist attack in the Bataclan in Paris back in 2015 which killed 130 people, Katie says her perspective on life is a little bit different and is grateful to have the choice to keep going, where so many others didn't and don't. A truly uplifting episode. Enjoy it, and I'll be back with the season finale next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining me for this week's episode is Lisa McHugh, an award-winning singer-songwriter and one of the brightest stars in Irish country music. Beyond her music, she's also an entrepreneur, a proud mam of two, and a voice of positivity and empowerment for women. Her two children, Milo who is two and Hallie who is just five months, are the centre of her world, but her parenting path has thrown up some real challenges for Lisa. After Hallie was born, Lisa spent ten days in hospital with her brand new daughter in the NICU, where she couldn't see Milo and couldn't cuddle her newborn as she was hooked up to a CPAP machine. Hallie's health had another challenge just recently too, and another stint in hospital was required. But through it all, Lisa remains positive, while also being honest about how hard is has been for her and her family. With her own parents in Glasgow, where Lisa was born, she says that having a break or some downtime isn't something she can remember having in recent memory. All of this, and a full-on career as a musician means that Lisa is my new inspiration! I hope you enjoy listening this week, and I'll be back with more next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is the incredible Anna Geary, broadcaster, author and former All Ireland medal-winning camogie player. Anna is a national treasure, a wellness advocate and an inspiration to to others, and she's also a mum of one – her little boy Ronan is 16 months old and as Anna says, changed her life for the better. This episode was the definition of sitting with a cup of tea with your mam friend and just having the chats. We talked about the pressure to 'perform' for want of a better term, when it comes to parenting, we talk about comparison online and how detrimental it can be, while also being a valuable resource, and how those few minutes a day you can take for yourself are critical when it comes to being a better parent. Anna and I have a lot in common, we discovered, when it comes to our love of lists, our love of structure and our sanity hingeing on whether our child is sleeping well – and we have both found, to our dismay, that children don't come with a rulebook, and the certainly don't give two hoots about your best laid plans. It was so great to hear someone as successful and lovely as Anna say that actually, we're all just winging it. Enjoy this episode, and I'll be back soon with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Rachel Ivie, someone I'm certain lots of you will follow online for her style and outfit ideas. Rachel is a fashion influencer, almost by accident, having started her outfit posts during Covid when she wasn't working at her other job as a primary school teacher. She's also a mother of two, as if there wasn't enough going on. We talk about parental leave helping to ease the pressure on parents, we talk about whether or not your child is ready for school, and about how she chose not to go down the 'parenting content' route when she had her two children, now 4 and 2. I also tried to plug her for discipline advice, given that she's a teacher and the mother of a little girl around the same age as mine – but it turns out, 3 and 4 year old little girls are beyond discipline. Which is just great news altogether for parents listening! It was a great chat, Rachel straight away acknowledged that support is the only way to cope with the 'balance' in parenting and working, and I know so many of you will get something from listening. Back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I chatted to the incredible Deirdre McDonagh, a social worker who founded Five Rivers Fostering over 22 years ago. I knew very little about fostering at the start of our conversation, so I was coming to this topic with mostly questions, and Deirdre was certainly the right person to ask. We talked about the basic types of fostering, from emergency care to longer term fostering that might result in adoption, we talked about what circumstances might arise that would cause a child to be in need of all the various types of foster care, and we talk about the amazing families who selflessly take children who are in need into their homes and give them the two things they need most: Love and safety. I personally wanted to ask Deirdre how her heart isn't endlessly broken seeing the children leave their families, for whatever number of reasons, often not really wanting to leave but having no choice for their own safety – it really is a heroic thing to do to foster a child and I hope that after listening to this episode, anyone considering it might feel empowered to start the process. Thanks for listening, I'll be back with more next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is my lovely friend Courtney Smith. Courtney is an incredibly talented creative director and stylist, a truly beautiful person inside and out and is someone I've worked with and admired for a long time, so it was great to speak to her about being a mam. At the time of recording, she's about to have her third baby, and though we joked that she could go into labour during the record – thankfully we got through it okay. We get real about the 'balance' in motherhood, and how really it doesn't exist and how the notion of having it all is nonsense. We also talk about Courtney's three very unique pregnancies – one in Covid, one while grieving, and one while having illness in the family. Courtney is a real woman's woman, and she was really keen to mention that although perception might have you believe she has it all worked out, she still goes on Instagram, compares herself to others and wonders how THEY do it all. We're all the same really, aren't we! Thanks for listening and I'll speak to you again next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I spoke to lovely Laura Drury, also known as The Glam Shamrock, about her life as a content creator and mother of three children under the age of four. Yes, three under four – the woman is a hero. We spoke about how much she leans into the chaos, embraces the challenges but always tries to do one key thing: Find time in her day to do something that's just for her. Whether that's a 15-minute makeup break or a walk to get some fresh air, making time to prioritise her own health and mental wellbeing is something she's passionate about. It's such an important thing that I think sometimes as mothers we can take for granted – parenting is tough and you taking time out to feel like yourself and to do things that fill your cup is absolutely essential. We also talked about how, if you're parenting with a partner, keeping your relationship with that person solid, with open lines of communication, is so important to not only you, but to the lives of your children. Believe me, they're more perceptive than we give them credit for! Enjoy this chat, and I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is Dr Malie Coyne, a Clinical Psychologist, bestselling author and and clinical psychology lecturer. Dr Coyne's special area of interest is in children's and adolescent mental health, and helping families navigate challenges around that. During our conversation today, the word 'compassion' came up a lot – not in relation to our children, but in relation to ourselves. Sharing stories of those times I've lost my patience, or been too cross with Lydia, I articulated what I think many parents feel when under the immense pressure to be the 'perfect' parent. Dr Coyne's approach to it is that sometimes, being 'good enough' is the best thing for our children. She advocates showing yourself kindness and care first, and letting that calm trickle down to your family. It's so good to hear from someone so experienced that an approach like that is not only okay, but might even be better for us than constantly aiming for perfection. Enjoy listening, and I'll be back next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is entrepreneur and mother of two, Jennie McGinn. Jennie is an entrepreneur in the truest sense of the word – she's the brains behind many very successful business endeavours, and somehow seems to keep all of the plates spinning, but something I love about her is her honesty about the very real juggle we all find ourselves doing, whether self-employed or not. She's refreshingly straightforward about the challenges of doing it all, or trying to at least, and we talk extensively about relying on our village, if we're lucky enough to have one. Jennie shares the heartbreaking story of losing her mother four years ago and the effect that had on her family and her children, and how vital those grandparent figures can be in our lives and those of our little ones. I managed to not cry during this one, but it is an emotional one, particularly for anyone who's lost a parent. Thanks for listening and I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week was Tara Anderson, or as you might know her online – Tara Makeup. Makeup artist, model, actor, influencer and entrepreneur are all roles Tara has had in her life, but her job as mam to Gene and Jools, her 6 and 3-year-old sons, is the one we chatted most about in this episode. Tara talks candidly about her two very different experiences of pregnancy and birth, about how she's a private person in spite of being well known online, and how even for her, comparison can be the thief of joy at times. We chat about how parenting now is totally different to the parenting our own parents would've done, and how full of doubt we can be at times as to whether we're doing the right things. Tara is one of those people who you look at online and think 'how does she do it', but from talking to her I can tell that she's just like the rest of us: Doing the best for her family through the good and the bad. Thank you so much for listening today, and throughout season 14, and I'll be talking to you again soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week was model and blogger, the lovely Louise O'Reilly, who is someone I've known for a really long time, since the very early days of my former career in magazines and since the early days of her career as a curve model. Louise has not only modelled in magazines like Cosmopolitan, but has had a plus size fashion blog called Style Me Curvy for as long as she's been modelling, which is where some of you might know her from. There, she helps women everywhere to embrace their individuality no matter what their size. And now, at 31-weeks pregnant, she continues to do so. But Louise's journey to pregnancy wasn't straightforward, and in fact she was given a less than 2% chance of ever conceiving, even with the help of IVF, which she didn't even look into in the end. Her miracle, spontaneous pregnancy was so unlikely to happen as she has polycystic ovarian syndrome, otherwise known as PCOS. She talks about her symptoms, how she was dismissed time and time again by doctors who didn't take those symptoms seriously, and how women are often overlooked by doctors based on their weight alone. Our discussion around women's health in general was fascinating, and anyone with Endometriosis, Adenomyosis or PCOS would likely identify with what Louise went through in getting a diagnosis. It's one of those episodes where I leave knowing so much more about a topic but also with great nuggets of advice such as, as Louise says: Always trust your gut when it comes to your health. Enjoy, and I'll be back soon with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before I start this week's guest intro, I just want to flag that this episode is a very emotional one and might not be a comfortable listen for anyone in the early stages of grief, as it deals with the loss of a child. My amazing and brave guest for this episode is Eileen Loughlin. Eileen is a mother of four gorgeous children, from ages 20 all the way to just two years old. Five and a half years ago, Eileen and her family's life was turned upside down when a tragic accident at their home led to the death of their youngest child at the time Annabel, who was just 3 and a half when she passed away. Eileen talks to me today about Annabel's short but happy life, her grieving process, the support that has seen her through and her hopes for her three living children as they move through their lives. She also tells me that there are plans in motion for a way to remember Annabel and build a legacy through which she can live on in memory. A gut-wrenching listen for me as the mother of a child the same age as Annabel, but for anyone experiencing loss, this could be a really helpful and hopeful episode. I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I spoke to child and adolescent psychotherapist and play therapy expert, Debbie Cullinane. Debbie helps children struggling at home with anything from anxiety, behavioural issues, anger, grief, and lots more. She talked me through what exactly play therapy is, who might benefit from it, the types of play that are involved, and how after a matter of weeks she can see changes in children that parents never expected. She told me how occasionally, it's more of an education for parents about what's developmentally appropriate for kids than it is actually about the therapy itself. I'll be honest – I wasn't sure what exactly play therapy was and what it entailed before I did some research for this episode, so hearing it directly from Debbie was an education for me, as I hope it will be for some of you. Enjoy this episode, and I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is mother of two, Eimear Hallahan. If you don't know Eimear's story from social media already, it's worth noting that this episode deals with a critically ill baby and might be a tough listen for some. Eimear's youngest son, James, was just two weeks old when she brought him to hospital knowing something wasn't right with him. She trusted her instinct, and once he arrived to Cork University Hospital, the doctors and nurses there sprang into action. He had sepsis, and his body was so full of infection that no antibiotic was seemingly working to treat it. Eimear knew straight away it was critical, and was told her son's chances of survival, at one point, were as low as just 5%. Her strength, positivity, and resilience, along with the support of her partner Jack, meant that through it all, she believed that James would survive. It's an incredible and powerful story of just pure hope, and it brought me to tears, which doesn't often happen! Like I said, this episode is a tough listen at times – I'll be back to you next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Dr Christina McDonnell, who is a practicing GP, a Garda on-call doctor and also the owner of Genius Juniors, the online bookshop for children of all ages. I was so excited to chat with Christina because honestly, nothing shaped me more throughout childhood than the books I read, and I know just how powerful reading can be for a child's development. Christina was a wealth of knowledge about what reading can do for a child, how much screen time we should give our kids, the 'whatever works' approach and making time for one on one moments with your children if possible. I came perilously close to totally nerding out about the books I loved as a child – any parent who wants to enrich their child's life will love this episode, there's no better gift than the love of reading, to my mind anyway. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The lovely Louise Cooney joins me this week for a chat about all things motherhood. Louise, who I'm sure lots of you follow, is an influencer, content creator and mother to baby Jude, who is 8 and a half months old. From talking to Louise, it's so clear to see that motherhood suits her – she has a refreshingly positive take on being a new mam and honestly, if I was pregnant with my first child again and heard how beautifully she speaks about her experience, I would be genuinely looking forward to the experience. We talk about her relationship with her partner Mark changing after Jude came into the world, how she's got a newfound respect for mothers everywhere, and how she accepted that her work was going to have to take a back seat while she focused her energy on her son. Anyone about to experience parenthood for the first time, this is the perfect episode to listen to. I hope you enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I spoke to the amazing Dr Rebecca Moore. Dr Moore is an incredibly empathetic perinatal consultant psychiatrist who works in the UK. She is renowned for her expertise in supporting mothers who are navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, anxiety, depression, and of course, our topic for today's episode: birth trauma. Around 30% of people who give birth recall some part of their birth experience as traumatic. For me, I had antenatal trauma in my pregnancy, which is often overlooked for women too. Phrases like "at least you have a healthy baby" are bandied about and ultimately, not helpful. We discuss every aspect of birth trauma, the signs to look out for, how to talk to those close to you about it, and things that can help you overcome it for subsequent pregnancies and deliveries. I always say it, but these conversations are so important to have because although we're all grateful when a healthy baby is delivered, it doesn't mean the maternal mental health is intact. Enjoy this episode and I'll speak to you next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is media mogul Alexandra Ryan, owner and brains behind the incredible Irish media brand, Goss Media. Ali joins me this week to talk all things egg freezing. Having undergone the process twice in recent years, Ali knows the ins and outs. We discuss her motivation for embarking on the process, the financial implications, the side effects of taking so many hormones, the physical aftermath of the retrieval and so much more. One of the things I love about Ali is that she's always so transparent and honest about things, and her egg retrieval process is no different – she's showing the realities of every step of the journey and is doing so to encourage others to talk about it more openly. She believes there's an unnecessary shame around not reaching those societally imposed milestones we all know exist, and she's doing things her own way. I loved this chat and I know you will too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide/suicidal ideation. My guest this week, and our first back for Season 14, is Sophie White. A prolific and massively successful author and podcaster, Sophie is also mother to three boys between 10 and 4 and has battled with mental illness since she was in her early 20s. As Sophie says herself in the episode, it's not often someone can pinpoint exactly when they became mentally ill, but she can – a drug-induced psychosis in 2007 led to her being hospitalised and later diagnosed with Bipolar 2. We chat about everything from gender stereotypes and how trucks and cars just seemed to manifest in her home in the same way dolls and nail polish manifested in mine, to how she coped through multiple serious mental illness relapses. We also touched on the issue of responsibility and mental illness, and whether it's an irresponsible thing to do to have children when you know you're likely to be unwell. It's a fascinating episode in which I let Sophie do the talking – I couldn't compete with her eloquence and bravery and honesty on the subject – so I really hope you enjoy it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can you believe we've reached the end of the season! My last guest for season 13 is the very lovely Kelly Fitzsimons – formerly known on Instagram at least as MissEllaMayandMommy. Kelly had her daughter Ella aged 19 and her following online grew as the two of them grew up together. Sharing outfit posts with matching dresses, their mother daughter relationship was (and is!) goals. Kelly went on to have her son Mac in her early thirties, leaving a 13 year age gap between her two children. We talked this week about that age gap, what she knows now that she wishes she knew as a teenage mam, what has changed in the intervening years, and how threats sometimes *are* the best way to get children to do what you need them to do. Kelly also talks about the beautiful relationship her 14 year old has with her one year old, and how while one is worried about boys and periods, the other is teething. It sounds like delightful chaos! Kelly is so laid back about parenting and it's a very refreshing listen for that reason. Enjoy, and I'm delighted to say I'll be back next season for more amazing episodes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was so so grateful to this week's guest for joining me on the podcast. The lovely Dominique Nugent so bravely chatted to me about her experience, earlier this year, of late stage miscarriage. Dominique was a day short of 16 weeks when she delivered her baby, who had not survived in utero. She so generously decided now was the time to talk about it, start to finish, with me and with the listeners to the podcast, saying that she knows if listening will help just one person through their own tough time, she'll be happy she did it. If miscarriage is in any way a sensitive subject for you currently, maybe hold off on listening to what is an incredibly emotional episode – both of us cried a lot – but if you think it could help in your healing process, I know Dominique's courage was inspiring to me and could be to you too. I'll be back soon with another episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is my lovely friend, author, and journalist Liadán Hynes, who is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to parenting, and life in general really. She's a single parent to one daughter who's 9 years old. She's self-employed and works flexibly to be as present as she can for her little girl and writes often about her experiences as a working single mother. We talk about everything from facing what could be lonely weekends without your child or children, the imbalance that exists for mothers in the workplace and so much more. Lia's got so much of her own experience to draw from, but as an empathetic and resonant writer, she has so much wisdom to share from years of interviewing. A truly lovely chat, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. *Note the cards mentioned by Liadán about the mental load mothers carry are called the Fair Play Game, created by Eve Rodsky. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Carla Kelly, who is one of the founders of Ask The Midwife, a company that aims to support parents from pregnancy through to postpartum and beyond. A midwife herself, we asked you guys, our cherished listeners, to put questions to her that you might need advice on. We talked about an incredible grandparents refresher course that they run (totally genius if you ask me) their various antenatal and postnatal classes, how they help build a community of mothers so no matter what you're going through you feel less alone, and there's a little bit of chat about the various colours of baby poop. We cover all bases here on everymum! Anyway – enjoy my chat with Carla and I'll speak to you next week.Note: If you have a specific medical query, it's recommended to speak to your GP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My wonderful friend Caroline Foran is my guest this week, and a returning guest to Everymum the podcast. This time, we talk about her most recent struggles with her son Caelan, and how she has recently undergone assessments with various clinical assessors to help better understand her son's unique needs. We talk about the anxiety over a potential future diagnosis, how guilt can be associated with wanting a straightforward life for your child, and how she cries every night at bed time out of sheer frustration at how challenging her days have become. She talks with such bravery and candour, but also with empathy and a genuine sense of gratitude. This chat might be of particular help to anyone starting or in the middle of an assessment process, or anyone who feels the frustrations and guilt associated with parenting. I hope you enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Shannen Bulman Joyce, who was previously known on social media as Big C and Me, because she used her platform to document her cancer journey. Over the course of her adult life, just the past ten years, she's been diagnosed with and survived cancer three times. She's now the healthiest she's ever been, and is thriving and living life as a single mother to her daughter Roisin. We chat about everything from health anxiety and mam guilt, to what it was like having to explain to her daughter that she and her daughter's dad were no longer together. We also talked about the difficulties around being a parent and being sick, even with a more minor illness, and the guilt that comes with that. I'm thrilled I finally got to chat to Shannen as I'd followed her for a long time, and she's one of the most genuinely inspirational people you could come across. Enjoy and I'll chat to you next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is model and mam of three, Rosanna Davison. Over the past few years, life has changed dramatically for Rosanna. From going through a tragic 14 miscarriages and believing she wouldn't be able to carry a pregnancy to term, she and her husband sought the help of a surrogate from Ukraine to make their dream of having a family come true. She talks to me about the anxiety of knowing her baby was in someone else's body in a completely different country, and how she coped with that. And then we talk about the shock of her finding out shortly after her daughter was born that she had spontaneously conceived healthy identical twin boys. It was great to hear Rosanna's honest take on life with three under five, how she manages everything and how her identical twins have interesting differences (particularly when it comes to sleeping arrangements!) but it was an emotional episode too, and I had tears in my eyes many times throughout – I hope you enjoy lovely Rosanna's story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kelly Donegan is my guest this week – you might know Kelly, if you're a millennial like me, from Tallafornia, a reality show she starred in 12 years ago now. If you've been following her online, you'll have seen her go from reality TV star to fitness expert to now, a mammy of one. Since her daughter Cherry arrived, Kelly's plans for motherhood haven't quite gone off as she'd hoped. We talk about the disappointment you can feel when your birth plans go the exact opposite to what you'd hoped, the challenges so many people go through when it comes to breast feeding, and what Kelly would do differently if she could go through it all again. It's such an open, honest and brave conversation, which I think is refreshing, given the tendency online to only show the 'good' and cover up the tougher times. I hope you enjoy it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Ali Deasy, who is famous where she lives as the mother who is shadowed everywhere she goes by her gorgeous triplets, Bruce Ted and Lenny. Ali has been a guest on Everymum in the past, but I saw recently she spoke online about her mental health struggle when the boys were between the ages of 2 and 3 years old. I caught up with her as soon as I heard that, because often I think postnatal depression or motherhood-related depression might only be associated with the immediate aftermath of having a baby, or as something that you can be certain you've escaped if your child is older than one – that's absolutely not the case, and I chatted to Ali about how she leaned on her friends to help her through that tough patch. We also chat about the logistics of managing three four year old's (and her angel of a daughter, Georgia, who is like another mammy to the three lads), and how she only dresses them the same if she needs to be able to do a quick headcount in public. I've never smiled so much during an episode, honestly, so I hope it's the same for you. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warning: This episode discusses baby loss.My guest for this episode is Jessica Bourke, otherwise known as The Fertility Detective. She's known among her followers and patients for her honest, straightforward and compassionate approach to all things fertility, and as she says online, she has nearly two decades of experience helping people to get and to stay pregnant. Before you start listening to this week's episode, I must let you know – we speak extensively and in detail about what it's like to go through various types of miscarriage – just something to be aware of if that's a subject that's sensitive to you at the moment. Jessica is a total pro and it was clear from chatting to her just how much of a vocation her job is for her. I know you'll learn so much from this one, just as I did. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My incredible guest this week is the OG sleep coach in Ireland, the person with thousands of hours of pacing hallways and bedrooms with babies in her arms – Kelly Geoghegan. Kelly's business, Sleepy Stars, is all about helping babies with sleep. But her fascinating career has featured superyachts, helicopters and changing time zones twice in a week, all the while caring for babies that need their sleep. She chats to me about her celebrity and high net worth clients, how she approaches trying to get twins and triplets to sleep in the same room together, and so much more. We also discuss the largely unregulated sleep coaching industry, and Kelly says she would love to see more controls in place to stop parents who are desperate for help from finding it in the wrong places. Kelly is probably one of the most hands-on experienced professionals I've spoken to, she walks the walk – literally – and I even got a cheeky question to her about my own daughter... a perk of the job, maybe? Enjoy, and I'll speak to you again next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I spoke to Sarah Ockwell Smith, a parenting expert who has written 15 books on parenting over the course of her career. While we could've covered a number of topics, what I really wanted to speak to her about was the idea of gentle parenting and what it really is. Like you, I've seen Instagram memes and Tiktokers talk about gentle parenting, and most of what I saw left me more confused than enlightened. But speaking to Sarah really gave me a clear picture of what it means to be a gentle parent – and no, it doesn't involve mollycoddling your child and refusing to discipline them. I learned a huge amount during this episode, including how to deescalate a tantrum in the moment, and how best to go about stopping them before they even happen – something other parents of toddlers I'm sure could benefit from. Enjoy, and I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is Karen Ferguson, head of nursing and clinical services with SIMS IVF. I'll be completely honest, my knowledge of all things fertility and infertility was minimal, that is – before I spoke to Karen. We went back to basics, and discussed things like the stigma around talking about fertility struggles, what exactly is involved in an egg retrieval, common myths and misconceptions about fertility treatment, and how to be sensitive to friends or family members going through an IVF process. We also talk about the legislation recently passed which is, as we discuss, exclusionary to many people who are trying to conceive, and also how to handle workplace conversations about fertility treatment. It was great to speak to Karen and learn so much during this episode, so I hope you learn something too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was joined for today's episode by Kathy Milliken. Kathy is a baby, birth and post-partum expert in so many ways: She's trained as a doula, she's trained in breastfeeding counselling, she's a qualified pre- and post-natal yoga instructor, among other things. And yet, with all her experience, she told me she didn't really KNOW what motherhood would be like in practical terms until she had her children. Three children, all brought into the world very differently, taught her so much that she continues to share with other mothers now through her business, Bump, Baby and Me. She's a wealth of knowledge but is also just a warm, inclusive and understanding voice for anyone about to have their first child, about to become a parent again, or for someone who experienced trauma in pregnancy or delivery who just needs someone to talk to. I loved this chat with Kathy, I hope you do too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode had me wide-eyed with my jaw on the floor, as returning guest Aisling Kearns shares the story of her home birth. Aisling's son Tommy was just four weeks old when we recorded, and slept like an angel throughout. Having spoken to a doula and read a book about childbirth as a rite of passage, Aisling decided a home birth was for her, even though it was her first pregnancy. She talks about the home set-up, who was there, how it all went and how she hopes her choice to do it (and her choice to talk about it with such amazing honesty) will inspire others to potentially consider it as an option where they might not have before. This episode is unmissable and absolutely fascinating. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I was so pleased to be able to speak to online parenting sensation Payal Desai, who joined me all the way from New Jersey (albeit on a slightly glitchy Zoom call for which I blame my own dodgy broadband) where she lives with her husband and two little boys. Payal is a middle school teacher and content creator who went insanely viral with her 'dusty son' videos. For anyone who has yet to see one, she captures teachable moments with her young sons, typically about gender roles and toxic masculinity, to the tune of the 1995 RnB song, 'I've got 5 on it', while glancing back at the camera as it zooms in to her face. Just one of her videos alone has over 10M views on Tiktok – so chances are you've seen at least one. We spoke about going viral with parenting content, gender roles in the home and how there's an imbalance, and bringing up children who have empathy and understanding about the world around them. It's a great episode, I hope you enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Rob Burke – Rob is a friend of mine, and one of the most articulate people I know, and so I knew that he'd be the perfect person to speak to about the experiences of a new dad. From pregnancy, where he says he felt his duty was to take care of his wife, to the delivery suite and cutting the umbilical cord and being a human stirrup, to his daughter Pippa's first six months of life, he's gone through the ups and downs of parenthood alongside his wife Becca, and shares lessons he's learned along the way. I've had so many mothers join me and talk about their experiences that I felt the role of dad was being overlooked – I'm delighted to say Rob's episode with me remedies that. I hope you enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I speak to Irish model and mother of one Kelly Horrigan. Although Kelly delivered her beautiful little boy almost 14 months ago now, she is still feeling the long-term effects of her delivery. After her son's birth, Kelly found she had something called pudendal neuralgia, which sees her in constant nerve pain from her episiotomy scar all the way down her leg. She still struggles with it and attends physio, and could even have to have procedures in the future to stop the pain, including going to a pain management clinic for injections. Through it all, Kelly remains so positive, but she says that the after-effects of her delivery still stay in her mind even now. For any mother still feeling like they're not physically (or mentally) back to themselves, this episode will resonate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is influencer and first time mam, Siobhan O'Hagan. In her previous life as a fitness influencer, Siobhan's goals and values were always crystal clear: She enjoyed the freedom that came with her life moving from Bali to Thailand to London and back to Ireland. She was vocal about her choice not to have children, and for a long time that completely aligned with her value system. Until, one day, it didn't anymore. She had what she calls an 'existential crisis' and after becoming pregnant last year, she decided to embrace the curveball that life threw her. She's now happily co-parenting a gorgeous baby girl with her daughter's dad, and although they're not in a relationship, they're embracing parenthood together. What I've always admired about Siobhan was her fearlessness in doing things completely her own way, and her journey into motherhood has been no different. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our first episode back for Season 12, I'm joined by fashion influencer and stylist Lorna Weightman and possibly our youngest ever guest, 9 week old Arthur was also on the Zoom being an absolute angel. Lorna and I discovered that we both approached parenthood with a "will I or won't I?" mentality – we weren't 100% convinced it was for us, until of course, we were. So if you're on the fence about whether to try or not, this episode might help you. We also chat about Lorna's whole birth story, which – spoiler alert, spans FOUR days – and how the first two weeks of Arthur's life proved incredibly challenging as Lorna tried to get to grips with breastfeeding. We also chat about losing your identity as a mother and the word that resonates most with her now that she's a parent, which is: Acceptance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're already on our last episode of Season 11, and I can't wait to bring you more episodes as we head into season 12 really soon. But we wanted to round out this season on a high and I think we may have achieved it... What a total and utter joy it was to interview this week's guest. A dream podcast interviewee, I spoke to Giovanna Fletcher, author, mother of three boys and host of the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast. She's also married to Tom from McFly so if you're a millennial mammy like I am, that's probably significant. But back to Giovanna. As the presenter of a parenting podcast, this was like speaking to royalty!! We spoke about lessons we've learned through talking to so many people about parenting, and how the main takeaway is that whatever you're going through, you're likely not alone. We talking about the importance of getting out in nature to fill your cup, and how the idea of "having it all" is a myth – she spoke about that with Geri Halliwell, no less. A SPICE GIRL. The episode is, like Giovanna, just full of kindness and empathy and words of advice, so I hope you enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Dr Doireann O'Leary joins me to talk about her experience of motherhood so far. Her son is nine months old, and while she doesn't share his name or face online, she is very open about how she's finding the transition into parenthood. We chat about taking time for yourself and letting go of the guilt around that. She says quite rightly that you can't pour from an empty cup – that if as mothers we're well rested, feeling supported and given time to be ourselves, we're better parents to our children. We discuss how being a GP helped her in the early days of parenting, but didn't completely relieve her of worry, and how the mental load of motherhood has been her biggest challenge. It's a beautiful episode, I really hope you enjoy listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode I'm joined by Talya Benjamin. She's a new mother, living in New York, and when she was discharged from hospital after having her first baby, she checked in to a postpartum retreat called Boram. Research shows that dedicated postnatal care improves the health and well-being of mothers and their babies – and that's exactly what they provide. Talya checked in with her husband and their new born, and for three days and nights were given nourishing foods, access to lactation consultants and medical advice and recovery support. It really highlights the absence of 'the village' that we all wish we had, and while that particular centre is likely cost prohibitive for many, similar recovery centres are sorely needed for new parents and their babies. I was fascinated by everything Talya talked about – not to mention very jealous of what sounded like a truly lovely postpartum experience – so I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.