For All Mum Kind

A homegrown Irish podcast for mums by mums. For All Mum Kind - The Podcast was born out of a love of chatting to other mums, sharing our experiences, guiding each other on this new journey and finding solace in the collective knowing that we all are all on our own path in motherhood and we are here to empower each other as we go along. Each episode of the podcast I invite a mum on to chat about motherhood, share their stories from the ups and downs and everything in between. Due to launch at the end of March 2019, subscribe for the latest episodes.

Happy Mother's Day and welcome to the very first episode of the For All Mum Kind Podcast. Each week I will sit down with an Irish mum to chat about their experiences of being a mother, the good the bad and everything in-between. On this episode I speak to Jessica Sheridan of lifestyle blog Burpees Babies Beauty. Jessica, a midwife herself, talks candidly to me about unexpectedly becoming a mum at 24, her labouring experience, how she battled with post natal depression and how she juggles her career, love of the gym, her joy of cleaning and being a mum and partner. Jessica also talks about her new project in conjunction with Pip & Ruby, a beautiful baby journal that allows you to chart your little one from birth to one year. The journal is available to buy here: http://bit.ly/firstbreathtofirststep Jessica's own website can be found here: https://burpeesbabiesbeauty.com And you can contact me with any questions or recommendations through the For All Mum Kind website here: https://www.forallmumkind.ie/ If you enjoy the podcast please make sure to subscribe so that the latest episodes are automatically dowloaded to your phone when released. Thanks for listening Pamela

This week I am joined by Grace Mongey of Faces by Grace. A beauty and lifestyle blog. Grace is mum to Sienna and has baby #2 arriving in a few weeks! Grace chats to me about her pregnancy and birth with Sienna, how motherhood has changed her and how she copes with her anxiety, from managing it day to day, to finding a therapist that understood her. We also discuss how the media sensationalised her social media sharing during her first birth. In a society where we see sports stars share social media content from their hospital rooms - why is it still a taboo topic for women to share aspects of their birth? With Grace’s openness regarding her anxiety I think this episode will really resonate with any mum that is experiencing anxiety for the first time or if anxiety has escalated since becoming a mum. To read more about Grace and her beauty and fashion tips head over to her website: http://www.facesbygrace.com Thank you to everyone that messaged me with such lovely comments on my first episode with Jess. If you are enjoying the episodes please rate and review and share! Thank you for listening. To message me please visit: http://www.forallmumkind.ie

In this latest episode Pamela speaks to Jen Crawford of Doulacare Ireland.  Jen has immersed herself in motherhood with her own three children, as an ante natal educator, breastfeeding counselor and a doula. Jen shares with me her motherhood journey with her three smallies, from the differences between their births, feeding and to finding a work life balance. Jen is best described as a ray of sunshine, she brought positivity to even the most difficult of challenges she was faced with when her daughter Kayla was born with a cleft palate.  Jen had breastfed her two boys and had planned to feed with Kayla but unfortunately that wasn’t possible. Determined, Jen began to express milk for Kayla and continues to pump exclusively to this day over a year after she was born. Thank you to Jen for speaking to me and if you would like more information on Doulacare Ireland you will find them here: https://www.doulacare.ie Other resources mentioned in this episode: Baby Wearing Ireland: http://www.babywearingireland.ie Extended Breastfeeding In Ireland Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/extendedbreastfeedinginireland/ NewMammies in Ireland Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/NewMammiesIrl/ If you are enjoying the series so far please let me know on Instagram and don’t forget to rate and review and share with all your mum friends. As always thank you for listening. Pamela Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

In this latest episode Pamela speaks to journalist, broadcaster, MC and mum to Ferdia & Oscar… it’s Deirdre O’Shaughnessy. Dee very honestly discusses her two births and the startling differences between them. Having practiced the Gentle Birth Method during her first pregnancy Dee shares how she used the method, albeit briefly, during her surprisingly fast labour with Ferdia. With her second pregnancy Dee’s own intuition told her that it wasn’t going to be a straight forward birth and at 36 weeks asked her own mum to stay with her in case an early arrival was imminent. Once Dee began to feel the early signs of labour, herself and her husband depart for the hospital only for her maternal instincts to become true. Dee is very passionate about breastfeeding and we discuss the support role the HSE should and can provide to new mums. Starting with improving the meals provided during your maternity stays, paediatric tongue tie checks before mum and baby leave the hospital and additional at-home support. As a new mum it’s often difficult to recognise unusual behaviour with your baby, as you may think that it is normal behaviour as we know no different. Dee shares with me how Ferdia was undiagnosed with reflux and CPMI for over a year and at one moment was told it was “a laundry issue not a medical issue.” Dee’s wit and west cork charm makes this a very light hearted chat about motherhood but as we all know parenthood has it’s ups and downs. To read more from Deirdre check out her website: https://deshocks.com Resources mentioned in this episode: Surviving Reflux Ireland: Dealing with Reflux, Colic, CMSPI & Gi Issues https://www.facebook.com/groups/RefluxIreland/ Dr. Justin Roche, The Tongue Tie Clinic https://www.drjustinroche.com

Aoibhín is a new mom with many strings to her bow. She began her career as an actor threading the boards at home and away while also becoming a regular on the small screen. She has since become one of Ireland’s most familiar faces adding presenter, voice over artist, entrepreneur and wellness advocate to her cv but admits her most exciting and rewarding role of all is new mom to baby Hanorah. Summer 2018 brought with it one of the hottest Irish summers on record, myself and Aoibhin were both pregnant during this summer and we share our survival stories. Aoibhin shares with me that Hanorah was born on the hottest day of the year and when Hanorah came home the biggest challenge was keeping the house cool - an unusual challenge to have to face in Ireland! One of my favourite quotes from this episode is when Aoibhin shares her insight on social media ‘comparison is the thief of joy’ , as a new mum I think we can often find ourselves comparing ourselves to other mums and its so important to remember you are on your own path in life. You do you, everyone else is taken! As a freelancer Aoibhin didn’t have a maternity leave like a-lot of us mums would have and finding a work life balance was difficult. We discuss is the idea of women juggling it all putting an unnecessary pressure on us? Aoibhin’s down to earth attitude and glass half full outlook creates a heartfelt and honest episode on motherhood. For further information on Beo Wellness please head to: https://beowellness.ie If you are enjoying the series so far please let me know on Instagram and don’t forget to rate and review and share with your mum friends. As always thank you for listening. Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

New Episode with Lucy Wolfe This week I am joined down the line from her home in Cork by full time sleep consultant and mother of four, Lucy Wolfe. Many of you will know Lucy from her appearances on Virgin Media’s Morning Show and from her book - or bible to some parents - The Baby Sleep Solution. Lucy takes the science of sleep seriously and has helped countless parents both directly and indirectly to help them create better sleep patterns for their children. Lucy however wasn’t always a sleep consultant and she tells me about how her experience with her first child led her into her current field of work. Lucy shares with me a mix of tips as to how to achieve better and longer sleep with your child and reveals some amusing anecdotes about her own journey through motherhood. Myself and my husband have both read and practice the guidelines in Lucy’s book and they have worked for us with Alice so I was delighted when Lucy agreed to record a podcast with me. I found her to be a warm and engaging speaker and I hope that if anyone is struggling with sleep that this episode is a help to you. Lucy’s website is: https://sleepmatters.ie And she also posts regularly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucywolfesleep Due to a scheduling clash Lucy and I were unfortunately not able to meet in studio so this podcast was recorded over Skype. This however means the recording standard is not necessarily to the quality that I would usually aim for and I hope that this does not diminish your enjoyment of the podcast. Over the past couple of weeks the podcast has gained many new listeners and I would love to hear your thoughts. Some of you have introduced yourself on Instagram but I love to hear your feedback so please keep it coming. As always thank you for listening and don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so the podcast can reach as many mums as possible. Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Welcome to the seventh episode of the podcast! Thank you to everyone that has been listening, messaging me and sharing the podcast. The response has been overwhelming and I am beaming with delight that the episodes are resonating with mums. This week I chat to Emma Dowling of Empowered Mama. Emma is a Pre and Post Natal Strength and Fitness coach, she is mum to Jacob, an entrepreneur and a believer in finding your inner power. Emma and I chat about celebrating the female body, speaking to your body as if she was your best friend and referring to your body as “her”. These small changes can change your mindset towards your body. Emma shares her thoughts on ‘bouncing back’ after having a baby and how we need to celebrate our new bodies. We also discuss how self care for all mums is so important and Emma shares that her self care is giving herself permission to rest, so she naps when Jacob naps without feeling guilty that the house is a mess. Emma also talks about her decision to bottle feed Jacob. As a health professional she knows that breastfeeding is best but she knew for her own mental health bottle feeding is what she needed to do. Emma found the thought of feeding being solely her responsibility a huge pressure and she couldn’t do it. Whether mums bottle or breast feed each mum needs love and support on their journey and every journey is individual to that mum. On a personal note I think this is a really beautiful episode, how Emma encourages woman to find their inner power, how to love their bodies by making a few small changes and her absolute honesty in what she needed to be a happy mum! Thank you to Emma for joining me for a chat and I hope you enjoy the episode. During this episode I refer to Orlaith Donlon [https://www.instagram.com/orlaithdonlon/] and Emma mentions Sarah from The Better Life Project [http://www.thebetterlifeproject.ie]. If you would like more information on Emma and her pre & post natal strength & fitness classes please visit her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empowered_mama_/ Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

In the eighth episode of the podcast I am joined by food writer, photographer and mother of three Lilly Higgins. I have known Lilly for nearly ten years through Twitter and Instagram, but this was the first time I had the pleasure to meet Lilly, and to use her own words back at her: she does not disappoint. Lilly comes from a large family and we talk about how this shaped her as a mother. Being able to cope with the chaos is a valuable skill in motherhood. Being a freelance food journalist Lilly talks about how on her first pregnancy she found the work/life balance difficult to cope with. But that was nothing compared to adding a second and then a third child to the family.* Best known for her love of food (honestly her carrot cake recipe is one of the best!) Lilly is surprisingly easy going when it comes to the issue of weaning. She believes whatever method best suits your baby is the one that ultimately is going to work for you. Although you should probably start with the carrots before moving on to the cake. We also touch on the issue of hospital food and how the necessary support and nourishment in those key early days of becoming a mum is severely lacking in the hospital canteens across Ireland. Lilly’s enthusiasm is infectious and the laughs came thick and fast. Her love of her children shines through the whole podcast and I hope you enjoy this warm and lighthearted episode. To see Lilly’s stunning food photography check out her Instagram, and be sure to watch her stories for the real behind the scenes look into family life: https://www.instagram.com/lilly_higgins_/ ~ Pamela *Lilly references the book Coping With Two by Simon Cave which is available to buy from Easons here: https://www.easons.com/coping-with-two-simone-cave-9781848508125 Subscribe to For All Mum Kind on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen to For All Mum Kind Kind on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Aisling Drummond is one of my oldest and dearest friends who’s path to motherhood is an unusual one. Just weeks after her wedding Aisling was diagnosed with a BRCA gene mutation - the gene which leads to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer - and Aisling’s whole planned timeline of life events was thrown into disarray. At the time Aisling had just bought a house in Dublin, was happily working in hospitality and looking forward to starting life as newlyweds. And just over a year later she found herself quitting her job, living in west Cork and the mother to her beautiful son Toby. In this episode Aisling talks both candidly and bravely about the life choices that she made during this time, her long protracted labour which scarred her both physically and mentally and how she lived with pain for almost a year after giving birth. We also talk about her journey through breastfeeding and a regular topic on this podcast, tongue tie and how it almost robbed her of the first few months with her son. But despite all this Aisling is one of the most positive and relaxed mums that I know, and anyone who follows her story on Instagram will have seen her great adventures with Toby wether its playing in streams or discovering new foods while baby led weaning. Aisling has recently taken the huge leap in becoming self employed and we talk about how this is possibly Aisling’s biggest step towards self care along with being a Marie Keating Foundation peer to peer supporter, helping others who have been given similar diagnosis to herself. I hope you find this frank and honest episode as interesting and affirming as I did, and that if any of the issues raised feel familiar to what your experience may have been or may still be, it gives you the confidence that you are not alone and their is support out there. To continue Aisling’s story please head over to her blog or her Instagram: http://lifeisbothamajorandaminorkey.com https://www.instagram.com/lifeisbothamajorandaminorkey/ To see the work that the Marie Keating foundation does please head to: https://www.mariekeating.ie Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

When I first saw Emma Carpenter’s (aka this_mama_doodles) brutally honest take on motherhood as depicted in her artwork that she shares on Instagram, I knew I had to have her on the podcast. What I didn’t know at the time was that not only is Emma an amazing artist, she is also a midwife and an enthusiastic and eloquent speaker who made a truly excellent guest. Just like her drawings, Emma’s views on parenting do not come sugar coated. She shares what it is truly like to be a mother, hairy legs and all. There is no pretence and no pretending that motherhood isn’t anything but hard. But she does it with a sense of humour and a dry wit that cuts straight to the point. Emma describes her start to motherhood as nothing short of ‘catastrophic’. Her pregnancy was littered with illnesses and food aversions and at one point she even went blind! Through her teens Emma struggled with an eating disorder so she knew she would be in the high risk category for postnatal depression, and despite trying to prepare herself and her family for a bumpy road ahead she was still taken completely off guard by the crushing anxiety and extreme loneliness that followed the birth of her son Jack. Now however Emma finds herself in good mental health and is able to reflect through her art the daily struggles of parent life, body image and her relationship with her husband and child. And with baby number two on the way I can’t wish Emma enough health and happiness over the exciting months ahead. I hope you enjoy the episode. Pamela x To see Emma’s artwork please follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/this_mama_doodles/ Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Kathy Milliken of Bump, Baby & Me lives and breathes all things baby and motherhood. Even before she became a mother to two beautiful girls herself, she was already helping mums with their pregnancy journeys with pre and postnatal yoga & massage classes. Kathy is now also a GentleBirth instructor, she’s training as a breastfeeding counsellor, she blogs on motherhood and is currently setting up a series of workshops to support women through this transitional time - she is one busy lady! But thankfully she found time in her schedule to sit down with me for a chat about her own experiences of becoming a mum and her thoughts on motherhood on the whole. You’ll find Kathy to be an impassioned, knowledgeable and powerful speaker about motherhood and womankind. In this episode we talk about how she found her own path to being a mother to be very transitional and that it doesn’t always go how we envisioned it be - and the fact that our parenting goals and achievements are so constantly shifting is totally normal and ok. We are all just doing our best and need time to learn the new skills of being a mother. We discuss Kathy’s two very different births and how after her first labour was a caesarean, she fought for her second to be a natural birth. And how the phrase “once a caesarean always a caesarean” doesn’t have to be true. Even if her second daughter almost ended up as an unplanned home birth when things moved much quicker than she expected it to! We talk about the need for rest and nourishment during the 4th trimester and how Kathy used the excellent website Meal Train (https://www.mealtrain.com) to get her whole support network involved in this period. The difficulties of breastfeeding, and all types of feeding for that matter, and how important it is to get the best information and understanding so you can achieve a feeding method that best suits you and your baby. All before things take an emotional turn when we talk about how mums need to remember to take care of themselves through all of the chaos. Kathy is currently curating a series of Empowering Parents Workshops that will cover all manner of subjects from child behaviour to first aid for newborns. The workshops start in June and if you would like to find out more you can find a list of events on her website: http://www.bumpbabyandme.ie I hope you enjoy the episode. Pamela x To read the full piece of Kathy's that I quoted from in this episode please head to my website: https://www.forallmumkind.ie/2019/episode11kathymilliken Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Emma O’Leary is a Clare lady who has found her home in the heart of Dublin with her husband Michael and three boys, Luke, Olly and Andy. She is a speech and language therapist but most will know her from her parent and lifestyle blog Life With Tiny Humans: http://lifewithtinyhumans.com Emma’s honest, tongue in cheek and unfiltered accounts of motherhood have gained her a loyal following (including her No. 1 fan her own Mother) of which I am one, so I was delighted that she agreed to be my final guest of the first season of For All Mum Kind. Although she has lived in Dublin for the past 13 years, Emma has lost none of her west coast charm and finds the funny side in all things mummy related. Even when on each of her pregnancies she was struck down with debilitating bouts of hyperemesis, Emma still manages to find the light. Perhaps her sunny yet sardonic take on motherhood came from her own mother who is still a massive support to her and we discuss how her own childhood shaped her and allowed her to become her own children’s “best toy.” Emma shares with me her thoughts on body image, how the step up from two kids to three was almost more then they could chew, as well as sharing her own birth stories and how she didn’t let labour get in the way of the pull of Gilmore Girls and good Chinese! Emma is an absolute hoot and I loved recording this episode, and I hope you all enjoy listening to it. I plan to take a short break now and would like to thank all the mums who took time out of their busy schedules to come and have the chats with me. I also want to thank everyone who has listened and a special thanks to those who make the effort to reach out to me. The response to the first series has been staggering. I went into this process thinking that if I just help one mum then it would be worth doing, so to hear from so many was nothing short of overwhelming, so thank you! If you want to keep the discussion going please follow me on Instagram to see my adventures with Alice over the summer and to see what I have planned for the future of For All Mum Kind: https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind/ Thanks again Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

I am delighted to let you all know that after a short summer break, the For All Mum Kind Podcast will return for its second series on August 25th to mark 1 year since I myself became a mum. Join me, Pamela, over the next few weeks as I chat to new group of amazing Irish mums about their experiences of becoming mothers. Each Sunday I’ll be joined by mums from all walks of life, from the fashion industry, media, the world of fitness, as well as baby experts giving their tips and honest accounts of what it’s really like to be a mum. In the meantime head over to my Instagram account, ForAllMumKind, where I am currently running a competition to win a mum & baby hamper to celebrate the launch of the second season and to thank you all for your support. Make sure you are subscribed to the For All Mum Kind feed on your podcast provider of choice so you’ll receive every episode automatically every week. As always thanks for listening and for all your lovely reviews and comments. And I’ll see you next week for the first episode of Season 2 with Irish designer Emma Manley. ................................................... COMPETITION DETAILS I have collaborated with some of my favourite brands and products to bring you a competition! To win these five mum and baby products: @Bellababystores Clouds 3 in 1 Travel Cot @Elvie Pelvic Floor Trainer @my_expertmidwifeireland Mum and Baby Hamper @gillbooks @Lucywolfesleep The Baby Sleep Solution & Aileen Cox Blundell The @Babyledfeeding Cookbook and The Baby Friendly Family Cookbook @Drbronner Baby Mild Range Hamper @presencepr ................................................... Entering is easy… 1. Like the Series 2 announcement post on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B1UPi1XHwv0/ 2. Make sure you are following @forallmumkind and @Bellababystores 3. Tag a friend who you think would love this prize and you can enter as many times as you like. One comment equals one entry. The winner will be chosen at random on Sunday 25th August 2019. ROI Entries Only. T & C's Apply. Thank you to all the brands for their support.

Today’s episode with designer Emma Manley is a special one as not only is it the launch of Series 2 of the For All Mum Kind Podcast, it also marks one year since I myself became a mum. If you had told me a year ago that not only would I have a gorgeous, thriving baby girl but that I would be starting the second series of my own podcast, I would have told you that you have the wrong Pamela. But what a year it has been and I have enjoyed every - well nearly every - minute of motherhood and being able to share those experiences with you and the other mums that I have interviewed. And what better way to end a weekend of celebrating my little girl than with launching a brand new series…. In this launch episode I am joined for the first time by not one but two guests, the delightful fashion designer and entrepreneur Emma Manley and also her 5 month old son Tadhg. Both were charming guests and occasionally as chatty as each other! As Emma is a fashion designer of course pregnancy chic was top of the agenda. Emma very much believes in sustainable fashion and being able to keep your own style throughout pregnancy and beyond and despite a few early mishaps - tight leather skirts are a definite early pregnancy no no - watch this space for some new Manley pieces inspired by her journey so far. Being self employed returning to work as early as possible was a necessity for Emma. And despite the obvious wrench of being away from your child, Emma found the process of returning to her creative space to be rewarding as well as challenging. Despite an uneventful pregnancy Emma’s birth story was anything but. When her waters broke five weeks early her well thought out birth plan was cast aside as she put herself in the hands of the medical service. As a first time mum she talks about the naivety we all share on our first birth and how she is now a firm believer in the epidural. I want to thank Emma and Tadhg for taking the time to come talk to me. If you would like to see Emma’s designs please go to her website: https://www.manley.ie Or look out for one of her Irish designer pop-up stores "Bloss" https://www.manley.ie If you want to keep the discussion going please follow me on Instagram and as always thanks for listening. Pamela x

With most kids returning to school this week, we as parents are often worried about how they will cope in their new environments. Will they make new friends easily? Do they have the mental toughness to take any criticism? Are they spending too much time looking at screens and how is that affecting them? Fiona Forman is a leading expert in childhood wellbeing. She has over 30 years experience as a primary school teacher, a masters in Positive Psychology and is the co-creator of the Weaving Wellbeing Programme and in this podcast we discuss some of the key components as to how this programme works to build positive mental attachments in the children she works with. Wellbeing has become a buzzword over the past few years. And while we are often concerned about our own mental health, are we paying enough attention to our children’s mental coping skills? With so many new pressures on our children from social media, technology and simply genetics it is so important to be acutely aware of the role that we play as the main adult in their lives. Fiona believes that even in today’s busy lifestyles that every “micro-moment” we spend with our kids can be spent being a positive role model. Anxiety and mental health issues are on the rise in Irish children and Fiona tells me how to identify and label these emotions to normalise them and in turn build up coping mechanism that your child can take on in later life. We also talk about the ‘Self Esteem Movement” and how sometimes despite our own intuition, constant praise and can actually be detrimental to their development as they fail to build up the necessary resilience to cope with what the world will throw their way later in life . I found Fiona to be a fascinating guest and her advice and knowledge will definitely influence my own parenting style as Alice gets older. To read more on the Weaving Wellbeing Programme please check out the website here: http://weavingwellbeing.com If you want to keep the discussion going please follow me on Instagram and thanks as always for listening. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

TV Chef and author Sophie Morris is a new mum who’s not afraid to tell it how it is when it comes to motherhood. As a nutrition coach who specialises in baby & child nutrition she knows the importance of giving your child the best start in their food journey. But it was Sophies’ difficult start to her motherhood journey that first bought her to my attention. Sophie was a young and healthy women and after seeing her friends around her having babies she naturally thought that once she started trying herself she would soon have an adorable baby in her arms. But after a year of counting and measuring her cycles Sophie and her partner were still no closer. She felt alone and at her wits end. But once she opened up to her close friends she soon realised that nearly all had a similar story of how difficult they found it to get pregnant. Sophie couldn’t believe the secrecy that existed around fertility and vowed to not be another quiet voice. Eventually Sophie fell pregnant and she now has a beautiful baby boy Wrio. Despite feeling terrible anxiety through her pregnancy about the precious cargo she was carrying, when it came time for her body to enter the birthing stage, although quicker than she had anticipated, she was overwhelmed by the instinctive strength of the female body. Although nothing could prepare Sophie for the equally huge challenge of the first few months of sleep deprivation that left her exhausted, disoriented and her tank empty. Sophies’ honesty about the difficulties she faced during this period is as refreshing as it is brutal. Obviously food plays a massive part in Sophie’s life and she has thrown herself feet first at introducing Wrio to the wonderful world of food. Many of her recipes and guides can be found in her Instagram Stories: https://www.instagram.com/sophie_morris/ They are well worth checking out and you can visit her website here: https://www.sophiesnutrition.com Thanks as always for listening and if you would like to keep the discussion going please follow me on Instagram and thanks as always for listening. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Ollwyn Moran is the face and brains behind Irish baby brand CogniKids. A company that is dedicated to supporting child & baby development through its range of innovative products. As a former teacher and now neurological development therapist Ollwyn is passionate about healthy brain and body development in children and her enthusiasm and knowledge is packed into her products: Dip, Grip, Sip, Crawl & Sooth. Not only is Ollwyn a superb inventor and entrepreneur, she is also a great speaker and activist on all things baby development and she made for a fascinating and entertaining guest. When both of her boys were born prematurely Ollwyn knew that they were at higher risk for having developmental issues in their future. And spotting that our home lifestyles and furnishings (carpets were out and wood floors and tiles were in) she saw the need for a product that could help kids to crawl, and that is how CogniKids was born. For Ollwyn crawling is one of the key touchstones in early brain stimulation and advancement. She is passionate that not only should kids crawl but they should do so properly to ensure both sides of the brain are being used. Too often she see parents unwittingly relying on walkers and door bouncers that she sees as detrimental to child development, so much so that they are banned in other countries and we discuss why that is so. Screens are also another bugbear of Ollwyn’s. We talk about how babies brains are not able to cope with all the flashing images that gadgets such as iPads and phones bombard the eyes with. And although you think you may be soothing your baby, actually you are just “zombifying” them and wiring them for addiction problems in later life. Ollwyn is so passionate about this she even took Dundrum shopping centre to task for the use of screens throughout their premises. We also discuss Ollwyn’s family life and how she as a single mother chose to raise her two boys in a very open household where no subject was off the table. As long as they have done their chores first that is! And we talk about how Ollwyn is able, or is not able, to juggle her business and children to find a work/life balance, or integration as she calls it. I honestly could have talked to Ollwyn for hours. Her insightfulness and knowledge about how the brain works and needs to be exercised in the right ways is just fascinating. And I was so glad that I found her Instagram stories when Alice was only just born. They were a fantastic source of knowledge from do’s and don’ts to sensory DIY tips using everyday household items and I encourage you all to check them out here: https://www.instagram.com/ollwynmoran/?hl=en And check out Ollwyn's range of products on the CogniKids website here: https://cognikids.com/ Thanks as always for listening and if you would like to keep the discussion going please follow me on Instagram and thanks as always for listening. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Amy De Bhrún is an actress, writer and voice over artist who has appeared on stage and screen. But she is now taking on her biggest role yet: Motherhood. There are no auditions, there is no rehearsals and more than likely things will not stick to the script. Amy joined me in studio with her beautiful baby girl Billie who, at just two months old was the perfect (and possibly cutest) guest. Amy is just finding her feet as a mother, although she has had plenty of practice as one of five sisters who all have children. But she still wasn’t prepared for that overwhelming feeling when it came time to take Billie home from the hospital. Amy found the early stages of pregnancy to be a tough slog. Hit by bouts of morning sickness - or all day sickness - and having to continue to work and audition right up to the final few weeks certainly took its toll. She didn’t have it easy when it came to her labour either. A virus meant that Billie was born by emergency caesarian. Trusting herself in the hands of the professionals Amy was faced with some tough decisions in those first few hours regarding feeding and the wellness of her child. Yoga has always been a big feature of Amy’s self care regime and it has helped her both pre and post birth to find the calm in the day as well as to become a better actress. Her self penned play I See You celebrates the life of Lady Mary Heath, a forgotten female pioneer of the aviation industry. She was performing the play while pregnant with Billie and she hopes that some of the words of empowerment resonated with her unborn daughter as much as they did with her. And we muse on how life will be for our daughters as they grow up in modern Ireland. Thank you to Amy for taking the time to meet with me, and for bringing Billie so I could get some baby cuddles. If you would like to see some of Amy’s repertoire please head to her website: https://www.amydebhrun.net Or check out her stunning Instagram feed: https://www.instagram.com/amydebhrun/ Thanks as always for listening and if you would like to keep the discussion going please follow me on Instagram and thanks as always for listening. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Oh. My God! This week I am joined by author, journalist and mother of three Sarah Breen. Sarah is one half of the creative team behind the award winning ‘Aisling’ series of novels. As a former country girl in the city myself, I have laughed and cried my way through both Aisling books so far and can’t wait to see her adventures in book number three: Once, Twice, Three Time an Aisling. And I equally couldn’t wait to hear Sarah’s take on motherhood, and she didn’t disappoint. Sarah’s first child was born in Arizona and Sarah elected to forgo the American hospital system and chose a natural birth centre called the Baby Moon Inn. And it was fascinating to hear how it compared to Sarah’s Irish labours. Especially in regards to the amount of post birth support she was given. Sarah was determined to breastfeed and despite facing early issues (a front and back tongue tie) she persevered and fed her first child up to her third birthday. With three babies and books under her belt I wondered how Sarah found a balance in her life and she fully admits that at the minute her life is very unbalanced and she often finds herself up to 2am in the morning “typing away like a vampire.” Although there’s nothing a good long shower can’t fix - something we both agree on. And of course we talk about her other creation: Aisling and what she would be like as a mother. Although Sarah was keeping tight lipped about what lies in the future for Aisling in both book form and screen, I think we would all agree that Aisling would enjoy organising all the baby clothes! Sarah is super busy at the moment and I was so grateful she agreed to chat with me right in the middle of her hectic press schedule. The latest Aisling book along with the previous books 'Oh My God What a Complete Aisling' and 'The Importance of Being Aisling' are available from all book shops. And you can follow Sarah on her Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjaybee/ Thanks as always for listening and if you would like to keep the discussion going please follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind/ If you are enjoying the series so far please take the time to rate and review me on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners and new mums to find me. Thanks! Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Deirdre Kingston is a communications officer at a health charity, a Labour Party councillor and one of my oldest, dearest friends. In fact she was actually a bridesmaid at my wedding. She is a mum to a beautiful boy Abe and is expecting her second child in January and I couldn't be happier for her. What makes me less happy however - well, not at all happy actually - was seeing Deirdre appear in the papers this summer when she announced that she would not be going ahead as a Labour Party candidate for the next general election, a career that she has been working towards for many years, as she did not feel that she was supported as mother or as a women by the current political system. In this episode I talk to Deirdre about why she felt she had to make that choice. How the system and the constitution is failing women looking to get into politics and how it is inevitable that the Dáil will always be weighted towards men. We also discuss how a few simple tweaks to the health system could help thousands of women to successfully and confidently breastfeed. And also about the pressures put on new parents both emotionally and financially to get access to adequate childcare. An area we are falling way behind on compared to our European neighbours. And of course I chat to Dee about how she has changed since becoming a mother. The intensity, the joy and the fears of those first few months and what learnings she will take from her first pregnancy into this new one. It was fantastic as always to catch up with Dee and see her in all her stunning bump glory and I can’t wait to meet the little person that is growing inside of her in the new year. If you want to read more about what Deirdre does with the Labour Party you can visit her website or she she can be contacted through her Twitter, details of which are below: https://www.labour.ie/deirdrekingston https://twitter.com/deirdrekingston Thanks as always for listening and if you would like to keep the discussion going please follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind/ I received some lovely messages this week about the podcast and I thank everyone who takes the time to message me - it really does make a difference. If you are enjoying the series so far please take the time to rate and review me on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners and new mums to find me. Thanks! Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Aoife Hearne is a well known face from our TV screens as the resident dietician on RTÉ’s annual must-watch-show Operation Transformation. In her daily life she is a registered dietician, author of The Plan and mother of three to Dylan, Alva & baby Zoë. Aoife took the time out of her hectic schedule to sit down with me and chat about her own challenges throughout pregnancy and juggling a career and three kids. As well as sharing her tips for new mums looking to keep a balanced diet and the importance of breastfeeding, of which she is a huge advocate. Aoife was an only child but was always drawn towards larger families, so it was of no surprise that she would have more than one child. Although she didn’t have it completely easy. After ending up “walking like an old woman” on her first pregnancy Aoife was diagnosed with SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) putting her usually active lifestyle on pause. In fact she is only just getting back to running now. After her second child went for months with undiagnosed tongue tie Aoife’s whole body crashed. She suspected herself to have PND but in fact she was suffering from an autoimmune disease. With her thyroid levels now needing to be managed by medication Aoife struggled to find the support she needed to continue her breastfeeding journey with most physicians simply telling her to stop. As a dietician who knows the importance of breastfeeding this was not an option for her and we discuss what can be done by the HSE to better support women who want to breastfeed and not let such simply corrected things as tongue tie rob new mums of this experience. Aoife not only believes in a balanced diet, she also believes in a balanced life. She too often sees the constant “pursuit of perfection” as a path to failure. And we talk about how she learnt in her own life to let things slide and to juggle whatever motherhood sends your way. And of course Aoife shares some simple tips on how mums can try to stay healthy through those first hectic weeks after childbirth. I promise you will never look at a pizza cutter the same way again! Aoife is as delightful and charming as she is in on Operation Transformation and it was an absolute pleasure meeting her. And just like on the TV show we even share a few tears. To read more about Aoife’s workshops and programmes, or to order her book The Plan please visit her website or follow her over on Twitter. http://www.aoifehearne.ie https://twitter.com/deisedietitian Thank you to everyone who is listening and if you would like to keep the discussion going please follow me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind/ I have received more feedback this week on the show that really makes it all worthwhile and even got to meet some of you at the Dingle Food Festival. If you are enjoying the series please share it with your friends, especially those who are expecting. And if you have the time please rate and review me on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. Thanks! Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Packing your hospital bag can be a very daunting task for any new mum. Will my bag be big enough for everything? What if I don’t have all the essentials that I am going to need? What if my partner can’t find the right outfit for the birth? And when will I get the time to buy and pack all of this? Mother of three Siobhán Stack faced all of these questions and while on her second pregnancy as she trudged back from the chemist with two plastic bags full of “those green pads” in arms she decided to do something about it. And that was the genesis of her company Ulluv which designs bespoke pre-packed hospital bags to make mum’s lives easier. Siobhán’s bags are not only practical they are also beautiful and she has since added a range of nappy bags and overnight bags to the range. So naturally with the hospital bag expert on the show I had to ask her what are the essentials that must be in every bag? The simplicity of her answer may surprise some of you, especially as some of the lists you see on Pinterest and the like can be the length of your arm! With three kids all very close in age and setting up a new business Siobhán admits she found the early days of motherhood all a bit of a fog. Especially as she found herself in a different county away from all the usual support networks. But with a little preparation (Ulluv is the Irish word for prepare after all) she has learned ways to turn her frenetic household into a somewhat efficient one. Raising three children comes with different challenges, especially as each child comes with their own personalities. Siobhán tells me how she communicates differently with each of her children. But at the end of the day all that they really need is you and your presence. It was truly fascinating meeting Siobhán and listening to how she has grown as a mother and business woman over the last few years and she shares some tips that may help anyone listening who has their own business idea burning away in the back of their mind. To check out Siobhán’s current range of bags either for yourself or as a gift please head to her website: https://ulluv.com Thank you to everyone who is listening and if you would like to keep the discussion going please follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind/ If you are enjoying the series please share it with your friends, especially those who are expecting. And if you have the time please rate and review me on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. Thanks! Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Denise Phillips is a mum to Beth and stepmum to Ellie, an award winning hair stylist and she has recently launched her own range of hair styling tools. She shot into the public conscious a few years ago when she bravely and candidly went on record to talk about her infertility. As someone who went through my own fertility story I was delighted when Denise agreed to be on the podcast and share her experiences of going through IVF as well as finally becoming a mum. At the age of 25 Denise had never had a regular period and after many years of tests and being prodded and poked she was finally diagnosed as infertile. At that stage she didn’t even know if IVF would work for her. Several rounds of IUI and IVF later and Denise was still no closer to being pregnant. This put a massive strain on her financially, emotionally, physically and almost caused her to split with her partner. Then on her 30th birthday she finally got the news she so desired - she was pregnant. By this stage Denise was a “fertility expert” and she explains on the podcast the difference in the treatments that are available. We also discuss how far Ireland is lacking behind in fertility compared to the rest of Europe. Did you know that it is only Ireland and Lithuania who do not class infertility as a disease and thus offer no financial assistance? We also talk about why women who have IVF are four times more likely to suffer with post natal depression. Denise’s honesty and openness is so refreshing. She has no qualms in crashing through the stigma that surrounds fertility. Although she admits that “nobody wants to share their failures” she realises the importance of opening up this conversation so that anybody else out there who is struggling with their own fertility will know that they are not alone. And for this I thank you Denise. To follow her and her daughter Beth’s story further please check out her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milliondollarbaby_ivf/ A quick note on the recording quality of this podcast: I met Denise at her salon in Newbridge on quite possibly the rainiest morning on record and you can hear the rain hammering away in the background. So if you hear a faint - and sometimes not so faint - hiss don’t worry, your earphones are not broken! Thanks as always for listening and if you want to talk further about any of the topics on this podcast please feel free to message me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind/ If you are enjoying the series please share it with your friends, especially any soon to be new mums or those who may be struggling with their own experience. And if you have the time please rate and review me on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. Thanks! Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Life coach Sarah Doyle is a self employed new mum of one. In her Empowered Women Workshops she has coached hundreds of women to achieve happiness, health, success and confidence. But when it came to her own matrescence she freely admits to finding motherhood both physically and emotionally challenging. After her first pregnancy sadly ended in miscarriage Sarah was naturally a very anxious expectant mother. Sarah employed a doula to help her throughout her labour and this coupled with adherence to the hypnobirthing technique enabled Sarah to have a vaginal birth to a beautiful 11.5lb baby boy Billy. Yes, you read that correctly. 11.5lb. After a week at home Sarah and her partner felt that Billy wasn’t behaving as normal. As a precaution they took him into Temple Street but nothing could have prepared them for what happened next. Billy started to have an apnea episode and before Sarah could even register what was happening nurses where performing CPR poor Billy right in front of her. This is quite possibly one of the most harrowing stories I’ve heard on the podcast and it will have you all looking for the nearest paediatric CPR classes in your area. Sarah is a breastfeeding advocate and still loves to feed Billy to this day. But she, like so many others, struggled with the lack of freedom and “relentless nature”of the two hour feeding cycles. She also found the judgment and criticism that can exist around breastfeeding vs bottle feeding a bitter and unnecessary pill to swallow. I also talk to Sarah about returning to work and her postpartum body. In both of these areas I found Sarah’s honesty and insight to be enlightening. She does not profess to have all (or any) of the answers but she does bestow the virtues of being kind to yourself, taking things slowly and leaning into both the good and the bad. I think we can all take something from that. To read more about Sarah’s work, find out about her next workshops or to buy her 12 week ‘How To Be Your Best Friend’ Journal please check out her website: http://www.thebetterlifeproject.ie Or to see more from her daily life you can also find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thebetterlifeproject/ Thanks as always for listening and for your messages and questions about the podcast. As always I am available to message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind/ Please keep spreading the word of the podcast to anyone you think may enjoy it or it may help. And if you have the time please rate and review me on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. Thanks! Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

For my last episode of this series I was delighted to be joined by Cliona O'Connor (formerly LeanMeanMomma) and I couldn’t have asked for a more delightful guest on which to end with. For those who don’t know Cliona, she is a multi award winning blogger, content creator and mom from Cork. To the already initiated she is an essential voice in the social media space, from her excellent family recipes to her exemplary sense of style. In person she did not disappoint. She is exactly like she is in her stories, humble, witty and we could have talked for hours mum to mum. As a mother of four, time management is key in Cliona’s household. Exercise is essential to her for both body and mind, in fact she fully admits that she would not be able to function without it. So trying fit that in between work commitments and the day to day carnage of family life is a daily challenge. Food plays a huge part in Cliona’s domestic and work life. From the outside looking in, it looks as if she has cracked the code as to how to get kids to eat healthily. But she is quick to point out that her own children are just as fussy as the rest of us and she is always trying to invent new ways to sneak vegetables into their diet. We also reminisce about Cliona’s early days as a mother and her strict adherence to the text books & methods that nearly sent her potty. She had to learn the hard way just like the rest of us to let go, relax and as long as you are doing everything for your children from a place of love then you are doing the right thing. And if you see another mother in trouble don’t be afraid to lend a helping hand. I cannot thank Cliona enough for her time and for agreeing to record her first ever podcast with me. We could have probably filled a whole episode about our shared passion for Lululemon leggings alone! To follow Cliona’s daily stories please head over to her to her instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clionaoconnor_/ Or check out her brilliant recipes on her blog: https://clionaoconnor.ie This is the last episode of Series 2 of the For All Mum Kind Podcast and I would like to thank all the mums who took the time to chat with me over the past twelve weeks. I have learnt so much from each one of them and I hope you have enjoyed listening to the podcasts as much as I have enjoyed recording them. I plan to take a short break now until early 2020 and in the meantime I would really appreciate if you could continue to share the pod amongst your mum groups and beyond. And if you have the time please rate and review me on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods as it really helps with the discoverability of the pod for any new mums out there. Finally if you wish to get in touch with me please DM me on my Instagram channel: https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind/ Thanks and see you in the new year! Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Series 3 of the For All Mum Kind podcast will return next Sunday 22nd March, Mother’s Day. However, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. I have decided to release the first six episodes of the series on Sunday. This way I hope that if anybody is feeling lonely, isolated, anxious, or all of the above, the podcasts will be there to help you get away from the noise, to take time for yourself and to remember that you are not alone. I have great guests in this series including a doctor, PT & nutritional coach, a weaning expert, a behavioural specialist and of course more genuine chats with real mums about the ups and downs and everything in between of motherhood. As always I hope you enjoy working your way through the episodes as much as I enjoyed recording. And thanks once again to the mums who took the time to chat with me. Series One and Two of the podcast are available to listen now and please share the podcast with any mum or mum to be that would enjoy it. Thanks, Pamela

Welcome to the third series of the For All Mum Kind Podcast. For this series, with all that is going on at the moment, I am doing things a little differently. I am releasing the first six episodes of the series on one day - Mother's Day - so there is plenty of content for you to get away from the noise and enjoy a little escapism. In the first episode I am joined by Eimear Hutchinson of The Two Darlings. Eimear is a Sligo native living in Cork. She is a stay at home mum with four, yes four, girls! Eimear chats to me about being a mum in a busy household, the chaos of getting everyone out the door in the morning and how she finds time for herself in the middle of it all. Four pregnancies later, four caesarean sections, Eimear is focusing now on restoring her body in particular her stomach muscles and how getting out for a run is a part of her self care routine. As a mum of four I ask Eimear which of the phases is the hardest, as she says you can google all you want about naps and feeding habits, but when it comes to the age that you are dealing with emotions, that’s when it gets difficult. Eimear is a joined by her gorgeous daughter Alice for this recording and I was so delighted to meet an other Alice. To read Eimear's blog please go to: https://thetwodarlings.com Or follow her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/eimearhutchinson/ Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Entrepreneur Aoife McDonald owns My Cotton Drawer a sustainable online store that specialises on sustainable products for parents. Aoife is a mum to three boys and she shares her tales of living in a male dominated house, her breastfeeding journey, tough pregnancies and school runs. Aoife chats to me about her breastfeeding journey with her three boys, the first time feeding in public and hitting bumps in the road with tongue tie. Three pregnancies with three boys, Aoife found each of the pregnancies tough, both physically and emotionally. Often feeling like her body has been hit by a train. Now Aoife is balancing her time between school run pick ups and drop offs, utilising her time to the best of her ability and often running her business using an iPad in her car while waiting for the kids. If you have ever considered cloth nappies and lost your way Aoife shares all she knows about choosing the right cloth nappy for you, how to wash and dry them, how to manage while out and about. Please check out My Cotton Drawer here: https://mycottondrawer.com Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Deirdre Holland Hannon is a Behaviour Specialist and a mum to two boys. Myself and Deirdre find common ground on our fertility journeys. Dee shares with me her early diagnose of Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) , how her mum advocated for her to find answers and these answers gave her the power to make decisions early on when it came to conceiving. Dee’s two boys Ned and Billy are quite different with Ned always in fifth gear and Billy absorbing his surroundings from people to information. It surprised Dee how much motherhood changed her in particular how much she is will to sacrifice for the boys. As a behaviour specialist Dee and I discuss some common themes that she assists parents with such as introducing a new baby to a toddler, toilet training and more! You can follow Deirdre on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/deehollhan/ Or read more about her work on her website here: https://deirdrehollandhannon.com Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Siobhan Berry aka Mummy Cooks is one of Ireland’s leading weaning experts, author of two family cook books and mum to two girls Ashleigh and Jessica. Siobhan saw a gap in the market and created a very easy to follow weaning guide, what food to introduce your baby and how to balance feeding with weaning. Siobhan is an advocate of letting the baby lead the way when it comes to weaning, not focusing on either baby led or spoon feed. Siobhan provides great advice on how to avoid creating fussy eaters and introducing foods that contains allergens. We share stories of how Grandparents love the break the rules and be the provider of sugary treats. To read more about Siobhan plan, order her book or just look up some of her fab episodes check out her website: http://www.mummycooks.ie Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Where do I start with Dr Lisa Ní Chuinnegáin Guthrie? She is currently on the frontline in the Emergency Dept of University Hospital Galway, she’s a mum to three and a loyal Mayo supporter. Lisa always has a smile on her face and chatting with her was like chatting to an old friend. Lisa shares her home birth story with me, how she planned it, what her medical peers thought of the home birth and the experience itself! Myself and Lisa shared stories of tongue ties and the impact that it can have on breastfeeding. Due to Lisa’s work commitments in emergency medicine she shares with me how she balances work and mom life. Lisa also shared one of her top parenting tips called the three R’s, what the method is, how and when she uses it. Lisa is a wealth of knowledge and her Instagram feed is a must follow if you have any health related questions. You can find it here: https://www.instagram.com/dr_mammyguthrie/ Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Personal Trainer and Nutritional Coach Jacqui Twohig is a mum to Jack who has recently turned one. Jacqui is originally from Dublin and now lives in Kerry, and we chat about how she created her own support network of friends that help her out. I thoroughly enjoyed Jacqui’s birth story, laughing her way through early labour while watching a Tommy Tiernan DVD. Jacqui personifies a positive mental attitude and she shares interesting insights into how we can work on our mindset. While in labour Jacqui wore a dress rather than a gown or night dress as she felt that dress was empowering. Being a personal trainer Jacqui has great realism around mums returning or beginning a fitness routine. Jacqui’s wise words are that you should never feel like you have to, but rather you should feel that you want to. Jacqui’s positivity is inspiring and her tips on using your mindset in labour or while experiencing lack of sleep are really helpful! To get daily tips and great advice from Jacqui please check out her Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/jacqui.twohig.coaching/ Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Dr. Laura Lenihan, Lucy Wolfe, Joanna Fortune & Kathy Milliken join Pamela to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on families & motherhood. Time Stamps 1:06 - Dr. Laura Lenihan 16:54 - Lucy Wolfe 27:25. - Joanna Fortune 41:07 - Kathy Milliken 50:20 - Guided meditation From speaking to people this week you can hear the anxiousness, worry, concern and overwhelm in their voices relating to impact of Covid-19. We’ve all been impacted in someway and we are all concerned.  This week on the podcast I’ve done things a little bit different, I’m chatting to four mums who are experts in their fields. Dr. Laura Lenihan, who like myself is also pregnant, discusses the new movement restrictions, the changes to maternity services and the impact Covid-19 on the fourth trimester. Sleep expert Lucy Wolfe returns to the podcast to share her knowledge on the impact of stress on sleep, how to use this time at home to improve sleep and guidance on the time change this weekend. Psychotherapist and author of the ‘15 Minute Parenting’, Joanna Fortune, chats with me on blending teaching with playing, parental guilt on screen time and as parents what is the greatest thing we can do now? And finally Kathy Milliken from Bump, Baby & Me shares with me why we need to let go of the ‘should’ and just be in the moment, how to find the positives, and Kathy concludes the episode with a short meditation.  I hope it provides solace, reassurance and information to you during these stressful time. As for the rest of Series 3 I am not sure what the future holds. I know for sure that I will not be able to keep my usual weekly release pattern. Perhaps I will release episodes as and when (and if!) I can record them. Or sadly it may end up being the six episodes I released last weekend. If so I hope you enjoyed listening to them and as always I want to say a massive thank you to all the mums who took the time to chat with me and to all of you who have listened. Stay safe. Stay home. Pamela x For more from this episodes guests please check out the following websites: Dr Laura Lenihan: https://www.instagram.com/drlauragp/?hl=en Lucy Wolfe: https://sleepmatters.ie Joanna Fortune: https://www.instagram.com/joannafortune/?hl=en Kathy Milliken: https://bumpbabyandme.ie Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Season 3 of the For All Mum Kind Podcast returns and I’m delighted to be kicking it all off with hilarious Cork based comedian and mother of two Laura O Mahony. Laura is an absolute riot, and is not one to be scared of sharing her thoughts and experiences of motherhood.   The self proclaimed ‘Queen of the C Section’ Laura is a true advocate of expectant mothers being in control of their labour experience. No matter what that birth looks like, every mother should be armed with the knowledge and the ability to consent to whatever they do and don’t want to happen to their bodies. In her first labour, despite a family history of c-sections, she was guided towards a vaginal birth. Although very uncomfortable with the thought of having a sweep, she still consented because that’s what she felt she was supposed to do. And when the doctors floated the idea of a section they were surprised when she replied “yes please!” Her second, an elective c-section, was more like a tip to the spa with a bit of surgery in the middle. Laura is adamant that mothers should be honest with each other about their experiences. Especially when it comes to breastfeeding. As controversial as it may be, Laura hated the process of breastfeeding and felt massive pressure and guilt about that fact. I love how honest she is about feeling the loss of her own identity as she took on the role of the mother. It is not easy ladies, and if you are struggling you are not the only one out there. As it is now only six weeks or so until we welcome our second child into the world, we discuss what it was like introducing Polly, her little three-nager to her new little brother. And all the tantrums, cake and trips to the park it took to convince her that this was all going to be ok. I really had fun recording this episode and it was just the tonic I needed right now and I hope you feel the same listening to it. If you would like to keep up to date with Laura and her hilarious takes on life you can follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauralolslots/ I will be returning to my usual weekly release pattern for the rest of this season, so look for a new episode landing every Sunday morning. Don’t forget to let me know if you enjoyed it and share the episode with your other mum friends. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Blogger, travel enthusiast and mother to three (and one angel), Aoife Bermingham joins me on this week’s episode of the podcast. Most will know her from her Mum On The Run blog or her Instagram full of stunning and motivational early morning swims. Aoife was inspiring to chat with. Living in a busy household Aoife always makes time to get to the beach in the morning to set herself up for the day ahead - even if that means getting up at ten to five in the morning! As mums we can all relate to feeling that part of your identity can get swallowed up in being a mum. During the last few weeks of the lockdown Aoife felt this more than ever, and took this time to reflect on getting “the me” back. We chatted about when Aoife returned to the workplace after maternity leave and the feeling of overwhelmingness that was increased by the open plan office environment. PTSD and panic attacks after the loss of her son Oisin made Aoife take control of her life. She made some big life decisions, but ones that were ultimately for the good of herself and her family. These didn’t come easy and it took time for her choices to come to fruition, but she knew she needed to choose her own path in life. Aoife talks about the need to connect with other people. Be that friends, family or professionals. We can all carry too much of a burden on our own and it doesn’t need to be this way. Grief comes in waves and while we cope through the ups and downs of grief, we don’t have to do it alone. If you enjoyed this chat with Aoife please go and check out her Mum on the Run blog and Instagram feeds. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Vicki O Callaghan is one half of Irish baby clothing and accessories brand BabyBoo. They are the guys who make those awesome drool busting bandana bibs we all love. She is also the mum to her gorgeous little girl Ruby. During Ruby’s early months she struggled dreadfully with reflux. Vicki was horrified that not only did it take her forever to get anyone to correctly diagnose her poor daughter, the advice she got on how to deal with the problem included “why don’t you just wear three bibs at a time?” Fed up of ruining cute outfit after outfit with ugly plain bibs, Vicki and her old college friend decided that enough was enough and BabyBoo was born. At the beginning the motivation was simple: to be able to earn enough to have the flexibility in her day to be able to drop her daughter to school, like her mum did her. And now, after years of hard work their bibs are being sent all over the world, they are used by a host of celebrities and are the toast of mums everywhere. Being a mum has changed Vicki and made her realise how strong she actually is. She fully admits that the expectation of the mother she thought she would be, and the mother that she’s turned out to be are two different things. But just like in business, motherhood has taught her to be flexible in life, and to have a new found patience that she did not have before. I would like to thank Vicki for being so open about how she got her foothold in business and I hope this episode is an inspiration to any other mums who think they may be sitting on a fantastic business idea. Go out there and do it ladies. If you haven't already I highly recommend you check of BabyBoo’s fantastic range of products. We have used their bibs on Alice from day one and they are not only stylish but hugely functional and hard wearing too: https://babyboo.ie You can also follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babyboo.ie/ Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

This week on the podcast I chat to radio contributor, media project manager and close friend of mine, Sue Murphy. Sue recently became the mother to a gorgeous little girl Julia and has been dealing with the ups and downs of bringing a newborn into the Covid changed world. Sue and I go back to my college days and its amazing to see how our friendship has changed over the last 15 years. But since Sue has become a mom we have swapped all of our dirty secrets of old for dirty nappies instead. Sue’s path to motherhood was not an easy one. Her first pregnancy sadly ended in miscarriage, so naturally her anxiety levels were far more heightened on the next pregnancy. So when she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes (where the body is not creating enough insulin for the mother and the baby) she was so distraught that she crashed her car into a bus on the way home! The birth of Julia was also traumatic and an experience that Sue still struggles with telling - so I thank her for sharing it with me. After what seemed like an eternal labour, Sue haemorrhaged in child birth and lost a lot of blood. She couldn’t swallow and pretty much passed out after giving birth. Two blood transfusions later Sue was left in pain, tired and emotional and without the support of her husband, who was sent home at night, was left to care for this newborn when she couldn’t even care for herself. She felt “unheard” by the medical professionals and unable to care for her newborn daughter due to the pain. As it is Father’s Day we also chat about the dads in our lives, and the concept of the “fun dad!” We are both blessed to have wonderful father’s to raise our children with - but sometimes we can’t help but compare notes about the stupid things they do. Sorry Ben & Mick, we do love you really. If you don’t know Sue already you can follow her over on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IllSueYa It was great to catch up with her, and I cannot wait to finally meet little Julia once all the current restrictions are lifted. Hope you enjoy listening to these two old friends having the chats. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

I was lucky enough to have psychotherapist, author and mother of one, Joanna Fortune join me earlier in the season for the Covid-19 Special. But after chatting to her for those 15 or so minutes, I knew I had to get her back on for a full episode of her own. Joanna is a fountain of knowledge and her two books 15 Minute Parenting 0-7 & 8-12 have helped hundreds of parents to find the tools to communicate with their children and help them grow and develop strong emotional responses. Joanna isn’t about just jumping in and fixing every little problem a child faces. She gives parents the understanding they need to be able to listen to their children and help them to understand that things will be difficult sometimes, but you can overcome them and it will make you a better person. I love how Joanna incorporates play into her methods. She believes that play is a state of mind and we should develop strategies to incorporate play as a way of communicating. If we are continually nagging our children to do something they will disconnect from us. But if we absorb ourselves into their play, and become “interested in our children’s interests" we can become less reliant on verbal communication which often goes unheard by the child. In her latest book Joanna looks at the overlooked age group between 8-12. We tend to focus on the toddler years or the difficult teenage years, but there is so much development formed during this time. Relationship building, emotional growth, bullying and independence are all happening at this age. Joanna offers a roadmap for time poor parents to navigate through these difficult milestones and help better understand their child’s emotional needs. I hope that you find this podcast as helpful and as interesting as I did. And although Alice is a long way away from being 8 there are definitely some ideas that I have already started to incorporate with our own play and communication with her. You can buy Joanna’s books from all the regular bookshops and online stores. And to follow her for daily updates please check out her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannafortune/ Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

The final episode of Series Three of the podcast was delayed due to the unexpected early arrival of my second child Peter. I’m delighted to say that everyone is well and healthy and we’ve been home for a few weeks now soaking up all of the lovely baby cuddles. I couldn’t let the season just fizzle out however, especially when I knew what an amazing guest I had lined up to end with. So last week I managed to get an hour away from both of the kids and I sat down with Naomi Clarke, who is better known to most as The Style Fairy for a chat. Naomi is a stylist, digital creator and mum to two gorgeous girls Annabelle Ivy & Luna May.  Naomi shares with me her raw and emotive birth stories of Annabelle and Luna. Due to Naomi’s Type 1 Diabetes, both girls were born at 36 weeks and unfortunately Luna required a stay in the NICU which saw Naomi forced to leave the hospital without her. It’s clear from listening to Naomi the effect of the early arrivals and Luna’s stay in NICU has had on her emotionally.  Once home with Annabelle and Luna, Naomi shares how those first few weeks were at home and how the girls are now the best of friends. We discuss the age old dilemma of finding a work life balance, and the pressures of sharing your life on social media - the good and the bad. It would be impossible to have a chat with the Style Fairy without discussing fashion, and in particular the dreaded maternity wear. And while some brands are beginning to launch stylish ranges, there are still many that are continuing to create frumpy, old fashioned maternity wear. It was an absolute pleasure to talk with Naomi and a heartfelt thank youi for sharing her birth stories with me which I know wasn’t easy for her. You can continue to keep in touch with Naomi on her blog and Instagram pages: https://thestylefairy.ie https://www.instagram.com/the_style_fairy That’s a wrap for Series 3. It has been an odd one to say the least. If you told me when I started recording back in February that when I released the final episode I would have my little boy in my arms I would not have believed you. But then there is a lot about 2020 that is hard to believe! Thanks as always to all the mum’s who joined me on this series. And to everyone who has listened and left me comments - please do keep in touch via my Instagram page and keep spreading the word of the pod to any new mums out there. https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind Stay safe. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

I’m honoured and awed to be joined on this special Mother’s Day Podcast by the inspirational Vicky Phelan. Vicky is known to us all as the face of the Cervical Check crisis in 2018. Vicky through her unrelenting desire for justice uncovered the medical and political scandal of our times. Vicky has since used her voice to raise awareness, educate and inspire many across Ireland and the World. Vicky is also first and foremost a mum, which has brought its own share of highs and lows. Vicky shares with me her experience of post natal depression after the birth of Amelia and Darragh. We discuss her relationship with her own mum and how she herself sees herself as a mum. At the moment Vicky is in Maryland, U.S.A. taking part in an immunotherapy drug trial for her cervical cancer. We discuss the importance of women to advocate for their own healthcare, how women need to raise their voices to be heard in the search for equality. We discuss what changes needs to be made for women’s health in Ireland and what progress has been made with the recommendations to the Cervical Check Scheme. Vicky is a powerhouse, inspirational, fearless and a formidable woman. A huge thank you to Vicky for taking the time to record this episode with me. If you aren’t already you can follow Vicky on her Twitter and Instagram.: https://twitter.com/PhelanVicky https://www.instagram.com/vickykellyphelan/ _______________________________________ This episode of For All Mum Kind is dedicated to my own Mom who sadly passed away in September 2020. Solas Mhic Dé ar a n-anam. _______________________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. From Ovelle Silcock’s Base to Elave Sensitive Beauty, their unique formulations provide low-irritancy, cruelty-free and sustainable skincare solutions for You, Your Family, and Your Sensitive Skin. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary. Visit their website for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. https://gardinerfamilyapothecary.com Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Welcome to the fourth series of the For All Mum Kind Podcast - it’s great to be back.  In the first episode I am joined by writer, comedian and mum to Ted, Julie Jay! Ted was a “pandemic baby” and during Julie’s pregnancy she found herself locked down in her second (or perhaps spiritual home) of Dingle, Co Kerry.  A long way from home and living on the side of a mountain, Julie was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which put a dampener on her plans of eating all around her for nine months. Julie has really missed the shared knowledge of mum and baby groups and friend interaction. And like all of us, she’s struggled to find the balance between work, family and time for herself during these truly unprecedented times.  Finding her feet as a busy mum, Julie is often struck by ‘mom guilt’ as being the main administrator in house she feels she can struggle to feel present with Ted, while her fiancé Fred (yes, that can be confusing) is left to be the fun dad. And now that we are coming out of lockdown Julie is feeling the pressure of making memories and everything being perfect and fun.  It was great to catch up with Julie and make sure to check out her own podcast Up To Ninety and Crimeland. Up To Ninety: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/up-to-90/id1384941941 Crimeland: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/crimeland/id1493942937 This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary. Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x

This week on the podcast I am joined by Rachael Smith. Rachael is a teacher, life and parent coach and mum to three busy, noisy boys. I was drawn to Rachael as I loved her parent coaching approach that she shares on her Instagram, for the simple reason that Rachael is realistic. As a mum she understands the reality of parenting - the isolation and loneliness - and is passionate about the need to look after yourself, so that you can look after everyone else. Rachael adapted the jar of pebbles and sand analogy as a guide for how to prioritise your time. Its a great way to visualise what is important, and not to get bogged down in the stress of day to day. She also recommends taking a moment to think about what truly brings us joy, and to make a list of these so you don’t let them slip by the wayside and risk losing your identity. After recording this podcast I took on Rachael’s advice and lost an hour in the evening to gain an hour in the morning. It really helped me recharge the batteries and to get a much needed productive hour to myself, rather than just scrolling endlessly before bed. Rachael also gives great advice when it comes to communicating to our children which she calls the ‘positive/negative/positive’ approach. Did you know that children hear the word ‘no’ up to 400 times a day? After a while it completely loses all meaning, so it’s important to reinforce the positive parts of their behaviour. This week a lot of mums and dads have returned to the workplace after months of being at home. The return of work also brings the return of mum guilt. The putting yourself at the bottom of the list and forgetting what self care is about. This episode is the perfect antidote to all of those bad habits that we fall into. To learn more about Rachael’s coaching techniques check out her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachaelsmithcoaching/ Pamela. _____________________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary. Visit http://www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Clodagh O’Hagan welcomes me into her world as a solo parent to Frank and shares with me her path to motherhood.  Having a baby was in Clodagh’s mind for a while, waiting to start a family with a partner but she didn’t meet that person. So, she set out to have a baby on her own using a sperm donor.  She bought a two bed house in preparation and began the process of having a baby. At the age of 41 she was aware that time wasn’t on her side and regrets that she took the long route by starting off with a GP visit rather than going straight to a fertility clinic.  Once she had chosen a clinic for her fertility treatment Clodagh had to choose a sperm donor. Clodagh describes choosing a donor being a bit like online dating. You put in your vital statistics, blood type and medical history to see who is genetically best suited to you. After that you can choose hair colour, eye colour, height and traits that give you an idea of the person.  As we all know fertility treatment is not an easy process. It took Clodagh three cycles however, an incorrect injection, then collapsed follicles lead to two cycles being cancelled. But fortunately for Clodagh the third cycle worked and Frank was conceived.  Clodagh and Frank now live in a perfect little bubble of their own and this time has really given them the opportunity to get to know one another and form a special bond. This weekend Frank turns one and Clodagh celebrated a year of being a mum so I am delighted to share their story on this podcast with you. To follow Clodagh and Franks day to day life follow Cloadgh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clodeine/ And her blog is BabyFrank: http://babyfrank.co Enjoy,   Pamela. ______________________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.  Visit their website for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. https://gardinerfamilyapothecary.com ______________________________________ Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

This week’s podcast focuses on sleep with mother of three, and certified child sleep consultant Erica Hargaden. Erica shares the how and why she became interested in sleep and the reason she created Babogue Sleep Solutions. At 7 months her eldest child Quinn was waking up to 12 times a night. He was a fussy baby, almost impossible to put down and almost certainly suffering from Silent Reflux - not that anyone would help her diagnose that. Exhausted and sleep deprived Erica called for reinforcements in the form of her mother. The Erica that she met was a grey shell of the daughter she knew. Her mum reassured her that there was nothing wrong with her or Quinn and took a gentle approach to fixing Quinn’s sleep patterns. She slowly taught Quinn how to self soothe and this was the beginning of Erica’s interest in sleep. Erica offers one to one coaching as well as the Sleep Series Solution to support families with babies and children that are having sleep issues. Each sleep series depending on the age of the child offers five different methods to suit different parenting styles. In total she has helped over 2,500 families in 30 different countries to get a better nights sleep - and I salute her for that. Myself and Erica explore the world of sleep, discussing tips, sleep aids and words of wisdom. Her stories on Instagram are well worth following: https://www.instagram.com/babogue_sleep And you can find out more about the 7 Steps To Better Sleep on her website: https://babogue.com _______________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.  Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Orla Harrington is one of the many mums that I've met through Instagram over the years. But her journey with her son Rowan was one that stood out to me. And her ‘100 Foods Before One' idea actually influenced my own weaning journey with Peter. In the third trimester of her pregnancy with Rowan, he was diagnosed with Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Orla was signed off work for bed rest until week 37 when she was induced. Despite all the fear and stress caused by this, Rowan was born at 5lb 5oz and he was perfect. But this is where Orla's post natal care began to diminish.  Breastfeeding was a part of motherhood that Orla dreamed of. She had been harvesting colostrum while pregnant and had prepared for challenges due to Rowan's small size. However, the negativity and lack of support that she was given at the very start meant that Orla felt incredibly let down. However she was determined, and following support from a lactation consultant and a lactation counsellor, a tongue tie release, and lots of hard work and perseverance, she exclusively breastfed from 4 months.  At 6 months Orla began weaning Rowan and she wanted to introduce 100 foods to him before he was one. As a vegan family this led to its own challenges which meant Orla had to get creative - although he wasn't too keen on the lime or the pomegranate! I have been following Rowan's weaning and I have found it so inspiring, influential and accessible.   Orla is a joy to chat with, her fierce determination, resilience and kindness shines through. To follow her please check out her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orla.harrington/ _____________________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.  Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

This weeks podcast is with Caroline O'Connor, dietician, lactation consultant and mum of four. This episode is full of tips and tricks of how to wean your baby and also feed your fussy toddler. As a dietician Caroline provides evidence based advice and began sharing content online as she was fed up with the amount of misinformation that was out there. I find Caroline's advice to be honest, practical and most importantly, achievable. She shares great examples of how to provide a simple but varied diet for kids. Weaning can be a very daunting time for parents, starting with how to introduce food variety, portion size, allergens and more. Caroline demystifies it all and offers superb advice. As each child weans differently I think there is advice here for all parents from babies to toddlers. We discuss the benefit of carbohydrates in kids diets and its importance for brain function. Pasta for example is great for kids, its a food that kids are comfortable with and as it comes in so many shapes and colours its a great food to keep kids open to change when it comes to their food. If you enjoyed this podcast with Caroline you can find her on Instagram where she shares great meals suggestions and advice: https://www.instagram.com/solidstart.ie/ Her website is http://solidstart.ie and Caroline offers a range of courses also.

**Trigger Warning - This episode contains conversations about miscarriage and parental loss that some may find upsetting** This week I am joined by model, former Miss Ireland and mum to Sadie, Sarah Morrissey.  In this deeply personal chat Sarah shares for the first time her struggle to have a second child. Having took almost two years to conceive Sadie, Sarah had no expectations that having a second baby would happen any easier. But she did not expect it to be as difficult as it has been. Since trying to conceive her second child, Sarah has had three miscarriages in a row and is also coping with the grief from the death of her mother. A painful and lonely time during lockdown as Sarah up until now has kept the pregnancy losses private. We also discuss lifestyle balance and the anxiety Sarah felt as she returned to work a few weeks after Sadie's birth. At the time she had the guilt of working as well as the guilt of turning down work. When she was working she felt when someone said “Who has her today?” what they were really saying was “Why aren't you at home with her?”. Sarah has shared her story of miscarriage and fertility to support the open conversation of miscarriage, to highlight the difficult path to motherhood that many women endure and the emotional, physical and emotional pain many women endure from miscarriage, fertility and returning to work. If you are affected by any of the discussions in this podcast The Miscarriage Association Of Ireland website has many resources that can help you: https://miscarriage.ie Hope is an important message for Sarah, she is forever hopeful for a second baby and that everything will work out in the end. And I truly believe it will for her. You can follow Sarah on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmorrisseymodel/ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.  Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

*Trigger Warning - This episode contains conversations about parental and sibling loss that some may find upsetting* This week I am joined by an award winning entrepreneur, owner of Love Cherish Boutique and she's a mum to Ned & Molly, Maeve Dennehy.  Speaking to Maeve was like speaking to an old friend, her charm, wit, sincerity and openness created an episode with moments of hilarity, sincerity and sadness.  Maeve shares her path to motherhood, how her sister Karen's cancer treatment spurred her to look into her own fertility and subsequently needing fertility treatment. Maeve discusses her fertility cycles, conceiving Ned and then how she went on to conceive Molly naturally. Maeve offers some sage advice to anyone undergoing fertility treatment.  Myself and Maeve find a common ground through our fertility treatments but also the passing of our mothers. How we cherish the memories we have with our mothers. I share the analogy of the film Inside Out, how I practice not tainting memories of my mom with sadness and choose to reflect on them with happiness. Maeve believes that her daughter Molly was a blessing from her mom and her sister, that there is another lady in her life.  Being self-employed has its advantages as Maeve discusses, freedom is the key benefit for Maeve and her family. To be able to drop off and collect the kids and to be available for the kids also. Through the pandemic Maeve grew her boutique and online store, a testament to the hard work and commitment from Maeve and her team.  You can follow Maeve and her store on  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovecherishboutique/  Or visit her superb website to get all the latest gorgeous fashions: https://www.lovecherish.com ___________________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.  Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

This episode is all about skin. Our own skin, our children's skin and how our skin changes through pregnancy and postpartum. I sit down with two amazing women to discuss how we should care for our body's largest organ. The first is dermatology nurse specialist and mum of two Selene Daly. Selene is a skin expert but also a realist. Her understanding, experience and practically of skincare is second to none. Selene was a dermatology nurse before having children, but it wasn't until she had her own family that she truly understood the impact of caring for an infant/child with a skin condition. If you take away anything for this episode, it is for you and your family to wear sunscreen everyday from March to October. Selene shares some of the frightening statistics around skin cancer in Ireland and how the greatest habit we can give our children is a robust sunscreen regime: Hat, Sunglasses, Sunscreen. Mum of three Joanna Gardiner is the CEO and current custodian of her family's long running business The Gardiner Family Apothecary, which has been making award winning skincare products in Ireland for over 87 years. As a mum Joanna saw the need for easy to use, yet effective products for children with sensitive skin and with the help of her father developed the Elave range. As a CEO Joanna sees the benefits that flexible and remote working offers families and how industry leaders like Joanna can influence industries to change work practices. She herself felt like she missed out on some aspects of her children's upbringing and is now looking to address that for her employees. We also discuss the history of the Gardiner Family Apothecary and how it grew from one man in a van to the company it is now and where she sees it in the future. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Joanna for her support of this season of For All Mum Kind. You can follow Selene and her store on  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selenedaly/ And you can discover more about The Gardiner Family Apothecary here: https://www.instagram.com/gardiner_family_apothecary1934/ _______________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.  Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

I was delighted to invite broadcaster, sea swimmer and mom to Roddy & Pixie, Paula MacSweeney to the podcast. Paula was an absolute delight and we could have easily talked for hours - if we didn't both have two ticking time bombs asleep in the room next door. I found Paula to be just like her radio and online persona, a truly positive and generous person, and despite discussing some difficult topics on this episode, Paula does it with a touch of humour and a sense of “what will be, will be” something that we can all learn from. Once deciding to get pregnant, Paula became pregnant quite quickly. The pregnancy she really enjoyed and although she had morning sickness she feels that was part of the course. Paula had tried hypnobirthing in advance of giving birth but Roddy had other intentions and remained breached, resulting in a caesarean section birth. During Paula's second pregnancy an early scan indicated that something was wrong. After an examination she was told her pregnancy was ectopic and would require surgery. Although devastated, Paula knew she had to do this for her health and even when the resulting procedure meant that she lost a fallopian tube, Paula didn't let it bring her down. Two cycles later Paula was pregnant again with baby Pixie. I cannot commend Paula enough for her acceptance, clarity and openness around the subject of pregnancy loss and ectopic pregnancy. We discuss Paula's love of breastfeeding, or her “superpower” as she calls it. A negative of online that Paula shares is when she shares snippets of her breastfeeding journey, this almost always results in a flurry of messages from keyboard warriors who like to tell her how she is mothering all wrong. We talk about the pandemic and how it has changed her family unit for the better. And also about Paula's love of sea swimming and how it has taught her to accept her body and that true self care is more about getting a good night's sleep than having your hair and nails done. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it and don't forget to follow Paula on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulamacsweeney/ _______________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary. Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

This week on the podcast I chat with teacher, Montessori and respectful parent, mum of four Gemma Daly.  2020 for Gemma was the best and worst year of her life. She gave birth to triplets and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  Gemma shares with me her path to pregnancy. Following two miscarriages and an irregular monthly cycle Gemma took it upon herself to have a fertility investigation. She had her son Oscar but trying to conceive now was more difficult. After the investigation she learned that she had low AMH level, low egg count and was recommended for IVF.  However, Gemma conceived naturally and it turned out she was pregnant with… triplets! Pregnancy was scary for Gemma for so many reasons. She was offered a selective reduction, which she declined. At 27 weeks Gemma was admitted to hospital and at 30+5 weeks the triplets, Sebastian, Ashton and Hendrix were born.  Giving birth in the pandemic has been difficult but the extended hospital stay with no visitors, followed by the boys needing care in the NICU was a very tough time for Gemma. One of the unexpected challenges that Gemma faced was how hard it was to feel connected to the babies, the shock of seeing them in the NICU and the impossibility of holding them all at the one time. There was an expectation on Gemma to be bouncing out of the bed and walking to the NICU but after a tough pregnancy and section she needed more support. Once Gemma was discharged she continued to express milk and bring it to the hospital daily. She felt that although they were in the NICU, the one thing she could do was feed them. 7 out of 8 feeds a day were from Gemma, the other feed was supplied by donor milk. One by one Sebastian, Ashton and Hendrix came home and settled into a family of six. Gemma opens her heart in this episode to share the ups and down of her pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey. In fact we got on so well that I decided to split the podcast into two, so look out for a further episode next week where I chat to her about her love of Montessori and respectful parenting. To follow Gemma please check out her Instagram and YouTube channel: https://www.instagram.com/the.way.we.play/ https://www.youtube.com/thehiddengem ___________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.  Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

On this, the final episode of series four of the For All Mum Kind podcast, I continue my chat with teacher, Montessori and respectful parent and mum of four Gemma Daly. This conversation is all about play and I hope you find it as interesting as I did. Gemma has taken the knowledge she gained from being in the teaching profession and turned it into a successful YouTube channel called The Hidden Gem. Her tips and techniques on how to play with your child and how to turn the ordinary into interesting are utterly invaluable. It may be something as simple as putting pom-poms on a fire guard, but these are all things to spark your child's imagination and stimulate the learning process. Gemma introduced me to the idea of ‘schemas'. The little simple repetitive actions and urges that you may notice your baby doing, that are actually the building blocks to the much larger milestones of life. Have you ever watched a baby repetitively take something in and out of a box? This is the schema of learning about volume and it is the reason why as an adult we can pour milk into a cup of tea without spilling it. We talk about toys and which toys are best to invigorate the creative process. It's not always the most flashiest toy that may stand out of the shelf that is best for your smallie. Active toys make passive learners, and passive toys make active learners. In fact the best thing we can actually give our children is the space to move around and explore in. We discuss the concept of Gross Motor Development and Gemma tells me why she is not stressing about the triplets hitting arbitrary milestones and allowing them to develop at their natural pace. Did you know that a baby can't actually sit up by themselves until they are able to crawl? Gemma is a hive of information and this episode is full of gems for parents to pick up. And finally we chat about the work of Maria Montessori and how we should follow our child's natural interests and that each child is like a kernel of popcorn - they may be in the same pot, but they will all pop at different times. To follow Gemma please check out her Instagram and YouTube channel: https://www.instagram.com/the.way.we.play/ https://www.youtube.com/thehiddengem Thank you for listening to season four of the Four All Mum Kind Podcast. I would like to thank all of my guests who took the time to speak with me. My sponsor The Gardiner Family Apothecary for their support throughout the recording of the show., my family and you the listener for all your kind messages.  If you would like to continue the conversation, please follow me on Instagram at ForAllMumKind where I would love to hear from you. https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind/ ____________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.  Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz