Baby Brunch | The Parenting Series

“MY BABY DOESN’T SLEEP!” Are We doing something wrong? Is my baby ill? or lacking something? This week Our guest is Venetia from Dudus Baba. While trying to fix her own baby's sleeping difficulty, she discovered sleep therapy - a different approach that changed her life! Learn more about sleep therapy & the incredible work Venetia does, in this week's podcast. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

How do I know I am fertile? How do I know I can have a baby? When do I get my body checked out? In this week's episode, we answer your questions with our fertility specialist, Dr Qinisile Cele. Founder of the Family Matters Fertility Centre in Centurion, Dr Cele (known by her patients as "Dr Q") is medically trained as an obstetrician & gynaecologist. She is passionate about finding solutions to help frustrated women that struggle to fall pregnant. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

What does the word "resilience" mean to us as parents? How do we go about raising a child that is resilient? This week We have the honour of hosting Naomi Holdt, educational psychologist, speaker, and author, from KZN, to help us better understand the concept of 'raising a resilient child.' Perhaps, the answer might be simpler than we realise! Have a listen to our latest Podcast for a truly interesting take on this topic. Naomi's book, "Bounce: How to raise resilient kids and teens" is available now. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

Endometriosis. It's a tough condition for women to talk about, let alone asking for help. And very often it's misdiagnosed, leading to embarrassment later in life. Nadine Dirks, activist & author, is joining us this week to tackle this very intimate topic, because she is living with this experience herself. She has just published a memoir reflecting on her journey with endometriosis, called 'Hot Water,' and is currently studying for a master’s degree in Women & Gender Studies. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

I am building a world of kindness for my children, but how do I deal with bullies? It's a controversial topic, but in this Podcast, Dr Judy Jaye gives us helpful guidance on recognising, managing, and solving the bully-problem in our schools and among our children. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

How do I make sure I am covered with all the preparation needed for my new-born? In this important Podcast we ask a medical expert - Dr Edzani Mphaphuli, Executive Director of Grow Great. With her wealth of knowledge and years of experience, I can consider the key aspects to ensure my baby is healthy, comforted, and taken care of in the best possible way. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

Rhona Erasmus made sure her dreams became a reality and her 'secret' might be simpler than you think. Now a successful businesswoman, the former beauty queen, turned reality TV star, says that simple advice is often the best advice. But she adds "We have to challenge ourselves, and for The Real Housewives I wanted to see how tough I could be in tricky situations." In this Podcast, Rhona talks about lessons learnt, challenges she mastered, and the true value of having a loving husband, being a mother to her two boys, and managing a successful business. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

How do I treat my shy child? In this podcast, veteran teacher, Sandrina Naidoo, explains why a "shy child" is simply a smart child that is introverted. Introverted children are individuals who tend to be more reserved, reflective, and inward-focused compared to extroverted children. Being introverted is a personality trait, and it does not imply shyness or a lack of social skills. They just prefer quieter & less stimulating environments and may need time alone to recharge. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

Ever heard the saying, 'Having kids is expensive'? Let's break it down- just how costly is it? Join us in this week's episode as we number-crunch the nitty-gritty of raising our little ones. Accompanied by Justin Harrison, an investor, author, business guru, and fellow parent, we unravel the true costs of parenthood—from the early days to school expenses, birthday celebrations, and beyond. Let's demystify the world of baby money together! Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

Can I have my placenta, please? Not a common question that you would ask just after giving birth, but in this week's discussion with Melissa Mann, certified doula & placenta specialist (from OrganicBirth.co.za), we understand why this part of your body that you have created during pregnancy is important to take home with you, or, be encapsulated, to consume later. What does it mean to consume your placenta? Well, sit back, relax, and enjoy this podcast, where we learn how to create a smoothie, capsule, powder, or remedy, from your placenta, after giving birth. This is not a medical podcast but might be of interest to you if you were wondering what to do with your placenta after birth. Melissa Mann shares her fascinating journey of helping other moms with the best possible avenue to follow when it comes to consuming, or using, their placenta. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

Nico Panagio is our guest this week! Why him? We have learned that children go missing every single day in South Africa. It's a reality we don't even want to consider, but child trafficking is one of the most active criminal activities in the world today. There is hope! Thanks to people like Nico, an award-winning actor, TV presenter, husband, and father of two daughters. He believes in creating action plans, awareness, and vigilance, to unite our best efforts in combatting child trafficking. Nico heads-up 'Missing Children South Africa,' a non-profit organisation that helps law enforcement services and parents to act quickly. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

Nadia Jaftha is a force of joy in everything that she does, and her magical charm has helped her to turn popularity on social media into successful business projects. Today she is one of the most recognised South African influencers and a powerful, independent lady. In this captivating podcast, Nadia is joined by her equally charming (and very funny) mom, Nawal. Together they have created an adventurous life for themselves, simply by appreciating every opportunity in life - whether good or bad - and turning it into creative ideas that sparked several successful business ventures. Nadia & Nawal talk about life 'behind the scenes' of what we see on social media and share a few insights into creating their dream world! Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

You're looking for a practical, affordable, and reliable family car, but have no idea where to start or how to make the right decision! Baby in the back seat, and luggage in the boot - the practical aspects are important, but we also want to enjoy the drive and the comfort - how do we marry the joy of the drive, with our practical needs (and budget)? In this podcast, veteran motoring journalist and mom, Juliet McGuire, talks about the pitfalls to avoid, the costs to consider, the brands that offer great value for money, and the styles, colours, and extras that we should think about when looking for a new (or second-hand) family car. We talk about the importance of research and which steps to take before making that final, crucial decision for a new family car. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

If you're a Pet-loving person, this one's for you! Our expert Veterinarian, Dr Motheo Masiya, talks about the most important aspects when getting a new pet - for example, the vital health checks, vaccinations, deworming, pet insurance, and considering the size of the pet (especially with kids at home). Parents of fur babies, or parents-to-be - in this podcast we'll help you to choose the right pet for your home. Whether it's a new puppy, kitten, bunny, hamster, or exotic animal - we all want to enjoy the love from our pets - in this podcast, Dr Motheo brings our attention to some of the most common diseases with popular pets, and helps us to better prepare, before getting a new pet. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

There is no easy way out: our parents will not be around forever, and being a parent while our own parents get older, or pass away, is a fundamental concept that many of us might struggle with in life. Juggling the role of being a good parent, while also looking after our parents when they age, means we must stay present - being acutely aware of appreciating every present moment of joy, with our loved ones. In this podcast Elana speaks to clinical psychologist, Dr Jenny Rose, about the beauty of creating structure - for our kids, and our ageing parents - to enable a love-filled, successful balance in our family. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

I'm a parent and want my dogs to get along with my kids, and vice versa... What is the best advice to ensure everyone's happy and play along nicely? Professional Dog Trainer, Landie Coertse, joins Elana in studio to help us understand the way dogs behave when kids are around. How do we socialise our animals? Which dogs are better with kids? Is there a golden rule to consider when getting our kids puppies? What to do when a dog bit my kid? Training our dog is more about getting trained ourselves, to ensure we know how to interact with our pets - and to teach our kids the same techniques. We want to play nice, share in the mutual love from having pets, and ensure there are no surprise incidents - Landie gives us her professional advice on keeping pets and children in the home, and keeping the peace! Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

Thanks to the SPAR Women's Challenge Jozi, Elana gets to see first-hand the miracle work that South Africa's Smile Foundation does for children. With the generous support of SPAR, we meet some of the heroes that work for this life-changing, non-profit organisation. Bringing together corporate support, medical experts, and initiatives like the SPAR Women's Challenge, the Foundation help to facilitate expert surgical intervention and pre-and post-operative care for children living with facial paralysis. These include, kids born with a cleft lip, and cleft palate, kids with cranio-facial abnormalities, as well as ear, nose, and hand conditions, and burn wounds. The Smile Foundation was created after a good deed by former President, Nelson Mandela, sparked the need for an organisation that could help fund these much-needed operations for children. Today, many hospitals across South Africa are satellite stations where parents could take their children. Giving back a child's smile, and the sense of a normal life again. It's a truly joyful miracle to witness! Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

Karlien van Jaarsveld het ’n kleurryke en suksesvolle sangloopbaan en is ’n gewilde Afrikaanse kunstenaar. Maar agter die skerms, en in die hospitaal waar sy menige nag langs haar kind se bed deurgebring het, was dinge nie altyd so maklik nie. As openbare figuur, is elke aspek van haar lewe nog altyd druk bespreek en hewig gekritiseer. Nietemin moes sy ’n rustige, standvastige en liefdevolle ma wees vir haar kinders. Dit was allermins maklik, maar Karlien het vasgeklou aan haar geloof en aan wat haar eie ma haar geleer het. Vandag is sy trots op die pad wat sy met God kon stap, en op haar kinders. Vandeesweek gesels Elana met Karlien en hoor meer oor haar lewe vandag, die moeilike lesse wat sy moes leer, en alles waarvoor sy dankbaar is. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

It has taken a mother from Cape Town a nationwide, desperate search to try and find baby food that works, until she finally decided: DIY is the only way! Nabeelah Sawant called her close-friend, and professional dietician, Shakeela Talip, to help with the science behind the recipes - to ensure it's safe for her baby - and created baby food that's inspired by the delicious, healthy 'huiskos' she grew up with. The outcome was so incredible - and her baby was so happy - they decided to help other moms, market the baby food, and turn it into a business! "Beely Baby" was born, Halal, and tasty, offering weaning packs, and more complex meals for up to 18-month-old babies. In this Podcast Elana talks to Nabeelah about the challenges of starting a business as a mom, feeding dilemmas, and creating baby food that helped many mothers across South Africa! Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.

Creating a harmonious and disciplined lifestyle is the first step to having balance in your life — especially if you’re a mother, and even more so if you’re a new mom. Lori Milner, one of South Africa's leading lifestyle coaches, joins Elana to give us some valuable advice on the challenges that new moms face when trying to balance family life with work life. It IS possible to be a successful professional woman and a great mom, too. Listen to our podcast to find out how. Brought to you by Epi-max Baby & Junior – our family, for your family. Also supported by Jacaranda 94.2.