The Baby Bubble

I don't mean to be rude, but who tf are you?Let's be honest, giving birth is like the most intense first date ever.You show up at the designated place nervously excited to meet your date, only for them to show up late and basically whinge the whole time.And then you're obligated to be with them. For the next 18 years.So what were our first reactions to our new babies? And maybe more importantly... what were their first impressions of us? THE END BITS Subscribe to Mamamia Listen to more episodes of The Baby Bubble here To go in the running to win a $50 gift voucher complete the survey here CREDITS Hosts: Clare Stephens & Jessie StephensProducer: Taylah StranoAudio Producer: Thom Lyon Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Baby Bubble is a brand new parenting podcast with a twist. Hosted by twins (and new mums) Jessie and Clare Stephens, this show dives into the absurdity and hilarity of the first few months of newborn life. Can we offer helpful advice? No. Are we trying to? Absolutely not.Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the final episode of season one of The Baby Bubble and Zoe is sick.  So the fabulous Holly Wainwright is stepping in to join Sean and share her parenting wisdom. Mess is a huge part of having kids but wouldn’t it be great if you could leave a room with your children without it looking like a bomb has gone off?  Sean has managed to train his babies to clean up after themselves and it didn’t involve nagging or bribery. Get the pen and paper ready! Plus, with everyone talking about the importance of kids finding their own identity what role do gendered clothes play?  Both Sean and Holly made a point of trying to dress their kids in a way that wasn’t traditionally gendered but they realised kids often find their own way there anyway.  So how much is nature and how much is nurture? And the parenting books are littered with advice on all the things we’re not supposed to be doing with our babies.  But is it possible to follow the rules all the time or is it more important just to get through the day? CREDITS:Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean SzepsProducer: Amelia Navascues GET IN TOUCHUp in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. After Sean’s left alone with the twins for a month he gets a taste of what single parenting is like and it gives him a newfound appreciation for people doing it solo.   Plus, have you ever asked yourself if there is a perfect time to have a child? Most parents say “you’re never going to be ready” so Zoe and Sean share when they realised it was time. And have you ever heard of gender disappointment?  A friend of Sean’s shared her story of being disappointed by the gender of her baby and the guys weigh in on whether they felt it with their own kids. If you have experienced gender disappointment and have a story to tell then we would love to hear from you. Call us on 02 8999 9386 or email us podcast@mamamia.com.au CREDITS:Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean SzepsProducer: Amelia NavascuesGET IN TOUCH Up in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find more episodes of this and other Mamamia podcasts here...https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. After giving Fox a little extra screen-time,  Zoe is dealing with some serious parent guilt, but Sean reassures her that a little extra Elmo doesn’t make you a bad parent! If you’ve ever experienced parent guilt or burn out, we’d love to hear from you.  Call us on 02 8999 9386 or email us podcast@mamamia.com.au Plus, after listening to a recent No Filter episode on how emotional labour makes women feel exhausted, Zoe and Sean discuss how parenting responsibilities play out in their relationships and how it affects their ability to raise their kids. And if you’ve ever struggled to find the perfect baby name, Zoe and Sean talk about everything they thought about before they named their kids… And there’s a lot more to it than you might think… For more on emotional labour, you can listen here…Mia Freeman talking to Gemma Hartley on Emotional Labour...https://omny.fm/shows/no-filter/emotional-labour CREDITS:Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean SzepsProducer: Amelia NavascuesGET IN TOUCHUp in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. Breastfeeding is a completely normal and natural thing to do but many mums still face judgement when they do it in public.  Zoe shares a recent experience she had breastfeeding on a plane where she was ogled by a man and Sean is not impressed. If you’ve had a similar experience we’d love to hear from you.  Call us on 02 8999 9386 or email us podcast@mamamia.com.au And if you’ve ever struggled to make time for self-care because you’re too busy drowning in a sea of parenting responsibilities, Sean and Zoe share their non-negotiables when it comes to looking after themselves. Plus, Sean shares his top travel trips for taking kids on long-haul international flights... For Sean’s guest appearance on This Glorious Mess listen here… CREDITS:Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean SzepsProducer: Amelia Navascues GET IN TOUCHUp in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. Zoe and Sean reminisce about life before becoming parents and take a moment to talk about the very real sacrifices they didn’t realise they’d have to make. Sean also shares how he’s managed to get some sense of control back into his life with a new morning routine… Baby steps, Sean. Baby steps! Plus, have you thought about putting your baby in swim classes? How soon is too soon? Sean has just started putting his 18 month year old twins, Stella and Cooper in classes, which for Zoe, raises an even bigger question… Are we grooming kids too early to become “superhumans” and geniuses? And Zoe is cradling a lot of guilt because she yelled at Fox for the first time... CREDITS:Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean SzepsProducer: Amelia NavascuesGET IN TOUCHUp in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zoe is sick of chasing Fox around and wants to give it a go but Sean Szeps isn't convinced. 

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. Last week Sean and Zoe talked about their experiences with postnatal depression and we were flooded with your calls and emails.   Today they shared an email from Sorena who told us about her experience… “So many days I also wanted to run away, go overseas and start a new life.  But I loved my tiny little baby sooooo much so I would make myself sit for hours, not doing anything, just to not pack up and leave! What Sean said about seeing his husband see him go through it and withdrawing hit so close to home.  It was such a hard time for us, mainly because I was so withdrawn, trying to be a perfect mum and completely neglecting myself and my husband.” Then we talk about what to do when your kids discover your genitalia.  How do you talk to them about it in a way that helps them learn? And should you put a leash on your kid?  Zoe is all for it because she’s sick of chasing Fox around but Sean isn’t convinced. All this and more on The Baby Bubble... CREDITS: Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean Szeps Producer: Amelia Navascues GET IN TOUCH Up in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. Zoe’s thinking about getting back into the baby bubble and Sean is right there to remind her it’s REALLY HARD.  He’s also got some great advice for how to save money when you’re looking after more than one baby. Plus, should you post photos of your kids online? And if you do, should you only post the best moments?  Or is it important to share the horror stories too? And Sean opens up about his experience with post-natal depression as a father. CREDITS: Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean Szeps Producer: Amelia NavascuesMORE INFO To find out more about Tresillian…  https://www.tresillian.org.au/   GET IN TOUCH Up in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. When did you return to work after having a baby? Did you wait six months? Two years? Or did you jump straight back in? Sean talks about the pros and cons of going back to work full time and Zoe explains what reverse maternity leave is and why she’s LOVING it. Plus, how do you deal with giving up control when friends, family or a babysitter steps in to help you with the little ones?   Sean has another baby mishap to share and this one involves a slip in the tub and broken teeth.  He talks about how to hold it together when your baby hurts themselves when all you really want to do is collapse in a puddle of tears. And Zoe Marshall shares the baby products she can't live without... https://www.mamamia.com.au/baby-recommendations-zoe-marshall CREDITS: Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean Szeps Producer: Amelia Navascues GET IN TOUCH Up in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. Have you ever had a stranger try and kiss your baby?  Or hold it’s hand with their germy fingers? Sean and Zoe have some advice for all those well-meaning strangers who insists on touching their kids uninvited. Plus, do you have trouble saying no to your kids?  Or are you too quick to yell without offering an explanation?  Sean has some great advice for when and how to use the word “no” and why he thinks you should explain why you’re upset.  Even if your kids are too little to understand. How do you use the word “no” as a parent? Call us on the podphone, 02 8999 9386, because we’d love to know your thoughts. And Zoe opens up (maybe a little too much) about how sex changes after you have a baby.  She talks about the importance of getting your confidence back when so many things have changed.  And why it’s totally okay to not be in the mood straight after the pregnancy ends. It’s another week of oversharing you simply can’t miss... CREDITS: Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean Szeps Producer: Amelia Navascues GET IN TOUCH Up in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever had a stranger try and kiss your baby?  Or hold it’s hand with their germy fingers? Sean and Zoe have some advice for all those well-meaning strangers who insists on touching their kids uninvited. Plus, do you have trouble saying no to your kids?  Or are you too quick to yell without offering an explanation?  Sean has some great advice for when and how to use the word “no” and why he thinks you should explain why you’re upset.  Even if your kids are too little to understand.   How do you use the word “no” as a parent? Call us on the podphone, 02 8999 9386, because we’d love to know your thoughts.   And Zoe opens up (maybe a little too much) about how sex changes after you have a baby.  She talks about the importance of getting your confidence back when so many things have changed.  And why it’s totally okay to not be in the mood straight after the pregnancy ends.   It’s another week of oversharing you simply can’t miss... CREDITS: Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean Szeps Producer: Amelia Navascues GET IN TOUCH Up in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au   Find more episodes of this and other Mamamia podcasts here... https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/ This show is brought to you by Big W where they've got all your baby needs covered.

How can we raise girls confidently post #MeToo? And who do you look to for inspiration if there are no women in your home? Zoe Marshall, Mia Freedman and Sean Szeps discuss.

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. Things have gotten real comfy in the studio because Zoe Marshall is pumping…what a way to start the show! Zoe shares her breast feeding experience but we know it’s not an easy journey for a lot of women so we’d love to hear from you.  If you’ve had trouble breastfeeding or you just want to give advice to other women who might be finding it tough, please call our podphone on 02 8999 9386. After Zoe has expressed, they tackle a real conundrum....should you teach your child to punch?  What happens if you’ve taught them to use their words but they still get aggressive? Sean talks about Stella’s nasty habit of hitting Cooper and what you do when your daughter is more aggressive than your son.  Do the same rules apply for boys and girls? We’d love to know your thoughts. And we kick off a brand new segment: “Ask an Old Mum.”  Where we call on a seasoned parenting veteran to help us with a question we’re dying to know the answer to.  This week Sean asks Mia Freedman: How do you raise a strong, confident woman? Oh, and Sean also has a dooooooozy of a poo story. SO MUCH OVERSHARING! Don’t miss it... CREDITS:Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean SzepsProducer: Amelia Navascues GET IN TOUCH Up in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you on our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. We’re back, baby, and Sean Szeps and Zoe Marshall are discussing going back to work after having a baby.   How do you deal with the fact that you’re still the same person but EVERYTHING has changed?  Should you feel guilty for being excited about leaving the house and having a shower for once?  And how do you deal with colleagues who think comments like: “OMG! I could never leave my baby that early!” are helpful? Plus, how do you get the balance right when it comes to screen time for your kids?  Zoe has been letting Fox watch more TV than she’s comfortable with and she’s decided that Peppa Pig is a bad influence.  Chocolate for breakfast Peppa? Not on Zoe’s watch! And after being bombarded with your questions about how she got her baby to sleep for NINE HOURS, Zoe gets her sleep training guru, Jen Hamilton, on the line to ask everything you wanted to know.  Should you stick to a strict routine or is it better to go with the flow? Is it important to wrap your baby? Music or no music? Do you have to dim the lights or do you want them to go to sleep with the lights on? Should you leave your baby to cry?  SO MANY QUESTIONS and Jen from Wot Baby has all the answers. CREDITS: Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean Szeps Producer: Amelia Navascues Guest: Jen Hamilton FOR MORE ON WOT BABY Struggling to get your baby to sleep too? Head straight to the website ...https://www.wotbaby.com.au/  And you can also follow Wot Baby on Facebook and Instagram...https://www.instagram.com/wotbaby/https://www.facebook.com/WOTBaby/ WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BABY SIGN LANGUAGE? Here are some of Sean's favourite books: Everything Sign Language Book by Irene Duke My First Signs - American Sign Language by Annie Kubler Baby Sign Language Basics by Monta Z. Briant GET IN TOUCH Up in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you at our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're expecting, a new mum, or wrangling a toddler, we have all the best resources for new parents in our free newsletter here. Welcome to the very first episode of The Baby Bubble with your hosts Zoe Marshall and Sean Szeps. In this episode Zoe shares her feelings about parenting and admits she didn't always want to be a mum.  But now she's OBSESSED.  Sean talks about his experience with surogacy and why he asked his mum if she'd like to donate her eggs.  He also talks about why him and his husband, Josh Szeps, decided to try for twins, even though that scares most potential parents. They dive deep on baby led weaning.  What is it and does it really work?  Sean's twins have just eaten something with a fork and he's smug as hell.  If your dream is to get your baby off puree'd mush you need to listen.   Zoe brags about the fact she had nine hours sleep the night before, which doesn't go down well since Sean only got an hour.  But fear not, she doesn't have a miracle baby.  It's all because of some strict sleep training.  CREDITS: Host: Zoe Marshall & Sean Szeps Producer: Amelia Navascues GET IN TOUCH Up in the middle of the night scrolling through Facebook?  Why not join other parents just like you at our Facebook page ... https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherish/ Are you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.auSupport the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you no longer phased by going out in public with someone else’s vomit on your shoulder? Do you find yourself awake at 3 am, feeding the newest addition to your family thinking “Am I the only person alive right now? It’s so lonely!” Then you are in the Baby Bubble and at Mamamia, we thought you might need a little company. The Baby Bubble is the podcast for parents trying to behave like competent humans on two hours of sleep or for people who don’t have kids but are curious about what you do with tiny people who just poop and cry all day. Each week join mum of one, Zoe Marshall and father of twins, Sean Szeps, for a no BS conversation about what to expect way after the expecting bit is over. Think of this show as your lifeline in the witching hour, a place you can call when you’ve just got your baby to put something in its mouth instead of the floor or a warm set of audio arms that are here to wrap you up when you’re losing your mind and tell you “it’s going to be ok!” The Baby Bubble is the latest show from Mamamia podcasts and it’s hitting your ears January 31st. CREDITS: Producer: Amelia Navascues GET IN TOUCH: You can subscribe to The Baby Bubble here: https://omny.fm/shows/the-baby-bubbleAre you in the baby bubble and want to tell someone about it? Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au Find more episodes of this and other Mamamia podcasts here... https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/  Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.