The Postpartum Season

In this episode, Hannah shares her three postpartum experiences and reflects on how becoming a mother ultimately led her to her work as a perinatal counsellor.We discuss:Becoming a mum unexpectedly at 26Preparing extensively for birth but very little for postpartumHannah’s first birth and the early postpartum periodNavigating postpartum with a partner who had to return to work after only a couple of daysFeeding difficulties, concerns about weight gain and the anxiety surrounding growth chartsFeeling like she was failing at the very first hurdle of motherhoodFinding small anchors in the day through coffee, movement and connectionThe impact becoming parents had on Hannah and Josh’s relationshipWhy Hannah believes couples therapy can be valuable before a relationship reaches crisis pointReturning to paid work and the challenges of combining work, daycare and childhood illnessThe importance of having an identity outside of motherhood, and Hannah’s changing relationship with that ideaWelcoming a second baby and the reality of postpartum while also caring for a toddlerThe pressure Hannah felt to be a “superwoman” and prove she could keep doing everythingReturning to work in the perinatal space while struggling to prioritise her own wellbeingIntense intrusive thoughts during pregnancy How talking openly about intrusive thoughts gradually robbed them of their powerHannah’s third birth and the healing experience of having her sister thereNavigating significant uncertainty around her dad’s mental health during pregnancyLosing her dad shortly after her daughter was born and experiencing grief alongside postpartumThe stigma and discomfort that can surround mental health and why Hannah values talking openly about her dadHow grief forced Hannah to slow down and let go of the need to perform motherhoodEmbracing motherhood as an important part of her identityHannah’s decision to train as a counsellor after her own experiencesBuilding a career predominantly supporting women in the perinatal spaceLooking back at the version of herself who felt she had to keep pushing and achievingHannah’s reflection that there are no achievable “goals” in parenting — and the freedom that can come from taking some of that pressure awayYou can find Hannah and learn more about her counselling work at:Instagram: @deep.end.counsellingWebsite: https://www.deependcounselling.comThis weeks sponsor is Rest in the Postpartum Season - guided yoga nidra practices created for mothers. If you’re looking for a simple way to slow down, rest and take a little time for yourself, you can find practices ranging from five to fifteen minutes at www.thepostpartumseason.com.And if you would like to buy a Postpartum Season cap, click this link below:https://www.thepostpartumseason.com/store/p/the-postpartum-season-capThank you for supporting the podcast!As mentioned in the episode, here are some postpartum support resources. Please reach out if you need help.AustraliaPANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)Helpline: 1300 726 306Website: https://www.panda.org.auLifeline Australia13 11 14 (24/7)Website: https://www.lifeline.org.auBeyond Blue1300 22 4636Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au New ZealandPlunketLine0800 933 922 (24/7)Healthline New Zealand0800 611 116 (24/7)1737 Need to talk?Call or text 1737 (24/7) Thank you for listening. Take care x

In this episode, Emma shares her experiences of premature birth, pregnancy loss, NICU and navigating two incredibly challenging postpartum seasons.We discuss:Developing severe preeclampsia during Emma’s first pregnancyHer son being born unexpectedly at 32 weeksAn emergency caesarean under general anaestheticWaiting 19 hours to meet her baby for the first timeNavigating NICU and special care during COVID restrictionsThe isolation of being separated from her support networkPumping, tube feeding, nipple shields and establishing breastfeeding with a premature babyThe emotional rollercoaster of NICU milestones and setbacksBringing a premature baby home and the anxiety surrounding illness during COVIDExperiencing two pregnancy losses between Emma’s childrenPregnancy after loss and the anxiety of another high-risk pregnancyEmma’s daughter being born at 34 weeks and five days after experiencing preeclampsia againReturning to special care for a second timeThe difference the Ronald McDonald room made during their second experienceNavigating a special care stay while also having an older child at homeEmma’s son experiencing anaphylaxis shortly after her daughter came homeHer newborn daughter becoming critically unwell with meningitis and being admitted to PICUTrying to recover from an emergency caesarean while both children needed significant careThe impact of stress and sleep deprivation on breastfeedingThe physical, mental, emotional and financial toll of prolonged hospital experiencesFinding support through family, friends, church, medical teams and other NICU parentsWhy connecting with parents going through similar experiences can be so valuableUsing social media and sharing her story as a way of processing what happenedYou can find Emma on Instagram at @by.emmamae.This weeks sponsor is Rest in the Postpartum Season - guided yoga nidra practices created for mothers. If you’re looking for a simple way to slow down, rest and take a little time for yourself, you can find practices ranging from five to fifteen minutes at www.thepostpartumseason.com.And if you would like to buy a Postpartum Season cap, click this link below:https://www.thepostpartumseason.com/store/p/the-postpartum-season-capThank you for supporting the podcast!As mentioned in the episode, here are some postpartum support resources. Please reach out if you need help.AustraliaPANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)Helpline: 1300 726 306Website: https://www.panda.org.auLifeline Australia13 11 14 (24/7)Website: https://www.lifeline.org.auBeyond Blue1300 22 4636Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au New ZealandPlunketLine0800 933 922 (24/7)Healthline New Zealand0800 611 116 (24/7)1737 Need to talk?Call or text 1737 (24/7) Thank you for listening. Take care x

In this episode, Lu shares her experiences of becoming a mum to Ray and Posie, and how motherhood has shaped her relationship with work, identity and what she values most.We discuss:Ray arriving unexpectedly four weeks earlyRay spending his first week in special care and the difficulty of leaving hospital without her babyEstablishing breastfeeding and the support Lu received from the midwives around herFeeling incredibly held by family and friends during early postpartumExperiencing the baby blues, nighttime dread and lonelinessBecoming unexpectedly pregnant again around one year postpartumStruggling physically and emotionally during the first trimester while parenting a young childLu’s experience of going from one child to twoPosie’s unsettled temperament and significant sleep challengesThe enormous impact prolonged sleep deprivation can have on a parent’s wellbeingFeeling pressure to follow routines and “fix” a baby’s sleepRecognising the role of infant temperament and letting go of self-blameThe judgment and unsolicited commentary mothers can experienceWhy motherhood can feel lonely even when you have people around youReturning to freelance work after becoming a motherStarting and growing Ready or Not with co-host Loz alongside motherhoodThe realities of trying to balance paid work and caring responsibilitiesWhy there is no perfect blueprint or “hack” for combining motherhood and workHow motherhood has reshaped Lu’s values, priorities and relationship with timeWhy sometimes the most helpful thing we can offer another mother is validationLu is the co-host of Ready or Not, a podcast exploring the realities of motherhood, careers and trying to make the two work together.You can find Lu on Instagram at @lucindamckimm_ and Ready or Not at @readyornot.pod.And if you would like to buy a Postpartum Season cap, click this link below:https://www.thepostpartumseason.com/store/p/the-postpartum-season-capThank you for supporting the podcast!As mentioned in the episode, here are some postpartum support resources. Please reach out if you need help.AustraliaPANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)Helpline: 1300 726 306Website: https://www.panda.org.auLifeline Australia13 11 14 (24/7)Website: https://www.lifeline.org.auBeyond Blue1300 22 4636Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au New ZealandPlunketLine0800 933 922 (24/7)Healthline New Zealand0800 611 116 (24/7)1737 Need to talk?Call or text 1737 (24/7) Thank you for listening. Take care x

In this episode, Lilly shares her postpartum experiences with her two boys, Roo and Franklin.We discuss:Becoming a mother after years of supporting women as a midwifeRoo’s emergency caesarean birth under general anaestheticProcessing an unexpected birth experience and wanting to “make up for lost time”The intense vulnerability and hormonal shifts of early postpartumLilly’s unexpected instinct to stay home, slow down and protect her postpartum spaceLearning to listen to her own needs rather than expectations from the outside worldGradually re-emerging into the world when she felt readyFinding connection with other mothers through pilates and walking groupsWhy “mums need mums”The huge shift in Lilly’s relationship with her career after becoming a motherThe complexities of combining motherhood with shift work, on-call work and a career in healthcarePreparing Roo for the arrival of his siblingMeeting Franklin after a very rapid vaginal birthThe transition from parenting one child to twoRecovering from mastitis in the early weeks postpartumNavigating weeks of having a very unsettled babyThe emotional impact of prolonged crying and questioning yourself as a motherThe small, practical acts of self-care and self-preservation that helped Lilly throughThe impact of having a second baby on Lilly and Ben’s relationshipMatrescence and becoming a new version of yourself with each babyWhat Lilly found unexpected about her postpartum experiencesThe physicality, vulnerability and extraordinary love of motherhoodLilly also co-hosts Growing, a podcast with fellow midwife and mum Beth. Together they share honest conversations about their current “growing pains” and the beautiful “glimmers” that exist throughout motherhood. I absolutely loved listening to Growing throughout my own postpartum period and highly recommend giving it a listen.You can find Growing at @growingthepodcast and Lilly at @lillian.beth.This is the podcast episode that discusses unsettled babies that Lilly recommends in the episode:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/episode-19-unsettled-babies-with-dr-eliza-hannam/id1697674632?i=1000636691242And if you would like to buy a Postpartum Season cap, click this link below:https://www.thepostpartumseason.com/store/p/the-postpartum-season-capThank you for supporting the podcast!As mentioned in the episode, here are some postpartum support resources. Please reach out if you need help.AustraliaPANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)Helpline: 1300 726 306Website: https://www.panda.org.auLifeline Australia13 11 14 (24/7)Website: https://www.lifeline.org.auBeyond Blue1300 22 4636Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au New ZealandPlunketLine0800 933 922 (24/7)Healthline New Zealand0800 611 116 (24/7)1737 Need to talk?Call or text 1737 (24/7) Thank you for listening. Take care x

In this episode, Hannah shares her two very different postpartum experiences with her sons, Hugo and Oscar.We discuss:Preparing extensively for birth but very little for postpartumA long and traumatic first birth involving forceps and an episiotomyThe reality of a slow and painful postpartum recoveryLearning to breastfeed and seeking support from a lactation consultantAnxiety around Hugo’s weight and the impact of comments about having a small babyCaring for a baby who cried frequently and struggled with daytime sleepLoneliness, perfectionism and feeling like she wasn’t getting motherhood “right”Being diagnosed with postnatal depression and anxietyThe relationship between Hannah’s birth trauma and her postpartum mental healthProcessing her first birth through a birth debrief with her private midwifePreparing differently for Oscar’s birth and postpartum periodHannah’s home birth with Oscar and how different her recovery feltIntentionally creating a village before her second baby arrivedAsking family for regular practical support and joining another parent groupHow Trent supported Hannah’s sleep and mental health during her second postpartum experienceThe difference between the transition from zero to one and one to two for HannahMaking time for movement and things that support her wellbeingThe story behind Hannah’s business, Nappy FreeWhat elimination communication is and how Hannah used it with both of her childrenSupporting families through elimination communication and toilet trainingLooking back on a difficult first postpartum experience with greater compassionFinding joy in the small, everyday moments of motherhood You can connect with Hannah and learn more about Nappy Free on Instagram at @nappy_free or at nappyfree.net. If you would like to buy a Postpartum Season cap, click this link below:https://www.thepostpartumseason.com/store/p/the-postpartum-season-capThank you for supporting the podcast! As mentioned in the episode, here are some postpartum support resources. Please reach out if you need help. AustraliaPANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)Helpline: 1300 726 306Website: https://www.panda.org.auLifeline Australia13 11 14 (24/7)Website: https://www.lifeline.org.auBeyond Blue1300 22 4636Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au New ZealandPlunketLine0800 933 922 (24/7)Healthline New Zealand0800 611 116 (24/7)1737 Need to talk?Call or text 1737 (24/7)Thank you for listening. Take care x