Motherness – Détails, épisodes et analyse

This mini-series is proudly brought to you in partnership with Haven A2 Protein Toddler Milk Drink.

In this episode, I speak with clinical nutritionist and mother of four, Gina Urlich about her own feeding journeys with her babies, as well as how she thinks about formula and breast milk from an expert standpoint. We discuss the differences between the two types of milk, how you can best support your baby’s gut health in their first year of life, and how we can continue to make headway on breaking down the toxicity of formula feeding culture while still promoting breastmilk as the ‘gold standard’.

To work with Gina or her team, visit her website. You can dowload her e-book on introducing solids here too.

Follow Gina Urlich on Instagram.
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This mini-series is proudly brought to you in partnership with Haven A2 Protein Toddler Milk Drink.

Content Warning: This episode discusses anxiety. If this theme is triggering for you, please take care while you’re listening.

In this episode, I speak with mother of one, Haley Hall about her motherhood journey with her daughter, Cerys. During her pregnancy, Haley was told that Cerys had a cleft lip and palate so today we discuss what it was like receiving that diagnosis, how their first year has been in terms of breastfeeding, pumping, formula feeding, and their surgery experience. This is a beautiful episode that Haley and I both hope will bring more awareness to cleft cuties like Cerys.

For mental health support:

• Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa 
• depression.org.nz or 0800 111 757
• Mental Health Foundation
• Parent Help - 0800 568 856 
• Anxiety Phone Line - 0800 269 4389 
• PlunketLine - 0800 933 922 
• For a referral to Maternal Mental Health please contact your midwife or GP 
• Mental Health Crisis services (for emergencies only) 

Follow Haley Hall on Instagram.
Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.
Follow Motherness on Instagram. 

This episode of Motherness is proudly sponsored by Just’nCase nursing pads. Just’nCase pads are super-absorbent and leakproof, so they won’t let you down when you let down. Just’nCase is offering all Motherness listeners 15% off storewide. Visit justncase.com and enter the code MOTHERNESS at checkout to receive your discount.

Content warning: this episode discusses depression, anxiety, panic attacks, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. There’s also a mention about sexual abuse in the context of extended breastfeeding. If any of these themes are triggering for you, please take care while you’re listening. If you’re concerned about your own mental health or that of someone you love, call 0800 LIFELINE to seek support. Additional help services are also listed in the show notes.

In this episode, I interview mum of three Emma Collins about her feeding journeys with each of her daughters. Through traumatic birth, mental illness, exclusive pumping, mixed feeding, formula feeding, oversupply, tongue tie, feeding through pregnancy, dry nursing, tandem feeding, extended feeding and natural term weaning, there’s more she can talk to when it comes to feeding than not. Now working as a breastfeeding peer supporter and as an administrator for Mother’s Milk NZ Charitable Trust, breastfeeding has become Emma’s superpower.

Mental health support services:

• Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa 
• depression.org.nz or 0800 111 757
• Mental Health Foundation
• Parent Help - 0800 568 856 
• Anxiety Phone Line - 0800 269 4389 
• PlunketLine - 0800 933 922 
• For a referral to Maternal Mental Health please contact your midwife or GP 
• Mental Health Crisis services (for emergencies only) 

Breastfeeding support services: 

• Breastfed NZ - Support Group on Facebook
• La Leche League
• Plunket
• Pregnant and Tandem Breastfeeders Australia & NZ group on Facebook
• Breastfeeding Older Babies and Beyond group on Facebook

Follow Emma Collins on Instagram.

Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram. 

This week's episode of Motherness is proudly sponsored by Little Bambinos, a lovingly curated online store for minis and their mamas.  Little Bambinos is offering all Motherness listeners 10% off storewide - enter the code MOTHERNESS at checkout to receive your discount.

Today's episode is with mum of two, Gemma Sanders. she takes us through what it was like to have no complications naturally conceiving her first son, Max, but then she and her husband, Ev experienced unexplained secondary infertility, they had two miscarriages, and eventually chose to undergo IVF to have their second son, Jasper.

This episode is a reminder that you just don’t know – no one knows - how quickly or how long it could take to conceive, whether it’s your first pregnancy or a subsequent one. I have no doubt that in Gemma bravely sharing her very personal story with you today, this episode will shift perspectives on what we think we know infertility to be.

For miscarriage and pregnancy loss support, visit miscarriagesupport.org.nz.

Follow Gemma Sanders on Instagram.

Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram. 

This week's episode of Motherness is proudly sponsored by Edwards & Co. Edwards & Co is a Kiwi owned and operated family business producing a range of strollers and other incredible baby products.

At some point, we’ve all known a mum who when we find out what she’s experienced, we say ‘I had no idea’. Today’s story is a little bit like that – and a fitting reminder that you never truly know what another person might be going through.

In this episode, I speak with mum of three daughters, Georgie Sanders about her motherhood journey, from the surprise conception of her first  and all the moments in between as she and her partner, Henry have grown their family.

We talk about studying during her first pregnancy and sitting the bar, adjusting to motherhood for the first time, contracting meningitis in her second pregnancy, the concept of 'two under two', having a high needs child, being diagnosed with PTSD, her recovery and healing from that experience, having a third baby, and how her relationship has been during the past six years of parenthood.

Thank you so much for joining me, Georgie.

Mental health support services:

• Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa 
• depression.org.nz or 0800 111 757
• Mental Health Foundation
• Parent Help - 0800 568 856 
• Anxiety Phone Line - 0800 269 4389 
• PlunketLine - 0800 933 922 
• For a referral to Maternal Mental Health please contact your midwife or GP 
• Mental Health Crisis services (for emergencies only) 

Follow Georgie Sanders on Instagram.

Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram. 

Content warning: today’s episode discusses depression, anxiety, and suicide so if any of these topics are triggering for you, please take care while you’re listening. If you’re worried about your own mental health or that of someone you love, visit mentalhealth.org.nz or call 0800 LIFELIFE to seek support. It’s never too late to ask for help. 

Today‘s episode is with mum of one, Lucy Ross who bravely shares she and her husband’s story where they were both affected by mental health challenges. Lucy's husband, Jono developed postnatal depression, severe anxiety and became suicidal within a number of weeks of their daughter being born in New Zealand’s first level 4 lockdown, and, as a result, Lucy developed anxiety herself and was under the care of maternal mental health. Today, she reflects on their journey. Thank you, Lucy for so bravely sharing your story.

Lucy and Jono have said they'd be happy to talk to other parents or couples who have experienced similar challenges. If you'd like to connect with Lucy, you can follow her on Instagram @lucyvross.

Mental health support services:

• Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa 
• depression.org.nz or 0800 111 757
• Mental Health Foundation
• Parent Help - 0800 568 856 
• Anxiety Phone Line - 0800 269 4389 
• PlunketLine - 0800 933 922 
• For a referral to Maternal Mental Health please contact your midwife or GP 
• Mental Health Crisis services (for emergencies only) 

Follow Lucy Ross on Instagram.

Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram. 

Today’s guest is counsellor, mindfulness trainer and parent coach, Shirley Pastiroff. 

I went into this interview with Shirley thinking that mindful parenting was about everything that I’m not as a mother, and I left realising that it’s also about everything that I am. I left knowing that not only are my feelings are valid but they’re healthy. That my triggers are valid but my child hasn’t caused them, the responsibility of managing them is mine and mine alone. And that I am everything I hope to be as a mother – just as I ask my guests in their final question. The fact that I care, that I’m growing as a parent, and trying to do better, proves that I am worthy of this gig, even on the days where I feel like I’m not. 

Shirley is the author of the life-changing book, The Mindful Parent. It is available to purchase locally in NZ through www.renewyourmind.co.nz, and globally through Amazon, Book Depository and other online retailers.  

If you struggle with the confronting nature of parenting and "doing it right", I hope you feel that this episode is as much of a permission slip for you as it was for me.

Resources mentioned:

• How to Speak Toddler-ese with Dr. Harvey Karp
• Mindful Parenting Course with Shirley

Follow Shirley Pastiroff on Instagram.

Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram. 

In this episode, I speak with mum-of-one, Kate Holland about her journey to becoming a mother to her daughter, Rylee. She and her husband, Jon had a fertility journey through IVF that spanned over eight years before they pursued adoption, first domestically and then internationally. The process of adoption took four years before they brought Rylee home from Thailand. 

Today, we discuss the details of their story, including how they coped emotionally going through IVF, their first adoption of a boy from Russia falling through, and eventually being matched with Rylee. We chat through what it was like becoming parents overnight and how they bonded with their daughter. Kate also bravely opens up about her experience with post-adoption depression.

Mental health support services:

• Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa 
• depression.org.nz or 0800 111 757
• Mental Health Foundation
• Parent Help - 0800 568 856 
• Anxiety Phone Line - 0800 269 4389 
• PlunketLine - 0800 933 922 

Follow Kate Holland on Instagram.

Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram. 

Welcome to this bonus episode of Motherness. If you’re part of my private Facebook group for the podcast then you’ll know that season two is coming in January but given it’s been slightly longer between seasons than I’d initially planned, I wanted to drop a new episode so you can get a little Motherness fix while you wait!

In today’s episode, I speak with midwife and mum of one Tash Porter about her entry to motherhood with her daughter Milly. 

If you’re a mum, like me, who had a baby who didn’t have reflux or colic, you likely suffered the typical amount of sleep deprivation in the first year or two of their life. But for a mum like Tash, whose daughter did have reflux, she was forced to survive on one hour of sleep – total – each night and one nap per day. After listening to her today, you’ll have a whole new appreciation and understanding for those parents who battle a similar journey. Despite all that Tash went through in their first year, she is incredibly pragmatic and somehow positive about a time that I truly believe would break many of us.  

So, if you’re listening and you’re in the trenches of a challenge then this is for you. For you, the mum who feels a little lonely even with a community, the mum who feels like she can’t leave the house, the mum who’s only just surviving. We see you and this episode is for you. 

Mental health support services:

• Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa 
• depression.org.nz or 0800 111 757
• Mental Health Foundation
• Parent Help - 0800 568 856 
• Anxiety Phone Line - 0800 269 4389 
• PlunketLine - 0800 933 922 

Follow Tash Porter on Instagram.

Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram. 

This episode of Motherness is proudly sponsored by Mildred&Co. Mildred&Co is a lovingly curated baby and wedding gift registry and everyday gift store.

Trigger warning: this episode details bipolar disorder, mania, depression, anxiety, and other topics around mental illness. If any of these themes are triggering for you, please take care while you're listening. If you're worried about your own mental health or that of someone you love, call 0800 LIFELINE (0800 543 354).

Today’s guest is Hannah Hardy-Jones, a beautiful māmā and founder of The Kite Program who was diagnosed with postpartum bipolar disorder after the birth of her first child, Alice. 

I saw a post on Hannah’s Instagram of her daughter, Alice holding a drawing that says ‘My Mum helps mums.” I felt it so greatly. "My mum helps mums." And she does. 

I knew seeing that photo and having this korero with Hannah that this episode was the perfect one to end season one of Motherness on. Ultimately, that’s my hope for Motherness too. Mums helping mums. Holding space and compassion for each other and honouring our journeys, as challenging, as beautiful, and as different as they all may be.

So, here’s Hannah for you today on all that she went through with her rare and crippling mental illness, her road to recovery, bravely choosing to have another child, the healing, the learning and the creation that has come from what she describes a Kite once damaged beyond repair. But now? Hannah has rebuilt her Kite and it is soaring.  

Mental health support services:

• Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa 
• depression.org.nz or 0800 111 757
• Mental Health Foundation
• Parent Help - 0800 568 856 
• Anxiety Phone Line - 0800 269 4389 
• PlunketLine - 0800 933 922 
• For a referral to Maternal Mental Health please contact your midwife or GP 
• Mental Health Crisis services (for emergencies only) 

Follow Hannah Hardy-Jones on Instagram. Visit The Kite Program.

Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram.