Knowledge is power and we are all about empowering the mothers of the world! In each episode we will unravel and interpret the latest research and evidence-based practices for pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood.
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Données mises à jour le 01/11/2026
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Ep 250. Puberty Is Starting Earlier. Here's How to Talk About It
Saison 2 · Épisode 250
lundi 26 octobre 2026 • Durée 01:02:38
Puberty is arriving earlier for our kids than it did for most of us, and it can catch you off guard before you've worked out what to say. Feeling unprepared is a normal place to start, and small conversations are enough to get going.
The conversations that help most can begin well before the big questions arrive. This conversation gives you the words, the timing and the reassurance to begin.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Dr Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett, co-founders of Less Awkward and co-hosts of the This Is So Awkward podcast. Cara is a Harvard and Johns Hopkins trained paediatrician and the author of the bestselling Care and Keeping of You series, which has guided a generation of kids in the US through puberty. Vanessa is a bestselling author and educator who founded Dynamo Girl, a programme that builds girls' self-esteem through sport and body literacy. Together they wrote This Is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained, and they now bring the same science and warmth to classrooms through a health and sex education curriculum for kindergarten through to 12th grade.
In this conversation they cover the first signs to look for, what researchers think is driving the shift, and easy ways into the talk, from car rides to bath time.
You'll Hear About:
What the first signs of puberty look like
Why puberty is starting earlier for kids today
When to start the puberty conversation
How to circle back when the moment passes
Why staying connected supports wellbeing into adulthood
A short chat in the car, a pause during a movie, or a second try after the supermarket all count as starting. Small conversations add up to a child who knows they can come to you.
Share this with a friend who has a child heading towards puberty and isn't sure where to start. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Connect with Less Awkward on Instagram: @less.awkward
Explore Less Awkward's digital health and sex education curriculum for kindergarten through to 12th grade, That Health Class, which blends science with joy. Find out more in the curriculum kit and read testimonials from schools.
A parallel parent curriculum sits in The Hub, so the lessons are fully transparent and adults can catch up on what they may never have learned.
Books mentioned in this conversation
This Is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained by Dr Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett
Teenhood: Confessions & Lessons for the Trickiest Phase of Parenting by Vanessa Kroll Bennett (releases 19 January 2027)
The Care and Keeping of You series by Dr Cara Natterson
Untangled by Dr Lisa Damour
The Curse of the Good Girl by Rachel Simmons
The New Puberty: How to Navigate Early Development in Today's Girls by Dr Louise Greenspan and Dr Julianna Deardorff
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer
The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.
Ep 249. Does My Baby Need a Tongue-Tie Snip?
Saison 2 · Épisode 249
lundi 19 octobre 2026 • Durée 18:18
What if the most important part of the tongue-tie conversation happens before anyone looks in your baby's mouth? A new review from three surgeons on tongue-tie and breastfeeding says it's worth knowing what that is.
If someone's mentioned a tongue-tie during a hard week of feeding, a fix that takes minutes can sound like relief, and that makes complete sense. The review points to what needs to happen first, and it gives you a clear set of questions to bring to your midwife, GP or lactation consultant.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White unpacks the review and what it means for you. She explores who may benefit from a frenotomy, which method has the evidence behind it, and the support worth trying before anyone picks up the scissors.
You'll Hear About:
Why tongue-tie procedures rose 420% in a decade
Why what the tongue can do matters most
Who benefits and how strong the evidence is
What the research says about scissors versus laser
What to ask before agreeing to a snip
A frenotomy can be a helpful tool for the right baby once skilled feeding support is in place, and if it changed everything for you, that experience is real. You're allowed to ask for a whole feed to be watched, to understand the method, and to know who will check how feeding is going afterwards. Wanting those answers first is a sound way to look after you and your baby.
If a friend is up at 3am googling tongue-tie, send her the link to The Science of Motherhood and let her know she's allowed to ask questions first. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Ep 248. Kind Words That Hurt After a Miscarriage and What to Say
Saison 2 · Épisode 248
lundi 12 octobre 2026 • Durée 57:01
Miscarriage is far more common than we're told, and the silence around it can leave you feeling like you're the only one. If someone has said "at least you can get pregnant" or suggested you focus on the baby you already have, you're allowed to feel those words missed the mark. Your loss is a loss, and you deserve support that treats it that way.
Whether you're grieving now, pregnant again and carrying a lot of worry, or wondering how to support someone you love, there's more help out there than you might realise.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Samantha Payne, co-founder and CEO of the Pink Elephants Support Network, to explore early pregnancy loss and the support available. Samantha shares her story of three miscarriages, how her grief became a three-year campaign that changed Australian law, and what care, workplaces and loved ones can still do better.
You'll Hear About:
Why the 12 week rule needs rethinking
How a three year campaign changed Australian law
What free support exists after pregnancy loss
What current guidelines say after two losses
How to support someone through pregnancy loss
Grief after pregnancy loss moves at its own pace, and you deserve to feel held, heard and supported through it. Share this conversation with a friend, sister or colleague who could use it. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Ep 247. The Type A Mama's Guide to Preparing for Motherhood
Saison 2 · Épisode 247
lundi 5 octobre 2026 • Durée 22:28
If you're a Type A personality, you've probably mapped out almost everything, from the pram research to the hospital bag spreadsheet. And if a quiet voice is asking what happens when you can't control it all, that voice belongs to someone who cares deeply and wants to get this right.
Your planning brain is one of your greatest strengths as a mama. It needs a slightly different job description once baby arrives, and the research shows where to point it.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White unpacks how to prepare for motherhood as a Type A personality, from the surprising origin of the label to what the research says about perfectionism, your remodelled brain and your baby's body clock. She also shares her two-part framework, control the controllables and embrace the spontaneity, along with a confession about a spreadsheet and an algorithm from her first baby.
You'll Hear About:
Where the Type A label actually came from
Why perfectionism makes motherhood feel harder
How your brain is remodelled for motherhood
Why babies run on a different clock
How a two-part framework balances control and spontaneity
Your planning strength has a wonderful home in motherhood, from a stocked freezer to a support team waiting in your corner. With that in place, you get to give yourself permission to let go of the rest and enjoy meeting your baby, one thirsty, hungry or sleepy day at a time. And if the need for control starts tipping into constant worry, reaching out early is one of the most Type A things you can do.
If you know a Type A mama who has a spreadsheet for the hospital bag, send it her way. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Ep 246. What Every Dog Owner Needs to Do Before Baby Comes Home
Saison 2 · Épisode 246
lundi 28 septembre 2026 • Durée 44:00
You've packed the hospital bag, set up the nursery, and read all the baby books. But there's one family member who's easy to forget until your newborn actually comes home, and that's your dog. The shift from being the centre of your world to sharing space with a brand new tiny human can be a lot for them to process too.
If you've caught yourself wondering how your dog is going to cope, that instinct is worth listening to. Getting it right comes down to preparation you can start well before your due date, and a few small shifts in how you read your dog's cues.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White chats with Seb Lemaire, founder and head trainer at Canines on Cue Dog Training on the Gold Coast, to unpack how to prepare your dog for a new baby. Seb draws on his own experience as a dad to a toddler and years of dog training to walk through what those first weeks look like from your dog's point of view.
You'll Hear About:
How to read your dog's subtle stress signals
Why your dog's breed says less than you think
What to prepare before your baby comes home
How to handle that first at-home introduction
Why crate training helps your dog switch off
A little preparation now means your dog and your baby get the chance to feel safe together from day one. You don't have to navigate this alone, and with the right groundwork, your home can hold space for both of them.
If you know a dog owner counting down to their due date, send this one their way. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Ep 245. Preparing Your Toddler Before Baby Comes Home
Saison 2 · Épisode 245
lundi 21 septembre 2026 • Durée 17:35
Somewhere between announcing baby number two or three and the baby actually arriving, there's a question nearly every mother asks, how do you stop your toddler from resenting the baby. Underneath it sits a quieter fear, that loving a second child might mean taking something away from the first.
Decades of research on sibling adjustment paint a far gentler picture than we once assumed. This transition responds beautifully to preparation, the same way baby's arrival does.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White unpacks how to prepare your toddler for a new sibling, from the first conversation to the everyday job that makes the shift feel like theirs. She covers the play-based science behind emotional regulation, a ritual for protecting your quiet moments, and two ways to ask for support.
You'll Hear About:
Why toddler sibling transitions rarely become a crisis
When to start talking about the new baby
How giving your toddler a real job helps
Why play does more work than you'd think
Two ways to ask your village for help
Your toddler can move through this gently, with the groundwork you lay now. Every small job, every basket, every hand from your village adds up to a softer landing for both your children.
Share this episode with a friend expecting baby number two or three, she'll want this before the due date. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Ep 244. Breast Pumping Explained: What No One Tells You
Saison 2 · Épisode 244
lundi 14 septembre 2026 • Durée 01:04:52
You're sent home with a breast pump after birth and left to work out the rest of your pumping and breastfeeding journey on your own. No one mentions flange size, settings or the fact you might not need to sterilise a single part.
Pumping comes with more variables than most mums are ever told about, and working them out alone in the middle of exhausted, hormonal days makes everything harder than it needs to be. Understanding what actually matters can take a lot of that pressure off.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White chats with Fotini Gniel, founder of Nurturing Flow and breast pump and flange fitting specialist, to work through everything mums are rarely taught about pumping, from flange sizing and settings to choosing the right pump and caring for exclusive pumpers. Together they bust some of the most common myths mums are told in hospital and beyond.
You'll Hear About
Why flange sizing changes your whole pumping experience
What pump settings actually support comfort
Why sterilising pump parts isn't strictly needed
How to choose the right pump for you
What exclusive pumpers need and rarely get
With the right information, pumping can feel manageable, straightforward and genuinely doable.
If this conversation changed how you think about pumping, share it with a mama figuring hers out alone. Subscribe to The Science of Motherhood to keep these conversations coming to your feed.
You might wonder what a doula actually does, or whether having one is worth it when you've already got a partner and a midwife by your side. There's a lot of noise out there about what the role really involves, and most of it doesn't reflect what a doula is actually there to do. A doula's real job is to be a steady, judgement-free presence, there for exactly what you need and out of the way for the rest.
There's a lot to untangle about where a doula fits, what they actually do in the room, and how that support changes depending on how your birth unfolds.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White chats with Amanda Down, Fill Your Cup's longest-standing birth doula, to unpack what doulas actually do and how they fit alongside midwives and partners. Amanda draws on years of supporting mamas through pregnancy, birth and postpartum to explain how doulas build trust, advocate in the birth space and adapt to whatever a family needs on the day.
This is Part 6, the final instalment, of our Pregnancy and Birth series.
You'll Hear About:
What a birth doula does day to day
How doulas differ from midwives in your care
Why prenatal sessions focus on trust first
How doulas support partners through labour
What the BRAIN tool helps you decide
Wherever you land on the spectrum of support you want, you get to decide what your birth looks like and who stands beside you for it. Amanda's approach is a reminder that you don't need permission to trust yourself, only the right people in your corner.
Share this with a friend who's weighing up whether a doula is right for her birth team. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Ep 242. Pregnancy Myths Debunked: What's Actually True
Saison 2 · Épisode 242
lundi 31 août 2026 • Durée 53:27
Someone in your life has probably already told you what pregnancy is "supposed" to feel like, whether you asked or not. When what you're going through doesn't line up with that, it's easy to wonder what's wrong with you instead of questioning where that advice even came from.
These are the myths mums are told to accept without question, pulled apart to show what happens to your confidence when you stop challenging them.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Dr Emma Black, Clinical and Perinatal Psychologist, to bust some of pregnancy's most persistent myths. Together they unpack where these beliefs come from, why they stick around for generations, and how mums can start trusting their own judgement instead.
This is part 5 of 6 in our Pregnancy and Birth series.
You'll Hear About
Why the nesting instinct myth doesn't hold up
What the 12 week rule was really protecting
How to respond when unsolicited advice keeps coming
Why gender disappointment is often grief in disguise
How to build confidence to do pregnancy differently
You're allowed to question the rules you were handed and keep only the ones that actually serve you. Trust builds when you start choosing what fits your family instead of what's expected of you.
If this conversation helped you see one of these myths differently, share it with a mama who needs permission to let it go too. Subscribe to The Science of Motherhood so new episodes land in your feed each week.
Ep 241. Birth Trauma Explained: Signs, Causes and Healing
Saison 2 · Épisode 241
lundi 24 août 2026 • Durée 01:08:29
Maybe your birth went exactly how everyone told you it should, and you still can't shake the way it made you feel. Maybe it didn't go anywhere near the plan, and somehow you came out the other side feeling strong. Whatever your birth looked like on paper, if it left something behind that you're still carrying, that's worth taking seriously.
This is for you if you've never quite known what to call what happened to you. It's for you if you're getting ready to give birth and want to understand what actually helps when things don't go to plan.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White chats with Claire DiCarlo, perinatal counsellor and founder of Rad Parents, to get honest about what birth trauma really is and why it's so often missed. Claire brings both her clinical experience supporting mums through birth trauma and her own birth story, which didn't go to plan, to explore why the people around you matter more than the outcome, and what real support looks like once it's over.
This is part four of the six-part Pregnancy and Birth series.
You'll Hear About:
What birth trauma actually means
What actually makes a birth feel unsafe
Why women blame themselves for someone else's actions
When birth debriefing actually helps
How to protect yourself before you give birth
There's no timeline for making sense of your birth, and no version of your story that's too small to matter. However long it takes you to get there, you deserve the space to talk about it.
Share this with a mum who's never had the words for what her birth left behind. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Research discussed: Lingual Frenotomy for Breastfeeding Difficulties: Indications, Surgical Techniques and Multidisciplinary Care in Infants and Young Children. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology. PMID 42543437
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer
The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.
Support for new and expecting parents from PANDA on 1300 726 306, Monday to Saturday, or visit panda.org.au
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.
🎧 Catch up on the power of play with Tina Payne Bryson in Episode 236
A few books worth having on hand before baby arrives:
Waiting for Baby by Rachel Fuller
I'm a Big Sister / I'm a Big Brother by Joanna Cole
I'm Going to Be a Big Sister / Big Brother by Brenda Bercovici
The New Baby by Mercer Mayer
Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.
📖 The Pregnancy Myths Guide now available in bookstores or online
✨ This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Central Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.
✨ This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Central Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.
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