For All Mum Kind – Details, episodes & analysis

On this, the final episode of series four of the For All Mum Kind podcast, I continue my chat with teacher, Montessori and respectful parent and mum of four Gemma Daly. This conversation is all about play and I hope you find it as interesting as I did. Gemma has taken the knowledge she gained from being in the teaching profession and turned it into a successful YouTube channel called The Hidden Gem. Her tips and techniques on how to play with your child and how to turn the ordinary into interesting are utterly invaluable. It may be something as simple as putting pom-poms on a fire guard, but these are all things to spark your child’s imagination and stimulate the learning process. Gemma introduced me to the idea of ‘schemas’. The little simple repetitive actions and urges that you may notice your baby doing, that are actually the building blocks to the much larger milestones of life. Have you ever watched a baby repetitively take something in and out of a box? This is the schema of learning about volume and it is the reason why as an adult we can pour milk into a cup of tea without spilling it. We talk about toys and which toys are best to invigorate the creative process. It’s not always the most flashiest toy that may stand out of the shelf that is best for your smallie. Active toys make passive learners, and passive toys make active learners. In fact the best thing we can actually give our children is the space to move around and explore in. We discuss the concept of Gross Motor Development and Gemma tells me why she is not stressing about the triplets hitting arbitrary milestones and allowing them to develop at their natural pace. Did you know that a baby can’t actually sit up by themselves until they are able to crawl? Gemma is a hive of information and this episode is full of gems for parents to pick up. And finally we chat about the work of Maria Montessori and how we should follow our child’s natural interests and that each child is like a kernel of popcorn - they may be in the same pot, but they will all pop at different times. To follow Gemma please check out her Instagram and YouTube channel: https://www.instagram.com/the.way.we.play/ https://www.youtube.com/thehiddengem Thank you for listening to season four of the Four All Mum Kind Podcast. I would like to thank all of my guests who took the time to speak with me. My sponsor The Gardiner Family Apothecary for their support throughout the recording of the show., my family and you the listener for all your kind messages.  If you would like to continue the conversation, please follow me on Instagram at ForAllMumKind where I would love to hear from you. https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind/ ____________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.  Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

This week on the podcast I chat with teacher, Montessori and respectful parent, mum of four Gemma Daly.  2020 for Gemma was the best and worst year of her life. She gave birth to triplets and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  Gemma shares with me her path to pregnancy. Following two miscarriages and an irregular monthly cycle Gemma took it upon herself to have a fertility investigation. She had her son Oscar but trying to conceive now was more difficult. After the investigation she learned that she had low AMH level, low egg count and was recommended for IVF.  However, Gemma conceived naturally and it turned out she was pregnant with… triplets! Pregnancy was scary for Gemma for so many reasons. She was offered a selective reduction, which she declined. At 27 weeks Gemma was admitted to hospital and at 30+5 weeks the triplets, Sebastian, Ashton and Hendrix were born.  Giving birth in the pandemic has been difficult but the extended hospital stay with no visitors, followed by the boys needing care in the NICU was a very tough time for Gemma. One of the unexpected challenges that Gemma faced was how hard it was to feel connected to the babies, the shock of seeing them in the NICU and the impossibility of holding them all at the one time. There was an expectation on Gemma to be bouncing out of the bed and walking to the NICU but after a tough pregnancy and section she needed more support. Once Gemma was discharged she continued to express milk and bring it to the hospital daily. She felt that although they were in the NICU, the one thing she could do was feed them. 7 out of 8 feeds a day were from Gemma, the other feed was supplied by donor milk. One by one Sebastian, Ashton and Hendrix came home and settled into a family of six. Gemma opens her heart in this episode to share the ups and down of her pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey. In fact we got on so well that I decided to split the podcast into two, so look out for a further episode next week where I chat to her about her love of Montessori and respectful parenting. To follow Gemma please check out her Instagram and YouTube channel: https://www.instagram.com/the.way.we.play/ https://www.youtube.com/thehiddengem ___________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.  Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

This week on the podcast I am joined by Rachael Smith. Rachael is a teacher, life and parent coach and mum to three busy, noisy boys. I was drawn to Rachael as I loved her parent coaching approach that she shares on her Instagram, for the simple reason that Rachael is realistic. As a mum she understands the reality of parenting - the isolation and loneliness - and is passionate about the need to look after yourself, so that you can look after everyone else. Rachael adapted the jar of pebbles and sand analogy as a guide for how to prioritise your time. Its a great way to visualise what is important, and not to get bogged down in the stress of day to day. She also recommends taking a moment to think about what truly brings us joy, and to make a list of these so you don’t let them slip by the wayside and risk losing your identity. After recording this podcast I took on Rachael’s advice and lost an hour in the evening to gain an hour in the morning. It really helped me recharge the batteries and to get a much needed productive hour to myself, rather than just scrolling endlessly before bed. Rachael also gives great advice when it comes to communicating to our children which she calls the ‘positive/negative/positive’ approach. Did you know that children hear the word ‘no’ up to 400 times a day? After a while it completely loses all meaning, so it’s important to reinforce the positive parts of their behaviour. This week a lot of mums and dads have returned to the workplace after months of being at home. The return of work also brings the return of mum guilt. The putting yourself at the bottom of the list and forgetting what self care is about. This episode is the perfect antidote to all of those bad habits that we fall into. To learn more about Rachael’s coaching techniques check out her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachaelsmithcoaching/ Pamela. _____________________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary. Visit http://www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Welcome to the fourth series of the For All Mum Kind Podcast - it’s great to be back.  In the first episode I am joined by writer, comedian and mum to Ted, Julie Jay! Ted was a “pandemic baby” and during Julie’s pregnancy she found herself locked down in her second (or perhaps spiritual home) of Dingle, Co Kerry.  A long way from home and living on the side of a mountain, Julie was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which put a dampener on her plans of eating all around her for nine months. Julie has really missed the shared knowledge of mum and baby groups and friend interaction. And like all of us, she’s struggled to find the balance between work, family and time for herself during these truly unprecedented times.  Finding her feet as a busy mum, Julie is often struck by ‘mom guilt’ as being the main administrator in house she feels she can struggle to feel present with Ted, while her fiancé Fred (yes, that can be confusing) is left to be the fun dad. And now that we are coming out of lockdown Julie is feeling the pressure of making memories and everything being perfect and fun.  It was great to catch up with Julie and make sure to check out her own podcast Up To Ninety and Crimeland. Up To Ninety: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/up-to-90/id1384941941 Crimeland: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/crimeland/id1493942937 This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary. Visit www.GardinerFamilyApothecary.com for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. Pamela x

I’m honoured and awed to be joined on this special Mother’s Day Podcast by the inspirational Vicky Phelan. Vicky is known to us all as the face of the Cervical Check crisis in 2018. Vicky through her unrelenting desire for justice uncovered the medical and political scandal of our times. Vicky has since used her voice to raise awareness, educate and inspire many across Ireland and the World. Vicky is also first and foremost a mum, which has brought its own share of highs and lows. Vicky shares with me her experience of post natal depression after the birth of Amelia and Darragh. We discuss her relationship with her own mum and how she herself sees herself as a mum. At the moment Vicky is in Maryland, U.S.A. taking part in an immunotherapy drug trial for her cervical cancer. We discuss the importance of women to advocate for their own healthcare, how women need to raise their voices to be heard in the search for equality. We discuss what changes needs to be made for women’s health in Ireland and what progress has been made with the recommendations to the Cervical Check Scheme. Vicky is a powerhouse, inspirational, fearless and a formidable woman. A huge thank you to Vicky for taking the time to record this episode with me. If you aren’t already you can follow Vicky on her Twitter and Instagram.: https://twitter.com/PhelanVicky https://www.instagram.com/vickykellyphelan/ _______________________________________ This episode of For All Mum Kind is dedicated to my own Mom who sadly passed away in September 2020. Solas Mhic Dé ar a n-anam. _______________________________________ This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934. From Ovelle Silcock’s Base to Elave Sensitive Beauty, their unique formulations provide low-irritancy, cruelty-free and sustainable skincare solutions for You, Your Family, and Your Sensitive Skin. You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary. Visit their website for free next day delivery with purchases over €25. https://gardinerfamilyapothecary.com Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

The final episode of Series Three of the podcast was delayed due to the unexpected early arrival of my second child Peter. I’m delighted to say that everyone is well and healthy and we’ve been home for a few weeks now soaking up all of the lovely baby cuddles. I couldn’t let the season just fizzle out however, especially when I knew what an amazing guest I had lined up to end with. So last week I managed to get an hour away from both of the kids and I sat down with Naomi Clarke, who is better known to most as The Style Fairy for a chat. Naomi is a stylist, digital creator and mum to two gorgeous girls Annabelle Ivy & Luna May.  Naomi shares with me her raw and emotive birth stories of Annabelle and Luna. Due to Naomi’s Type 1 Diabetes, both girls were born at 36 weeks and unfortunately Luna required a stay in the NICU which saw Naomi forced to leave the hospital without her. It’s clear from listening to Naomi the effect of the early arrivals and Luna’s stay in NICU has had on her emotionally.  Once home with Annabelle and Luna, Naomi shares how those first few weeks were at home and how the girls are now the best of friends. We discuss the age old dilemma of finding a work life balance, and the pressures of sharing your life on social media - the good and the bad. It would be impossible to have a chat with the Style Fairy without discussing fashion, and in particular the dreaded maternity wear. And while some brands are beginning to launch stylish ranges, there are still many that are continuing to create frumpy, old fashioned maternity wear. It was an absolute pleasure to talk with Naomi and a heartfelt thank youi for sharing her birth stories with me which I know wasn’t easy for her. You can continue to keep in touch with Naomi on her blog and Instagram pages: https://thestylefairy.ie https://www.instagram.com/the_style_fairy That’s a wrap for Series 3. It has been an odd one to say the least. If you told me when I started recording back in February that when I released the final episode I would have my little boy in my arms I would not have believed you. But then there is a lot about 2020 that is hard to believe! Thanks as always to all the mum’s who joined me on this series. And to everyone who has listened and left me comments - please do keep in touch via my Instagram page and keep spreading the word of the pod to any new mums out there. https://www.instagram.com/forallmumkind Stay safe. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

I was lucky enough to have psychotherapist, author and mother of one, Joanna Fortune join me earlier in the season for the Covid-19 Special. But after chatting to her for those 15 or so minutes, I knew I had to get her back on for a full episode of her own. Joanna is a fountain of knowledge and her two books 15 Minute Parenting 0-7 & 8-12 have helped hundreds of parents to find the tools to communicate with their children and help them grow and develop strong emotional responses. Joanna isn’t about just jumping in and fixing every little problem a child faces. She gives parents the understanding they need to be able to listen to their children and help them to understand that things will be difficult sometimes, but you can overcome them and it will make you a better person. I love how Joanna incorporates play into her methods. She believes that play is a state of mind and we should develop strategies to incorporate play as a way of communicating. If we are continually nagging our children to do something they will disconnect from us. But if we absorb ourselves into their play, and become “interested in our children’s interests" we can become less reliant on verbal communication which often goes unheard by the child. In her latest book Joanna looks at the overlooked age group between 8-12. We tend to focus on the toddler years or the difficult teenage years, but there is so much development formed during this time. Relationship building, emotional growth, bullying and independence are all happening at this age. Joanna offers a roadmap for time poor parents to navigate through these difficult milestones and help better understand their child’s emotional needs. I hope that you find this podcast as helpful and as interesting as I did. And although Alice is a long way away from being 8 there are definitely some ideas that I have already started to incorporate with our own play and communication with her. You can buy Joanna’s books from all the regular bookshops and online stores. And to follow her for daily updates please check out her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannafortune/ Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

This week on the podcast I chat to radio contributor, media project manager and close friend of mine, Sue Murphy. Sue recently became the mother to a gorgeous little girl Julia and has been dealing with the ups and downs of bringing a newborn into the Covid changed world. Sue and I go back to my college days and its amazing to see how our friendship has changed over the last 15 years. But since Sue has become a mom we have swapped all of our dirty secrets of old for dirty nappies instead. Sue’s path to motherhood was not an easy one. Her first pregnancy sadly ended in miscarriage, so naturally her anxiety levels were far more heightened on the next pregnancy. So when she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes (where the body is not creating enough insulin for the mother and the baby) she was so distraught that she crashed her car into a bus on the way home! The birth of Julia was also traumatic and an experience that Sue still struggles with telling - so I thank her for sharing it with me. After what seemed like an eternal labour, Sue haemorrhaged in child birth and lost a lot of blood. She couldn’t swallow and pretty much passed out after giving birth. Two blood transfusions later Sue was left in pain, tired and emotional and without the support of her husband, who was sent home at night, was left to care for this newborn when she couldn’t even care for herself. She felt “unheard” by the medical professionals and unable to care for her newborn daughter due to the pain. As it is Father’s Day we also chat about the dads in our lives, and the concept of the “fun dad!” We are both blessed to have wonderful father’s to raise our children with - but sometimes we can’t help but compare notes about the stupid things they do. Sorry Ben & Mick, we do love you really. If you don’t know Sue already you can follow her over on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IllSueYa It was great to catch up with her, and I cannot wait to finally meet little Julia once all the current restrictions are lifted. Hope you enjoy listening to these two old friends having the chats. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Vicki O Callaghan is one half of Irish baby clothing and accessories brand BabyBoo. They are the guys who make those awesome drool busting bandana bibs we all love. She is also the mum to her gorgeous little girl Ruby. During Ruby’s early months she struggled dreadfully with reflux. Vicki was horrified that not only did it take her forever to get anyone to correctly diagnose her poor daughter, the advice she got on how to deal with the problem included “why don’t you just wear three bibs at a time?” Fed up of ruining cute outfit after outfit with ugly plain bibs, Vicki and her old college friend decided that enough was enough and BabyBoo was born. At the beginning the motivation was simple: to be able to earn enough to have the flexibility in her day to be able to drop her daughter to school, like her mum did her. And now, after years of hard work their bibs are being sent all over the world, they are used by a host of celebrities and are the toast of mums everywhere. Being a mum has changed Vicki and made her realise how strong she actually is. She fully admits that the expectation of the mother she thought she would be, and the mother that she’s turned out to be are two different things. But just like in business, motherhood has taught her to be flexible in life, and to have a new found patience that she did not have before. I would like to thank Vicki for being so open about how she got her foothold in business and I hope this episode is an inspiration to any other mums who think they may be sitting on a fantastic business idea. Go out there and do it ladies. If you haven't already I highly recommend you check of BabyBoo’s fantastic range of products. We have used their bibs on Alice from day one and they are not only stylish but hugely functional and hard wearing too: https://babyboo.ie You can also follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babyboo.ie/ Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz

Blogger, travel enthusiast and mother to three (and one angel), Aoife Bermingham joins me on this week’s episode of the podcast. Most will know her from her Mum On The Run blog or her Instagram full of stunning and motivational early morning swims. Aoife was inspiring to chat with. Living in a busy household Aoife always makes time to get to the beach in the morning to set herself up for the day ahead - even if that means getting up at ten to five in the morning! As mums we can all relate to feeling that part of your identity can get swallowed up in being a mum. During the last few weeks of the lockdown Aoife felt this more than ever, and took this time to reflect on getting “the me” back. We chatted about when Aoife returned to the workplace after maternity leave and the feeling of overwhelmingness that was increased by the open plan office environment. PTSD and panic attacks after the loss of her son Oisin made Aoife take control of her life. She made some big life decisions, but ones that were ultimately for the good of herself and her family. These didn’t come easy and it took time for her choices to come to fruition, but she knew she needed to choose her own path in life. Aoife talks about the need to connect with other people. Be that friends, family or professionals. We can all carry too much of a burden on our own and it doesn’t need to be this way. Grief comes in waves and while we cope through the ups and downs of grief, we don’t have to do it alone. If you enjoyed this chat with Aoife please go and check out her Mum on the Run blog and Instagram feeds. Pamela x Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/for-all-mum-kind/id1456045096?mt=2 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5q5ErY3McbYLuzC2qGfxVz