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What does it take to be a birth doula, and how do you choose the right doula for you? Sarah Newling (she/her) is one of the most in demand birth doulas and prenatal yoga instructors in the Newcastle area, and has stopped by to share her answers to both those questions and more. In this interview, we cover Sarah's introduction to birth workWhy she feels doula and prenatal yoga are a match made in heavenThe difference between "head down" and "bottom up" preparation, and why one is so much easier than the otherOne of her favourite physical practices to use in labourWhat you can ask a prospective doula to see if they're the right fit for you (and how she gets a feel for if the people wanting her doula services are a good fit too)What systems you need in place to make the on call aspect of doula work possible and sustainableIs it better to meet clients where they're at, or be very selective about which births you take on?Why she sometimes spends her initial visit talking people out of hiring a doulaSarah's key tip for prospective doulas and birth workersWhat Sarah offers and where we can find her [This episode has one or two swears right near the end.] Sarah's website: www.yogimama.com.au Prenatal yoga (and postnatal yoga for prenatal clients)Birth doulaQuarterly circles with Joanne Mackintosh (separate pregnancy and c-sec circles) Anna's website: www.annacusack.com.au Postnatal doula services (in home and group support)1:1 sessions Birth story listening sessions (specialised independent birth debriefs)Quarterly circles for mothers and birth parents at all stages of parenthoodBook - "Mama, You're Not Broken: Unmasking the Unspoken Emotions of Modern Motherhood"Instagram @sarah.yogimama and @annacusackpostpartum

For 15 years Mel Burgess has supported parents to learn how to understand, connect with and meet the needs of their children. In this interview Mel shares how, after a brutal first four years of parenthood, she came to learn these skills herself and begin teaching them to others. We also discuss: The patterns she sees in those seeking her support Common sites of difficulty and conflict Why some couples with kids need a parenting mentor more than a relationship counselor How parenting mentorship can operate and assist families where the parents have separated The activities and approaches she's found to be ineffective and left behind. You can find Mel and her weekly parenting tip newsletter at www.loveparenting.com.au Find Anna, her book, free postpartum preparation guides, doula services, mothers' and parents' circles and more at www.annacusack.com.au

You kid is sick. It's the middle of the night. What do you do? Paediatric nursing specialist Ilana Lawrence has been on duty at many an emergency room when concerned parents and caregivers bring their kids in. Sometimes these kids need immediate care, but a lot of the time parents and caregivers could have monitored and managed their child at home. The missing piece is education, which is exactly what Ilana aims to provide. In this interview we cover Ilana's road to paediatric nursing Why she has turned her focus towards parental education Why her workshops are different from standard first aid or online courses What she recommends everyone looking after children needs in their essential illness and emergency toolkit Fever - to manage at home or head to ED, and to medicate or not? Keep an eye out from articles and special offers from both of us in the 2025 edition of the Newcastle Baby Magazine, which will be released later this month. CONTACTS You can find Ilana at www.thesicksense.com and as @the.sick.sense on Instagram and Facebook. Connect with Anna and check out her in person, telehealth and group parent support options at www.annacusack.com.au You can also find her as @annacusackpostpartum on Instagram and Facebook KEY NUMBERS Ambulance - 000 Poinsons infoline - 131 126 Healthdirect - 1800 022 222 Pregnancy, Birth and Baby - 1800 882 436 Lifeline - 13 11 14

What's it like to find out you're expecting more than one baby? How does expecting multiple babies effect the experience of pregnancy, birth and postpartum? And what do mothers and parents of multiples (and their personal and professional supporters) need to know to get through those incredibly intense early years feeling well? As a psychologist, twin mother and host of the Fierce, Kind Mama of Multiples podcast, Dr Cristina Cavezza has the answers. Cristina's Links Podcast: Fierce, Kind Mama of Multiples on Apple Podcasts Cristina's programs and Free Resources (fiercekindmama.com) Dr Cristina Cavezza (@fierce.kind.mamaofmultiples) • Instagram photos and videos Connect with Anna Check out Anna's membership, other services (birth mapping, postpartum planning, birth debriefing, parent support sessions, in home doula care, custom ceremonies), public articles, and upcoming mothers' circles and events at www.annacusack.com.au You can also find her (sometimes) on Instagram @annacusackpostpartum and grab her book "Mama, You're Not Broken - Unmasking the Unspoken Emotions of Modern Motherhood" here: www.annacusack.com.au/book

There are over 1 million lone parent households in Australia, and the overwhelming majority of these are headed by single mothers. This doesn't mean however that single mothers are one homogenous group, all with the same backstory, immediate needs or hopes for the future. Klyne Love is a single mother working primarily with single parents. She brings her lived experience and professional insights to this conversation, shedding light on the nuances of the single motherhood experience. This conversation touches on the unique challenges single mothers face and how the rest of us (coupled parents, friends without children, older people without young dependent kids, support professionals, etc.) can show up for the single parents around us. Content warnings - domestic violence, houselessness. Connect with Klyne on Instagram @klyne.love or via the web www.klyne.love Connect with Anna Thinking of checking out Anna's online community membership? It's $15AUD/month (or $9 for concession/single parents) and features private member-only articles, a forum, regular zoom connection calls and more. Connect with Anna's other services (birth mapping, postpartum planning, birth debriefing, parent support sessions, custom ceremonies), public articles, and upcoming mothers' circles and events at www.annacusack.com.au You can also find her (sometimes) on Instagram @annacusackpostpartum and grab her book "Mama, You're Not Broken - Unmasking the Unspoken Emotions of Modern Motherhood" here: www.annacusack.com.au/book

Welcome to season 8! This season is a combination of interviews and solo episodes. This ep starts with a little update from me on what’s been happening and what I’m enjoying working on, and leads into an audio version of an article I published last autumn about caring for sick kids. Who is taking the load and how does it impact them, how do we manage and renegotiate it in our families and workplaces, and how could we do it better as a society? The full text article is located here: Flu season, carers' leave and the career stumbling block we don't speak about (annacusack.com.au) **In this episode I use the phrase "disabled child". I have made the decision to use "identity first" language rather than "person first" language, which you can read more about here: Person-first and identity-first language | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au) Thinking of joining Anna's online community membership? It's $15AUD/month (or just $9 for concession/single parents) and features private member-only articles, a forum, regular zoom connection calls and more. Default Parent Project Online Community - Anna Cusack Connect with Anna's other services (birth mapping, postpartum planning, birth debriefing, parent support sessions, custom ceremonies), public articles, and upcoming mothers' circles and events at www.annacusack.com.au You can also find her (sometimes) on Instagram @annacusackpostpartum and grab her book "Mama, You're Not Broken - Unmasking the Unspoken Emotions of Modern Motherhood" here: www.annacusack.com.au/book

We now know it's important to be on the lookout for signs of postnatal depression, anxiety and even psychosis in the early days, but what happens if a mother experiences a mental health crisis further down the track? In this interview, Emmeline Tyler (she/her) shares openly about her birth and blissful postpartum, and how these assisted in helping her be well. She explains how personal and societal factors influenced the unravelling of her mental health during the toddler years, which escalated into psychosis and hospitalisation 2.5 years after birth. Recorded a further 2.5 years down the track, Emmeline shares her insights into the mental health system, her path to recovery and ongoing mental health management, and how her family are seeking to build a life with mental wellness for all as their focus. We also go on a few feminist-y tangents and discuss books because it's us and how could we not? Content warnings: birth interventions, medical and hospital trauma, psychosis. Note: This episode was recorded in 2023 and discusses homeschooling. Both mine and Emmeline's children are in formalised educational environments this year (2024). Links On use/misuse of certain words including "tribe": https://www.wellandgood.com/spirit-animal-native-american/ If you are interested in finding out more about the Newborn Mothers postpartum care and education course you can do so via this affiliate link: https://newbornmothers.simplero.com/products/172434-Postpartum-Education-and-Care?ref=46186-Anna-Cusack The Talia Hibbert books we mentioned: https://www.goodreads.com/series/271642-the-brown-sisters Where to find us Emmeline is the co-host of the soon-to-be-released "Explaining Autism" podcast with Julia Jones. She also has a YouTube channel where she does the hard yards of reading and reviewing a stack of fiction and non-fiction books so you'll never get stuck with a dud read again! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChzD1TesIcsfEkuitdQhXTQ Emmeline is also on Instagram @emmelineysun Connect with Anna's services (birth mapping, postpartum planning, birth debriefing and parent support sessions), articles and upcoming mothers' circles at www.annacusack.com.au You can also find her (sometimes) on Instagram @annacusackpostpartum and grab her book "Mama, You're Not Broken - Unmasking the Unspoken Emotions of Modern Motherhood" here: www.annacusack.com.au/book

Ashley Winning is a birth and postpartum professional from QLD, Australia. Ashley experienced size-based discrimination in her first two traumatic pregnancy and birth experiences, which led her to dive deeply into the world of physiological birth for her third birth. Again, size-based discrimination struck and she was unable to access the home-based midwifery care she desired. Ashley went on to freebirth her baby and wants others to know this option is available to them too. The study I refer to regarding rates of uncomplicated pregnancies in obese women is by Relph et al., 2021. Characteristics associated with uncomplicated pregnancies in women with obesity: a population-based cohort study The books I recommend at the start of the episode are "Plus Size Pregnancy" by Dr Sara Wickham, and "Birth After Caesarean" by Hazel Keedle, PhD. You can find Ashley at www.themotherhoodcircle.com.au and as @ashleylwinning on Instagram. Her podcast is The VBAC Homebirth Stories Podcast. Ashley is currently launching a VBAC Membership and running a fabulous giveaway to go along with that launch. You can find out more and join the waitlist at https://ashleywinning.com/vbac-village-waitlist/ Find me at www.annacusack.com.au and as @annacusackpostpartum on Instagram

Emily Adler Mosqueda is a Mexican American mother of two and paediatric speech language pathologist. Her second pregnancy and postpartum brought with it rage and depression - seemingly out of the blue, but really stemming from a sea of social conditions that led to chronic undersupport, overreaching and feelings of failure. This is a fascinating conversation spanning topics from being so out of control you feel physically unsafe around your own children, pathways to recovery, perceptions of Latina motherhood and the experience of raising bilingual children. You can check out Emily’s book “Unexpected: A postpartum memoir” and website here https://www.emilyadlermosqueda.com/book and connect with her on Instagram @Emily.Adler.Mosqueda You can find Anna's Seven tips for transitioning to two (or more) at her "Default Parent Project" Substack https://open.substack.com/pub/annacusack/p/tips-for-transitioning-to-two-or?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Upgrade to a paid subscription for $6/month to join her regular online events, including the “Transition to 2 (or more)” workshop on Aug 26th. As always, you can download Anna's free Six Steps to Your Peaceful Postpartum eGuide, arrange a session with her or grab a copy of her book "Mama, You're Not Broken" via www.annacusack.com.au. Anna is also on Instagram and Facebook @annacusackpostpartum Please leave a 5 star rating or review if you loved this episode, or share with a friend. This helps other parents to find us and engage in the stuff you know they'll love!

Despite being a midwife and equipped with insider knowledge of the maternity care system in which she worked, Sharon still felt vulnerable and disempowered during her own experience of giving birth to her son. Sharon's book "Scars of Gold" tells the story of her personal experience of birth trauma, the drastic impact it had on her life, and how she used her voice to fight for change. This conversation discusses how you too can get your story heard and effect the changes we so desperately need to see in obstetrics and maternity care. **Since this recording Sharon and I each participated in supporting people to submit their experiences of birth trauma to the NSW birth trauma inquiry. A few months later, the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza escalated. From the outset, Sharon has made her support of the IDF well known. Although I do not share or personally endorse this position, Sharon’s work in midwifery research and birth trauma advocacy remain important, and I present her story and insight here with thanks.** Get Sharon's free download: "Your Guide to Writing a Letter of Complaint eGuide" at https://www.sharonstoliar.com/product-page/your-guide-to-writing-a-letter-of-complaint-eguide Connect with Sharon on instagram @endingbirthtrauma and online https://www.sharonstoliar.com/ Sharon’s research on midwives’ birth choices and outcomes: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S187151922200302X You can find Anna's "Default Parent Project" Substack and community at https://annacusack.substack.com As always, you can download Anna's free Six Steps to Your Peaceful Postpartum eGuide, arrange a session with her or grab a copy of her book "Mama, You're Not Broken" via www.annacusack.com.au. Anna is also on Instagram and Facebook @annacusackpostpartum Head to https://anchor.fm/annaasks/subscribe if you'd like to support this podcast for $2.99AUD/month. Every little bit helps and you can sub out at any time, no questions asked. Please leave a 5 star rating or review if you loved this episode, or share with a friend. This helps other parents to find us and engage in the stuff you know they'll love!

Is there a more queer job than being a doula? Full spectrum Mother carer Rafferty Hallows thinks not. If you are ready to reimagine your life and relationships, resource yourself on the darkest days, embrace your neurospicy self + family or redefine your own postpartum experience years after birth, you'll want to listen to what they have to say. Big language warning on this one, and please be aware we touch on issues including infant loss and mental ill health including perinatal psychosis. Find Rafferty on instagram @raffertyhallows.doula and on the web https://www.raffertyhallows.com You can find Anna's shiny new Substack "Mother Thinkers" newsletter and community at https://annacusack.substack.com As always, you can download Anna's free Six Steps to Your Peaceful Postpartum eGuide, arrange a session with her or grab a copy of her book "Mama, You're Not Broken" via www.annacusack.com.au. Anna is also on socials @annacusackpostpartum Head to https://anchor.fm/annaasks/subscribe if you'd like to support this podcast for $2.99AUD/month. Every little bit helps and you can sub out at any time, no questions asked. Please leave a 5 star rating or review if you loved this episode, or share with a friend. This helps other parents to find us and engage in the stuff you know they'll love!

Meet Annie Crowe, a self-described fat, autistic, ADHDer lawyer, mother to one neurospicy child, and founder of Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia. Annie shares her experience, expertise and tips for those navigating pregnancy, birth, early postpartum and motherhood as a neurodivergent parent. We cover a lot of ground and some difficult topics in this conversation - if you're not up for hearing discussions of or references to ableism, sexual violence, infertility, pregnancy loss, medical trauma, fatphobia or sexual violence right now, you may like to skip past this episode or come back to it at a later time. We also mention Sandhya Menon from @Onwardsandupwardspsych and her book “The Brain Forest”. You can connect with Annie on instagram @_anniecrowe and find out about her various services and roles via https://linktr.ee/anniecrowe Learn more abut the work of Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia at https://www.edneuroaus.com You can find Anna's shiny new Substack "Mother Thinkers" newsletter and community at https://annacusack.substack.com As always, you can download Anna's free Six Steps to Your Peaceful Postpartum eGuide, arrange a session with her or grab a copy of her book "Mama, You're Not Broken" via www.annacusack.com.au. Anna is also on Instagram and Facebook @annacusackpostpartum Head to https://anchor.fm/annaasks/subscribe if you'd like to support this podcast for $2.99AUD/month. Every little bit helps and you can sub out at any time, no questions asked. Please leave a 5 star rating or review if you loved this episode, or share with a friend. This helps other parents to find us and engage in the stuff you know they'll love!

Alcohol and motherhood is an interesting topic for one that's so in the forefront of our lives but the margins of our conversations. In this episode I speak with Meg and Bella, cohosts of the She's Sober Sydney podcast. Our chat covers: Meg and Bella's personal stories with alcohol as mothers The pressures on mothers and normalising of "mummy wine culture" The cycle of alcohol to mitigate (but then raise) anxiety How their relationship with their kids has changed since going alcohol free How to start talking with kids about alcohol Does alcohol really help you relax or get to sleep, or is it a placebo effect? The big fear - losing friends by being the "odd one out" non-drinker What is grey area drinking and where can you go if you're sober curious? Megan Webb: https://glassfulfilled.com.au Instagram: @glassfulfilled Isabella Ferguson: https://isabellaferguson.com.au Instagram: @letstalkalcoholaustralia Instagram: @kidsandalcohol As always, you can find Anna and her free Six Steps to Your Peaceful Postpartum eGuide, arrange a session with her or grab her book "Mama, You're Not Broken" via www.annacusack.com.au. Anna is also on Instagram and Facebook @annacusackpostpartum Head to https://anchor.fm/annaasks/subscribe if you'd like to support this podcast for $2.99AUD/month. Every little bit helps and you can sub out at any time, no questions asked. Please leave a 5 star rating or review if you loved this episode, or share with a friend. This helps other parents to find us and engage in the stuff you know they'll love!

TW: child loss, stillbirth. 4 months down, forever to go. This episode covers: partner leave and transitions, four month sleep situations, using play to support older siblings who now have to share mum, successful mini-holidays and gig with a baby, the circle of life on the farm, forgetting ourselves and our train of thought, the anxiety that shadows some of your second experience after a high needs first baby, those moments your heart is aching with the beauty of it all, the frustration and minuscule fragments of alone time you get with multiple tiny children, parenting through injury, our physical health/strength needs in postpartum, my own rehab process with the Empowered Motherhood Program (not sponsored), what’s coming in season 7, and more things that I’ve probably forgotten because I spoke for ages! Thanks for being my Dear Diary, listener. Much love to all of you in the mothering trenches, would love to hear your experiences and reflections via DM @annacusackpostpartum Would also love if you could leave a 5 star rating or review, listen to my book (scroll back to season 2) or buy the paperback from www.annacusack.com.au/book. Circles are coming up soon monthly from March 26, hit the website to join me! www.annacusack.com.au/products

That’s a wrap on the fourth trimester! I don’t have delegators reflections here, I feel that comes with some distance and I’m still in the thick of it. Instead I’m talking public outings with 2, the pros and cons of more preschool, my own injuries and indecisiveness, general mama baby stuff including readiness for solid food and the big one - our trip to the emergency department and how I tried to downgrade my trauma response in the hours and days following it. Upcoming mothers’ circles starting 26 March https://www.annacusack.com.au/products/177801-Mothers-Circles My take on “The fourth trimester vs “postpartum is forever’ concept” https://www.instagram.com/p/CojRGndPXvY/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Signs of readiness for solids from @boobtofood https://www.boobtofood.com/blog/2021/12/15/starting-solids