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In this episode, we chat with Jacquie Ward - psychologist, author and mum to three. Jacquie speaks about temperament in our kids, with a focus on supporting highly sensitive kids (and highly sensitive parents!).  We chat: What temperament is and why temperament differences exist in humans  The difference between neurodivergence and temperament High sensitivity as a temperament type, considering strengths and challenges, and how to spot this in your kids How high sensitivity can impact sleep and socialising in your kids Practical tips to support yourself as a parent if you're parenting a more sensitive kiddo or perhaps highly sensitive yourself  Temperament and high sensitivity is a piece of the puzzle that is sometimes overlooked so we hope this helps any parent out there navigating this. Highly sensitive kids have such beautiful insights, awareness and emotional depth and this temperament can also come with increased overwhelm, meltdowns and transition changes - as Jacquie shares, understanding our kids better is the first step in supporting them ❤️ --- You can join our Growing community on instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

In this episode, Em speaks with Senior Clinical Psychologist and mum to two, Louise Thorpe. Louise specialises in family, relationships, and child and adolescent psychology and came on the podcast to answer some of your listener questions on raising our beautiful boys.  We discuss how we, as parents, can start to navigate toxic stereotypes and limiting narratives of masculinity with our little people. We chat raising respectful boys, raising kind boys, raising secure and emotionally aware boys. Louise talks about the importance of role models and being a safe space for our kids.  Basically this is the interview I want to listen to as a mum with the privilege and responsibility of raising a boy into, hopefully, a good man. We hope you enjoy. You can join our Growing community on instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

In this episode, Chels is joined by Liv – a mother to two-year-old twins and a newborn, who they recently welcomed to the world. Liv shares her motherhood journey on the podcast: looking back at her experience becoming a new mum to twin babies, and looking forward as she was getting ready to welcome her third beautiful baby.  Liv spoke about the surprise of finding out she was having twins, her birth preferences and care experience in hospital, and how the birth of her babies unfolded. She shares her postpartum experience, the highs and lows, and how she navigated those early months with the support of her partner and village to find her groove as a twin mum. She chats about managing a 3-hour feeding cycle in early postpartum, navigating colic and a cow’s milk protein allergy, and the emotional stretching of trying to meet two baby’s needs. It was such a joy talking with Liv and hearing about her family and story. She has such a calming presence and we know you’ll love listening to her.  You can join our Growing community on instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

In this episode, we speak with Jodi Wilson (@practisingsimplicity) - mother of four, health journalist and bestselling author of three books. Our chat with Jodi was ultimately a chat on becoming, on the daily learning journey that is parenting and motherhood, and the importance of being more compassionate and soft with ourselves while also lowering our demands and expectations. There are some tender moments of care in this episode, and we hope Jodi’s words offer you some care too.  Jodi has been mothering longer than us, so it was lovely to hear her words of wisdom and how she invites slowness and intention into the chaos that can be everyday life. Jodi’s latest book, ‘A Brain that Breathes’, explores how we can support our brains in this chaos and is available for pre-order now. You can join our Growing community on instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

In this episode, Chels talks to Alexis and Lilian (@one99four & @lilianbrilliant_) who have recently welcomed their baby daughter into the world. Alexis and Lilian share their love story and journey to parenthood - from navigating reciprocal IVF to their birth story and a NICU stay, and finding their rhythm in postpartum and shared motherhood.  Alexis and Lilian also touch on the stigmas or hurdles they’ve had to navigate as a same sex family. In Germany, where their daughter was born, only the birth mother is legally and automatically listed on the birth certificate - meaning Lilian would have to ‘adopt’ her own daughter in an arduous process which can take up to 18 months.  Alexis and Lilian run @sapphiccircle - retreats and community events for queer women. You can find their beautiful YouTube channel here. You can join our Growing community on instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

In this amazing episode, Chels is joined by Tash (@tashdelrosario) - a mother to two girls, Ava and Aliyah, who are both autistic with additional support needs. Tash uses her social media platform to share insights into her family’s everyday life - including joyful moments and happy stims, sound fixations and sensory challenges, outings with support workers, morning GRWMs for school, and afternoon dance parties. Tash has reached over 425k people on her social media platforms and her message is clear: difference doesn’t need fixing, and if we all had a little more awareness around autism and what it can be like living with a disability the world would be a better, more inclusive place. We chat about: The isolation and identity shift that Tash experienced as a carer and a mother The personal journey she went on to learn about autism, advocate for her girls, and become their safe space Sensory differences, communication devices, and non-verbal communication and connection The realities of how hard (and important) it is to look after herself The incredible bond she has with her girls and how she creates a safe space in a world that doesn’t always accommodate them We were so honoured Tash took the time to chat so honestly and openly with us, she is incredible and we hope you enjoy this episode.   You can find Tash on instagram and TikTok. You can join our Growing community on instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

This week we are joined by Ellen (ellen.tuzi) - a body image and intuitive eating counsellor - to chat all things food relationships and our children.  We chat about: Avoiding food hierarchies and the impact of diet culture on us, as parents. How to use neutral language around food and food choices to reduce the morality or emotions associated with some foods. Navigating dietary differences or picky eaters. How to guide our kids (and really, ourselves) to trust our bodies, enjoy food and mealtimes, and untangle a lot of the harmful messaging that exists around food, bodies and health.  Ellen has some recommendations for anyone interested to explore more: Books How to Raise an Intuitive Eater- Sumner Brooks and Amee Severson Intuitive Eating, 4th Edition, by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch Ellyn Stater has a great website, books and many resources Instagram @Anti.diet.kids - Diana Rice @thefamilynutritionist - Alexandra Turnbull @growing.intuitive.eaters - Dr Taylor Arnold @kids.eat.in.color - Jennifer Anderson @kid.food.explorers - Dani Lebovitz @jennthedietitian - Jenn Messina @nicolecruzrd - Nicole Cruz You can join our Growing community on instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

Hello! We are back from our winter break with an incredible episode with Emily, founder of the @emily.the.meal.dealer, and a queer, single parent. Emily (they/them) has done something pretty amazing - they have built a business grounded in community and care while navigating a marriage separation, figuring out co-parenting, and getting to know themselves as a queer person. We got the opportunity and joy to speak with Emily 3 years on from the point of building their business, and it was such a privilege to hear their reflections and insights in looking back. Emily is kind, thoughtful, and generous with their story.  We spoke about the financial side of separation and single parenting, and the balance of needing to make money while still being in the trenches of early parenting. Emily shared the journey of integrating their queer identity, survival mode after life upheaval, the necessity of platonic love and community, and the growth of their business - weekly meal packages and community funded mutual aid meals in Naarm/Melbourne.  You can join our Growing community on instagram ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

In this episode, I chatted to Alka to talk about her journey into parenthood. Originally from India, Alka grew up in New Zealand before moving to Australia in her mid twenties. Alka shared her story of early motherhood — from a breech pregnancy and c-section birth, to triple feeding and breastfeeding, co-sleeping, and the very sad loss of her mum when her daughter was 10 months old. We also talk about what it was like parenting without nearby family support, with both their families living overseas or interstate. Alka has such a positive beautiful outlook on life, despite hardships she faced at this time. I love her little takeaways and reflections on motherhood.  *This is a replay episode and was recorded in 2023 when Chelsea first started the podcast. Alka and her husband have now welcomed a second daughter. We’ll be back with regular episode posting in a few weeks time. Join our Growing community on instagram ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

Hello, we have some updates in today’s episode! Raising two children stretches you in every way, and in Chels’ experience is not ‘getting easier’ as they get older. We also touch on our hormones and cycles post kids, with a shout out to a free, online Hormone masterclass happening tomorrow night (details below!). Finally, we share what’s helping us find some pockets of peace in this season.  Things we mention: Caitlin, the @unmaskednaturopath is running a free and online Hormone Reset Masterclass for Neurodivergent Women (June 24th at 7pm AEST).  The @calmandconnect cards, kindly gifted to us by Dr Chloe O’Brien, women's health osteopath. 52 cards for gentle nervous system support. Use GURUPOD20 for 20% off until Dec 31 2025.  Join our Growing community on instagram ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

In this episode, we are joined by Lily from Leid by Design ⁠@leidbydesign⁠ (previously known as Launch Mama). Lily is a mother to two, and a certified Career and Corporate Psychology Practitioner. Lily joins us on the podcast to answer the question of how we can better align our careers with our motherhood identities and demands. The intersection between career and motherhood is such a complex, multifaceted one and looks different for us all. We talk: imposter syndrome, and common challenges parents face when they return to work; Ikigai, identity shifts, and how to make sense of any new career goals or priorities  How to make practical changes that work in this season of motherhood  This episode is part of our How Do I series, a segment of the pod where we unpack questions that have been on our minds. This series has been designed to answer your targeted questions, and leave you with practical takeaways.  You can find Lily ⁠⁠@leidbydesign⁠⁠. She offers Leadership coaching and workshops; Career discovery and development coaching; Cycle syncing support to improve wellbeing in the workplace; and Human Design & Astrology readings.  Please know: Lily has recently rebranded to Leid by Design, and in this episode we refer to the previous name of Launch Mama. Where you hear Launch Mama - think Leid by Design. Join our Growing community on instagram ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

How long do you have? In all seriousness, we love dads, and millennial dads are absolutely raising the bar on what it looks like to be a father.  This chat is about society, and why dads seem to get praised for their parenting while mums are just… plain old parenting (and complaining about it on their hot mum walks, IYKYK). Our listeners had a lot to say on this one when we opened the polls up – 96% of you thought that dads do get more praise for parenting.  Is it because of deeply entrenched traditional gender roles? Is it a general lack of care for mothers and motherhood? Is it mums being cast as the ‘default’ parent who are *just” doing what’s expected of them? Is it stereotyped language around dad’s being ‘hands on’ or ‘babysitting’ their own kids?  Listen and hear from us, as well as you, our listeners, as we break this one down together.  Studies/articles mentioned in this chat: Grattan Institute Research on parenting dynamics in early years. UN Data 2023 on Unpaid Domestic Work in Australia and NZ. Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey 2022 on housework division.Australian Survey of Social Attitudes 2022 on Traditional Gender Norms. University of Queensland study on gender pay gap and parenting roles. Join our Growing community on instagram ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

Wow, this episode is so powerful and so precious. Hayley joins us on the podcast to share her story with Harry, her beautiful son who is now 4 years old and absolutely thriving. Hayley and her partner, Jordan, welcomed their boy into the world at just 24 weeks old, weighing a tiny 700 grams. Harry spent the first 16 weeks of his life in the NICU after being born so prematurely, miraculously coming home on his due date.  Hayley talks us through her entire story, from her joy at falling pregnant, to being hospitalised for premature labour and the anxiety-filled weeks that followed while medical staff tried to stop her labour progressing. She shares her birth with Harry, and the complications that arose for them both. Hayley talks vulnerably on the day-to-day NICU experience with a micro-preemie - the milestones of Harry opening his eyes for the first time, buying his first clothes and blankets, and also the challenges of waiting for his lungs to mature, navigating pumping and feeding, and sitting by his cot without being able to cuddle him.  Finally, Hayley and Jordan were able to bring Harry home and Hayley shares what these first few weeks and months looked like as they adapted to life outside of the hospital, and what has changed over the years as Harry continues to thrive.  This is such a beautiful episode, about a beautiful family. Hayley speaks so openly of an experience that so few walk, and we are so grateful for her sharing her’s and Harry’s story.  Links Hayley mentioned in the episode: Life’s Little Treasures FoundationMiracle Babies Foundation Join our Growing community on instagram ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

Ideally, we’d be raising our children in community – with others from different generations, backgrounds and skill-sets. Somebody to entertain the older kids, somebody to focus on feeding, to plan the day, to tend to the mothers in early postpartum, to hold sleeping babies, to help with laundry. In reality, most of us are doing all of this tending by ourselves, and mostly in isolation.  In this episode, Alice (@themodern.doula) joins the podcast to chat about all things modern day village. Alice is a doula and mother to two, so perfectly positioned to share how we can create (and contribute to) meaningful support systems in motherhood when they may not be available or close by.  This episode is part of our How Do I series, a segment of the pod where we unpack questions that have been on our minds. This series has been designed to answer your targeted questions, and leave you with practical takeaways.  Join our Growing community on instagram ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.

Today’s episode is a playback episode from the early days of the podcast – when it was run solely by Chelsea. In this important conversation, Chels was joined by Cleo (she/her), who is now a mother to two beautiful boys.  Cleo spoke with Chels back in 2023, just after her first son had turned one. Before becoming parents, Cleo and her husband lived busy lives socialising, DJing, and wining and dining their way around Geelong.  Having always struggled with her mental health, she thought postnatal depression may be likely, so Cleo put plans in place for pregnancy and postpartum support. She was in the Midwife Group Program, had a planned c-section organised to ease her anxiety, great support from family and friends, a freezer full of food, regular appointments with a psychologist and a baby that mostly slept at night but, Cleo says that even then her mental health still declined. In our chat, she speaks candidly about her experiences with postnatal depression, anxiety and OCD, and intrusive thoughts. She also speaks openly on her positive and life changing experience of being admitted to the Mother Baby Unit, where things started to gently improve. This is such an important topic – thank you so much, Cleo, for sharing your story with us. CW: Postnatal Depression, Anxiety and OCD, Intrusive thoughts, Admission to Mother Baby Unit (MBU). *Please note that the episode involves mention of specific intrusive thoughts from 41.50-43.56* If the contents of the episode bring anything up for you, we encourage you to visit the support services listed below: Beyond Blue: ⁠https://www.beyondblue.org.au⁠ PANDA: ⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠ Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au/ Join our community on instagram ⁠⁠⁠@growingupraisinguspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see photos of our weekly guests, behind the scenes moments, and keep up to date with episode releases. The podcast theme music was written by Hagan Mathews and produced at ⁠⁠⁠@sleeplessfootscray⁠⁠⁠. This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Taungurung, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung/Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the lands on which this podcast was recorded was never ceded and pay our respects to the original storytellers of this land.