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My guest this week is the incredible Anna Geary, broadcaster, author and former All Ireland medal-winning camogie player. Anna is a national treasure, a wellness advocate and an inspiration to to others, and she's also a mum of one – her little boy Ronan is 16 months old and as Anna says, changed her life for the better. This episode was the definition of sitting with a cup of tea with your mam friend and just having the chats. We talked about the pressure to 'perform' for want of a better term, when it comes to parenting, we talk about comparison online and how detrimental it can be, while also being a valuable resource, and how those few minutes a day you can take for yourself are critical when it comes to being a better parent. Anna and I have a lot in common, we discovered, when it comes to our love of lists, our love of structure and our sanity hingeing on whether our child is sleeping well – and we have both found, to our dismay, that children don't come with a rulebook, and the certainly don't give two hoots about your best laid plans. It was so great to hear someone as successful and lovely as Anna say that actually, we're all just winging it. Enjoy this episode, and I'll be back soon with more.
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My guest this week is Rachel Ivie, someone I'm certain lots of you will follow online for her style and outfit ideas. Rachel is a fashion influencer, almost by accident, having started her outfit posts during Covid when she wasn't working at her other job as a primary school teacher. She's also a mother of two, as if there wasn't enough going on. We talk about parental leave helping to ease the pressure on parents, we talk about whether or not your child is ready for school, and about how she chose not to go down the 'parenting content' route when she had her two children, now 4 and 2. I also tried to plug her for discipline advice, given that she's a teacher and the mother of a little girl around the same age as mine – but it turns out, 3 and 4 year old little girls are beyond discipline. Which is just great news altogether for parents listening! It was a great chat, Rachel straight away acknowledged that support is the only way to cope with the 'balance' in parenting and working, and I know so many of you will get something from listening. Back next week with more.
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This week, I chatted to the incredible Deirdre McDonagh, a social worker who founded Five Rivers Fostering over 22 years ago. I knew very little about fostering at the start of our conversation, so I was coming to this topic with mostly questions, and Deirdre was certainly the right person to ask. We talked about the basic types of fostering, from emergency care to longer term fostering that might result in adoption, we talked about what circumstances might arise that would cause a child to be in need of all the various types of foster care, and we talk about the amazing families who selflessly take children who are in need into their homes and give them the two things they need most: Love and safety. I personally wanted to ask Deirdre how her heart isn't endlessly broken seeing the children leave their families, for whatever number of reasons, often not really wanting to leave but having no choice for their own safety – it really is a heroic thing to do to foster a child and I hope that after listening to this episode, anyone considering it might feel empowered to start the process. Thanks for listening, I'll be back with more next week.
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This week's guest is my lovely friend Courtney Smith. Courtney is an incredibly talented creative director and stylist, a truly beautiful person inside and out and is someone I've worked with and admired for a long time, so it was great to speak to her about being a mam. At the time of recording, she's about to have her third baby, and though we joked that she could go into labour during the record – thankfully we got through it okay. We get real about the 'balance' in motherhood, and how really it doesn't exist and how the notion of having it all is nonsense. We also talk about Courtney's three very unique pregnancies – one in Covid, one while grieving, and one while having illness in the family. Courtney is a real woman's woman, and she was really keen to mention that although perception might have you believe she has it all worked out, she still goes on Instagram, compares herself to others and wonders how THEY do it all. We're all the same really, aren't we! Thanks for listening and I'll speak to you again next week.
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This week, I spoke to lovely Laura Drury, also known as The Glam Shamrock, about her life as a content creator and mother of three children under the age of four. Yes, three under four – the woman is a hero. We spoke about how much she leans into the chaos, embraces the challenges but always tries to do one key thing: Find time in her day to do something that's just for her. Whether that's a 15-minute makeup break or a walk to get some fresh air, making time to prioritise her own health and mental wellbeing is something she's passionate about. It's such an important thing that I think sometimes as mothers we can take for granted – parenting is tough and you taking time out to feel like yourself and to do things that fill your cup is absolutely essential. We also talked about how, if you're parenting with a partner, keeping your relationship with that person solid, with open lines of communication, is so important to not only you, but to the lives of your children. Believe me, they're more perceptive than we give them credit for! Enjoy this chat, and I'll be back next week with more.
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This week's guest is Dr Malie Coyne, a Clinical Psychologist, bestselling author and and clinical psychology lecturer. Dr Coyne's special area of interest is in children's and adolescent mental health, and helping families navigate challenges around that. During our conversation today, the word 'compassion' came up a lot – not in relation to our children, but in relation to ourselves. Sharing stories of those times I've lost my patience, or been too cross with Lydia, I articulated what I think many parents feel when under the immense pressure to be the 'perfect' parent. Dr Coyne's approach to it is that sometimes, being 'good enough' is the best thing for our children. She advocates showing yourself kindness and care first, and letting that calm trickle down to your family. It's so good to hear from someone so experienced that an approach like that is not only okay, but might even be better for us than constantly aiming for perfection. Enjoy listening, and I'll be back next week.
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My guest this week is entrepreneur and mother of two, Jennie McGinn. Jennie is an entrepreneur in the truest sense of the word – she's the brains behind many very successful business endeavours, and somehow seems to keep all of the plates spinning, but something I love about her is her honesty about the very real juggle we all find ourselves doing, whether self-employed or not. She's refreshingly straightforward about the challenges of doing it all, or trying to at least, and we talk extensively about relying on our village, if we're lucky enough to have one. Jennie shares the heartbreaking story of losing her mother four years ago and the effect that had on her family and her children, and how vital those grandparent figures can be in our lives and those of our little ones. I managed to not cry during this one, but it is an emotional one, particularly for anyone who's lost a parent. Thanks for listening and I'll be back next week with more.
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My guest this week was Tara Anderson, or as you might know her online – Tara Makeup. Makeup artist, model, actor, influencer and entrepreneur are all roles Tara has had in her life, but her job as mam to Gene and Jools, her 6 and 3-year-old sons, is the one we chatted most about in this episode. Tara talks candidly about her two very different experiences of pregnancy and birth, about how she's a private person in spite of being well known online, and how even for her, comparison can be the thief of joy at times. We chat about how parenting now is totally different to the parenting our own parents would've done, and how full of doubt we can be at times as to whether we're doing the right things. Tara is one of those people who you look at online and think 'how does she do it', but from talking to her I can tell that she's just like the rest of us: Doing the best for her family through the good and the bad. Thank you so much for listening today, and throughout season 14, and I'll be talking to you again soon.
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My guest this week was model and blogger, the lovely Louise O'Reilly, who is someone I've known for a really long time, since the very early days of my former career in magazines and since the early days of her career as a curve model. Louise has not only modelled in magazines like Cosmopolitan, but has had a plus size fashion blog called Style Me Curvy for as long as she's been modelling, which is where some of you might know her from. There, she helps women everywhere to embrace their individuality no matter what their size. And now, at 31-weeks pregnant, she continues to do so. But Louise's journey to pregnancy wasn't straightforward, and in fact she was given a less than 2% chance of ever conceiving, even with the help of IVF, which she didn't even look into in the end. Her miracle, spontaneous pregnancy was so unlikely to happen as she has polycystic ovarian syndrome, otherwise known as PCOS. She talks about her symptoms, how she was dismissed time and time again by doctors who didn't take those symptoms seriously, and how women are often overlooked by doctors based on their weight alone. Our discussion around women's health in general was fascinating, and anyone with Endometriosis, Adenomyosis or PCOS would likely identify with what Louise went through in getting a diagnosis. It's one of those episodes where I leave knowing so much more about a topic but also with great nuggets of advice such as, as Louise says: Always trust your gut when it comes to your health. Enjoy, and I'll be back soon with more.
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Before I start this week's guest intro, I just want to flag that this episode is a very emotional one and might not be a comfortable listen for anyone in the early stages of grief, as it deals with the loss of a child.
My amazing and brave guest for this episode is Eileen Loughlin. Eileen is a mother of four gorgeous children, from ages 20 all the way to just two years old. Five and a half years ago, Eileen and her family's life was turned upside down when a tragic accident at their home led to the death of their youngest child at the time Annabel, who was just 3 and a half when she passed away. Eileen talks to me today about Annabel's short but happy life, her grieving process, the support that has seen her through and her hopes for her three living children as they move through their lives. She also tells me that there are plans in motion for a way to remember Annabel and build a legacy through which she can live on in memory. A gut-wrenching listen for me as the mother of a child the same age as Annabel, but for anyone experiencing loss, this could be a really helpful and hopeful episode. I'll be back next week with more.
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This week, I spoke to child and adolescent psychotherapist and play therapy expert, Debbie Cullinane. Debbie helps children struggling at home with anything from anxiety, behavioural issues, anger, grief, and lots more. She talked me through what exactly play therapy is, who might benefit from it, the types of play that are involved, and how after a matter of weeks she can see changes in children that parents never expected. She told me how occasionally, it's more of an education for parents about what's developmentally appropriate for kids than it is actually about the therapy itself. I'll be honest – I wasn't sure what exactly play therapy was and what it entailed before I did some research for this episode, so hearing it directly from Debbie was an education for me, as I hope it will be for some of you. Enjoy this episode, and I'll be back next week with more.
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My guest this week is mother of two, Eimear Hallahan. If you don't know Eimear's story from social media already, it's worth noting that this episode deals with a critically ill baby and might be a tough listen for some. Eimear's youngest son, James, was just two weeks old when she brought him to hospital knowing something wasn't right with him. She trusted her instinct, and once he arrived to Cork University Hospital, the doctors and nurses there sprang into action. He had sepsis, and his body was so full of infection that no antibiotic was seemingly working to treat it. Eimear knew straight away it was critical, and was told her son's chances of survival, at one point, were as low as just 5%. Her strength, positivity, and resilience, along with the support of her partner Jack, meant that through it all, she believed that James would survive. It's an incredible and powerful story of just pure hope, and it brought me to tears, which doesn't often happen! Like I said, this episode is a tough listen at times – I'll be back to you next week with more.
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My guest this week is Dr Christina McDonnell, who is a practicing GP, a Garda on-call doctor and also the owner of Genius Juniors, the online bookshop for children of all ages. I was so excited to chat with Christina because honestly, nothing shaped me more throughout childhood than the books I read, and I know just how powerful reading can be for a child's development. Christina was a wealth of knowledge about what reading can do for a child, how much screen time we should give our kids, the 'whatever works' approach and making time for one on one moments with your children if possible. I came perilously close to totally nerding out about the books I loved as a child – any parent who wants to enrich their child's life will love this episode, there's no better gift than the love of reading, to my mind anyway. Enjoy!
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The lovely Louise Cooney joins me this week for a chat about all things motherhood. Louise, who I'm sure lots of you follow, is an influencer, content creator and mother to baby Jude, who is 8 and a half months old. From talking to Louise, it's so clear to see that motherhood suits her – she has a refreshingly positive take on being a new mam and honestly, if I was pregnant with my first child again and heard how beautifully she speaks about her experience, I would be genuinely looking forward to the experience. We talk about her relationship with her partner Mark changing after Jude came into the world, how she's got a newfound respect for mothers everywhere, and how she accepted that her work was going to have to take a back seat while she focused her energy on her son. Anyone about to experience parenthood for the first time, this is the perfect episode to listen to. I hope you enjoy!
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This week, I spoke to the amazing Dr Rebecca Moore. Dr Moore is an incredibly empathetic perinatal consultant psychiatrist who works in the UK. She is renowned for her expertise in supporting mothers who are navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, anxiety, depression, and of course, our topic for today's episode: birth trauma. Around 30% of people who give birth recall some part of their birth experience as traumatic. For me, I had antenatal trauma in my pregnancy, which is often overlooked for women too. Phrases like "at least you have a healthy baby" are bandied about and ultimately, not helpful. We discuss every aspect of birth trauma, the signs to look out for, how to talk to those close to you about it, and things that can help you overcome it for subsequent pregnancies and deliveries. I always say it, but these conversations are so important to have because although we're all grateful when a healthy baby is delivered, it doesn't mean the maternal mental health is intact. Enjoy this episode and I'll speak to you next week.
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This week's guest is media mogul Alexandra Ryan, owner and brains behind the incredible Irish media brand, Goss Media. Ali joins me this week to talk all things egg freezing. Having undergone the process twice in recent years, Ali knows the ins and outs. We discuss her motivation for embarking on the process, the financial implications, the side effects of taking so many hormones, the physical aftermath of the retrieval and so much more. One of the things I love about Ali is that she's always so transparent and honest about things, and her egg retrieval process is no different – she's showing the realities of every step of the journey and is doing so to encourage others to talk about it more openly. She believes there's an unnecessary shame around not reaching those societally imposed milestones we all know exist, and she's doing things her own way. I loved this chat and I know you will too.
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TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide/suicidal ideation.
My guest this week, and our first back for Season 14, is Sophie White. A prolific and massively successful author and podcaster, Sophie is also mother to three boys between 10 and 4 and has battled with mental illness since she was in her early 20s. As Sophie says herself in the episode, it's not often someone can pinpoint exactly when they became mentally ill, but she can – a drug-induced psychosis in 2007 led to her being hospitalised and later diagnosed with Bipolar 2. We chat about everything from gender stereotypes and how trucks and cars just seemed to manifest in her home in the same way dolls and nail polish manifested in mine, to how she coped through multiple serious mental illness relapses. We also touched on the issue of responsibility and mental illness, and whether it's an irresponsible thing to do to have children when you know you're likely to be unwell. It's a fascinating episode in which I let Sophie do the talking – I couldn't compete with her eloquence and bravery and honesty on the subject – so I really hope you enjoy it.
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Can you believe we've reached the end of the season! My last guest for season 13 is the very lovely Kelly Fitzsimons – formerly known on Instagram at least as MissEllaMayandMommy. Kelly had her daughter Ella aged 19 and her following online grew as the two of them grew up together. Sharing outfit posts with matching dresses, their mother daughter relationship was (and is!) goals. Kelly went on to have her son Mac in her early thirties, leaving a 13 year age gap between her two children. We talked this week about that age gap, what she knows now that she wishes she knew as a teenage mam, what has changed in the intervening years, and how threats sometimes *are* the best way to get children to do what you need them to do. Kelly also talks about the beautiful relationship her 14 year old has with her one year old, and how while one is worried about boys and periods, the other is teething. It sounds like delightful chaos! Kelly is so laid back about parenting and it's a very refreshing listen for that reason. Enjoy, and I'm delighted to say I'll be back next season for more amazing episodes.
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I was so so grateful to this week's guest for joining me on the podcast. The lovely Dominique Nugent so bravely chatted to me about her experience, earlier this year, of late stage miscarriage. Dominique was a day short of 16 weeks when she delivered her baby, who had not survived in utero. She so generously decided now was the time to talk about it, start to finish, with me and with the listeners to the podcast, saying that she knows if listening will help just one person through their own tough time, she'll be happy she did it. If miscarriage is in any way a sensitive subject for you currently, maybe hold off on listening to what is an incredibly emotional episode – both of us cried a lot – but if you think it could help in your healing process, I know Dominique's courage was inspiring to me and could be to you too. I'll be back soon with another episode.
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My guest this week is my lovely friend, author, and journalist Liadán Hynes, who is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to parenting, and life in general really. She's a single parent to one daughter who's 9 years old. She's self-employed and works flexibly to be as present as she can for her little girl and writes often about her experiences as a working single mother. We talk about everything from facing what could be lonely weekends without your child or children, the imbalance that exists for mothers in the workplace and so much more. Lia's got so much of her own experience to draw from, but as an empathetic and resonant writer, she has so much wisdom to share from years of interviewing. A truly lovely chat, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
*Note the cards mentioned by Liadán about the mental load mothers carry are called the Fair Play Game, created by Eve Rodsky.
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