Pachamama In Conversation

In this episode I chat to Ali Pember, a Psychotherapist and Coach specialising in Perinatal Mental Health. Ali works mainly with mothers, encouraging them to trust their own judgement in raising their children, and focuses on dismantling the guilt, shame, stress, and anxiety that is often a product of the 'Perfect Mother Myth' and other forms of social conditioning.

In the episode we talk about:

• The difference between motherhood and mothering
• The meaning and impact of matrescence
• How to meet your needs as well as the needs of your child
• Understanding the difference between guilt and shame

Links:

In this episode I chat to Sophie Baron, founder of Mamamade, a frozen baby & toddler food delivery company, about how to approach and navigate the weaning journey.

In the episode we talk about:

• How and when to start
• Weaning and feeding schedules
• Tips for fussy eaters
• Managing clean up and food waste
• Weaning whilst on holiday

LINKS:

In this episode I chat to sleep practitioner and founder of @TheDreamHouseUK Olivia Mulcahy about sleep and in particular address some of the common questions the Pachamama community have raised around naps!

In the episode we talk about:

• Nap routine ideas and sleep associations
• Encouraging longer naps
• Tips on moving to cot naps
• Managing newborn naps with a toddler at home

In this episode I chat to the co-founder of supplement brand Indi, Helen Snook, and their Chief Scientist Dr Federica Amati about how best to care for our bodies and minds.

In the episode we talk about:

• What supplements are, how they work and why we need them
• How our gut impacts our mental health
• How to support good gut health
• Nutrition in the first 1000 days from conception to 2 years old
• The one ingredient that can help improve how we feel

If you love what you're listening to, please rate, review and subscribe!

More about Indi:

In this episode I chat to Zoe Blaskey, transformational coach and host of the #1 supportive family podcast ‘Motherkind’.

If you’re finding things a little tricky at the moment, having a tough day or need to hear how you can show yourself some self-compassion, then this episode is for you! Zoe’s self-awareness and tenderness towards herself in motherhood is extremely powerful and she shares some brilliant tools and ideas on how we can have more compassion for ourselves as busy, tired mamas.

In the episode we talk about:

• The biggest challenges facing mothers
• How to have compassion for ourselves
• Reframing challenges as opportunities
• Breaking shame spirals and negative thought cycles
• Letting go and surrendering

If you love what you're listening to, please rate, review and subscribe!

More about Zoe:

In this episode, I speak to father and founder of At Dad’s Table and author of the recently published recipe book How to Grow Your Family, Adam Shaw. Adam is a Leiths trained chef who saw a need to overhaul the way we think about food and to move away from the negative talk around food during pregnancy, early parenthood and early childhood. The episode is full of neat “snack hacks” to help support and sustain yourself and your family throughout pregnancy and early parenthood, as well as how to approach weaning and involve your family at mealtimes, and how to promote confident eaters and eating habits in our little ones.

About Adam Shaw:

Our series “MAMA'S THE WORD: The Unspoken Truths About Motherhood” is where I speak to Mamas from the Pachamama community about their experiences of motherhood, to help inspire and guide you on your own journey.

In this episode I speak to Rhiannon, mama of 2, about juggling newborn life (spent in lockdown) with a toddler at home and a partner who’s working from home, and how she is now navigating returning back to work.

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About Pachamama:

Our series “MAMA'S THE WORD: The Unspoken Truths About Motherhood” is where I speak to Mamas from the Pachamama community about their experiences of motherhood, to help inspire and guide you on your own journey.

In this episode I speak to Hannah, now mama of 2, who is incredibly passionate about women’s health and the need for a re-education around the antenatal period and birth options

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About Pachamama:

In this episode, I speak to inner child expert and psychodynamic coach for mums, Lavinia Brown about how our past as adults can unconsciously impact our present and parenting styles. We unpack what our inner child is, and how we can start to recognise our past coming into play in our present. We touch on self-care practises and Lavinia shares her tips and tools that Mamas can incorporate in daily life to start to recognise the healing inner child process. It can be uncomfortable and messy, but ultimately leads to a more fulfilled and balanced life.

About Lavinia Brown:

Our series “MAMA'S THE WORD: The Unspoken Truths About Motherhood” is where I speak to Mamas from the Pachamama community about their experiences of motherhood, to help inspire and guide you on your own journey.

In this episode I speak to Giulia, mama of 2 and she offers a really honest account of her experience of her fourth trimester. We touch on:

• The realities of her fourth trimester experience and why we don’t talk about it
  
• How her experiences of the fourth trimester differed after each child
  
• The bodily changes that she experienced post birth
  
• The pressures of comparison with other new mothers and how honest you can be with other mothers about the realities of childbirth and motherhood
  
• Her advice for anyone about to transition into their fourth trimester
  

In this episode, I speak to nutritionist Rebecca Stevens, who recently published her research in nutrition in postnatal women. I get the lowdown on what can happen to a woman’s nutrition postnatally, and how we can best prepare prenatally to support a healthy diet once baby arrives. We also talk through some top tips on how to hack your meal to make it the most nutritionally balanced and jam-packed without taking up too much time!

About Rebecca Stevens:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/nourishnurturenutrition/

Our series “MAMA'S THE WORD: The Unspoken Truths About Motherhood” is where I speak to Mamas from the Pachamama community about their experiences of motherhood, to help inspire and guide you on your own journey.

In this episode I speak to Aparna T, Mama of 2. We touch on:

• Preparing her toddler for the arrival of her newborn
  
• The guilt she felt as a mother for delivering a baby per-term and how she’s overcome that
  
• Arriving at the hospital alone during the peak of the pandemic
  
• What her children and being a mother has taught her
  

If you want to share your story with us, get in touch: hello@pachamama-london.com

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About Pachamama:

https://pachamama-london.com/

IG: @pachamama.london

FB: @iamapachamama

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About Zizu Cosmetics:

In this episode, I speak to Priscilla 'Cilla' Appeaning, Founder of The Stepmum Club - a platform that helps tackle the stigma around step parents’ role and support parents in their transition to help blended families thrive. We talk about the misconceptions behind the ‘wicked stepmother’ image, some of the common challenges when it comes to step-parenting, such as not wanting to bond with step kids, unsupportive partners and disagreeable birth mums. We touch on how best to tackle discipline issues when it comes to step-children and how we can best support children thrive in a blended family set up.

About The Stepmum Club

In this week’s episode, I speak to Jo Middleton, Founder of the award-winning blog ‘Slummy Single Mummy’, who is also part of the team at FROLO - the single parent community app. Jo shares her journey into motherhood - being pregnant at 16 whilst picking up her GCSE award - and how family support really helped her through it. She shares the best and most challenging bits about being a single parent, and what, as a society we can do better to support the single parenting community.

About Jo:

The first in our new 'mini series' called MAMA'S THE WORD: The Unspoken Truths About Motherhood, where I speak to members of the Pachamama community about their experiences of motherhood, to help inspire and guide you on your own journey.

In this episode I speak to Lucy DC, Mama of 1 based in Sydney, Australia. We touch on:

- what motherhood has taught her

- lack of family support

- how she decided on her nanny

- difference in care in UK vs Oz

- transitioning back into work and managing the guilt that comes with it

If you want to share your story with us, get in touch: hello@pachamama-london.com

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About Pachamama:

In this week’s episode, I speak to educational child and community psychologist, Teresa Wheeler about the possible impact the Coronavirus pandemic is having on social interactions and communications of babies born in lockdown. The good news is - the skills that babies learn whilst interacting with other children - like learning to share or wait their turn, are skills they can learn at home with their parents. We talk about how and when babies develop their social interactions, and Teresa suggests some games that can aid development. We also touch on attachment theory and transitioning into the workplace or play-school drop offs, as well as the importance of emotion coaching and describing and dealing with emotions for not only our little ones, but also ourselves.

About Teresa:

In this week’s episode, I speak to extended family member Kat about a big part of her family’s story - her son’s illness. Her son, Felix, was diagnosed with infant leukemia at 7 months old and was told he only had two hours to live. Spoiler alert: it has a happy ending.

A poignant, heartrending story, but one that is incredibly powerful and inspirational, Kat is phenomenal. A pillar of strength and solidarity for her family during their darkest time. But it has come at a price of her own sanity and mental health, she says.

With what she’s experienced, Kat is very familiar with all things immune systems, virus and contagion control, and we bring her learning’s to present today by talking about UK healthcare systems, the importance of cleanliness and people’s understanding of COVID.

There are links to children’s cancer charities and support groups in the episode’s show notes for anyone looking for support or who wants to donate, including St Jude Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee where Felix was treated.

Children’s Cancer Charities & Organisations:

In this episode, I speak to mental health advocate, writer and campaigner, Catherine Benfield who is the founder and author of the OCD blog Taming Olivia. Catherine shares her personal journey with perinatal OCD and we cover everything from what the illness is, how it can manifest, what help is out there and what recovery looks like. 

About Catherine Benfield:

In this episode I speak to fully qualified acupuncturist specialising in the fields of fertility, women’s health, and cancer care, Mandy Brass. Mandy is also a member of the British Acupuncture Council, the Acupuncture Fertility Network, and works in the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust.

We focus on the topic of acupuncture for fertility, and Mandy explains the benefits of combining Chinese medicine with Western medicine and how acupuncture works in terms of meridian systems, releasing chi and active tissue, and why so many women find it beneficial. We touch on the impact of stress on fertility, basal body temperatures (BBT) and the impact of acupuncture in IVF.

I love the way Mandy works by looking at the person as a whole, and by giving them space to tell their story. This episode really resonated with me personally, as I navigate my own fertility journey.

About Mandy Brass:

My guest this week is single, working Mama, Winnie Akadjo who is the founder and host of the brilliant podcast Sassy Single Mums, that celebrates the stories of single mamas. Winnie’s story is really humbling and powerful in terms of what she’s achieved in her life so far. We talk about the stigma surrounding single mothers, and the preconceptions society has of ‘the perfect household’. We also talk about the relationship she has with her son and how he inspires her and Winnie shares advice for single mothers, which actually applies to all mamas and women in general - about owning who you are and where you’re at. It’s great. She’s great. I hope you enjoy it!

More about Winnie Akadjo:

In this episode I speak to academic Dr Andrew Mayers, a psychologist specialising in mental health, particularly perinatal mental illness and young people's mental health. He is part of the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership and is the Principal Academic In Psychology at Bournemouth University. We talk about guilt that comes with postnatal depression (PND), the societal pressures new mothers face, and the implications of medication on breastfeeding and pregnancy. We talk about paternal and same-sex partner postnatal depression and the impact it can have on the family as a whole. Andy helps define birth trauma and looks at the impact COVID-19 and the exclusion of partners at antenatal appointments and birth is having on mental health for both mother and partner. Links to support groups listed below.

Support links:

In this episode, Arianna speaks to single, gay parent Rose Claridge who had her daughter through anonymous sperm donation. Rose is wonderfully open and honest about her journey to that decision, the step-by-step process and the importance of surrounding yourself with loved ones. We also touch on how, as a society, we can offer more support for the LGBTQ+ parenting community.

More about Rose:

In this episode, Arianna speaks to holistic wellness coach, founder of Soul Mama Journey and mama of 2, Nehanda Truscott Reid. We talk about spiritual wellness and setting intentions before, during and after pregnancy to tap into the energy that makes you thrive, mindful breastfeeding and the pressures Mamas face during the postnatal period and how to best manage them to better show up for yourself in the best way possible.

More about Soul Mama Journey:

This week I’m joined by Laura Lewis, a Mama and acupuncturist, who studied for 4 years at the renowned college of integrated Chinese medicine in Reading. She says she loves the way this medicine is holistic, in that it looks at the body as a whole that needs rebalancing.

Having decided to study acupuncture after reaping the benefits of it a decade ago, Laura is currently working and pracitinse from her home in West London.

We cover everything from what acupuncture is (more than just the needles), how it works, what it’s good for and how it can particularly benefit expecting and new Mamas. We also touch on fertility acupuncture for those looking beyond Western medicine to help them conceive, and what you need to look for in a skilled and safe practitioner.

In this episode, I speak to Dr. Shirley Mirpuri, a Naturopathic Doctor currently practicing at Edge Healthcare in Singapore, about naturopathic medicine as a whole, and its benefits on children’s health specifically.

We discuss the importance of gut health and how to build immunity for your little ones from a young age, the impact of gluten and other inflammatory foods, allergies and sensitivities in children, and the dangers of over-sanitisation and over-cleanliness for their future development - something we perhaps need to be mindful of in a the COVID-world we’re living in.

Want to get in touch with Shirley:

In this episode, I speak to Dr Mona Board, a dental surgeon who takes a biological approach to dentistry, Mona has studied nutritional and environmental medicine. and is a member of the IAOMT and IABDM - two well-known teaching academies in the dental world. Currently practising in Singapore, Mona studied in London and worked in Geneva previously, and is a Mama of three. 

We talk about why our children’s oral hygiene should be considered during or even before pregnancy and the importance of breastfeeding when it comes to the development of a baby’s facial development. We also discuss the effects of using pacifiers and thumb-sucking, and how to best care for your little ones teeth in teething and beyond.

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In this episode, I speak to hypnobirthing practitioner and mama of 2, Elida Zeilerbauer, who runs private and group hypnobirthing courses. Elida shares her own experience with hypnobirthing, what it is, why you might decide to plan for it and why it’s quickly becoming a popular choice for birthing experiences.

This week, I speak with corporate maternity coach and founder of Inspire Coaching, Geraldine Gallagher. She shares some of the common emotions women face when heading back into the workplace after maternity leave, and runs through suggestions of what you can implement before you leave, so that you to feel more supported on your return. We touch on guilt, anxiety and loneliness in the workplace, and how to best to navigate those emotions.

In our fourth episode, I speak to friend, Libby Andrews, who, at 33 decided to freeze her eggs. She openly shares her story about the process, finding the right clinic, the costs, the procedure and its mental and physical side-effects.  It's a really inspiring listen, I hope you enjoy it.