Share

everymum

We talk about the parts of motherhood that we don't hear enough about...


Latest episode

  • 1. Superyachts and time zone hops : Sleep trainer to the stars Kelly Geoghegan

    53:53
    My incredible guest this week is the OG sleep coach in Ireland, the person with thousands of hours of pacing hallways and bedrooms with babies in her arms – Kelly Geoghegan. Kelly's business, Sleepy Stars, is all about helping babies with sleep. But her fascinating career has featured superyachts, helicopters and changing time zones twice in a week, all the while caring for babies that need their sleep. She chats to me about her celebrity and high net worth clients, how she approaches trying to get twins and triplets to sleep in the same room together, and so much more. We also discuss the largely unregulated sleep coaching industry, and Kelly says she would love to see more controls in place to stop parents who are desperate for help from finding it in the wrong places. Kelly is probably one of the most hands-on experienced professionals I've spoken to, she walks the walk – literally – and I even got a cheeky question to her about my own daughter... a perk of the job, maybe? Enjoy, and I'll speak to you again next week.

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 9. Why gentle parenting doesn't actually involve letting your children do whatever they want - Sarah Ockwell Smith.

    59:44
    This week I spoke to Sarah Ockwell Smith, a parenting expert who has written 15 books on parenting over the course of her career. While we could've covered a number of topics, what I really wanted to speak to her about was the idea of gentle parenting and what it really is. Like you, I've seen Instagram memes and Tiktokers talk about gentle parenting, and most of what I saw left me more confused than enlightened. But speaking to Sarah really gave me a clear picture of what it means to be a gentle parent – and no, it doesn't involve mollycoddling your child and refusing to discipline them. I learned a huge amount during this episode, including how to deescalate a tantrum in the moment, and how best to go about stopping them before they even happen – something other parents of toddlers I'm sure could benefit from. Enjoy, and I'll be back next week with more.
  • 8. Did you know one in six people experience infertility? - Karen Ferguson

    54:59
    Today's guest is Karen Ferguson, head of nursing and clinical services with SIMS IVF. I'll be completely honest, my knowledge of all things fertility and infertility was minimal, that is – before I spoke to Karen. We went back to basics, and discussed things like the stigma around talking about fertility struggles, what exactly is involved in an egg retrieval, common myths and misconceptions about fertility treatment, and how to be sensitive to friends or family members going through an IVF process. We also talk about the legislation recently passed which is, as we discuss, exclusionary to many people who are trying to conceive, and also how to handle workplace conversations about fertility treatment. It was great to speak to Karen and learn so much during this episode, so I hope you learn something too.
  • 7. The fourth trimester and advocating for yourself, with Kathy Milliken

    58:12
    I was joined for today's episode by Kathy Milliken. Kathy is a baby, birth and post-partum expert in so many ways: She's trained as a doula, she's trained in breastfeeding counselling, she's a qualified pre- and post-natal yoga instructor, among other things. And yet, with all her experience, she told me she didn't really KNOW what motherhood would be like in practical terms until she had her children. Three children, all brought into the world very differently, taught her so much that she continues to share with other mothers now through her business, Bump, Baby and Me. She's a wealth of knowledge but is also just a warm, inclusive and understanding voice for anyone about to have their first child, about to become a parent again, or for someone who experienced trauma in pregnancy or delivery who just needs someone to talk to. I loved this chat with Kathy, I hope you do too.
  • 6. Having a home birth on your first baby: Aisling Kearns shares her brave story.

    49:11
    This episode had me wide-eyed with my jaw on the floor, as returning guest Aisling Kearns shares the story of her home birth. Aisling's son Tommy was just four weeks old when we recorded, and slept like an angel throughout. Having spoken to a doula and read a book about childbirth as a rite of passage, Aisling decided a home birth was for her, even though it was her first pregnancy. She talks about the home set-up, who was there, how it all went and how she hopes her choice to do it (and her choice to talk about it with such amazing honesty) will inspire others to potentially consider it as an option where they might not have before. This episode is unmissable and absolutely fascinating.
  • 5. Payal Desai chats about her viral "Dusty Sons" videos and modern parenting approach.

    21:51
    This week, I was so pleased to be able to speak to online parenting sensation Payal Desai, who joined me all the way from New Jersey (albeit on a slightly glitchy Zoom call for which I blame my own dodgy broadband) where she lives with her husband and two little boys. Payal is a middle school teacher and content creator who went insanely viral with her 'dusty son' videos. For anyone who has yet to see one, she captures teachable moments with her young sons, typically about gender roles and toxic masculinity, to the tune of the 1995 RnB song, 'I've got 5 on it', while glancing back at the camera as it zooms in to her face. Just one of her videos alone has over 10M views on Tiktok – so chances are you've seen at least one. We spoke about going viral with parenting content, gender roles in the home and how there's an imbalance, and bringing up children who have empathy and understanding about the world around them. It's a great episode, I hope you enjoy.
  • 4. A new dad's perspective on pregnancy, delivery and those newborn months - Robert Burke

    01:10:13
    My guest this week is Rob Burke – Rob is a friend of mine, and one of the most articulate people I know, and so I knew that he'd be the perfect person to speak to about the experiences of a new dad. From pregnancy, where he says he felt his duty was to take care of his wife, to the delivery suite and cutting the umbilical cord and being a human stirrup, to his daughter Pippa's first six months of life, he's gone through the ups and downs of parenthood alongside his wife Becca, and shares lessons he's learned along the way. I've had so many mothers join me and talk about their experiences that I felt the role of dad was being overlooked – I'm delighted to say Rob's episode with me remedies that. I hope you enjoy.