everymum

Welcome back to Everymum the Podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan your host and my guest this week is Emma Shafqat, or as she's otherwise known, Dietitian with a Difference. One of the first things I wanted to ask Emma was – what's the difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian, because when it comes to social media and feeding our kids, there's so much information to digest and not all of it good, and I really wanted to make sure that people are going to the very best and most reliable sources for their health and feeding information. Emma is one of the top experts when it comes to fussy eaters, and gives absolutely amazing insights into how to work with that as a parent who's struggling to just get those nutrients in. I learned so much, but the biggest message I took from the episode is that parents are all doing their best and need to give themselves a break when it comes to how their children eat – letting your child lead you and putting your trust in their intuition, and avoiding mealtime battlegrounds as a result. This episode is full of clever tips and amazing advice for parents, whether your child is fussy at mealtimes or not – enjoy it, and I'll be back with more next week. - Emma's website for anyone interested is https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/

Today’s guest is someone many of you will know and love - the gorgeous Jess Redden. Jess is a pharmacist by profession, a wellness advocate, and mum to her beautiful son Bobby who she shares with her husband, former Irish rugby international Rob Kearney. I have to say, I found Jess's episode so refreshing from the get-go – she clearly thrives in and loves motherhood, but isn't afraid to say that it can be hard too, that there are tough moments and that it's not always as simple as you might see online. She is so generous in sharing her experiences with grief, pregnancy loss and mental health with such warmth, relatability and absolutely zero pretence. Now at 6 months pregnant with a sibling for her son Bobby, Jess is redefining what wellness looks like with a toddler in tow. From sleepless nights to shifting identities, navigating unsolicited advice, we talk about partnership, pressure, postpartum recovery, and all the messy, meaningful moments in between. Whether you’re a new parent, expecting, or just curious about how someone balances it all with grace and humour, this one’s for you. Back next week with more.

Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan back for another season – season 17! Where does the time go? Thanks for joining me, and what better way to start the season than with an amazing and inspirational guest. Entrepreneur, makeup expert, business founder and mother Charlene Flanagan (otherwise known as one half of Ella & Jo) joins me this week to talk about striking the balance – or at least trying to. It's a full time job being a parent, but add in a start up business, a calendar full of bridal clients and two babies in 18 months to that, and it goes beyond the norm. That's exactly the position Charlene found herself in 7 years ago, just as Ella and Jo got off the ground. She had two babies in quick succession and her third baby, her business, was also in its younger years. I asked her how she managed the chaos, what she did to get through it and if now has time in her day to actually take time to switch off. You'll never meet a more positive person than Charlene – I couldn't help but feel motivated by her passion for what she does, and I know you'll feel the same after listening. Enjoy this and I'll talk to you again next week!

My conversation this week with Daniella Moyles is one that will stay with me. Daniella is a former model, radio DJ and presenter who didn't take her foot off the pedal for close to a decade, resulting in a period of intense physical and mental anxiety and burnout. When she realised her life needed to change, she took time out to jump into the new: A life of yoga teacher training, psychotherapy training and, eventually, motherhood. She wrote her memoir, which is called Jump, about the experience, and now as a mam to three-year-old Sonny, she's living a quiet rural village life and making sure to fill her own cup, as she has what she described herself as "a visceral reminder" of what happens when she doesn't. Daniella's story is so interesting, and how she describes living with panic and anxiety is so real, I think anyone listening who's gone through similar will relate. We talk about how the 'village' isn't really there and how society has let down mothers in particular, how sometimes the anger inside you can take over and make you need to go punch a pillow, and on that, regardless of how you feel, every feeling is valid and is your body or your mind alerting you to something you need to know. Daniella has taken all of her learnings and experience and has created The STLL, an online platform which helps people to slow down, tune in and focus on self-development. This is a truly fascinating listen for what is the final episode of Season 16, Thank you so much for all your support, messages and kindness this season. I'll be back in few weeks time with more amazing guests for Season 17. 

This week, I spoke to the fascinating and passionate Claire Quigley Ward, a UK-based certified ADHD coach. Claire is also host of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, she's a Microsoft Accessibility Champion, and the founder of an organisation called ADHD Winchester, which supports those in her city who want to know more or to find support with their own ADHD. She’s also a proud mum of two amazing neurodivergent kids and she’s been walking her own ADHD parenting path, having received her diagnosis in 2021.What makes Claire such a powerful voice in this space isn’t just her expertise, it’s her empathy, her lived experience, and her unwavering belief in the brilliance of ADHD brains. In this episode, we go deeper into the realities of parenting ADHD children and talk about how the school system and environment needs to be updated to accommodate for those with ADHD. Claire explains how important it is for us as parents to nurture kids self-esteem, protect their sense of identity, and embrace the fire inside them. We also talk about what it means to be a true champion for neurodiversity, in our families, our communities, and in the systems that unfortunately still have a long way to go. So whether you're part of the neurodivergent ADHD community or just want to broaden your understanding, this conversation is for you. I'll be back next week. 

My guest this week is Amanda McGuinness from LittlePuddins.ie. Amanda is a truly inspiring voice in the parenting community and a powerful advocate for autism acceptance and understanding. Amanda is a mum of four beautiful children, all of whom are neurodivergent, and her journey into the world of neurodiversity has shaped not only her family’s life but also the lives of so many others who follow and learn from her. Through her blog, her Instagram presence, and the incredible visual resources she’s created, Amanda brings honesty, heart, and hope to conversations that can sometimes feel overwhelming. She’s not afraid to talk about the hard days, the big emotions, and the small wins, and she does it all with such empathy, as she is a woman with autism herself. In this episode, Amanda shares so much about her family experience, from those early days of diagnosis to building a platform that now supports thousands of families across Ireland and beyond. We talk about parenting, advocacy, inclusion, and the beauty of seeing the world through a different lens. So whether you're navigating your own neurodivergent parenting path, or simply looking to better understand the autistic experience, this episode is a great one. Back next week with more.

My guest this week is author and mindfulness educator Louise Shanagher. Louise is also the founder of the Creative Mindfulness method, a programme that introduces mindfulness and self-compassion to children through creative activities like storytelling, art, and meditation. She has authored several children's books, and through her Creative Mindfulness Practitioner Training, has introduced mindfulness practices to tens of thousands of people, reflecting her deep passion for sharing that important knowledge. We talk about how mindfulness has evolved over the years, how it can now apply to and be used by children and young people, and how to equip children with lifelong self-care tools. I don't know about you, but I was terrified by the recent Netflix series Adolescence, and speaking to Louise gave me confidence that with the right tools, you can raise a self-compassionate and self-aware child who knows their parents are there as a safety net for them no matter what. Louise is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to how to speak to young children in a way that is understandable but effective too. Louise's latest book, Growing Self-Compassionate Children, is available now should you want to know more. A really practical episode, I know you'll love this one. I'll be back next week with more.

This week, I spoke to returning guest Emma Flynn. Emma was first on the podcast with the lovely Sinead more than three years ago, but her story was so compelling and so important that I wanted to catch up with her and see how things are for her now. Emma's story can be difficult to hear and can be triggering, so if you're a new mam or in a particularly sensitive place, just use caution and take care when listening. Now a mother of three, when Emma's first child, Jack was born, she went through the darkest and scariest moments of her life. She felt she didn't love her son, but worse, she felt the only way through her suffering was to hurt herself and her baby. With help from medication, her therapist, her husband and her supportive family, she managed to survive through it and go on to have two more children, and to absolutely adore all three of them. She has an incredibly supportive online community too where sharing her story has helped (and will continue to help) so many people going through similar but afraid to talk about it. We spoke about finding healing, her return to faith and how she is now, several years on from those traumatic days. It was a tough episode to record but so worthwhile. I'll be back next week, speak to you then.

The lovely Niamh O'Sullivan is my guest this week, and although I've known Niamh for a good few years, and she's always radiant, she was absolutely GLOWING with the joy that only arrives when you're expecting your first baby. At the time of recording, Niamh is about half way through her pregnancy, and she's just now coming out of the horrendous sickness she endured for almost the whole first half... which I can identify with, and that's something literally anyone who listens to this podcast will know, as I never shut up about it. Niamh and I discuss the perils of pregnancy Googling, how sometimes you DON'T want the gory birth stories and how the phrase "You just wait!" is Niamh's biggest peeve. We talk about birth plans (or the lack thereof) and feeling nervous about birth, but it's clear that Niamh is just thrilled to be about to welcome her baby to the world. I can't wait to have her back on after she has her little angel to talk all things fourth trimester. Enjoy this, and I'll be back next week with more.