In this episode, I am finally sharing the full story of how my little boy came into the world. I have hinted at it so many times and mums often ask for it, partly because we do not get many chances to tell our birth stories in full. As I share in this episode, birth is one of the biggest experiences we ever go through, no matter how it unfolds.

I talk about:
• How my pregnancy actually felt behind the scenes
• The unexpected emotions, the exhaustion and the early anxiety about scans
• Choosing a birthing centre, writing a very detailed birth plan and feeling sure about what I wanted
• The long labour, the lack of dilation and the moment everything changed
• Having to ask for an epidural after being certain I never would
• The calm of the epidural and the sudden shift into emergency mode
• The moment the doctor said they needed to operate
• How Jackson finally arrived and how the birth shaped everything that came after

Whether your own birth was smooth, complicated, planned or nothing like the plan, this episode will hopefully give you a moment of recognition, compassion and connection. Birth stays with us. It deserves to be told.

🫂 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.

We talk about this kind of stuff in It's A Lot. So, if you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it, this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Reset from chaos to calm in minutes The Overwhelmed to Grounded Toolkit gives you three simple, real-life tools to help you recalibrate without adding more to your to-do list. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Download it here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠info@nataliekmartin.com⁠⁠

☕️ Support my work: if you’re enjoying my podcast, you can buy me a virtual coffee here! Thank you 🫶🏽 buymeacoffee.com/nataliekmartin⁠⁠

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New episodes every Wednesday🎧 Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a quick review — it really helps other mums find the show.

Christmas can feel joyful, cosy and full of magic, especially when you have little ones. It can also feel busy and full of expectations. This week I am sharing how to have a Christmas that feels fabulous for you and your family. One that feels warm, fun and enjoyable rather than something you push yourself through.

Inside the episode I talk about choosing the Christmas energy that feels good for you, creating simple rituals, and setting gentle expectations with family so things stay calm. I also share practical tips on hosting, sharing the workload, planning ahead, gifting without overspending and how to avoid the emotional hangover that so many mums end up with in January.

If you want a Christmas that feels magical, cosy and manageable, this episode will help you choose what to keep, what to skip and how to make the season feel genuinely fabulous.

🫂 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.

We talk about this kind of stuff in It's A Lot. So, if you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it, this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Reset from chaos to calm in minutes The Overwhelmed to Grounded Toolkit gives you three simple, real-life tools to help you recalibrate without adding more to your to-do list. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Download it here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠info@nataliekmartin.com⁠⁠

☕️ Support my work: if you’re enjoying my podcast, you can buy me a virtual coffee here! Thank you 🫶🏽 buymeacoffee.com/nataliekmartin⁠⁠

📢 Don’t forget to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode

New episodes every Wednesday🎧 Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a quick review — it really helps other mums find the show.

Childcare guilt shows up for so many mums, even when childcare is the thing that keeps the whole family afloat. One comment at a playgroup or one post on social media can send us into a spiral of “am I doing the right thing” and it needs to stop.

In this episode I talk about the real roots of childcare guilt. We look at cultural conditioning, gender expectations, financial realities, and the total lack of village support that modern mums are dealing with. None of this guilt comes from your instincts. It comes from a system that still expects mums to do everything alone.

I also share why childcare can actually strengthen your connection with your child, how children thrive when they learn from multiple caregivers, and why needing support is not selfish. A calm and fulfilled mum bonds more deeply than a burnt-out one, and we need to start saying that out loud.

If you have ever wobbled at drop-off or felt judged for needing a break, this conversation is for you.

🫂 Join a loving community of mums in IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.

We talk about this kind of stuff in It's A Lot. So, if you’re feeling shaky having brought your new baby home, in the trenches of toddlerhood or just need a place to share the joys of being a mama with people who get it, this is your new support network. The best part? It’s all via voice notes ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠⁠

👉🏽 Reset from chaos to calm in minutes The Overwhelmed to Grounded Toolkit gives you three simple, real-life tools to help you recalibrate without adding more to your to-do list. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Download it here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode? Comment on Spotify or:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠info@nataliekmartin.com⁠⁠

☕️ Support my work: if you’re enjoying my podcast, you can buy me a virtual coffee here! Thank you 🫶🏽 buymeacoffee.com/nataliekmartin⁠⁠

📢 Don’t forget to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode

New episodes every Wednesday🎧 Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a quick review — it really helps other mums find the show.