In this episode of Becoming Both, I’m getting deeeeep into all the identity shifts that come with motherhood - the physical, the emotional, the mental and spirtual.

I chat through my own experiences of becoming a mum of two and how it’s changed literally every part of my life. My priorities are different, my relationships feel different, and even the way I see myself has completely shifted. Between pregnancy, birth, postpartum, sleep deprivation, and just having a bazillion things to do.. it’s so blooming easy to lose pieces of yourself without even noticing.

I chat all the emotional and physical changes, the hormones, the mum guilt, the body image moments, the questioning, the second-guessing, the EVERYTHING. And then there’s the career side of things… the hobbies we used to have before children took over our entire identities. I still cannot remember what mine were. I know I had them though lol.

And because these identity shifts don’t just happen on the inside, I chat about how your role within your family changes too. Suddenly you’re the planner, the emotional support person, the snack organiser, the routine keeper, the everything-holder. It’s a lot to carry, and sometimes we don’t get enough space to acknowledge it.

I share some journal prompts to help you reflect on your own experience because I know how much it helps for me and sometimes writing it down is the only way to make sense of all the feelings. These prompts are meant to help you reconnect with yourself, honour the version of you before kids, and appreciate the version of you now

And honestly, I just want you to know how grateful I am that you’re here, listening, and sharing this space with me. This little community means so much to me, all the DMs, all the shared stories, all the “me too” moments. I love it all!

If you want to chat more or share what resonated with you from this episode, come find me on Instagram at @doulamarley and @becomingboth. I genuinely love hearing from you.

In this solo episode of Becoming Both, I’m basically just chatting your ear off about life lately! A lil about motherhood, work, and all the chaos in between. I talk about what it’s been like juggling part-time nannying, my own babies, the podcast, my doula work, and this little dream I have of studying to become a counsellor (because clearly I don’t have enough on my plate already).

I share what our family is planning for next year.. which honestly looks like a whole lot of shuffling things around, tightening the budget, and me trying to pretend I’m good at “mindful spending” while also convincing myself that 2 coffees a day count as self-care. Can anyone relate? Cost of living is absolutely unhinged right now, so we’re just doing our best like you all and it's time to tighten the old belts.

I also dive into the weird, invisible pressures that working mums carry (frankly it's bullshit) and that feeling of never doing enough, even when you’re literally doing everything and MORE. And of course, I chat about what’s coming up for the podcast, future guests I’m excited about, and the personal goals I’m trying to hype myself up for.

It’s random AF and basically just me having a yarn with you.

In this episode of Becoming Both, I sit down with Shauna Watson (@Motherly.Doula), a mum of two, to chat about what life can really be like when you end up with two babies under two. It’s one of those conversations where everything is discussed as she opens up about finding out she was pregnant again sooner than she expected, the guilt that hit her hard, and the mix of emotions that came with trying to mentally prepare for another newborn while she was still deep in the trenches with her first.

We talk about her postpartum journey, which was far from easy! She shares how isolating and overwhelming it felt, especially while dealing with a colicky baby who cried constantly and a toddler who was also going through big feelings and big behaviours. She gets really honest about the moments where she questioned herself, the days she cried in the shower, and the nights where she felt like she had nothing left to give. It’s raw and emotional, but in the most relatable way.

At the same time, there’s this beautiful shift in her story. She talks about the pride she feels now, how strong she became without even realizing it, how she learned to show herself more grace, and how touching it’s been watching her kids slowly become each other's little best friends. You can hear how much love she has for them, even in the hardest moments.

We recorded this because so many mums go through these feelings in silence and I have had SO many mums show interest in this story as it was also their reality. This episode is meant to feel like a big exhale, a reminder that if you’re struggling, you’re not broken and you’re definitely not alone, you're just dealing with something bloody hard. Shauna and I hope it brings comfort and validation to anyone who’s been in the thick of newborn-and-toddler life and just needs to hear another mum say, “Yep, this is hard… and you’re doing better than you think.”

Find me over on insta @becomingboth @doulamarley and find the lovely Shuana over at @motherly.doula

I hope you love this episode! Please leave a 5 star review or a comment to share your thoughts x