Welcome back to Becoming Both! I am so excited to have the lovely Mary from Nourished Bites By Mama Mez join me, an amazing holistic nutrition consultant specialising in pre and postnatal care. Mary shares how she went from architecture to building her beautiful business and why supporting mums through whole-food nutrition became her thing.

We get into starting solids, baby-led weaning versus purées (yes, you’re allowed to do both), and why consistency and patience matter way more than doing it perfectly. We also chat about sugar, kids’ behaviour, and how tuning into our children’s hunger and fullness cues can save you from turning every meal into a power struggle. We also deep dive into why the patterns our parents showed us and the ones we show our children matter deeply when it comes to forming healthy relationships with food,

For the mums, we talk nourishment that goes beyond survival mode. Why coffee alone is not a personality trait (rude, but true), how small tweaks like actually eating breakfast or throwing together a smoothie can change your whole day, and why feeding yourself properly is not selfish, it’s necessary! Espesh if you're breastfeeding!

f you’re a mum overwhelmed when it comes to introducing solids, trying to keep tiny humans alive while also remembering to eat something green, this one’s for you.

A 5 star review means the world! You can come find me over at @doulamarley @becomingboth - I would love to connect! x

Hey friends, welcome back to Becoming Both ✨

This episode is a classic “life lately” brain dump where motherhood meets being a human with thoughts, feelings, and zero chill some days. I’m sharing updates from nannying life, how we’re trying (keyword: trying) to be better with family budgeting, and what it’s like parenting kids with very different needs under one roof.

I also chat about my ADHD diagnosis and the very glamorous journey of medication side effects (spoiler: not glamorous at all). We talk body image after pregnancy, the weird relationship you have with your body once it’s grown humans, and the honest reality of keeping intimacy alive when your calendar is full and your energy is not. This ep has a lot about sex tbh.

Towards the end, I answer your questions on things like timing a second baby, navigating in-laws without losing your mind, and all those “am I doing this right?” thoughts we all have. I also share some practical tips for anyone curious about starting their own doula business and what I’ve learned the hard way.

We finish up with a little reminder to take care of yourself, soak up the small moments, and give yourself credit for what you’re doing even on the CRAZY days.

This episode is perfect listening for the car, the couch, or hiding from your kids for five minutes ✌️

Find me over at insta @doulamarley @becomingboth where I discuss all things motherhood, birth, pregnancy, life and relationships.

Giving me a 5 star review really helps this channel and I am so appreciative of it!

Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of Becoming Both 🤍

In this episode, I start by chatting about how nice it is to have T home and just how much he actually does for our family. Having him away really highlighted everything he carries, and I was so glad I could support him taking some time for himself after all he gives to us. I am looking forward to my 2 night stay in a hotel this weekend!

Then we get right into parenting values and routines. I share what matters most to me in our house, and I also asked other mums over on Instagram @doulamarley to share what’s important to them too. The responses were so varied and honestly hope you feel way better about how different we all do this! I see it so much in my experiences babysitting and nannying.

Things get a little spicy when we move into parenting “icks” 👀 which definitely created a bit of controversy and a lot of opinions. Not everyone agreed (shock), but it made for a really interesting and very real conversation.

We finish on the best note, talking about the things we genuinely admire about other mums. This part was super wholesome and such a good reminder that mums are pretty bloody amazing.

Find me over at insta @doulamarley @becomingboth where I discuss all things motherhood, birth, pregnancy, life and relationships.

Giving me a 5 star review really helps this channel and I am so appreciative of it!

n this episode, I’m joined by Tess for a conversation that sits very close to my heart: what it’s like to mother without a mother.

I was so grateful to finally have Tess on the podcast to talk openly about her estranged relationship with her mum and how that has shaped her own journey into motherhood. Tess shares honestly about the complexity of being completely estranged from her mother for over 12 years, and how becoming a mum herself brought up old wounds, unanswered questions, and grief she didn’t even realise she was carrying.

We talk about the emotional layers of mothering without that maternal support so many people rely on. The guilt, the expectations, the longing, and the quiet sadness that can show up around moments like pregnancy, postpartum, illness, and milestones where you suddenly realise there’s no one to call. Tess reflects on how having her daughter, Marni, shifted her perspective on her own childhood and deepened her commitment to breaking generational cycles.

We also get into the very real, practical side of things. How not having a mum impacts the logistics of daily life, and why building a support system becomes so important. Tess shares why she chose to hire a doula to help fill some of that gap and how powerful it was to feel supported during such a vulnerable time.

We touch on the emotional heaviness of days like Mother’s Day and other family-focused milestones, and how complicated they can feel when your experience of “mother” doesn’t fit the narrative. Throughout the conversation, we come back to the hope and healing that can exist in creating loving, secure relationships with our own children.

This episode is honest, tender, and deeply validating. If you’re navigating motherhood without a mother, whether through estrangement, loss, or complicated family dynamics, this conversation is for you. You are not alone and it's bloody hard. For those who might not be able to relate, I hope this gives you an insight into the hardship of trying to mother without a blue print.

I would love to connect! Come find me over at @doulamarley @becomingboth

To support the pod, it would mean the world to me if you left a 5 star review xx

In today’s solo episode, I’m opening up about my childhood and what it was like growing up as the daughter of a heroin addict.

I talk about my mum’s addiction, from finding her unresponsive as a young child to navigating the long-term emotional impact that comes with loving a parent who is unwell. I share how those early experiences shaped my sense of safety, my relationships, and the way I learned to survive emotionally.

We explore the grief that comes with accepting that a parent may never be who you needed them to be, and the process of holding compassion without losing yourself in the process. I reflect on how those experiences still live in me and how motherhood has brought a deeper awareness of the cycles I want to break.

This episode is tender, honest, and deeply personal. My hope is that sharing my story creates space for understanding, healing, and connection 🤍

This episode is a real, open reflection on what 2025 looked like for us and what we’re intentionally carrying (and leaving behind) as we head into 2026.

We talk about life lately from soaking up the beauty of the Adelaide Hills to carving out a simple date day and remembering that we’re partners, not just parents. We also get into money, budgeting, and how uncomfortable that topic still feels for me. I share honestly about how my childhood experiences around money make it hard to talk about now, and how avoiding those conversations can create tension if you don’t face them together. It’s messy, vulnerable, and very real.

We dive into how challenging it is to maintain a relationship and personal goals while raising young kids, and I open up about the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to the season of small children. There’s grief there, for the babies, the cuddles, the version of me that lived in survival mode, but also a quiet hope and excitement about stepping out of the trenches and into the next chapter with a little more space to breathe.

We talk about the importance of sitting down with your partner and actually reflecting on what you both want and don’t want moving forward. Having the uncomfortable conversations before resentment builds. Saying the things out loud instead of letting them fester in the background. This season demands honesty, even when it’s hard.

I also share more about my work as a nanny, my long-term dream of becoming a counsellor, and how much clarity has come from reflecting on the year that was. We chat about the women’s retreat I’ve been planning, why it feels so aligned right now, and how deeply it’s rooted in the need for rest, connection, and support for mums.

This episode really captures the ups and downs of life, business, relationships, and motherhood. It’s about listening to your inner voice, setting achievable goals that actually fit this season, and acknowledging what you’ve survived and grown through even if it doesn’t look big on the outside.

We finish by sharing more about the upcoming women’s retreat and why investing in yourself, your wellbeing, and community isn’t indulgent, it’s essential.

If you’re feeling reflective, stretched, emotional about closing one chapter and cautiously hopeful about the next, this one’s for you 🤍

In this episode, I’m reflecting on that strange and funny space between Christmas and New Year’s. The routines are gone, the days blur together, and parenting somehow feels even more relentless IMO but there’s also so much fun and fam time woven through it all. I talk about the chaos of being out of routine, the constant demands of motherhood, and the pure joy of watching my kids experience the excitement of Christmas! We had such a lovely day and I hope you guys too. Also can we talk about how much easier parenting is alongside others with similar age children??

I open up about family dynamics over the holidays, the gratitude I feel for a supportive partner, and the quiet loneliness that can creep in when you don’t really have a village around you. I also share some honest financial reflections after the festive season, what the holidays highlighted for me, and how I’m approaching the year ahead with more intention from budgeting differently to teaching my kids about gratitude.

There’s also a little update on our home renovations and how creating a space that actually works for our family can have a bigger impact than we realise! We are so in love with the change of our space and so grateful we could do a kitchen reno.

I look forward to bringing out more eps in 2026, I have SO many topics flowing through my brain and always appreciate your discussion and diagloue.

A review, comment or DM is always SO appreciated and means the world. Find me over at DoulaMarley or BecomingBoth on insta.

In this episode, I’m talking about the struggles of relationship distance that sneaks in after kids. Often it's actually not because you don’t love each other, but because you’re exhausted af, touched out, constantly interrupted, and carrying way more than you ever expected to. The distance that over time, feels super tense and that it's a long way back.

I share some tips on how to start honest conversations when there’s obvious disconnect, even when it feels uncomfortable, emotional, or long overdue. We talk about the real pressures that come with parenting and partnership. In-laws causing friction (especially if you're partner is leaving you out to dry), the financial reality of feeling stuck in this economy, and how resentment will fester if it’s left to rot in silence.

I also get into intimacy. When it’s been a long time between touch, closeness, or feeling desired, and how to rebuild connection without forcing it or pretending everything’s fine. Especially when kids leave you zero space to even finish a sentence, let alone have a deep conversation but also how important it is to understand that most intimacy for women starts outside of the bedroom.

I’m not an expert. I’m not here to fix your relationship. I’m just someone willing to say the quiet parts out loud and create space for the conversations so many of us are having behind closed doors or asking for advice on Facebook forums.

If what you’re experiencing is abuse, this episode isn’t the support you need and you deserve help. If you’re in Australia, you can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 for confidential support, or speak with your GP or a trusted professional.

Come find me on Instagram at @doulamarley and @becomingboth. I truly love hearing your thoughts, messages, and feedback, and your reviews mean more than you know 🤍