WELCOME BACK TO THE HAPPY MAMA MOVEMENT PODCAST.

In this weeks episode, I speak with Emily Mitchell to explore the concept of matrescence, our grand transition into motherhood, and the importance of support systems during the postpartum period.

Emily shares her personal journey, including the trauma of her first birth experience and how it shaped her understanding of motherhood. We discuss the creation of resources aimed at educating new mothers about matrescence and the collaborative efforts with healthcare professionals to improve postpartum care. Our conversation emphasizes the need for community support and the empowerment of mothers through knowledge and understanding of their experiences.

WE DISCUSS

• Matrescence is a transformative process that impacts mothers deeply.
• Emily's first birth experience was traumatic and unplanned.
• Understanding matrescence can provide relief and validation for mothers.
• Support systems are crucial during the fourth trimester.
• Preparation for a second birth can lead to a more positive experience.
• Creating resources for new mothers can help them navigate postpartum challenges.
• Co-designing support with healthcare professionals is essential.
• Empowering mothers through education can change their postpartum experience.
• The importance of self-reflection and internal validation for mothers.
• Community support plays a vital role in maternal health.

ABOUT EMILY

Emily Mitchell is here to disrupt the motherhood narrative and shift the focus from the baby to the mother because she is born alongside her baby and needs to be held just as tight. Founder of Motherhood Milestones, a multi award winning business, Emily creates heartfelt cards without the hallmark cliches that honour the reality of motherhood and create space for supportive and honest conversations. A keen motherhood advocate, Emily has partnered with government to create resources and programs for new mums to validate and support their introduction to motherhood. A Reiki Practitioner and Mama Rising Facilitator, Emily works to remind mothers of their own power while also balancing her own role as mother to her four-year-old son and soon to be new arrival.

CONTACT:

Website: www.motherhoodmilestones.com

Facebook and Instagram: @motherhoodmilestones

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Matrescence and Its Impact

01:28 Emily's Personal Journey into Motherhood

04:00 The Trauma of Birth and Its Aftermath

06:29 Understanding Matrescence: A New Perspective

08:49 Preparing for a Second Birth: Lessons Learned

10:08 The Importance of Support in the Fourth Trimester

12:06 Creating Resources for New Mothers

15:35 Co-Designing Support with Healthcare Professionals

19:04 Empowering Mothers Through Education

22:15 The Pilot Program and Its Anticipated Impact

25:33 Conversations That Matter: Values and Support

27:28 Conclusion and Future Aspirations

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Welcome back, Mama's.

This week, Amanda Jackson and I explore the profound journey of motherhood and Matrescence, discussing the emotional and physical transformations that come with becoming a mother. We delve into the struggles of adjusting to new identities, the importance of self-care, and the need to listen to one's body. Amanda shares her personal experiences and insights from her book, emphasizing the significance of community support and the healing power of sharing stories among mothers.

Some takeaways from our conversation:

• Writing a book is a vulnerable process.
• Matrescence is often unrecognized in motherhood.
• Motherhood can challenge our expectations and identities.
• Breakdowns can lead to breakthroughs in self-awareness.
• Listening to our bodies is crucial for well-being.
• Self-care should be about tuning into our needs.
• Creating support systems is essential for mothers.
• The experience of motherhood is shared across generations.
• Healing comes from sharing our stories.
• Empowerment in motherhood comes from understanding matrescence.

About Mandy

Amanda, or Mandy as she’s affectionately known by her clients, guides mothers on a path

from guilt to growth. Her methods make visible the invisible loads and expectations that set

mothers up to feel as though they’ve failed.

Instead of perpetuating myths that the role of mother will neatly integrate into life without

changing us, Mandy #39;s signature programs embrace matrescence and the mother-child

relationship as opportunities for profound personal and professional growth.

Mandy has a background in psychology and sociology and completed her thesis on the

regulation of pregnant women’s bodies. Her approach draws from experience in Corrective

Services, youth and family development, and corporate sectors.

Chapters

00:00 The Birth of a Book

02:16 Honoring the Body in Motherhood

05:47 The Reality of Matrescence

11:31 Breakdowns and Breakthroughs

18:34 Redefining Self-Care

23:50 Creating Accessible Support for Mothers

28:07 Reflections on Matrescence and Self-Connection

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Welcome back to The Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

In this Take the Mic episode, I’m honoured to share the voice of Kirsten Calloran — a Mama Rising coach and lactation consultant from County Wicklow, Ireland — whose story reaches straight into the heart of motherhood’s deepest transformations. Kirsten invites us into her journey through post-diagnosis motherhood — the moment her son’s autism diagnosis opened a second matrescence, a new becoming that reshaped everything she thought she knew about identity, strength, and love.This is a story of grief and grace, of survival and softening. Of finding language for what once felt unspeakable. It’s an offering to every mother who’s ever wondered where she went — and to those slowly remembering themselves, one tender breath at a time.

• How a child’s diagnosis can awaken a second transformation in motherhood.
• The invisible weight and isolation many caregiving mothers carry.
• Grief, rage, love, and identity — all existing side by side.
• The need for spaces that hold mothers, not just their children.
• The hope that rises when we begin to honour our own becoming.

May this conversation remind you: you are not broken, you are becoming — again and again, in ways that matter more than you know.

Kirsten Calloran is a matrescence coach based in Ireland, specialising in post-diagnosis support for mothers (and fathers) of neurodivergent and disabled children.

She combines lived experience with professional training to help parents navigate what she calls “post-diagnosis matrescence” — the profound identity shift that begins when the life you imagined for yourself and your child suddenly changes.

Through her 1:1 coaching, talks for families in disability services, podcast Fi(ND)ing Motherhood, and compassionate social media presence, Kirsten offers validation, emotional grounding, and practical support to women often left behind by traditional parenting narratives.

Her work centres on the belief that when we nurture mothers, we strengthen families — and that no woman should have to lose herself to love her child well.

Kirsten lives in Wicklow with her husband, daughter, and young son, whose diagnosis marked the beginning of her own second becoming.

Connect with Kirsten:

Website: www.finding-motherhood.com

Podcast: Fi(ND)ing Motherhood on Spotify

TikTok: @findingmotherhoodcoach

Instagram: @findingmotherhoodcoach

Facebook: facebook.com/FindingMotherhoodCoach

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