everymum

Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan your host, and today’s guest is someone whose story speaks to so many modern realities around motherhood, family, and the choices women are making when life doesn’t follow the 'typical' path. Siobhan O’Hagan who you might know from her life online which began years back when she became a fitness influencer, is now a mum of one, working with an online community of women who want to live healtheir, and she has recently made the deeply personal decision to become a single mother by choice. Not because she gave up on finding a partner, but because she knew she wanted to grow her family and didn’t want to put that dream on hold in the meantime. I LOVE following Siobhan online and particularly love how she's approached this whole journey with complete upfront honesty. In this episode, we talk about what led her to make her decision around expanding her family, the fears that came with it, and the practical realities of pursuing fertility treatment on her own. Siobhan opens up about the IVF process itself, and what it means to embrace the label SMBC, and if she feels she identifies with it. We also get into the assumptions people make about what a family is supposed to look like, the reactions she’s had from others, and how she talks to her daughter about the journey of bringing a sibling into the world this way. But what makes this conversation so powerful is that it isn’t just about fertility treatment or solo parenting. It’s about agency. It’s about making a brave decision for your life, even when it falls outside the traditional narrative. Whether this path is something you’ve considered yourself, or whether you’re simply interested in the many ways families are made today, Siobhan’s honesty, warmth, and clarity make this a fascinating and deeply moving conversation. Here’s my chat with Siobhan, I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. If you’re a parent right now, chances are your child is spending at least some part of their day online, whether that's gaming, chatting with friends, watching videos. It’s just become part of modern childhood. But how much do we actually know about what children are doing online, and how protected they really are? New research from CyberSafeKids, which surveyed more than 3,300 primary school children and 1,700 parents across Ireland, suggests there’s a pretty significant gap between how parents think children are using the internet, and what’s actually happening. More than half of children aged 8 to 12 say they have no parental restrictions when it comes to online contact meaning they can chat or game with people they don’t know. Only about 4 in 10 say their parents can monitor what they do online. And despite age limits on most social media platforms, nearly 70 percent of children in that age group already have at least one account. At the same time, many parents say they feel overwhelmed by the speed of change. I know I do. A quarter say they simply don’t understand the apps or games their children are using, and nearly half admit the rules they set around screen time or online activity aren’t always enforced. So how worried should parents actually be? What are the real risks children face online today particularly with the rise of AI tools and deepfakes, and just as importantly, what are the practical things families can do to keep children safe without turning the internet into a battleground at home? To talk about all of that and more, I’m joined by Alex Cooney, CEO of CyberSafeKids, Ireland’s national voice for children’s online safety and digital rights. This is essential listening for any parent with a device in their home, be it an ipad, a phone, a smartwatch or even just a wifi connection. I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is Dr Abigail Moore, a specialist children’s dentist and the founder of Happy Teeth, where she works exclusively with babies, children and teens to make dental care calmer, kinder, and far less scary for everyone involved (including nervous mams and dads!) She has years of experience helping anxious kids and overwhelmed parents with very big feelings about being in the dentist’s chair. In this episode, we’re answering the questions parents actually lie awake worrying about: when to bring your child to the dentist for the first time, how much toothpaste is too much toothpaste, whether baby teeth really matter, and why some kids seem to get cavities no matter what you do. We talk fluoride, sugar, night feeds, thumb-sucking, tooth grinding, and what to do when a child flat-out refuses to open their mouth.If you’ve ever felt confused, guilty, or slightly panicked about your child’s teeth, this episode is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is the wonderful and always lovely Jen Carroll, who many of you will know as her online persona, Jen's Journey. Jen has lived more life than most of us and she's only in her 30s. She's gone from deeply unhappy and having no self-esteem in a difficult relationship, to being a happy, confident homeowner and mother of one, who is inspiring people every day on her social channels. We go through Jen's full journey in this episode, from having her son in London, changing her life and documenting it all online, coming back to Ireland and having a ten year old now who lights up her life. Her story is so inspiring and she's just one of the most authentic people you could ever meet which I know is why so many people love following her online. This is an episode that would give anyone they hope they need to get through adversity and come out the other side to a much happier, safer and more fulfilled life. This is our last episode for season 18, what a great one to finish on! After a few weeks break we'll be back again with season 19 with even more brilliant guests, so join us then and a huge huge thank you for listening, as always. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Everymum the podcast with me, Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is Michelle Flynn, a psychotherapist who specialises in perinatal mental health. We talk on today’s episode about birth trauma: something many parents will recognise, but not as many feel truly 'allowed' to claim. For some, birth just doesn't go to plan, it leaves a lasting imprint that shows up in the body, in confidence, in relationships and in the day-to-day experience of parenting. And that can be so confusing, especially when you’re told you should feel grateful because your baby is healthy. In this conversation, Michelle and I unpack what birth trauma actually is, and why it isn’t defined by how dramatic, dangerous or “successful” a birth appeared from the outside. We talk about how feeling unheard, rushed, powerless or unsafe can be traumatic in itself, and how those experiences can linger months or even years later. We also explore the impact on bonding with your baby, on partners and non-birthing parents and on future pregnancies, as well as the shame and silence that often surround these experiences. Most importantly, we talk about healing: what helps, what doesn’t, and how support can look different for different people. If you’ve ever questioned whether your experience counts, or wondered why it’s still affecting you, this episode is for you. Back soon with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to another episode of Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan. I absolutely LOVE my guest this week, and I was somewhat self-conscious to be interviewing her because she's such a great podcast host herself. Laura Dowling, otherwise known as The Fabulous Pharmacist, has so many strings to her bow, she's an author, a podcaster like I mentioned and travels the country with her shows, teaching the women (and men!) of Ireland about vulvas, among other things, bringing fun and lightheartedness into topics that otherwise might feel taboo to openly chat about. What I was so interested to chat to her about, aside from her crusade to help women know and love their bodies, is her life as a mother of three teenage boys. She talks about trying to keep them fed, leaving them alone when they're killing each other, and hoping that they'll grow up to be good friends, partners and fathers. We talk about why 'dad guilt' doesn't seem to be a thing, even though women are wracked with guilt constantly, and how the most important thing to her is that her sons know they can always come to her with anything they need. It's hard not to be entertained by Laura, so I know this episode will entertain AND inform, and hopefully make you laugh too. Thanks so much for listening as always. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello everybody, welcome back to another episode of Everymum the podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan and my guest this week is beauty entrepreneur, owner of beauty brand Hildun and mother of three, Suzy Griffin Dunne. This episode was basically me trying to find out what makes Suzy tick, how she manages having three small children and a beauty business, and how she manages to stay so present in both her work life and her parenting life – as it turns out, Suzy is unflappable. She's moving through it all with a laid back confidence that I am, quite frankly, very jealous of. She says while she's working, she's in work mode and while she's with her kids, who are 4, 5 and 7, she tries to be as present as possible. When she does try to open her laptop and work after hours, she says it's slammed shut for her. Which I can relate to! This chat will reassure any parents listening that we ALL compare ourselves to other parents, but that we're all winning and failing in our own unique ways, and just because your neighbour's child is doing grad 8 on the clarinet by their 4th birthday doesn't mean you're a terrible parent because your child won't even sit at the table to eat their dinner. I promise. Enjoy this lovely episode, and I'll be back next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the podcast, my guest is Heather Condren, founder of Flowerpop, a brilliant, creative and unique flower business based in Dublin (and delivering everywhere). Heather and I cover a lot of ground: what it’s like to start a business with a tiny baby, the realities of parenting while running your own company, and the constant juggle of entrepreneurial life. But one of the most fascinating parts of our chat was Heather’s experience working with both a pregnancy doula and a postpartum doula. She speaks so passionately about the incredible support doulas provide, what they actually do, how their roles differ, and why that kind of care can be life-changing. Our conversation also opened up into the bigger picture: how much support for new mothers has disappeared, and how isolating it can feel without the “village” previous generations could rely on. Heather is inspiring as a mother, a founder, and a person who is willing to share her journey so honestly. I think you’ll find this episode as thought-provoking as it is encouraging. Thanks so much for listening and I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest for this episode is Ariana Dunne. Ariana is a columnist, a life coach and has many other professional strings to her bow, but the one role she always wanted was 'mammy'. Her story, which she originally wrote for Irish Country Magazine, was one of the most read pieces ever for them, and it has so many twists and turns, ups and downs, that you'll barely believe it. After travelling the world in her 40th year, Ariana tried IUI to try to have a baby solo, and when that didn't work out, resigned herself to the fact that she might never become a mother. But fate intervened in the most amazing and fairly random way, and as I speak to her in this episode, she's 36 weeks pregnant with a healthy baby girl, just 14 months into a relationship that's seen more 'oh my god' moments than most see in their lifetimes. I won't give you any more spoilers! You'll have to listen to hear the full journey. Ariana's story is one of hope, really, and she shares it with us in this episode so generously. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you've enjoyed S17 – thanks for listening and I'll be back in a few weeks with S18, with more incredible guests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is entrepreneur Nicky Wake. Nicky's story of grief and love and parenting is one that I was immediately inspired by when I first heard it. After meeting her soulmate Andy Wake back in 2002, Nicky went on to live her best life, and after a long journey to conceive, welcomed a baby boy called Finn. When Finn was just 9 years old, his dad, Nicky's soulmate Andy, had a heart attack that would leave him in a coma and then in round-the-clock care until he eventually passed away back in 2020, when Finn was just about to enter his teenage years. Parenting is challenging enough, but with her own grief and her son's to deal with, Nicky faced a period of intense darkness which resulted in struggling with alcoholism and going into rehab. Her son, just on the cusp of his 17th birthday, told her that getting sober would be the best gift she could give him. So that's what she did. Nicky is now sober, running multiple businesses, and channeling her grief and her pain into positivity by uniting other widows and widowers to help them bond and find love again, moving forward – but not moving on – through it all. This is a captivating story and Nicky's positivity throughout is really something to behold. I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is someone who’s lived through more than most of us can imagine, and yet meets the world with such calm, strength, and self-awareness, you’d never know it at first glance. Rachel Purcell might be best known to some as Roz Purcell’s sister, but she is very much her own person. A thoughtful, creative soul who’s been sharing her life online with quiet honesty for years. In 2016, Rachel was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. She was just 27. And in the years since, she’s gone through a full reshaping - of her health, her relationship to her body, her identity, and her priorities. Now, she’s entering a totally new chapter: pregnancy. Rachel is currently expecting her first child, a little boy, and in this conversation, we talk about what it’s been like to move from illness to new life. She opens up about the fear and wonder of early pregnancy, the unexpected time it took to conceive, how her illness determined how long things would take, and how she imagines she might be as a mother. We chat about whether she plans to share her child online, how excited she and her husband Kev are about their new arrival, and how sleep is the thing she's most nervous about when baby arrives. Whether you’re a parent yourself or not, Rachel’s way of thinking about life and how to move through it with such positivity, is something we can all learn from. I'll be back next week with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My brilliant guest this week is Dr Afif El-Khuffash, a neonatologist and professor of paediatrics who has also just completed a degree in Cyberpsychology too. Afif is also a fellow podcast host, and has a huge interest in how we all interact and engage online. Even though my little girl is only four, I'm already worrying about the inevitability of her being online eventually, whether that's on an iPad in the short term or longer term on a smartphone when she's older. So my conversation with Afif was around that topic – what is the best way to help your child stay safe and happy online. We talk about misinformation, explaining to your children that everything they see online is not necessarily real, and the most important thing – how to ensure the lines of safe communication are open between you and your child. No matter what age your child is there are challenges online, from bullying to harassment to accessing content that's not appropriate for their age – it's actually so scary what young children can be exposed to sometimes – so this conversation made me feel so much better and I hope you'll get some comfort from it. Enjoy the episode and talk to you again next week! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.