"It has been a long journey" – from chronic illness to healthy pregnancy with Rachel Purcell

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.

Today’s guest is someone who knows that play is far more than just fun, it’s one of the most powerful tools we have for helping children learn, connect, and thrive. Sarah Kelly is a Speech and Language Therapist, a Montessori teacher, a mum of boys, and the founder of PlayEasy, an educational toy store. Working in her own private speech and language private practice in Churchtown, Sarah saw that parents were often unsure which toys could truly support their child’s speech, language, and overall development. So she began hand-selecting toys that don’t just entertain, but actively build skills, spark imagination, and meet children right where they are in their growth. In our conversation today, Sarah shares how her work as both a clinician and a mother shapes her approach, the signs parents can look for in a truly educational toy, and why the best play is often the simplest. She offers practical tips for weaving language development into everyday routines, busts some persistent myths about late talking, and reminds us that the most important thing we can give our children during playtime is ourselves. Whether you’re a new parent, or one who is time pressed but still wants to do the very best for their kids, or just someone who wants to understand how children learn through play, you’re going to love Sarah’s warmth, expertise, and advice. Thanks for listening as always, back next week with more. 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.

This week, I wanted to do something slightly different, in the sense that – most of the guests I have on are parents themselves. This week though, I wanted to explore a motherhood choice of a different kind: Choosing not to become a parent. And when I polled listeners to see who to speak to on this, hundreds of you suggested the brilliant Vicki Notaro. I've known Vicki for a long time as we both came up in the magazine industry at the same time, and I've known she was child-free by choice for a long time too. I firmly believe that some of the best mothering I've ever witnessed has some from people who haven't got a child of their own, but aside from that, I really wanted to know Vicki's take on choosing a child-free life, and to talk to her about how that choice is as valid a motherhood decision as any. We were both very sensitive to the fact that becoming a mother is a choice denied to many, but we also explore the societal norms and pressures that child-bearing can place on women, and how Vicki's relationships have been affected by her stance on the issue of having or not having kids. So yes, this isn't the typical everymum episode, but it is absolutely brilliant and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it. 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.

If you've ever found yourself standing in the dark at 3am, gently rocking a baby who absolutely refuses to sleep, or you’ve spent hours negotiating with a toddler who suddenly needs water, a story, and three extra hugs, you are definitely not alone. Sleep deprivation is one of the hardest parts of early parenthood, and despite all the books, blogs and unsolicited advice, it can feel like no one really has the answer. That’s why I’m so excited about today’s guest: Ursula Quinn is a certified sleep consultant and a mam of three who works with families to restore something many of us take for granted, our all-important rest. Ursula didn’t start out in this line of work. In fact, like so many of us, she found herself utterly overwhelmed when her own children weren’t sleeping, and traditional advice just wasn’t cutting it. That frustration, and the fog of exhaustion, eventually led her to retrain, diving deep into the science of sleep and the emotional realities of family life. What sets Ursula apart is her incredibly compassionate, baby-led approach. She understands that there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to sleep, which is why I didn't ask her specific, practical advice in this episode – what works for one won't work for another. But whether she’s helping with gentle sleep shaping for newborns, tackling toddler bedtime battles, or supporting parents who are just done, she brings evidence-based tools, empathy, and zero judgment to every conversation. So whether you're just trying to survive the newborn blur or you're ready to make some gentle changes that work for your family, we’ve got you covered in this episode. 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.

Welcome back to Everymum the Podcast, I'm Aisling Keenan your host and my guest this week is Emma Shafqat, or as she's otherwise known, Dietitian with a Difference. One of the first things I wanted to ask Emma was – what's the difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian, because when it comes to social media and feeding our kids, there's so much information to digest and not all of it good, and I really wanted to make sure that people are going to the very best and most reliable sources for their health and feeding information. Emma is one of the top experts when it comes to fussy eaters, and gives absolutely amazing insights into how to work with that as a parent who's struggling to just get those nutrients in. I learned so much, but the biggest message I took from the episode is that parents are all doing their best and need to give themselves a break when it comes to how their children eat – letting your child lead you and putting your trust in their intuition, and avoiding mealtime battlegrounds as a result. This episode is full of clever tips and amazing advice for parents, whether your child is fussy at mealtimes or not – enjoy it, and I'll be back with more next week. - Emma's website for anyone interested is https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/ 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.

Welcome back to Everymum the podcast, with me Aisling Keenan back for another season – season 17! Where does the time go? Thanks for joining me, and what better way to start the season than with an amazing and inspirational guest. Entrepreneur, makeup expert, business founder and mother Charlene Flanagan (otherwise known as one half of Ella & Jo) joins me this week to talk about striking the balance – or at least trying to. It's a full time job being a parent, but add in a start up business, a calendar full of bridal clients and two babies in 18 months to that, and it goes beyond the norm. That's exactly the position Charlene found herself in 7 years ago, just as Ella and Jo got off the ground. She had two babies in quick succession and her third baby, her business, was also in its younger years. I asked her how she managed the chaos, what she did to get through it and if now has time in her day to actually take time to switch off. You'll never meet a more positive person than Charlene – I couldn't help but feel motivated by her passion for what she does, and I know you'll feel the same after listening. Enjoy this and I'll talk to you again next week! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.