Motheroo Podcast

Around the time most first-time mums hit the twelve-month mark, the questions start. When are you stopping? Doesn't a child only need it for one year? In this episode, the research behind extended breastfeeding is unpacked plainly, including what the WHO, NHMRC, and a 30-year cognitive development study actually show, and why the cultural pressure to wean at one often gets ahead of the evidence.Read the blog post:⁠⁠⁠MotherooHQ.com⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motheroopodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠x.com/MotherooHQcom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/motherooHQ⁠

Most parents have been told picky eating is just a phase or a personality thing. Sometimes it is, but research points to something quieter going on too. This episode looks at how zinc shapes a baby's taste, appetite, and willingness to eat, and why the first 12 months of solids are the window that matters most.Read the blog post:⁠⁠⁠MotherooHQ.com⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motheroopodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠x.com/MotherooHQcom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/motherooHQ⁠

Most first-time parents have been told to talk to their baby, but rarely told what actually matters most. This episode walks through the original word gap research, what newer brain studies have since revealed about back-and-forth conversation, and the small everyday moments that genuinely shape a baby's language development. A calm, practical listen for anyone who's ever felt awkward narrating their day to a baby who can't yet talk back.Read the blog post:⁠⁠⁠MotherooHQ.com⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motheroopodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠x.com/MotherooHQcom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/motherooHQ⁠

Most first-time mums spend the early years carrying their baby through every part of the day, then one morning the child wanders off to play. This episode looks at why the clingy years are not slowing independence down, and what attachment research actually says about how those early months of closeness shape the years that come after.Read the blog post:⁠⁠⁠MotherooHQ.com⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motheroopodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠x.com/MotherooHQcom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/motherooHQ⁠

If your toddler keeps doing the same thing over and over, lining up the cars, dropping food off the high chair, wrapping themselves in every blanket in the house, this episode is for you. We unpack what play schemas actually are, why the repetition matters more than it looks, and how a small shift in how you respond can make the early years feel quieter. Calm, evidence-based, and grounded in what really happens at home with a 1 to 4 year old.Read the blog post:⁠⁠⁠MotherooHQ.com⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motheroopodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠x.com/MotherooHQcom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/motherooHQ⁠

In this episode, we dive into groundbreaking new research showing that a mother’s brain doesn’t just change once – it changes with every pregnancy, and it changes differently the second time around. Drawing on recent MRI studies, we unpack how your brain is quietly rewiring itself to care for more than one child, why grey matter loss is actually a form of specialisation, and how these changes connect to perinatal mental health. You’ll also hear a real-life scenario of a second-time mum who feels dismissed by her care team, plus practical strategies to self-advocate, ask for better screening, and build the support you actually need in pregnancy number two. This is your reminder: if this pregnancy feels different, you’re not overreacting – your brain is doing something remarkable.Read the blog post:⁠⁠⁠MotherooHQ.com⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motheroopodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠x.com/MotherooHQcom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/motherooHQ⁠

In this episode, we unpack the popular claim that daycare “better socialises” young children, through the lens of Dr Gordon Neufeld’s attachment-based model. Drawing on current research about cortisol, stress, and peer attachment, we explore what’s really happening in group care settings and why a child who stops crying at drop-off isn’t always a success story. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to protect your child’s attachment, even if daycare is part of your family’s reality.Read the blog post:⁠⁠⁠MotherooHQ.com⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motheroopodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠x.com/MotherooHQcom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/motherooHQ⁠

We used to wonder if the blocks and magnetic tiles scattered across the lounge room were actually doing anything, or if we should be reaching for flashcards instead. In this episode, we look at what the research actually shows about open-ended toys and early maths skills, and why the play already happening on the rug matters more than any worksheet.Read the blog post:⁠⁠⁠MotherooHQ.com⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motheroopodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠x.com/MotherooHQcom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/motherooHQ⁠

Most first-time mums have heard about unicorn babies, the ones who self-settle and sleep long stretches early. What gets talked about far less is the koala baby, a baby who sleeps just as well, but only close to a caregiver's body. In this episode, we unpack what the research actually says about infant sleep biology, why constant waking and needing contact isn't a sign anything is wrong, and how to stop measuring your baby against a sleep style they were never built to have.Read the blog post:⁠⁠⁠MotherooHQ.com⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motheroopodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠x.com/MotherooHQcom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/motherooHQ⁠

Many first-time mums hear it a lot. The baby is too clingy. The toddler should be more independent by now. This episode looks at what attachment research actually shows about babies who seek closeness, and why that closeness builds independence rather than delaying it.Read the blog post:⁠⁠⁠MotherooHQ.com⁠⁠⁠Follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/motheroopodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@motherooHQ⁠⁠⁠x.com/MotherooHQcom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/motherooHQ⁠