The Intentional Mum

Grab a mince pie and a sneaky mulled wine and settle down with this podcast episode with the incredible Sophie Cliff.  Sophie is a positive psychology practitioner and in this episode she shares a ton of helpful tips and tools for finding more joy in our everyday lives.    Mentioned in this episode: Christmas podcast episodes Sophie’s book Finding Joy Gratitude lists Toxic positivity Negativity bias Arrival fallacy Daily check-ins Difference between goal-setting and intentions Intrinsic motivation Practical positivity podcast You can find Sophie at @SophieCliff on Instagram and at www.sophiecliff.com And you can find me on Instagram @the.intentional.mum and at www.theintentionalmum.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

“We have more power than we think we do” In this episode I chat with the incredible Jen Gale author of The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide* and The Sustainable(ish) Guide to Green Parenting* all about how we can all make our lives a little more sustainable. Jen describes herself as a "tired mum of two" but after challenging herself to a year of buying nothing new she has spent the last decade inspiring countless others to slow down and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. In this episode we discuss: The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide* Conscious consumerism Fast fashion Ikea Cost of living crisis Deleting Amazon Take The Jump Plant-based diets Year of buying nothing new Visible mending Pluralistic ignorance Anna Lappe Ecosia You can find Jen at www.asustainablelife.co.uk and Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And you can find me at www.theintentionalmum.com www.instagram.com/the.intentional.mum   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

In this special episode for Baby Loss Awareness Week 2021 Kerry and I share our experiences of baby loss through miscarriage.  Both of us have had a missed miscarriage but our experiences are quite different.  We hope that by sharing our stories it helps other women going through baby loss know that you aren’t alone. *Content warning: This episode includes descriptions of baby loss and miscarriage that some may find difficult to hear and discretion is advised* Mentioned in this episode: Missed miscarriage D&C – this is a term that is often used for surgical management of miscarriage, although the official term for the procedure is “evacuation of retained products of conception” Medical management of miscarriage Miscarriage Association Tommy’s Sands Petals – not mentioned but this is another charity that provides support to those experiencing baby loss If you would like to find out more on this topic you can find my story at: https://theintentionalmum.com/missed-miscarriage-story/ You can find me on Instagram - @the.intentional.mum This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

“Your worth as a parent isn’t tied up into how often your baby wakes up” In this episode I’m joined by infant sleep expert and founder of Care it Out, Kerry Secker.  Kerry has over 20 years’ experience specialising in infant sleep – first as a nanny and now as a sleep consultant.  Kerry has provided families across the globe with support and assurance to help them reach a settled night’s sleep without sleep training. Mentioned in this episode: Care it Out The Sleep Show Bedtime boundaries Gina Ford Sleep training Naps and nap gaps Bedtime routines Sleep cues Breastfeeding and co-sleeping SIDS You can find more episodes of The Intentional Mum as www.theintentionalmum.com  Come say hi - www.instagram.com/the.intentional.mum This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

“Being pregnant was possibly the most I have ever loved and respected my body” In this episode I’m joined by my lovely friend and all round superwoman, Carly Rowena.  Carly is a personal trainer, YouTuber and mum to Jax who keeps things super honest and candid when it comes to fitness, relationships and mumlife. Mentioned in this episode: Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro – watch Carly’s video of our trip Baby carrying Diastasis recti Breastfeeding Emily Skye Co-sleeping Antenatal classes Carly’s sexy series Seaspiracy Let's Sweat You can find all episodes of The Intentional Mum at www.theintentionalmum.com/podcast Why not say hello on Instagram - @the.intentional.mum This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

"The breath is the bridge between your body and your mind"  Sophia is a coach, hypnobirthing and yoga teacher who empowers women to embrace calm - whether that's during pregnancy or in everyday life. She's a birth and life optimiser!  In this episode we discuss everything from creating a positive birth experience to how you can use yoga and hypnobirthing to aid your parenting and your life well beyond pregnancy. Even if you aren’t pregnant or planning to get pregnant there’s plenty of takeaways from this episode. Mentioned in this episode:  Hypnobirthing Yoga C-section birth The Prenatal Snug Podcast Emotional freedom technique BRAINS Fear-tension-pain cycle Neuro-linguistic programming / NLP The Prison Doctor* Brene Brown* Cold water therapy* Swamping Sophia has created The Prenatal Snug - an online sanctuary for pregnant women to find reassurance and a whole load of wonderful resources for getting through pregnancy and preparing for birth and that includes weekly prenatal yoga. You can also find Sophia at www.sophiahanson.com and on Instagram @the.prenatal.snug Find more from The Intentional Mum podcast at www.aminimalistmother.com  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

"You can't be perfect because the system isn't perfect" In this episode I’m chatting about all things tiny home and sustainable living with conservationist Molly Doubleday.  If you are in need of some minimalist living inspiration then give this a listen. Mentioned in this episode: Capercaillie Farne Islands Tiny home living Having a mission statement Skillshare Veganism Greenwashing Shower playlists Greggs vegan sausage rolls You can find Molly over at www.hippyhighlandliving.com and on Instagram @hippyhighlandliving. You can find all episodes of The Intentional Mum over at www.aminimalistmother.com Follow on Instagram @a.minimalist.mother Follow on Twitter @intentionalmum This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

“Zero- waste living is an ideal that really really hard to achieve so it’s about the journey not the destination” In this episode I’m joined by the creators of the #setmeplasticfree challenge for Plastic-free July, Hollie Barber and Sara Bills. In this episode we discuss going plastic-free and why it’s not all or nothing.  We chat about how the #setmeplasticfree challenge got started, including planning during late night feeds and how it is such a positive movement.  Hollie and Sara are honest about their sustainability struggles when it comes to family life. But Sara and Hollie also offer plenty of tips for being more sustainable. Sara and Hollie connected on Instagram through their love of cloth nappies and found that they shared many of the same parenting values, including becoming more sustainable.  After months of chatting online Hollie and Sara eventually met in person and found that they get on just as brilliantly in real life. We also talk about how important Instagram can be for new mums to make connections – especially in Covid times where face to face connections at baby groups are limited.  Hollie and Sara’s friendship is a brilliant example of why online friendships can be just as important as face-to-face friendships, especially if you are struggling to find like-minded parents. Hollie and Sara give an insight into what’s coming up in this month’s challenge including sustainability on a budget and why this is so important. It’s a great challenge to join in with if you are thinking of doing plastic-free July. Mentioned in this episode: #setmeplasticfree hashtag on Instagram Zero-waste periods Mooncup Eco guilt / eco shaming Baby-led weaning Cloth nappies Ebay Facebook Marketplace #haveyuleselfanecolittlechristmas hashtag on Instagram Hollie’s zero-waste Christmas National hygiene week You can find Hollie on Instagram @rainbeauadventures and on her blog Rainbeau Relaxation. And you can find Sara on Instagram @raising_earth_punklings and on her blog Raising Earth Punklings. Instagram: www.instagram.com/a.minimalist.mother Website: www.aminimalistmother.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/intentionalmum   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

"You can claim your space too in whatever art form feels right to you" In this episode of The Intentional Mum I chat to the incredible Rabya Lomas about reinvention and nurture. Rabya Lomas is a super talent woman who inspires others through her incredible photography and passionate words and our conversation is no exception. Rabya’s story is such a powerful one.  We start by chatting about Rabya’s experiencing of returning back to the workplace following maternity and her feeling of being jaded and burnt out. A creative outlet at the time was Instagram where Rabya developed her photography style and found her voice, but found that even in those online spaces she faced the same erasure she was feeling in the workplace. These experiences led to Rabya publicly speaking out on Instagram stories about her frustration – something which as well as being incredibly cathartic also opened up her own learning and unlearning when it comes to racism. In bringing these experiences to her photography Rabya has made her Instagram into something truly empowering and inspirational. We talk about the importance of representation and for children from global majority backgrounds to be able to see themselves in leading roles (whether that’s in film or in business), as well as the importance of centring stories on joy rather than just pain and trauma. Rabya shares her experiences of the workplace and how her ethnicity has impacted on those experiences. We talk about how motherhood changed our perspective on work and the events that led to Rabya’s decision to leave the 9-5 system and the growth required to be able to take that decision. We also chat about predominantly white spaces and the need to create inclusive workspaces. Rabya is passionate about reinventing what work places should look and feel like. In spring 2020 Rabya created the ethnicity pay gap petition – a petition to the UK Parliament to make ethnicity pay gap reporting mandatory for businesses alongside the existing requirement to to report gender pay gaps.  Rabya’s shares her feelings about the attention her petition received as a result of George Floyd’s murder. We also talk about self-care and nourishing yourself and the importance of that, whether through cooking, gardening or just taking time offline. This is especially important for mums as we often put ourselves last. Rabya loves solo cinema trips so we have a great chat about going to the cinema for some alone time. This chat brings us onto board games as both Rabya and I are big board game fans. I finish by asking Rabya what the biggest thing she has learnt from the last year in lockdown and I know her answer will really resonate with you. Mentioned in this episode: Rida Suleri-Johnson @Beforeandagain_ Ms Marvel Spill the Chai Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg Ethnicity pay gap petition      Thor: Ragnarok Rocks Tenet Queen and Slim Jojo Rabbit Wingspan Carcassonne Hive Spirit Island Azuleo Forbidden Island / Forbidden Desert You can find Rabya on Instagram @sheflourished_ on Twitter @sheflourished and on Patreon Loved this episode? Why not check out episode 4 where I chat to Lucy Lucraft about activism and the importance of self care. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

"There's so much to see on our doorsteps" In this episode I catch up with Hey Mama Earth founder and freelance content creator Vicki Chagger about connecting to the Earth and nature. We recorded this episode back in March when we were in the middle of lockdown 3 in the UK so we talk a lot about our experiences of lockdown and the challenges that that has brought, especially our struggles to get outside when working from home and the things we miss from commuting to the office. But even though the end of Covid-19 restrictions are (hopefully) in sight there's still plenty of inspiration for bringing more of nature into your daily life. We discuss the joy that comes from finding connection, with nature and the earth and how that affects our mental health.  With so many of us spending so much time indoors and at home over the last 18 months it’s become so important to make that effort to get outside and soak up that time in nature. Vicki’s sustainability journey has been shaped by her travels and her experiences in Nepal and Malawi and we discuss how for both of us our travel experiences have changed our perspective when it comes to the climate crisis and our own daily actions. Vicki shares some really great practical actions that you can take to get outside and connect with nature regardless of whether you live in a city or have limited outside space.  There’s some brilliant ideas especially if like me you struggle to think of ideas of ways to explore nature with your little ones. We also discuss going vegan and whether it’s possible to eat eggs in a cruelty-free way if those eggs come from backyard rescue hens.  If you are interested in finding out more about going vegan then check out episode 1 with Hannah McIntyre which is all about plant-based living. Mentioned in this episode of The Intentional Mum: Cherelle Slaney Annapurna circuit Interview with Sean McCormack from Ealing Wildlife Group Scala radio – In The Park Calm app Nature bathing Cowspiracy Can vegans eat eggs? You can find Vicki at www.vickichagger.com and @vickichagger on Instagram and read more of her curated content at www.heymamaearth.com (including an article from me on staying intentional for the planet) and @heymamaearth on Instagram This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com