How was your first Christmas with a baby? Mine was…not as I had hoped. And I think that's the same for everyone. Your life has changed fundamentally, but Christmas just keeps being Christmas, with the same old family dynamics. And I found that rough, I definitely had a Christmas Crash - if that is/was you too, you're not alone

Christmas is a triggering time for everyone, and we all need to do what we gotta do to get through it. I'm sharing what I've learnt for how to manage (mitigate?) Christmas, Bailey's in hand, from the practical - I order my tree in September, yes I am that guy - to the emotional. Set the bar extremely low, your kids don't know any different. They don't know Elf on the Shelf is supposed to come with presents.

Resources:

TJ Power the DOSE Effect

Kim Hartwell meditation

Jo Woodhurst, Head of Nutrition at Ancient + Brave meditation

Takeaways:

• Christmas is triggering for everyone, in different ways

• Don't put so much pressure on yourself

• Plan ahead as much as possible

• Ask for help

• Remember to rest when you can

• Set the bar low for your family

• Merry Christmas!
  

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:30 Introduction and Reflections on Motherhood at Christmas

03:21 Navigating the Challenges of Early Motherhood

06:06 Planning and Preparing for Christmas

08:43 Balancing Family and Business During the Holidays

11:46 Self-Care and Managing Expectations

14:24 Final Thoughts and Encouragement for Listeners

Links:

Website: https://www.bumptobusinessowner.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley

Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

There's a lot of expectation when you become a mum: how it will be, the friends you will make, the support you'll have, what work will look like; what Christmas will look like.

The gulf between our expectations and reality is very real, and Dr Tuesday Watts-Overall is here to tell you: you're in the messy middle, and that's OK.

Dr Tuesday shares her tools for navigating the huge pressure we put on ourselves as mums, particularly at this time of year, and how we can be more human to ourselves. We're in the messy middle, we're in the identity shift, we're amidst changing dynamics, so let's be a bit kinder to ourselves.

If you're ready to let go of the pressure, and rediscover your joy, listen in.

Takeaways:

• The unique challenges millennial mums face

• The motherhood identity shift

• Changing relationships, and expectations in friendship

• What Dr Tuesday focuses on to manage Xmas pressure

• What support might look like for you

• Creative rest through work

• How to rediscover your joy when it feels lost

Chapters:

00:00 The Pressure of Perfectionism in Motherhood

02:45 Navigating Identity Shifts as Millennial Mothers

05:32 The Clash of Career and Motherhood

08:11 The Challenge of Finding Community

10:54 The Impact of Social Media on Expectations

13:29 The Journey of Self-Discovery

13:57 The Struggles of Being the First Among Friends

16:52 The Reality of Motherhood and Friendship

19:44 Finding Your Tribe in Unconventional Ways

22:47 Navigating Children's Interests and Activities

23:54 The Pressure of a Perfect Christmas

27:36 Creating Meaningful Holiday Traditions

31:41 Slowing Down to Appreciate the Moment

34:38 The Journey of Motherhood and Identity

39:31 Finding Support and Self-Care as a Mother

43:17 Rediscovering Joy in Everyday Life

Links:

Website: https://www.bumptobusinessowner.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/

About Dr Tuesday Watts-Overall

Dr. Tuesday is a psychologist, speaker and mum of three. With a doctorate in psychology and a career dedicated to maternal mental health, identity and self-trust, Dr. Tuesday helps mothers unpick the perfectionism and pressure that can so easily take hold, especially at Christmas. Together we explore how the festive season can amplify the invisible load for business-owning mums, the expectation to create a magical Christmas, keep everything spinning at work, and somehow stay calm, grateful, and joyful while doing it. This episode is for anyone feeling the pressure of performance and the exhaustion of the Christmas hustle. It's a conversation about letting go, coming back to what matters, and finding peace in the messy middle, both in business and at home.

Dr Tuesday Watts-Overall's Links:

Website: https://www.iamdrtuesday.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tuesday-watts-overall-303877325/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamdrtuesday/

Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

What do you do when your boss tells you your pregnancy is "inconvenient"?

Start your own business.

Alice Holland-Lu used her 15 years of experience in luxury fashion to launch her own brand, based on her own experiences and struggles as her body changed throughout pregnancy and beyond.

Alice has built a hyper-local business model, a community and an emotionally-led brand, whilst carting her kids to the factory after school. What else can you do when you only have 2 days a week of childcare?

Our conversation is full of advice for women in the trenches whilst building a business during the early years of motherhood: we should all be bringing our kids on the business journey too.

Takeaways:

• Childcare costs whilst your business isn't paying you a salary

• The perks of a hyper-local business model

• Community building

• Whether fundraising is right or even possible for mums

• Alice's advice for women in the trenches

• 3 lessons she's learnt from building a business in the early years of motherhood

• And why we should be bringing our kids on our business journey too

Resources:

Muddy Stilettos

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Alice Holland-Lu and Her Journey

01:45 Transitioning from Fashion Professional to Founder

04:01 The Challenges of Motherhood and Career

06:37 The Impact of COVID-19 on Maternal Mental Health

09:16 The Birth of a Fashion Brand: Female Archetypes

12:21 Innovating for Real Bodies: The Design Philosophy

14:32 Navigating the Fashion Industry and Building a Brand

17:23 The Reality of Entrepreneurship and Customer Connection

22:47 Embracing Authenticity in Fashion

25:48 The Ethical Fashion Movement

30:08 Designing for Real Women

33:28 Navigating Life Changes Together

36:28 Building Community Through Connection

39:33 Challenges of Female Entrepreneurship

Links:

Website: https://www.bumptobusinessowner.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/

About Alice Holland-Lu

Alice Holland-Lu is the founder of the Female Archetypes, a fashion brand built to support women's changing bodies through every life phase, from pregnancy to menopause and beyond. After 15 years in the fashion industry, Alice launched her business following two difficult pregnancies of traumatic birth and postnatal depression, which left her feeling a stranger in her own body. Nothing fit, literally or emotionally, and the seed of a business idea was planted. Her garments adapt from size UK 8 to 18 with thoughtful design features like breathable mesh, deep pockets, and underarm ventilation, supporting both form and function for real life with kids.

Alice Holland-Lu's Links:

Website: https://thefemalearchetypes.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicehollandlu/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefemalearchetypes/

Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/