Mothers talking podcast

This is part two of the episode, 99 Days in NICU.  In this insightful conversation, Natalie chats more to Kate Merrick, psychotherapist and mum to sweet Eliza, about her time at home and onwards after hospital.  Kate shows how beautifully connected she became with herself as a mother, her intuition and the body attunement which helped her to know what was best for her daughter.  Kate also chats about her farm and her work as a holistic health practitioner which explores the themes of nature being our guide and how the tech age we're living in is actually helping some of us resensitise to the natural world.  Thanks so much Kate for sharing your story.

Kate's IG - @rushmead_farm

Kate's websites - 

www.rushmeadfarm.com

https://www.katemerrickpsychotherapy.co.uk/

Natalie's website

www.nataliemeddings.com

If you'd like to get in touch with Jenna & Natalie please email [email protected]

Thanks as always for listening.

Active birth is a powerful way to prepare for birth - and super effective. Yet it's benefits are less known about these days thanks to the countless courses, techniques and online courses now available. It's very physical focus is the key to mothers feeling confident as well as to countering the worrying rise in medicalised birth and Natalie's conversation with ardent active birth advocate Silvia Bush Infestas-Lopez will give you a really felt sense of exactly why.

Silvia is a Spanish mum of two and a Marketing Director based in London.  Silvia discovered Active Birth during her first pregnancy five years ago, and its common-sense approach immediately resonated with her. As she began learning more about birth physiology, what started as a personal interest quickly grew into a real passion. Silvia later trained as a certified Active Birth teacher, alongside other pregnancy, birth and postnatal-related certifications. Her own positive birth experiences were life-changing, and Silvia now loves sharing what she's learned to help other parents approach birth with more confidence and trust in their bodies.

 

As always thanks for listening.

If you'd like to get in touch with us please email

[email protected]

Natalie And Jenna

www.nataliemeddings.com

@jenna_andjude

We're starting the year off right with this uplifting episode of mothers talking.  Jenna talks to Kimberley, co-founder of ThriveNow Education and mum of three, whose own family tragedy has driven her to redefine education.  Kim is an experienced educator with over twenty years in the field and Kim is reimagining how school can be for young people.  Not only that, she is making this school a reality and it will open it's doors in September 2026 in Kingston-upon-Thames in South West London.  With a holistic approach, Kim is helping shape education to fit the child, not the other way around.  Beautifully warm and so inspiring, Kim tells us about her journey to build her school of dreams.

Kim is also generously open sourcing all the assets so anyone can use them to build their own schools and learning communities without the usual financial barriers to entry.  So if you would like to know more or offer your help please contact 

Kimberley at ThriveNow Education - https://linktr.ee/thrivenoweducation

https://www.youtube.com/@ThriveNowEducation

For anyone who is interested in their child coming to the school, please email us at

[email protected]

 

Thank you so much Kim!

As always, thanks for listening.

Jenna and Natalie

[email protected]

@jenna_andjude

@natalie_meddingsdoula

In this festive episode of mothers talking, Natalie and Jenna chat to lovely Freya Haines about everything hair and identity in motherhood. Freya is a mum of two and a hairdresser and in her new video series called 'Unbecoming' Freya is exploring a new mother's identity and how it transforms when they have a baby and how empowering it can be to get a new hairstyle.  Freya chats about how she nurtures new mothers in the postnatal period through their hair and gives them a chance to explore the changes they are going through.  This episode really sheds a light on how important our hair can be to us and how something simple can have a profound effect on our wellbeing.  Thanks so much Freya.

If you would like to contact Freya, her details are below - 

@kaiahairbyfreya

[email protected]

Salon - www.sta-studios.com

 

As always, thanks for listening,

Natalie and Jenna

[email protected]

www.nataliemeddings.com

www.theminimalistdoula.com

As you probably know by now, Natalie can get quite excited about education. So she was especially pleased to have a chance to explore and explain the mysteries of Steiner schooling with Jenna Kim, mother of Cora, Ada and Iris, who are just starting out on that journey. 

If thoughts like 'weird', 'cult', or 'alternative nonsense' are coming to mind, stop right there and have a listen. You may be surprised. 
 
If this episode sparks your interest in Steiner schools, here are some resources;
 

Recommended reading - 
You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy 
All Year Round by Ann Druitt and Christine Fynes-Clinton
The Five Golden Keys by Helle Heckmann
 
Jenna's article -

https://nhmoms.com/school-years/8-elements-of-waldorf-education-i-love/

www.hawthornpress.com for wonderful books 
www.myriadonline.co.uk for natural toys and play
 
and if you are south London based, parent & child groups are held every morning at St Michael Steiner School - www.stmichaelsteier.hounselow.sch.uk or email [email protected]

 
Thanks as always for listening
Natalie and Jenna
 
[email protected]
www.nataliemeddings.com
www.theminimalistdoula.com