The Mother Podcast
Information and discussion on holistic health for mothers. There are so many ways we can take charge of our and our families' health and wellbeing - especially when medical options are limited. Join us for conversations on fertility and pregnancy, birth and postpartum, uterine and breast health, hormones and mental health and all aspects of the lifelong experience of motherhood. Includes interviews with experts and practitioners, as well as information from podcast host Suzanne Maier, midwife and mother of 4 interesting children.
Scar Therapy with Jo Anderson
Our birthing scars stay with us forever.
Abdominal scars from caesarean sections run deep.
Layers of various tissues need to heal and lay down scar tissue, and this scar tissue has an effect on overall health.
With the caesarean section rate so high, there will be many mothers living with abdominal scars. This episode is for you, and for your care givers.
Understanding your scar and how it can affect your health is an important part of recovery.
Learning to care for our scars will help us return to v...
Wild Mothering with Tami Lynn Kent
In this episode Suzanne speaks with Tami Lynn Kent.
Tami is a holistic women’s health care provider with a master’s degree in physiotherapy, advanced training in multiple bodywork techniques, and the ability to read energetic patterns of the body. She is the creator and founder of Holistic Pelvic Care™, and she runs a training program in this from Portland Oregon (where she lives) and also travelling internationally to train practitioners around the world.
Tami’s work helps women to understand the wisdom that is in their pelvic bowl, and to work with the healing –...
Home Birth in Scotland
Have you considered having a home birth?
A few generations ago, birth was moved from primarily the home into the hospital. We are now facing record high numbers of medical interventions in birth including caesarean sections and instrumental deliveries. The research is clear that for "low risk" pregnancies home birth is just as - if not more - safe than hospital birth.
Home birth is on the rise in Scotland, but still only makes up just over 1% of all births. Why?
In this episode Suzanne speaks with women who have recently given birth at home...
Giving Birth with Midwifery Care in Ontario, Canada
In this episode, Suzanne speaks with Isabelle Milot, a midwife working in the Chatham-Kent region of Ontario. Isabelle is originally from Quebec, and has been practising midwifery in southwestern Ontario since 2006. She has chaired an Association of Ontario Midwives’ committee for five years and is currently an elected council member of the Ontario College of Midwives. Isabelle shares with us how the model of midwifery care works in Ontario.
Listen to this episode to find out:
how women can choose midwifery care in Ontariothe difference between midwifery care and obstetric carethe wide scope of care midwives ha...Advocacy in Birth with Cáitlin Heavey
What is advocacy in birth?
Why would anyone need an advocate for their birth and during their birth experience?
This episode includes a discussion with Cáitlin Heavey, a birth doula and mentor, active birth and yoga teacher, birth educator and woman's health physio.
Our discussion includes
Breastfeeding Challenges with Dr Justice Reilly
In this episode, Suzanne speaks with Dr Justice Reilly, a specialist breast doctor and lactation consultant, about some of the challenges you may face while breastfeeding.
Listen to this podcast to find out:
Preparing for Breastfeeding with Kat Prangle of Breastfeeding Lens
In this episode Suzanne and Kat Prangle of Breastfeedinglens offer practical tips and considerations when preparing to breastfeed.
Pregnant women often say they want to breastfeed, but go into the experience with little or no preparation or education. Many factors can influence the ease of the breastfeeding journey. What happens during labour and the birth, and in the first few days and weeks afterwards, makes a big difference to how successful breastfeeding is.
Listen to this episode to find out:
Healing after Abortion. A discussion with India Elyn, author of Honouring the Loss
In this episode, Suzanne speaks with India Elyn – folk herbalist, birthkeeper, artist and a healer who helps people tend the threshold of pregnancy loss.
India is the author of the book Honouring the Loss: A Holistic Guide to Healing with Ritual and Herbal Medicine after an Abortion.
As a society, do we care for women who have made the difficult decision to have an abortion?
When women have medical assistance for an abortion -whether that is in hospital or clinic, or even these days completely within their own home – do they have the knowl...
Homeopathy for Pregnancy and Postpartum with Lyssa Clayton
In this episode, Suzanne speaks with Lyssa Clayton, a homeopath who is passionate about working with women and families.
Homeopathy is an intricate interplay of healing substances and a person's energetic balance, along with close connection of the practitioner to their client. Yet, like many holistic healing practices, you can buy do-it-yourself kits! And a popular one is the homeopathic kit for labour and birth.
Listen to this episode to find out:
Helping Babies Sleep with Helen Cummings
Helen Cummings is the Calm Baby Sleep Expert.
Helen educates pregnant parents in how to care for their newborn babies. She is a maternity nurse who can help with feeding, daily caring tasks and most importantly – helping people learn how to soothe and calm their babies into a restful sleep.
Helen is a qualified nursery nurse, and began working as a maternity nurse 20 years ago. Since then, Helen has helped all kinds of parents learn how to recognise their baby’s cues for sleep, and how to help the baby self settle, which can allow pare...
Herbalism in the Home with Medical Herbalist Lucie Bradley
In this episode, medical herbalist Lucie Bradley talks about how she was initially led to explore alternative health options when medical treatment for persistent vaginal thrush failed to work for her. This enquiry led her to study medical herbalism, and subsequently spend time in Africa working with nurses and doctors in integrated clinics, using herbal medicine alongside medical practices.
Her exploration of local uses of herbs in Tanzania led her to then complete a Masters degree in ethnobotany while living and working as a single mother in Africa.
On returning to the UK she set u...
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in Pregnancy and Postpartum with Lena Fong
In this episode, Suzanne speaks with Lena Fong, a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner who uses acupuncture, herbs, moxibustion and cupping to heal to maintain vitality and wellbeing. Lena is a highly learned and experienced practitioner and explains the TCM approach to health.
Lena is also a yoga teacher and a doula, and is passionate about working with pregnant and postpartum women to maintain health and wellbeing.
Listen to this episode to find out:
Pelvic Steaming with Postpartum Doula Jenny Smith-Nicol
Pelvic steaming. Vaginal steaming. Yoni steaming.
In this episode Suzanne speaks to postpartum doula Jenny Smith-Nicol about the reasons for and methods of pelvic steaming.
This episode is for you if:
S1: Ep11 Birth Trauma with Gemma Nealon
In this episode, Suzanne speaks to midwife and birth trauma expert Gemma Nealon.
Listen to this episode to hear:
S1:Ep 10 Doulas and Birth Choices with Daisy Dinwoodie
In this episode, Suzanne talks to Daisy Dinwoodie, a doula living and working in the Edinburgh area. Their discussion focuses on choice in childbirth - how it is influenced by the medical establishment and how birthing families navigate their own birthing journeys. Daisy has been supporting parents with their birth experiences for many years and also trains doulas around Scotland.
Listen to this episode to hear:
S1: E9 Hypopressives with Abby Lord
In this episode Suzanne speaks with Abby Lord, director of Hypopressives Scotland and a founding member of the International Hypopressive Council.
Hypopressives use breath work and posture to help tone the pelvic floor, and can be used to help with prolapses, urinary incontinence and pelvic floor disorders.
In this episode you will hear:
S1 Ep8 Herbs and Hormone Balance with Klayr Hunter, medical herbalist
In this episode Suzanne speaks to Klayr Hunter, medical herbalist, about hormonal balance and disorders of the female reproductive system, and how nutrition and plant medicine can help support a woman through this.
In this episode you will hear Klayr speak about:
the beginning of menstruation and how supporting diet and lifestyle can help the body settle into its own natural rhythmPMT and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder)excessive oestrogen conditions like endometriosis, and fibroidshow to support the liver and enhance digestion to help process hormones and properly eliminate them from your bodystress and trophorestorative herbs and f...S1 Ep7 Reflexology for Fertility and Pregnancy with Georgie McCulloch
In this episode Suzanne interviews Georgie McCulloch, a reflexologist who specialises in fertility, pregnancy and the postnatal period. Georgie trained in reflexology in 2001 after discovering it made such a positive difference to her life while she was working busy and stressful jobs in sales and marketing which were affecting her health, sleeping patterns, energy levels and general outlook on life. Since 2003 she has been fully self employed as a reflexologist and now has a busy practice based in Edinburgh, working alongside 2 other reflexologists who are also specialised in pregnancy and fertility.
In this episode, Georgie describes
S1 Ep6 Abdominal therapy for pregnancy/postpartum with Jo Anderson
In this episode Suzanne interviews Jo Anderson, a highly skilled and experienced specialist in abdominal therapy and scar therapy for women.
Jo is also an advanced practitioner in the Arvigo techniques of Mayan abdominal therapy. She combines different complementary therapies to individualise her care and helps women to learn to love their bellies.
Her treatment also involves teaching ongoing self care, so her work continues throughout your life. As women, so much goes on in our abdomens – it is truly our centre – and Jo is an expert on healing and connecting with this deep part of ourse...
S1 Ep5 Helping Newborns and Mothers Transition Following Birth: An Interview with Susana Montoya Pelaez
In this episode, Suzanne continues her discussion with Susana Montoya Pelaez, a body worker who uses physiotherapy, craniosacral therapy, visceral manipulation and applied kineseology to her treatments, along with numerous other modalities.
Susana explains how she would help a woman's body recover from birth, whether it be caesarean section, instrumental or normal vaginal birth. She also discusses what a baby's body needs to do to prepare it's nervous system for life outside the womb, and how birth prepares it for that. And how interrupted births - caesarean sections - affect the baby. She also gives some advice o...
S1 Ep4 Bodywork for Fertility and Pregnancy: An Interview with Susana Montoya Pelaez
In this first of a 2-part episode, Suzanne speaks to Susana Montoya Pelaez, a body worker who uses physiotherapy, craniosacral therapy, visceral manipulation, applied kineseology and other modalities to heal and bring balance to people's bodies. A talented, learned and inspired healer, Susana explains how a woman's body can be helped by bodywork to conceive, and how a woman's body can be physically prepared for pregnancy and birth.
This information is a practical yet radical look at how women's bodies can be helped to achieve a healthy pregnancy and birth, and a look at many different ways...
S1 Ep3 Ayurvedic approach to Health in the Postpartum Period with Mairead Moodie
In this episode Suzanne concludes her discussion with Ayurvedic Consultant and Therapist Mairead Moodie. In this second part, Mai discusses the Ayurvedic approach to health and wellbeing in the postpartum period. Mai talks about how women can nourish themselves in the days and weeks following birth, and how mental health is viewed from the Ayurvedic perspective. Mai offers wisdom and practical advice to be used to increase wellbeing and vitality throughout the early days of becoming Mother.
RESOURCES
Mai can be found at:
https://www.thesacredspaceuk.com/
https://www.instagram.com/sacredspaceeastlothian/
S1 Ep1 Postpartum Care Traditions with Jenny Smith-Nicol
This episode is a discussion with Jenny Smith-Nicol on traditional postpartum care traditions and how we can implement them into our lives. Jenny and Suzanne discuss proper nourishment during pregnancy and the postpartum period and the need for deep rest following the birth in order to avoid depletion and long-term health issues.
The link between postpartum care and women's health and wellbeing is often disregarded in our western society and women are left unsupported and simply trying to survive what is actually a sacred time for both mother and baby.
We discuss the western culture's d...
S1 Ep2 Ayurvedic approach to Health in Fertility and Pregnancy with Mairead Moodie
In this episode Suzanne speaks to Ayurvedic Consultant and Therapist Mairead Moodie. Mai gives an overview of the Ayurvedic treatment approach to health and vitality and an explanation of Ayurvedic doshas. She then goes on to describe the Ayurvedic approach to preparing for conception and health during pregnancy, and how the aim to good physical, mental and spiritual health is through balancing these doshas. Mai offers much wisdom and practical advice for staying well and vital throughout this transformation into Mother.
RESOURCES
Mai can be found at:
https://www.thesacredspaceuk.com/
https://www...
