Anna Asks Anna Cusack

Welcome to season 8! This season is a combination of interviews and solo episodes. This ep starts with a little update from me on what’s been happening and what I’m enjoying working on, and leads into an audio version of an article I published last autumn about caring for sick kids. Who is taking the load and how does it impact them, how do we manage and renegotiate it in our families and workplaces, and how could we do it better as a society? The full text article is located here:
Flu season, carers' leave and the career stumbling block we don't speak about (annacusack.com.au)

**In this episode I use the phrase "disabled child". I have made the decision to use "identity first" language rather than "person first" language, which you can read more about here:
Person-first and identity-first language | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au)

Thinking of joining Anna's online community membership? It's $15AUD/month (or just $9 for concession/single parents) and features private member-only articles, a forum, regular zoom connection calls and more.
Default Parent Project Online Community - Anna Cusack
Connect with Anna's other services (birth mapping, postpartum planning, birth debriefing, parent support sessions, custom ceremonies), public articles, and upcoming mothers' circles and events at www.annacusack.com.au
You can also find her (sometimes) on Instagram @annacusackpostpartum and grab her book "Mama, You're Not Broken - Unmasking the Unspoken Emotions of Modern Motherhood" here: www.annacusack.com.au/book

We now know it's important to be on the lookout for signs of postnatal depression, anxiety and even psychosis in the early days, but what happens if a mother experiences a mental health crisis further down the track? In this interview, Emmeline Tyler (she/her) shares openly about her birth and blissful postpartum, and how these assisted in helping her be well. She explains how personal and societal factors influenced the unravelling of her mental health during the toddler years, which escalated into psychosis and hospitalisation 2.5 years after birth. Recorded a further 2.5 years down the track, Emmeline shares her insights into the mental health system, her path to recovery and ongoing mental health management, and how her family are seeking to build a life with mental wellness for all as their focus. We also go on a few feminist-y tangents and discuss books because it's us and how could we not?


Content warnings: birth interventions, medical and hospital trauma, psychosis.


Note: This episode was recorded in 2023 and discusses homeschooling. Both mine and Emmeline's children are in formalised educational environments this year (2024).


Links
On use/misuse of certain words including "tribe":
https://www.wellandgood.com/spirit-animal-native-american/
If you are interested in finding out more about the Newborn Mothers postpartum care and education course you can do so via this affiliate link: https://newbornmothers.simplero.com/products/172434-Postpartum-Education-and-Care?ref=46186-Anna-Cusack

The Talia Hibbert books we mentioned:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/271642-the-brown-sisters


Where to find us
Emmeline is the co-host of the soon-to-be-released "Explaining Autism" podcast with Julia Jones. She also has a YouTube channel where she does the hard yards of reading and reviewing a stack of fiction and non-fiction books so you'll never get stuck with a dud read again! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChzD1TesIcsfEkuitdQhXTQ

Emmeline is also on Instagram @emmelineysun
Connect with Anna's services (birth mapping, postpartum planning, birth debriefing and parent support sessions), articles and upcoming mothers' circles at www.annacusack.com.au

You can also find her (sometimes) on Instagram @annacusackpostpartum and grab her book "Mama, You're Not Broken - Unmasking the Unspoken Emotions of Modern Motherhood" here: www.annacusack.com.au/book

Ashley Winning is a birth and postpartum professional from QLD, Australia. Ashley experienced size-based discrimination in her first two traumatic pregnancy and birth experiences, which led her to dive deeply into the world of physiological birth for her third birth. Again, size-based discrimination struck and she was unable to access the home-based midwifery care she desired. Ashley went on to freebirth her baby and wants others to know this option is available to them too.
The study I refer to regarding rates of uncomplicated pregnancies in obese women is by Relph et al., 2021.
Characteristics associated with uncomplicated pregnancies in women with obesity: a population-based cohort study
The books I recommend at the start of the episode are "Plus Size Pregnancy" by Dr Sara Wickham, and "Birth After Caesarean" by Hazel Keedle, PhD.
You can find Ashley at www.themotherhoodcircle.com.au and as @ashleylwinning on Instagram. Her podcast is The VBAC Homebirth Stories Podcast. Ashley is currently launching a VBAC Membership and running a fabulous giveaway to go along with that launch. You can find out more and join the waitlist at https://ashleywinning.com/vbac-village-waitlist/
Find me at www.annacusack.com.au and as @annacusackpostpartum on Instagram

Emily Adler Mosqueda is a Mexican American mother of two and paediatric speech language pathologist. Her second pregnancy and postpartum brought with it rage and depression - seemingly out of the blue, but really stemming from a sea of social conditions that led to chronic undersupport, overreaching and feelings of failure. This is a fascinating conversation spanning topics from being so out of control you feel physically unsafe around your own children, pathways to recovery, perceptions of Latina motherhood and the experience of raising bilingual children. You can check out Emily’s book “Unexpected: A postpartum memoir” and website here https://www.emilyadlermosqueda.com/book and connect with her on Instagram @Emily.Adler.Mosqueda

You can find Anna's Seven tips for transitioning to two (or more) at her "Default Parent Project" Substack https://open.substack.com/pub/annacusack/p/tips-for-transitioning-to-two-or?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Upgrade to a paid subscription for $6/month to join her regular online events, including the “Transition to 2 (or more)” workshop on Aug 26th. As always, you can download Anna's free Six Steps to Your Peaceful Postpartum eGuide, arrange a session with her or grab a copy of her book "Mama, You're Not Broken" via www.annacusack.com.au.
Anna is also on Instagram and Facebook @annacusackpostpartum

Please leave a 5 star rating or review if you loved this episode, or share with a friend. This helps other parents to find us and engage in the stuff you know they'll love!

Despite being a midwife and equipped with insider knowledge of the maternity care system in which she worked, Sharon still felt vulnerable and disempowered during her own experience of giving birth to her son. Sharon's book "Scars of Gold" tells the story of her personal experience of birth trauma, the drastic impact it had on her life, and how she used her voice to fight for change. This conversation discusses how you too can get your story heard and effect the changes we so desperately need to see in obstetrics and maternity care. **Since this recording Sharon and I each participated in supporting people to submit their experiences of birth trauma to the NSW birth trauma inquiry. A few months later, the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza escalated. From the outset, Sharon has made her support of the IDF well known. Although I do not share or personally endorse this position, Sharon’s work in midwifery research and birth trauma advocacy remain important, and I present her story and insight here with thanks.**
Get Sharon's free download: "Your Guide to Writing a Letter of Complaint eGuide" at https://www.sharonstoliar.com/product-page/your-guide-to-writing-a-letter-of-complaint-eguide
Connect with Sharon on instagram @endingbirthtrauma and online https://www.sharonstoliar.com/ Sharon’s research on midwives’ birth choices and outcomes: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S187151922200302X
You can find Anna's "Default Parent Project" Substack and community at https://annacusack.substack.com
As always, you can download Anna's free Six Steps to Your Peaceful Postpartum eGuide, arrange a session with her or grab a copy of her book "Mama, You're Not Broken" via www.annacusack.com.au.
Anna is also on Instagram and Facebook @annacusackpostpartum
Head to https://anchor.fm/annaasks/subscribe if you'd like to support this podcast for $2.99AUD/month. Every little bit helps and you can sub out at any time, no questions asked.
Please leave a 5 star rating or review if you loved this episode, or share with a friend. This helps other parents to find us and engage in the stuff you know they'll love!

Is there a more queer job than being a doula? Full spectrum Mother carer Rafferty Hallows thinks not. If you are ready to reimagine your life and relationships, resource yourself on the darkest days, embrace your neurospicy self + family or redefine your own postpartum experience years after birth, you'll want to listen to what they have to say. Big language warning on this one, and please be aware we touch on issues including infant loss and mental ill health including perinatal psychosis. Find Rafferty on instagram @raffertyhallows.doula and on the web https://www.raffertyhallows.com

You can find Anna's shiny new Substack "Mother Thinkers" newsletter and community at https://annacusack.substack.com
As always, you can download Anna's free Six Steps to Your Peaceful Postpartum eGuide, arrange a session with her or grab a copy of her book "Mama, You're Not Broken" via www.annacusack.com.au.
Anna is also on socials @annacusackpostpartum
Head to https://anchor.fm/annaasks/subscribe if you'd like to support this podcast for $2.99AUD/month. Every little bit helps and you can sub out at any time, no questions asked. Please leave a 5 star rating or review if you loved this episode, or share with a friend. This helps other parents to find us and engage in the stuff you know they'll love!