Dam Parenting

Dam Parenting Podcast
  • 5.0 (7)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Parenting in the Netherlands as an international family can feel overwhelming — but you don’t have to do it alone. DAM Parenting is a weekly podcast supporting international parents through pregnancy, birth, and parenthood in the Dutch system. With 175+ episodes, we explore everything from giving birth in a system you may not fully understand to raising third-culture kids in multilingual homes. Featuring real birth stories, expert insights, and honest conversations, this is your space for clarity, reassurance, and community. You are not alone.

  1. The Hidden Mental Load of Raising Multilingual Children (And Why It's Not the Languages)

    1D AGO

    The Hidden Mental Load of Raising Multilingual Children (And Why It's Not the Languages)

    We talk a lot about the beauty of raising multilingual children — the richness, the connection, the gift of language. But what about what it actually costs to hold it all together?In this episode for Maternal Mental Health Month, host Eva welcomes back multilingual family coach Mimi from Growing up Multilingual, for an honest conversation about the side of language parenting that rarely gets named: the mental load.They explore why it's not the languages themselves that wear you down — it's the isolation, the pressure to stay consistent when life isn't, the guilt, the grief, and the endless feeling of being the only one keeping it all from slipping away.Mimi also shares what actually helps: building community, creating simple and realistic plans, sharing the responsibility, and — perhaps most importantly — knowing when to let go.If you've ever asked yourself "am I doing enough?" or "is it too late?" — this one's for you.Topics covered:– Why multilingualism isn't the problem, but the conditions around it often are– The perfectionism trap and how social media distorts reality– What to do when one parent carries all the language responsibility– Practical ways to reduce the mental load without abandoning your goals– What to prioritise when things feel truly overwhelming

    27 min
  2. The Algorithm Isn't Your Friend Postpartum with Eva from the Joy Embassy

    3D AGO

    The Algorithm Isn't Your Friend Postpartum with Eva from the Joy Embassy

    If you have ever lain awake in the dark, baby in arms, scrolling Instagram and feeling quietly worse with every post you see — this episode is for you. This week as part of our Maternal Mental Health Month series, Eva sits down with positive psychologist Eva from The Joy Embassy for an honest, warm conversation about what social media really does to new mothers in the Netherlands — and what we can actually do about it. But the conversation goes further than most: into the history of how community itself collapsed when television arrived in the 1950s, into sociology of the forbidden emotions of motherhood, and into what it means to try to build real human connection in the jungle years of early parenthood. In this episode: Why seeing happy motherhood online makes struggling mothers feel worse — and the research behind it How the algorithm actively shapes your postpartum experience without your consent The history of community collapse — from bowling alleys to living rooms to Instagram What de tropenjaaren (the jungle years) means, and who reaches back What positive psychology actually offers a mother in the dark — beyond toxic positivity Rachael Forester's new community space — real alternatives to scrolling - Find our more about Rachael's new community space check out her website: RachaelForesterTherapy and scroll to bottom to find a sheet you can fill out. This is not a replacement for crisis, specialist care or therapy.  It's an opporunity to find grounding in such a ground shaking moment of parenthood in general. I am not an expert. I am a parent with questions and a computer, trying to let people overhear conversations that might help them feel less alone. For international mothers in the Netherlands navigating postpartum far from home: you are not alone. And this podcast is my way of reaching back. If you wan to read articles - check out these ones: Exploring the influence of social media ‘Mumfluencers’ on postpartum body image Exploring the influence of social media 'Mumfluencers' on postpartum body image Why Don’t We Talk About the Joys of Motherhood Anymore? Effects of Social Media on Motherhood “I Don’t Want to Be Bad Mommy, but I Also Don’t Want to Be the Bad Mom”: How Mothers Story Their Experiences Navigating Social Media with Their Children

    28 min
  3. ADHD in Motherhood: The Shame, the Chaos & Finding Your Way Back to Yourself

    5D AGO

    ADHD in Motherhood: The Shame, the Chaos & Finding Your Way Back to Yourself

    Do you ever feel like you're constantly dropping the ball, losing yourself in the chaos of motherhood, or just can't seem to keep up — no matter how hard you try? It might not just be motherhood. In this episode, originally aired as part of our 2024 Maternal Mental Health series, I'm joined by Emma, founder of ADHD Potential, a mother and ADHD coach who knows this reality from the inside out. We talk about what ADHD actually looks like in mothers — because it doesn't always look the way you'd expect — the shame spiral that so many women carry silently, emotional dysregulation, executive dysfunction, and the strategies that can genuinely help. We also talk about why so many women go undiagnosed for years, and what to do if you suspect ADHD but don't know where to start. If you're based in the Netherlands, we cover how the referral process works and what to expect, including waiting times and insurance coverage. This episode is part of Damn Parenting's Maternal Mental Health Month series — bringing honest, real conversations about the things that affect us as mothers, the ones we don't always get to say out loud. In this episode: What ADHD in motherhood really looks likeWhy so many women are diagnosed late — or not at allThe shame and guilt that comes with it, and how to work through itPractical strategies for managing ADHD as a motherHow to get diagnosed in the NetherlandsWhy "good enough" parenting is not only okay — it's necessary

    29 min
  4. Touched Out, Low Desire & Feeling Like a Feeding Machine: Let’s Talk About Sex After Baby

    MAY 13

    Touched Out, Low Desire & Feeling Like a Feeding Machine: Let’s Talk About Sex After Baby

    You’re exhausted. You’re touched-out. You haven’t wanted sex in months and you’re quietly wondering if something is broken. Nothing is broken. This Maternal Mental Health month we’re talking about what nobody talks about: what actually happens to your body, your brain, your desire — and your sense of yourself as a sexual being — after you become a mother. We are joined by Debby Port, a sex and couples psychologist based at Yellowwood in Amstelveen, and works online. We talk about matrescence and the body. Breastfeeding and desire. Guilt. Performance anxiety. And why your pre-baby self is not the benchmark. For the woman at 2am who hasn’t had sex in 6 months and is scared it’s gone forever: it isn’t. This episode is for you. Part of the Maternal Mental Health Month series.

    27 min
  5. What's actually normal after birth (and what isn't) — pelvic floor physiotherapy in the Netherlands

    MAY 11

    What's actually normal after birth (and what isn't) — pelvic floor physiotherapy in the Netherlands

    After birth, so many women are told their symptoms are normal — and then left to quietly wonder if they are. Leaking, pain, pressure, discomfort during sex. Normal? Or not?This week I'm joined by Sofía, a pelvic floor physiotherapist based in The Hague with 13 years of specialist experience — and an immigrant herself who understands the unique position international families are in when navigating Dutch healthcare.We cover what's actually normal in the first six weeks postpartum, when to seek help, what a pelvic floor physio appointment in the Netherlands actually involves (including the parts nobody warns you about), and the one thing Sofía wants every woman to hear: there is always a solution.For the international parent in the Netherlands sitting with something they haven't told anyone: this one is for you.

    22 min

  6. MAY 9

    Late night recording - but for us on Mothers Day

    After a late phone call with a friend, I felt the urge to record something very different than usual, as we already are bombarderd with Mothers Day deals, discounts and bundles - but the reality is - we don't want or need more stuff. Our mental overload is barely dealing with managing our home as it is. So this was mine to you. Just words - and acknowledgement for all you go through, raisinig kids, on the daily. Happy Mothers day.

    5 min
  7. Why Pregnancy Loss Doesn't End When a Healthy Baby Arrives

    MAY 6

    Why Pregnancy Loss Doesn't End When a Healthy Baby Arrives

    There are some experiences in motherhood that don't end when we think they will. Pregnancy loss is often spoken about as something that happens — and then we move forward. But what's talked about far less is what happens when the grief doesn't stay in the past. When it returns in another pregnancy. Or shows up after your healthy baby is born. Today I'm joined by Dr. Renée Out — a doctor, bereavement counsellor, and founder of Renée Begeleiding — who works closely with women navigating the emotional impact of miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion, and medical pregnancy loss. We talk about why grief doesn't follow timelines, why a healthy baby doesn't erase a previous loss, how the body holds what the mind tries to move past, and what partners can actually do to help. If you've ever thought: "I should feel grateful… so why do I still feel this?" — this one is for you. Part of our Maternal Mental Health Month series.

    15 min
  8. The Hard Conversations — Postpartum Rage: What It Is, Why It Happens, and What To Do About It

    MAY 4

    The Hard Conversations — Postpartum Rage: What It Is, Why It Happens, and What To Do About It

    Nobody told you about this part. Not the rage that rises out of nowhere. Not the way you can go from calm to completely overwhelmed in seconds. Not the fact that it usually lands on the person closest to you — your partner — while the actual source of the pressure stays invisible. Postpartum rage is one of the most common — and most misunderstood — experiences of new motherhood. It is not a character flaw. It is a nervous system under siege. In this episode — the first of our monthly Maternal Mental Health series — I'm joined by Dr. Naomi Gibson, couples therapist and returning Dam Parenting residental guest, to talk about what postpartum rage actually is, when it happens, why it targets our partners, and what help looks like here in the Netherlands. We cover: the clinical definition and why it's not in the DSM | the hormone and sleep science | the expat isolation layer | accessing support via verloskundige, huisarts, and GGZ | and how couples can start to talk about this. This one is for the parent who is holding it together on the outside. You are not alone.

    32 min
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About

Parenting in the Netherlands as an international family can feel overwhelming — but you don’t have to do it alone. DAM Parenting is a weekly podcast supporting international parents through pregnancy, birth, and parenthood in the Dutch system. With 175+ episodes, we explore everything from giving birth in a system you may not fully understand to raising third-culture kids in multilingual homes. Featuring real birth stories, expert insights, and honest conversations, this is your space for clarity, reassurance, and community. You are not alone.

Information

  • Creator
    Dam Parenting Podcast
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    195
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dam Parenting Podcast
  • Show Website
    Dam Parenting

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