The Swan Effect Mums Coffee & Chat - A Parenting Podcast for All The Swan Effect Mum

This week we welcome Lucy. 

Lucy left her 16 year career as a probation officer to start a new life as an Instagram marketing mentor.

Why? Covid, that's why. The pandemic turned all our lives around and for Lucy, it gave her opportunity to re-evaluate her work/life balance and retrain in social media marketing.

In this episode we talk about the worries parents have when wishing to change careers, how working from home can be difficult when you have a family sometimes and how it's important to ensure that what you do for work is positive and rewarding for your mental health and family.

If you would like to get in touch with Lucy, then you can find her at lucyjohnstone.katra.com/pagelinks

If you have a story that you would like to share, then please get in touch with Lynne at theswaneffectmumblog@gmail.com

This week we welcome Eddie. You may remember Eddie from the First season of the show, where we talked about his experiences of being a stay at home dad.

In that episode Eddie explained the dynamics of his family and I asked him straight away if he would be kind enough to record another episode about blended families and now, here we are!

Eddie has a biological daughter from a previous relationship and 2 step-daughters and 2 biological daughters with his current partner also. A house of girls!! Go Eddie!!

Blended families are the norm these days. But that doesn't necessarily mean that it's easier and we discuss the in's and out's of what life in a blended family can be like and how we both navigate our way through it all.

If you have a story that you would like to share, then please get in touch with Lynne at theswaneffectmumblog@gmail.com.

Trigger Warning : This episode contains descriptions of baby loss, some swearing and also some other details that listeners may feel uncomfortable listening to. 
This week is a little bit different. This week I talk to my big sister Clare about her experience of losing her son Ethan to stillbirth 18 years ago.
This is a true and honest episode, where Clare talks candidly about her experience of having a baby born sleeping. We discuss the symptoms before the experience, the actual experience and the trauma and grief that has followed since.
We discuss how this loss affected not only her, but her husband and family. We discuss how their family keep Ethan's memory alive with traditions and their decision to go on and have another baby after their loss.
I was 21 when my nephew passed away. It would have been his 18th birthday in November and this episode is dedicated to you Ethan G. You will forever be thought of and loved little one.
If you have been affected by this weeks episode then please reach out to the many charities and support networks available. I have listed a few below:

Sands: https://www.sands.org.uk/ - Sands works to support anyone affected by the death of a baby; improve the care bereaved parents receive; and create a world where fewer babies die.
Tommy's: https://www.tommys.org/ - Fund vital research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, so we can keep saving babies' lives. Each donation takes us one step closer.
Lily Mae Foundation: https://www.lilymaefoundation.org/ - The Lily Mae Foundation supports Parents and Families who have tragically and traumatically lost a baby to Stillbirth or to Neonatal Death.
4Louis: https://4louis.co.uk/ - 4Louis is a UK charity that works across the country to support anyone affected by miscarriage, stillbirth and the death of a baby or child.

This week we welcome Claire to the podcast. Claire is a mum to 3 year old Arthur. Claire works part time, but also runs a number of successful blogs. One being the  https://staposthriftylifehacks.co.uk/, where she helps you to make and save money. She helps others to manage their mental health around your finances too (expect friendly finance tips!)

In this episode Lynne and Claire talk about all the ways in which they try to save money in their day to day lives and also discuss the hot topics of food budgets, the ever increasing fuel bills that the country is facing and share their top 10 tips for you all.

These tips will not make you millionaires sure! But I think we can all agree that if you 'look after your pennies, your pounds will look after themselves'.

Here are the links promised by both Claire and Lynne on the episode:

Claire's blog: https://staposthriftylifehacks.co.uk/
Prolific Academic: https://www.prolific.co/
Monzo: https://monzo.com/
IFTTT: https://ifttt.com/
Shoppix: https://shoppixapp.com/
Shopimum: https://www.shopmium.com/uk/

Airtime Rewards App: https://www.airtimerewards.co.uk

HuYu App: https://www.huyuapp.co.uk/

TopCashback App: https://www.topcashback.co.uk

Ipsos Isay Surverys: https://www.ipsosisay.com

Checkout Smart App: https://www.checkoutsmart.com/



If you would like to be a guest on the podcast please email Lynne at theswaneffectmumblog@gmail.com

This week we welcome fellow podcaster Jamie. Jamie is the host of the Talking Dad UK podcast.  Talking Dad UK is a podcast where men discuss all things dad. Fatherhood, mental/physical health and lifestyle chats. The whole aim of Jamie's podcast is to encourage men and dads to talk more.

Lynne asks Jamie his opinions on what more could be offered to new dads after the birth of their children, whether dads would like to take more of the parental roles within the family and about the importance of getting men to open up and get talking to other men and dads to improve their overall mental health.

If you would like to follow Jamie's podcast please visit https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/talking-dad-uk/id1551828354

This week we welcome Louise, who very kindly agreed to talk about her IVF journey and her pregnancy so far.

In this episode Louise talks openly about the whole IVF process from her own personal experiences. IVF is a very personal and individual process and Louise talks openly about the numerous medical appointments, the numerous injections, the numerous scans and of course the mental strain that the whole IVF process can impact couples. 

This is by no means a doom and gloom episode. More of a reality check for those wishing to go down the IVF route. The time and patience needed. The financial impact it will have, if you decide to go private and the impact it can have on your relationships.

Louise's story is amazing and one that I have personally followed on her Instagram account (journey_to_baby_clarke) for a year now and when I tell you I have never wanted something to succeed so much for a stranger online, I'm not exaggerating. Science is a beautiful thing and I am so happy it has been able to help Louise build her family. 

Here are the book recommendations that Louise discusses in the podcast:

1. It Starts with the Egg - Rebecca Fett https://bit.ly/3rWL60u

2. Trying to get Prgnant - Marisa Peer https://amzn.to/3IT2iuP

3. Zita West's Guide to Fertility and Assisted Conception - Zita West https://amzn.to/3g5tdap

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast please email theswaneffectmumblog@gmail.com