To Make a Mother

kate holm.
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Motherhood doesn’t come with a recipe. But it does have ingredients. I’m Kate Holm, naturopath, nutritionist, and mum of three. For 15 years I’ve been helping women understand their bodies, their babies, and themselves. Each week I bring you my recipe for motherhood… the good stuff, the things that get spilled on the floor, and those weird ingredients you keep hearing are good for you but have no idea what to do with. New episodes every Thursday. Find me at kateholm.com or on Instagram at @kate__holm.

Episodes

  1. 6d ago

    Is It Perimenopause... Or Something Else?

    Apparently everything is perimenopause now. Tired? Perimenopause. Irritable? Perimenopause. Can't remember why you walked into the kitchen? Obviously perimenopause. But sometimes it is perimenopause. And sometimes you are sleep deprived, iron deficient, chronically stressed, dealing with subclinical thyroid dysfunction, or enjoying a delightful combination platter of all of the above. And that is why the investigation cannot stop at the first answer that sounds plausible. This is the woman I increasingly see in clinic. Late 30's or early 40's. Exhausted in a way that more sleep does not fix. Reactive. Foggy. Achy. Her cycle has changed. Her body does not feel like hers anymore. She has googled it, Instagram has gotten involved, and within approximately fourteen minutes she has perimenopause. She might be right. But I don't want the investigation to stop there. In this episode: What perimenopause actually is and why it can start earlier than most women realiseWhy perimenopause is increasingly colliding with active motherhood, and why the timing is tricky to make a diagnosisThe full symptom picture, including the ones nobody warned you aboutWhat else can look exactly like perimenopauseWhy I don't want us to replace "of course you're tired, you have kids" with "of course you feel terrible, you're in perimenopause" - you deserve a more thorough answer than thatWhat I actually investigate in clinic before landing on a diagnosisThe boring stuff that really helpsWhy protein becomes particularly important at this stage and what target I work towardsThe soy conversation, what the evidence actually says, and why she has been wrongly accused of several crimesWhy resistance training specifically matters for muscle mass, bone density, and metabolic healthWhere HRT fits If you want to check out Hydramamma for yourself, you can use the code KATEHOLM for 20% off. Check it our HERE Links mentioned: Book a 1:1 consult If you enjoyed this episode, I would love it if you followed the show and left a review. It helps more mothers find this conversation. New here? Find me on Instagram (@kate__holm) or at kateholm.com. Thanks for listening!

  2. Aug 12

    The Family Immune Episode I Recorded While Down With Influenza A

    I used to think I had a really good immune system. Turns out I was just really good at avoiding snotty toddlers. Then I had kids! Can we actually build more resilient immunity in our kids and ourselves? Yes. But probably not by panic buying fourteen immune supplements the second someone sneezes. The boring stuff matters. A lot. And then the supplements sit on top of that. And then there are the things I do that have no clinical trial behind them and I do them anyway. For the price of an onion, I am not concerned. I recorded this one while my entire family was down with suspected influenza A. So this is coming to you very much from the trenches (apologies in advance for my voice!) This week's question comes from a listener asking which of my children is most like me. Bowie said something that stopped me in my tracks. My recco is one of my favourite books of all time - I have bought at least ten copies and I have not got a single one back! In this episode: Why susceptibility matters as much as exposure and what immune terrain actually meansSleep as the most evidence supported immune intervention that exists - and why annoyingly even one bad night affects immune functionHow childhood stress adds to their physiological load and what you can actually do about itThe gut immune connection and why more plant diversity and less ultra-processed food is more useful than you thinkWhy getting outside and getting dirty is doing more for their immune system than most supplementsVitamin D, probiotics, zinc, vitamin C, elderberry, echinacea, and medicinal mushrooms - what the research saysThe things I do that do not have a double-blind placebo-controlled trial behind them and why I don't really care!My full sick-day toolkit including what has research behind it and what is clinical and personal experience Fever - what it actually is, why we do not need to panic at the first sign of a temperature, and the red flags that mean you need medical attentionThe Family Immune Essentials protocol - linked below Seek medical attention immediately if: Any fever in a child under 3 monthsFever above 40 degreesFever lasting more than 3 to 5 daysDifficulty breathing, persistent chest pain, or any bluish discolourationSevere headache, stiff neck, or sensitivity to lightA child who is inconsolable, extremely lethargic, or not responding normallyRapid deterioration at any point Links mentioned: Family Immune Essentials protocolBook a 1:1 consultThe Surrender Experiment by Michael SingerBreathwork resources for kids If you enjoyed this episode, I would love it if you followed the show and left a review. It helps more parents find evidence-based, compassionate health information for their families. New here? Find me on Instagram (@kate__holm) or at kateholm.com. Thanks for listening!

  3. Aug 5

    What Every Parent Should Know About Antibiotics (And Your Child's Gut)

    Antibiotics save lives, but they also change your child's gut microbiome. In this episode of To Make a Mother, we're exploring what antibiotics actually do beyond treating infection, why the effects on the gut can last far longer than most parents realise, and the simple, evidence based ways you can support your child's microbiome during and after a course of antibiotics. This isn't an anti-antibiotics conversation. It's about understanding how these medications impact the developing gut and what you can do to help restore balance afterwards. In this episode, we cover: Why the first few years are so important for your child's gut microbiomeHow antibiotics affect beneficial bacteria not just the bacteria causing infectionWhy microbiome disruption can last for months (or even years)The connection between repeated antibiotics and recurrent infectionsWhether probiotics should be taken during or after antibioticsThe probiotic strains with the strongest evidence in childrenFoods that help nourish and rebuild the microbiomePractical ways to support gut recovery after antibioticsWhen probiotics may not be appropriate and when to seek professional guidance Plus, at the beginning of the episode, I answer a listener question about navigating conversations with young children when they're curious about estranged grandparents, and I share this week's recco: Unwind Co. who create beautiful creative hobby kits designed to help busy mums reconnect with themselves. Resources mentioned: Unwind Co.In My Clinical Opinion (personalised paediatric health reviews)Book a 1:1 consultation If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you followed the show and left a review, it helps more parents find evidence based, compassionate health information for their own families 🫶🏻

  4. Jul 29

    Why Your Iron Supplements Aren't Working

    Last episode was about understanding the problem. This one is about what to actually do about it. Rebuilding iron is not just take a supplement and hope for the best. It requires strategy, around what you're eating, when you're eating it, which form of iron you're taking, and what's happening in your gut. For most women who struggle to rebuild iron, it isn't because they aren't trying. They're often missing one or more of these variables. This week's question comes from a listener who wanted to know the difference between shyness and social anxiety in children. I'm not a psychologist but I do have some personal experience with both. And my recco this week is a brand I've been using for years and love so much - Chief Nutrition and their protein powders (and everything else!) In this episode: Why the form of iron you eat matters as much as how much you eatThe meat factor - the under appreciated absorption trick Vitamin C as your most practical tool for non-heme iron absorptionThe inhibitors most people don't know about, including why spinach isn't the iron hero you've been told it isSupplement forms compared and what to avoidIron infusions - when oral iron isn't enough, and my own experience with themWhy taking iron every other day might actually get your ferritin moving fasterThe gut piece - and why it's getting its own full episode Links mentioned: Free iron downloadIn My Clinical OpinionBook a 1:1 consultChief Nutrition - use code KATEHOLM10 for 10% off New here? Find me on Instagram (@kate__holm) or at kateholm.com. Thanks for listening!

  5. Jul 22

    Your Iron Is "Fine." But Is It Actually Fine?

    More than a third of women under 50 are iron deficient. Most of them have been told their blood results are normal. This episode is about the gap between those two things. Iron deficiency without anaemia is the stage most women are in when they come to see me, and the stage that standard blood testing isn't quite looking for. It's also the stage where women are experiencing very real, measurable symptoms and being told everything is fine. This week's question comes from my lovely friend Sarah on parenting children differently - and yes, Immy does get away with everything as the third child. My recco this week is a podcast that is technically for children but that I am just as obsessed with as they are. In this episode: Why iron deficiency without anaemia is chronically missed and what that means for youWhat iron actually does in the body - it's a lot more than most people realiseThe three stages of iron depletion and why most women aren't found until stage threeHepcidin - the master iron regulator most people have never heard ofThe fascinating relationship between hepcidin and your menstrual cycle and why having a period isn't inherently going to make you deficientWhy the body's clever iron regulation system gets overwhelmed and what tips the balance toward deficiencyThe full symptom picture including the neurological symptoms that get dismissed most oftenThe ferritin reference range problem and what number you're actually aiming forWho is most at riskExactly what to ask your GP to test and why CRP matters What to request from your GP: Serum ferritinSerum ironTotal iron binding capacity (TIBC) / transferrinTransferrin saturationFull blood countCRP (C-reactive protein) Links mentioned: In My Clinical OpinionBook a 1:1 consultDreaming with Mikki podcast New here? Find me on Instagram (@kate__holm) or at kateholm.com. Thanks for listening!

  6. Jul 15

    Ear Infections, Antibiotics, and What's Actually Driving the Pattern

    Most children with ear infections are given antibiotics. Most don't need them. This episode explains what's actually going on and what you can do about it. Ear infections are the single most common reason children receive antibiotics worldwide, yet most parents are never told that the majority of uncomplicated cases resolve without them, and that gut health, diet, and a few simple lifestyle changes play a significant role in how often they occur. This week's question comes from a listener - my first one that isn't a friend or family member, which I'm quietly (ok not so quietly!) very excited about. And my recco this week is for the Newcastle and Hunter Valley locals - a farm delivering grass-fed, grass-finished beef that I cannot recommend highly enough. In this episode: Why children are anatomically prone to ear infections and why most grow out of itThe role of the adenoids, tongue ties, and the Eustachian tubeWhen antibiotics are and aren't indicated and the red flags to knowThe gut-ear axis and why recurrent antibiotic use can drive recurrent infectionsFood sensitivities as a driver, particularly dairy, and what an elimination diet actually involvesWhat to do in the acute phase to support your child's comfortLifestyle factors you can start todaySupplements with the most evidence for prevention and immune support Links mentioned: In My Clinical Opinion - paediatricBook a 1:1 consultSubmit a question or topicAllynview FarmNSW Healthdirect: 1800 022 222Silicon chewing device like Myo Munchee New here? Find me on Instagram (@kate__holm) or at kateholm.com. Thanks for listening!

  7. Jul 8

    It's Not the 4pm Witching Hour. It's Your Blood Sugars.

    If you've ever hit that 4pm wall, snapped at your kids, and then felt terrible about it this episode is for you. Spoiler: you're not a bad mum. It could be your biochemistry. This week I'm talking about blood sugar stability, and why it's one of the most important and most overlooked things mothers can pay attention to fairly easily. This isn't a diabetes conversation. This is about the unglamorous, practical stuff that actually makes a huge difference to how you feel day to day. I talk through why sleep deprivation does more damage than just making you tired, what's actually happening to your blood sugar when you're breastfeeding, and why skipping breakfast is the thing that makes everything harder. Plus this week's question comes from my sister Ally, my recco is a Newcastle local I think you need to know about, and as always practical things you can actually do starting today. In this episode: Why the 4pm witching hour might be your blood sugars, not your kidsHow sleep deprivation creates a metabolic state that looks a lot like pre-diabetesThe cortisol-glucose-progesterone triangle and why it matters for your hormonesWhat breastfeeding does to your blood sugar (and why hunger signals can't be trusted postpartum)No naked carbohydrates, what that means and why it is importantTwo supplements worth knowing about Links mentioned: Book a one-on-one appointmentIn My Clinical OpinionArtefact Jewellery (and the gold recycling program)Some overnight oats recipes: Baked brown butter oatsApple pie bircherHigh protein oats with flavour combinations New here? Find me on Instagram (@kate__holm) or at kateholm.com. Thanks for listening!

  8. Jul 1

    You're Not Running From a Tiger: Stress, the Nervous System, and Small Shifts for Mothers

    Welcome to episode one. We're really diving straight in with this one. I'm Kate Holm, naturopath, nutritionist, and mum of three, and this podcast is about the parts of motherhood that taste amazing, the parts that make a mess, and the parts you keep hearing are good for you but have no idea what to do with. This week I'm talking about something that comes up in almost every appointment I have with my patients - stress and the nervous system during motherhood. Not in a "just meditate more" way. In a real, physiological, "this is what's happening in your body" way. A lot of women come to me chasing a diagnosis, whether that's perimenopause, IBS, food sensitivities, thyroid issues, and a lot of the time, the nervous system is sitting underneath all of it. Sometimes causing it. Sometimes just making everything worse. I also answer a deeply personal question from my friend Liz about how my own experience of being raised has shaped the mother I'm trying to be. We go there on episode one. Plus a recco this week that I did not expect to love as much as I do. In this episode: Why your body can't tell the difference between a stressful email and actual dangerHow chronic stress quietly depletes progesterone and starts to look like other conditionsThe gut-nervous system connection and why it matters more than most people realiseThree things you can start doing today that don't require extra time or childcareA conversation about estrangement, re-parenting yourself, and the repair that matters mostLinks: Book a one on one appointment with meIn My Clinical Opinion - the consult without the consultSubmit a question or topic for the podcastHiild (my sister's handknitted clothing label)This YouTube channel for knitting tutorialsBoob to Food podcast episode about Immy's birth! New here? Find me on Instagram at @kate__holm or at kateholm.com

  9. Jun 10

    To Make a Mother - Trailer

    Welcome to To Make a Mother. I'm Kate Holm, naturopath, nutritionist, and mum of three. This is a show about motherhood - the clinical, the personal, and everything in between. New episodes every Thursday starting July 2nd. Find me at kateholm.com or on Instagram at @kate__holm

Trailer

About

Motherhood doesn’t come with a recipe. But it does have ingredients. I’m Kate Holm, naturopath, nutritionist, and mum of three. For 15 years I’ve been helping women understand their bodies, their babies, and themselves. Each week I bring you my recipe for motherhood… the good stuff, the things that get spilled on the floor, and those weird ingredients you keep hearing are good for you but have no idea what to do with. New episodes every Thursday. Find me at kateholm.com or on Instagram at @kate__holm.

Information

  • Creator
    kate holm.
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © kate holm.
  • Show Website
    To Make a Mother