Straitalking

Kathy Rougier
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  • Entrepreneurship

When everyone has an opinion, Straitalking helps you work out what is actually worth listening to. Straitalking is a podcast by Kathy Rougier, founder of Empowa, where honest conversations meet useful information. Each season is its own distinct series, exploring a particular theme through straight-talking conversations, practical insight and lived experience. Season One is Worth It? with Pregnant and Popped - a series for the pregnant, postpartum and parenting season of life. It looks beyond marketing claims, trends and must-have lists to ask whether products, services and advice are genuinely worth your time, money and mental load. Kathy speaks with professionals, founders, experts and community voices who bring experience, evidence and different perspectives to the conversation. Together, they examine what works, what does not, who something may be useful for and what people should consider before making a decision. Future seasons will explore other areas that have shaped Kathy's work, thinking and life - from business and community to identity, changing priorities and the questions people are quietly Googling when they do not know where else to turn. The style is exactly what the name suggests: straight talking, practical and grounded. Straitalking is for anyone who values clear conversations, useful guidance, lived experience and introductions to people worth knowing.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Pram Sleep Hack? Is the ZAZU Baby Rocker Worth It?

    Ever sat in a café rocking the pram with one hand while trying to drink a coffee with the other? In this episode of Worth It?, Kathy puts the ZAZU Robby Baby Rocker to the test with paediatric sleep consultant Evelyn Bonney. Could a pram rocker genuinely make on-the-go naps easier, or is it another baby product you can live without? Evie shares where it could be genuinely useful - and when it might not be - plus when and why it may be worth looking more closely at your baby’s wider sleep picture. ABOUT THE ZAZU ROBBY BABY ROCKERThe ZAZU Robby attaches to a pram or stroller and creates a gentle rocking motion for up to 40 minutes. It also has an optional cry sensor which can restart the rocking when crying is detected. It retails for S$79.95. So is it a useful extra - or something you could easily live without? MEET EVIEEvelyn Bonney is a registered nurse, certified sleep consultant, mum of three - including twins - and founder of Evelyn Bonney Sleep Consulting. She has more than 20 years of nursing experience, including roles as a ward sister, clinical nurse specialist and Paediatric Clinic Manager at International Medical Clinic Singapore. Her approach is holistic and personalised - looking beyond how a baby falls asleep to understand the wider factors affecting sleep and what will realistically work for each family. Find out more: https://ebsleepconsulting.com/ ABOUT KINDER DREAMSThe ZAZU Robby Baby Rocker featured in this episode was kindly supplied by Kinder Dreams, a Singapore-based baby and kids retailer. Kinder Dreams began with a new mum struggling to find quality products that felt suitable for her own baby, and grew into a business helping other parents find useful baby and children’s products. Buy the ZAZU Robby Baby Rocker: https://www.kinderdreams.com.sg/products/zazu-robby-baby-rocker-with-rechargeable-battery-cry-sensor Use KATHY15 for 15% off the Kinder Dreams online store. Supplying a product does not guarantee a positive review. Worth It? is about honest, balanced discussion so parents can decide what works for their own family. CHAPTERS00:00 Can a pram rocker help with on-the-go naps? 00:29 Welcome to Worth It? 01:43 What parents often get wrong about sleep products 04:20 The ZAZU Robby Baby Rocker reveal 06:39 Why on-the-go naps matter 07:24 Safety comes first 08:19 Helpful tool or sleep dependency? 10:39 When a pram rocker could actually be useful 13:19 When it might be time to look deeper at sleep 15:42 The four foundations of better sleep 17:43 How one good nap can rescue the day 19:37 So - is the ZAZU Robby worth it? 20:25 Sleep support is about more than sleep training 22:50 Evie’s message to every mum 24:24 Final thoughts, discount and where to find support IMPORTANT INFORMATIONThis episode is for general information and discussion only and is not medical advice or personalised sleep advice. If you have concerns about your baby’s sleep, feeding, health or development, please speak to an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. Always follow current safe sleep guidance and the instructions supplied with any product you use. The ZAZU Robby Baby Rocker does not replace adult supervision and should be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. So - is the ZAZU Robby Baby Rocker actually worth it?

  2. Season 1 Trailer

    WORTH IT? Trailer (Launching 25 August 2026)

    How much of the stuff we buy for pregnancy, babies and parenting is actually worth it? The gadgets. The clever inventions. The products everyone seems to own. The things Instagram makes look essential - and the things you had absolutely no idea existed until someone convinced you that you needed one. In Season 1 of Straitalking, Kathy Rougier teams up with professionals at Pregnant and Popped for Worth It? - putting pregnancy, postnatal and parenting products in front of people who actually know what they’re talking about. And there are some opinions. From feeding, sleep, play and development to birth, recovery, safety and the everyday reality of life with children, we’re asking the questions that matter: Does it actually solve a problem?Will you really use it?Is there evidence behind it?Is there a cheaper or simpler alternative?And, ultimately... is it worth your money, your time and your mental load? Expect surprise product reveals, straight-talking experts, disagreements, useful advice, plenty of laughter - and more than a few products that might, or might not, get the verdict their marketing department was hoping for. No perfect parenting. No endless list of "must-haves". No pretending you need to buy your way to being a good parent. Just useful conversations to help you decide what deserves a place in your home - and what can stay on the shelf. This is Worth It? Season 1 of Straitalking with Pregnant and Popped. Subscribe now. The first verdicts are coming. LAUNCHING 25 AUGUST 2026

Trailer

About

When everyone has an opinion, Straitalking helps you work out what is actually worth listening to. Straitalking is a podcast by Kathy Rougier, founder of Empowa, where honest conversations meet useful information. Each season is its own distinct series, exploring a particular theme through straight-talking conversations, practical insight and lived experience. Season One is Worth It? with Pregnant and Popped - a series for the pregnant, postpartum and parenting season of life. It looks beyond marketing claims, trends and must-have lists to ask whether products, services and advice are genuinely worth your time, money and mental load. Kathy speaks with professionals, founders, experts and community voices who bring experience, evidence and different perspectives to the conversation. Together, they examine what works, what does not, who something may be useful for and what people should consider before making a decision. Future seasons will explore other areas that have shaped Kathy's work, thinking and life - from business and community to identity, changing priorities and the questions people are quietly Googling when they do not know where else to turn. The style is exactly what the name suggests: straight talking, practical and grounded. Straitalking is for anyone who values clear conversations, useful guidance, lived experience and introductions to people worth knowing.

Information

  • Creator
    Kathy Rougier
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Kathy Rougier
  • Show Website
    Straitalking