Growing

This week we're checking in from the beautiful chaos of postpartum life, where our husbands have returned to work and we’re all getting into the swing of a new normal. 
We chat about the strange season of having tiny babies while trying to re-enter the world, the nuance of feeling grateful and overwhelmed at the exact same time.
Beth shares her current struggle with beauty maintenance in a season where time is a luxury commodity. Hair appointments? Brows? Skincare routines? Who is she and where exactly is she supposed to find the time?
As always, there are recommendations.
Beth brings a surprisingly effective source of toddler entertainment in the form of John Deere videos on YouTube, while Lil introduces us to the glorious Italian concept of the "Umarell" — retired men who spend their days observing construction sites with their hands clasped behind their backs, generously offering advice to the workers.
A lunch box friendly Raspberry Oat Muffin available here
And because no episode would be complete without a sweet treat, Lil is recommending the Loco Love Pistachio chocolate, which may or may not be getting her through the breastfeeding sweetie snack attack. 
If you're in a season that feels messy, relentless, beautiful, exhausting, or all of the above, consider this your reminder that you're not alone. We're right there with you.

Beth has climbed the mountain that is mastitis and is happily - finally - on the other side. She shares the feeding plan she’s landed on for her twinnies, what’s feeling sustainable for her family, and a very gorgeous reframe around postpartum bodies and what they’re actually made for. We’re doing our very best to put down the negative self-talk, one tender little reframe at a time.
Meanwhile, Lilly has survived her first week with her husband back at work and it was mostly magical… with, of course, several moments of complete madness. The logistics have logistics, the toddler activities need activity cherries on top, and Beth comes through with some genuinely brilliant mum tips for making the day work for you.
Once again, the women are the best. Thank you for being here - we simply adore you. Also if you haven’t yet watched Off Campus, well what are you waiting for dolly?
Recommendations & Recipes
Lil’s Recipe:An easy throw-together biscuit recipe perfect for little helping hands and those “we need an activity immediately” afternoons. Toddler Biscuit Recipe
Lil’s Recommendation:
Spotify audiobooks for kids - an unexpected little parenting gem

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 a gentle little skin saviour for dry, irritated, postpartum-everything skin

Beth’s Recommendation:
Prime Minister - the Jacinda Ardern documentary
Because we promised Lil’s mum: Australian Breastfeeding Association Mastitis Resource

This week we’re back in your ears feeling wildly grateful for the women around us because honestly… the girls ARE the glimmers.  
Beth is trying to rise from the depths of the absolute feral house guest that is mastitis - a cruel mistress we did not invite, do not like and absolutely do not need. We unpack the intensity of feeding twins, the physical toll of breastfeeding and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with trying to care for everyone whilst also feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck. 
Meanwhile Lil is entering a brand new season with her husband back at work, juggling two kids, attempting toilet training but that’s a story for another day.
Lil’s recipe recommendation is for the freshly postpartum mums finally ready to emerge for a crispy vino, sashimi and a tiny taste of freedom. Trust us — this one is elite. Tuna Sashimi Dip 
And Beth’s cosy watch recommendation this week is Off Campus on Prime - fluffy, romantic, easy watching for tired mums wanting to float into another world at the end of the day.
Join us on Instagram @growingthepodcast and share with your fellow friends, sisters, mums - the wonderful women in your life.

Another glimpse inside the utter chaos that is our deeply postpartum lives right now. Beth and Lilly unpack the glimmers and growing pains of life at home with very little babies — both starting to feel slightly ready to re-enter society while also being firmly in the trenches of newborn life. 
We also chat about the weird emotional pressure cooker that can be Mother’s Day — and if you finished the day feeling a little overstimulated, underwhelmed or strangely emotional… we completely get it.
Lil has been experiencing the challenges of an unsettled baby and the girls hold hands and remind each other that yes this parts: equally normal, hard, magical and utterly mad.
Plus our usual R&R recommendations because we’ll never stop trying to romanticise the trenches.
Lilly found this podcast episode with Dr Eliza Hannam helpful for reassuring her on unsettled babies: Bloom with Body, Birth & Baby episode with Dr Eliza Hannam
Lil’s current nervous system obsession: Krumbled Magnesium Hot Chocolate (Adding collagen because we’re trying to thrive, not just survive.) Use Beth’s code: BIRTHWITHBETH
Beth’s recommendation: a postpartum wardrobe refresh. Nothing dramatic — just a few pieces that help you feel a tiny bit more like you when leaving the house with milk stains and two minutes of sleep.
Beth’s Recipe: nourishing lemon chicken soup that’s freezer-friendly and genuinely delicious: Avgolemono Soup Recipe
Huge thanks to ergoPouch for supporting the podcast this month.
We are deep in our newborn cocoon era and leaning heavily on ergoPouch right now — from their beautiful swaddles and sleep suits to the cot sheets that somehow survive the endless overnight changes.
We’re also obsessed with the Drift Away Sound Machine, which has become part of our entire nighttime rhythm.
Use our code BIRTHWITHBETH for 20% off until the end of May.
If this episode made you feel seen, send it to a mum friend who’s also somewhere between blissed out and barely holding it together 💛
And don’t forget to follow Growing wherever you listen to podcasts.

This week Beth shares the birth story of her identical twin boys, a story that holds both careful planning and a last-minute pivot.
After a high-risk twin pregnancy, many appointments, and a clear plan to be induced at 36 weeks, things changed *right* at the finish line. 
If you enjoyed this episode please share it with a fellow Mum friend, if you haven’t already follow us on your streaming platform of choice and leave a review if you love the show. This helps us to grow and land in the ears of those who need a little solidarity amongst the magic and madness of motherhood.