n this episode, I’m joined by Tess for a conversation that sits very close to my heart: what it’s like to mother without a mother.

I was so grateful to finally have Tess on the podcast to talk openly about her estranged relationship with her mum and how that has shaped her own journey into motherhood. Tess shares honestly about the complexity of being completely estranged from her mother for over 12 years, and how becoming a mum herself brought up old wounds, unanswered questions, and grief she didn’t even realise she was carrying.

We talk about the emotional layers of mothering without that maternal support so many people rely on. The guilt, the expectations, the longing, and the quiet sadness that can show up around moments like pregnancy, postpartum, illness, and milestones where you suddenly realise there’s no one to call. Tess reflects on how having her daughter, Marni, shifted her perspective on her own childhood and deepened her commitment to breaking generational cycles.

We also get into the very real, practical side of things. How not having a mum impacts the logistics of daily life, and why building a support system becomes so important. Tess shares why she chose to hire a doula to help fill some of that gap and how powerful it was to feel supported during such a vulnerable time.

We touch on the emotional heaviness of days like Mother’s Day and other family-focused milestones, and how complicated they can feel when your experience of “mother” doesn’t fit the narrative. Throughout the conversation, we come back to the hope and healing that can exist in creating loving, secure relationships with our own children.

This episode is honest, tender, and deeply validating. If you’re navigating motherhood without a mother, whether through estrangement, loss, or complicated family dynamics, this conversation is for you. You are not alone and it's bloody hard. For those who might not be able to relate, I hope this gives you an insight into the hardship of trying to mother without a blue print.

I would love to connect! Come find me over at @doulamarley @becomingboth

To support the pod, it would mean the world to me if you left a 5 star review xx

In today’s solo episode, I’m opening up about my childhood and what it was like growing up as the daughter of a heroin addict.

I talk about my mum’s addiction, from finding her unresponsive as a young child to navigating the long-term emotional impact that comes with loving a parent who is unwell. I share how those early experiences shaped my sense of safety, my relationships, and the way I learned to survive emotionally.

We explore the grief that comes with accepting that a parent may never be who you needed them to be, and the process of holding compassion without losing yourself in the process. I reflect on how those experiences still live in me and how motherhood has brought a deeper awareness of the cycles I want to break.

This episode is tender, honest, and deeply personal. My hope is that sharing my story creates space for understanding, healing, and connection 🤍

This episode is a real, open reflection on what 2025 looked like for us and what we’re intentionally carrying (and leaving behind) as we head into 2026.

We talk about life lately from soaking up the beauty of the Adelaide Hills to carving out a simple date day and remembering that we’re partners, not just parents. We also get into money, budgeting, and how uncomfortable that topic still feels for me. I share honestly about how my childhood experiences around money make it hard to talk about now, and how avoiding those conversations can create tension if you don’t face them together. It’s messy, vulnerable, and very real.

We dive into how challenging it is to maintain a relationship and personal goals while raising young kids, and I open up about the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to the season of small children. There’s grief there, for the babies, the cuddles, the version of me that lived in survival mode, but also a quiet hope and excitement about stepping out of the trenches and into the next chapter with a little more space to breathe.

We talk about the importance of sitting down with your partner and actually reflecting on what you both want and don’t want moving forward. Having the uncomfortable conversations before resentment builds. Saying the things out loud instead of letting them fester in the background. This season demands honesty, even when it’s hard.

I also share more about my work as a nanny, my long-term dream of becoming a counsellor, and how much clarity has come from reflecting on the year that was. We chat about the women’s retreat I’ve been planning, why it feels so aligned right now, and how deeply it’s rooted in the need for rest, connection, and support for mums.

This episode really captures the ups and downs of life, business, relationships, and motherhood. It’s about listening to your inner voice, setting achievable goals that actually fit this season, and acknowledging what you’ve survived and grown through even if it doesn’t look big on the outside.

We finish by sharing more about the upcoming women’s retreat and why investing in yourself, your wellbeing, and community isn’t indulgent, it’s essential.

If you’re feeling reflective, stretched, emotional about closing one chapter and cautiously hopeful about the next, this one’s for you 🤍

In this episode, I’m reflecting on that strange and funny space between Christmas and New Year’s. The routines are gone, the days blur together, and parenting somehow feels even more relentless IMO but there’s also so much fun and fam time woven through it all. I talk about the chaos of being out of routine, the constant demands of motherhood, and the pure joy of watching my kids experience the excitement of Christmas! We had such a lovely day and I hope you guys too. Also can we talk about how much easier parenting is alongside others with similar age children??

I open up about family dynamics over the holidays, the gratitude I feel for a supportive partner, and the quiet loneliness that can creep in when you don’t really have a village around you. I also share some honest financial reflections after the festive season, what the holidays highlighted for me, and how I’m approaching the year ahead with more intention from budgeting differently to teaching my kids about gratitude.

There’s also a little update on our home renovations and how creating a space that actually works for our family can have a bigger impact than we realise! We are so in love with the change of our space and so grateful we could do a kitchen reno.

I look forward to bringing out more eps in 2026, I have SO many topics flowing through my brain and always appreciate your discussion and diagloue.

A review, comment or DM is always SO appreciated and means the world. Find me over at DoulaMarley or BecomingBoth on insta.

In this episode, I’m talking about the struggles of relationship distance that sneaks in after kids. Often it's actually not because you don’t love each other, but because you’re exhausted af, touched out, constantly interrupted, and carrying way more than you ever expected to. The distance that over time, feels super tense and that it's a long way back.

I share some tips on how to start honest conversations when there’s obvious disconnect, even when it feels uncomfortable, emotional, or long overdue. We talk about the real pressures that come with parenting and partnership. In-laws causing friction (especially if you're partner is leaving you out to dry), the financial reality of feeling stuck in this economy, and how resentment will fester if it’s left to rot in silence.

I also get into intimacy. When it’s been a long time between touch, closeness, or feeling desired, and how to rebuild connection without forcing it or pretending everything’s fine. Especially when kids leave you zero space to even finish a sentence, let alone have a deep conversation but also how important it is to understand that most intimacy for women starts outside of the bedroom.

I’m not an expert. I’m not here to fix your relationship. I’m just someone willing to say the quiet parts out loud and create space for the conversations so many of us are having behind closed doors or asking for advice on Facebook forums.

If what you’re experiencing is abuse, this episode isn’t the support you need and you deserve help. If you’re in Australia, you can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 for confidential support, or speak with your GP or a trusted professional.

Come find me on Instagram at @doulamarley and @becomingboth. I truly love hearing your thoughts, messages, and feedback, and your reviews mean more than you know 🤍

In this episode of Becoming Both, I’m jumping into a big, chatty gift guide full of last-minute ideas and inspiration you can save for future birthdays, teachers’ gifts, Christmas… all of it. If you’re like me and suddenly realise you need a present tomorrow, this one’s for you.

I’m also sharing a little life update, the new kitchen is finally finished (hallelujahhhh), we’re getting ready for our Port Elliot trip, and I chat about the usual mix of joys, chaos, and emotional whiplash that comes with motherhood.

Then we get into the fun stuff: ✨ Educator gifts, practical, personal, and not another throwaway item. ✨ Kids’ gifts, broken down into ages 2–5 and 5–8, with options that won’t end up ignored in a toy box. ✨ Partner + friend gifts, from useful kitchen bits to cute personalised ideas, with both budget-friendly and more luxe options.

It’s basically a big list of things I love giving, have given, or secretly want for myself ha!

If you have any go-to gifts I need to know about, send them my way.. I love discovering new ideas.

Find me on Instagram @doulamarley and @becomingboth. A review or comment is so appreciated!

In this episode of Becoming Both, I’m getting deeeeep into all the identity shifts that come with motherhood - the physical, the emotional, the mental and spirtual.

I chat through my own experiences of becoming a mum of two and how it’s changed literally every part of my life. My priorities are different, my relationships feel different, and even the way I see myself has completely shifted. Between pregnancy, birth, postpartum, sleep deprivation, and just having a bazillion things to do.. it’s so blooming easy to lose pieces of yourself without even noticing.

I chat all the emotional and physical changes, the hormones, the mum guilt, the body image moments, the questioning, the second-guessing, the EVERYTHING. And then there’s the career side of things… the hobbies we used to have before children took over our entire identities. I still cannot remember what mine were. I know I had them though lol.

And because these identity shifts don’t just happen on the inside, I chat about how your role within your family changes too. Suddenly you’re the planner, the emotional support person, the snack organiser, the routine keeper, the everything-holder. It’s a lot to carry, and sometimes we don’t get enough space to acknowledge it.

I share some journal prompts to help you reflect on your own experience because I know how much it helps for me and sometimes writing it down is the only way to make sense of all the feelings. These prompts are meant to help you reconnect with yourself, honour the version of you before kids, and appreciate the version of you now

And honestly, I just want you to know how grateful I am that you’re here, listening, and sharing this space with me. This little community means so much to me, all the DMs, all the shared stories, all the “me too” moments. I love it all!

If you want to chat more or share what resonated with you from this episode, come find me on Instagram at @doulamarley and @becomingboth. I genuinely love hearing from you.

In this solo episode of Becoming Both, I’m basically just chatting your ear off about life lately! A lil about motherhood, work, and all the chaos in between. I talk about what it’s been like juggling part-time nannying, my own babies, the podcast, my doula work, and this little dream I have of studying to become a counsellor (because clearly I don’t have enough on my plate already).

I share what our family is planning for next year.. which honestly looks like a whole lot of shuffling things around, tightening the budget, and me trying to pretend I’m good at “mindful spending” while also convincing myself that 2 coffees a day count as self-care. Can anyone relate? Cost of living is absolutely unhinged right now, so we’re just doing our best like you all and it's time to tighten the old belts.

I also dive into the weird, invisible pressures that working mums carry (frankly it's bullshit) and that feeling of never doing enough, even when you’re literally doing everything and MORE. And of course, I chat about what’s coming up for the podcast, future guests I’m excited about, and the personal goals I’m trying to hype myself up for.

It’s random AF and basically just me having a yarn with you.