So much of women's lives and so many of our experiences are hushed up, not spoken about and hidden. The Hidden World of Women is focused on bringing awareness to the experiences of women. There is no shame, no secrecy. Just women talking openly about their and our experiences. We want to let women know that you aren't alone, we want to bring awareness and shine hope for women.
Episodes
Monday Nov 01, 2021
Monday Nov 01, 2021
This is the third episode in a new series ‘Journey into Motherhood’.
This series focuses on the fact that not all journeys into motherhood look the same. There are many different ways to become a parent.
Journey into Motherhood – IVF egg donation
Approximately one in 35 women are unable to produce their own oocytes (eggs). For those women their options for having a family are to 1) not have children, 2) look to adopt, or 3) experience pregnancy via oocyte (egg) donation.
In this episode of The Hidden World of Women, I speak with Monique who went through the process of donating eggs twice. In the episode Monique says that you have to be under 40 to donate eggs however the requirements have been updated and now women have to be under the age of 35 to donate eggs. For more information you can check out this document https://www.conceptfertility.com.au/files/3415/9287/6930/Egg_Donation_12-3-3_UserTemp_15.pdf
In the episode Monique talks about an article she read in the local paper highlighting the shortage of donor eggs for IVF. I said I would try to find out if there were still the long waitlists to access donor eggs. Not surprisingly I have found it difficult to find that information. Some clinics advertise that there are no wait times but an article that specifically focuses on how hard it is to access donor eggs https://www.childmags.com.au/how-hard-is-it-to-access-donor-eggs/ states that Australia has an egg donor shortage.
I found it fascinating to talk to Monique. As the saying goes ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’ and I am fast realising just how much I don’t know about the alternate routes to becoming a mother. I had no idea what the process was to donate eggs and as always I am very grateful to Monique for sharing her experiences so freely.
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Oct 18, 2021
Monday Oct 18, 2021
This is the second episode in a new series ‘Journey into Motherhood’.
This series focuses on the fact that not all journeys into motherhood look the same. There are many different ways to become a parent.
In this episode Emma speaks with Cinta about her journey to become a mother. While not an unconventional journey into motherhood Cinta did start a little earlier than some and was pregnant while sitting her TEE (now ATAR). Cinta talks of how her Irish Catholic upbringing added an extra layer of concern over having to break the news of a teen pregnancy to her family and friends.
In the episode Cinta mentioned the adolescent clinic at King Edward Memorial Hospital and information is available here https://www.kemh.health.wa.gov.au/Our-services/Service-directory/Adolescent-Clinic Cinta also mentioned special considerations (now called Special Provisions) she had for sitting her TEE (now ATAR) and information is available here https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/special-provisions
Emma and Cinta also spoke of high schools that are in Perth with childcare provisions for young parents. In the episode there were two schools mentioned however it turns out there are a lot more options available. Information around the inclusion of pregnant students at school as well as specialist schools with childcare facilities and young father inclusion can be found here http://det.wa.edu.au/detcms/inclusiveeducation/child-protection/public/resources/Guidelines.en?page=14
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Oct 04, 2021
Monday Oct 04, 2021
This is the first episode in a new series ‘Journey into Motherhood’.
This series focuses on the fact that not all journeys into motherhood look the same. There are many different ways to become a parent.
In this episode Emma speaks with Rebecca about her journey to become a mother. Rebecca and her husband both knew from an early age that conceiving naturally may be challenging for them and so they explored both IVF and adoption.
Rebecca shares her story looking into both adoption and IVF while focusing on sharing her and her husband’s experiences with adopting their son here in Western Australia.
Rebecca talks about the requirements and stages of the adoption process. If you want more information about the process of adopting here in Western Australia you can check out this link https://www.dcp.wa.gov.au/FosteringandAdoption/AdoptionAndHomeForLife/Pages/AllAboutAdoption.aspx
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Sep 20, 2021
Monday Sep 20, 2021
In this episode Emma speaks with Kate about the importance of sharing stories of motherhood. Kate is the online learning co-ordinator at WHWS and Hidden World of You and recently MC’d the perinatal mental health symposium. During that event it was really highlighted how our birth stories impact us. During the symposium it became a bit of a running joke with Kate saying ‘I’ll tell you my birth story’. With a hiccup in the guest schedule leaving this episode without a guest Kate stepped in at the last minute and we thought ‘great, a chance to finally hear Kate’s birth story’.
It didn’t quite go to plan and instead, in the conversation Emma and Kate talk about how we can create spaces to share birth stories, how we can talk about our experiences of pregnancy, birth and motherhood and ways that we can support mums and create safe spaces.
During the episode Emma and Kate mention that we are trying to create a space where parents can share their birth stories (where mums can share their experiences and where support people can share their stories as well). We see this as having two main benefits, one is a space for people to share experiences that shaped and impacted them and the other is that for expectant parents it can be a village to learn from. If you would like to share your birth story please send it to info@whws.org.au
In the episode Emma mentions a previous episode where Georg and Joanne share their experiences of perinatal mental health issues, that is available here https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-nngt7-10881c2
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Sep 06, 2021
Monday Sep 06, 2021
Friday the 10th of September is World Suicide Prevention Day. World Suicide Prevention Day is about raising awareness of suicide in our communities. In this episode Emma speaks with Claire about her experience of losing her son Kai to depression, ending in suicide.
Almost 10 million Australians know someone who has been impacted by suicide, that’s almost half the country. With 6 boys and 2 girls taking their lives every day in Australia there are 8 families every day who are losing a child. We want them to know they are not alone while also recognising that everyone’s experience is different. This is one person’s experience of being impacted by suicide, everyone’s experiences are different, but we hope that by talking to Claire we will let others know that they aren’t alone.
Claire channelled her focus after losing Kai to raise money to fund Tomorrow Man to be able to deliver workshops in schools to with the aim to save lives of young men by changing the stigma around men expressing their emotions.
If you are looking for more information about how you can support people in your life who may be at risk of suicide this website has a range of useful information https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/worried-about-someone/
Kai Eardly Foundation, Kai Fella https://thekaieardleyfoundation.com.au/
Kai Fella facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kaifella
Youtube clip of skateboarding https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq2elrkEBTU
Tomorrow man https://www.tomorrowman.com.au/
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Aug 23, 2021
Monday Aug 23, 2021
Last year I was surprised to learn that people in interracial marriages still experience negativity, at times to the point of violence, about their relationships! I had heard Carisa and her husband Sam speak on Loving Day (the 50th anniversary of The Lovings vs State of Virginia in which the Supreme Court ruled that laws banning interracial marriage violate the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the laws were over turned. This was cited in precedence of overturning the laws banning same sex marriages in 2013) and I loved hearing that Carisa and Sam have experienced acceptance and love for their marriage.
The reason that I love this (well other than it’s no one elses business!) is because ‘if you can see her you can be her’ the more we see things the more we perceive them as ‘normal’ and ‘no big deal’ and that’s the goal isn’t it? That we fall in love with the person and without fear of any persecution because of colour of skin (or religion, gender, culture etc).
In this episode I talk to Carisa Montooth about her experiences of an interracial marriage, raising a biracial daughter and dating in 2021!
The episode started out intending to talk about how attitudes to interracial marriages have changed over the years, it started out with Carisa talking about her and her husband’s experiences and meandered from there! We went on to talk about dating in 2021 (where do you even start!), healing from past relationships, relationship counselling, the importance of boundaries to protect relationships and just about every topic in between.
If you want to connect with Carisa you can find her on social media:
Website: www.carisamontooth.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/carisamontoothlovecoach
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CMontooth
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carisamontoothlovecoach
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Aug 09, 2021
Monday Aug 09, 2021
In this episode Emma talks to Amy about her experience of the sudden death of her husband at an early age from heart failure. Being a young widow with three very small children, the process of trying to look after herself while looking after her children and the toll that took.
While the statistics tell us that Heart failure accounts for almost one in 50 deaths, equating to one person dying of heart failure every three hours, or eight deaths each day being due to heart failure Amy was not expecting her fit and healthy 36 year old husband to die in his sleep.
In the episode Amy speaks of her experience of looking into the ocean and thinking it would be easier to swim out and never come back in. If you are experiencing thoughts like this you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ for support or reach out to a loved one the way that Amy did.
Amy has written a book about her journey called Sink or Swim it is available from good book shops or via Amy’s website http://www.amyowilliams.com.au/
If you want to connect with Amy you can find her on social media:
Amy’s facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/sinkorswim.amywilliams/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/amyowilliams_author/
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Jul 26, 2021
Monday Jul 26, 2021
In this episode Emma speaks with Lisa about her experiences with a brain aneurysm and subsequent stroke and her journey to recovery. We are sharing this episode in the lead up to national stroke week, the 2-8th August, #strokeweek2021
As always I want to thank Lisa for sharing so openly about her experiences and for finding humour, resilience and hope.
As we are sharing this to raise awareness for Stroke Week 2021 here is some information from https://strokefoundation.org.au/ :
Stroke attacks the brain, the human control centre. More than 27,400 Australians had a stroke for the first time in 2020 – that is one stroke every 19 minutes.
When a stroke happens, more than 1.9 million brain cells die each minute. The longer a stroke remains untreated, the greater the chance of stroke-related brain damage.
This National Stroke Week be "United by Stroke" by sharing the F.A.S.T message with your family and friends. You could save a life – possibly your own.
Using the F.A.S.T. test involves asking these simple questions: Face Check their face. Has their mouth drooped? Arms Can they lift both arms? Speech Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you? Time is critical. If you see any of these signs call triple zero (000) immediately.
Thanks again to Lisa for putting a real-life story to National Stroke Week and helping us raise awareness.
For more information you can check out https://strokefoundation.org.au/
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Jul 12, 2021
Monday Jul 12, 2021
This is a slightly different episode of The Hidden World of Women. The podcast is brought to you by Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services and earlier this month we hosted two events focused on increasing awareness and decreasing stigma around mental health in the perinatal period. One theme that comes through in all the services we offer is how powerful it is to hear personal experiences and to know you aren’t alone. With that in mind we invited Jo and Georg to attend the event to share their personal experiences with their own mental health in the perinatal period. A big thank you to both Jo and Georg for sharing so openly and freely about their experiences.
Big thank you to Fran and James from Hullabaloo who were the videographers for the event and who were able to provide the audio that we were able to use for this episode.
In the episode Jo speaks about PANDA they can be found here: https://www.panda.org.au/
Another resource is Beyond Blue https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
And of course WHWS offer perinatal mental health counselling, groups and courses www.whws.org.au
Fran spoke about a short video that she produced last year to raise awareness about fathers experience of PNDA https://vimeo.com/545362808?fbclid=IwAR0KIcnyUDvrDJp7mQYU_YRBQlVvy8JPDIPknn_VNAfH7zpO95rSdVQoBus
In the outro I shared that in our online learning platform, The Hidden World of You, you can use the code 1FREE to get your first month free. On there you will find a range of courses, workshops, books on a range of topics including parenting and mental health and in the outro I specifically mentioned Not What I Was Expecting course focusing on PNDA as well as a self compassion course and anxiety course. You can find out more from http://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/landing-page/
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Jun 28, 2021
Monday Jun 28, 2021
June 1-30 is SANDS (miscarriage, stillborn and new born death) awareness month.
In this episode of The Hidden World of Women Sophie shares her experience with a late term miscarriage. While somewhere between 1 in 4 and 1 in 10 (depending on which source you look at) pregnancies result in miscarriage, only 1 or 2% of pregnancies will end in a late term miscarriage (a late term miscarriage happens between 12 and 24 weeks). While 1 or 2% of pregnancies ending in late miscarriage may seem like a small percentage, if you are that 1 or 2% then it is huge, life changing and brutal!
When you think the 2020 birth rate for Western Australia was 32,677, 1%= 326, 2%=652. Between 300 and 700 women experienced a late miscarriage last year just in Western Australia and yet we very rarely hear about it. For parents who experience pregnancy loss and miscarriage that loss stays with them and impacts them for life and yet the general public is often unaware of how that loss shapes and affects parents.
Sophie shared her experience of excitement of a gender scan turning to a horror story as she heard they couldn’t find her baby’s heartbeat, having to tell her sons and then having to birth a baby she would never get to take home and her regret at not holding her son. After 2 years she is starting to find herself and heal but Harrison has taken a piece of her with him.
If you or someone you know has experienced miscarriage or pregnancy loss you are not alone. SANDS supports families who have experienced Miscarriage, Stillborn or New born death. The Australian website is https://www.sands.org.au/
The UK site is https://www.sands.org.uk/
Sophie spoke of a Facebook group set up for mothers who have experienced miscarriage and the loss of a child https://www.facebook.com/groups/littledoves/
Red Nose Grief and Loss (formally SIDS and Kids) https://rednosegriefandloss.org.au/
If you are struggling after the loss of a child please reach out for support, contact SANDS or visit your GP for a referral. Red Nose Grief and Loss have a 24 hour phone line 1300 308 307
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/