In this episode of Thriving Parenting, Jen is joined by Dr Bianca Mastromanno, perinatal clinical psychologist, for a compassionate, grounding conversation that helps new mums feel seen and less alone. Together they unpack what postpartum anxiety can actually look like, why a degree of hyperawareness is expected, and how to tell the difference between normal maternal vigilance and anxiety that needs extra support.

They explore maternal preoccupation (Winnicott’s term for the brain shift that happens in motherhood), explaining why your mind may feel intensely focused on your baby’s safety, needs, and environment, especially in the first 6–12 months. Bianca reframes this hypervigilance as functional, evolutionary, and often temporary, while also acknowledging that for some parents, anxiety can become self-fuelling and get “stuck” in ways that interfere with daily life.

A big focus of the episode is intrusive thoughts: unwanted, automatic thoughts that often involve harm, safety, or worst-case scenarios. Bianca normalises how common they are (often close to universal), why they show up more when you’re sleep deprived, and why having intrusive thoughts does not mean you want them to happen. Jen and Bianca share real examples to reduce the shame and silence so many parents carry.

They also discuss modern triggers, including how social media can intensify fear and expand the “library” your brain pulls from, feeding postpartum hypervigilance. The conversation offers reassurance, practical tools, and clear guidance on when to reach out for support, especially if thoughts become frequent, intense, or start changing your behaviour in avoidant or compulsive ways.

This one is for the parent who’s quietly wondering, Am I okay? You’re not broken. You’re not alone. And help can be gentle, accessible, and deeply supportive.

1. Why the question Is this normal? is almost universal in postpartum
2. What maternal preoccupation is and why hyperawareness is expected
3. How postpartum anxiety can show up as vigilance, scanning, and constant mental checking
4. What intrusive thoughts are, why they happen, and what they do not mean about you
5. The difference between noticing a thought and acting as if it’s a fact
6. How sleep deprivation can worsen intrusive thoughts and nervous system sensitivity
7. The role of social media in amplifying postpartum fear and threat perception
8. Practical ways to “step back” from intrusive thoughts (without battling them)
9. When professional support is recommended, and why it’s safe to seek help
10. Resources like PANDA for support, information, and referral pathways
11. Small nervous system supports postpartum: hydration, nutrition, sunlight, movement, music, micro-moments

Would like to access tailored 1:1 sleep support but don’t know where to start? Jump on a FREE sleep clarity session with Jen here https://sleepthrivegrow.com/

For more...

Welcome back to the Thriving Parenting Podcast, where we explore the parent behind the act of parenting itself.

In this episode, Jen dives into one of the most accessible yet overlooked parenting tools we all already have, even on our most exhausting days: humour.

If parenting feels heavy, serious, or like you’re just pushing through the afternoons, this episode is a gentle reminder that laughter doesn’t have to be loud, performative, or natural right now to be powerful. It’s not about being funny or entertaining your child. It’s about using small, playful moments to regulate your nervous system, support your child’s emotional world, and bring connection back within reach.

Humour, even in its tiniest form, is nervous system medicine.

Jen explores how laughter helps complete stress cycles, supports emotional regulation, and brings the prefrontal cortex back online for both parents and children. When we laugh, we soften separation, ease transitions, and remind our children through our bodies that they are safe and supported.

This episode offers practical, real-life examples of how humour can be woven into everyday parenting without adding more to your plate, including:

1. Using playful connection during bedtime, mealtimes, and transitions
2. Gentle humour for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers
3. How silliness supports emotional regulation and rupture and repair
4. Why laughter models safety more effectively than lectures
5. Ways to access humour when it doesn’t feel natural or safe for you yet

Jen also speaks honestly about why humour can feel vulnerable, especially if you didn’t grow up with it, and how to rebuild your “humour muscle” slowly and compassionately. From shaking stress out of your body, to laughing at parenting mishaps, to building a “funny bank” of memories, this episode invites you to reconnect with the playful part of yourself without pressure.

Because parenting doesn’t need to be serious all the time.

Your child doesn’t need perfection.

They need your presence, and laughter helps you return to it faster than almost anything else.

Would like to access tailored 1:1 sleep support but don’t know where to start? Jump on a FREE sleep clarity session with Jen here https://sleepthrivegrow.com/

For more information on this topic, head to the show notes: Episode 96 Show Notes

And I’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Come and connect with me on Instagram at @sleep_thrive_grow.

And click the +Follow button to never miss an episode. New episodes are released every Tuesday!

To find out more about how I can support you, visit my website here.

Until next time, Thrivers

In this gentle baby bitesize episode of Thriving Parenting, Jen invites you to pause and reflect on a pattern many parents know all too well. Rushing through the day, counting down to bedtime, and only truly delighting in our children once they are asleep, through photos, videos, or the baby monitor.

Jen explores why this happens, especially during busy seasons like Christmas, and how the mental load, invisible to-do lists, and survival mode can pull us away from real-time connection. While this is completely human and deeply common, she offers a compassionate reframe. What if connection didn’t have to wait until the day was over?

This episode gently reminds us that connection is a core human need, for both parents and children. When children feel seen, heard, and delighted in, it can support cooperation, ease transitions, and make parenting feel lighter.

Jen shares five simple, intentional moments of presence you can weave into everyday life. From eye contact during feeds, to fully listening to their stories, to noticing their little hands in the shopping trolley. These small pockets of connection matter more than we realise.

This is not about doing more. It is about being more present in the moments you are already in. A beautiful reminder that your presence is the most precious gift you can give your child. Especially at this time of year.

Your children need your presence more than your presents.

If sleep or parenting feels overwhelming right now, Jen also shares details about her free Sleep Clarity Sessions, offering calm, pressure-free support to help you move from surviving to thriving.

Would like to access tailored 1:1 sleep support but don’t know where to start? Jump on a FREE sleep clarity session with Jen here https://sleepthrivegrow.com/

For more information on this topic, head to the show notes: Episode 95 Show Notes

And I’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Come and connect with me on Instagram at @sleep_thrive_grow.

And click the +Follow button to never miss an episode. New episodes are released every Tuesday!

To find out more about how I can support you, visit my website here.

Until next time, Thrivers