The Tribe of Parents Experience

Renovating a house is stressful, but doing it with a newborn baby while navigating grants, planning delays, and multi-generational living is a masterclass in survival. 👶🛠️

In this debut episode of The Tribe of Parents Experience, host Hannah sits down with corporate tech professional and mom Jenny Diamond-Kelly. Jenny pulls back the curtain on the raw reality of ripping the roof off a 1960s bungalow while raising her baby boy, Louis. Shifting away from polished social media feeds, this episode functions as a practical guide for young parents tackling the property market.

Tune in to discover the exact strategies, AI tools, and grant hacks they used to survive a year of construction chaos without breaking their budget—or their marriage.

• 00:00 – How to survive the newborn phase during a house sale and renovation
• 01:09 – Introduction to corporate professional and mom, Jenny Diamond Kelly
• 01:53 – How to navigate life with a two-year-old and toddler mispronunciations
• 04:08 – How we decided to rip the roof off a house with a 10-month-old
• 05:26 – How to handle the planning permission process and layout challenges
• 08:57 – How to pivot when facing planning delays and losing your original builder
• 09:29 – How to survive a 12-month build by moving in with parents and in-laws
• 13:24 – How to manage the reality of moving back home in your mid-30s
• 14:42 – How to choose design vibes and plan a home layout for the future
• 17:37 – How swapping a bedroom to build a dedicated laundry room creates a functional haven
• 21:20 – How to handle the corporate culture shock of dealing with unreliable tradesmen
• 23:40 – How to project manage the site and catch costly plumbing errors early
• 26:00 – How to evaluate one-stop-shop builders versus independent project managers
• 27:32 – How to keep future neighbours happy using wine and chocolates
• 29:25 – How to find real renovation style inspiration from Studio McGee and online accounts
• 31:24 – How to navigate the reality of SEAI Grants and preferred supplier costs
• 33:23 – How to utilize AI platforms (ChatGPT & Claude) to check construction costs and contracts
• 36:15 – How to protect your mental health against influencer pressure versus real-life baby timelines
• 39:07 – How to overcome severe decision fatigue by spraying the whole house white
• 41:42 – How to select durable, child-proof materials and engineered wood flooring
• 46:14 – How to shift your parental expectations away from "unicorn baby sleep routines"
• 52:01 – How a 10% to 15% budget contingency saves you from disasters like attic termites
• 54:05 – How to safely navigate Vacant and Derelict Property Grants in Ireland
• 57:06 – How to reflect on motherhood and find grounding six months into a build
• 01:00:25 – How postpartum nesting can be used to create a dedicated toddler space
• 01:02:41 – How to balance blood, sweat, tears, and property luck.

• The 15% Rule: A financial buffer isn't optional. From unexpected architect redraws to attic termites, hidden costs will appear.
• AI is Your Best Assistant: Learn how pasting contractor quotes into ChatGPT or Claude can help you spot missing clauses and compliance gaps before signing a contract.
• Ditch the "Perfect Nursery" Guilt: Babies stay by your side for months. Focus your initial build energy on structural practicalities (like storage and durable flooring) rather than temporary decor.

💡 Found this useful? Please follow or subscribe to The Tribe of Parents Experience on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a review to help other parents find these survival guides!

Connect with us online or share your thoughts on this episode by visiting our website or social channels.

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Minutes into labour, lying on her own bed in South Dublin, Aoife hit the wall. It’s the exact moment during childbirth known as "transition"—where the mind wants to give up, panic sets in, and you wonder why on earth you chose to bypass the safety of a hospital ward.

But Aoife wasn't in a hospital. She was at home.

In this episode, we sit down with Aoife Geary, a mum of two, to hear the raw, unfiltered reality of her homebirth story. She didn’t set out with a grand plan to have a natural homebirth. In fact, up until her 36-week appointment, it hadn’t even entered her head.

Aoife walks us through her entire journey—from navigating a tough pregnancy after relocating from Sydney to Ireland, to accidentally discovering the HSE Domino Scheme (what she calls "the country’s best-kept secret"), to slowly breaking the news to her laid-back partner, Evan.

If you are an expectant parent googling all the big questions—Is homebirth actually safe? What happens in an emergency? How do I even qualify under the HSE?—this episode is for you. Aoife isn’t a medical expert giving a lecture; she’s a mum who has been through it, sharing the honest truths about active labour, handling the pain, navigating a later tongue-tie diagnosis, and the surreal magic of a home-made cheese toastie in her own bed just hours after giving birth.

Grab a cup of tea, pull up a chair, and listen to how one phenomenal birth experience completely anchored a family to Ireland for good.

• 00:00 – The Transition Hook & Introductions
• 03:13 – Giving Birth in Australia vs. Ireland
• 06:34 – Discovering the HSE Domino Scheme
• 10:31 – The 36-Week Assessment: "It Had Never Entered My Head"
• 17:00 – The Home Risk Assessment & Prepping the Partner
• 24:00 – Labour Day: Dropping Áine to Crèche & Switching focus
• 31:36 – Midwives Arrive & Managing Active Labour at Home
• 33:50 – “I’ve Made a Huge Mistake” (The Wall of Transition & Birth)
• 37:26 – The Post-Birth High: Tea, Toasties, & The Golden Hour
• 45:20 – Postpartum Care, Navigating Tongue Tie, & Final Reflections

Thank you for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube @tribeofparents. Don't forget to follow Tribe of Parents on Instagram for updates and information. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and leave a review - it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more real, raw parenting related conversations.

• Website: www.tribeofparents.ie
• Instagram: @tribeofparents
• Subscribe on Acast, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify!

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What happens when your high-flying career directly collides with a family health crisis?

In this episode, we sit down with Pia Crofton, a veteran of the Irish food industry, to explore the powerful intersection of maternal health, career burnout, and her child's healing journey.

After 20 years of building multi-million euro export markets under intense corporate pressure, Pia faced the ultimate wake-up call when her second son’s immune system completely collapsed at just six months old. Faced with severe eczema, chronic respiratory attacks, and terrifying developmental regression, Pia stepped away from conventional prescriptions and turned to the healing power of ancestral nutrition.

Tune in to discover how she used the GAPS diet philosophy, traditional nose-to-tail cooking, and nutrient-dense local foods to completely rebuild her son's gut health and reverse chronic illness. We also pull back the curtain on the corporate food system, the physiological debt of maternal depletion, and practical kitchen habits to heal your family from the inside out.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Myth of "Having It All": Balancing maternity leave with intense business revenue pressures.
• Maternal Depletion: The hidden physiological debt growing a child takes on a woman's body.
• The Turning Point: Moving from conventional medical protocols to a food-as-medicine approach.
• The GAPS Diet Philosophy: Rebuilding the gut lining using traditional meat stocks and ancestral cooking principles.
• The Real Cost of Food: Why buying directly from local, regenerative farms is cheaper than chronic illness.
• Nose-to-Tail Kitchen Efficiency: How to stretch high-quality ingredients to feed your family on a budget.

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 — Meet Pia Crofton

01:18 — Career and Export Success

02:57 — Maternity Leave and Business Pressures

04:51 — A Child's Health Crisis

06:21 — Maternal Depletion & Physiological Debt

11:09 — The Turning Point with Nutrient-Dense Food

13:46 — Discovering the GAPS Diet Philosophy

22:42 — The True Cost of the Food System

25:07 — Practical Nose-to-Tail Cooking & Meal Prep

35:04 — Reversing Developmental Regression

40:13 — Principles of Ancestral Cooking for Gut Repair

Thank you for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube @tribeofparents. Don't forget to follow Tribe of Parents on Instagram for updates and information. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and leave a review - it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more real, raw parenting related conversations.

Connect with the Show:

• Website: www.tribeofparents.ie
• Instagram: @tribeofparents
• Subscribe on Acast, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify!

Please note: The information shared in this podcast is based on personal experience and educational frameworks like the GAPS diet. It is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding medical conditions.

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"My Pregnancy Saved My Life": Cancer, Resilience, and beginning Motherhood | Tribe of Parents Ep 1

Can being at your most vulnerable also be the thing that saves you? In this opening episode of the Tribe of Parents Experience, we sit down with Cliodhna Russell, a newsreader and researcher whose life was upended by a "rugby ball-sized" Sarcoma diagnosis while she was five months pregnant. From receiving a cancer diagnosis alone during a global pandemic to navigating the "black humour" of a crisis, Cliodhna’s story is a masterclass in psychological resilience.

We dive into the "Journalist Mode" we use to process trauma, the burden of delivering life-altering news, and why "unplanned beginnings" can lead to a resilience we never knew we possessed.

Key Learning Outcomes & Life Lessons

The "Pregnancy Save": Cliodhna reflects on the terrifying reality that without her routine pregnancy check-ups, her tumour likely would have metastasized before being detected. Learning: Sometimes our greatest responsibilities—like carrying a child—are the very things that force us to care for ourselves.

Managing High-Stakes Anxiety: When her consultant told her, "We’ll worry about this, and you just worry about the baby" she latched onto it as a survival strategy. Learning: In a crisis, "compartmentalizing worry" is a vital tool for mental endurance.

The Weight of the "Sole Messenger": Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Cliodhna had to process her diagnosis alone and then "edit" the news for her husband in the car park. Learning: Isolation in medical trauma creates a secondary burden—the pressure of managing a loved one's reaction while processing your own.

Perspective Isn't a Permanent State: Cliodhna is candid about the fact that surviving cancer didn't turn her into a saint. Learning: You can have "crystal clear" clarity during a crisis but still get annoyed by the small, "silly" things in the day-to-day—and that’s a normal part of being human.

Navigate the Conversation

0:00 — The "It couldn't happen to me" mindset

2:15 — The Atmosphere Shift: Knowing you're in trouble

5:03 — The Birthday Call: Receiving the news

7:17 — Entering "Journalist Mode": Intellectualizing trauma

8:40 — Delivering the News: Being the messenger

12:45 — Black Humour at Christmas: A survival tool

13:08 — The "Breech" Devastation vs. Cancer diagnosis

44:59 — The Myth of the "New Person"

The Power of the Unplanned

Cliodhna’s story is a powerful reminder that many of our most significant chapters—and even our children—come from unplanned beginnings. There is no "single blueprint" for being a parent, especially when life throws you a curveball that no one could prepare for. She shows us that you don't need a perfect start to build a "solid foundation of structure and strength." It’s okay to not have all the answers; as long as you have your community to lean on, you can navigate the path you're on, even if it’s not the one you originally chose.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Our episodes drop biweekly.

Thank you for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube @tribeofparents. Don't forget to follow Tribe of Parents on Instagram for updates and information. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and leave a review - it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more real, raw parenting related conversations.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10,000 hours. 1,000+ parents. 3 years in the making

A podcast for anyone who parents, has parented, or hopes to parent one day.

Today, we are finally stepping out of the research phase and into your headphones.

The Goal?

To burn the "perfect parenting" blueprint. No judgment. No filters. Just real conversations and a community that actually has your back.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Our episodes drop biweekly.

Thank you for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube @tribeofparents. Don't forget to follow Tribe of Parents on Instagram for updates and information. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and leave a review - it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more real, raw parenting related conversations.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with Louisa, who took complete control of her future by choosing solo motherhood by choice. This is her raw, honest story.

When the ticking clock of motherhood collides with the pressures of modern dating, many women feel trapped. After a life-threatening medical emergency revealed she had 40 fibroids, Louisa decided enough was enough. She stopped waiting for the "perfect partner" and embarked on a courageous 4-year journey to bring her son into the world alone.

In this deeply moving episode, Louisa opens up about the financial mapping required for solo parenting, the heart breaking reality of failed IVF, the magic of a successful IUI, and dealing with pregnancy denial until 24 weeks. She also shares how she navigates the donor conversation with her son and why she believes every woman has the power to say, "I am enough."

If you've ever questioned your timeline, felt the pressure of dating in your 30s, or considered solo motherhood, this episode is a must-watch.

✨ Subscribe for more empowering parenting stories!

⏱️ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS

00:00 — The Motherlode: Expectation vs. Reality of Motherhood

00:39 — 40 Fibroids & ICU: The Life-Threatening Wake-Up Call

02:02 — The Dating Trap: When to Stop Waiting for a Partner to Have a Baby

05:26 — Reclaiming the Timeline: Deciding to Become a Single Mother by Choice

08:37 — Financial Mapping: The Real Cost & Hidden IVF Schemes

11:49 — Clinic Roadblocks: Navigating Rules, BMI Limits, & Failed IVF

15:30 — The Positive Test: Navigating Pregnancy Denial After Trauma

23:41 — Telling My Child: How to Talk About Donor Conception

27:10 — Danish Sperm Banks: Finding Your Donor & Tracking Donor Siblings

35:00 — Building a Village: Surviving the Newborn Weeks Without a Partner

44:30 — Breaking the Stigma: Overcoming Single Mother Judgments & Public Comments

49:10 — The Daily Hustle: Managing a Full-Time Career, Toddlerhood, & Hidden Costs

01:03:04 — Absolute Ownership: The Power & Magic of a Two-Person Family

📱 Connect with us on Social Media:

Instagram: @tribeofparents

YouTube: @TribeofParents

Website:www.tribeofparents.ie

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Feeling "tired but wired"? When the baby is finally sleeping but your mind has 50 tabs open, you need more than just "relaxation"—you need a physiological shift.

This bonus 10-minute nervous system reset uses a traditional 61-point body scan to systematically close those mental tabs. By moving your awareness through 61 specific nerve-rich points, you send a direct signal to your parasympathetic nervous system to take the wheel, lowering cortisol and silencing racing thoughts.

This meditation is perfect for:

• Postpartum parents navigating "monitor mode" or insomnia.
• Bedtime routines to help you transition from a frantic day into deep sleep.
• Overwhelmed parents needing a distraction-proof tool to find stillness.

How to use it: Find a comfortable position, lie down, and follow the visualization of the small blue light. There is nowhere else you need to be and nothing else you need to do.

Key Benefits:

• Body Scan for Sleep: Systematic relaxation to help you drift off faster.
• Nervous System Reset: Shifts you from "fight or flight" into "rest and digest."
• Distraction-Proof: A specific "to-do list" for your brain so the mind doesn't wander.

Let the light fade into darkness. Sleep well.

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Fix Your Gut, Fix Your Depletion: Functional Nutrition for the Modern Woman

Are you feeling physically and mentally depleted? In this episode, we sit down with Georgie, a specialist in naturopathic nutrition, to explore why so many women are hitting a wall in today’s fast-paced world.

We dive deep into the principles of functional medicine, looking at how the body is fully interconnected—from the nervous system and liver to the gut-brain axis. Georgie shares expert insights on the "wear and tear" that often hits in our 30s, the specific nutrient demands of the postpartum period, and why "optimal" blood levels matter far more than just being "average."

Whether you are struggling with IBS, recovering from birth, or simply looking to reconnect with your body’s signals, this conversation offers practical "small wins" to help you move from surviving to thriving.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Postpartum Window: Why depletion can last years, and the specific nutrients (Iron, Choline, Iodine) you need to recover.
• The Gut-Brain Axis: How stress and the nervous system directly impact your digestion and IBS symptoms.
• "Small Wins": Practical ways to layer nutrition into your day without the overwhelm.
• Testing vs. Guessing: Understanding why "normal" GP blood results might be masking your fatigue.

Major Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: Learning to Listen to Your Body

02:33 – The Path to Functional Medicine & Naturopathic Nutrition

03:28 – What is Functional Medicine? Taking a Holistic View

05:51 – The "Wear and Tear" of Your 30s: Collagen & CoQ10

07:50 – Postpartum Depletion: Defining the Recovery Window

10:03 – Small Nutrition Wins for Busy Moms: Nutrient Layering

13:06 – When to Get Blood Tests: Signs of Real Depletion

17:10 – Optimal vs. Normal Blood Ranges: What the Data Really Means

22:26 – IBS and the Gut-Brain Axis: The Impact of Stress

25:39 – The Power of Breath: Activating "Rest and Digest"

28:02 – "External Digestion" Hacks: Slow Cooking for Gut Health

32:33 – Top 3 Things to Test Postpartum: Omega-3, Zinc, and Magnesium

34:25 – Global Health Inspirations: Lessons from Japan & Blue Zones

37:16 – The Intelligence of the Body: Overcoming Disconnection

Connect with us: Instagram handles: tribeofparents & Glownutrition

Found this episode helpful? Please leave us a review and share it with a friend who needs to hear this today!

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⚠️ MEDICAL NOTICE & SENSITIVE CONTENT

The first ten seconds of this podcast contains a disclaimer on screen. This episode discusses a life-threatening medical emergency involving severe preeclampsia and premature birth. The following story is a personal account and is NOT a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are pregnant and experiencing sudden swelling, vision changes, severe headaches, or shortness of breath, please stop this video and contact your doctor or emergency services immediately.

In this powerful episode of our podcast, we sit down with Barbara to discuss her "fragile beginnings" with her son, Rían.

After a long and difficult 4-year journey through IVF, Barbara thought the hardest part was over—but her journey into motherhood was just beginning. At just 30 weeks pregnant, Barbara was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia. What started as "white coat syndrome" quickly escalated into a life-threatening situation where fluid began filling her lungs, leaving her unable to breathe.

Episode Chapters

00:00 — Introduction & The Reality of the NICU Barbara shares the emotional experience of seeing Rían in an incubator for the first time and why these "fragile beginnings" conversations are essential.

02:51 — Understanding "Corrected Age" A breakdown of the developmental math for premature babies—explaining how Rían is 16 months old by birth but 14 months old developmentally.

04:05 — From IVF Struggle to a Sudden Deadline The journey through four years of IVF and the irony of Barbara’s wish to be a mother before age 40 coming true just four days before her birthday.

07:04 — The Diagnosis: Severe Preeclampsia How "white coat syndrome" initially masked dangerous blood pressure levels, leading to a surprise hospital admission where she was told she wouldn't leave without her baby.

12:24 — "I Can't Breathe": The Medical Emergency The terrifying moment fluid filled Barbara's lungs, forcing an emergency delivery 10 weeks ahead of schedule for both their safety.

17:35 — The "Lion King" Birth & NICU Separation. In honor of International Cesarean Awareness Month Barbara shares a light-hearted "Lion King" lift during the emergency C-section, followed by the difficult reality of being separated while recovering on different hospital floors.

24:42 — Navigating the NICU Journey Barbara describes the overwhelming sight of the NICU, the "beeping" monitors, and the slow, 7-week process of Rían getting stronger.

36:15 — Bringing Rían Home & Looking Back The emotional transition of leaving the hospital and the joy of seeing Rían thriving today at 16 months old.

45:50 — Advice for Parents & Closing Thoughts Final reflections on the language of the NICU and advice for other parents facing high-risk pregnancies.

Whether you are navigating the NICU, dealing with a high-risk pregnancy, or just need to hear a story of resilience, Barbara’s experience offers a raw and honest look at the realities of premature birth.

#CesareanAwarenessMonth #CSectionAwareness #ICAM2026 #NICU #Preeclampsia #IVFSuccess #PrematureBirth #NICUMiracle #HighRiskPregnancy #MotherhoodJourney

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What if you could rewrite the rules of maternity leave? 🚐👶

In this episode of the Tribe of Parents Experience, Host Hannah sits down with Aislinn O'Toole to discuss her decision to "down tools" and embark on a two-month European road trip in a self-converted camper van with her husband and their four-month-old daughter, Clodagh. Aislinn shares the raw reality of life on the road—from phenomenal views over surfer beaches to the stress of a leaking roof in the Spanish rain. We explore the intersection of her corporate background in marketing with her new identity as a mother, discussing how leadership skills like vulnerability and resourcefulness are surprisingly transferable to parenting. Whether you're a parent-to-be, a seasoned pro, or just love a good adventure story, this episode is a reminder that there is no single blueprint for parenting.

In this episode, we cover:

(i)The "Next to Me" Van Hack: How they modified a camper van for an infant.

(ii) Logistics & Life Lessons: Managing feeding, weaning, and medical anxieties while traveling abroad.

(iii) Leadership & Motherhood: Why vulnerability is a superpower in the office and at home.

(iv) Practical Travel Tips: Using ferries, visiting friends, and navigating the healthcare system in Spain and Portugal.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction & Van Life Transition

04:22 Choosing the Van Life & Motivations

09:15 Preparing for a 4-Month-Old on the Road

15:40 The Reality of Daily Life & Routines

22:10 Challenges, Setbacks & Sleep Deprivation

30:35 Finding Community & "The Tribe"

38:50 Lessons in Minimalism & Perspective

46:15 Future Plans & Advice for Parents

52:30 Conclusion & Where to Follow

Connect with Tribe of Parents: https://www.instagram.com/tribeofparents/

Subscribe for more unconventional parenting stories!

#tribeofparents #VanLife #MaternityLeave #ParentingPodcast #travelwithbaby

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