The Mama Circle: Why Motherhood Feels Like This

After 95 episodes, The Mama Circle is taking a short season break.
The full archive is still here while I step out of weekly production for a few weeks and give some intentional thought to how the podcast grows and what comes next.
The next new episode will be released around the middle of October. Make sure to follow The Mama Circle so it appears in your podcast app when it’s ready.
Listener Survey: I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on the podcast and it takes just a few short minutes: https://tally.so/r/RGNEQK
Instagram: @natalie.kmartin
TikTok: @nataliek.martin

Most couples ask, “Can we afford to have a baby?” But that conversation often focuses on nappies, childcare and maternity leave, rather than what becoming parents could mean for each person’s financial future.
In this episode, I’m sharing the money conversations I think couples should have before having children, during pregnancy or even after becoming parents. We talk about career goals, parental leave, part-time work, pensions, savings, financial independence, childcare, family planning and what happens when life doesn’t go according to plan.
This isn’t financial advice, and there is no perfect way to organise money after children. It’s about making the invisible financial cost of care visible, so that one person doesn’t quietly absorb a family decision alone.

🫂 Craving support from other mums who get it? Join IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.
It's A Lot is my private WhatsApp community for mums who want an honest space to share motherhood without judgement, criticism or unsolicited advice. Try it free for three months, then it's €10 per month. Join here: ⁠⁠⁠www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠👭FREE GUIDE - The Five Villages Every Mum Needs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If this conversation resonated, download my free audio guide, The 5 Villages Every Mum Needs, where I explore the different kinds of support modern mothers need and why so many of us feel like we’re doing it alone. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get it here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

15% off Mother's Earth
I've been using Mother's Earth laundry sheets for the last couple of months and genuinely love them. Use code NAT for 15% off your first order here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mothersearth.de/NAT ⁠⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode?
TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nataliek.martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ Support The Mama Circle Podcast: if you’re enjoying my podcast, you can buy me a virtual coffee here! Thank you 🫶🏽 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/nataliekmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Wednesday🎧 Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a quick review — it really helps other mums find the show.

How do you make time for sex after having kids when you’re exhausted, touched out and barely have time to speak to your partner?
In Part 2 of my conversation with somatic intimacy coach and embodiment teacher Alice Jackson, we talk about what intimacy can realistically look like after becoming parents and why having less time doesn’t have to mean losing your connection completely.
We talk about:
Making intimacy a priority without turning it into another obligation

Why scheduling sex doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with your relationship

Focusing on quality rather than how often you have sex

Feeling too tired, overwhelmed or overstimulated to be touched

Communicating what you need before resentment builds

Expanding intimacy beyond penetrative sex

Simple ways to reconnect when one partner has less desire

Dating, boundaries and sexuality as a single mum

Holding onto your relationship as a couple after becoming parents

Sex after children may be different from what came before. Your desire can expand, contract and change through different seasons of motherhood, and that doesn’t mean it has disappeared forever.

About Alice
Alice Jackson is a Somatic Intimacy Coach and Embodiment Teacher with over a decade of experience helping women reconnect with their bodies, desires and sense of self. Through her somatic intimacy work, she supports women to rebuild trust in their bodies and create more fulfilling relationships with themselves and others.
Get in touch with Alice at:
⁠https://www.alicejackson.life/⁠
https://www.instagram.com/alice.e.jackson/
I've been using Mother's Earth laundry sheets for the last couple of months and genuinely love them. Use code NAT for 15% off your first order here: ⁠⁠https://www.mothersearth.de/NAT ⁠⁠
Missed Part 1?
Go back and listen to Episode 93: Why don't I feel sexy since becoming a mum?, where Alice and I explore how motherhood can change our relationship with our bodies, sexuality, pleasure and desire.

🫂 Craving support from other mums who get it? Join IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.
It's A Lot is my private WhatsApp community for mums who want an honest space to share motherhood without judgement, criticism or unsolicited advice. Try it free for three months, then it's €10 per month. Join here: ⁠⁠www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠⁠

⁠⁠👭FREE GUIDE - The Five Villages Every Mum Needs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If this conversation resonated, download my free audio guide, The 5 Villages Every Mum Needs, where I explore the different kinds of support modern mothers need and why so many of us feel like we’re doing it alone. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get it here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode?
TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nataliek.martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ Support The Mama Circle Podcast: if you’re enjoying my podcast, you can buy me a virtual coffee here! Thank you 🫶🏽 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/nataliekmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Wednesday🎧 Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a quick review — it really helps other mums find the show.

Why don’t I feel sexy since becoming a mum? If your desire has disappeared, your body no longer feels like your own or being touched is sometimes the last thing you want, there may be very good reasons.
In this episode, I’m joined by somatic intimacy coach and embodiment teacher Alice Jackson for an honest conversation about sex, desire and reconnecting with your body after becoming a mum.
We talk about:
Why pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding can change your relationship with your body

Feeling touched out, overstimulated and too overwhelmed for intimacy

Why libido can change across different seasons of motherhood

Broadening our definition of sex beyond penetration

Whether scheduling sex can actually help you reconnect

Finding intimacy when tiredness, childcare and everyday life keep getting in the way

How trying to conceive and IVF can turn sex from connection into pressure

Rebuilding desire without forcing yourself to feel something you don’t

This isn’t about adding sex to your already overflowing to-do list. It’s about understanding what your body may be communicating and finding your way back to intimacy, desire and yourself without shame or pressure.
And this conversation isn’t over. Next week, Alice and I move from our relationship with our own sexuality to sex and intimacy with somebody else: making time for sex after kids, mismatched desire, communication, and dating as a single mum.
About Alice
Alice Jackson is a Somatic Intimacy Coach and Embodiment Teacher with over a decade of experience helping women reconnect with their bodies, desires and sense of self. Through her somatic intimacy work, she supports women to rebuild trust in their bodies and create more fulfilling relationships with themselves and others.
Get in touch with Alice at:
https://www.alicejackson.life/
https://www.instagram.com/alice.e.jackson/

I've been using Mother's Earth laundry sheets for the last couple of months and genuinely love them. Use code NAT for 15% off your first order here: ⁠https://www.mothersearth.de/NAT ⁠

🫂 Craving support from other mums who get it? Join IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.
It's A Lot is my private WhatsApp community for mums who want an honest space to share motherhood without judgement, criticism or unsolicited advice. Try it free for three months, then it's €10 per month. Join here: ⁠www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle⁠

⁠👭FREE GUIDE - The Five Villages Every Mum Needs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If this conversation resonated, download my free audio guide, The 5 Villages Every Mum Needs, where I explore the different kinds of support modern mothers need and why so many of us feel like we’re doing it alone. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get it here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode?
TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nataliek.martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ Support The Mama Circle Podcast: if you’re enjoying my podcast, you can buy me a virtual coffee here! Thank you 🫶🏽 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/nataliekmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Wednesday🎧 Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a quick review — it really helps other mums find the show.

What if your child prefers being at their other parent's house?
It's a fear that caught me completely off guard when my son was away with his dad. Not because I thought he might love his dad more, but because their household can afford experiences that I sometimes can't.
As a single mum parenting on a tighter budget, what happens when one house can say yes to festivals, meals out and more days out, while the other is packing snacks for the playground?
In this episode, I'm talking about co-parenting after separation, comparing yourself with the other parent's household, the financial reality of single motherhood, and the fear of becoming the "boring" parent.
The fear that your child might prefer the other parent
Comparing two households after separation
How money gives parents more options, not necessarily more love
The pressure to spend money to make childhood experiences "count"
Being the parent who has to say no more often
Why ordinary childhood memories still matter
Remembering that your household has value that isn't financial

Because after separation, it isn't only your finances that change. Your child's life splits into two versions, and suddenly there's another household you can measure your own against.

I've been using Mother's Earth laundry sheets for the last couple of months and genuinely love them. Use code NAT for 15% off your first order here: https://www.mothersearth.de/NAT

🫂 Craving support from other mums who get it? Join IT'S A LOT – free for 30 days.
It's A Lot is my private WhatsApp community for mums who want an honest space to share motherhood without judgement, criticism or unsolicited advice. Try it free for three months, then it's €10 per month. Join here: www.nataliekmartin.com/mama-circle

👭FREE GUIDE - The Five Villages Every Mum Needs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If this conversation resonated, download my free audio guide, The 5 Villages Every Mum Needs, where I explore the different kinds of support modern mothers need and why so many of us feel like we’re doing it alone. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get it here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to share your thoughts on this episode?
TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nataliek.martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natalie.kmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ Support The Mama Circle Podcast: if you’re enjoying my podcast, you can buy me a virtual coffee here! Thank you 🫶🏽 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/nataliekmartin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Wednesday🎧 Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a quick review — it really helps other mums find the show.