TRIGGER WARNING - PREGNANCY TERMINATION

This episode discusses the termination of a pregnancy due to fatal fetal abnormality.

But if you can stay - please do, because every woman in Ireland needs to hear this story to understand why our abortion legislation is letting down women who need and deserve to be cared for - here - in this country. 

My guest this week is mother of two Shonagh O'Connor.

She contacted me and she asked me would I consider covering the topic of termination specifically to highlight how for some women they fall outside of the legislation and don’t receive care here. She explained her story and my response was to invite her to share it with you too - in her own words. 

At 12 weeks and 2 days, at a scan, she was told that her pregnancy was unlikely to continue to term.

But as she was 12 and 2 days that there was nothing they could do for her in Ireland.

She would have to travel to the UK for a termination. If she had been 11 week she could be treated here, despite the historic referendum, a landslide of 66.4% voting in favour to repeal the 8th amendment and provide abortion care for women in Ireland.

This conversation acts as an example of how we are still exporting care of women in need of reproductive healthcare in this country.

If you have been affected by the themes in this episode please find the following supports:

Bereavement Support https://lmcsupport.ie/

https://wellwomancentre.ie/unplanned-pregnancy/ema-step-by-step/

https://www.ifpa.ie/advocacy/abortion-in-ireland-legal-timeline/

https://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/abortion-law-in-ireland/

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

You can find me on instagram @sinead.omoore and @stretchmarkspodcast

Produced by the brand story

For brand collaborations and sponsorship please email stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

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

Stretch marks don't just happen on your body - they happen throughout your life (especially in this insane world).

This week I’m joined by Caitlín Kirrane @mrscaitlinkirrane, to talk about the stretch of holding on to the vision of building their family home in the West of Ireland while living as a family of 4 kids, 2 adults in a mobile home for 6 years.

Beyond the house we also talk about hormonal and mental health particularly Caitlín's struggles with PMDD Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and how as she approaches 40 those hormonal dips have become unsustainable for a healthy happy life.

We talk about what PMDD feels like for her, starting hormone replacement therapy to help even out her month, her non negotiables, boundaries and approach to life. 

You can find me on instagram @sinead.omoore and @stretchmarkspodcast

Produced by the brand story

For brand collaborations and sponsorship please email stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

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

Stretch marks don't just happen on your body - they happen throughout your life (especially in this insane world).

Katrina is a creative powerhouse in the hair industry with her salon Darlo and is climbing into a new heights of entrepreneurship with the launch of the hugely popular Hey Dario and new product Darlo Bounce.

And not unlike her Darlo Bounce Rollers, as a person you can’t help but feel lifted and supported at the roots by this woman. 

We talk about the lessons women in her salon have taught her over the years.

Why she’s so passionate about female founders becoming more financially literate after being screwed over in the past. 

And how she’s so proud of where she came home and where her goals are taking her. 

If you’re limiting yourself right now when you know it’s time to stretch beyond your comfort zone and make things happen - this conversation will get you there. 

Thank you for listening you can find my guest @katrinakelly_  on instagram 

As always thank you for your support for being here and pressing play.

if you have a second please leave a review on apple or spotify, subscribe and share across your socials. 

Get in touch with me at stretchmarkspod@gmail.com 

And I’ll talk to you again, next week! 

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Stretch marks don't just happen on your body - they happen throughout your life (especially in this insane world).

Mollie is is an Irish language educator, content creator, and language activist with nearly 300,000 followers across social platforms reigniting our language. 

And here we talk about why thats important - not just for the tradition or heritage but for our souls. 

You see its only now through witnessing in real time the attempts to erode an indigenous people am I revisiting our own Irish history with a new appreciation for what was lost. Our language was a crime. How we said I love you was a crime. 

Our words and poetry and music and wisdom no longer had a voice to carry it.

I believe in the power of words and we lost ours. 

And so this week on Seachtain na gaeilge I want to better understand the marks this left behind. 

You can find me on instagram @sinead.omoore and @stretchmarkspodcast

Produced by the brand story

For brand collaborations and sponsorship please email stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

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

On this award winning podcast we talk about the parts of life stretching us to our limits, the necessary growth and the marks left behind.

Stretch marks don't just happen on your body - they happen throughout your life (especially in this insane world).

In another week where the news headlines continues to stretch our nervous systems, I want to talk about how we stay informed, be conscious citizens to other peoples lived experiences around the world - while still having enough regulation to be in our bodies, in our lives, empty dishwashers, answer emails....

And I want to have this conversation with journalist Hilary McGann who you might know and follow as NewsbyHil.

Hil is from Limerick, worked at CNN and is now based in Boston with her husband and 8 month old son.

And she’s using her professional love to bring us accessible information on whats going on in the world - in a way that makes me feel clued in without the rage bait that is so loud on the internet right now. 

I wanted to get into all of this with Hil because in many ways her life is intersecting all thats going on right now. 

Professionally as a journalist on @newsbyhil and creator of Booked In Podcast

Personally as a new mother.

And living in the US which is the epicentre of the chaos in many ways. 

I’m of the hope that we all have the ability to play a part in where the world goes next. 

And while I can’t change anything, I can have use Stretch Marks to have this conversation and hopefully help you if you’re feeling like I am right now.

You can find me on instagram @sinead.omoore and @stretchmarkspodcast

Produced by the brand story

For brand collaborations and sponsorship please email stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

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

On this award winning show we talk about the parts of life stretching us to our limits, the growth that we are grateful for and the marks left behind.

Stretch marks don't just happen on your body - they happen throughout your life.

This week on Stretch Marks I am joined by Irish Actress, Writer, Producer and all round icon Amy De Bhrún, best known for her roles in Line of Duty, Vikings, Jason Bourne...

In this conversation, Sinead and Amy De Bhrun explore the emotional and practical challenges of parenting a neurodivergent child, particularly focusing on Amy's film 'Samhain'.

They discuss the stigma surrounding autism, and the importance of support systems for families.

The conversation highlights the personal journey of creating the film, the societal perceptions of neurodiversity, and the hope for a more compassionate understanding of autism in the future.

Her new short film "SAMHAIN" is inspired by her son River's autism diagnosis and is available to watch on Virgin Media Player later tonight Wednesday 24th Feb 2026.

https://www.virginmediatelevision.ie/

You can find me on instagram @sinead.omoore and @stretchmarkspodcast

Produced by the brand story

For brand collaborations please email stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

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

Eating together as a family (at least a few nights a week) builds stability, safety and connection and healthy food habits - and according to my guest Psychologist Allison Keating, the connection starts long before the first bite.

Yes we had a summer of eating on the go but autumn, school and routine is here and its time to settle back in to the kitchen table - and here Bestselling Author Psychologist Allison Keating explains why.

New research from HelloFresh reveals that family dinners in Ireland are in decline.

The desire to reverse that trend is strong, with 85% wishing they could enjoy more family meals together. The biggest barriers are a lack of

time (58%), children’s busy schedules (30%) and the sheer overwhelm of weeknight chores (23%).

As the pressure to “do it all” mounts with the return to school, parents admit that dinnertime has

become less a cherished ritual and more a daily chore they struggle to keep up with. More than 80% of

those aged 25 to 34 say they spend less time at family dinners than they did in the past, highlighting

how quickly the tradition is fading in households with young children.

Here we talk about practical solutions to reduce the overwhelm of mealtimes, why children benefit from being involved in the prep and the psychological benefits (along with nutritive) for sharing a balanced meal as many evenings as you can manage together.

Supported by Hello Fresh, Ireland's No1 Recipe Box

Get 50% off your First box HERE

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

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

And so I wrap up for now with Aileen Cox Blundell, a dear friend of mine since 2017.

She's the best selling author of multiple Baby Led Weaning books and creator of the hugely successful babyledfeeding.com

But she has taken an even bigger leap of faith and stretched herself beyond any limiting beliefs she carried since the day a teacher said college wasn’t for her - because with her weaning content and books thriving she knew she needed the qualifications to fulfill her mission - to meaningfully support parents and has just completed her Masters to become a registered Nutritionist. 

It’s taken 10 years to get to where she is now and at the end of season 10 - I salute her.

And every one who has been brave enough to stretch into the women they are here to be in this world.  

Food and nutrition is a pillar of our health. And when we deplete it we dont have the energy to show up in our lives with the energy to become, to grow, to love, to thrive.

Thank you for listening - 10 SEASONS is a huge milestone for me.

Thank you xx

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy. Take the first step towards better health and visit one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website or use my favourite tool for managing prescriptions by downloading the new McCabes Pharmacy App.

McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

Follow along on:

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

Meet Liz Kavanagh - a woman from Galway sharing her personal journey with Crohn's & now Colon Cancer.

In Ireland, Colon Cancer is the third most common cancer in women.

Approximately 1,100 women are diagnosed with colon or bowel cancer each year and the risk increases as we age.  

For Liz her story goes way back to her teenage years when she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease which led to surgery last year.

She woke from surgery with a stoma but also the news that they found a mass. 

Here we talk about how grateful she feels about the mass being found, removed and treatment kicking in but how difficult it is to have life so suddenly and so severely interrupted with this news.

She's been sharing her story on instagram and tiktok to keep her sane but also to connect with other women going through illness, treatment and recovery and to remind us all that we can’t assume to take our health for granted.

Follow her HERE

I recently had my bloods checked by Bloodworks now available at select McCabe’s Pharmacy’s. Book your test HERE

This test includes genetic screening for heart disease and diabetes, as well as cancer antigen testing for breast, prostate, colon, lung, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers.

For more on colon cancer and the symptoms please click here.

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy. Take the first step towards better health and visit one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website or use my favourite tool for managing prescriptions by downloading the new McCabes Pharmacy App.

McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

Follow along on:

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

This week I’m with founder of the latest Irish Make Up Brand thriving here and in the UK, Hildun Beauty, Suzy Griffin Dunne.

With 3 young kids at home, Suzy left her job as a producer at RTE to take this huge risk and it’s paying off. We talk about giving birth on the day lockdown was announced, and another just a year later. What motivates her chase her dreams and the genuine support other irish female founders pour into each other.

Irish beauty and their founders are having a real moment right now and are the perfect inspiration for why you can’t play small and that huge success is here for us in our 40’s. 

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy. Take the first step towards better health and visit one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website or use my favourite tool for managing prescriptions by downloading the new McCabes Pharmacy App.

McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

Follow along on:

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

This week I’m a woman who has just stepped into her last year before she turns 40.

Emma Kehoe is an Empowerment Coach & Mindfulness Mentor but she’s also gained a following for her beauty, style and connecting with woman who might not be on the trajectory of married with kids that life tells us we should be on by now. 

She is single, she’s independent and she’s embracing where her life is taking her, with its own plan, in its own time.  

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy. Take the first step towards better health and visit one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website or use my favourite tool for managing prescriptions by downloading the new McCabes Pharmacy App.

McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

Follow along on:

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

Are you ready to Light your Soul all the way back UP with today’s guest Miriam Hussey, co founder of the Soul Space movement, pharmacist, mother, integrative health advocate and NOW author of her first book Light Up.

Light Up explores the intricate connections between mind, body, and soul, with a profound emphasis on the soul as the focal point of our overall well-being.

Written for those who feel they are struggling with our ‘always on’ culture, this book offers a pause to prioritise our own needs so that we can shine brightly and live purposefully once again.

We talk about motherhood, the distress our bodies feel as we consciously awaken to all the distress in the world right now, and she shares really accessible ways to light up within - because closing ourselves down right now is not an option. 

And If you love this conversation join Miriam and husband Gerry Hussey in the Armada Hotel this October for their Light Up retreat, and keep an eye for their annual Christmas event on their socials.

Click to: Preorder Miriam's Book Light Up

Click for: Light Up Retreat in the Armada

Click to: Join Soul Space

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy. Take the first step towards better health and visit one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website or use my favourite tool for managing prescriptions by downloading the new McCabes Pharmacy App.

McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

Follow along on:

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

This week I’m with one of my favourite, honest, mid life and mid size, fashion and beauty influencers Sinead from the Beaut Truth.

Like me, Sinead is in her early 40’s she has kids and a career and like many many other women I know has recently gone through a bit of a dark night of the soul and new direction - new priorities - new boundaries - new woman. 

We talk about everything here from body image to physical health to breast reduction surgery. 

And how after losing her dad a few years ago that none of this self judgement means a damn thing. Being well is all that matters. 

And another thing that shouldnt mean a thing - are the opinions of others especially those that have written about Sinead in tattle threads, some even commenting on how she looked at school dropoffs - because ya know that’s a measure of her as a woman! 

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy. Take the first step towards better health and visit one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website or use my favourite tool for managing prescriptions by downloading the new McCabes Pharmacy App.

McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

Follow along on:

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

This week I’m with a founder of one of my favourite skincare brands Niamh Ryan of Ella and Jo. 

Beyond the whole co founder success story - she is also a mother of 4 and the past decade has been a serious personal and professional stretch.

And here at 41 she says for the first time she can feel herself drop into her body and live truly as herself. 

We talk about her spirituality, how she channels confidence, energy and discipline when it comes to giving her soul and body what it needs.

She runs, she plunges, she meditates, she holds beautiful retreats for us all to drop our shoulders and take a breath. 

And this conversation will inspire you to grab on to life, to be ruthless about conserving and nurturing your own energy and never wasting a drop of it on self doubt. 

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy. Take the first step towards better health and visit one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website or use my favourite tool for managing prescriptions by downloading the new McCabes Pharmacy App.

McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

Follow along on:

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

Hello you’re listening to Stretch Marks with me your host Sinéad O'Moore.

This week I’m joined by a friend, a woman who has nourished her grief into an empathy that is helping others through a modality known as Emotional Freedom Technique and now author of her first book Tapping into You - Sarah Tobin. 

I first met Sarah about 7 years ago as she joined me to share her story of losing her newborn Alice and explored what all this “tapping” stuff was.

As you listen to the episode here, you’ll see how I began as a bit of a cynic but as for us all in some shape or form, life brought me to my knees one day and without realising it - I was there tapping on the points that Sarah has once taught me and feeling a wash of calm - just enough to get through. 

This conversation is vibrant and loving and hopeful and full of light - but it does also reflect on our own personal experiences of grief and baby loss so just mind yourself if that is not what you need right now but I promise you it will introduce you to something that can  look after your emotional health. 

Preorder Sarah's Book HERE

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy. Take the first step towards better health and visit one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website or use my favourite tool for managing prescriptions by downloading the new McCabes Pharmacy App.

McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

Follow along on:

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

Hazel Burton founder of The Home Reset joins me to inspire you to reset your life.

I am obsessed with watching Hazel’s tips and transformations and fully believe that her business is not just about resetting someone’s home but it can reset their life - its a modern day therapy when life feels too much and you don't know where to start. 

We talk about the courage Hazel needed to resign from her high paying, safe, secure, corporate job, how in her 40’s she now has the career balance and confidence she dreamed and what she’s learned from being welcomed into her clients.

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy. Take the first step towards better health and visit one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website or use my favourite tool for managing prescriptions by downloading the new McCabes Pharmacy App.

McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

Follow along on:

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

Say Hello to Rebecca Ryan.

Rebecca is an actress, viral lip syncer, and a fellow 1984 baby like me.

We talk about coming out of the haze of early motherhood, how her creche closing changed her career path, taking back control of her health, weight and wellbeing and life with Ulcerative Colitis. We also couldnt get through this very warm and gorgeous open book of a conversion without acknowledging the grief and the lifetime of gratitude she has for her dad who she lost a few months ago.  

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy. Take the first step towards better health and visit one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website

or use my favourite tool for managing prescriptions by downloading the new McCabes Pharmacy App.

McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

Follow along on:

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

Hello - I’m Sinead O’Moore and I’ve got good news for fans of the pod. 

The 40’s Stretch is coming back on Wednesday June 11th thanks to my partner McCabe’s Pharmacy.

In case you’re new - let’s catch you up 

Stretch Marks is a podcast that goes deep into the parts of life that are stretching us.

And creates a safe community for us to heal, not hide the marks left behind. 

It very much started in Motherhood - but its grown to include relationships, career, health, the world losing its mind and how to function when it all feels too much.

And now at SEASON 10 the focus is on the 40’s Stretch.  

This is a profoundly influential decade of our lives and for the trajectory of our wellbeing and I am back talking to more women about what they are going through physically, mentally, hormonally, professionally...

Basically I want all their tips - and then share them with you. 

So I’m here for the next 10 weeks supported by McCabe’s Pharmacy with deep conversations with inspirational women, experts and friends about how to embrace, conquer and thrive throughout our 40’s stretch. 

Ok, together let’s figure out The 40’s Stretch. 

Talk to you Wednesday.

Created by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

This season wraps up with a huge conversation with Maria Byrne also known as No Spring Chicken

Maria is a mother of 2 about to leave her 40's behind - a decade where so much has changed for her professionally, personally and hormonally.

From the grief of losing her mum to deep anxiety, redundancy and figuring out a childhood where the dad she saw once a week had another family, his “real family” and she was the other child… and the scandal and insecurity that all brought.  

And how somewhere in her 40’s all these threads and stories that made her who she was all came to a head - or more like a wrecking ball. 

But she is here, in a good space with her health back on track. 

Which is what its all about. Life leaves it’s mark on us and eventually instead of hiding them we have to heal them.

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy: Download the new and improved McCabes Pharmacy app today, it's a simple, secure, and time-saving way to manage medications. PLUS you'll get 20% off your first purchase through the app using the code NEWAPP20. 

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

Today I'm joined by the first Irish woman to be included in the Forbes 50 over 50 global list of trailblazing women - Loretta Dignam founder and CEO of the Menopause Hub, Ireland's first dedicated menopause clinic.

After three years of hot flushes, broken sleep, migraines, headaches, dizziness, weight gain, UTIs and dry eyes, energy levels on the floor, Loretta felt like her old self had disappeared. And instead of just making a change - she made a revolution. 

Here we talk about what led to her courageous move out of her career and into the Menopause Hub, why we need specialist menopause clinics and the value of women being so much more informed and empowered in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s to not only protect their hormones but their future health. 

SURVEY:

The Menopause Hub invites you to take part in their annual Perimenopause and Menopause survey.

It is the 7th year of the survey, and the results help to inform stakeholders, including Government, Dept of Health, Medical Professionals, Employers and Media as well as Policy Makers and Society generally. Click here to take part.

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy: Download the new and improved McCabes Pharmacy app today, it's a simple, secure, and time-saving way to manage medications. PLUS you'll get 20% off your first purchase through the app using the code NEWAPP20. 

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

This week I'm joined by breath work facilitator Laura Carr.

With over 16 years in this space, Laura integrates grounded coaching, somatic techniques, and spiritual insight to release blocks, restore balance, and guide you toward alignment with your true self. She is also calm, compassionate but good craic too… 

We talk about what led her to moving from the corporate hustle to these therapies. 

What breathwork can do for our nervous system regulation as we move through each stretch of life and she takes us through a breath work exercise which we can all do anytime we feel we need to take a breath. 

This stuff isn’t new age - it’s ancient.

It’s not being invented. It’s being remembered.

This conversation, this whole series in fact shows us how to take steps towards better health which is why it makes sense to partner with McCabe’s Pharmacy. So find more support by popping into one of their 110 McCabes Pharmacies nationwide, visit their website or download their new McCabes Pharmacy App. Thank you so much to McCabes Pharmacy - better health for every body.

Thank you so much to my guest - you can find her on instagram at lauracarr wellness 

And to my sponsors McCabe’s Pharmacy - Better Health for Everybody.

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy: Download the new and improved McCabes Pharmacy app today, it's a simple, secure, and time-saving way to manage medications. PLUS you'll get 20% off your first purchase through the app using the code NEWAPP20. 

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

Join me for this conversion with child and adolescent psychotherapist and play therapist Debbie Cullinane who at 42 is in her “no more holding back” era! 

We talk about aging, the lessons she has taken from her grandmother who is still a force at 92 and Debbie’s evolving relationship with her body.

She is very open about her history of anorexia and bulimia and why now strong is better than small.  

We also get very honest about our changing relationships with alcohol - and recognising that the mummy wine culture is not serving. 

As a health professional focused on children’s mental health, Debbie reminds us here that we can so easily allow our own health to decline as life stretches us to thin. 

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy: Download the new and improved McCabes Pharmacy app today, it's a simple, secure, and time-saving way to manage medications. PLUS you'll get 20% off your first purchase through the app using the code NEWAPP20. 

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

Hello this is Stretch Marks Podcast. I’m Sinead O’Moore

Lorna makes us laugh on the internet, but its not all fun and games.

She has had a huge 5 years and since 40 is beginning to take care of herself - unapologetically. 

We talk about the impact of her son's Autism diagnosis and after 40 years of masking it all made sense as she received her own diagnosis of ADHD. 

TW: She also opens up about pregnancy loss - so just take note of how you’re doing as we do talk about miscarriage here.

Lorna started taking a GLP1 drug 6 weeks ago to take back control of her weight and her future health, which we dive into. 

Now while all of this sounds heavy - it’s lorna so she moves through this conversation with the wit and fun that has made her so popular online.

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy: Download the new and improved McCabes Pharmacy app today, it's a simple, secure, and time-saving way to manage medications. PLUS you'll get 20% off your first purchase through the app using the code NEWAPP20. 

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

Sabrina Hill is the owner of the award winning Copper Hair Salon in Cork and mother of two boys at either end of the age spectrum - one in his 20's and one under 2.

She has had a transformational start to her 40’s: career shifts // divorce // a new relationship // engagement // pregnant at 42 //ivf // hyperemesis // perimenopause

If ever there was an episode that proves that this decade leads to profound life shifts - it’s this one.

Sabrina has had to figure out a lot of new life stretches and we talk about them all as she shares the lessons and the supports she’s leaned into along the way. 

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy: Download the new and improved McCabes Pharmacy app today, it's a simple, secure, and time-saving way to manage medications. PLUS you'll get 20% off your first purchase through the app using the code NEWAPP20. 

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

Kirsty Gallagher is a spiritual coach and Sunday Times bestselling author. 

She teaches you how to live back in alignment with your soul and divine purpose by reconnecting with ancient wisdoms and natural cycles.

Her free meditations on spotify each monday are mow essential for my health, each sunday she gives me my weekly dose of sanity with her cosmic weather reports, and her workshops have explained life and purpose to me in ways I will never now not see. 

Kirsty’s 7th book - Your Cosmic Purpose: Trust in the universe and discover your life path is available for preorder now.

It promises to help you find your anchor within, the guiding light which will provide stability, confidence and joy even through the challenging times we live in.

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy: Download the new and improved McCabes Pharmacy app today, it's a simple, secure, and time-saving way to manage medications. PLUS you'll get 20% off your first purchase through the app using the code NEWAPP20. 

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

Tracy Clifford a leading 2fm broadcaster joins me to talk about figuring out life, finding her career confidence in her 40's - while also figuring out Silent Endometriosis and a complicated fertility journey.

Painful periods are one of the first things as woman we are taught to “just get on with”.

Unavoidable and unrelenting.

And so begins a relationship with denying what our body might be trying to tell us in the hope that we can mask our discomfort and limit our shame. 

Here Tracy gets really open about her symptoms, her diagnosis, her anger that other women don’t know what to look out for yet and a culture of masking not fixing our female health.

The Endometriosis Association of Ireland is hosting their annual event on Saturday 29th of March 2025 in the Maldron Hotel in Dublin. Tickets are €25 - click here for more information

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy: Download the new and improved McCabes Pharmacy app today, it's a simple, secure, and time-saving way to manage medications. PLUS you'll get 20% off your first purchase through the app using the code NEWAPP20. 

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

Welcome my second guest Simone Gannon (Simone Scribes) - Beauty Editor at the Irish Times, Aesthetician and skincare educator & a very close friend,

Simone was a guest on Stretch Marks in 2023 in an episode called the Almost 40 Stretch & talked about how she won’t descend quietly into hormonal change but will always advocate for her health. listen here

Here we talk about anxiety, fighting fatigue and how changing her pill has made a huge difference to her energy, clarity and rage.

How important it is to not sit with these symptoms - but to take action, with the right health care provider you’ll be listened to. 

We also have a bit of a girl chat about life, work, our love for CBD oil, picking up the phone and having a friend you trust course correct your overwhelmed over stimulated out of control spiralling thoughts of doom. 

Simone has launched a new substack GLOW NOTES which is full of expert skincare and beauty guides. Subscribe here.

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy: Download the new and improved McCabes Pharmacy app today, it's a simple, secure, and time-saving way to manage medications. PLUS you'll get 20% off your first purchase through the app using the code NEWAPP20. 

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

So I’m starting this season with a woman who inspires me to get off my arse on those low mood days, to move my body more and not with punishment as the goal but replenishment and vitality and joy.

Lean with Lesley (Lesley Giltinan) has created a community a community of empowerment fit women - and i want to be one of them. 

Beyond her classes in cork she has developed a digital programmes that any of us can do from home with over 400 workouts.

Here she shares how she completely redirected her career from corporate to coach in her 40’s, how she has seen movement transform the women she has met over the years and she gives us all the pep talk we need to use this new spring energy. You can join her 7 day FREE programme here.

Supported by McCabe's Pharmacy: Download the new and improved McCabes Pharmacy app today, it's a simple, secure, and time-saving way to manage medications. PLUS you'll get 20% off your first purchase through the app using the code NEWAPP20. 

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

NEW SEASON

The 40's Stretch 2.0

Hello - I’m sinead O’Moore and I’ve got good news for fans of the pod. 

The 40’s Stretch is coming back on Wednesday March 5th thanks to my new partner McCabe’s Pharmacy.

In case you’re new - let’s catch you up 

Stretch Marks is a podcast that goes deep into the parts of life that are stretching us.

And creates a safe community for us to heal, not hide the marks left behind. 

It very much started in Motherhood - but its grown to include relationships, career, health, the world losing its mind and how to function when it all feels too much.

And this, the 2nd season of the 40’s Stretch.  

I turned 40 a few months ago, entering this new and pivotal decade for the trajectory of my wellbeing and I am back talking to more women about what they are going through physically, mentally, hormonally, professionally in this profoundly influential decade of our lives. 

Basically I want all their tips - and then share them with you. 

So I’m here for the next 10 weeks supported by McCabe’s Pharmacy with deep conversations with inspirational women, experts and friends about how to embrace, conquer and thrive throughout our 40’s stretch. 

Ok, together let’s figure out The 40’s Stretch. 

See you this Wednesday March 5th

Created by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

So let’s drop our shoulders and take a breath and welcome my guest - Emily Norris

Emily is one of the original youtuber moms - she now has over 850k subscribers to her channel where she has shared vlogs on her life, home and health.

In this episode Emily opens about a recent panic attack and how it led her to realising that she was in perimenopause and needed to support her hormonal health.

From weight training to period cycle tracking so as to know when her tolerance would be low, to her relationship with coffee and alcohol and starting HRT this episode is such an open and relatable conversation about a very normal and all too common 40’s stretch. 

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

So let’s drop our shoulders and take a breath and welcome my guest - Liz Dwyer. 

As Liz turned 40, her marriage ended.

We talk about that moment when her husband told her it was over, how putting all her energy into Future Beauty with her sister Nikki not only became a passion project but something that has gone on to help connect thousands of women with the right clinics for them and gave her back her financial security again.

And how ultimately she is grateful it all ended - that she has a second chance. And she is having so much fun with it. 

Future Beauty and Future Fertility shows will be taking over the RDS on Sat and Sunday March 1st and 2nd 2025.

Book your tickets here.

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

So let’s drop our shoulders and take a breath and welcome my guest - Clare McKenna

Clare hosts Newstalks health and wellbeing show, Alive and Kicking which has inspired her to qualify as an Integrative Health Coach and launch Nourish Yourself - where she supports her clients on a transformative experience through holistic living.

Clare wants more of us to rediscover our vitality, to embrace joy, and nourish our mind, body, and soul - in small but meaningful ways that work with the lives we live. 

We talk about what how she integrates wellness into her life at 47 and a mother of two.

What she has learned from connecting with so many health experts and how she is committed to supporting for herself this decade. 

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

So let’s drop our shoulders and take a breath – and welcome Suzanne Kane back to the pod.

Suzanne is a broadcaster on 98fm, a mother of 3 and 6 months ago she opened up here on Stretch Marks podcast about her perimenopause era. 

The response was a collective sigh of relief and gratitude from the thousands of women that had the same symptoms and had no idea what was going on for them. Suzanne inspired so many women in their 40’s to book those appointments and to stop waiting for the stereotypical symptoms of hot flushes to appear. Anxiety was a big enough sign. 

6 months on and a rollercoaster of HRT, she’s back to fill us all in. 

Listen to part 1 here

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

So let’s drop our shoulders and take a breath – it’s time to meet my first guest of 2025, Sinéad Brady @thecareerpsychologist

Sinéad is a Career Psychologist and best selling author of the book Total Reset - Quit Living to Work and Start Working to Live.

She is a mother of 4, in her mid 40’s and has dedicated her career to helping us achieve career success with evidence-based psychology and practical strategies. 

We talk about wanting change, burnout, intuition and the clarity that come in our 40’s when we are no longer willing to climb the wrong ladder.

She shares why we need to protect the longevity of women’s careers and how in our 40’s we can’t be underestimated. 

If you need support from my guest Career Psychologist Sinead Brady you can follow her @thecareerpsychologist on instagram. 

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

So let’s drop our shoulders and take a breath – it’s time to meet my last guest of 2024, Emily O’Donoghue @Fashionablyfortyish 

If you haven’t discovered Emily yet she is a mother of 2 girls who started her instagram 5 years ago to share her love of fashion which has grown into this really engaged community of women sharing and supporting each others growth, passions and health. 

She is 45, midway through her 40’s and gives us glorious nuggets of truth and wisdom in this conversation. 

We talk about how our 40’s is such a pivotal decade for women.

How moments in early motherhood with premature births and dangerously high blood pressure continue to leave their mark on her, and how she supports her mental health with anti depressants, movement, nutrition and great friends. 

As women in our 40’s we need to gather and connect - whether through social, on this pod or I hope in real life.

And this is that. It’s a beautiful celebration of connection. 

And the last episode to close out the year. 

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

There comes a point for many of us where we slide into this “sandwich” generation of caring for young and caring for old.

And somewhere between the weight, worry and love for them all, we can ignore our bodies whispers - but as my guest today Kellie Billings explains, you can only ignore them for so long. 

Kellie is in her early 40’s, she's the Beauty Editor with Social and Personal Magazine, co-host of the Skin in the Game podcast, a mum of 3 girls and daughter of an incredible mother with alzheimers. 

And in August her body said no more and she needed urgent surgery for a perforated stomach ulcer while in Portugal on holiday. 

We talk about caring for her mam with Alzheimers, signs her body was not ok, and the lessons learned from her emergency health scare.

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

Please welcome women's pelvic health physio specialist Aoife Harvey - from @womenhealthdublin to the pod. 

Aoife has her own physio practice plus she is co founder of  mocohealth an app that shares birth recovery support. 

Like me she turned 40 earlier this year and like me she felt the stirrings of perimenopause - the brain fog, fatigue, and pms kicked in. 

We talk about her decision to get HRT, her love of the coil; and how as women she witnesses her clients suffer in silence with common pelvic symptoms, thinking this is our new normal.

And she is currently on a mission to make vaginal oestrogen an over the counter treatment in Ireland to minimise bladder issues, leaking, urinary tract infections, dryness and pain caused by the decreasing levels of oestrogen in the body. 

SIGN HER PETITION HERE

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

It’s ALL TOO MUCH - written by Psychologist Allison Keating who has worked in her private practice for over 20 years. 

And she has never seen anything like the levels of anxiety, panic and overwhelm that women are experiencing today. 

She is warm and fun, honest and fair. And a balm for my nervous system because she gets it - she knows life right now, and her book is an essential resource for us all. 

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

Meet Áine O'Donnell - one of my closest friends and favourite humans.

At 27 she was diagnosed with MS, Multiple Sclerosis, an incurable neurological condition that interrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Eventually, the disease can cause permanent damage and loss of power.

At 40, she lost her dad, got married and learned that her hero drugs have failed her.

And this week, as this goes out, she begins the process of a Stem Cell Transplant in the UK - her last chance to hold back her advancing MS.

But it's not all tears. We laugh. We reminisce.

We talk about the grief of losing her dad. And marrying the love of her life Tara.

And in this one hour - she will teach you more about life than anyone could.

DONATE xx

To help with the financial burden of this fight, friends have set up a GOFUNDME page for Áine.

To donate to this page and support my wonderful friend, you can follow the link here.

Áine - we love you, fight like hell. 

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

Please welcome my second guest, Laura Nolan Horgan, founder of LNH Edit, mother of 3 and BRCA gene warrior who in her early 30's said no thanks to Ovarian and Breast cancer and underwent a Salpingo Double Ooverectomy, full hysterectomy which removed her ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, womb and double mastectomy - and while this saved her life, it also plunged her straight into surgical menopause.

Laura shared her story on Georgie's Good Glow podcast 4 years ago which gives a really good insight into her BRCA Gene story and well worth a listen - but here, with the grace of time and distance from this traumatic life grenade, Laura shares the hormonal impact thereafter.

We talk about HRT, how Menopause and Women's Health specialist, Dr. Deirdre Lundy brought her back to life, reclaiming her sense of womanhood and the lessons every woman should know from someone who had to learn the hard way, far far too young.

Supported by Key For Her - Their two-step supplement includes two unique blends to support your daily wellness and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

NEW! The 40's Stretch with Sinéad O'Moore

This season is a deep dive into the 40's stretch.

Physically/mentally/emotionally/hormonally/professionally/ this is a profound decade and one that I hope to live well. 

And just like in early motherhood - there is so much left unsaid, so much to learn and so much to gain from connecting with and sharing the real experiences of women. 

Supported by Key For Her

Use the discount code STRETCH for 20% off your first order across all products on keyforher.com

Meet my first guest, Sophie Morris. 

Sophie is currently breaking the internet with her food label awareness and supermarket swap reels, highlighting the ultra processed foods which could be having an impact on our wellbeing supported by her Diploma in General Nutrition and a Diploma in Advanced Nutrition for Fitness. She is 41, a mother of two young boys and she is stretched.

We talk about her experience of entering this new decade, what she wishes every woman in her 40's knew and how she's fuelling herself.

**If you are worried about your own health, hormones, nutrition or wellbeing - always speak with your GP as this conversation should not replace advice from a qualified medical practitioner.**

The 40's Stretch is part of Stretch Marks Podcast,

Hosted by Sinéad O'Moore, produced by The Brand Story and sound edited by Alan Breslin.

Contact: stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/stretchmarkspodcast/

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

We are stretching - this time into our 40's.

I’m Sinead O’Moore host of Stretch Marks podcast and If you're a fan of that podcast, you'll know it started in motherhood but over the years has grown to discuss all the ways life continues to stretch us. 

And this season is a deep dive into the 40's stretch! 

I really believe that our 40’s is a powerful decade where we can grow into the women we are here to be. There can be a bit of liberation, reclamation. we could take over the world – if the world and our hormones would stop knocking us back down again.

I turned 40 in July, perimenopause is hovering over my shoulders, I am getting more anxious, more stressed, sleeping less even though my kids are sleeping more and I know countless women in my tribe who know the game has changed but have no idea how to win anymore. 

And just like in early motherhood - there is so much left unsaid, so much to learn and so much to gain from connecting with and sharing the real experiences of women. 

So together with my amazing new sponsor Key For Her, the Irish female owned two-step supplement brand that includes two unique blends to support your daily health and help naturally alleviate the symptoms associated with your menstrual cycle, peri and menopause, - I'll be having deep conversations with inspirational women, experts and friends about how to embrace, conquer and thrive throughout our 40’s stretch. 

This new 12 episode season kicks off on Wednesday 6th of November. 

I’ll be joined by inspiring, educated, courageous women, experts and friends and I will be taking notes. 

Ok, together lets figure out The 40’s Stretch. 

See you wednesday. 

Created by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch stretchmarkspod@gmail.com

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

It’s the final episode of the summer and the season.

So to cheer us up I’m joined by one of the most successful irish comedians Emma Doran - who as it happens I booked 6 years ago for a brand launch I was leading so hang on to the end for all the reminiscing of a great night had. 

Emma has a new book “Mad isn’t it” available on presale - a memoir in fact.

At 18 just before 6th year Emma got pregnant on a trip to Courtown.

What began as her sliding down the wall in complete fear at the sight of a pregnancy test has been a life of complete strength, hustle and courage.

We talk about the promises she made to herself at 18, always working, always providing, always saving.

And that moment 10 years on when she felt brave enough to do something for her, an open mic stand up night in temple bar.

And now look at her - Mad isn’t it. 

If there was a stretch marks episode to finish on - this is it. 

It’s a life time of stretching into new versions of yourself, never staying limited by what life dealt you and as she wrote the book, acknowledging that even 21 years on from courttown, that there was still a lot of marks to heal. 

Thank you to my NEW sponsor Dove Advanced Care Body Wash for bringing their support and for creating a body wash with 24 hour moisture straight from the shower. #ad

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore - hit to follow me on insta.

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

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

Suzanne Kane is a 98Fm presenter, a very busy mam of 3 kids and a great friend of mine.

For Suzanne her postpartum at 40 just blurred right in with perimenopause and now she’s here to say the things that we do not hear enough about and won’t have a clue about when it’s our turn.

And it will be every women’s turn. 

We need to know more about the mental, emotional and physical symptoms of our early perimenopause because too many women lose too many years to feeling so low and anxious long before a period is missed. 

You can connect with and Suzanne and her work at @suzanne.fm on instagram 

And we deserve better. We deserve to live with joy.   

Choose your joy! And book a date with your GP or with one of the specialist clinics supporting women through these hormonal years. 

Thank you to my NEW sponsor Dove Advanced Care Body Wash for bringing their support and for creating a body wash with 24 hour moisture straight from the shower. #ad

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore - hit to follow me on insta.

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

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

But after a break, a chance to go inwards and reassess, realign, she joins me to share how her life has changed and her mental health never ever better. 

We talk about moving her family to the wilds of west cork, how giving herself what she needs has been a radical act of self love and she inspires anyone who listens to this to refuse to cling on to a version of themselves they have outgrown. 

Change is good. 

Change is possible. 

So ask yourself, what do you need to give yourself permission to change? 

And then do it.

Thank you to my NEW sponsor Dove Advanced Care Body Wash for bringing their support and for creating a body wash with 24 hour moisture straight from the shower. #ad

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore - hit to follow me on insta.

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

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

link to previous episode "The IVF Stretch"

Claire returns to share the heartbreaking but all too real acceptance that it was time to stop IVF and to step forward into a future without conceiving a child.

The end of anything brings grief, but there is little ever said about the grief of coming to terms with a fertility journey that did not gift you a child. 

Too little said about the grief of letting go of the life you always imagined. 

And far too little time given to the words, feelings and emotions of grieving the children you thought you’d have.

I commend Claire for finding words to put to these feelings

I’m not sure she knows how much of a gift it’ll be for anyone who needs to hear it and I’m so grateful she has trusted me with here. 

Do get in touch with Claire on instagram @clairewalshlife

Thank you to my NEW sponsor Dove Advanced Care Body Wash for bringing their support and for creating a body wash with 24 hour moisture straight from the shower. #ad

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore - hit to follow me on insta.

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

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

Joining me to talk about the build up, the pride and the excitement is RTE Sports Broadcaster, and presenter of RTE’s Olympics coverage, Evanne NiCuillinn to talk about how far women have come, the ones to watch, how this summer is an incredible opportunity to make those iconic sporting memories with our children, and our reaction to the this year’s olympics being the first to have a childcare facility for athletes on site. 

Thank you to my NEW sponsor Dove Advanced Care Body Wash for bringing their support and for creating a body wash with 24 hour moisture straight from the shower. #ad

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore - hit to follow me in insta.

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

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

Joined by Julie Ledwidge as we talk secondary infertility, waiting for no2, healing the trauma of almost losing her life after your 1st was born, and the power of deeply letting go.

After Julie had her son Max, she developed sepsis.

Julie has done amazing work to edicate and spread awareness of sepsis on her instagram page and on other podcasts - and so I wanted to explore her road to finding the confidence to go again, the distress of realising this pregnancy wasn’t happening, the work she did on herself mentally, emotionally and with a supportive doctor to conceive to have her baby girl and to now understand what postpartum can be like without trauma. 

Thank you for being here and for supporting me, Stretch Marks and my guests.

I’d love you to share this with anyone you think needs to hear it and leaving a little review where ever you’re listening. 

Thank you to my NEW sponsor Dove Advanced Care Body Wash for bringing their support and for creating a body wash with 24 hour moisture straight from the shower. #ad

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore - hit to follow me in insta.

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

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

I’m here with Sinead Mooney to learn simple tangible realistic ways of incorporating moments of replenishment into our day. 

Because the stress and the stretch is going to keep on coming - this episode should help you meet it with a little more in the tank. 

Sinead is a Wellbeing Specialist - Certified Meditation Trainer- Certified Life Coach and owns her own Yoga Studio @moonsyogaloft but more importantly - she’s a mother of 2 very young children with very little support who has navigated HUGE stress in her life. I now only take life advice from those who know what its like to have small children and if you’re the same - this is an essential listen for you.

Thank you to my NEW sponsor Dove Advanced Care Body Wash for bringing their support and for creating a body wash with 24 hour moisture straight from the shower. #ad

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

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

Navigating the end of a relationship as a parent is an often unspoken impossible life stretch - yet so many are going through it. 

Caoímhe is a mum of 4 and with her account The Big Hill House has shared parts of her home with her followers - but nothing is certain and the life we plan can change. 

Here she finds her voice and her courage to speak about how hard the last year has been. Her decision to move back to Ireland, step away from her career and her financial security, the 6 weeks of maternity leave she experienced in Abu Dhabi 3 times, in comparison to her decision to be at home full time with her children now. 

Life stretches us beyond measure - and if you are where Caoímhe was a year ago I hope this episode gives you comfort and the courage you need to find yourself again. 

Thank you to my NEW sponsor Dove Advanced Care Body Wash for bringing their support and for creating a body wash with 24 hour moisture straight from the shower.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

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

Her observations and comedy of the Irish Mother are wildly accurate and so too are her expressions of grief, depression and finding her real identity that lay hidden under trauma for too long.

It’s deep, intelligent, beautiful and it's Aoife - so it's funny.

And I think it’s really important to hear.

She talks about losing her mother, the shame of her dad's affair and growing up in Galway as she says - "poor".  

We talk about life and a defining break up at 33 that stretched her to the point of finally acknowledging her depression.

And the process back to happiness.

We also talk about how her success in comedy often brings derogatory comments from men. 

This conversation was recorded BEFORE the announcement of Natasha O’Brien’s assault case. 

We did not know at the time how the rest of the week would roll out - and yet you’ll hear us talk about our fears on the rise of misogyny, violence and the degrading of women’s rights. 

Thank you to my NEW sponsor Dove Advanced Care Body Wash for bringing their support and for creating a body wash with 24 hour moisture straight from the shower.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

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

Kicking off another 10 weeks with my first guest Genevieve Turley

Genevieve is a make up artist in the rational, normal, you're doing great as you are babe sense of the word.

She combines her wit with her natural beauty, her comfort with who she is and how she looks with informative, kind and hilarious content.

She is doing us ALL a favour - and if you're not following her yet I encourage you to do so immediately.

She is a mum of 2 in her 30's and we talk about growing to accept ourselves, getting excited about our 40's, ignoring the weight of expectation for how we are to look 24/7 and some really kind honest advice on how to stop bashing ourselves.

Listen and you'll reemember that you are more than ENOUGH.

Thank you for my NEW sponsor Dove Advanced Care Body Wash for bringing their support and for creating a body wash with 24 hour moisture straight from the shower.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

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

Joined by inspirational guests, experts and friends, this podcast will help us to flow with whatever life is throwing at us and leave us feeling more empowered, excited and confident about the version of ourselves we are growing in to.

Together let's celebrate our personal growth while acknowledging the physical, mental & emotional Stretch Marks we've earned.

#AD - This season is supported by Dove Advanced Care Body Wash.

Their best ever Dove body wash with 24 hour renewing micro-moisture regenerating the skin’s natural moisture from within.

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

Holly Cairns - leader of the Social Democrats joins me to talk about her stretch as a women new to politics and what has motivated her to want positive change. 

I have admired Holly's ability to stand in the Dáil and speak on issues with empathy, humanity and an authenticity we don't always see.

We talk about Gaza, how her view of politics and the world has changed - her experience of sexism, agism and intimidation - her rise through politics and why we need more women using their voices, their votes and their value for the world we all hope to see. 

Thank you Holly for giving me your time less than 48 hours after Leo resigned.

So that's it.

Another season of stretch marks is over.

We talked about our bodies, our fertility, self worth, mental health, hyperemesis, nicu, the referendum, brain tumours, nervous system regulation and leadership.

Big topics. Deep topics.

But I hope conversations that have supported anyone in the depths of their own unique stretch.

So for now - thank you for every listen, share and review. 

And to my sponsor of this Season Carriwell available at CleverClogs.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

This episode is kindly supported by Carriwell - available from Cleverclogs.ie

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

Making this empowered choice to birth at home wasn’t by accident - but an instinct that grew following her first lockdown baby - and his restricted birth. 

Instead this was within her control, within her safe 4 walls and within her capacity as she stretched her inner belief and goddess to meet her baby.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

This episode is kindly supported by Carriwell - available from Cleverclogs.ie

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

Acupuncture and Anatomy in Motion with Paul is now firmly in my self care toolkit - and he has finally agreed to join me on the podcast to talk about my symptoms and how he treats so many women as stretched as me coming through his clinic.

Mothers, trying to be all things to all people in this modern world with little regard for what our bodies actually go through in pregnancy, postpartum or just monthly, my symptoms, my story is so not unique - and that seeing so many women in this same boat has led him to create Aim to Recover a brand new multi disciplinary health hub in Drumcondra that focuses on every aspect of pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Plus he’s a dad of 3 young kids - he gets it. 

And you can follow Paul @acudublin on instagram or discover all the pregnancy and postpartum treatments at this new clinic

Aim to Recover

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

This episode is kindly supported by Carriwell - available from Cleverclogs.ie

Produced by The Brand Story

Recorded in Prymal Productions.

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

From Limerick, now living in the UK with partner and Wrexham FC player Anthony Forde - club owner Ryan Reynolds stepped in and found answers.

While Laura's story has been featured throughout media with and without her knowledge - this is Laura's story.

A first time mother living away from home with a newborn standing in the hospital with an expressed bottle at home being told this news.

And here for the first time she tells it in her own words. 

March is Brain Tumour Awareness Month and one year on almost to the day from her diagnosis, Laura is here and ready to use her voice to create more awareness. 

Follow more of Laura’s recovery, advocacy, wedding and gorgeous life on @livingwithljm

Share this far and wide - talk to you again next week. 

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

This episode is kindly supported by Carriwell - available from Cleverclogs.ie

Thank you to Alan Breslin on Sound

Produced by The Brand Story

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

There are two articles for us to vote on.

1) The Family Article and 2)The Care Article

I have written a full piece on the meaning of both on my substack - you can access that here.

In this episode I speak with Sonya Lennon, founder of Work Equal and along with the Women's Council has been part of the process to get us to this point. Through her work with work equal she was called as witnesses to the joint Oireachtas committee on gender equality.

She is a YES YES campaigner - however this episode explores the questions and concerns shared by my followers who participated in the polls.

**I am open to learning. My opinions are not everyone's. My understanding is open to correction. I believe in the importance of debate and conversation. I am not a broadcaster with a responsibility to be neutral. I am a person trying to figure this out.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

This episode is kindly supported by Carriwell - available from Cleverclogs.ie

Thank you to Alan Breslin on Sound

Produced by The Brand Story

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

We are talking about:

• severe hyperemesis
• A very rare condition leading to emergency airways surgery.
• An emergency section.
• A newborn in nicu with a collapsed lung- an injury occured during birth 
• Meningitis. 
• Her uterus at risk of rupture. 
• Miscarriage

And this all in the last 5 years while also showing up, living life, working, mothering, coping with whatever life throws next - all the while deeply grateful with a resounding, “I'd do it all again for the children I am so fortunate to have” 

Women are incredible! This story of immense stretch is proof alone of that.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

This episode is kindly supported by Carriwell - available from Cleverclogs.ie

Thank you to Alan Breslin on Sound

Produced by The Brand Story

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

The blend of the feminine body and the feminine rising.

A story of endometriosis, ivf, fertility and faith.

Not in the religious sense but in spiritual sense.

My guest Sinead De Hora, is a an Angel Healer, a rahanni teacher, an author and a facilitator of spiritual ceremonies.

She is also a woman who battled endometriosis and ivf to conceive the baby she is now carrying.

This conversation takes us to new places on this pod, places some of us might not fully understand - but thats also whats so powerful about listening to human experiences. 

And surrendering to all the things in this life we do not know. 

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

This episode is kindly supported by Carriwell - available from Cleverclogs.ie

Thank you to Alan Breslin on Sound

Produced by The Brand Story

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

With Irish twins Charlene shares how necessary it was for her to find a way back to herself. 

She shares her toolkit for self regulation as she stretches beyond herself to create this business and life she loves. 

The darker moments - how we can all feel judged and how we can hold ourselves back, unsure of our real value.

This episode has one giant hug of a message - FIND YOUR LIGHT AGAIN and shine bright. We need you. 

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

This episode is kindly supported by Carriwell - available from Cleverclogs.ie

Thank you to Alan Breslin on Sound

Produced by The Brand Story

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

Fertility is a very personal + private journey.

But that can leave us at risk of only hearing some commercial promises and the good news. 

Where is the messy middle?? 

We talk about illusions being shattered, her relationship with hope, the indignity of the physical process and the power games between you and an industry who hold the keys to life. 

This is a moving conversation with a woman who doesn’t know how the story ends and who is being stretched between what could be and what this is. 

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

This episode is kindly supported by Carriwell - available from Cleverclogs.ie

Thank you to Alan Breslin on Sound

Produced by The Brand Story

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

But don’t assume this is a weight loss episode - because our conversation goes deeper than that.

This is about shedding the mental weight of negative self talk, trauma and the mental health cycle that kept Carla trapped in self sabotage and food addiction for most of her life. 

We talk about how everything changed when she stopped hating her body and started to love her soul.

We talk about fertility and the choice she made to become a mother.

The personal stretches she has gone through as her body halved in size.

And her real goal - to empower as many people as possible to see beyond the scales and to begin to love themselves back to health. 

Carla’s conversation is personal, at times painful but incredibly inspiring. 

For more support visit halfofcarla.com

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

This episode is kindly supported by Carriwell - available from Cleverclogs.ie

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

Friendships stretched, identities stretched, career choice and opportunity stretched.

It can be a real time of personal invisibility. 

Which is why I needed Visibility & Business coach Kate O’Dwyer to join me for this conversation.

Kate is an advocate of authentic self expression & connection.

Through her work, she supports her clients to feel regulated, resourced and rebellious in their personal and business visibility. 

She is an authentic support telling you that it’s hard, but to try your best anyway because the world needs you to be you, in all your glorious flawed and beautiful ways right now.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

She was 7 weeks postpartum. We talked about the 4th trimester, matrescense, childbirth, feeding decisions, feeding guilt, emotions, identities and the absolute life changing experience of new motherhood.

It prompted to many other women to talk about their experiences online, with friends and even strangers that bumped into Sinead.

From 7 weeks to 7 months, Sinead is back to talk about how some of those early stretches have eased - some have pulled tighter and some brand new ones have rocked up unexpectedly.

This episode is proof that the stretches keep coming and there is no magic week when it all fits in to place.

It all continues to pull us in all directions as we meet the needs of the women we are becoming.

We keep stretching.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast I'd love to hear from you.

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

This weeks guest Giovanna Fletcher is no stranger to an honest conversation about life, motherhood, real experiences and seeking our happiest selves.

And without the gloss - she accepts that it is a total stretch.

An author, podcaster, actress & advocate Giovanna Fletcher changed the game for millions of parents in creating "Happy Mum Happy Baby" a community that gave us permission to say "I love them and it’s hard."

We talk about her own personal stretches, how she avoids the snap, how her perspective on her body and life has changed through her work with Coppafeel and how with 3 energetic children, it’s simply essential to get outside.

Giovanna has just launched her new Regatta Autumn Winter ’23 collection.

This new collection features eight coats, with four of them crafted partially from recycled fabrics and designed with Regatta’s renowned Thermoguard insulation. Check out her collection so you can continue your wellbeing walks this winter.

As always I’d love you to share this episode tagging @stretchmarkspodcast so I can read all of your messages and feedback. 

Stretch Marks is on Substack with extra content, conversations, support and the Sunday Stretch, a weekly newsletter sharing the things I've leaned on each week supporting me or helping me to lean even deeper into the stretch.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

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

Kicking off with the beautiful, kind and soulful Sile Seoige as she shares her daughters experience of RSV, the signs, symptoms and actions we all need to know heading into winter 2023.

RSV is a common and contagious virus that affects 90% of children before they are two years old. 

All infants are at risk of RSV.

While most infections cause mild, cold-like symptoms, and clear up on their own within a few weeks, some cases can be more serious.

for more information click here

Plus follow stretchmarkspodcast on instagram where you’ll see I’m doing an Instagram Live with Dr. Maire Finn answering our questions on RSV. 

Stretch Marks is on Substack with extra content, conversations, support and the Sunday Stretch, a weekly newsletter sharing the things I've leaned on each week supporting me or helping me to lean even deeper into the stretch.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

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

And the village is burning down!

Leo, Micheal, Eamonn - send help and send it FAST!! 

Here I talk to Elaine Dunne the chairperson of the Federation of Early Childhood Providers 

to talk about the planned strikes & to understand what's really going on.

STRIKE DATES: September 26th, 27th and 28th

The solution needs to be brave - not just expensive - and it needs leadership that accepts the reality of the current situation and joins to dots about how an accessible, flexible, affordable, quality childcare sector is essential if this country - this economy is to have a female workforce. 

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

But I'm not alone - my amazing friend and beauty editor Simone Gannon (Simone Scribes) is right along side me.

We go deep into the lessons learned, the sh!t that no longer serves us, peri-menopause and it's relentless pace towards us and Simone shares what we need to know about keeping our skin healthy as we age gracefully.

It's a rant, it's liberating, it's excited, there's a touch of grief about fertility - it's all here if you are also in the almost 40 stretch.

If you like what you hear please support the show and hit subscribe, rate or review.

Every tiny bit of interaction helps.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

Dr. Johanna is pregnant with her first baby and navigating the beginning of matresence while Dr. Marese has just had her second and now knows the true limitations mothers have to properly switching off. 

If you are experiencing any of the issues raised in the episode please know that there are so many sourced of support out there - you do not have to stay feeling what you are feeling.

Contact:

• Cradle Psychology // Insta
• Your maternity team (you can asked to be linked with their mental health support service - often there will be a mental health midwife or psychologist available)
• Your GP
• Your local public health nurse
• Your local Primary Care Psychology teams and Community Mental Health Services can also be accessed where appropriate via your GP. 
• Samaritans: Call 116123
• Pieta House: Call 1800247247

Please always reach out for support.

If this conversation supports you at all please support us back and hit subscribe, rate or review.

Every tiny bit of interaction helps.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

Denise Kenny Byrne is co-founder of The Head Plan, a life + wellness coach and a mother to 4 month old baby girl.

Denise's business is about writing it down + making it happen - but in motherhood we need to build a mindset ready for the unexpected.

We talk about IVF, pregnancy anxiety, an emergency C-Section, the mental load of breastfeeding, hormonal crashes and the 4 month sleep regression - plus the absolute success story of The Head Plan that is running parallel to this wild journey.

Honest, wise and hopeful this episode is a must listen.

**Special points for the amount of times we made reference to our 90's icon Anneka Rice.

FREE DOWNLOAD - Get Started with The Head Plan today

If this conversation supports you at all please support us back and hit subscribe, rate or review.

Every tiny bit of interaction helps.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

Watching your body for signs that's it time, nesting, prepping, waiting, hoping, loving.

Jess Redden is waiting to welcome her first baby into the world with husband Rob Kearney.

We talk about her pregnancy, the moment she found out, cravings, aversions, hopes and dreams.

Plus we hear all about her brand new book - The Food Pharmacy out for preorder now.

If this conversation supports you at all please support us back and hit subscribe, rate or review.

Every tiny bit of interaction helps.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

The Mental Health Commission published their final report on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and let me tell you if you’re not concerned - you should because they announced they "Cannot currently provide an assurance to all parents or guardians in all parts of Ireland that your children have access to a safe effective, and evidence-based mental health service.”

So we have to talk about it. 

To help us understand whats going on, whats going wrong and what we can do to impact and create positive change I’m joined by Niall Breslin, Bressie, musician, mental health advocate, creator of where is my mind podcast, co-founder of a lust for life a charity that supports young people to be effective guardians of their mind -  Bressie, is a powerful and honest voice and the person I needed to have this conversation with. 

If this conversation supports you at all please support us back and hit subscribe, rate or review.

Every tiny bit of interaction helps.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

I spoke about my own Career Stretch in season one and I know its a juggle for many.

Angela burke is a career consultant who supports people to find clarity, to pivot and advance their career and their career wellbeing.

From needing to advocate for your needs, to knowing its time to leave, from feeling the fear, to feeling the relief when you make the necessary changes - it’s a lot and I want an expert voice to help us out. 

It’s a highly valuable conversation that I know will help many who are in this right now so get in touch with your feedback, I love to read them. 

If this conversation supports you at all please support us back and hit subscribe, rate or review.

Every tiny bit of interaction helps.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

Aisling has a little boy Daibi, she’s a nurse and as she says herself, the pain in Carl Mullans left side.

First time round Aisling’s pregnancy featured a lot of long covid complications. 

What followed was a depleted first time mother mentally and physically.

With baby no2 days/weeks away, we talk about how different it feels going in to have your second.

We talk about her miscarriage last year and how she approached trying again.

And how going from 1 to 2 can be a stretch but a gift as you are doing this again with so much more knowledge, confidence and empowerment.

If this conversation supports you at all please support us back and hit subscribe, rate - or review or share with other listeners tagging stretchmarkspodcast. 

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

It's a stretch that many wont have lived.

But it is one I know many will want to hear as almost 100k people have been following this families journey and have fallen in love and in awe of Evie and her worth. 

Evie’s mum Brana joins me this week and has trusted me with this chapter of her story.

The chapter that includes Evie’s passing & her baby sister's arrival just 3 weeks later.

Evie was born with a life limiting heart defect in 2021. Her prognosis in pregnancy was never secure but her fight and her spirit was never in doubt as her parents cared for her and advocated for her and the Down Syndrome community they were now a part of. 

In January 2023, Evie decided it was time to let go and fly home just before Brana gave birth to Riyah.

I don’t know many women who could have lived this stretch and it is my greatest privilege to sit next to and listen to Brana as she shares her story. 

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics who have a supplement for every stretch of family life.

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

Season 4 is back with host Sinead O’Moore - supported by Vitabiotics.

Ep1 and it's a huge stretch - the 4th trimester stretch.

Sinead De Buitleir is in the midst of the 4th Trimester

We talk about the perfect image of pregnancy that was so far from her reality.

We talk about how even as a nurse she felt so vulnerable because of the unknown.

We talk about the emotional toll when breastfeeding didn’t work out and the postpartum body we too often hide. 

Recording this episode i saw me in Sinead, i could feel that lump in her throat and the tears just on the edge of release as she tries to process the love, the exhaustion, the physical repair and the reality of the 4th trimester stretch. 

If this conversation supports you at all please support us back and hit subscribe, rate - or review or share with other listeners tagging stretchmarkspodcast. 

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

Joined by inspirational guests, experts and friends Sinead hopes to help us flow with whatever life is throwing at us, calling out the areas of over stretch and leaves us feeling more empowered, proud and confident about the versions of ourselves we are growing in to.

This is the anti-bounce back.

This is celebrating our physical, mental, emotional, intuitive Stretch Marks.

Supported by Vitabiotics who have created a range of supplements to support us throughout every stretch of family life.

Join me each week over on Stretch Marks Podcast Instagram and take part in the polls & questions boxes on the themes discussed in each episode sharing more voices, sharing more experiences, sharing more solutions to every single stretch from the podcast.

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

I wanted to leave you with a conversation with a woman who’s pulled me back to balance more times than I can remember. 

Suzy Reading is a Chartered Psychologist specialising in wellbeing, stress management and facilitation of healthy lifestyle change. 

She is an accredited yoga teacher and through her integrated work she supports people feeling frazzled, stressed, reactive tired and overwhelmed - so all of us then! 

The author of 9 books the latest of which REST to RESET The busy person’s guide to pausing with purpose, is exactly what we need as we head towards summer and all it brings. 

If I can leave you with one thing - its this episode. 

It’s the gift, the permission, no the demand that you go and rest to reset because the stretches are going to keep coming. 

Suzy Insta

Suzy Website

Suzy Book

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

Stretch Marks is owned and produced by the brand story - sound editing by Alan Breslin.

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

I compare myself (badly) to her and all it seems she can so effortlessly achieve.

But ya know what... we are all the same.

Women trying our best, doubting ourselves, comparing ourselves and feeling oh so stretched in this life we love.

We talk about the stretch of 3 under 3, the road back to finding ourselves, the burden of comparison and the comfort found in creativity, business and collaboration with beo co-founder Sharon Connellan. 

And a whole lot of coming back to trusting ourselves as women and mothers.

Honest, supportive and inspirational - another must listen.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

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

I'm joined by Jane Asple Keating, founder and creator of Emma by Jane, the luxury Irish jewellery and accessories brand.

With a 19 month old Jane knows the business and baby juggle.

We talk about working in the labour ward, how the pressure of breastfeeding was a stretch too far and how important it is to back yourself, your goals and your dreams while still searching for the unattainable boundaries so many of us struggle with.

Warm, inspiring and supportive - another must listen.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

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

This was a really highly requested episode.

So I asked Dr. Claire Conlon, Senior Clinical Psychologist and founder of The Caterpillar Clinic to join me and to answer your questions.

​

She holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Trinity College Dublin & works to support parents as well as children as she understands the pressures we face today without judgement. For us to support positive child behaviour we must also ask ourselves if our own needs are being met.

There’s so much reassurance here with practical advice you can implement today as she answers listeners questions,

For more support check out Dr. Claire's programmes here.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

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

The unseen work that goes on in our head is a very real and fraying stretch.

Join editorial director of Image Magazine Dominique McMullan and I (your host Sinead O'Moore) as we have a bit of a mam-rant about it all being too much.

New to Kin Keeping??

Read Dominique's article here https://www.image.ie/self/kin-keeping-excuse-me-while-i-scream-into-a-pillow-699468

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics

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

Trigger warning // grief // breast cancer

Sarah Mc Ginn host of Life's Too Short podcast, joins me to tell her story of losing her mother and becoming a mother in the same week.

We talk about breast cancer and birth. 

Life and death. 

We talk about her mother Anne and her daughter Annie. 

And we talk about how life is TOO short 

There are lots of really amazing reasons why I wanted to talk to Sarah for this particular episode - which you;ll hear as her story unfolds. 

But also because we both share a specific date - a day in October 2020 when both of our worlds changed but for different reasons. 

I want to extend a huge thank you to Sarah- please check out her podcast life’s too short if you are navigating grief.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics.

With 50 Years of innovation in nutritional science, Vitobiotics has been pushing boundaries to help our families feel at their best.

With products to suit all stages from preconception, pregnancy, postpartum and family life with Pregnacare WellKid, Wellwoman and Wellman, Vitabiotics have created a product to suit every stretch of family life.

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

It's about being born in Bessborough Mother and Baby Home, the culture of silence that prevents connection and healing and how way the universe brought two women together.

I'm joined by Nessa Hurley and Anne O'Connell as they share the gratitude they have to the woman who gave birth to them, the happiness they felt as children in their adoptive families and how becoming mothers themselves sparked a journey to need to find out more about who they are.

What they didn't expect to find out, was that they had already found each other.

If you are motivated to join the Contact Register - you can find more information through this link. https://www.birthinfo.ie/

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics.

With 50 Years of innovation in nutritional science, Vitobiotics has been pushing boundaries to help our families feel at their best.

With products to suit all stages from preconception, pregnancy, postpartum and family life with Pregnacare WellKid, Wellwoman and Wellman, Vitabiotics have created a product to suit every stretch of family life.

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

With fatherhood came perspective, options and the decision to step out of his career to be home with his girls.

We talk about the stretch from a dad's perspective, mens mental health, having a laugh and being assessed for ADHD as an adult.

If we are to stretch equally into our new selves//lives//roles we need to understand what the men we love are going through.

None of this is easy but Micheál is showing men that there is more than just one way to parent in 2023 - and in doing he is championing the dad life stretch.

Follow Donegal Daddy

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics.

With 50 Years of innovation in nutritional science, Vitobiotics has been pushing boundaries to help our families feel at their best.

With products to suit all stages from preconception, pregnancy, postpartum and family life with Pregnacare WellKid, Wellwoman and Wellman, Vitabiotics have created a product to suit every stretch of family life.

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

And a woman who privately dreamed of starting her family.

In this episode we go deep into how miscarriage can stretch our hearts and our fears.

*trigger warning of loss *

Clémentine speaks beautifully and compassionately about her experience of a missed miscarriage at a scan, a second early loss shortly after and how her dreams suddenly became quiet worries.

While she couldn't find the words at the time, she remembers feeling supported by hearing other people talk about loss and now at 30 weeks pregnant feels strong enough to trust us with the marks miscarriage left behind.

Hosted by Sinead O'Moore

Get in touch at @stretchmarkspodcast

This season is supported by Vitabiotics.

With 50 Years of innovation in nutritional science, Vitobiotics has been pushing boundaries to help our families feel at their best.

With products to suit all stages from preconception, pregnancy, postpartum and family life with Pregnacare WellKid, Wellwoman and Wellman, Vitabiotics have created a product to suit every stretch of family life.

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

It's a very real - very normal thing.

But one that can feel like a massive stretch at the time.

PLUS: We have NEWS as we go through our own podcast host separation.

Sinead X Caroline

This season is supported by Vitabiotics.

With 50 Years of innovation in nutritional science, Vitobiotics has been pushing boundaries to help our families feel at their best.

With products to suit all stages from preconception, pregnancy, postpartum and family life with Pregnacare WellKid, Wellwoman and Wellman, Vitabiotics have created a product to suit every stretch of family life.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This week, supported by DropChef (listen for our *discount code for 30% off your first 2 orders from DropChef), we're talking about how we wish away the day but don't want the years to pass. BRING TISSUES!

With input from you we dive into which milestones break our hearts, why we get so emotional as they grow and how we can soothe the growing pains of the growing up stretch.

Thank you to our episode sponsor, DropChef. We are always grateful for your input via our polls and questions over on Instagram @StretchMarksPodcast so do join us there.

To discover more about why DropChef is a gift for busy families visit Dropchef.com

*The discount code you'll hear in the podcast will give you 30% off your first 2 boxes with DropChef.

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

*The discount code you'll hear in the podcast will give you 30% off your first 2 boxes with DropChef.

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

The going back to work stretch, the trying to juggle it with childcare stretch, the 'how do I pick up where I left off?' stretch, the 'is it really worth my while working when I have to pay so much for childcare?' stretch. The gender stretch. There's a HUGE amount of stretching in this part of parenting; maybe you don't want to go back to work. Maybe you have to. Maybe you really want to. Every situation is valid and worthy of support and as always, we have much to discuss.

We have a lot of listener input on this one too; we are always grateful for your input via our polls and questions over on Instagram @StretchMarksPodcast so do join us there and enter our competition to win a DropChef Family Subscription for 1 month! To discover more about why DropChef is a gift for busy families visit Dropchef.com

*The discount code you'll hear in the podcast will give you 30% off your first 2 boxes with DropChef.

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

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

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