Mamamia

Pull out your puffer vests and say goodbye to your Saturday mornings, because it’s term two and weekend sport is back. We have three kids aged nine, seven and four, so we said goodbye to our Saturday mornings quite some time ago. In all seriousness, with two of our three …

“Fertility leave is one I feel really positive about,” Hardie says. “We’re 81 per cent women in our business and there are always a lot of staff who are having babies and trying to get pregnant. I think that IVF is something people tend to keep pretty private, but it …

I reached the counter of my twelfth pharmacy, heart pounding, eyes brimming with tears, and choked out, “I called earlier about the hydrocortisone”. “The woman on the phone said you had three bottles of the 20mg,” I said. She scanned the shelves quizzically. “Nope, we have one left that’s about …

When our eldest child started kindergarten at the local public school, we were given the option of her attending weekly lessons in religion, ethics, or neither. Not being religious, my husband and I liked the idea of her attending ethics classes, which are described on the NSW Department of Education’s …

From my vantage point on my far-too-comfy couch, as I make my way through the day’s to-do list (carefully curated to allow ample room for cup-a-soup breaks, accidental naps and social media k-holes), it occurs to me that I may have finally liberated myself from the clutches of hustle culture. …

Content warning: This story includes descriptions of disordered eating that may be distressing to some readers. Close your eyes for a moment and picture someone suffering, in the grips of an eating disorder. Imagine them struggling to eat a full meal, being tormented by obsessive thoughts surrounding weight and calories, …

"What a gorgeous little boy! Must be time to go again soon?" I paused, briefly processing the intimacy of such a question coming from someone I’d spoken with for just three short minutes. I’d chatted with the check-out clerk casually in between unpacking groceries onto the belt, and then replacing …

Me and my legs. It’s complicated. Like a lot of women, I have been waging a rather futile war against a body part of mine for decades now. Ever since I was in my teens, I’ve been self-conscious about my legs. They’re short, thick and being that I have very …

When we’re really busy and stressed, like a lot of us are these days, it’s pretty common to delay R&R until you can take some proper time off, such as when you go on a holiday. The trouble is, if you head into a break completely exhausted, your immune system …

Have a few (hundred) lockdowns and countless kitchen-bench Zoom meetings seen you cast a more critical eye over your living quarters? Maybe those creaky floors and cracked bathroom tiles seemed charming when you first moved in, but now you fantasise about taking a sledgehammer to your leaking kitchen sink each …

• Role: Hybrid of Manifestors and Generators – they are the multi-passionate, multi-taskers. • Percentage of the population: 33 per cent. • How they use energy: They have consistent energy, but can have inconsistent motivation, depending on how satisfying they find their work. • Strategy: Respond to what is presented …

Listen to Sealed Section. On this episode, Chantelle delves into the complicated but incredibly important topic of postpartum sex, and answers questions from listeners who are trying to reconnect with their partner, and themselves, after having a baby. Story continues below. Often when it comes to advice around sex after …

It’s taken me a really long time to learn that I’m absolutely no use to anyone when I’m tired. Taking care of yourself and prioritising rest does not mean that you’re lazy. (Say it again with me, millennials.) Rest is an essential and necessary part of life, not just something …

There was once a time in my life when I felt like I had more control over my days. When I could determine what time I went to bed and what time I woke up. I could come up with a zealous to-do list and have a good chance at …

I was getting into bed last night at 9:30pm because I'm a grownup (and the mum of a toddler), and I suddenly felt my lower back go into spasm. This is new, I thought to myself, rummaging through draws and cupboards for the heat pack my Nan had gifted me …

Don't get me wrong, I'm not down on weddings, I'm just suggesting that perhaps there's a better investment to be made in making sure you're clear on each other's values and that your values and expectations of married life are aligned, and mostly you want the same things out of …

My husband had just walked in, home from work, and enquired about the loud banging sounds coming from the laundry. I basically yelled it at him, as if it was his fault... I mean, there is an argument to be made for that, but that's a discussion for another day. …

Whilst romantic relationships and weekly schedules might not seem like the most likely of pairings, regular meetings ensure you’re making good on one fundamental of all healthy relationships: communication. Psychotherapist and clinical social worker Marcia Naomi Berger suggests couples hold weekly 'marriage meetings' and talk through a set agenda that …

Content warning: This post deals with eating disorders, and could be triggering for some readers. "Get a head start on your summer body..." My phone buzzed, and I looked down to see an unsolicited marketing text from a major gym chain, not unlike the hundreds I’ve received over the years. …

As a group, we certainly have an unenviable reputation. Much like lawyers, comedians and car salesman, there are certain, unavoidable assumptions that follow as soon as the word “actor” tumbles out of my mouth at a party. Over the years, for better or worse, here are some of the things …

Okay, so how do we overcome action faking tendencies? 1. Own up to it. According to Tamara, the first step in overcoming 'action faking' is to acknowledge you're doing it and acknowledge that what you're doing is unhelpful to the goal. (Alright okay, you got me, software course). Next, Tamara …

Last week, I sat down at a café for lunch and mindlessly whipped out a boob to feed the wriggly little gremlin unsubtly pulling at my shirt with his little claws. I settled into the feed and stared at the menu. When I glanced up, a bright, helpful young waiter …

"Congratulations! Is this your first?" I was finalising the details with my anaesthetist’s office for my upcoming c-section and the woman on the other end of the phone was uncharacteristically chatty. "Yes!" I said. "I’m quite nervous." Watch: Your questions about childbirth, answered. Post continues below. I had extra reason …

Of course, The Tinder Swindler is an extreme example of love bombing, but it doesn’t make the behaviours any less concerning. As Mamamia's Adrienne Tam recently wrote, many people are quick to blame the victims and say they could never be conned by someone like Leviev, and honestly here’s hoping …

Tamara Cavenett, President of the Australian Psychological Society and a practising clinical psychologist, says, "People who tend to be a little bit more introverted, a little bit more anxious, quite thoughtful and considered in what they do are often overthinkers, and it's not necessarily a bad characteristic. They're often kinder …

"So, when are you due?" I was three weeks postpartum and waiting for my takeaway coffee. This was just an innocent mistake of course, but at the time, it really stung. WATCH: It's okay if your first and second pregnancy symptoms don't match. Post continues after video. When I brought …

Late in my third trimester, I walked into a furniture store and held the door for the woman coming in behind me. "Oh, I should be holding this for you! How far along are you?" she asked. "35 weeks," I said. "Almost there!" "Well, you look incredible," she said, eyes …

The receptionist at my obstetrician’s office cooed down the phone after confirming my blood results. I thanked her and booked my next appointment. Before the call ended she cheerfully sang out, "Congratulations on your little man". My body convulsed. "And so it begins," I sighed. I can’t be the only …

"So I think if someone's dating someone that’s previously been seen as acceptable, it does give you that social influence that can encourage whom you date, or at least whom you see as acceptable to date. And I think you can see that with famous people. You can imagine if …

I recently turned 40 and though this probably means I’m officially too old to be using such terms, it’s had me feeling all the feels. From gratitude for making it this far, to excitement about what the next decade will bring, to total and utter confusion about what the hell …