Hi everyone, this week I chat to Naomi Chrisoulakis, certified post-natal Doula, podcast host and founder of Cocoon by Naomi, a beautiful resource through which Naomi offers mothers the nourishment they need and the nurturing they deserve. 

In this discussion, we delve into Naomi’s upbringing and her reflections of it, discussing how various elements of her childhood and early adulthood has affected her on her mothering journey. We discuss Naomi’s optimistic expectations of motherhood prior to becoming a parent, and the jarring contrast between this and her lived reality of the experience, resulting in feelings of failure and shame that so many of us can relate to. We discuss how Naomi came through this, the power of having the harder sides of motherhood validated and the importance of self-compassion, remembering that we are all learning and figuring it out as we go. 

We discuss one of Naomi’s biggest shifts in motherhood in learning to tune into herself and what felt right of her family, and the importance of granting yourself permission to allow space for trial and error when it comes to mothering. We also touch of people-pleasing tendencies, how these can manifest in mothering, and the beauty that can be found in pushing against these tendencies and standing in your power, even (and especially when) this can feel wobbly. 

Finally, we also discuss the magic that can be found in women’s circles and in sharing with people who may be a few steps ahead on a similar journey. 

The overriding message from this conversation and one I hope you will receive too is that you are enough – just being, persevering and trying.

Find out more about Naomi in these places:

Cook & Cocoon Course – Naomi’s practical online course that will teach you exactly how to fill your freezer (recipes, shopping lists and all) and give you the guidance you need to prep for a calm, nourished postpartum.

https://www.cocoonbynaomi.com

Naomi on Instagram 

Naomi’s Podcast, ‘Tales From The Fourth Trimester’