The Barrenesses
What does it mean to be childless in a pro-natalist world? Catherine, Cheryll and Emma explore the difficulties, the complexities and the ＜gasp＞ joys of living a childless life after infertility and pregnancy loss. Their fortnightly podcast, airing every other Tuesday AEST, explores all the facets of living as childless women, with tears and laughs along the way. Whether it’s through thoughtful discussion or deep dives into research and stats, you’ll leave feeling enlightened and inspired to embody your authentic, empowered self. #Childless #Infertility #PregnancyLoss
Fri, December 20, 2024
Bonus Episode: Farewell
In this special bonus episode, we give thanks to our listeners as we say goodbye to a phenomenal year. Unfortunately, The Barrenesses Podcast will not be continuing in 2025, but we’re so grateful to you all for coming along with us on this healing journey and hope that it has helped you feel less alone.
Mon, December 16, 2024
Episode 15: Festive Grief - Interview with Grief Coach, Judi Johnson
In this week’s episode, we talk about festive grief with Grief Coach, Judi Johnson of Embrace Your Future. We talk about how to set boundaries with nosy family members, how to create your own festive traditions and about whether our positive perceptions of having kids at Christmas are actually realistic or not. You can join one of Judi’s Facebook groups at CNBC Grief by Embrace Your Future or CNBC Coaching by Embrace Your Future. You can reach out to her and find our more about her services at embraceyourfuture.net. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #Infertility #Christmas #FestiveSeason #Grief #JudiJohnson #EmbraceYourFuture
Mon, December 02, 2024
Episode 14: Maternal Instinct - The Myth That Hurts Women
In this episode, Cheryll explores the myth of maternal instinct, what it is and why it exists. She discusses the negative parts of motherhood and mothering behaviours that our society refuses to acknowledge and how this can harm all women, regardless of their parenting status. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #Motherhood #Childfree #Infertility #MaternalInstinct Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOPhdafnzY4&ab_channel=SkepticsinthePubOnline https://theestablishment.co/the-maternal-instinct-is-a-myth-and-weve-got-the-science-to-prove-it-936312b316f0/index.html https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/news/4356-maternal-instinct-and-biology--evolution-ensures-we-want-sex--not-babies https://www.huffpost.com/entry/childfree_b_1752906 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/mar/10/medieval-women-put-faith-in-birth-girdles-to-protect-them-during-childbirth https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/the-wealthy-are-starting-to-have-more-babies-than-the-poor-again-2934417 https://earlylearningnation.com/2020/10/parents-are-made-not-born-research-shows-the-act-of-caregiving-creates-parenting-brain/ https://time.com/116843/gay-dads-brains-develop-just-like-those-of-straight-parents-study-finds/ https://time.com/6978104/is-mommy-brain-real/ https://childandfamilyblog.com/fatherhood-neuroscience-biology/ https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/oct/10/the-big-idea-why-the-maternal-instinct-is-a-myth https://time.com/6330821/maternal-instinct-myth-animal-kingdom-essay/ https://www.animalhealthfoundation.org/blog/2013/06/dogs-attachment-to-owners-mimics-infant-caregiver-bonding/ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-17/dogs-owners-share-similar-bond-to-mothers-babies-research-finds/6402168 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322716#Cats-contribution-to-research https://omahabirthandbabies.com/new-baby-new-emotions/ https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct02/postpartum https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3582747/ https://www.givingbirthtohope.org/ppd-in-adoptive-mothers https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-014-0056-x https://www.nct.org.uk/information/baby-toddler/caring-for-your-baby-or-toddler/science-behind-dads https://childandfamilyblog.com/fatherhood-neuroscience-biology/ https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/10/mothers-brains-show-similar-responses-to-her-baby-and-her-dog/ https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/the-pet-brain-effect-how-cats-and-dogs-can-save-you-from-cognitive-decline https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9630635/
Mon, November 18, 2024
Episode 13: Let's Talk About Men
It’s International Men’s Day, so this week, Catherine is putting the spotlight on men and male fertility. She shares the findings of her survey on male fertility with us, discusses the various causes of male infertility, the harmful myths and misconceptions around male fertility, and men’s attitudes towards male fertility and what they want to see change. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #MaleFertility #MaleInfertility #InternationalMensDay #Infertility
Mon, November 04, 2024
Episode 12: Childless Book Club - Interview with Kat Brown, Editor of No One Talks About This Stuff
In this week’s episode, we interview journalist, author and editor of No One Talks About This Stuff, Kat Brown. We chat about the creation of the book, the varied experiences found in the book, and about Kat’s personal experience with infertility and childlessness. You can follow Kat on Instagram at @KatBrownWrites and on Twitter at @KatBrown. You can purchase her book, No One Talks About This Stuff, on Amazon and her ADHD book, It’s Not A Bloody Trend, on Amazon or Audible. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #Grief #KatBrown #NoOneTalksAboutThisStuff #PregnancyLoss #Infertility #ChildlessBookClub
Mon, October 21, 2024
Episode 11: Interview with Counsellor, Sarah Roberts of The Empty Cradle
In this week’s episode, we interview childless counsellor, Sarah Roberts of The Empty Cradle. Sarah told us a bit about her story, what led her to counselling childless women and how the disenfranchised grief of childlessness can effect all the different facets of our lives. You can follow Sarah on Facebook and Instagram at The Empty Cradle and @theemptycradle, or head to her website, theemptycradle.com. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #Grief #Counsellor #SarahRoberts #TheEmptyCradle
Mon, October 07, 2024
Episode 10: Navigating Pregnancy Loss and the Australian Healthcare System
It’s International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, so in this week’s episode, Catherine discusses the complex dynamics and dichotomy of the Australian Health Care System when experiencing pregnancy loss. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #Infertility #PregnancyLoss #Medicare
Mon, September 23, 2024
Episode 9: Interview with Childfree Content Creator, Tiffany J Marie
In this week’s episode, The Barrenesses interview childfree content creator, Tiffany J Marie. We chat about The Bleeding Hearts Project, childless grief, choosing childfree joy, not fitting neatly into boxes, and handling negative comments. You can follow Tiffany on Instagram at @tiffany.jmarie. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #Childfree #TiffanyJMarie #TheSaucyTartSociety #TheBleedingHeartsProject
Mon, September 09, 2024
Episode 8: Pets as Family
In this week’s episode, Emma discusses how pets are viewed as beloved family members and how this impacts our wellbeing. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Pets #Family #Childless
Mon, August 26, 2024
Episode 7: Interview with Aaron Gouveia of The Daddy Files
In this week’s episode, in honour of Father’s Day, we interview Men and Miscarriage: A Dad’s Guide to Grief, Relationships, and Healing After Loss co-author, Aaron Gouveia of The Daddy Files. We note that Aaron and his partner MJ now have children; however, Aaron has been a strong advocate for supporting men who experience pregnancy loss, and in particular, male infertility. We discuss how partners can support their male counterparts through infertility and what infertility and pregnancy loss is like from the male perspective. You can follow Aaron on Facebook and Instagram at The Daddy Files and @DaddyFiles. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #MaleInfertility #MaleFertility #MenandMiscarriage #TheDaddyFiles #AaronGouveia #FathersDay
Mon, August 12, 2024
Episode 6: Childless Women in TV and Movies
In this week’s episode, Cheryll discusses how childless women are represented in popular TV shows and movies. She explores the good, the bad and the mixed, why representation matters and how it can be improved. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #TV #Movies #Representation
Mon, July 29, 2024
Episode 5: Chronic Illness and Compounded Grief
In this episode, Catherine talks about chronic illness and how it can intertwine with and bring up grief and trauma, often compounding together. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #ChronicIllness #Grief
Mon, July 15, 2024
Episode 4: Identifying as Childless
In this episode, Emma talks about identifying as childless and all the complexities and emotions that go along with the label. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #Childfree #Infertility
Mon, July 01, 2024
Episode 3: Regret - A Deep Dive
In this episode, Cheryll discusses the research around regret and happiness, who experiences regret and why, and whether childless and childfree women feel more regret. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #Infertility #Regret Sources: https://behavioralscientist.org/what-is-the-power-of-regret-a-conversation-with-daniel-pink/ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/01/neurobehavioral-scientist-shows-how-people-can-overcome-regret-mental-health/ https://www.verywellmind.com/new-research-reveals-a-key-to-reducing-feelings-of-regret-5324676 https://jamestobinphd.com/the-psychology-of-regret/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201205/the-psychology-regret https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/being-your-best-self/202103/6-tips-making-difficult-decisions https://www.inc-aus.com/jessica-stillman/researchers-collected-15000-regrets-from-around-world-their-no-1-lesson-is-just-3-words-long.html https://www.psypost.org/new-psychology-research-uncovers-a-hidden-source-of-regret/ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-03/learning-from-regret-daniel-pink-this-working-life/100848018 https://www.inc-aus.com/jessica-stillman/daniel-pink-decision-making-regret-study.html https://www.psypost.org/new-study-confirms-many-adults-opt-for-child-free-life-without-regret/ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/22/adult-happiness-kids-children-childfree https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-04/research-on-childlessness-finds-majority-have-no-regrets/6912080 https://bronnieware.com/blog/regrets-of-the-dying/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/living-sticky-mind/202111/behind-chronic-indecisiveness-the-fear-regret https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/regret-aversion https://ifstudies.org/blog/does-having-children-make-people-happier-in-the-long-run https://time.com/collection/guide-to-happiness/4370344/parents-happiness-children-study/ https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/16/does-having-children-make-you-happier-science-of-parenthood-explained.html https://firstthings.org/having-kids-and-happiness/ https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/does-having-kids-make-you-happy https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/happiest-parents-country https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/may/25/women-happier-without-children-or-a-spouse-happiness-expert https://www.oslomet.no/en/research/featured-research/having-children-does-not-automatically-result-in-happier-life https://open.spotify.com/show/74udgVjx37Cx9gJxVESH4q?si=bRMLtF0STfKpIAePmzFvFQ https://open.spotify.com/episode/7IZZOTlGLVOhrulJQQMXHc?si=-ed70uarRhqj65jrZ3IyAA https://open.spotify.com/episode/7COOQ2fdNfBSyG0NiaBjxd?si=gS7LHLC1TrO4xcirSnfT-Q https://open.spotify.com/episode/2vKHXqiUN9rgmrJkDoscFi?si=E-MsQXEATUa9qiqpWQjoKA https://open.spotify.com/episode/6gufR3yLhbEOuKWHlK4Hlz?si=BqYiGsXQQQ-65WM7cMOeVQ https://open.spotify.com/episode/6gufR3yLhbEOuKWHlK4Hlz?si=BqYiGsXQQQ-65WM7cMOeVQ
Mon, June 17, 2024
Episode 2: The Fertility Roundabout
In our second episode, Catherine talks about the various fertility methods and treatments open to people, the ethics around these treatments and when to make the decision to stop. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #Infertility #PregnancyLoss
Mon, June 03, 2024
Episode 1: Our Stories
In this debut episode, Catherine, Cheryll, and Emma share their journeys through infertility and pregnancy loss, leading to their childless not by choice status. Email us at barrenessespod@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at The Barrenesses Podcast and @thebarrenessespodcast #Childless #Infertility #PregnancyLoss
loading...