Ep.2/ Motherhood Unfiltered: Bree’s Journey
In this episode of The Family Tree, we turn the mic toward Bree and take a deep, honest walk through her journey into motherhood — from childhood dreams of caring for others, to nursing, birth, postnatal mental health, and the moments that fundamentally reshaped how she parents today.
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This conversation is raw, expansive, and deeply human. Bree shares the parts of motherhood that often stay hidden: the medical scares, the sleepless nights, the quiet unravelling, and the long road back to trusting her intuition.
We want to acknowledge upfront that this episode touches on sensitive topics, including fertility, infant illness, hospitalisation, sleep training, postnatal mental health, and medical trauma. Please listen in a way that feels safe and supportive for you.
Ep.2/
Motherhood Unfiltered: Bree’s Journey
In This Episode, We Talk About
Bree before motherhood
Bree shares her early life growing up in Brisbane, her natural pull toward caring roles, and the path that led her into nursing. From early career decisions to finding meaning in supporting families, this foundation deeply shaped how she entered motherhood.
From nursing to Possums
We unpack Bree’s professional journey — including how her clinical background and lived experience led her to become Managing Director of the Possums Clinic in Brisbane, and how her work today is informed by both evidence-based care and deep compassion.
Becoming a mother during COVID
Bree reflects on falling pregnant during the pandemic, her first birth experience, and the contrast between a well-supported labour and the shock of the postnatal period — a phase she, like many mothers, felt profoundly underprepared for.
A medical emergency at nine days postpartum
One of the most powerful moments in the episode is Bree recounting her newborn son’s sudden hospitalisation with meningitis. She speaks candidly about maternal intuition, advocating while vulnerable, and the lasting emotional impact of those early days.
Sleep & control
As exhaustion and anxiety built, Bree shares how sleep became something she tried to “solve” — and how routines, tracking, and constant vigilance slowly began to shrink her world. This section offers an honest reflection on how well-meaning advice can sometimes pull us further away from ourselves.
A second pregnancy & rapid birth
Bree talks through an unexpected second pregnancy, intense fatigue, and a dramatically different birth experience — one that arrived fast, fierce, and completely on its own terms.
When everything fell apart at once
In one of the most confronting chapters, Bree shares the story of her toddler breaking his femur on the day of his birthday party, while she was also navigating feeding challenges, severe sleep deprivation, and postpartum vulnerability with her second baby.
Accepting help & reclaiming intuition
Through it all, Bree reflects on the moment she was forced — gently and painfully — to let go of control and accept support. This episode ultimately centres on the return to intuition, identity, and a softer, more compassionate way of mothering.
Why we wanted to share this story
We believe that hearing real motherhood stories — not just the polished versions — helps parents feel less alone.
This episode isn’t about doing things “right.”
It’s about listening inward, questioning the narratives we’re sold, and honouring the seasons of motherhood as they truly are.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, hypervigilant, lost inside routines, or unsure whether to trust yourself — this conversation is for you.
Listen to the episode
Episode 2 of The Family Tree is available now on your favourite podcast platform.
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