Ep.3/ Intuition and Identity: Jess on Motherhood
In this episode of The Family Tree, we turn the mic toward Jess and take a deep, honest walk through her journey into motherhood — from early career and life experiences, to pregnancy and loss, postpartum challenges, second-time parenting, and the moments that fundamentally reshaped how she shows up as a mother and reclaims her identity today.
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Motherhood comes with so many expectations—both from society and from ourselves. In this episode, Jess opens up about her personal journey, sharing the joys, the challenges, and the lessons learned from raising two children while running a business and navigating life as a Defence Force partner.
From pregnancy loss and postpartum depression to sleep deprivation and finding your village, Jess’ story is raw, honest, and full of insight. She reflects on how tuning into her intuition and building self-care habits transformed her experience of motherhood, and why embracing imperfection is essential for any parent.
In This Episode, We Talk About
Fertility, conception, and pregnancy experiences, including loss.
Postpartum depression and the rollercoaster of emotions in the first year.
The realities of sleep deprivation and balancing career with motherhood.
Building a support network—a “village”—and why it’s so important.
Second-time parenting: trusting your intuition and finding your rhythm.
How societal expectations shape our perceptions of motherhood.
Jess before motherhood
Jess shares her early life, her career in business, and the path that led her into parenthood. She reflects on the values and experiences that shaped her identity and prepared her for the challenges of raising a family while maintaining her sense of self.
Pregnancy, fertility & loss
We discuss Jess’ experiences with conception, pregnancy, and miscarriage. She talks candidly about the emotional weight of loss and how it reshaped her approach to motherhood, resilience, and self-compassion.
Postpartum depression & sleep deprivation
Jess opens up about the early weeks and months of motherhood, including postpartum depression, the mental load, and navigating life on minimal sleep. She shares the strategies and support systems that helped her reclaim some stability and peace.
Second-time parenting & trusting intuition
Jess reflects on how her second pregnancy and parenting experience differed, highlighting the lessons learned, the confidence gained, and the trust in her own maternal instincts that allowed her to parent in a way that felt authentic.
Building a support network & reclaiming identity
Through her journey, Jess discovered the importance of a supportive village and carving out space for self-care. She shares how letting go of guilt, accepting help, and leaning into her intuition helped her reconnect with her identity beyond motherhood.
Why we wanted to share this story
We wanted to share Jess’ story because the realities of motherhood are often hidden behind curated social media feeds, yet they are universal: the challenges, the emotional ups and downs, and the triumphs, big and small. We hope listeners feel seen, heard, and inspired to embrace their own journey—without guilt or comparison.
Listen to the episode
Episode 3 of The Family Tree is available now on your favourite podcast platform.
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