Hannah Hardy-Jones of The Kite Program / postpartum bipolar disorder, recovery, second child, healing birth

08/27/20 • 61 min

This episode of Motherness is proudly sponsored by Mildred&Co. Mildred&Co is a lovingly curated baby and wedding gift registry and everyday gift store.
Trigger warning: this episode details bipolar disorder, mania, depression, anxiety, and other topics around mental illness. If any of these themes are triggering for you, please take care while you're listening. If you're worried about your own mental health or that of someone you love, call 0800 LIFELINE (0800 543 354).
Today’s guest is Hannah Hardy-Jones, a beautiful māmā and founder of The Kite Program who was diagnosed with postpartum bipolar disorder after the birth of her first child, Alice.

I saw a post on Hannah’s Instagram of her daughter, Alice holding a drawing that says ‘My Mum helps mums.” I felt it so greatly. "My mum helps mums." And she does.

I knew seeing that photo and having this korero with Hannah that this episode was the perfect one to end season one of Motherness on. Ultimately, that’s my hope for Motherness too. Mums helping mums. Holding space and compassion for each other and honouring our journeys, as challenging, as beautiful, and as different as they all may be.

So, here’s Hannah for you today on all that she went through with her rare and crippling mental illness, her road to recovery, bravely choosing to have another child, the healing, the learning and the creation that has come from what she describes a Kite once damaged beyond repair. But now? Hannah has rebuilt her Kite and it is soaring.
Mental health support services:

Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa
depression.org.nz or 0800 111 757
Mental Health Foundation
Parent Help - 0800 568 856
Anxiety Phone Line - 0800 269 4389
PlunketLine - 0800 933 922
For a referral to Maternal Mental Health please contact your midwife or GP
Mental Health Crisis services (for emergencies only)

Follow Hannah Hardy-Jones on Instagram. Visit The Kite Program.
Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram.

I saw a post on Hannah’s Instagram of her daughter, Alice holding a drawing that says ‘My Mum helps mums.” I felt it so greatly. "My mum helps mums." And she does.

Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa
depression.org.nz or 0800 111 757
Mental Health Foundation
Parent Help - 0800 568 856
Anxiety Phone Line - 0800 269 4389
PlunketLine - 0800 933 922
For a referral to Maternal Mental Health please contact your midwife or GP
Mental Health Crisis services (for emergencies only)

Follow Hannah Hardy-Jones on Instagram. Visit The Kite Program.
Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram.

Previous Episode

Michaela a'Court / exclusive pumping, return to work at three months, emergency c-section, birth trauma, baby blues

This episode of Motherness is proudly sponsored by Your Birth Project. Your Birth Project is a New Zealand based online birthing class that encompasses Hypnobirthing and Calmbirthing practices, created by Jordyn Gregory who is the host of the Kiwi Birth Tales podcast.
I’m a firm believer that what’s best for you as a māmā is what’s best for your baby. Your needs and your child’s needs aren’t mutually exclusive and today’s guest shares a story that is a perfect illustration of that.
Today, Michaela takes us through her traumatic birth of her daughter and the implications of that experience, their breastfeeding difficulties, her decision to exclusively pump for seven months, and returning to work when Ava was still a newborn to run her own PR business. She subsequently chose to forgo her work during this season of motherhood and become a stay-at-home mum instead - the pay-off of which has been immense for both her daughter’s development and her own wellbeing and she discusses that with us today.
Michaela perfectly embodies the fact that the hardships of motherhood do not define us but ultimately shape us into the māmās we are destined to become. This is a beautiful story of coming full circle and I know you’ll appreciate Michaela’s vulnerability and strength as do I.
Thank you again to Jordyn from Your Birth Project for sponsoring this week's episode of Motherness. Follow Your Birth Project on Instagram.
Follow Michaela a'Court on Instagram.
Follow Skye Ross on Instagram.

Follow Motherness on Instagram.

Next Episode

Tash Porter / severe reflux (GORD), sleep deprivation, midwife to mum, responsive parenting

Welcome to this bonus episode of Motherness. If you’re part of my private Facebook group for the podcast then you’ll know that season two is coming in January but given it’s been slightly longer between seasons than I’d initially planned, I wanted to drop a new episode so you can get a little Motherness fix while you wait!

In today’s episode, I speak with midwife and mum of one Tash Porter about her entry to motherhood with her daughter Milly.

If you’re a mum, like me, who had a baby who didn’t have reflux or colic, you likely suffered the typical amount of sleep deprivation in the first year or two of their life. But for a mum like Tash, whose daughter did have reflux, she was forced to survive on one hour of sleep – total – each night and one nap per day. After listening to her today, you’ll have a whole new appreciation and understanding for those parents who battle a similar journey. Despite all that Tash went through in their first year, she is incredibly pragmatic and somehow positive about a time that I truly believe would break many of us.

So, if you’re listening and you’re in the trenches of a challenge then this is for you. For you, the mum who feels a little lonely even with a community, the mum who feels like she can’t leave the house, the mum who’s only just surviving. We see you and this episode is for you.
Mental health support services: