MAMA - Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety

Эпизоды

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  6. Progress, Not Perfection 12.08.2026 27мин

  As we reach the final episode of MAMA, Victoria reflects on one of the most important lessons she has learned through motherhood, anxiety and eight years of sobriety:You do not have to get everything right.For years, Victoria believed she needed to be a perfect mum. Organised. Patient. Calm. Successful. The kind of woman who remembered every permission slip, baked homemade muffins and somehow kept on top of the washing basket.Instead, she found herself overwhelmed, exhausted and quietly relying on alcohol to cope with the pressure.In this episode, Victoria shares what happened when she finally stopped chasing perfection and started focusing on progress instead. She talks about the early days of changing her relationship with alcohol, the surprising benefits that followed, and why life didn’t suddenly become easier, but became infinitely more manageable.You’ll hear about confidence, self-trust, anxiety, parenting, brain chemistry, resilience and the power of simply showing up, even when life feels messy.Victoria also explores how our relationship with alcohol can shape the messages our children receive about stress, emotions and coping, and why becoming a cycle breaker might be one of the most powerful gifts we can give the next generation.Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, struggling with overwhelm, or simply trying to navigate the impossible standards placed on modern mothers, this episode is a reminder that change doesn’t happen all at once.It happens one small step at a time and that progress will always matter more than perfection.Resources & LinksAbout MAMA MAMA (Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.) is a special podcast series from Sober Awkward, created to complement the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program. Developed in partnership with researchers from The University of Sydney and supported by funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), MAMA aims to help mums feel less alone, more informed and better supported as they navigate the challenges of early motherhood. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling with anxiety, or questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, you’re in the right place. Healthy Mum Healthy Bubhealthymumhealthybub.org.auhttps://www.sydney.edu.au/matilda-centre Sober AwkwardPodcast, books, courses, community, events and supportsoberawkward.com Victoria’s BooksMumming - A Year of Trying (and Failing) to be a Better Parent -https://amzn.asia/d/08E0CLySA Thousand Wasted Sundays -https://amzn.asia/d/0eK3l8Bd Sober Awkward RetreatsJoin Victoria and the Sober Awkward community for alcohol-free retreats, workshops and unforgettable adventuresin Australia and overseas.Find out more at:soberawkward.com MAMA: Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.Hosted by Victoria Vanstone, author, speaker and co-host of the award-winning podcast Sober Awkward, MAMA is an honest, funny and reassuring podcast about the realities of modern motherhood.From anxiety and overwhelm to wine o’clock culture, identity, relationships and mental health, Victoria explores the conversations many mums are thinking about but rarely say out loud.Created in association with Healthy Mum Healthy Bub, researchers from The University of Sydney, and funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, MAMA combines lived experience, expert knowledge and practical tools to support mums through the challenges of parenting, mental health and alcohol use. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  5. Finding Your Way Back to You 12.08.2026 26мин

  When you change your relationship with alcohol, nobody really prepares you for the question that comes next:Who am I now?In this episode of MAMA, Victoria explores one of the biggest and most unexpected parts of becoming alcohol-free, rediscovering your identity.For years, alcohol was woven into birthdays, barbecues, girls’ nights, stressful parenting days and lonely evenings at home. It wasn’t just a drink, it became part of how many of us relax, socialise, celebrate and cope. So what happens when you take it away?Victoria shares her own journey from binge-drinking party girl to sober mum, the therapy sessions that helped her understand her drinking, and the surprising process of finding herself underneath all the labels of wife, mother, daughter and caretaker.She talks honestly about social anxiety and learning to set boundaries, surviving your first sober party, and why confidence eventually starts coming from within rather than from a glass.You’ll also learn why alcohol can leave us feeling stuck, how the brain rebuilds natural reward pathways in sobriety, and why so many sober people suddenly become obsessed with things like boxing, pottery, gardening and air fryers.This episode is for any mum who has ever wondered whether she’s lost herself somewhere along the way.Because giving up alcohol isn’t just about removing something from your life.Sometimes it’s about finding yourself again. ❤️Resources & LinksAbout MAMA MAMA (Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.) is a special podcast series from Sober Awkward, created to complement the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program. Developed in partnership with researchers from The University of Sydney and supported by funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), MAMA aims to help mums feel less alone, more informed and better supported as they navigate the challenges of early motherhood. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling with anxiety, or questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, you’re in the right place. Healthy Mum Healthy Bubhealthymumhealthybub.org.auhttps://www.sydney.edu.au/matilda-centre Sober AwkwardPodcast, books, courses, community, events and supportsoberawkward.com Victoria’s BooksMumming - A Year of Trying (and Failing) to be a Better Parent -https://amzn.asia/d/08E0CLySA Thousand Wasted Sundays -https://amzn.asia/d/0eK3l8Bd Sober Awkward RetreatsJoin Victoria and the Sober Awkward community for alcohol-free retreats, workshops and unforgettable adventuresin Australia and overseas.Find out more at:soberawkward.comMAMA: Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.Hosted by Victoria Vanstone, author, speaker and co-host of the award-winning podcast Sober Awkward, MAMA is an honest, funny and reassuring podcast about the realities of modern motherhood.From anxiety and overwhelm to wine o’clock culture, identity, relationships and mental health, Victoria explores the conversations many mums are thinking about but rarely say out loud.Created in association with Healthy Mum Healthy Bub, researchers from The University of Sydney, and funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, MAMA combines lived experience, expert knowledge and practical tools to support mums through the challenges of parenting, mental health and alcohol use. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  4. How One Conversation Can Change Everything... 11.08.2026 23мин

  There comes a point when you’ve read the articles, made the promises, created the rules and sworn that this time things will be different.You already know alcohol is making you anxious. You already know you’ll regret drinking too much. You already know the cycle isn’t working.So what happens when you’ve tried everything and you’re still stuck? Is it time to tell someone?In this episode of MAMA, Victoria Vanstone shares the moment she stopped trying to fix her drinking on her own and finally admitted she needed help.From becoming a mother of two and struggling with anxiety, exhaustion and broken promises, to sitting in her lounge room wondering why she couldn’t seem to change, Vic explores the turning point that eventually led her towards sobriety.She talks honestly about shame, secrecy and the fear of telling other people the truth. The fear of being judged. The fear of being seen as a bad mother. The fear that life would somehow fall apart if she stopped drinking.But she also shares what happened when she finally opened up to someone she trusted.This episode explores why asking for help feels so difficult, why shame thrives in silence, and why human beings are wired for connection rather than isolation. Vic explains how support can come in many forms, whether that’s a partner, a friend, a therapist, a doctor, an online community or simply one safe person who is willing to listen.If you’ve ever felt exhausted from carrying a secret, wondered whether your drinking is becoming a problem, or felt frightened by the idea of asking for help, this episode is for you.No judgement. No labels. Just an honest conversation about the courage it takes to tell the truth, and how one simple conversation can become the first step towards getting your life back.Sometimes the biggest breakthrough isn’t quitting drinking. It’s finally admitting you don’t have to do it alone.Resources & LinksAbout MAMA MAMA (Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.) is a special podcast series from Sober Awkward, created to complement the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program. Developed in partnership with researchers from The University of Sydney and supported by funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), MAMA aims to help mums feel less alone, more informed and better supported as they navigate the challenges of early motherhood. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling with anxiety, or questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, you’re in the right place. Healthy Mum Healthy Bubhealthymumhealthybub.org.auhttps://www.sydney.edu.au/matilda-centre Sober AwkwardPodcast, books, courses, community, events and supportsoberawkward.com Victoria’s BooksMumming - A Year of Trying (and Failing) to be a Better Parent -https://amzn.asia/d/08E0CLySA Thousand Wasted Sundays -https://amzn.asia/d/0eK3l8Bd Sober Awkward RetreatsJoin Victoria and the Sober Awkward community for alcohol-free retreats, workshops and unforgettable adventuresin Australia and overseas.Find out more at:soberawkward.com MAMA: Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.Hosted by Victoria Vanstone, author, speaker and co-host of the award-winning podcast Sober Awkward, MAMA is an honest, funny and reassuring podcast about the realities of modern motherhood.From anxiety and overwhelm to wine o’clock culture, identity, relationships and mental health, Victoria explores the conversations many mums are thinking about but rarely say out loud.Created in association with Healthy Mum Healthy Bub, researchers from The University of Sydney, and funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, MAMA combines lived experience, expert knowledge and practical tools to support mums through the challenges of parenting, mental health and alcohol use. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  3. Moderation - The Myth of Just One 11.08.2026 22мин

  Every Friday night, Victoria Vanstone made the same promise to herself. Just one or two drinks. Home early. No hangover. No anxiety. No regrets. This time would be different.It never was.In this episode of MAMA, Vic explores the exhausting cycle of trying to moderate alcohol during motherhood. Like many mums, she didn’t want to stop drinking completely. She simply wanted to drink like everyone else seemed to. One glass of wine, a little relaxation, then home to bed feeling refreshed and in control.Instead, one drink often became several, followed by anxiety, broken promises and the familiar vow to do better next time.Vic shares her personal experience of spending years trying to find the magic formula for moderation, while quietly ignoring the fact that alcohol was causing many of the problems she was drinking to escape.Along the way, she explores the science of cravings, why our brains become wired to expect alcohol at certain times of day, and why the first drink often makes decisions about the second. She explains why cravings can feel so powerful, but also why they don’t last forever.This episode is packed with practical tools for navigating urges, including urge surfing, delaying decisions, playing the tape forward and learning how to interrupt automatic habits before they take over.Most importantly, Vic reflects on the hidden cost of always thinking about alcohol. The mental energy it consumes. The moments it steals. The precious years of motherhood that pass by while we’re waiting for the next drink, recovering from the last one or negotiating with ourselves about whether we’ll have one at all.If you’ve ever promised yourself you’d only have one, wondered why moderation feels so difficult, or found yourself spending far too much time thinking about alcohol, this episode is for you.No judgement. No shame. Just an honest conversation about cravings, moderation and discovering that life becomes much simpler when alcohol is no longer taking up so much space in your head.Warning! - there are a few tears in this one!Resources & LinksAbout MAMA MAMA (Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.) is a special podcast series from Sober Awkward, created to complement the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program. Developed in partnership with researchers from The University of Sydney and supported by funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), MAMA aims to help mums feel less alone, more informed and better supported as they navigate the challenges of early motherhood. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling with anxiety, or questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, you’re in the right place. Healthy Mum Healthy Bubhealthymumhealthybub.org.auhttps://www.sydney.edu.au/matilda-centre Sober AwkwardPodcast, books, courses, community, events and supportsoberawkward.com Victoria’s BooksMumming - A Year of Trying (and Failing) to be a Better Parent -https://amzn.asia/d/08E0CLySA Thousand Wasted Sundays -https://amzn.asia/d/0eK3l8Bd Sober Awkward RetreatsJoin Victoria and the Sober Awkward community for alcohol-free retreats, workshops and unforgettable adventuresin Australia and overseas.Find out more at:soberawkward.com MAMA: Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.Hosted by Victoria Vanstone, author, speaker and co-host of the award-winning podcast Sober Awkward, MAMA is an honest, funny and reassuring podcast about the realities of modern motherhood.From anxiety and overwhelm to wine o’clock culture, identity, relationships and mental health, Victoria explores the conversations many mums are thinking about but rarely say out loud.Created in association with Healthy Mum Healthy Bub, researchers from The University of Sydney, and funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, MAMA combines lived experience, expert knowledge and practical tools to support mums through the challenges of parenting, mental health and alcohol use. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  2. Wine O’Clock? - Dealing with Triggers and Overwhelm 11.08.2026 23мин

  Motherhood is hard. Not the cute Instagram version with matching outfits and homemade baby purées. The real version. The sleep deprivation, the self-doubt, the endless responsibility and the overwhelming feeling that everyone else somehow knows what they’re doing except you.In this episode of MAMA, Victoria Vanstone explores the emotional load of motherhood and why so many mums find themselves reaching for a glass of wine at the end of the day. From cracked nipples and emergency C-sections to washing-line tears and 3am anxiety spirals, Vic shares her own experience of becoming overwhelmed and quietly using alcohol to cope.She unpacks the science behind anxiety, why alcohol can feel like a solution when you’re exhausted, lonely or struggling, and how mummy wine culture cleverly disguises itself as self-care while often making things worse.Vic also explores some of the most common triggers for drinking in motherhood, including exhaustion, comparison, guilt, resentment and overwhelm, and explains why understanding what’s underneath the urge to drink can be far more powerful than simply focusing on the alcohol itself.This episode isn’t about judgement or telling anyone what they should do. It’s about understanding why motherhood can feel so hard, learning to challenge the stories we tell ourselves, and discovering healthier ways to cope when life feels like too much.If you’ve ever found yourself hiding in the pantry for five minutes of peace, wondering if you’re doing any of this right, or pouring a reward wine because the kids survived another day, this episode is for you.No perfection. No mummy guilt. Just honest conversations about motherhood, overwhelm and finding your way through. Resources & LinksAbout MAMA MAMA (Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.) is a special podcast series from Sober Awkward, created to complement the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program. Developed in partnership with researchers from The University of Sydney and supported by funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), MAMA aims to help mums feel less alone, more informed and better supported as they navigate the challenges of early motherhood. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling with anxiety, or questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, you’re in the right place. Healthy Mum Healthy Bubhealthymumhealthybub.org.auhttps://www.sydney.edu.au/matilda-centre Sober AwkwardPodcast, books, courses, community, events and supportsoberawkward.com Victoria’s BooksMumming - A Year of Trying (and Failing) to be a Better Parent -https://amzn.asia/d/08E0CLySA Thousand Wasted Sundays -https://amzn.asia/d/0eK3l8Bd Sober Awkward RetreatsJoin Victoria and the Sober Awkward community for alcohol-free retreats, workshops and unforgettable adventures in Australia and overseas.Find out more at:soberawkward.com MAMA: Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.Hosted by Victoria Vanstone, author, speaker and co-host of the award-winning podcast Sober Awkward, MAMA is an honest, funny and reassuring podcast about the realities of modern motherhood.From anxiety and overwhelm to wine o’clock culture, identity, relationships and mental health, Victoria explores the conversations many mums are thinking about but rarely say out loud.Created in association with Healthy Mum Healthy Bub, researchers from The University of Sydney, and funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, MAMA combines lived experience, expert knowledge and practical tools to support mums through the challenges of parenting, mental health and alcohol use. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  1. Motherhood, Alcohol, Anxiety and Me 11.08.2026 20мин

  When Victoria Vanstone became a mum, she thought she was prepared. She imagined she’d simply add a baby to her already lovely life, pop them in a sling and carry on being herself.That wasn’t quite what happened.In this first episode of MAMA, Vic shares the messy, funny and emotional reality of becoming a mother, from carefree party girl to overwhelmed new mum struggling with anxiety, identity loss and the enormous responsibility of keeping a tiny human alive.She talks honestly about the pressure to be a “good mum”, the loneliness that can hide behind smiling family photos, and the relentless mental load that so many mothers carry in silence. She also explores how alcohol slowly became her coping mechanism, not because she loved drinking, but because she was desperate for a way to switch off.Together, we’ll unpack the myths of modern motherhood, why so many women feel like they’re failing when they’re actually doing an incredible job, and why reaching for a glass of wine can sometimes be a sign that something deeper needs attention.If you’ve ever wondered where the old you disappeared to, questioned whether those “mummy reward wines” are really helping, or felt like everyone else got the parenting handbook except you, this episode is for you.No judgement. No perfection. Just an honest conversation about the motherhood plot twist nobody saw coming, and the reassurance that you’re far from alone.Resources & LinksAbout MAMAMAMA (Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.) is a special podcast series from Sober Awkward, created to complement the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program.Developed in partnership with researchers from The University of Sydney and supported by funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), MAMA aims to help mums feel less alone, more informed and better supported as they navigate the challenges of early motherhood.If you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling with anxiety, or questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, you’re in the right place.Healthy Mum Healthy Bubhealthymumhealthybub.org.auhttps://www.sydney.edu.au/matilda-centreSober AwkwardPodcast, books, courses, community, events and supportsoberawkward.comVictoria’s BooksMumming - A Year of Trying (and Failing) to be a Better Parent - https://amzn.asia/d/08E0CLySA Thousand Wasted Sundays - https://amzn.asia/d/0eK3l8BdSober Awkward RetreatsJoin Victoria and the Sober Awkward community for alcohol-free retreats, workshops and unforgettable adventures in Australia and overseas.Find out more at:soberawkward.comMAMA: Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.Hosted by Victoria Vanstone, author, speaker and co-host of the award-winning podcast Sober Awkward, MAMA is an honest, funny and reassuring podcast about the realities of modern motherhood.From anxiety and overwhelm to wine o’clock culture, identity, relationships and mental health, Victoria explores the conversations many mums are thinking about but rarely say out loud.Created in association with Healthy Mum Healthy Bub, researchers from The University of Sydney, and funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, MAMA combines lived experience, expert knowledge and practical tools to support mums through the challenges of parenting, mental health and alcohol use. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Introducing MAMA: Motherhood, Alcohol, Mental Health and Anxiety 04.08.2026 9мин

  So… what is MAMA?If you’ve ever found yourself pouring a glass of wine before you’ve even finished unpacking the school bags, if you’ve joked about Wine O’Clock while secretly wondering why your anxiety feels worse the next day, or if you’ve started asking yourself whether alcohol has quietly become part of your parenting journey, then you’ve found the right podcast.MAMA stands for Motherhood, Alcohol, Mental Health and Anxiety. It’s an honest six part podcast series hosted by Victoria Vanstone, mum of three, author and host of the award-winning Sober Awkward podcast.This teaser episode is a little introduction to why MAMA exists and why these conversations matter so much.The full series launches next week alongside the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program. The two have been designed to work together, giving you both practical support and honest conversation as you explore your own relationship with alcohol. You can work through the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program while listening to each episode of MAMA, or simply enjoy the podcast on its own. However you choose to listen, you’ll find the same message running through both. You are not alone, you are not broken, and there are other ways to cope.Created in collaboration with the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub team and researchers from the University of Sydney, and funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, MAMA brings together something really powerful, lived experience and evidence based research. You’ll hear real stories, practical tools, the latest science around alcohol, anxiety and motherhood, and plenty of laughs along the way.This isn’t a podcast that tells you what to do. There are no labels, no judgement and no lectures. Instead, it’s an invitation to get curious. To ask yourself whether alcohol is helping you become the mum, partner and person you want to be. To understand why alcohol can feel so closely tied to motherhood, and to discover that there might be another way.Whether you’re sober curious, trying to cut back, questioning your drinking, or simply interested in understanding the connection between motherhood, mental health and alcohol, MAMA is here to walk alongside you, one conversation at a time.The teaser is here now, and the full six episode series, along with the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program, launches next week. Pop the kettle on, settle in, and let’s start this conversation together. Resources & LinksAbout MAMAMAMA (Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.) is a special podcast series from Sober Awkward, created to complement the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program.Developed in partnership with researchers from The University of Sydney and supported by funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), MAMA aims to help mums feel less alone, more informed and better supported as they navigate the challenges of early motherhood.If you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling with anxiety, or questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, you’re in the right place.Healthy Mum Healthy Bubhealthymumhealthybub.org.auhttps://www.sydney.edu.au/matilda-centreSober AwkwardPodcast, books, courses, community, events and supportsoberawkward.comVictoria’s BooksMumming - A Year of Trying (and Failing) to be a Better Parent - https://amzn.asia/d/08E0CLySA Thousand Wasted Sundays - https://amzn.asia/d/0eK3l8BdSober Awkward RetreatsJoin Victoria and the Sober Awkward community for alcohol-free retreats, workshops and unforgettable adventures in Australia and overseas.Find out more at:soberawkward.comMAMA: Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.Hosted by Victoria Vanstone, author, speaker and co-host of the award-winning podcast Sober Awkward, MAMA is an honest, funny and reassuring podcast about the realities of modern motherhood.From anxiety and overwhelm to wine o’clock culture, identity, relationships and mental health, Victoria explores the conversations many mums are thinking about but rarely say out loud.Created in association with Healthy Mum Healthy Bub, researchers from The University of Sydney, and funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, MAMA combines lived experience, expert knowledge and practical tools to support mums through the challenges of parenting, mental health and alcohol use. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.