Presenter and podcaster Síomha Ní Ruairc has just launched Labour of Love, a new podcast that tackles aspects of pregnancy, from maternity leave and nutrition to mental health and labour.
"I've been interested in pregnancy and giving birth for years, even before I was pregnant," Ní Ruairc told RTÉ Lifestyle. "I just think it's such an expansive and vast topic."
Overwhelmed by the constant barrage of pregnancy advice, warnings, and "must-know" facts during her own journey to motherhood, Síomha worked to create a resource for parents-to-be that provides real-world guidance to cut through the information overload.
"Once you're pregnant, nothing else stops," laughs the 32-year-old. "Nothing slows down. Your work is still going a mile a minute, your social life, your relationships, but at the same time, you want to spend time studying and preparing yourself for what's to come."
"I found it very overwhelming, that avalanche of information out there," she adds. "I wanted to streamline that information to help people."
Throughout the series, experts will weigh in to share dependable advice, while Síomha shares insights from her own pregnancy journey.
Maternity leave, for example, was something the presenter wanted to learn more about because of her unusual career path.
"I have a PAYE job, but I'm also an independent contractor, and that's kind of two different worlds in terms of maternity leave," she explains. "I wanted to make it abundantly clear what we're entitled to, what we're not entitled to, areas that could be maybe improved and changed in society."
"I just assumed growing up that I would have a job, take maternity leave," she continues. "When you're self-employed, it's different. You kind of have to think about it much further in advance."
Some episodes will be filled with helpful tips in terms of keeping healthy through diet and exercise, while others will tackle some tough subjects, such as coping with grief and mental health struggles.
Síomha herself has had a difficult year, losing her sister and her grandmother, so dealing with loss while experiencing the joy of pregnancy was something she wanted to address.
"I went through something really difficult this year when I lost my sister really suddenly," she explains. "Grieving while you're pregnant is a tricky one because you're balancing these two very opposing emotions and life events, I suppose, in the one brain at the same time."
The series will end by tackling the topics of going into labour and giving birth, with the Galway native speaking with a midwife who dispels some of the 'advice' found on social media.
"It's really about taking what we see on social media with a massive piece of salt," she explains. "Who are these people who are giving us this information? We don't know their background, we don't know their qualifications, we're just saving the Reel and deciding [to go along with it]."
Overall, Síomha hopes that the podcast will help mothers-to-be to feel empowered to advocate for themselves throughout their experiences.
"I think that a positive birth experience leads to a positive parenting experience," she muses. "The start of your life as a parent is determined by the birth as well, so everyone should be able to have a positive one."
You can listen to Labour of Love with Síomha Ní Ruairc here.
