Ep 72: Alcohol, Overwhelm & ' The Perfect Mother' Myth

Have you ever wondered why so many mothers today feel overwhelmed, isolated, or pressured to present a picture-perfect life especially when it comes to drinking culture? In this episode of The Big Drink Rethink, host Anna Donaghey talks to Anna Cusack, a postnatal doula, motherhood studies practitioner, and author of the powerful book "Mama, You’re Not Broken".

Together, they explore the emotional realities behind the “perfect mother” myth, the pressures that lead many mums to reach for a glass of wine, and the real-life support systems that are often missing in our lives. This episode challenges common narratives around alcohol, coping, and what mums truly need.

Here are the highlights:

00:00 Introduction

06:52 Experiences of pre-birth mental health issues and anxiety in postpartum.

09:08 Dr. Sophie Brock studies inspired the creation of Anna’s book "Mama, You’re Not Broken"

12:19 Pandemic isolation and the impacts it had on expectant mothers

14:57 Facing the pressures of parental ‘perfection’

17:54 Conflicting emotions like shame, anger, and guilt during motherhood

22:54 Australian data shows increased alcohol use among mothers as children age

28:57 Community is essential for enjoying parenthood

37:53 In motherhood, there's lots of pressure to meet unrealistic ideals.

44:54 Caring for children is exhausting and many use alcohol as a quick fix to relax

If you’re feeling stretched thin, tired, and in search of support, you’re not alone. This episode - and the ‘Mummy Doesn’t Need Wine’ group - are for you.

Join ‘Mummy Doesn’t Need Wine’ here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mummydoesntneedwine

🔗 Get all the free resources from the series at: Toolkit Optin

Anna’s group coaching community ‘Unstuck!’ helps identify your alcohol ‘stories’ and beliefs, breaking the cycle of alcohol and all the shame that goes with it. For more information and to find out how to join, please follow this link: Unstuck! community information

To further explore your relationship with alcohol, check out Anna’s self-guided programme, The Big Drink Rethink Experiment: https://www.thebeliefscoach.com/the-big-drink-rethink-experiment

And apply the code POD99 to purchase for just £99 as a podcast listener

If you’re loving the podcast and would like to give Anna a warm, fuzzy feeling of appreciation, then you can buy her a coffee:

https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.

Connect with Anna:

Website: thebeliefscoach.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey

Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

Find out more about Anna Cusack:

Anna Cusack experienced postnatal anxiety after the birth of her unputdownable, sleep hating, first child in 2019. With a background in allied health, she added to her skill set, retraining as a postnatal doula and motherhood studies practitioner. As the pandemic rolled along, Anna focused on making sense of the emotional turbulence of motherhood in a mixed up world, and communicating this with others online, through her podcast “Anna Asks”, and eventually, through her book "Mama, You're Not Broken: Unmasking the Unspoken Emotions of Modern Motherhood". A second child and mental health journey later, Anna now offers circles and support programs for parents who may otherwise “fall through the mental health cracks”, specialty birth debriefs that actually help people feel better not worse, and one to one postnatal mentoring and care. She is based in Newcastle, Australia, and has lived alcohol-free for almost 7 years.

Connect with Anna:

Website: www.annacusack.com.au

Instagram: instagram.com/annacusackpostpartum/

Facebook: facebook.com/annacusackpostpartum