2. Wine O’Clock? - Dealing with Triggers and Overwhelm

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 & Links About 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 Bub healthymumhealthybub.org.au https://www.sydney.edu.au/matilda-centre

Sober Awkward Podcast, books, courses, community, events and support soberawkward.com

Victoria’s Books Mumming - A Year of Trying (and Failing) to be a Better Parent - https://amzn.asia/d/08E0CLyS A Thousand Wasted Sundays - https://amzn.asia/d/0eK3l8Bd

Sober Awkward Retreats Join 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.