Her podcast Lakaz Mama (A mother's home) aims to tackle all things pregnancy and motherhood in Mauritius. This Mauritian mom of two and HR professional, started the podcast to help out Mauritians and expats, either looking for support while embarking on the parenthood journey or facing issues such as infertility, postpartum depression鈥� Meet Athina.
Tell us about you, Athina
Bonjour! I am Athina, a Mauritian and HR professional since 2014.聽 I am happily married and a mom of two kids, Ella 3 years old and Jules 6 months old. I am the last of a family of 5 kids and the only girl!
You are the creator and host of your podcast Lakaz Mama, tell us more about it.
I created Lakaz Mama in August this year with the aim to set-up an inclusive platform that聽 shares聽 everything聽 related聽 to聽 pregnancy聽 and聽 parenting,聽 including聽 birth聽and postpartum issues, without any taboos, guilt or judgments.聽 The podcast gathers聽 the key persons, tools聽 and聽 resources聽 around聽 parenthood聽 that聽 are聽 available聽 in聽 Mauritius聽 to Mauritians and expats.聽
It聽 is聽 a聽 podcast聽 with聽 a聽 new聽 episode聽 every聽 2聽 weeks聽 where聽 I聽 interview聽 health professionals聽 who聽 will聽 talk聽 on聽 a聽 specific聽 topic聽 (it聽 can聽 be聽 midwives,聽 doulas,聽 doctors, chiropractors amongst others).聽 It can also be a conversation with a mum/dad who will share their personal journey about becoming parents. A variety of topics are addressed such聽 as聽 the聽 parents'聽 journey聽 through聽 pregnancy,聽 the聽 actual聽 birth,聽 breastfeeding challenges聽 or聽 joys,聽 infertility,聽 mental聽 health,聽 the聽 new聽 balance聽 to聽 be聽 found聽 as聽 a聽 couple, postpartum depression etc.
I聽 particularly聽 want聽 to聽 help聽 expatriates聽 living聽 in聽 Mauritius聽 through聽 my聽 podcast.聽 It聽 is聽 so important聽 for聽 expats聽 who聽 are聽 living聽 on聽 the聽 island,聽 far聽 from聽 their聽 birth聽 country, their聽 families聽 and聽 friends,聽 to聽 find聽 support聽 when聽 they聽 need聽 to.聽 The health care system may be different from their home country. For instance, there is no home birth (yet) in Mauritius,聽 no聽 birth聽 centres聽 nor聽 water聽 births,聽 so聽 I聽 sincerely聽 hope聽 that,聽 with聽 Lakaz Mama,聽 they聽 will聽 get聽 access聽 to聽 information聽 and聽 knowledge聽 to聽 live聽 their聽 maternity聽 and parental journey in the best possible way. I really wish to open the eyes of new parents to the resources available and the infinite
possibilities in becoming parents in Mauritius.聽 It聽 is聽 a聽 magical聽 journey聽 but聽 it聽 is聽 also聽 a hard聽 one聽 and聽 we聽 must聽 not聽 feel聽 isolated聽 in聽 this.聽 You must know that you are not alone in聽 your聽 feelings聽 and聽 there聽 are聽 many聽 mothers聽 out聽 there聽 experiencing聽 the聽 same emotional state.
Tell us something fun about you!
I am a spoon collector.聽 I聽 have聽 about聽 150聽 spoons聽 from聽 different聽 countries,聽 cities聽 or small聽 towns.聽 It聽 is聽 always聽 the聽 thing聽 I聽 do聽 not聽 forget聽 to聽 buy聽 or聽 ask聽 a聽 friend聽 to聽 bring聽 back to me when visiting new places.
What's your favourite part of Mauritius and why?
The west, Les Salines Pilot.聽 I聽 have聽 lived聽 there聽 for聽 many聽 years聽 and聽 it聽 is聽 safe,聽 calm聽 and you have everything at walking distance: the beach, the sea, the mountain! It is where I feel most alive!
What are your plans for the future?
I聽 would聽 love聽 my聽 podcast聽 Lakaz聽 Mama聽 to聽 reach聽 more聽 people,聽 and聽 for聽 expectant parents聽 and聽 parents聽 to聽 really聽 connect.聽 I聽 want聽 to聽 create聽 this聽 community聽 around maternity聽 and聽 parenthood聽 where聽 there聽 are聽 no聽 taboos,聽 just聽 sharing聽 and聽 support.聽 There are聽 so聽 many聽 issues聽 surrounding聽 parenthood聽 but聽 we聽 (too聽 often)聽 only聽 hear聽 the聽 鈥榥ice things'.聽 A聽 lot聽 of聽 people聽 suffer聽 from聽 infertility,聽 depression,聽 difficult聽 births聽 and聽 hard times聽 in聽 post-partum,聽 so I聽 want聽 the聽 podcast聽 to聽 be聽 a聽 place聽 where聽 people聽 can聽 share聽 their worries as well as their joys!
