#115 – Episode 115 – Motherhood, Drinking and Sobriety with Mandy Manners and Kate Baily

VeronicaValli

Kate Baily and Mandy Manners got sober when their children were young, finally fed up with the messaging that alcohol was a good way to reward or de-stress from parenthood. They have created the platform Love Sober where they help other women realize what a sober life can be like. Their book Love Yourself Sober, A Self-Care Guide to Alcohol-Free Living for Busy Mothers is out now.

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On this episode I have not one, but two rather interesting guests that I’ve been really looking forward to speaking to for some time: Kate Bailey and Mandy Manners, the authors of Love Yourself Sober: A Self-Care Guide to Alcohol-Free Living for Busy Mothers.

One of the things you hear Chip and I talk a lot about on the show is the out of control drinking culture in the UK, Europe, and the US and our experiences growing up as part of that culture in England.

One of the reasons Kate and Mandy caught my eye and why I really love what they do and stand for is that they are challenging that culture, holding up a mirror, and bringing the truth to light through their book, podcast, social media, and more. It’s fantastic and necessary work.

As a journalist, Kate was frustrated with the lack of reporting on the average person’s experience with an alcohol use disorder. The media focuses on sensationalist stories about rock bottom or rags to riches, yet, recognizing that you’re not alone and that there are people who have been where you are is a pivotal point in many of our journeys.

“Alcohol and parenting are not two things that go together, yet they have been put together everywhere.” – Veronica Valli

When I became a mother, I was suddenly hit by the pervasiveness of the Mummy wine culture. “They whine, I wine.” From tea towels to memes, we’re sold the message that you “deserve” a glass of alcohol after a long day of mothering.

The marketing tells us you connect with me, you celebrate with me, you commiserate with me. But the flip side of that is the underlying message that you can’t connect without me. And for mums, we’re told “You can’t cope without me.”

Here’s where Love Yourself Sober comes in. As a part of the evolving conversation, the book offers other mums the opportunity to see that they’re not alone in their struggle and that there’s space to talk about what you’re going through with other mums.

It all started from a very personal place for them, as two frazzled, busy mums with a difficult relationship with alcohol. What worked for them and what they encourage people to do is to take a step back and say “Now I’m not self-medicating. Now I can see what I need. So what do I need?”

That is the birth of self-care. This is not about taking away your reward, it’s about asking yourself what it is you really need.

Kate and Mandy share their journey to sobriety, how they are working to rebrand being sober, what it means to love sober, and more in this episode. I’d love to hear how you are incorporating self-care in your life. Tag me on Instagram @lovesoberful and let me know!

About Mandy Manners and Kate Baily

Kate Baily and Mandy Manners host the Love Sober podcast & community, run the Love Sober Life School to help women change their relationship with alcohol, and also work individually with clients as coaches.

They are the authors of the new book Love Yourself Sober: A Self-Care Guide to Alcohol-Free Living for Busy Mothers which has been featured by The Telegraph, The BBC, Metro, and Glamour to mention a few and is out now in Europe and will be on general release in the US in May next year.

Both Kate and Mandy are both passionate advocates for alcohol-free living to support mental health, they are both working Mums surviving (just about) the juggle and stressors of modern parenting through radical self-care and their choice to go sober.

Connect with Mandy Manners and Kate Baily

 

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