Mum's The Word! The Parenting Podcast - MAJOR MUM HACKS JOINS MUM'S THE WORD!

Episode Date: December 30, 2024

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode of Mum's The Word, Georgia Jones is joined by the incredible Casey Major-Bunce, better known as Major Mum Hacks. 🌟Casey shares her deeply personal journey, from navigating the challenges and triumphs of IVF to receiving her autism diagnosis later in life. Together, Georgia and Casey explore the impact of these life-changing experiences on motherhood, identity, and resilience.Plus, Casey reveals the story behind Major Mum Hacks—how it all began, the motivation behind her brilliant tips, and how she’s built a community of mums who love her practical and life-changing advice.This episode is a perfect blend of raw honesty, humor, and inspiration that reminds us we’re all in this together. 💕Tune in now for a conversation that will leave you feeling uplifted and empowered.A Create Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In case nobody's told you, weight loss goes beyond the old just eat less and move more narrative. And that's where Felix comes in. Felix is redefining weight loss for Canadians with a smarter, more personalized approach to help you crush your health goals this year. Losing weight is about more than diet and exercise. It can also be about our genetics, hormones, metabolism. Felix connects you with online licensed healthcare practitioners who understand that everybody is different and compare your healthy lifestyle with the right support to reach your goals. Start your visit today at felix.ca. That's felix.ca.

T'was the season of chaos and all through the house, not one person was stressing. Holla differently this year with DoorDash. Don't want to holla do the most? Holla differently this year with DoorDash. Don't wanna holla do the most? Holla don't. More festive, less frantic. Get deals for every occasion with DoorDash. Welcome back to another episode

of a brand new season of Mums the Word. I'm Georgia Jones and joining me today is none other than the amazing Casey Major-Buns, better known as Major-Mum Hacks on Instagram. She's widely loved for her innovative hacks to help save everyone, especially parents, save time, stress and money. Her debut book, The Big Book of Major-Mum Hacks is set for publication in March 2025 and she's also the host of the Majorly Hacked Off podcast.

We've got so much to chat about. We hear about Casey's IVF journey. They were 32-weekers. Oh wow, so quite early. Yeah, quite early, but all my kids have all been in special care for different reasons. So I've never actually just like had a baby and took it home. Receiving an autism diagnosis in later life.

I want my kids to know that when they come at home, take off your mask as such and just do whatever you want. You have never got to act in front of us. Yeah. This is your place. This is your safe haven. Safe place. Plus, how major mum hacks started. So grab a cuppa, get comfy and let's jump in to a brand

new episode of Mum's the Word. Hello Casey, welcome to theya. Thank you so much for having me on. It's lovely to have you on. So for anybody listening, and for some reason doesn't know who you are, just tell us, give us a little bit of a background. So I'm Casey Major-Bantz and I'm on Major-Mum Hacks, which is an Instagram page. I'm also on TikTok as well. And I share kind of like mum hacks, life tips and tricks, things to make like just your, life tips and tricks, things to make like just your life a little bit easier, really not as like stressful as what mom life is.

Your background, so you've got two little girls, haven't you? Yes, yes, I've got four kids. I've got- Oh, you've got four kids? Right, go on. So I've got a 13 year old who's gonna be soon 14, a little boy, he's not so little no more. And then I've got Kaiser who is nine. And then I've got a 13 year old who's gonna be soon 14, a little boy, not so little no more. And then I've got Kaiser who is nine.

And then I've got identical twin girls, Rebecca and Matilda who are five. Wow. And you, that is a lot of kids. Well done you. My husband says sometimes too many kids. We had too many. He really, really wanted two kids.

I was desperate for four and we needed IVF and we met in the middle and I said free Yeah, so and then the embryo split And you got your wish it was meant to be. Yeah six weeks scan He said you always get what you want don't you? Yeah, you are growing them if you want to exactly Tell us a little bit about your IVF journey then so Erin was a lovely surprise when we were younger and then we tried again for

Kaiser my second and it just didn't work out. Yeah. We went through loads of Clomid, fertility treatment, RUI, injections and you're like you're triggering the eggs to go and it took me a year on Clomid. Now I went privately in the end because the NHS wouldn't help because obviously I'd already had a baby. Yeah, that's something that I've found out recently that if you've had a baby, you can't have IVF. No, no, not for like the treatment and things like that. They might give you Clomid down the line, but not really.

And we'd been trying for a couple of years. So we went for Clomid with Kaiser and we, on the last, very last month, on the 12th month, which I don't like giving it to you for that long, they said the fact that this would be the last month and the next stages would be RVF. But I fell pregnant with him.

He was a twin, but unfortunately we lost his twin early on. What's the process when you have two babies and one of them dies? So because we lost early on, it just gets reabsorbed. Ah, okay. We did have a moment when I was pregnant later on before Kars was born and I lost a lot of blood

and I lost something and it was definitely something. Right. So they said that they think that that was it. Sometimes it just sort of stays there and gets mixed in if that makes sense. It's not very nice. Yes, yes. So that happened and yeah.

And then we decided after Kaiser that we would have another child. I decided not him. He really didn't want anymore. I was like, no. I was like, I'm the mom. It's hard isn isn't it? When you are on different pages with it.

100%. I mean, luckily for me and Danny, we're both kind of happy with one. Yeah. I don't think we really realized the life change it would be for us. It's such a life change. Yeah.

It's such a life change. And I find it difficult to even think, fathom giving my love to another child. I mean, I know you do, and it just comes naturally, doesn't it? But that's normal, like you do feel that. Like I remember when we were pregnant with Kaisa, and I was like, will we love it the same as we love Erin?

Like, are we actually gonna, and going, do you know what I actually found going from one to two, a lot harder than going two to four? Do you know what, I have heard so many people say that. Not so much the two to four, because that's quite unusual. It's quite a jazz, double kids. But the two to three, fine.

But the one to two. It's a shock. It is literally a shock to the system. Yeah, and then we did IVF, we did three rounds of IVF. So I had the injections and everything like that and like the egg collections and then you wait till they get to day five. How long were you doing that for then?

A year and a half. Oh wow, so it wasn't- It wasn't, we couldn't just go out and just pay. It was so much money. So we had to keep saving. And then like I did my first one. I was really lucky I got one decent embryo and we popped it in, didn't work unfortunately,

it was just a negative. Then I thought it'd be a good time after finding it was negative to go to Ikea for the day. I was like, let's get out. He's like, where do you wanna go? I was like, let's go to Ikea. And he's like, I think I'd lost the plot, I know. I know.

I know. One of the most stressful places in the world. I'm dragging the kids around Ikea. Oh God, you took kids there. Yeah, I took kids. Why not just add that little bit more stress. Yeah, why world. I'm dragging the kids around our key though. Oh God, you took kids there. Yeah, I took kids. Why not just add that little bit more stress? Yeah, why not? I've taken the kids around our key

and I'm crying the whole day. My husband's like, I think we need to go home. I was like, no, I need to get this new table. I haven't got the baby, but I'm getting this table. Oh God. So yeah, we've just ended up like walking around this IKEA and yeah, what a day. And then we did another embryo

We did another sorry IVF didn't get any Embryos to day five. They all like started dwindling off and Then the last one We were really lucky now. It was very funny We I think we waited nine months between the second round and the third round Yeah, and my husband's really funny about going into this room and doing his business It was very funny. I think we waited nine months between the second round and the third round. And my husband's really funny about going into this room and doing his business.

I kind of want to say, I mean, you're not gonna be- He freaked out about it. You're not gonna be horny, are you? No, every time he's freaked out about it, he's like, there's so many men been in this room doing it. Or, I can't, I can't do it. And like, I'll keep thinking, maybe it's stress. Maybe it's sperm. It comes out and it's stressed out a bit now.

So I went, look, I'll do it. So I'm gowned up. Yeah, no. Is that a thing you're allowed to? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We asked and we spoke to the clinic. So just before, obviously, like we've done, we're doing the deed, I've done the deed.

Oh my God. Obviously not allowed to go near me, it's just, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And. It's just gotta be your hand? Yeah, just my hand. Oh my god. Yeah, I know, I can't believe I'm sharing this. People are gonna go like, oh my god.

This is brilliant. So yeah, so I've done that, but do you know what? We've got a cup and I'm doing it, and like, it's gone all on my hands and on the floor. None in the cup. I'm like, shit. Because you can't just release again. It has to be like that one. He's had to like stop for three days doing anything. Oh do you? You have to like pause.

Yeah like, oh trust me I was paused anyway. I was like, mate you ain't coming near me. I don't know what's going on. I've got to keep these eggs safe. So we've got like, you've got like this little cup thing and like, yeah it's just gone everywhere and I'm scraping this stuff off my hand into the cup. Anyway, she's come in, the woman's coming, knocked the door. This stuff, I love how you called it this stuff. And I've literally like put it in the cup. She's come in, she's like, okay, and was the sample okay?

I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah, it was fine. She's like, okay, okay, so it didn't go on your hand or anywhere like that. I was like, nope, nope, didn't go on the hand, did not go on the hand like that. And he's like, later on he's like, do you think you need to tell her? I was like, no, okay, so it didn't go on your hand or anywhere like that. I was like, nope, nope, didn't go on the hand, did not go on the hand like that. And he's like, later on he's like, do you think you need to tell her? I was like, no, I don't want to tell her

because she might, like what was if they don't want to do it? What was if they want to use frozen sperm and I didn't want to use frozen sperm? So in the end, like I'm getting put out just before you have like your egg collection, you're put out, you're all dozing. And you get put under.

Yeah, you get put under because it's a proper like invasive. They've got to go inside and take these little microscope. Yeah, you get put under because it's a proper like invasive. They've got to go inside and take these little microscope eggs out of you. And I'm going under and she's like, oh, it's okay. Like, are you okay? I'm like, yeah. And as I go under, I look up, I go, it went on my hand

and I spanked it in the cup. And she's just like, okay. Why did you do that? I don't know, because I was out of it. And I was just, I remember doing it before I went under. I just like looked up at it and I was like, yeah. Imagine if you'd then woken up and they've gone, yeah, we just had to wake you back up because I was out of it. And I was just, I remember doing it before I went under, I just like looked up at it and I was like, yeah. Imagine if you'd then woken up and they've gone, yeah, we just had to wake you back up

because we can't do it. Yeah, we can't do it. I literally looked up at it, yeah. Went up my hand and I scraped it in the cup. Was your husband there when you were being put up? No, no. So when I woke up, I sort of said to him, I told him, what do you mean you told him?

I told him I scraped it in the cup. He's like, oh, for God's sake, case. And then she's come in and I was like, is everything okay? And they said, the sperm's actually fine. Cause they check it under a microscope. Oh, so they check it anyway. Yes, and then they got the perfect little one and they put it in there.

And I always say, do you think it split? Because it was like on my hand. Like, I don't know how it works, they don't know why they split. And I was always like, do you think it's got, I've got magic hands. It makes embryos split. And it was happy sperm.

Very happy sperm. Happy sperm. There was no stress with that sperm, apart from when it did come out and I was like, oh my God. Well Dee's done by that point though. Scrape it in. I mean I'm not done by that.

You did that, that is absolutely incredible. It's a hack. So one of Casey's first hacks is listen, if it goes on your hand, just scrape it in. Yeah, just scrape it in, don't worry about it. You're stressed, but that sperm's not. And then, so that one worked. Yeah, that one worked.

We got a perfect embryo. We actually got really good embryos that cycle, which is crazy. It's amazing. And they found the one. And it's really funny because I had to go for my embryo transfer and I never forget, and it was frozen.

So I had it in the September and I never went to the January because I was doing all my fertility treatment and I was ready to have this frozen embryo put inside me. Yeah. You have to wait a couple of months to calm down. And then I was already, everything was perfect. And then I had a smear booked in and I thought,

oh, go for this smear anyway. I didn't think anything of it. Literally phone call 48 hours later, you've got sin 3. You got to have like part of your cervix removed. You are, is that cancerous cells? Yeah, well, it's pre-cancerous. It's like the pre, it's sin 3, but it'd grown really rapidly. And I was like, are you joking?

Like, I'm ready for my, I'm ready to be transferred. And that was all going on in like December. I had like a part of my cervix removed and things like that. And they had to test if there was like clear margins around it. Yeah, yeah, of course. And we were really lucky. I got a bit of it removed and there was clear margins.

And in January, I spoke to them and they were like, you can go for your embryo trans for as long as you're not having two put in, you're only putting one in. And I was like, yeah, that's fine. I'm not having twins. Famous last words. Yeah. So I had it put in in the January and I'll never forget the embryologist like he looked up at me And I was like, it's okay. The embryo okay and the embryologist is the person that literally looks after your embryo Yeah, the sperm and everything and he sort of he looked at me when it's the perfect embryo and he winked and I thought oh, that's funny. He's winked and I always think you knew it was split in Wow, I've read so much about it after and they say they split between And I thought, oh, that's funny he's winked. And I always think you knew it was splitting. Do you think he knew?

Wow, I've read so much about it after. And they say they split between like round about day five. And if they're starting to break out, it's like called hatching. Yeah. That you can sort of, they say sometimes you can actually tell whether it is actually gonna split or not.

That. So he did and he winked at me to say, you'll get two. I was just coming onto you. Yeah, yeah, or always like, I've heard all about it. I've heard about, no stress. I know why this sperm's happy sperm. We're gonna start getting you in to do everyone.

Yeah, you got a new profession. Yeah, exactly. Just making everyone happy, really. We don't need to do more Macs anymore. No, I'm just not good at like aiming though. It goes everywhere, you might lose half on the floor. Oh God, I love it. So then you had your lovely little twin girls.

Were they premature? Yeah, they were premature. So they were 32-week-olds. Oh wow, so quite early. Yeah, quite early. But all my kids have all been in special care for different reasons. Have they really?

So I've never actually just like had a baby and took it home Oh, and how have you found that that's quite it's quite a lot for someone to deal with Yeah, so I think my first one obviously I was quite a young mom So when I had my first and he was born I had something called strep B. Yes, and When my son was a baby literally not even 24 hours old, I just, he just wasn't right. I think you know as a mum. Yeah. And it was, people were saying, like the pediatrician was saying, you're a young mum, you're a young mum. And I was like, no, there's something wrong. I know, he keeps being sick, he keeps making these really grunty noises. Yeah. And I knew about all that

anyway, because I'd looked it up a lot because my cousin died of meningitis. So for us, we're very much like we're on that. And that's one of the things that you can get from strep B. It goes to the baby. And that's what he had. So at 24 hours, they literally, in the end, they believe me, someone watched me feed him and he just puked up. And then she realized it wasn't right. They literally whisked him away. Isn't it sad you've got to push for that though? Yeah, terrible.

I know someone that lost a baby due to that. That's it. Like for anyone listening, like mother's intuition is strong. It is strong, it is. You know if something's not right. Yeah, 150%. It's like you've been attached to that baby for nine months. Yeah, they're a part of you.

And it is something, even scientists can't explain the fact that it's actually, it's a real thing. We know as mums. Yeah, we do. And it's like our primal instinct with things as well. A hundred percent. It's like we're just geared up to protect our children. Yeah, we are.

So with Cooper, if I give him a cuddle, I'm like, he's not gonna be well tomorrow. Yeah. It's weird, isn't it? It's just like a slight change in his body temperature. You know. I'm like, he's just a bit warmer than he normally is. And he might be like, you know.

No one would ever, no one would notice apart from you. No, and he might be acting absolutely fine. I'll know, I'll be like, I'm in for it tomorrow. You're not gonna be well. It's crazy, isn't it? Isn't it mad? Yeah, you do, you do. So yeah, so. He was a poor little boy. Yeah, it mad? Yeah, you do. You do. So yeah, so.

So he was a poor little girl. Yeah, he was. Yeah, he was really poorly and that was awful. I was young. I was sort of like, oh God, I didn't know what was going on. It was my first baby. I didn't expect this. And then, but I am quite, I wouldn't, I don't know whether I would say I'm a strong person,

but I'm very much level-minded, level-headed. And I did say to them, is he gonna be okay? They were like, yeah, we think he'll be fine. I was like, right, okay, that's cool. He's gonna come home eventually. Yeah, you just needed an answer. Yeah, I needed to know, was he gonna be okay? And that's fine.

And if I know that, then I can deal with that. And then my second son down to a hospital neglect had something called HIE, which is it's brain damage because of hospital neglect. So it's lack of blood and oxygen. And that was due to medical neglect from the hospital. They left me bleeding out 19 hours and it was horrendous. It was, we both nearly died.

So he, that was a completely different thing for me. I was so angry when he was in special care. So I handled that situation completely different than I did my first. And then with the girls, they were premature, but I was okay with it because if I dealt with Kaiser and got through that, it was nothing. So they sort of like went in, they stayed there for four weeks. Yes, I missed them. That's quite a long time,

isn't it, for them to be in? Yeah, I missed them, but I knew they were gonna be okay. And it was the same thing. Are they gonna be okay? Yeah, they just need to put on weight and just, yeah, be able to eat. You know, they would literally like half an ounce each when what they were eating and you know

I mean and they even when they came home there were only on like two and a half ounces each Yeah, so tiny and small so Yeah, it's it's not nice like I wish that I could take Them all home and obviously, you know and do that. I suppose like the norm thing that you expect Yeah, just that little nest in your heart, to start off with. And I think like my mom never had that.

My mom just had easy labors, gave birth, left the hospital very quick with all the babies. So I think for me, especially as a mother to girls, I'll always explain the fact that things don't always turn out like that. Like birth, you know, people will paint this picture of beautiful birth and you come in and there's even a water. Yeah, you're in the water.

It comes out and you feel this rush of love. I'll say sometimes you don't feel that. Sometimes they come out and you're like, yeah, no, I didn't. The first time they gave me my first son, I looked at him and thought, what God, what am I gonna do with this? That's exactly what I did.

I was like, oh no, I think I've made a terrible mistake. Yeah, and I'm a proper mumsy mum. I'm like, oh, I love my kids. I love doing things. You can see I do by my page, that is me. But I didn't have that, oh, you look at them in their eyes and they look up at you. No, and that's the thing,

people don't talk about that enough that you're not always gonna feel it instantly. Because a lot of people don't. And I feel like that's a massive part of postnatal depression. You put all that pressure on yourself to feel it instantly. And for me, it was a case of getting to know him.

I just needed to understand, oh, I get to know him now. And it was really, it took about 18 months for me. It does take a while. And I don't think people sort of like, you're right, people don't talk about it enough. No, and I think it's so important because it just makes moms feel less alone.

Yeah. And dads, because you know, it happens to dads too. Yeah, 100%. So if you could give like anyone going through the IVF process, any advice, one piece of advice, what would be your biggest bit? I would say a lot can happen in a year and now I'm out of the IVF.

You feel like you're gonna carry it with you for the rest of your life, but it's gone. I don't think about it and I don't think about the bad stuff that happened during it. I think about all the lovely stuff, the seeing that pregnancy test, getting that embryo in it. And then I look back and I think,

oh, it was such a nice experience. I don't know why, because it wasn't at the time. But actually looking back, it was lovely because I got the end goal that I wanted. And I just think a lot can change. I went to see Santa on the December before I fell pregnant with the girl. Did you shoot by yourself?

No, just no. I just went, I just went, I went to see Santa. Listen, I'm going to sit on your lap and I'd like some babies for Christmas. If you could do anything about that, well I've heard about all what you do to men. So, but I had a photo with Santa, me and my husband and the two boys. And I got in the car, it was beautiful, we had a really lovely day. I got into the car, I opened the photo We had a really lovely day. I got into the car, I opened the photo, looked at the photo, husband's driving and I'm like, oh, and he's

like, what in earths am I out of view now? And I went, it's going to look like this next year. And he was like, what? I was like, there's going to be two kids. And I know I'm lucky to have two kids, but there's going to be no baby and I'm not even going to be pregnant. He's like, you don't know that. You've you've got we've got an embryo and I was like But then I can't go and get it yet. So this stupid sin free that and but the next year The Santa with both babies in our and I've got the phone and I look at them both next to each other I think like a lot can change in a year. So you think you're never gonna get there

you see all these people who are pregnant. And one bit of advice I would give is if you get invited to a baby shower and you've been trying or you're going through IVF and you don't feel like you can go, don't go. Yeah. Don't be honest. Yeah, be honest and just say,

look, I'm struggling with this. I'm struggling. I'm so happy for you. And I really am. But I don't wanna feel guilty about not going. And I just know that I'm struggling with this. I'm struggling. I'm so happy for you. And I really am. But I don't want to feel guilty about not going. And I just know that I can't do it. My men, I can't do it. No, and that's it.

Don't do it. You have to protect yourself. And if your friends are the best friends, they will understand. They will go out. That's them, not you. That's on them. That is on them completely.

Do you have an insatiable fascination with the paranormal? Brace yourself for the supernatural world is about to reveal all of its secrets on the Paranormal Activity podcast. And who better to guide you through this hair-raising journey than myself, Yvette Fielding, renowned paranormal investigator. Every episode of Paranormal Activity takes you on an unforgettable adventure into the unknown. But that's not all. The true heart of this podcast lies in the stories, evidence and questions shared by our devoted listeners. Will you dare to join me? Listen to Paranormal Activity with me, Yvette Fielding, wherever you get

your podcasts from. In case nobody's told you, weight loss goes beyond the old just eat less and move more narrative and that's where Felix comes in. Felix is redefining weight loss for Canadians with a smarter, more personalized approach to help you crush your health goals this year. Losing weight is about more than diet and exercise. It can also be about our genetics, hormones, metabolism. Felix connects you with online licensed healthcare practitioners who understand that everybody is different

and compare your healthy lifestyle with the right support to reach your goals. Start your visit today at felix.ca. That's F-E-L-I-X.CA. Was the season of chaos and all through the house, not one person was stressing. Holla differently this year with DoorDash. Don't wanna holla do the most?

Holla don't. More festive, less frantic. Get deals for every occasion with DoorDash. I've changed the subject massively growing up I've read that you were bullied. Yeah yeah really badly. I was really bullied badly when I was in junior school it was like horrific. So in what in what way and was it girls boys both? Sorry I'm just laughing. I thought you were getting emotional then. I was like, oh, we've got a cryo. We've got a cryo. No, no, no, I'm laughing because I'm thinking about something

that I've put online about being bullied. Now I'm going to have to tell you the story. Please do. And I shouldn't laugh about it, but it's just me. So I'm autistic. Right. So that sort of works out why I got bullied in a way. I will ask you a bit more about this.

So it was a bit different. And I went around this boy's house and I couldn't understand why he invited me because he was so popular. This is in junior high school. It was like in year six. So it was like towards the end. He's so popular and I couldn't understand it.

Anyway, I remembered, it's not funny this bit, but I remember him going into his garage and he had like a playroom in his garage that was not attached to the house, if that that makes sense and he actually chased me around hitting me with a WWF belt Like whipping yeah, yeah whipping me and I had all these marks like up my legs and things like that Oh my god, was he doing it in a Yeah, and I couldn't understand it and I didn't do anything about it I should have gone home and told my mom but because like I'm autistic sometimes you just don't understand it. And I didn't do anything about it. I should have gone home and told my mum,

but because I'm autistic, sometimes you just don't. Yeah, it's the social cues of that's not right. You might, and autistic people maybe don't quite understand it's not right. Exactly. So it was awful, but I was more stressed about my mum finding out what he had done. So see, because there was marks. Yeah. And I thought, my mum finding out what he had done. So see it because there was marks. And I thought my mum's going to go mental because she would have literally hit the roof.

So would my dad off. And I was more worried about that, which is ridiculous. But that's the type of thing that you do when you are autistic. You sort of think about other scenarios and you go off and then like a tangent. So when I got home that night, and this is what makes me laugh because I always think classic case, and this is what bit makes me laugh, because I always think classic case, I went to the top of the stairs and threw myself down the stairs. So my mom and dad would think that's where the marks come from.

Oh my gosh, that's awful. It is awful, but I just think, what am I like? Do you remember feeling like desperate at that point? No, like, cause I mean, that's pretty, a pretty extreme thing to do. But I think I'm one of these people where I think of like, if there's a problem, which for me at that time, there was like, I'm a problem solver,

that's what I do, what I do. And there was a problem there. I didn't want my mum and dad to see that I had all these marks on me and wondering where they came from and then asking me questions. I didn't want to just go through it see that I had all these marks on me and wondering where they came from and then asking me questions I didn't want to just go through it all so I just thought you know what top of the stairs case chuck yourself down you'll be fine you'll survive and then my mum and dad noticed all the marks and go yeah but I fell down the stairs oh my gosh I did top

from bottom just threw myself did you really hope you fell? I'm quite brave actually really I was brave. I didn't break anything so that was lucky. Oh silly. Yeah I know, I know. So yeah just chucked myself down the stairs. So it was not only emotional bullying, also physical. Yeah and you know I used to get called fatty. Oh. Like just weird, people used to be like, why are you so weird? And I used to think, I don't know.

I don't know. Did you feel like there was something? Yeah. You did? I felt like I definitely didn't know. I don't know. Did you feel like there was something? Yeah, you did. I felt like I definitely didn't belong. And did, so, sorry, I feel like I'm going away from the bullying, but how did you then go, I feel like something's different. How did you then go, can I go and see a doctor about this?

So we've had quite a lot of trauma in the family and I've been involved in that a part of it. And so I've been diagnosed, I got diagnosed with bipolar. Okay. I got diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, manic depression, you name it, I've got it. I had the diagnosis. In 2020, I went to the doctors

because I was at a point where I was low. And this doctor really actually took her time with me. She didn't rush me out of the door. She actually sat there and actually sat with me and actually really went over it. Isn't it lovely when you get a doctor like that and you're like, oh. And she went back on my childhood.

She went back on everything that I've been through, how I feel, a day-to-day basis, asking me loads of different questions. And eventually she sort of said, do you think you're not any of this bipolar and that? Because bipolar doesn't really fit you. And I was like, no, bipolar has never fitted me. I've never understood why, how I've got bipolar.

Yeah. And she said, I think that we need to refer you because I think what's going on. And I said, what do you think's going on? She said, well, I can't say for sure because I'm not trained in that. So, but I think you're autistic. And I was like, what?

She's like, my daughter's autistic. Shouldn't you really remind me of my daughter? Oh, that's so interesting. And then 2021, that's when I got a diagnosis. I wonder if that's why she gave you a bit more time. Yes, a time she sort of related to. Yeah, 100%. And since then it has been-

When did you get diagnosed, right? So, 2021. Gosh, right. So, it's been a while now. So, you've lived a lot of life, not being aware. Because did it change you as a person knowing? Yes, 100%.

When people say, but why do you need to know? Why do you need to put a label on it? You're not putting a label on it. What you're doing is you are reasserting yourself and you're also being kind to yourself. Because my whole life, you've got this monologue in your head, I've still got it. And there's a couple of monologues going on in my head.

Not like crazy people, like hearing voices, but you've got a monologue and you know you've got this oh I'm not good enough why am I so weird why why don't I get it yeah it's not it's it's getting things like it's random stuff I really struggle with opening presents in front of people always have I don't know how to react right my husband bought me like a bar of chocolate when we first started seeing each other for Christmas. And I opened it and I was like, oh my God, thank you so much.

And it was like a joke present. And then he bought me an iPhone that same time. And then I opened that up and I was like, oh my God, thank you. And he said, he thought, she's fucking having a laugh. She's just, she's acted so chuffed about the chocolate, the same way as the iPhone. Oh my gosh.

I was so happy, but I can't, I find it really hard to sort of level that out. So when I was a kid, my mom and dad used to like, didn't understand why I did it, but Christmas day, my other siblings would be like, ripping presents open, thanks mom, thanks dad. Ripping another, every present. I'd be like, thank you so much.

I'd have to get up, give him a cuddle, and like every single, no matter what it was, my mom said, whether it was a hair clip or it was a bike, I'd act the same. And I just, I used to practice in my room on Christmas Eve. I literally used to sit in my bed to just like think, right, how do I react to this? And I used to think, oh yeah, that,

and I literally, and I hate it, so even though I won't ever go into a diagnosis of each of my children, we are a neurodiverse household. Okay, I was gonna ask that. We are neurodiverse, all of us, but I won't ever go into who's got what and who's who. Is it hereditary? Yes, it is, it's genetic, yeah.

Oh, that's very interesting. So you can see certain traits Yeah, and children and are you going to obviously don't tell us who or what? Yeah, are you going to then get them diagnosed? Yes, and a couple of our are diagnosed with different things right and they know yeah And I will talk to them about it something it's really important that they know they're not crazy and I'll say autistic like me yeah, do you feel that sometimes we get overwhelmed and I said that's alright. Yeah, exactly and that's it I think I think that's the importance of diagnosis. Yeah, diagnosis. It's diagnosis It's not necessary that it then has to become your entire personality

It's just that then it can help you navigate life. Yeah, navigate it and also just be kind to yourself. So when we open presents in our house, I say to my kids, you open presents at your own pace. And if you're happy at the end, which they always are, say thank you at the end. You don't have to say thank you for every present. I said, I don't wanna hear it. I said, I just wanna watch you open your presents.

So then it's like I'm teaching my kids not to mask, especially indoors. They're gonna mask on the outside world. We all do. When people say, oh, I'm trying to unmask, I get that. And masking is where you really just put on this show. So my mom's not autistic, but when I'm out or at an event or thing,

I change into my mom. It's really random. And I always get asked, oh my God, are you drunk? And I'm like, no, I haven't touched a sip because I'm really like loud and I'm really over the top, but that is it. And that's what you do and that's masking. So everyone that has autism has a degree of masking.

We all have to do, otherwise we've got a low tone voice and everything sounds. Sometimes when I do a video, I listen to it back and I think, God, I've got no tone to the voice. So it doesn't go up and down, it's flat, it sounds like a robot. Yeah. Is that a thing?

An autistic thing. Is it really? Yeah, not everyone, but a lot of us, yeah, we've got a very flat tone to our voices. And I've still got that even when I talk, but I do really make the effort to make a high and a low. But imagine, imagine like, you know when you walk across the road,

you know when you walk to the shops? Imagine it like, I've got to take a step, I've got to take this step, that step, this step, that, you don't, you do it naturally. Yeah, you don't think about it. We don't. So everything we do, I'm gonna go up to the counter now, I'm gonna speak to this lady, I'm gonna get all of this coffee,

I'm gonna give her a little smile and say, hi, you okay, how are you? It's a constant internal monologue of, Tell me what I'm about to do. And it's awful. Yeah, that's quite, It's hard. It's a lot, it must be quite tiring for your brain. And that's when you get burnt out.

That's where the burnt out comes from. Ah, so is that quite a thing with autistic people, they get burnt out quite a bit? And everyone masks, even neurotypicals, we all mask with degree, you wouldn't act at work as you do with your best mate. Yeah, yeah, of course, of course. And we even mask with our children,

when you're having a really crap day, your kids come up to you and go, how are you, mommy? You're like, do you know what? Yeah. Samantha's really pissed me off today, kids. You're not gonna. How are you? Mommy? I go do you know what? Yeah? Samantha's really pissed me off today kids. You're not gonna say that I'm a really good day today darling. How was your day? You're masking but for us, it's the intensity of Masking and it's a long sort of process and do you take any medication for it? No,. No, I've got ADHD, but I don't actually take medication

for any of it. And I'm a believer in you do what's right for you. One of my children does take medication, but they take it at school, because that's their choice. Right. Never at weekends and never ever in the half terms. Okay, so just- So they're themselves.

If you wanna bounce off the walls, you're at home now. If you wanna go and do whatever, you can do that. And that's what my house is. It's like, I want my kids to know that that when they come at home, take off your mask as such and just do whatever you want. You have never got to act in front of us. Because this is your place, this is your safe haven.

Yeah. Safe place, yeah. I think that's so lovely that you do that and you've just made sure that they're aware that it's okay. And it doesn't mean you're not normal. No. You're just a different kind of normal. Exactly.

Aren't we all? Yeah, exactly. Aren't we all? We're all somewhere on that spectrum line. It's just whereabouts you are on it, and then how you deal with it. But it's amazing, I think people like you are so important that talk about it,

and vocalize it, and go, this is normal, and this is how I deal with it. Do you feel like your mum hack side of things is a way of coping with it? Yeah, 100%, and I think a lot of it, I don't think I'd be doing it if I wasn't autistic. Really? I just don't think it would come to me.

Like I see a problem and I think, well that's not been solved properly, right? But if we did it like this, it would be solved. How to make life easier. And just like, you know, people go, oh that's lazy. I think, oh really? Just some kind of driving. I would say it's the opposite.

Yeah, I'd say it's the opposite. Like I feel like it's you having autism and being able to do the mum hacks is actually a bit of a superpower. Yeah. Because I wouldn't be able to think of all these ideas and constantly have all these ideas. Like even for instance, like the elf on the shelf hack

of the Kirby grips in the arms. When I see you showing me how to do it, I'm like, oh my God, genius. Why didn't I think of that? I'm like, because I'm not Casey, that's why. Because yeah, I don't have that superpower. But no, it's so incredible. Thank you.

What you do, all of it. so incredible. Thank you. You're what you what you do all of it So you have a podcast? Yes quite a new podcast new podcast episode 5 I think we are now yeah, brilliant and give us a little little rundown of it So we talk about obviously like day-to-day life. What's hacked us off. That's me and my cousin He's my cousin, Kyle, but he's also, he's like my brother and we work together. So he helps me on Instagram and he'll help come up with, just helping me record, just sorting out stuff,

just the background stuff as well. We all need a Kyle. Yeah, everybody needs a Kyle in their life. So yeah, we've got a podcast. It's called Majorly Hacked Off and Over It and we deal with dilemmas, things that have hacked you off, things that you need help to get over and where me and Kyle are from the same family, we've had the same traumatic past, we're both autistic, both ADHD, we are dealing with them type of things, we're trying to help

you get over it, we're trying to help the listener and the people that send us stuff in and we've had We've had the response has been ridiculous. We've amazing things from cheating stag do to best friends stealing wedding venues Really really really bad to someone broke up with But their husband was cheating on them and then their best friend decided it would be okay to have like a date night with the new girlfriend. Like honestly, and the best thing about it is we actually get the response from the dolems that we've talked about.

So we've talked about something, but then they write back in and tell us how it went. Do you ask them to do that? Yes, and it's been amazing. That is brilliant, that's a great idea. So, because I always think that whenever like someone gives advice on something, I'm like, I wish I knew what the outcome was, had been of that.

Did they stay together? Did they not? What's it like? We've actually, yeah, we've had one, especially from the Cheating Stag, like uploaded a photo and yeah, a woman liked it, blocked her. Was it the guy getting married that was the cheater? Oh God. Yes, we've had a response what happened and how it went down.

And it's just, it's really been incredible. It sounds juicy. I like it. I love it. I love a good juicy podcast. And what's it called? We didn't say what it was called. Yeah, so it's majorly hacked off and over it.

Brilliant. I love that. I like that you're tying that into your month. Yes, it's majorly. Cause we're both majors. So Casey major and Carl major. By the way, can we just talk about your surname? Yes.

Major Bunce. Yeah, Major Bunce. That is the surname and a half. I'm Major. Yeah. And husband's Bunce. So he's like the posh one and I'm not. And I was adamant when I was a little girl

that I'd never change my name. So was I. Oh no, I literally just slept on that. You should have kept, you should have been like, no, you double barrel it. I know, do you know, I even said, on that. You should have kept, you should have been like, no, you're double barreling it. I know, do you know, I even said, oh, let's double barrel it. And we just didn't.

No, I'm so happy that I did. And we often joke about the fact that, I'll say to the girls, you gotta keep your name. And my husband says, they can't, it's a double barrel. They gotta keep just extending it. But I always say to them, what we drop in girls, they say the bant. So it's my husband, so yeah, they keep the major. Brilliant, I love it. Good I always say to them, what we dropping girls, they say the bun. So it's my husband.

So yeah, they keep the major. Brilliant, I love it. Good girls teaching, right? Yeah. And then lastly, before we leave, because we've just talked and talked and talked, you have a book coming out. March the 13th, if you can pre-order.

2025. Yeah, 2025, if you can pre-order. And it is the big book of major mum hacks. Amazing. And everything, I've made sure that it's an accessible book. So it's different from other books. It's got writing on how you do things. It's also got loads of pictures step by step

and a lot of the hacks, especially the ones you'll be doing with your kids, have a QR code. So you can scan it, it will take you straight to a different video, not on Instagram. It will take you to a separate place with a video of me talking through how you do it. So if you have a child with additional learning

that maybe does struggle to understand certain things, but they understand videos, then you can put them in front of it and actually help them do it. KC, great idea. That's absolutely brilliant. I'm going to be purchasing one of them. Can we pre-order now? Yes, you can pre-order Amazon and everywhere like that.

Pre-ordering, ready for next year. Well, KC, it's been lovely having you on. It's been lovely being on. Thank you so much for coming on. Thank you for being open and honest and just lovely. Oh, thank you. That's a wrap on this episode of Mums A Word. A huge thank you to Casey for joining us

and sharing her parenting journey, her autism diagnosis in later life and what's next for major mum hacks. Stay tuned for more exciting episodes where we'll continue diving into the realities of parenting. Don't forget to leave us a review, follow us on socials at mumsaward underscore pod and subscribe to our brand new YouTube channel. Remember to keep sending in

your own parenting stories because we can't wait to hear them. Until next time I'm Georgia Jones and this is Mums A Word. We'll be back with another episode, same time, same place, next week. In case nobody's told you, weight loss goes beyond the old just eat less and move more narrative, and that's where Felix comes in. Felix is redefining weight loss for Canadians with a smarter more personalized approach to help you crush your health goals this year. Losing weight is about more than diet and exercise. It can also be about our genetics, hormones, metabolism. Felix connects you with online licensed health care practitioners who understand that everybody is different and compare your healthy lifestyle with the right support to reach

your goals. Start your visit today at felix.ca. That's felix.ca.