We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson - "I'm Not Going To Let Them Win" Jamelia & Bre Tiesi on Being Unbreakable

Episode Date: March 5, 2026

In honour of International Women's Day, we're joined by Bre Tiesi and Jamelia for an honest conversation about motherhood, survival and the strength it takes to rise above life's toughest challenges. From dealing with miscarriage and postpartum depression to finding the courage to keep moving forward, they share what resilience truly means. This episode is a tribute to unbreakable women and the power of vulnerability. We're Talking Unbreakable Women Sponsored by: Saily - Download from the app store and use code WNTT at checkout for 15% off. For more details: https://saily.com/wntt ⛵ (00:00) Intro (00:38) Bre Reveals Her Experience of Going Through Miscarriage (02:17) Bre’s Emotional Detachment When Giving Birth to Her Son (04:38) Bre Describes the First Moment With Her Son and the Ensuing Postpartum Depression (09:51) Bre Explains How She Overcame Postpartum Depression (12:40) Saily Ad (14:05) Jamelia Describes the Emotional Impact of Raising Her Daughters (16:21) Who Was Supporting Jamelia During the Height of Her Breakdown? (20:34) How Jamelia Was Able to Bounce Back From Her Situation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Terms apply. Welcome to We're Talking. This International Women's Day, we're celebrating all aspects of womanhood with Bree Tisi and Jamelia. In this powerful episode, we dive deep into their personal stories, from overcoming the hardships of miscarriage to embracing the transformative power of motherhood. Join us as we explore the importance of challenging expectations and finding the courage to become stronger than ever. Can we talk about motherhood? Sure. Because you...

from what I understand, you've gone through miscarriage. Yes. Several miscarriages. Yes, I did. I had several. And actually, when I got pregnant with Legendary, I had just had one probably like two months before. Oh, wow. At this time, they told me I couldn't get pregnant for at least six months, like, you know, and I was like, fuck it, I'm going to Europe then.

I'm leaving for the summer with my girls. Like, I can't deal with this. I'm out. And I was at the point where they were like, you're going to have to do in vitro. You're going to have to do something else. And I was like, I don't want to do that. I don't want to do that. I just don't feel like that's the way that I want to bring life into this world.

That's not my vision of how I want to do it. And I had an all natural birth, no drugs, no anything. I'm just not my thing. So I went to Europe and I went for like a month. And then I came back and we went to film While and Out and I found out I was pregnant. And my doctor was like, how are you pregnant? And I was like, I don't know. Like, is it, I'm peeing on the steak.

It tells me. pregnant. And so we were shocked, but I also, like, wasn't going to get excited about it because I was like, I've already had a few. So I was just like, all right, well, we'll just see what happens. And I feel like I was actually very detached from my pregnancy because I was like, well, if I lose it, it's going to be too much. So you're like, okay, I'm sure. I literally was working and, like, working out like I wasn't pregnant. And everyone's like, you need to sit down. I was like, no, no, I'm fine. Fine. And I was. I had a fucking fantastic pregnancy. But I was also like.

Emotionally detached. Yeah. Like I was like, mm. And even in my birthing video when I had my son, I couldn't hold him. I was very like, I just need a minute given I was fucking exhausted. It was like 10 plus hours of labor, no drugs, no anything, nothing. This is, what do you call that type of birthing that you do? Like a home birth?

Home birth. Home birth. Home birth. Oh, is it hypo birthing? What is it? Oh, hypno birthing. Hypno birthing. Yes, yes.

I had an aspect of that, but I feel like that went right out the window. when that really started active labor, I was like, fuck. There was no hypno birthing anywhere in sight. I was like, fuck your mantras, get him out of me. And I was just done. And like, no, that was gone. I loved the thought. I tried.

You tried, right? No. Fair enough. Yeah, the anger, the old Bree came out in that one. I was like, he's got to go now. And I was 42 weeks. I was huge. I was way past due.

And it was, he was like almost 10 pounds. So it was so rough. It was rough. I had my whole family there. Like it was like a whole, all my friends, I call my family. So, you know, my dad was there. You know, everyone was there and we were celebrating. It wasn't like I was chained to a bed in a hospital with people coming in every five minutes.

Like it was an awesome experience. But I think that because I had been so detached and it wasn't real to me and I was so exhausted, I was just like, I just need to recalibrate for a second. And then we had an incident. He didn't cry. Nick panicked. I could tell he was panicking and I immediately shut off. Like I was like I was like I was not gonna live. Like I was like okay I'm done I've checked out I'm out and then it took like I don't know two minutes before I was like she's gonna say he's done. I was like oh my god I was like saying they're like okay all right and then he starts crying and I was like okay and at that moment I was like I'm a fucking mom like what the fuck I'm a mom and it was like I'm emotional it's the only time I'm I've ever been like what is happening. Like this is my life.

I have a baby. Like, what do I do? And I don't have a mom. I don't have like that figure. So I was like, oh shit. I have to figure this out like right now because I've been pretending like this isn't happening. So now I have to like figure it all out sitting here. Can you describe the first moment?

Because you said you couldn't think your child. Yeah. What was that the first moment with your child like? It wasn't really until I had already. I already had like my little pass-out whatever moment and then I laid down in the bed. It was probably, I want to say it was like an hour later, honestly, Nick had him and they were checking his vitals and all his stuff. Most people get those crazy shakes after you have a baby and I just felt like I had no control

of my body or anything and I was just like, I can't hold him. Like I can't. And then, and like I literally couldn't even get up. I couldn't do anything. And so after the little episode, I felt so much better and I was like, okay. And then my grandma was like reassuring and, you know, all of that. So it was just like a, it took me a second. Yes.

You know, most women are like, let me see him. And I was like, hey, you need it. You needed a moment. I did. What do you think it was about your grandmother, though, that gave you the ability? My grandma's my mom at the end of the day. Like, she raised me, you know? It's like so, and I had sent Nick's security at the time to go get her in Vegas.

Like, so, like when I had started labor 10 hours earlier, I was like, you go get her now. So they went and got her and she got there right after. Okay. So she missed it. But she didn't totally miss it because obviously she came in right when I had him. And then Breba becomes a mom. Yeah. So weird.

Incredible. Yeah, it's crazy. Incredible. Did you suffer from postpartum? Absolutely. Like all the time. And, you know, there was a lot that transpired. And I had a lot of awful people around me at that time, like new people.

Like most people in my life have been around for, literally a decade. Like everyone in my circle is solid. And this is right before I started the show and I had just gotten with Nick. And I had some people around that should not have been around. And I think it even, it worsened it even more. And my postpartum was so bad to the point where I was like, what if I just smother him and myself? Like it was, it was bad. And like, people don't talk about it because it's like, as a mom, you feel so much shame. You're like, why would I ever say that? why would I ever think that? And I'm like, I'm not going to hide that from people

because I think that I found like this really weird community on TikTok, honestly. It was like seeing all these videos of like, I think because, you know, your phone picks up on your conversations, I was having like real conversations with people I thought cared about me at the time. And they, my phone was picking up on it. So I was getting all these like postpartum videos.

And I was like, oh my God, this is, I'm not crazy. Like, so I'm not totally fucked up. And like I felt like, I felt crazy. And when I saw them, I was like, oh, this is a real thing. Like, why don't people talk about this? Why does nobody tell you this before you have a baby? Like, why is this not a prerequisite to having a child to learn how to like see these things and how to deal with them and how to prepare for them and how to like have the right support? Like, why do we not have that?

Right. It's not like 2% of women. Like this is like majority of women. And it's, I was like, I'm not going to keep this to myself. I was just not who I am. I was very honest about that, but women are also scared because there's a chance that you could take my child. You know what I mean? Like, if you say the wrong thing to the wrong person, you could lose your kid, even though you're just hormonally fucked and stressed and scared and all of the things that we go through.

So it's like a really sad, it's a really sad place because it's like where are women supposed to go? You tell us to the first thing your doctor asks you is, how are you feeling? And you're like, I'm fucking great. Please don't take my kid. Like, that's so scary. You don't want to be transparent. You can't. But what are you?

I mean, you know, this is important for the guy, right? It's like when you think about the low points, what were you thinking, seeing that you were scared to talk about? It's just more expressing like how you feel in that moment. Because think about it, you're sleep deprived. Like you're not sleeping at all. Your body just went through something so traumatic that is so downplayed. that it's actually offensive that people act like this is such a normal thing. Like it is so normalized that we are not getting enough love and support and like real attention to like what just happened.

I created this human. I brought it into the earth. I literally killed myself nearly. Women die in labor. Like I don't know why this is so like okay and normal. It's like women lose their lives to bring life into this world. And you're telling me I should go to work in two weeks. It's insane.

And you're saying that after everything I've just went through and everything like, I should just be okay, like I'm not okay. And it's okay to not be okay. But there should be more support for women. And I think that one thing I loved about Asian culture, which was one of the things I was coming across was they have these hospitals and they take care of the mother. That's the forefront of it because the mother is going to take care of your kid. Right?

Right now we just need to hold you skin to skin and breast. feed and that's it. We need the love. We need to be supported and we don't have that, especially in America. It's a fucking joke. And then you have to kind of go home and deal with it yourself. Yeah. And they give you nothing. Like they don't even give you like a booklet. Like you get nothing. It's just like a here's your baby, good luck. That's crazy. How did you deal with it? I didn't. I literally was just like, all right, well, I read a lot. I read a lot during my pregnancy as well. And I kind of, I feel like your natural instinct just kicks in.

And then obviously immediately, I loved him after I was like the next day. And then it was like, okay, I'm fine. You know, but filming, filming took me out. Yeah, which, which I mean, we have to definitely go there because I'm curious, because you immediately go into filming. But just almost like a full stop on motherhood is that I find this to be such an interesting arc in your life. Yeah.

Because I can imagine there were many years where you never thought you would be a mom. Yeah. I went back and forth a lot. I was like, maybe I won't have kids. Maybe not. Maybe I'm selfish and I don't need kids. Like maybe I'll just, you know, skip that whole chapter along with getting married. But there was a big part of me that always knew I wanted to be a mom and that, you know,

I wanted that legacy and I wanted that opportunity to have that love and bonds. that I wanted as well. So I think there was a bit still in there of the selfishness, but I was like, I can do this and I could do this better, and I would genuinely love my kid. And this would be like my bestie, which he entirely is and will forever be. You know, is it almost fair to say that, you know,

throughout your life, you wanted to be loved so much. Yeah. I mean, who doesn't? You created someone that you could love. Of course. Yes, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.

And now when you think about motherhood, even to this day, right? Yeah. How did it change you? I literally, like, I couldn't even name every single thing about me from the way that I think from the way that I move, the things that are important to me, the people that I allow around, my tolerance for bullshit is even less. Everything. I mean, I think more about the things that come out of my mouth. I'm more intentional.

Everything has a purpose. Everything has to mean something for me to do it and spend my time and my energy. And I'm constantly working on myself to be better. better for him, which was not something I really cared about before, to be entirely honest. They're the biggest reflection of you good and bad. So I think that regardless on everything, he was going to make me change whether I wanted to or not. Yeah. Look at that. I always say children are angels. Yeah. And they are sent to us to literally change us, you know? And it's like, they teach us to become parents. Dead ass. I literally was like, well, thank you because I don't know

what I'm doing. So yeah, no, he definitely, like, and he's always been, he's very funny. He's definitely steered me the whole way. Like, he's a very opinionated little two-year-old now. I love it. I love it. And I love it for you, you know? Yeah. Can anyone tell me why roaming fees are always so expensive? You said this place was steps from the water. We just haven't found the steps yet. How much did we save? Enough. Enough to get lost. Or you could book a stay with Hilton. Welcome to your oceanfront room. Just steps from the water. The Hilton sale is on now. Book on Hilton.com or the Hilton app and save up to 20% to get the stay you expected. When you want savings, not surprises. It matters where you stay. Hilton for the stay.

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But the part that really pulls me in is that I can change my online location to the UK. So even if I'm somewhere else, any location blocked content is still accessible. To give it a try, download Saley from the App Store or scan the QR code on the screen. And if you want 15% off your first purchase, make sure you use my code, WNTT at checkout. Details are in the episode description. My older two girls, honestly, without them, I wouldn't be alive. I hate. I Like, they literally, they literally, they stepped up in ways that I wouldn't believe. They fed me, they clothed me, they bathed me, they brought me to the toilet. They did everything.

They looked after their little sister. They, they saved me. Like, they did. And, you know, to a point where, like, there were moments where, there were moments where I couldn't walk. I couldn't talk. Like I was just, I've never felt like that. And I think one of the things that I've always done is bad things might happen, but I'm just like, okay, it's cool, don't worry, we're fine.

Because my daughters are watching. And I think the most painful thing I've ever experienced is breaking down with my daughters watching. That's the most difficult thing I've ever experienced. But it also became a motivator because I was just like, this is, this, this is not, they're not just going to see me break. They're going to, I want, I'm going to show them. And this is how you get up. Because if there's one thing I know how to do, it's how to get up.

And even though I doubted it, I'm not going to lie to you, I really doubted it. There were points where I was just like, I'm, I'm not going to survive this. when you're looking at your children and they're like, listen, they're not saying it, but where's my mommy? Like, where is she?

Like, you know, there's a point where it's like these girls are counting on you and there's a brand new baby and she's just met me. Yes. And I want her to know, you know, I want her to know the great me.

And so... Can I ask that? Yeah. Who is in your life supporting you outside of your children at this time? No one. It's so sad. And I'm the type of person where I will, I will like draw into myself and just close the whole world out. And that's what I've done for maybe the past almost three years.

I've just, you know, I felt so hurt and betrayed by the people that I felt should have been there that I missed out on getting support from people who were offering support. You know, there were people that I owe apologies to that I didn't allow to support me. And I can be honest about that. And I'm definitely at a point in my life where I'm ready to do that as well because I created an environment where my daughters had no other choice. choice, but to step up, they became my support system and I relied 100% on them all while one of them's in her 21st year and the other ones doing her GCSEs. And they will tell you, I have

apologized so much. They've seen me cry so many times because I shouldn't have done that. You're saying you shouldn't have put that on them? Yeah, because I know what it feels like to have so much responsibility as a young girl. Like, I've always wanted my children to just stay in fairyland and be, you know, carefree. I definitely didn't want them to see me. Yeah. In that space? No.

When you think back throughout your entire life, would you say that was that was the worst moment in your life? Oh, gosh. Oh, absolutely. The worst. And it lasted. I'd say the worst of it lasted for about a year. It's straight.

and yeah we didn't speak to anyone else we didn't communicate with other people we just because it was like it was at a point where it was just like okay what's the bare minimum and the bare minimum was we need to wash we need to eat need to drink and you know there were there were times like we weren't laughing we weren't doing stuff we were just we were literally just surviving did you leave the house well yeah we we kind of had to so you know the baby needed doctor's appointments okay so I sent my daughter to school I sent her to school I'm a homeschooling mom but I sent my daughter to school because I just knew I didn't have the capacity to to do to give her everything that she deserved to have and so yeah so I sent her to school which she loved by the way she she loved

until she didn't I hear that yeah yeah So how many years ago was this? Was this moment? So in May will be three years. Three years. It's not long ago. No. No.

No. And so I'm still. And this is another thing. I feel like my daughters have gotten some incredible lessons. They now know that healing is not linear. You know, it doesn't just, you know, I can be happy as Larry and then, you know, I can have a conversation and I'll just be like, you know, as I said, like the amount of times of apologize, particularly to my older children, you know, because I just hate that experience for

them. But I do know that they will carry forth some of these ideas and experiences with them. And also, for one of a better term, they've become little gangsters like. And I love that for the And to your point of, and I love it when you just said, they see me down, right? But they're going to see me get back. Yeah. They're going to see it. Yeah.

And I feel as if the last few years, the last three years, yeah. It's been you like, okay, I'm going to crawl. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And then I'm going to walk. Yep. And then I'm going to run.

Literally. You know? Literally. And a part of that, a part of that was speaking about it. So I remember, like, when it got to about two years, I did a TV show and I spoke about what had happened so what I just explained to you and I remember

that when you're in the public eye and you speak about something like that so many people so many people reached out in so many different ways and you've realised how many of us are experiencing horrific traumas while just living life you know because I

was carrying, I was, I was going to work, I was on Hollyoaks, I was, you know, I was, because I had to earn money. I had to, you know, I had, I had plans. I wanted to move. You know, there were, there were things that I was continuing to do. I was still working. I was still showing up. I was still showing up on social media. And no one would have ever known that, oh yeah, I'm like crying in the bed with my girls every single night. Like, you know, they just wouldn't know that that was happening. And I think there's a lot of women who are living these dual lives. And then there just came a point where I was like, yeah, I'm not doing that anymore.

Not doing it. I'm just not doing it. I'm going to talk about it. And then, you know, in the middle of the healing and I'm going to do something even greater than before. I'm going to be somebody even better than before. Yes. Yeah. Yes.

where does the inspiration come because there are many people I agree lots of women lots of men who are in a position right now who believe they're in that moment when you said I was in that low point yeah they're in that point right now and they're trying to find hope yeah they're trying to find something to aspire to yeah yeah how were you able to find the hope so for me I think I was just, I think my whole thing was just like, don't let them win. There are a lot of people or a group of people that really wanted to see me down, that really wanted their absence to be so impactful that I could never go and do anything again. Now I was just like, absolutely not.

Not with my girls watching. No? No. And so two, the both things, you know, my daughters are watching me. and I know that you're watching me too and you want me to fail. And I think there are many moments throughout my life that have been motivated

by people doubting me or people actively wanting to see me fall. You can't reason with the sun. Trust us. We've tried. This summer, it's time to put that angry ball of fire on mute. Columbia's Omnishade technology is engineered to protect you from the sun's harsh rays that can burn and damage your skin.

The sun is relentless. but so is our gear. Level up your summer at Columbia.com to spend more time outside and less time slathering on all loation. You're welcome. Columbia engineered for whatever. And so for me, I just kind of, I think it all starts with, you know, what action are you going to take? What are you actually going to do? It's so important, you know, it's not, it's not just hope and prayers. It's not just, you know, I'm not, it's not that. What am I going to do? And it's so, it's not, it's not that. What am I going to do? It's exactly what you mentioned earlier, like, I'm going to crawl. I'm going to, you know, I'm going to put my, I'm going to put my two feet on the floor out of my bed.

And that's the first thing. And if I do that, then maybe I can get up tomorrow. And then the next day, maybe I can, you know, crawl across the floor. And I'm talking literally, like, literally. And if you want to hear the full unfiltered stories from today's guest, you can check them out on the We Need to Talk page. Drop a like, leave a comment. and hit subscribe. See you next week.