S3 Ep13: Loving The Life You Didn’t Picture - Motherhood and Disability with Kathryn Denny

Up Past Bedtime

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In this episode, I sat down with the incredible Kathryn Denny to talk all about what it’s like when life doesn’t the way you planned — and how you learn to find beauty in a completely different path than the one you imagined.

Kathryn shares her experience parenting her son Jaska, who lives with a disability, and we chat about the emotional rollercoaster that comes with navigating diagnoses, letting go of expectations, and learning to lean into the present. We talked about how isolating early motherhood can be, the power of community (especially online), and why sometimes the best thing you can do is just take it one moment at a time.

This isn’t a heavy conversation — it’s a really warm, honest one about strength, surrender, and loving your child for exactly who they are. Kathryn is such a calming, grounded presence and I feel really lucky she shared her story with us.

Up Past Bedtime with Bella Messina is your go-to for late-night, unfiltered chats—the kind of conversations you’d have with your closest girlfriends. From relationships to motherhood, no topic is off-limits as Bella, a 20-something mum of two, invites you into candid conversations with inspiring women and shares her own raw stories. This podcast is where you’ll feel seen, heard, and completely understood. So get comfortable, because the best conversations happen when you’re up past bedtime

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