Not Another Mummy Podcast

Season 11 of Not Another Mummy Podcast kicks off with a chat with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. Previously a lawyer and Labour MP, Sadiq has been mayor since 2016. As well as creating policies for the smooth-running of the city, he is a dad of two daughters, now in their twenties.Sadiq talks to me about how his own upbringing with seven siblings in a South London council flat has influenced his own parenting, what it was like to raise two teenage girls and how they navigated things like phones and social media.Sadiq also discusses the importance of women's safety, what we need to do to improve it and why providing free school meals for every primary school child in London has been so important to him.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m joined on this episode by Harriet Shearsmith. Harriet is a mum of three and the presenter of the Unfollowing Mum podcast - about breaking the parenting cycle, unsubscribing from drama by healing generational trauma and putting ourselves and our mental health first. Harriet talks to me about what cycle breaking parenting is, why we might want to do it and the things she personally is breaking the cycle with.We also delve into parental estrangement with Harriet talking about her own experiences of breaking contact with her mum. As a qualified coach, Harriet offers helpful insight - and does a bit of a therapy session on me too, which is lovely!Follow Harriet on Instagram and listen to her podcast here.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is a returning guest! Rosie Nixon is a mum of two tween boys and passionate about reclaiming midlife.We chat about everything from how she is reinventing midlife - and her recent career pivot away from being Editor-in-Chief of Hello! magazine towards coaching and creating - to parenting tweens, tackling screentime and more.We also touch on how Rosie uses AI - namely Microsoft Copilot in Windows - to plan memorable holidays, how her kids are creating amazing artwork and how it's helping her with basic family life admin.This episode is brought to you by Microsoft, whose groundbreaking AI tool, Copilot in Windows, can make your life easier across work, home and family.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TV personality best known for The Only Way Is Essex, influencer and entrepreneur Lydia Bright joins me on this episode. Lydia is a mum to toddler Loretta and has her debut picture book coming out on February 1st – Mummy and Me.Lydia chats to me about single motherhood, how giving birth two weeks into the first 2020 lockdown was a blessing for her, what the term co-parenting means to her and how growing up in a family that fostered children has influenced her as a mum.We also talk about her picture book, Mummy and Me which celebrates single motherhood and is a gorgeous read.Check out Lydia's book here and follow her on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm joined on this episode by Jess Chalmers, who runs workshops on online child safety. As a mum of two tweens herself, Jess got the fear after watching The Social Dilemma on Netflix and took matters into her own hands by training herself up on the latest online child safety information. She now goes into schools and workplaces to talk to parents and kids about online safety.Jess chats to me about the mantra you should be drumming into your children (screenshot, block, report), why setting your underage child up on a social platform with a fake age is a really bad idea, how to talk to your kids about porn and more.If you're listening to this with small people around, please note, this episode contains a reference to Father Christmas not being real.Follow Jess on Instagram here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got a replay episode this week - this episode originally went out in January 2022 and if you're in the mood to declutter and organise as 2023 draws to a close, this episode is for you.My guest is Nicola Lewis. If you’re not already familiar with Nicola, she can be found offering hints, tips and practical real life solutions on keeping organised on social media as well as providing a home decluttering and organising service to people all over the UK. She is also the author of Mind Over Clutter: Cleaning Your Way to a Calm and Happy Home.On this episode, Nicola shares all of her brilliant new year organisation tips – from fridges to wardrobes to that Monica cupboard you might use as a dumping ground. You can find her online on Instagram and you can check out her book Mind Over Clutter here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you're already perimenopausal/menopausal or you're looking ahead to it, my guest today will give you lots to think about. Mum of 3, Kate Rowe-Ham, is a personal trainer who specialises in using exercise and fitness to help women through perimenopause and menopause. Despite being a personal trainer, Kate found herself totally derailed in her early 40s as perimenopause started. Her usual strategies to stay well weren’t working and HRT wasn’t the magic bullet she hoped it would be. Only when she started changing the way she exercised, what she ate and drank, and lifting weights did she feel better.Kate chats to me about her journey and her book Owning Your Menopause: Fitter, Calmer, Stronger in 30 Days which aims to educate and inspire women to make the same vital changes to their health that Kate did.Pre-order Kate's book, follow her on Instagram and check out her app.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is CBeebies legend Andy Day. Presenter of an array of programmes like Andy's Global Adventures and star of Andy And The Band with his rock band Andy and the Odd Socks, Andy is also a dad of two - with one more on the way.Andy also works as an ambassador for Anti-Bullying Week and Odd Socks Day which is all about spreading the anti-bullying message and encouraging children to celebrate their uniqueness and individuality.We talk about his experiences as a dad of girls, how he's proud to be breaking generational cycles with his parenting and what his CBeebies co-stars are really like!The new series of Andy And The Band is on CBBC and BBC iPlayer now and you can follow Andy on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Suzy Reading. As well as being a chartered psychologist, yoga teacher and coach, Suzy is a mum of two and the author of a whole bunch of books including her latest one, Rest To Reset.Suzy is a must-follow on Instagram where her daily reminders, questions and invitations to adjust your thinking will soothe even the most tired, frazzled brains.So who better to chat to about the overwhelm so many of us feel in the run up to Christmas? Suzy offers up advice on how to handle keeping everyone happy (spoiler alert: we probably can't), how to think about what kind of Christmas YOU want and more.Check out Suzy's Instagram and her latest book Rest To Reset.This episode is brought to you in partnership with The Night Owl Sings and their new album - The Night Owl Sings Nursery Rhymes, the beautiful and relaxing new album, perfect for bedtimes.  Visit https://thenightowlsings.com for more info and to stream the album.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm joined on this episode by Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley, authors of the book The Queer Parent and hosts of the podcast From Gay To Ze.From fostering and fertility treatment to co-parenting and dealing with homophobia, the book is an essential parenting handbook for the LGBTQ+ community, their friends, families and allies, and anyone who wants to understand and support the full breadth of the queer experience.Lotte, who is mum to a five-year-old (and cats who like frogs, as you'll hear) with her wife, and Stu, who is the dad of three adopted children with his husband, chat to me about their own journey to parenthood. We also talk about the language we use around parenting and how we can make it more inclusive without erasing anyone's experiences.Buy their book, listen to their podcast and follow them on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. Check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to SERIES TEN of Not Another Mummy Podcast. It's six years since we launched, back in a time when believe it or not, there were hardly any parenting podcasts!I'm thrilled to be kicking off our tenth series with an episode which is part of Acast's Take the Scary out of Menopause campaign in conjunction with The Menopause Charity. We know we need to revolutionise the support and advice women receive for menopause and perimenopause — and it all begins by having open, honest conversations. This episode will appear alongside dozens of special episodes on Acast's Take the Scary out of Menopause playlist. Hear them all at themenopausecharity.org/acast and to find out more about the amazing work The Menopause Charity does! And who better to talk to me about midlife, motherhood and menopause than Liz Earle? Liz is a wellbeing writer, podcaster and author. She launched The Liz Earle Skincare Co and then sold it over 10 years ago. And she is a huge advocate for menopause education and support.You can read more from her and listen to her podcast at Liz Earle Wellbeing.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are mealtimes so stressful? Is it really that important to eat as a family? How bad are those toddler snacks you can buy in the supermarket, really? If - like me - you ask yourself these kinds of questions a lot then this episode is for you!My guest today is Charlotte Stirling-Reed, leading nutritionist and author of a whole array of books about feeding babies, toddlers and her latest one - whole families.She worked with Joe Wicks on his Wean In 15 book and when she's not dishing up (geddit?) nutrition tips on social media, she's feeding two small kids of her own.Follow Charlotte on Instagram and buy her latest book How to Feed Your Family here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's not every day you get to chat to an ACTUAL Lioness, but in this week's episode, my guest is the epic Beth Mead.  England and Arsenal footballer Beth was the top goalscorer in the UEFA Euros 2022, which saw England crowned champions - their first international trophy since the 1966 Men's FIFA World Cup. She was also named Player of the Tournament and has since won BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022. In February 2022 she launched the Beth Mead Scholarship with Teesside University to support students who have the potential to reach professional level in women's football. Her book - Roar - is an inspirational handbook for readers aged 7+ who want to find and play the sport they love and achieve their dreams. Beth chats to me about her childhood, how her parents encouraged and supported her love of football, what she's learned along the way and how she's used her recent injury to motivate her, despite it meaning she can't play in the upcoming World Cup.Roar is out now in bookshops and you can follow Beth on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grief is still such a taboo subject but that's something that my guest on this episode is determined to change. Stacey Heale is a mum of two and in September 2021, her husband - Delays singer Greg Gilbert - died, five years after being diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer.Stacey talks to me about what life was like before the diagnosis - falling in love with this bookworm pop star and having babies together - and then what it was like to process his cancer diagnosis.She tells me how she's been supporting her daughters - now age 7 and 9 - through the death of their dad and what she's learned about grief in the past seven years.Stacey talks beautifully about grief and loss on her Instagram page and watch this space for her book, which she's currently writing.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is one of the biggest experts in menopause and perimenopause. Dr Louise Newson is a GP, the creator of free menopause app Balance and runs The Newson Clinic which helps thousands of women to navigate perimenopause and menopause smoothly.Dr Louise is also the author of the book The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause, appears regularly on This Morning and hosts a podcast The Dr Louise Newson Podcast. Phew! How she had time to chat to me, I don't know.Thankfully, she did and we have a brilliant conversation about the basics - what is the menopause and perimenopause - right through to the nitty gritty of whether women should be taking testosterone, the benefits of HRT and why the breast cancer risks aren't as big as we were lead to believe.Order Dr Louise's book, listen to her podcast and check out the free Balance app.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We hear lots about the risks and dangers of young people using social media and the internet but my guest today says since it's here to stay, we may as well teach our kids how to use it wisely.Natasha Devon is a presenter, writer and activist and her new book Clicks: How To Be Your Best Self Online is a guide for young people. She talks to me about how to talk to our kids about the online world, the signs they might be developing unhealthy habits, the importance of having a healthy relationship with social media ourselves and more.You can buy Natasha's book here and follow her on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast delves into lots of different areas and experiences of motherhood and parenthood, but one area I've wanted to cover for ages is the act of not having kids. My guest today is Ruby Warrington who has known ever since she was a child that she doesn't want to have children.Her book, Women Without Kids, is a fascinating and refreshing look at what it means to be a mother and therefore what it means to not be a mother. Ruby talks to me about the language we use (childless = so sad, child-free = carefree and deviant), the history behind why we think all women should have a child in order to fulfil their reason for existing and so much more.Follow Ruby on Instagram and buy her book here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode used to work in finance as an Actuary in a fast-paced, high-pressured environment. Now, Hannah Barrett is the UK’s leading online yoga teacher with a completely different approach to life. Hannah’s also a mum of two and the author of Yoga Happy, a beautiful inspiring book which shows you how to find your energy, reduce stress, get a good night’s sleep and even ease a headache! We chat about how she uses yoga and meditation to deal with the chaos of family life, how to start small and introduce small changes into your daily routine and how you can do yoga without even rolling out a mat (yes, really!)Check out Hannah on Instagram and buy her book Yoga Happy here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm joined on this episode by someone I've wanted to have on as a guest for ages - writer and editor Cathy Reay. Born with dwarfism, Cathy is a disability consultant and writes about her experiences as a disabled, single mum.Cathy talks to me today about her experiences of pregnancy, birth, new motherhood and single motherhood. She reflects on her own childhood with non-disabled parents and talks about the experiences of her daughters - both born with the same type of dwarfism; achondroplasia.Cathy has contributed to We've Got This, a collection of essays and reflections by disabled parents across the world which you can buy here. You can also follow Cathy on Instagram and Twitter.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After an extended break, we're back for a new season! Katie Kirby is my guest on this episode. Katie started off blogging at Hurrah For Gin, shining a light on the realities of motherhood at a time when the online world was filled with rose-tinted picture perfect versions of mum life. Since then, she's moved to writing books and her latest series is the Lottie Brooks books, aimed at the tween audience.We recorded this episode last summer and we talk about Katie being one of the first people online to start talking honestly about being a mum and how we still get sucked into comparing ourselves with other mums online.Katie tells me about life parenting her tween boys and we chat about the Lottie Brooks books.Find Katie online here and buy her books here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you’ve got a baby right now or your kids are a bit older, my chat with Libby Page on this episode will probably resonate with you. Libby is the author of three bestseller books - The Lido, The 24-Hour Café and The Island Home – and she became a mum last year to her son Robin.Libby is refreshingly honest about the ups and downs of her experiences so far as a mum, talking openly on social media when things go well, and when they all feel a bit overwhelming.We talk about her expectations of motherhood and how they compare to the reality, how honest we should be with pregnant women about birth and motherhood, and more.You can follow Libby on Twitter and Instagram and buy her books here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How well does your baby or child sleep? Chances are, you’ve had or are having some issues with sleep (I know we are!) and if that’s the case, my guests today have got lots of helpful advice for you.Eve Squires and Gem Fryer run Calm & Bright Sleep Support which is a lifeline for so many parents facing sleep challenges with their children.We discuss some of the biggest sleep problems you guys are facing, answering your questions and we also look at the extreme versions of sleep coaching and whether there’s a middle ground (answer: yes!)Order their book Love To Sleep here and follow them on Instagram.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Natalie Lee – once a midwife, she started a fashion blog and now uses her online platform to discuss body image, confidence, shame and lots more.Now, Natalie has written her first book, Feeling Myself, which is a memoir about her experiences around sex and shame. In the book, Nat takes us along for the ride on her journey of self-discovery, searching out and then smashing some of the most powerful taboos around shame, sex and socialised sexism which have held her back and which she thinks have probably held you back too.Follow Nat on Instagram and buy her book here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a special replay of an interview I did with Deborah James back in January 2018. It was just over a year after she’d been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer and we sat in her living room, drinking tea and talking about her experience over the previous 12 months.Now, four and a half years on, Deborah, who is mum to two children, has raised an incredible amount of awareness of bowel cancer, through writing for The Sun, publishing a book, appearing on national TV, all the while sharing her highs and lows with us all.A week ago, Deborah announced that – following a particularly tough six months where she has mostly been in hospital – she is now receiving hospice at home care. She set up The Bowel Babe Fund which, incredibly, raised over £6million in under a week (and counting…) All of this was recognised when she was awarded a Damehood by Prince William.You can donate to The Bowel Babe Fund, which is raising vital money for Cancer Research UK, The Royal Marsden Hospital and The Institute of Cancer Research here. We don’t know how much time is left for Deborah but in her words, the fund will help other Deborahs who have cancer.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode was one of the nation’s saviours during the first lockdown in 2020. Reacting to a clear need for parents to keep their kids busy and happy while schools were closed, Rob Biddulph started a regular online drawing lesson for kids – Draw With Rob – and the response was huge.A dad of three, himself, Rob is the author and illustrator of brilliant picture books for younger kids, like Blown Away and Odd Dog Out, and of his new chapter book for older readers, Peanut Jones and the Illustrated City.Rob talks to me about parenting teens and why he still reads to his kids even though they’re older, we talk about father daughter bonding and we talk about what it’s like to have Tom Hardy read one of your books on CBeebies Bedtime Stories…Watch Draw With Rob here, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Find out more about his books here.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CNN anchor and mum of two Zain Asher is my guest on this episode - her book Where The Children Take Us is an incredible memoir with the strong theme of taking the knocks that life gives you and using them to fuel you to succeed.The book details her parents’ journey from war-torn Nigeria to South London where they raised their four children. When Zain was five-years-old, tragedy struck and her father was killed in a road accident – an accident that nearly killed her older brother and left her mother to raise four children single-handed.Zain tells me how through sacrifices, strength and determination, her mother raised four hugely successful kids, including Zain’s Oscar-nominated actor brother Chiwetel Ejiofor.Buy Zain’s book here and follow her on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Sarah Turner – aka The Unmumsy Mum – who has returned to the podcast to update me on her hectic whirl of a life parenting three boys and a cat, and to tell me all about her first novel, Stepping Up.The book tells the story of what happens when tragedy hits a family, turns it upside down and catapults protagonist Beth into a world of parenting her teenage niece and toddler nephew. It’s a brilliant read – funny, uplifting and sad – so it’s no surprise it became an instant Sunday Times bestseller.Sarah and I cover how she’s feeling about her youngest starting primary school soon, her husband having the snip and how they juggle parenting and work.We also talk about Sarah’s experiences of losing her mum when she was 15 and how this inspired the themes of Stepping Up.Follow Sarah on Instagram and Facebook and buy Stepping Up here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Experiencing miscarriage is, without a doubt, devastating. And my guest on this episode is campaigning for a change in the law around the paid leave that parents are entitled to, when this happens. Angela Crawley is MP for Lanark and Hamilton East and wants the government to introduce a statutory requirement for employers to provide three days of paid miscarriage leave for parents who experience a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy. Currently, bereavement legislation entitles parents who lose a baby after 24 weeks to two weeks of paid bereavement leave. But there’s nothing in place before that. Angela recently became a parent when her partner gave birth to their first baby in January, so as well as her campaign, we discuss sleepless nights and how as a same sex couple, they juggle the parenting. You can follow Angela and the progress of the campaign on Twitter. Please do sign the petition at www.paidmiscarriageleave.co.ukIf you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Becoming a mother is both massive and profound… and at the same time mediocre and humdrum,” according to my guest on this episode, Ellie Taylor. And isn’t she bang on the money?I chat to comedian and actor Ellie about her journey from perfectly happy child free woman to mum of a toddler – including highlights along the way, like being celeb spotted while she was in the middle of her c-section and the joys of that first post-birth poo.Ellie’s book My Child And Other Mistakes is a warm and funny look at motherhood and a must-read whether you’ve just discovered you’re having a baby or you’re a few years into being a parent.Buy Ellie’s book and follow her on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you on Tik Tok? Do you know what the skull emoji means? If your answers are yes, then great! My guests on this episode say a great way to keep your teenagers safe in the online world is immersing yourself in it. Alexandra Evans is Head of Safety Public Policy, Europe at Tik Tok (she’s basically an expert on keeping young people safe online) and Myleene Klass is a mum of three including one teenager, and who has plenty of experience and wisdom around the online world. She’s also a musician and presenter but I’m guessing you know that already.In this episode we hear Alexandra’s really simple 5 steps to keeping our teens safe online. And if you’re groaning at the idea of getting on Tik Tok yourself, don’t worry, it’s not essential but Myleene says it’s transformed her relationship with her teenage daughter Ava.Our chat is packed with helpful advice and thoughts on guiding our kids as they step into the online world for the first time - how to talk to our kids about social media, how to set boundaries and guidelines, what kids need from us, their parents as they navigate social media.Check out Tik Tok’s Safety Centre here and follow Myleene on TikTok and Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Picking yourself up after a separation or divorce and starting to date people again can be a hard thing to do, but throw kids into the mix and it can feel like a logistical nightmare. My guest on this episode – Laura Friedman Williams – is the author of Available: A memoir of sex and dating after a marriage ends. In her book, she details how she had to learn to navigate the dating world once again, after divorcing her husband of 27 years, how it forced her to explore her identity and how she learned she could be independent, a good mum, and have a great sex life all at the same time. You can buy Laura’s book here and follow her on Twitter and Instagram. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Kreena Dhiman who has had four children using two surrogates. At the age of 33, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and told that the chemotherapy treatment she needed would affect her chances of having a baby. So Kreena started on a journey of IVF and surrogacy in order to become a mum.With many bumps along the road – including nearly dying of heart failure and covid restrictions meaning she missed the birth of her sons – she is now the mum of a three year old daughter and one-year-old triplets.It’s clear what a strong, determined person Kreena is and I’m grateful to her for sharing her experiences with me – and with you.Follow her on Instagram and listen to her podcast The Intended Parent.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Becoming a mum is something that shifts our identity and we can often find ourselves trying to mother in a way that our culture and the media tells us we should. But my guest today says we should all try to do motherhood our own way, trusting our instincts and leaning into what we think we should do, not what we are being told to do by others.Hollie de Cruz is a mum of two and a hugely successful hypnobirthing coach with clients including Fearne Cotton, Izzy Judd and Giovanna and Tom Fletcher. Hollie is also the creator of the award-winning yesmum positive affirmation cards and the author of two books – Your Baby, Your Birth and Motherhood Your Way. Her latest venture Here Hear is a platform to educate and support mums as they find their feet in this new world.Follow Hollie on Instagram here and check out her books and hypnobirthing website.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy new year everyone! If you’re in the mood to start 2022 with an organised, fresh approach then this episode is for you. I feel so inspired after my chat with Nicola Lewis – aka This Girl Can Organise. I’m going to declutter and get organised after hearing all of her brilliant tips.If you’re not already familiar with Nicola, she can be found offering hints/tips and practical real life solutions on keeping organised on social media as well as providing a home decluttering and organising service to people all over the UK. She is also the author of Mind Over Clutter: Cleaning Your Way to a Calm and Happy Home.On this episode, Nicola shares all of her brilliant new year organisation tips – from fridges to wardrobes to that Monica cupboard you might use as a dumping ground. You can find her online on Instagram and you can check out her book Mind Over Clutter here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s no denying that the conversation around race and activism is starting to slowly change – world events and movements like Black Lives Matter are hitting the headlines and entering into everyday discussion between friends in a way they weren’t before.My guest on this episode is a huge contributor to that conversation as one half of the anti-racism Instagram account Everyday Racism, Naomi Evans along with sister Natalie shares stories and educational posts focusing on how to be anti-racist.Naomi tells me about how they decided to start the platform after a video of Natalie confronting two men racially abusing a ticket conductor on a train went viral on Twitter. We also discuss how to discuss social injustice with our children and how to raise them as people who care about others, show empathy and guide them to do something about the injustice we see around us.Please do check out their Instagram account Everyday Racism, it’s so useful and may well help enrich your understanding of the anti-racism work we all need to be doing.You can visit their website to see the resources Naomi talks about and to donate to their Patreon. You can pre-order their book The Mixed Race Experience here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Cat Sims, blogger, content creator, podcaster and huge mental health advocate.I chat to Cat about the importance of talking about mental health. She tells me about her own mental health journey, starting back in her teenage years when nobody really spoke about this stuff. Right through to having post natal depression when she had her daughters.We talk about the stigma around anti-depressant medication and why she’s a big fan of taking her pills and being open about it online, and we stray into talking about how people react to each other in the online world vs the real world.You can follow Cat on TikTok and Instagram, read her blog Not So Smug Now and subscribe to her twice-weekly newsletter.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode had always dreamed of being a mum but at age 37 and very much single with no partner on the horizon, she decided to take matters into her own hands.Liv Thorne started researching sperm banks and fertility clinics, setting out on a journey that has resulted in her being a solo mum to three year old Herb, today.Her book, Liv’s Alone is a warm and hopeful memoir that dismantles the fairy tale of falling in love, getting married and having a baby, that we’re all fed from a young age. It shows an alternative route to motherhood… via buying sperm from Denmark!Liv chats to me about the tragic circumstances that led to her being ‘alone’ for so many years and talks about the decisions she made along the way.Buy Liv’s Alone here and follow Liv on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This brand new series of Not Another Mummy Podcast kicks off with a brilliant chat, brought to you by Barbie who are kindly sponsoring this episode. My guest is Claire Russell, early years specialist and author of the book The Play Hooray Handbook. Claire is an expert in all things play and can be found sharing easy and low-cost ways to play with your kids – indoors and outside – on social media as @play.hoorayOn this episode, Claire talks to me about the importance of play – how it’s not just something the children do to pass the time, but it’s vital in their development. We discuss the research commissioned by Mattel, the makers of the doll brand Barbie and led by Cardiff University, Exploring the Benefits of Doll Play through Neuroscience which is the first scientific study using neuroscience to explore what impact doll play has on children. The study monitored the brain activity of children ages 4-8 as they played with a range of Barbie dolls and playsets and incredibly, it found that doll play activates parts of the brain that allow children to develop empathy and social processing skills. Read more about the study here. And you can watch the TV ad we talk about on the episode here.Follow Claire on Instagram and check out her book The Play Hooray Handbook.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Postnatal health issues are still being ignored, overlooked, and dismissed by new mums and health professionals who are sadly pushed for time and resources. My guest on this episode - Emma Brockwell aka Physio Mum UK - is on a mission to empower women and birthing people to seek the help they need and care for themselves postnatally.Emma is a Specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist and the author of the excellent book Why Did No One Tell Me? How to Protect, Heal and Nurture Your Body Through Motherhood which is a guide for women to take control of and protect their changing bodies through pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. It might (or might not) surprise you to hear that this is the first handbook from a leading women’s health expert on prenatal and postnatal conditions.  In my chat with Emma, we cover everything from why pelvic health is so important, practical things that you can be doing if you’re pregnant to help with postnatal recovery and how to look after yourself in that fourth trimester and beyond.It’s a must-listen episode for anyone who is pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or who has recently had a baby.Buy Emma’s book here and follow her on Instagram here.This is the last episode of this series but I'll be back before you know it with series eight (can you believe it's been eight series already!)If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode I chat to Molly Forbes, the author of Body Happy Kids and a mum of two. Molly was a guest on the podcast a few years ago, when she was a host on the Channel 4 show Naked Beach, which shone a light on the body insecurities that many of us have and helped people to overcome them.Since then, Molly has set up social enterprise Body Happy Org, has been campaigning to ban diet club adverts around and near schools and using her voice to help others raise our kids in a body happy way.We talk about what’s causing children as young as three to feel bad about their bodies, the lack of positive representation of different body shapes in books and the media and how to talk to our kids about their appearance and body issues.We also touch upon helping our kids foster a healthy happy relationship with meal times and food, using Ellen Sattyr’s Division of Responsibility and how all of this *waves arms around* is HARD when we were brought up so differently.You can buy Molly’s book Body Happy Kids here, follow her on Instagram and check out Body Happy Org and their work.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you dreading your children hitting the teenage years and hormones turning them into sulky, shouty, door slamming young adults? I know I am! But my guest on this episode, journalist and podcaster Lorraine Candy, says we shouldn’t worry, she is here to hold our hand through the process.Lorraine is the mum to three teens and a nine year old and she is the author of Mum What’s Wrong With You – 101 Things Only Mothers Of Teenage Girls Know which offers easy to follow, down to earth advice, lighting the way for other mums.She shares all sorts of wisdom on this episode, from someone who has been there and got the t-shirt, like navigating the big teenage milestones and the biological reason your teenager has an incredibly messy bedroom….Buy Lorraine’s book here, listen to her podcast Postcards From Midlife and follow her on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode took an earth-shattering life event and turned it into a novel - Josie Lloyd is a best-selling author and mum of three. She has written 15 bestselling novels including the number one hit Come Together, which she co-authored with her husband, Emlyn Rees.In 2017, Josie was diagnosed with breast cancer and, urged by a friend to keep fit, she went down to the seafront in Brighton where she lives and joined a running group. These were all women, who, like her, were going through cancer treatment and they soon became firm friends. She didn't realise at first that it was actually a training group for the Brighton Marathon 10K and she ended up running the race just before her third session of chemo. The whole experience was so utterly uplifting and inspiring that she decided she had to write about it in her latest novel The Cancer Ladies’ Running Club.Josie chats to me about what that experience was like and how she couldn't find any fiction books about surviving and thriving after cancer, so she wrote one.Buy Josie’s book here and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was an utter joy to welcome Dr Ranj onto the podcast as a guest – as well as working for the NHS through the pandemic as a paediatric doctor, Ranj published a book - How To Grow Up And Feel Amazing: The No Worries Guide For Boys. It’s a must-read book for all tween boys, covering physical and emotional changes they’ll go through as puberty hits.I talked to Ranj about what his own teenage years were like, and why he was so keen to write a book to help boys get through what can be a tricky time. We chat about the importance of encouraging boys to express their feelings, have a cry and talk to people around them if they’re struggling.It’s a fantastic book and it was great to hear Ranj’s thoughts on how to raise happy, healthy boys.Check out the book here and follow Ranj on Twitter and Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is essential listening if you’re in your 20s, 30s or 40s. Which sounds like I’m really bigging myself up, but it’s my guest, not me, who is delivering all of the wisdom.Maisie Hill is a women’s health practitioner, author and podcaster who is doing everything she can to spread the word about perimenopause and getting us in tune with our menstrual cycles. Her latest book Perimenopause Power is a guide to that transition into menopause, packed with information and helpful advice. Reading it opened my eyes and spurred me on to speak to a menopause specialist about my own symptoms.On this episode, Maisie tells me why perimenopause needs to be more widely discussed – and from a younger age – and what women in their 20s can be doing to help their health when perimenopause hits. She’s a great guest with lots of useful explanations and helpful tips. Once you’ve listened, share this episode with a friend to get the conversation going with as many people as possible!Visit Maisie's website, buy her book Perimenopause Power and follow her on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you talk to your children about race – and racism – and if so, how often? My guest on this episode Uju Asika encourages all parents to start this conversation as early as possible and not to feel awkward about it.Uju is a mum of two and the author of Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World. We talk about how the conversation will be different, depending on your children’s skin colour, and why it’s important not to take the ‘colour blind’ approach to parenting.Uju shares her fears over her black sons – once considered cute by passers-by and now in their teenage years, being viewed and treated differently. We also discuss language and people’s desire to find a term that neatly categorises everyone that isn’t white.Buy Uju’s book here and follow her on Instagram and Twitter.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is mum of three Hayley McLean. All three of Hayley’s children were assumed male at birth but her second-born, Noa, identifies as female.Hayley tells me what it’s like to be the mum of a transgender child, from the early signs through to Noa telling her parents, in no uncertain terms, that she is a girl. Hayley talks about how they’ve fully supported Noa and about the reaction they’ve had from friends and family. We talk about her decision to write about their experiences on her blog and social media, in the hope that it offers some support to other families going through something similar.You can follow Hayley on Instagram and read her blog Sparkles & Stretchmarks.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Separating from your partner would be one of the worst things that could happen to you, right? Well, no, according to my guest on this episode, it doesn’t have to be.Amy Ransom is a mum of three and the author of The Soul-Soaring Virtues of Separation: 111 Learnings to Heal Your Heart and Help You Fly – a guide to reframing separation, looking at it as the start of something new rather than the end of something. Amy talks to me about her own separation and how she used her spirituality and the Law of Attraction to turn it from something that was devastating into something positive.Her book shares 111 things she learned on her own separation journey and is an inspiring, supportive guide for anyone who’s going through a separation.Buy Amy’s book here and follow her on Instagram here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine a world where women don’t lose their jobs, or miss out on promotions, because they’re pregnant or have just had a baby. I can’t even picture it, because so many women experience maternity discrimination, today, in 2021. My guest on this episode, Joeli Brearley, lost her job the day after she told her employer she was pregnant and went onto launch the charity and campaigning group Pregnant Then Screwed.Joeli is a mum of two and campaigns for better rights for pregnant women and mothers, including asking for three months’ ring-fenced parental leave for both parents at 90% of salary, properly subsidised childcare from six months old and increasing the time limit to raise a tribunal claim from three months to six months.Her book Pregnant Then Screwed: The Truth About the Motherhood Penalty and How to Fix It is a must-read expose of the practices and systems that force women out of their jobs because they’re having or have had a baby, and about how we can challenge them and demand a fairer, level playing field.Joeli talks to me about her own experiences of losing her job while pregnant, why expecting mothers to raise a tribunal claim within three months when they’re in a vulnerable place is unacceptable and why it’s critical that the government invest properly in the childcare system. We also talk about flexible working and how the pandemic has affected it.** Pregnant Then Screwed are currently running a campaign with Grazia to ask the government to commission an independent review of childcare funding and affordability. Sign it here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/586700 **You can follow Pregnant Then Screwed on Twitter and Instagram, check out their website and buy Joeli’s book here. For advice on employment rights, call their helpline on 0161 222 9879. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past year or so, most of us have become increasingly reliant on the communities around us – our neighbours, WhatsApp groups of friends, even people we’ve never met but follow on social media. Community has become so important and my guest on this episode knows just how vital they are.Robert Douglas is a dad of two and has built up a community of dads online with his Instagram account @this_father_life. His day job is community-minded too - running a social enterprise which supports and facilitates young people from diverse backgrounds to get into a career in film production.Robert chats to me about why all of this matters and how there are so many interesting stories on our doorstep but we often aren’t aware of them. He also talks about his fears raising black sons and the effect BLM 2020 has had on them.Follow Robert on Instagram and follow his social enterprise too.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The seventh series of Not Another Mummy Podcast kicks off with the brilliant Hollie McNish as my guest. Hollie is an award-winning poet and writer, with books like Nobody Told Me and Plum and loads of sell-out live shows under her belt. Hollie is a mum of one and lots of her poetry is about motherhood – warts and all. Her new book, though, Slug… And Other Things I’ve Been Told To Hate is about birth, death and everything in between.Hollie talks to me about what lockdown was like for her as a solo parent, why she worries what the other mums at school think of her poetry and how she feels about sharing some of her innermost thoughts with the world. She tells me what it was like when her poem Embarrassed went viral and we chat about why it’s so ridiculous that the culture we live in has made so many mums (us included) feel embarrassed to breastfeed in coffee shops.You can buy Slug here and follow Hollie on Twitter and Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Producer: Imogen HartMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s little that will prepare you for the moment you hear the words: “You’re having twins!” You might feel shocked, delighted, scared, horrified, amused – or a mixture of all of the above.As a twin mum myself, I’ve got first-hand experience with the emotional rollercoaster of having two babies at once and I wanted to write a book which will guide parents from the moment they find out, through the pregnancy, birth and beyond. Excitingly, OMG It’s Twins is here and available to buy from bookshops. Filled with gorgeous illustrations by Veronica Dearly and easy to digest chapters, this is the book for anyone who is expecting, or has just welcomed, two little bundles of joy.But of course, I don’t know it all, so when writing the book, I interviewed a whole raft of experts, from midwives, psychotherapists to nutritionists, parenting experts, as well as getting helpful anecdotes from other twin mums, and for this episode of the podcast I wanted to chat to one of those experts – Sophie Burch. Sophie is a Hypnobirthing Practitioner, a pregnancy and birth coach and author of The Beyond Birth Guide which aims to educate and empower. She’s also a twin mum! So it was brilliant to chat to Sophie about her experiences and the techniques she teaches as a pregnancy and birth coach.Check out Sophie at The Mamma Coach, buy The Beyond Birth Guide and follow her on Instagram.OMG It’s Twins is available to buy now on hardback or Kindle.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry.   Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the end of the series – and a Christmas special – with the brilliant Anna Williamson as my guest, talking about how to look after our mental health at the busiest time of the year.Anna is a TV presenter (catch her on the new series of Celebs Go Dating on Channel 4), podcaster and author. She’s also a qualified life coach and she’s done lots of work around smashing the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Her books – Breaking Mad and Breaking Mum and Dad look at her own experiences of mental health problems and gives solutions and coping methods aplenty. Her podcast Breaking Mum And Dad discusses different aspects of family life and mental health (listen to the episode I recorded with her here).During our chat, Anna talks me through her journey with mental health – from the mental breakdown she had during her 20s when she was in a high pressured job working in kids’ TV and in a bad relationship… to suffering from severe anxiety during pregnancy and the birth of her son. She tells me how she then took control of her mental health during her second pregnancy and the birth of her daughter by requesting an elective caesarean.Anna has loads of great advice on looking after our mental health so if things are feeling a bit hectic and overwhelming right now, this should help.Check out Anna’s books, listen to her podcast and find out more about her life coaching.If you enjoy this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the penultimate episode of the series (next episode is a Christmas special *jingles some bells*) and my guest this week is former social worker and child development trainer Becky Goddard-Hill. Becky is the author of brilliant book Create Your Own Calm which is an activity book for pre-teens and teens to work through and learn about being emotionally resilient. And we all need a bit of resilience in 2020, am I right?It’s a lovely book that they can either do on their own, or you can sit with them and chat through the activities.Becky chats to me about why it’s important to focus on our kids’ emotional wellbeing, we talk about how this just wasn’t stuff we discussed when we were growing up, and she gives loads of tips on how to help our kids manage anxiety, stress and just everyday life!Buy Becky’s book Create Your Own Calm and check out her other books here. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, check out her blog Emotionally Healthy Kids and listen to her podcast of the same name.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinéad Burke is an advocate, teacher, and a British Vogue Contributing Editor. She also happens to be a little person at three and a half feet tall. Born with the genetic disorder achondroplasia, Sinéad was in primary school when she first advocated for change and requested a different style of desk which she could access easily. Since then, Sinéad has gone on to become a leading disability advocate in the world of fashion and design.Her book – Break The Mould - offers a heartfelt and inspiring guide to young readers on believing in themselves and finding comfort and pride in their own skin. From the power of being different and discovering self-love, to inspiring children to use their voices to be an ally and show friendship to others, Sinéad helps readers break the mould and find their place in the world.It's a fantastic book for kids and teens to work through, and Sinéad chats to me about what inspired her to talk directly to young people about embracing their differences.Buy Break The Mould here and follow Sinead on Instagram and Twitter.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s your skincare routine like? As I confess to my guest on this episode, mine used to be shamefully bad but I’ve seen the error of my ways and I’ve recently started looking after my skin properly. Thankfully, Caroline Hirons isn’t here to judge us – but she is here to help. Her book Skincare is a number one bestseller and only the second ever Fashion/Beauty title to get to number one, since Trinny and Susannah's What Not To Wear 18 years ago. In it, she tells us everything we need to know about skincare and it’s her no nonsense approach which has had people reading her blog and watching her YouTube channel in their droves for the past ten years.Caroline chats to me about how she juggles this huge business empire with being a mum to four kids and grandmother of one. We also talk about the best way for busy mums to build skincare into their day and we chat about the links between skincare and mental health. Caroline offers up her advice for perimenopausal and menopausal women as well as giving tips for parents of hormonal teens.Skincare The Ultimate No Nonsense Guide is out now and the Skincare pink edition is available from Oct 29th. You can follow Caroline on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube and check out her blog here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you’re watching TV with your kids, do you take notice of how many people on the screen are Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, LGBT, working class or disabled? Often we’re so grateful for the ten minutes of quiet, to drink a cup of tea, we’re more likely to zone out of what’s on the screen.But my guests on this episode – children’s digital media expert Olivia Dickinson and Lyndsay Gardner, mum of two in a same sex family – say it’s more important than ever that we sit up and pay attention. A 2019 report by Hopster found that top preschool TV shows poorly represented disability, LGBT, the working class and had high rates of gender stereotyping, pushing Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic characters into the background.Olivia chats to me about why it’s so important that all kids see themselves represented on TV programmes and Lyndsay explains her worries that her daughters don’t see any LGBT families in the shows they watch. We discuss why representation is still a problem and what we, as parents, can do to balance things off.This episode is brought to you in association with Hopster - a preschool kids learning and entertainment app. For a monthly fee of £4.99, subscribers can access a diverse range of kids' learning & entertainment shows, stimulating games, classic nursery rhymes, fun music and a variety of books. There’s no ads and everything is hand-curated so your kids won’t come across anything unsuitable. You can get a free 7-day trial – just download the app from the Apple app store or Google Play.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re still not talking about the menopause enough. It’s something I didn’t know much about until recently (after all, it happens to older women, right?) but when, at 41, I started having perimenopausal symptoms I started to read up on it. And with approximately 13 million women in the UK going through menopause and life expectancy for women increasing, we all need to be educated about our options to optimise our future health. So it’s brilliant to have my guest today – Meg Mathews – on the podcast. As an advocate for the menopause, in 2018 she founded MegsMenopause.com - a platform dedicated to breaking the stigma around the menopause and supporting and informing women. Meg holds menopause roadshows and high-profile talks around the country and launched a range of intimate products in 2019 and the MegsMenopause app creating a global community helping women navigate their menopause on the go. Meg’s book The New Hot is a no-holds-barred guide to menopause, full of Meg’s personal insights as well as the latest information, case histories and advice from a wide range of menopause and lifestyle experts.On this episode, Meg talks about her own experience of menopause, why she’s a huge fan of HRT, how to approach the conversation with your GP and much more. It’s worth a listen whether you’re going through the menopause already or not.You can buy The New Hot now, check out MegsMenopause and follow her on Instagram.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if I could wave a magic wand and fix all of your work/home life balance problems? While I can’t promise that this podcast episode will do that, my guest Christine Armstrong does reveal what she believes to be the solution to our work/parenting problems.Christine is a mum of three and the author of The Mother Of All Jobs, a book which explores all of the angles of that common issue – making work work when you’ve got children. We cover a lot during our chat… Christine shares her own experience of discovering that it’s quite tricky to do it all when you become a mum and she talks about some of the people she interviewed for her book and shares their pearls of wisdom.We chat about how the work place just isn’t designed for women and ways that couples can fairly divide up domestic duties so that it doesn’t all land on one person.This episode is packed full of Christine’s clever observations and findings!You can find Christine online at her website, Twitter and Instagram. And you can buy her book The Mother Of All Jobs here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Waking up one morning and discovering you’ve lost your sight is something that many of us just couldn’t even imagine, but to trauma doctor Amit Patel, it was his reality and spelled the end of his medical career. Back in 2013, newly married Amit lost his sight due to a rare eye condition, keratoconus. After hitting rock bottom and being unable to leave the house for three months, Amit started to rebuild his life, with the help of his wife Seema and his guide dog, Kika.Amit talks to me about the incredible bond he developed with Kika, a bond which helped him gain confidence and be able to function day to day. We also talk about Amit and Seema deciding to start a family and how fatherhood has pushed him to be even more independent – taking his children out, with Kika’s help, on his own and even flying solo to New York with his three-year-old son.You can follow Amit on Twitter (and you can follow Kika too) and buy his book Kika & Me.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode I welcome Stuart Heritage as my guest. Stuart is a dad of two and when his first son was just a few hours old, Stuart started writing a column about fatherhood for The Guardian. Since then he’s written for Esquire, The Times and lots of other newspapers, magazines and websites. His writing on fatherhood is just as likely to make you smile and laugh as it will make you reflect on your own experiences of parenting.Stuart’s latest project is writing a children’s picture book Jonathan The Magic Pony, which has been brilliantly illustrated by Nicola Slater. It’s a lovely, funny, story about a rubbish magician.Stuart chats to me about what inspired him to write the book and we also chat about how fatherhood is portrayed – both by writers like him but also in children’s TV shows like Peppa Pig. He talks about being a hands-on dad and the amazement and praise he receives when he’s spotted out with his sons, yet (surprise surprise) his wife Robyn doesn’t get the same comments.  Follow Stuart on Twitter and Instagram and pre-order Jonathan The Magic Pony.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Mark Lemon, a dad of two and children’s author who at the age of 12, found his life changed forever when his dad was murdered. Mark talks to me about the huge effect this had on him, as a teenager, and also how it has shaped the kind of person – and dad – he is today.Incredibly, Mark turned something tragic into something positive because he now does a lot of work talking about grief, on his podcast Grief Is My Superpower, in his writing and in his role as a bereavement ambassador for charity Winston’s Wish. Mark has also written a children’s book The Magical Wood, which introduces the idea of death to little ones.You can follow Mark on Instagram and Twitter, check out his books, listen to Grief Is My Superpower and find out more about Winston’s Wish.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Pragya Agarwal is my guest on this episode – she’s an author, a two-times Tedx speaker, an academic, and a mum of three. Her book Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias was published in April and brilliantly, allows the reader to explore the concept of bias in a non-judgemental way. Pragya takes a scientific approach at looking at bias and when I read it, it made me analyse my own biases.In my chat with Pragya, we delve into what unconscious bias is and why it exists in us all. We talk about why we gravitate towards people like us, why we exist in echo chambers (both in real life and online) and was talk about when this is OK and when it’s a good idea to push outside of this.Pragya also talks to me about how to discuss racism with children and how she is raising her multi-racial daughters in a way that gives them access to their Indian heritage and ensures they’re comfortable with who they are.You can buy Sway here and follow Pragya on Twitter here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode I’m joined by Zoey and Kelly Allen who are, along with their two kids and dog, an LGBTQ+ family. 18 months ago, Zoey came out as transgender to her wife Kelly and they started a new phase of their lives. Through their blog – Our Transitional Life – they document their journey and offer support to the LGBTQ+ community, showing that coming out can, overall, be a positive experience. The blog has gone on to win awards and was recently named the No.1 LGBTQ+ blog by Vuelio.During our chat, Zoey tells me what it was like to slowly realise that she is a trans woman and talks about the fears she had, knowing that she had to tell Kelly.Kelly talks about it from her side too, and it’s heart-warming to hear how she reacted to the news with love and support. I ask them what life as a trans family is like (“normal-ish!”) and how they told their kids and wider family.You can read their blog here and follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Zoey and Kelly also recently launched their own range of Kelzo handmade jewellery which you can check out here.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Candice Brathwaite, mum of two and author of the Sunday Times Bestselling book I Am Not Your Baby Mother which has been described as a “thought-provoking, urgent and inspirational guide to life as a black mother”. In it, Candice writes about her experiences growing up in South London and shares her story of motherhood so far. She challenges the stereotypical version of motherhood that we see in the British media, pointing out that it’s wholly unrepresentative of our society at large.During our chat, Candice talks about what it’s like to live with daily racial micro-aggressions, how a friend warned her to be extra nice to the midwives when she was giving birth just to ensure she got a basic level of care and how she’s raising her kids, equipping them with the tools they need to navigate what is still undoubtedly a racist world. It's a valuable insight into what it's like to be a black mother in Britain today.You can buy I Am Not Your Baby Mother and follow Candice on Instagram. You can find Make Motherhood Diverse on Instagram too.If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thanks!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Carers Week, my guest is Penny Wincer. Penny is a mum of two and she is carer to her 10-year-old son Arthur who has autism and learning difficulties.Penny talks to me about spotting the signs that Arthur was struggling with certain things when he was little, getting the diagnosis of autism when he was three and balancing caring for Arthur with parenting his 8-year-old sister Agnes.She talks about how her caring journey started at age 11 when her mum’s mental health started to deteriorate, and with a dad living in the States following divorce, caring for her mum was left to Penny and her two brothers.We discuss what self care looks like for her as a carer, what her support network looks like and how we can care for carers that we might know.Penny’s brilliant book Tender: The Imperfect Art Of Caring is out now and in it, she describes her journey in a beautiful way, talks to other carers about their experiences and answers many of the questions we didn’t even know we had about caring.You can buy Tender here and follow Penny on Instagram and Twitter.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.Music: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mindfulness is one of those things that I know I should focus more on, and I know it would probably help me get through each day with more of a smile, yet it’s not something I’ve properly explored before. But one of the guests on today’s episode – Izzy Judd – has written a book, Mindfulness For Mums, which for the first time has got me thinking about how I can use mindfulness day to day.I chat to Izzy and her husband, McFly drummer, Harry Judd, about how they incorporate mindfulness into parenting their two children and we also chat about family life, the roles they each play and how they have a pretty equal share in parenting their children.They talk to me about Izzy getting pregnant after a long fertility road (something you can hear more about in an episode from 2017) and Harry shares his experience of their IVF journey. We also touch upon the question of whether to share photos of your kids on social media – something Izzy and Harry have thought a lot about.This episode was recorded back in December 2019, and because so much has changed since then, Izzy and I caught up for a quick chat a couple of weeks back, which you can hear at the end of the episode. She tells me what lockdown has been like for the Judds and we discuss how mindfulness has been helping her through challenging moments.You can follow Izzy on Instagram, you can follow Harry on Instagram and you can buy Izzy’s book Mindfulness For Mums.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an episode of two parts! My guest - the brilliant Shakira Akabusi - and I recorded our chat back in December 2019. The episode didn't go out back then because I'd just finished a podcast series and had a big writing project to knuckle down to, so it stayed tucked away on my laptop for over five months. In that time though, mum of two and ante-natal/post-natal fitness expert, Shakira, announced that she's pregnant again.... with twins! So a few days ago, we caught up for another chat. In the first part of the episode, Shakira talks to me about the problems we - in our society - have when it comes to talking about exercise and health, we delve into why so many new mums are desperate to get their pre-baby body back and Shakira tells me why she doesn't have a problem with people having a physical health goal like getting back into a certain size of jeans. We also chat about how growing up being the daughter of Olympic athlete Kriss Akabusi influenced and affected her.In the second part of our chat, Shakira tells me what her twin pregnancy has been like so far, how it's affected her health and how she feels about very possibly giving birth during lockdown.We cover a lot of ground and even if you're not pregnant or a new mum, there's so much in our chat that I hope you'll find useful.Check out Shakira's website Strong Like Mum and follow her on Instagram.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a brand new series and things are kicking off with psychotherapist Anna Mathur – the eagle eyed among you might recognise her because Anna was a guest on the recent mini series about family life in lockdown. She’s back to talk about her new book Mind Over Mother, Every Mum’s Guide to Worry and Anxiety in the First Year.Mum of three Anna was inspired to write her brilliant book following her own experience with post natal depression and hopes it will help mums enjoy parenting without feeling overwhelmed by some of the worry and anxiety that motherhood can bring.In this episode, Anna and I delve into some of the things that can cause this worry – like listening to that negative voice inside us telling us we’re not doing a good job and comparing ourselves to other parents on social media. Anna talks about some of the reactions we commonly have to anxiety, and shares some coping strategies.We also touch on the seemingly conflicting notions of giving yourself permission to talk about bad days and struggling with parenthood, but at the same time being aware of privilege.You can order Anna’s book here and follow her on Instagram. Her popular Reframing Anxiety course can be found here and her podcast The Therapy Edit, which is ten minute snippets of mental health support, is really worth a listen.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final episode in the mini series dedicated to family life in lockdown, I’m joined by one of the most influential doctors in the UK. Dr Rangan Chatterjee is a dad of two and a GP who wants to change the way we look at illness, and health. He is known for finding the root cause of people's health problems and empowering people to take control of their health with simple changes to their routines.Rangan talks to me about his own experience of lockdown, and offers up lots of advice on how to look after our mental health and physical health during this time. He reflects on the positive effects that he’s seen, both within his own family and nationwide, and we talk about how to keep those good habits as government restrictions ease.You can find Rangan on Instagram, listen to his podcast Feel Better, Live More and buy his latest book Feel Better in 5.If you enjoyed this episode, do check out the rest of the mini series! And subscribe - a new regular series of the podcast will be starting in the next couple of weeks.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hands up if you’re missing social interaction right now! (That will probably be all of us, I’m guessing). If you’re anything like me, you’ll be looking forward to being able to hang out with friends and family again – and even craving little things like being able to make small talk with the server at your local coffee shop!On this episode, my guest is Sunita Harley, who has a lot to say about social interaction and how it’s more important than ever right now. Sunita runs Lucky Things which sees her organising meet-ups and workshops for women. It all started in the most organic way, when five years ago she suggested to five friends she’d met on Instagram that they meet up in real life. What grew from there is a string of hugely popular and well-loved events for women, with networking, sharing and learning at its heart.Sunita talks to me about taking Lucky Things online during lockdown and why we’re all having what she calls “social connection flashbacks”. We also talk about “Zoom overload” and why it’s important to carve out non Zoom time when you just chat to people on the phone.Check out Lucky Things here and follow Sunita on Instagram.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's currently six weeks since schools closed in the UK and parents everywhere have been doing a stellar job at keeping their children busy, happy and learning stuff. But it's HARD, right?! Especially - I think - for parents of kids aged 2-5. Older kids can often keep themselves busy (not always though!) but younger ones usually need a bit more one on one attention and time. Which lots of us don't have right now!So, my guest on this episode, is here to help. Daisy Upton - aka Five Minute Mum - is an author and blogger who specialises in coming up with easy, fun games for little kids that are quick to set up and can give you five minutes to drink that cuppa / hang up the laundry / get some work done.In our chat, she shares her golden rule of play and tells me the one thing she always turns to when she needs five minutes and hasn't got time to set anything up.Check out Daisy's blog, order her book Give Me Five and follow her on Instagram and Twitter.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're currently pregnant or have recently given birth, being in lockdown and dealing with the restrictions put in place by the NHS is very possibly making an already challenging time even harder. In this episode, I talk to doula Mars Lord about how the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting pregnancy, birth and the post natal period. Mars has years of experience supporting women through pregnancy and birth and she is passionate about women having and making informed choices. She says she became a doula because she believes that birth is a wonderful thing and can be a wonderful time. As a mother of five (including twins) she says she knows that even when it doesn’t seem to go the way that we want it to, it can still be an incredible experience. Mars is still working as a doula, throughout lockdown, with video calls and messages rather than face to face support, so she knows how tricky things feel for many right now. During our chat, she shares lots of advice and helpful information for pregnant women and those who have just given birth, so it's worth a listen!You can find Mars on Twitter, Instagram and her website. A couple of the websites she mentions on the episode are Birth Rights and RCOG.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I welcome Emma Cantrell onto the podcast - a return guest (you can listen to our conversation about talking to kids about privilege here) Emma is founder and CEO of the charity First Days and a mum of two.She recently set up - in response to the Coronavirus pandemic - an emergency food hub, working with her local authority, supermarkets and a team of volunteers to feed over 1000 vulnerable people in her local area.We discuss what it's like to be heading out to work - and working long days - when most people are staying at home. She talks about the risk she is at vs the incredible good she is doing. We also chat about parenting through the pandemic, what she is missing and what's getting her through it all.You can find out more about First Days and follow Emma on Instagram and Twitter.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this second episode of this podcast mini series focusing on how we're navigating the Coronavirus health crisis and lockdown, I chat to Adele Jarrett-Kerr. Adele is a writer, podcaster, breastfeeding counsellor and a home educator to her three children.At a time when so many of us have been suddenly thrown into home educating our kids, due to the schools closing, Adele is well placed to offer some help and advice based on her experiences.She chats to me about what an average day in home education looks like, how she decides on topics with her children and how she engages them. Adele also touches upon how much kids are processing at the moment, and says it's understandable if they're not enthusiastic about learning.It's a reassuring conversation that should leave you feeling a bit better about things! You can find out more about Adele and listen to her podcast Revillaging here, and follow her on Instagram here.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The podcast is back but blimey, how are you doing? It's a funny old time, isn't it? We're all navigating this new lockdown life so this mini series will see all of this *gestures around wildly* being discussed in the hope that it brings a bit of support, comfort and insight into the experiences of others. We're all going through the same thing at the moment, yet it's affecting everyone in different ways, so hopefully these episodes will shine a light on some things and provide food for thought.I'll be chatting to people, covering areas like home education, keeping kids busy and happy at home, key workers providing emergency charity support for the vulnerable, what it's like to be pregnant and give birth right now and more.But the mini series is kicking off with Anna Mathur - a brilliantly insightful psychotherapist who does great work providing mental health advice on Instagram, told through her own experiences. Anna talks to me about her own experience of lockdown, with three young children, but also shares some great coping mechanisms and reassuring words for anyone who's finding elements of this hard (so that's pretty much all of us then?)Anna's debut book Mind Over Mother, Every Mum’s Guide to Worry and Anxiety in the First Year is published in May 2020 and can be pre-ordered now. Her popular Reframing Anxiety course can be found here and her podcast The Therapy Edit, which is ten minute snippets of mental health support, is worth a listen.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What could be more Christmassy than ending this series of the podcast chatting to the person who will be keeping the nation company while we open our presents on Christmas Day? Rev Kate Bottley – who will be on Radio 2 from 8am-10am on December 25th – was a total joy to have on as a guest.The mum of two and Church of England priest entered the public eye when she was a regular on Channel 4’s Gogglebox and has since been seen on Songs Of Praise, Pause For Thought and presenting Radio 2’s Good Morning Sunday.Kate is such a breath of fresh air, when it comes to religion, and we chat about how her faith has influenced her parenting. She talks to me about raising teenagers, preparing her daughter for university and about navigating life with her son who is on the autistic spectrum.You can listen to Kate on Radio 2’s Good Morning Sunday here, follow her on Twitter and follow her on Instagram.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s probably fair to say that most women, when they’re pregnant, are a bit apprehensive about the birth. I know I was! Especially when it’s your first pregnancy, it’s totally normal to feel worried or even a bit scared about what childbirth will be like.But my guest on this episode – blogger and comedian Jess Jones aka The Fat Funny One – developed such a fear of giving birth, during her first pregnancy, she was diagnosed with Tokophobia.Tokophobia is an irrational and extreme fear of childbirth, and although it’s a very rare mental health condition, it can leave sufferers reluctant to get pregnant, or if – like Jess – they’re pregnant when it develops, it can result in panic attacks, anxiety and more.Jess talks to me about what it feels like, how it manifested itself and how she approached subsequent pregnancies in a way that tackled the Tokophobia.You can find out more about Tokophobia here, follow Jess on Instagram and buy tickets for her comedy tour. We talk about The Positive Birth Company, Milli Hill and Mars Lord in the episode.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryRecorded at: Acast Studio, LondonMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s it like to become a grandparent? My guests on this episode are Jo Middleton – who recently became a grandmother - and Tanya Barrow – who will shortly become a grandmother. Both women have spent the last 25 or so years being a mum, and the last ten years blogging about motherhood. Tanya runs the award-winning blog Mummy Barrow and Jo runs the award-winning blog Slummy Single Mummy.I chat to them both about what it’s like to have that big shift in identity – mother to grandmother – and how they manage to be supportive, but not over-bearing. So much has changed since they last had babies, so does that present a problem when giving advice to their daughters?We also talk about sharing the stories of our children (and grandchildren) online – what’s appropriate and fair to them?You can check out Jo’s blog here, buy her book Playgroups & Prosecco here, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram. You can check out T’s blog here, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you have total equality in the home? Do you manage to divide domestic and childcare tasks fairly between you and your partner? If your answers are yes, you get a massive gold star and you don’t need to listen to this episode of the podcast! If, however, you feel like things are a bit imbalanced and one of you does a lot more than your fair share, this episode is for you.My guest this week is Eve Rodsky, who embarked on a seven year research project after she realised that there is a massive imbalance in most homes, with the woman often bearing the brunt of the domestic tasks and childcare duties, regardless of whether she has a job outside of the home. So Eve created a game which will revolutionise how you allocate these tasks, and in her book Fair Play, she talks through how the game works, and how it will help you.In this episode – her only podcast interview while visiting the UK - I chat to Eve about why this is such a problem for women and how the Fair Play game works.Buy Fair Play here, and read more about Eve on her website. You can also download Fair Play cards here.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode, Kate Dyson, is the founder of the biggest online community for women – The Motherload. Started with just a few friends, when Kate received an unhelpful response on an online forum for mums, it has grown to be the place that 84,000 women head to for non-judgemental chat about motherhood.As a mum of three, Kate has a lot to say about communities for mums and tells me about the huge support and kindness she sees on The Motherload. We talk about the importance of ‘finding your tribe’ online, when you have a baby, because we don’t always have people on our street or down the road, to rely on for help.Kate and I also discuss mum mantras – are they a welcome source of support or are they a device to shut down conversation and dismiss valid concerns?You can find The Motherload on Facebook and follow Kate on Instagram.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryRecorded at: Acast StudiosMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m thrilled to welcome Binky Felstead onto the podcast this week! Binky shot to fame when she appeared on TV show Made In Chelsea and two years ago, she became a mum to her daughter India.It was so lovely to chat to Binky and we covered a lot of ground - her parenting style, how she’s keen to have a relaxed approach but with fairly strict boundaries and what she thinks she’s learned from her own mum – the good and the bad! We talk about her new relationship with her partner Max, and how she’s navigated that, as a mum. Binky also tells me about her experiences of being mum shamed  - something so many of us have experienced, whether it’s a social media comment from someone being a bit snooty about you giving your kid fish fingers, or how much screen time they’re having. You can follow Binky on Instagram, check out her Mummy Tribe retreats and take a look at the Bubble babysitting app she mentions.Here’s a link to the blog post I mention, on kids using tech and parental controls.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a special episode of Not Another Mummy Podcast, recorded live in front of an audience at Redemption – a fantastic alcohol-free bar and vegan restaurant in London’s Covent Garden. My guests are Rosamund Dean, Deputy Editor of Grazia and author of the book Mindful Drinking: How Cutting Down Can Change Your Life, and Clemmie Telford, Creative Director, blogger & podcaster who gave up drinking earlier this year.We discuss the link between parenthood and alcohol - why do so many of us use drinking to relax when the kids go to bed?Rosamund talks about what mindful drinking means to her – how she plans in alcohol-free days every week and the benefits she feels. Clemmie talks about the moment she decided to go sober, how she’s navigating nights out and weddings alcohol-free and how she’s never slept better.We discuss the connection between alcohol and mental health, the peer pressure involved with drinking and how both Clemmie and Rosamund have reframed it – they’ve given up hangovers rather than depriving themselves of alcohol.Buy Rosamund’s book Mindful Drinking: How Cutting Down Can Change Your Life, and follow her on Instagram here. Check out Clemmie’s blog Mother Of All Lists, listen to her podcast Honestly and follow her on Instagram here.Check out Redemption here and buy their book Alcohol-Free Cocktails With Benefits here!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

COME SEE NOT ANOTHER MUMMY PODCAST LIVE! On Friday 18th October, I’ll be recording an episode about parenthood and alcohol with guests Rosamund Dean, author of the book Mindful Drinking and deputy editor of Grazia magazine, and Clemmie Telford, mum of three who recently decided to stop drinking alcohol. It’s all happening at Redemption, a really cool alcohol free bar in London’s Covent Garden and it kicks off at 9am, but you can get there after the school run because the actual recording won’t start until 9.45am. Buy tickets here!Now onto this episode….What do you think about, when you hear the term ‘single mum’? My guest on this episode thinks we’ve got a long way to go, when it comes to how single mums are represented and talked about.Remi Sade is a writer and podcaster who, age 22 and during her first year of university, became pregnant. Fast forward three years and she is a single mum, raising her daughter. She talks to me about her experiences, from putting herself through A Levels age 21 and while working, getting into uni, and about having ante-natal depression and post-natal depression following a traumatic birth. This lady has been through a lot.You can follow Remi on Instagram, listen to the podcast she co-hosts Alright For A Mum and check out her writing here. You can also listen to the BBC Woman’s Hour episode she appears on, and mentions, here.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deciding whether to try for a baby is SUCH a big thing. Are we ready? How will our lives change? Do we really want this or are we just doing it because our friends are? Many people know, from an early age, that they don’t want to be a parent, and my guest on this episode felt this way for all of her adult life, until she met her fiancé Boj and now she is really unsure about it all.Kate Lawler is the drivetime presenter on Virgin Radio, famous for winning Big Brother 3 all those years ago, and the happy ‘mum’ of two dogs. Along with Boj, she’s hosting a podcast series called Maybe Baby which follows the couple’s journey to discover more about becoming parents. Boj is keen – Kate, not so much!I chat to Kate about what her fears are, what made her change her mind when she met Boj, and how she changes her mind daily about whether she wants to do it or not. We also talk about why it’s still considered ‘odd’ that a woman might not want to have a baby.You can listen to Maybe Baby here and you can follow Kate on Instagram. I know I’ll be following her journey with interest!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How long is ‘normal’ to breastfeed your baby? Of course, there is no such thing as ‘normal’. We all have totally different experiences and choices open to us, and many mums choose not to breastfeed at all or move onto bottles very quickly.  I breastfed my eldest for six months and my twins for ten months, and when I say that, no one bats an eye, but when my guest on the podcast this week, Gill Crawshaw, tells people that she’s still feeding her four-year-old daughter, they often think that’s strange.Gill, who’s a mum of two, and a blogger at A Baby On Board, chats to me about why it’s not that strange and how it’s absolutely the right thing for her daughter. We talk about people’s reactions, how her four-year-old reacts when people ask her about it, and why Gill decided that stopping breastfeeding before her daughter started school recently would be the worst idea ever.You can check out Gill’s brilliant blog and follow her on Instagram. You can also find details of the NCT breastfeeding helpline that Gill mentions here.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s guest is the fantastic Konnie Huq! A mum of two, TV presenter and now author, Konnie is a huge champion for getting kids into STEM – science, technology, engineering and maths. She’s rather cleverly written a book series for kids, which is funny and brilliant but with a bit of STEM learning sneaked in. Cookie and The Most Annoying Boy In The World is the first book in the series, and is based on Konnie’s own upbringing in west London.Konnie and I chat about the book, why she feels so passionately about encouraging children to explore the STEM subjects and think about those career paths, and we also talk about a very cool competition which Konnie is judging – Equinor Young Imagineers, in partnership with the Science Museum - a competition that celebrates the UK’s most creative young minds in STEM and asks children aged 7-14 years old to come up with an invention idea that would make tomorrow’s world a better place. Find out more about how to enter here and check out Konnie’s book here.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to a new season of Not Another Mummy Podcast and I've got a brilliant episode to kick things off. Along with his husband Daniel, my guest, Tom Cox, adopted his son Kai. Tom chats to me about everything from that moment he knew he wanted to be a dad, what made them choose adoption over surrogacy and how he felt when he first saw their son Kai's adoption profile and knew he was the one. He talks about the long process and how emotionally tough it was, being approved by different panels and hoping and praying that everything would go smoothly.It's clear, listening to Tom speak, how much him and Daniel love Kai and what brilliant dads they are. It was such a pleasure - and honour - to have Tom on as a guest, sharing his journey to fatherhood.This episode is also rather special because it was recorded live, in front of an audience, at an event held by F&F at Tesco, to launch Fred & Flo, their brand new baby clothing range. As the mum of ten month old baby twins, I know how important it is to be able to pick up good value clothing for them without spending lots, so I regularly pick up outfits for them while I'm doing my grocery shop. Big thank you to F&F at Tesco for asking me to host this episode at their event - and there are some great questions at the end of the episode, from audience members!Fred & Flo clothing is available in Tesco stores now! Find your nearest store here.Check out Tom's blog The Unlikely Dad and follow him on Instagram.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you a scummy mummy? My guests on the podcast, this week, are! Helen Thorn and Ellie Gibson are the comedy double act The Scummy Mummies. Their sell out live show, top-rated podcast and book celebrate being less than perfect parents. They’re known for talking about how it’s OK to feed your kids fish fingers, rather than organic quinoa, how taking your little ones to swimming lessons can sometimes push you over the edge, and they won’t judge you if you’re drinking wine at 5pm, out of a mug.On the podcast, we chat about the scummiest things they’ve ever done, swearing in front of our parents, how to keep kids happy during school holidays, and Helen admits to her secret yummy mummy past.The Scummy Mummies are at the Edinburgh Fringe – buy tickets here – and they’re always doing live dates elsewhere so check those out too. You can buy their book, listen to their podcast and follow them on Instagram. I recommend you do all of those things!The podcast is taking a short summer break now but it'll be back soon. Thanks for listening!Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jen and Al Ferguson have suffered seven miscarriages – six of them subsequently since having their son Teddy, now age four. They talk very openly to me about their experiences, from the first miscarriage, which happened on their wedding day, to the most recent. Both explain how the heartbreak has affected them and the things they’ve done to cope emotionally with such a run of bad luck. Currently struggling to conceive, Jen is receiving fertility treatment and talks about how lots of people ask why they’re trying so hard to have another baby when – between them – Al and Jen have three children already.We also chat about how they flexi school their youngest son and how their first miscarriage let Al to set up hugely successful website, The Dadsnet, because he went online for some emotional support aimed at dads and found none.You can check out The Dadsnet and follow Jen & Al on Instagram. For more information on miscarriage and support, head to Tommy’s.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ruth Crilly is a hugely successful model and beauty blogger and vlogger, having started her blog A Model Recommends in 2010. She has an audience of over 300,000 on YouTube and is the co-founder of Colab Dry Shampoo.She’s also a mum of two and she talks to me here about her family life in rural Somerset, how much of that family life she shares online and how she juggles motherhood with her busy career. Ruth tells me about her soon-to-launch app – The Night Feed – which aims to give mums feeding their babies during the night something to read that’s totally tailored to them.We also chat about something that many mums will identify with - finding elements of those early baby years a bit boring, how she tackles that boredom with getting a bit creative with games and why she believes she is a better mum because she works.Follow Ruth on Instagram and on YouTube, read her blog A Model Recommends and find out more about The Night Feed.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please note: This episode deals with trauma. If you have been through a trauma you feel remains unresolved, please listen with care. You may wish to ensure that you have someone to listen with you; or to talk to about anything that arises for you. If you find it difficult, you can speak to a healthcare professional and find lots of resources for help on the Make Birth Better website.Emma Svanberg is a perinatal clinical psychologist and mum, who is on Instagram as @mumologist. Her aim is to get mental health chat out of the clinic and into the real world. She is the co-founder of Make Birth Better and the author of the book Why Birth Trauma Matters.On this episode, Emma talks to me about what birth trauma is, the differences between PTSD and post-natal depression, the things we can do if we feel we’ve had a traumatic birth and who to speak to if we feel it’s affecting our day to day lives.I also chat to Emma about how much of a force for good Instagram is – raising awareness for mental health issues, people showing vulnerability, and talking about what has worked for them - and how much it’s actually creating a mental health problem.Buy Emma’s book Why Birth Trauma Matters and follow her on Instagram.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You may have heard a lot of talk about the fourth trimester – the 12 weeks following giving birth – but why do people go on about it and what should we be doing in that period? My guests on this episode are two people who know their stuff, and they’ve written a book all about the fourth trimester.Alexis Stickland is a midwife, ante-natal teacher and mum of three. Beccy Hands is a doula, an ante natal and post natal massage therapist and a mum of two. Together, they wrote The Little Book Of Self Care For New Mums and they chat to me about how important it is for a new mum to focus on three things: caring for her newborn, healing physically and adjusting mentally. They give suggestions on how we can prepare, on a practical level, and how we can recruit the help of our partner, family members and friends to assist us in our fourth trimester.Buy Alexis and Beccy’s book here and follow them on Instagram (Beccy is here and Alexis is here).Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you’re pregnant with your second baby, everyone thinks you know what you’re doing but often, you don’t! Having a second baby comes with a whole new set of challenges and my guest this week has written a book which helps guide you through them. Sarah Ockwell-Smith says she isn’t keen on the ‘expert’ label but she’s written ten books about parenting so make of that what you will!The Second Baby Book has lots of advice and useful tips on navigating your second pregnancy, birth and beyond. She talks to me about how dropping your standards with your second baby can often be the key to coping – she advises trying to relax into it and trying not to feel guilty about it. (Which is easier said than done!)Find out more about Sarah’s book, check out her website and follow her on Twitter.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re not following my guest this week, on Instagram, you need to remedy that immediately. Rosie Ramsey is a mum of one, a presenter, a podcaster, an actress and so much more.We talk about why so many of us present our lives as being glossy and perfect on social media when actually, lots of us live a reality that’s slightly scruffy, chaotic and mundane. Rosie chats to me about how seeing such a polished version of life can affect your mental health and how she strives to keep it real when she’s posting on social media. We also discuss how it’s OK to mute someone on social media if you think what they’re posting is having a negative effect on you.There’s also lots of chat about Rosie’s life with husband, comedian Chris Ramsey and their son Robin, she tells us who she likes to follow on Instagram and there’s even a little Instagram lesson at the end for all social media fans out there….You can follow Rosie on Instagram and check out her podcast Sh**ged, Married, Annoyed.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest, Kate Rogers, is a mum of one. She had a healthy pregnancy and a straight forward birth, but in the days after her son Frank was born, her whole life was flipped on its head when they discovered that Frank had contracted Group B Strep during the delivery, which led to him developing meningitis. The infection left Frank with a brain injury and he now lives with Cerebral Palsy and epilepsy.Kate talks about caring for Frank, now age two, and what it was like to go from taking a seemingly healthy baby home from hospital to being given a diagnosis of meningitis. She's such an inspiration and manages to stay positive despite the challenges that life has thrown her way.You can find out more about Group B Strep at Group B Strep Support, find out about Group B Strep testing here and you can follow Kate (and gorgeous Frank!) on Instagram - this post in particular illustrates the positive attitude that Kate has, go have a read.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The traditional family set up, with mum, dad and 2.4 children feels like a very outdated notion, doesn’t it? Families can be made up of two mums, two dads, a single parent, foster parents – the possibilities go on! My guests this week are two women who are step mums.Sarah Powell is a radio and TV presenter, podcaster, wedding celebrant, coach and columnist for Red magazine… and she has two step-daughters.Zoe Hardman is a radio and TV broadcaster, website founder and podcaster – and is mum to two little ones of her own and a step-daughter.Both of them have quite different experiences of step parenting but they each have lots of advice on navigating the role, on meeting your partner’s children for the first time, on dealing with potential feelings of jealousy towards a step child and any insecure feelings that might emerge, on developing a good relationship with your partner’s ex, and lots more.Follow Sarah on Instagram and find out more about her work here. Follow Zoe on Instagram and check out her podcast Made by Mammas.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Body confidence is something that gets talked about a lot. "Love your body" people cry! But it's not always that easy. And it's not like there's one issue or problem that everyone with low body confidence has, that can be 'fixed' with a few quick confidence tips or hacks. I've met people who hate their tummy, their upper arms, their bum, I know people who are a size 8 but hate their boobs, or who have a skin condition and hate wearing clothes that show it - I'm sure you could name people who feel like this too. Maybe you feel like this. My guest on the podcast this week says it's a wonder any of us feel OK about our bodies when we are bombarded by unrealistic images of bodies in the media, and on social media, every day. Molly Forbes is a broadcaster, co-host of podcast Body Cons and currently she's a host on Channel 4 programme Naked Beach, which sees her help different people deal with their body hang ups in each episode. Molly's also a mum of two and talks to me about how she talks to her kids about bodies in the hope that they grow up to love theirs.Molly says there's no right or wrong way to feel about your body, and that coming to terms with it and starting to like it and love it is a process.Follow Molly on Instagram, listen to Season One of podcast Body Cons and watch Naked Beach.You can read a transcript of this episode on Not Another Mummy Blog.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode of the podcast is Ria Clarke, a mum of one and a doctor specialising in women's health. Three years ago, Ria was suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum which causes severe nausea, vomiting and often dehydration during pregnancy. As someone who suffered from fairly bad morning sickness, and struggled to go about my usual day to day business, I find it hard to imagine what Hyperemesis must be like.But as Ria explains, she had to be admitted to hospital, had to take time off work and is still feeling the after effects from the trauma that the condition caused.Ria also chats about what it's like to be a doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology, and talks about why there are five times more black women who are dying in pregnancy and childbirth than white women.You can follow Ria on Instagram and find out more about Hyperemesis Gravidarum at Pregnancy Sickness Support.You can read a transcript of this episode on Not Another Mummy Blog.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode of Not Another Mummy Podcast is Simon Hooper – aka Father of Daughters. Simon has over 900,000 followers Instagram where he shows life from a dad’s point of view. He’s dad to four girls and you might have heard of his wife too – ClemmieHooper, who is on Instagram as Mother of Daughters. (Listen to Clemmie's episode of the podcast here).Simon is also the author of a Sunday Times Bestseller – Forever Outnumbered – in which he talks about what it’s like to be the only man in a house of females!On the podcast, Simon talks to me about life with girls, and also how he balances ‘Insta fame’ with being just a regular dad. Simon explains that he and Clemmie have guidelines on what they will and won’t post online, and talk to their older girls about whether they’re happy to feature in their online content. We also talk about twins – he gave me some excellent tips which were much needed as when we recorded this episode, I was heavily pregnant with my twins!Follow Simon on Instagram and buy his book, Forever Outnumbered, here.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Lauren Derrett, the author of Filter Free, a book in which she shares the stories of a selection of women – women who have experienced adversity - covering domestic abuse, miscarriage, divorce and rape. Lauren is also a mentor, the host of the Life Unfiltered podcast, founder of the This Girl Is Enough community and she is a mum of four children and two step-children.Lauren chats to me about the fact that she doesn’t enjoy motherhood – she tells me why she is happy to admit this and why she has so many kids for someone who doesn’t enjoy motherhood!We also talk about the filters we put onto life – how we make things look glossier on social media and the effect that seeking validation through likes can have. Lauren shares some strong opinions on how people behave online, especially when drama escalates and people can be tempted to pile on and publicly slag off someone.You can buy Lauren’s book here, check out her This Girl Is Enough community here, listen to her podcast here and follow her over on Instagram!Chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you could wave a magic wand and get your kids to eat anything, would you use it? I would! And while my guest on this episode of the podcast, Emily Leary, doesn’t have a wand (booo) she has created a 5-step plan to get your kids to eat a more varied diet and she has very helpfully put it all in a book for us to buy and follow.She reckons she can get your children from beige food fans to eating different flavours and textures in no time, and she explains a bit about the phases in her programme and how they can be a recipe for success (geddit?).She also talks about why kids so often struggle with new foods and why meal planning and getting your children into the kitchen can make all the difference. This episode is a must for parents of kids who (like my eldest!) turns their nose up at lots of food.Follow Emily on Instagram and Twitter, and check out her book How To Get Your Kids To Eat Anything here.Chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Families come in all shapes and sizes, and there's no one single way of "doing" motherhood. My guest on this episode, Sarah Gregory, is a mum of four - with her children ranging in age from six to 20. Sarah explains what it was like to become a mum, aged 18, and how different it felt to have her three daughters in her late 20s and early 30s.She talks about what a strong bond her son and eldest daughter have, despite the nine year age gap, and tells me about how she juggles the needs of all her children - and how she manages a hectic household.As well as being a mum of four, Sarah is a writer and co-edits the About Times, an online publication which features the writing of women. It promises to “challenge everyone, to step out of our echo chambers and explore the world through a different lens" - you can check out the latest issue here.Sarah's a brilliant one to follow on social media - she writes thought provoking captions and makes you take a fresh look at whatever's being talked about. Follow her on Instagram here.Chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The podcast is back and what a guest we have to kick things off again with! Philippa Perry is a psychotherapist and author of The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) - the No 1 Sunday Times Bestseller which has been described as the parenting book for people who hate parenting books.Philippa's own daughter is in her 20s so she has been there, done that and got the t-shirt, when it comes to parenting. Her book is engaging and clever, making you look at how you were brought up and think about the ways that affects how you parent.On this episode of the podcast, Philippa talks about lots of interesting stuff, from parental trolling (yes, apparently lots of us unknowingly troll our kids), how to argue better, whether or not it's OK to use our phones in front of small children, and why distraction isn't a great parenting technique (something I was disappointed to hear since it's my go-to tactic in many a situation!)You can buy Philippa's book and follow her on Twitter.Chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a six month break, the podcast is back, back, back! Listen to this teaser for a taste of some of the interviews coming up in future episodes and subscribe to get each episode direct to your phone every week.Chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperryProducer: Imogen Hart, Create ProductionsMusic: Epidemic SoundArtwork: Eleanor BowmerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starting a site like Mumsnet is no mean feat, which is why I loved chatting to founder Justine Roberts on this episode of the podcast about how she did it, from her back bedroom, with four young children to look after. Justine talks about how the Mumsnet forums are run and how they moderate the discussions (interestingly, she says the world isn't a fair place when I ask her how she ensures the conversations happening are fair).We also discuss the Mumsnet campaign to get better post-natal care and Justine explains why we need better care and what Mumsnet users think that should look like. Read more about the campaign here.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It can be easy to stick your head in the sand and exist in a little bubble where you don't think about the wider world - the struggles others are facing every day - but my guest on the podcast today not only actively helps others in her day job and spare time, but she has made it her mission to talk to her children about it all too.Emma Cantrell is Chief Executive of SSNAP (Support for Sick Newborns and Their Parents) at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, a charity which provides emotional and practical support to parents, provides life saving equipment for the Neonatal Care Unit and funds research to improves the lives of babies in the hospital’s NCU. In her spare time, Emma runs First Days, a charity which provides equipment and clothing for families living in poverty.On the podcast, I ask Emma about how her work impacts on her parenting (spoiler: it does, in a big way) and she talks about how she discusses issues like poverty, inequality, homelessness and politics with her kids - and how she regularly makes them aware of their own privilege.You can check out First Days here, find out more about SSNAP and follow Emma on Instagram. Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Doesn't 'living a limitless life' sound like something we should all be doing? My guest on this episode - Suzy Ashworth - is a mindset and business coach for women who focuses on helping women work towards living a limitless life. On the podcast, Suzy explains what this means and how we can do it too.Suzy also chats about her family life - how she raises her four children, why she has a parenting coach (sign me up!) and how being fostered - and losing her foster mum at 19 - shaped her as a person and a mother.Suzy's energy is so infectious, you're bound to feel better about life by the end of this episode. Follow her on Instagram and check out her website here.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kara Spencer is one of those amazing women whose day to day life is a huge challenge, but she just gets on with it, often with a smile on her face. Kara's son Grayson was born with brain damage and he also has a genetic condition that is so rare, it's yet to be diagnosed, nine years later. Kara and her husband Ashley care for Grayson, along with their two younger children, dealing with everything that life throws at them.I wanted to chat to Kara about her journey as a mum to a disabled son with special needs - how it has affected her, how she dealt with the emotional side of being told her son had brain damage and a genetic condition, how it affects her relationship with Ashley but also the dynamics of raising their two younger children too.Kara blogs at Innocent Charms Chats and you can follow her on Instagram - plus her second account all about Grayson - Raising A Superhero - is here.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether it’s comparing how much veg your child is eating with that other child he’s friends with, or comparing how calm and patient that other mum is when you feel like a shouty, frazzled mum, or even comparing how well your friend is doing in their career compared to you or how toned their arms are compared to yours, comparison is something that affects us all. My guest on this episode – Lucy Sheridan – is well placed to help because she is the world’s first comparison coach.Lucy has some great advice on how to identify your comparison triggers, how to react to feelings of comparison when they happen, how to react differently depending on whether it’s some random person online or a dear friend you’re comparing yourself to, and lots more.Check out Lucy’s website and follow her on Instagram.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amber Wilde is, along with her partner Kirsty, mum to two sets of twins and Amber is pregnant with their fifth child. Amber works full time and also blogs and makes YouTube videos, yet she somehow managed to find time to talk to me for this podcast episode!It was great to chat to Amber about raising two sets of twins in a same sex relationship – she tells me all about how she met and fell in love with Kirsty, how their family grew and how they balance work, life and raising four toddlers.You can read Amber’s blog at Meet The Wildes, watch her on YouTube and follow her on Instagram.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re pregnant, this week’s podcast will be invaluable to you – my guest is Rebecca Schiller, a mum of two and doula who is also chief executive of Birthrights, the human rights childbirth charity. Rebecca’s latest book, Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan, is a fantastic non-nonsense guide through pregnancy, delivering the facts you need and helping you navigate the journey.I chat to Rebecca about the book but also about her work as a doula, supporting women through the pregnancy and birth process, her views on alcohol during pregnancy, what a birth partner can do during labour and lots more.You can check out Rebecca’s book here, follow her on Twitter and find out more about Birthrights.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alice Judge-Talbot had a plan, which involved living happily ever after with her husband and two children. A few years ago, though, the marriage broke down and Alice found herself raising her two small children on her own. Her debut book, The Back Up Plan, details what it was like for Alice to go through a major life shift, pick herself back up and create a new life for her family. It's an inspiring and helpful read for anyone who might be facing something similar.I wanted to chat to Alice about the challenges she faces as a single mum but also what she loves about it. We talk about how she coped in the immediate aftermath of her split and the kind of role model she wants to be for her kids.As well as being a published author, Alice writes about her life on her blog, More Than Toast and is a parenting columnist for The Telegraph. You can follow her on Instagram.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Where are all the black mothers on Instagram?" was a question asked by my guest on this episode - mum of two, Candice Brathwaite. The blogger and presenter was fed up of seeing such a narrow, white, middle-class version of motherhood all across the media and along with Nicola Washington and Sarah Gregory, launched the Make Motherhood Diverse campaign.I could have talked to Candice all day about the lack of diversity when it comes to brands and media representing motherhood - in our chat we cover why Candice thinks the problem exists, who is making an effort to show more diversity, how more change can happen and who we should all be following on Instagram.You can follow Candice on Instagram, check out the Make Motherhood Diverse site and if you want to read the blog post by Mel Wiggins that I mention in our chat, you can do that here.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are your children fussy eaters? My seven-year-old is fairly fussy - with a love of beige food and a limited intake of vegetables - so I really enjoyed chatting to my latest guest on the podcast, Ciara Attwell. Ciara is a mum of two and author of My Fussy Eater, a brilliant recipe book filled with ideas for meals and snacks for the whole family. Everything is easy to make and should hopefully tempt event the fussiest of kids to try new foods.Thankfully, Ciara isn't one of those judgmental family food experts - she's not interested in making you feel bad about what you feed your kids, and on the podcast we chat about how she finds that balance between stress-free meal times and keeping her children healthy. She shares her tips on encouraging your kids to try new things, and the benefits of hiding veg in pasta sauce vs just popping it on their plate, even if you know they'll refuse to eat it.So take a listen for some great advice on feeding your kids, and check out her blog My Fussy Eater and app for even more family meal inspiration. Music: Epidemic Sound Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How often do you have moments where you feel like you’re trying to juggle it all – motherhood, work, friends – and failing? You look around and see other people seemingly doing a great job, totally nailing life! Well, this is the Supermum Myth and author Anya Hayes reckons while we all have Supermum moments in life, no one actually is a supermum.I’m so pleased to have mum of two and maternal wellness champion, Anya on this episode of the podcast – she’s a real breath of fresh air and has lots of nuggets of wisdom about how to navigate motherhood without beating ourselves up too much.Anya’s book – The Supermum Myth – is available in all good bookshops and Amazon and you can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're pregnant, you've probably thought a fair bit about what kind if birth you'd like, and my guest today on the podcast, Siobhan Miller is a huge advocate for having a positive birth, no matter whether you have a natural birth, a c-section, drug free, water birth or any other eventuality.Siobhan, who's a mum of three, is the founder of The Positive Birth Company and she runs hypnobirthing classes in London, Devon and Birmingham. We cover a lot of ground on the podcast, from Siobhan's own birth experiences to the important role of the birthing partner, gentle cesareans, being informed to make choices during labour and her brilliant new way of making hypnobirthing accessible to more people.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This bonus episode of the podcast sees mum of three and award-winning family lifestyle blogger Katie Ellison return as a guest. Katie and her husband Jon were the victims of financial fraud when they received a text message that they thought had come from their bank. On the podcast, Katie explains what followed and how they ended up with thousands of pounds being taken from their bank account.This episode is brought to you by sponsor Take Five, – a national awareness campaign led by Financial Fraud Action UK (part of UK Finance), backed by the Government. Listen for some great advice from Take Five on how to protect yourself from scams like the one Katie and Jon fell for.Music: Epidemic Sound Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you’re a new mum, you get all sorts of advice thrown at you – sleep when the baby sleeps is one of the popular ones, and I remember thinking ‘yeah right! There’s far too much to do, for me to sleep all the time!’ But my guest on this episode of the podcast is a huge advocate of ‘pulling up the drawbridge’, having as many naps as you can and properly looking after yourself in those first weeks and months after having a baby.Steph Douglas is a mum of three and founder of thoughtful gift company Don’t Buy Her Flowers. Steph had her third baby in late 2017 and spent a whole week in bed and then another week on the sofa. Even now, four months on, she takes naps when she can and she knows she is happier – and a better mum – for doing it.We chat about all of this on this episode, plus Steph talks about how she started her business and how she juggles the crazy world of social media. Check out Steph on Instagram to follow her busy (but nap filled!) life.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're in need of a bit of a laugh after a sleepless night or a particularly challenging day at the coalface of family life, may I suggest you check out the Facebook page of my guest on this episode of the podcast. Matt Coyne's Man Vs Baby has nearly 200,000 followers thanks to his humorous take on parenting.A dad of one, Matt landed a book deal (his first book Dummy just came out in paperback) after a Facebook post went viral, and he hasn't looked back since.In this episode, we chat about how that all happened, how he finds inspiration in everyday life as a dad and why he's pretty much been banned from his local soft play centre...Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elle Wright is, quite simply, one of the strongest and most inspiring people I've met. In 2016, Elle and her husband Nico welcomed their son, Teddy, into the world, but three days later, after health complications, they had to say goodbye to him and Teddy died. Within two weeks, they set up a fundraising page to tell people about Teddy and to raise money in his name, for the neonatal unit that cared for Teddy during his short life. To date, they've raised over £43,000.In 2017, Elle started a blog - Feathering The Empty Nest - where she talks about grief, baby loss and adjusting to life again with the help of renovating their home. Her Instagram account is followed by over 50,000 people (Elle thinks it's all down to her pet pug, Boris...)In our chat, Elle explains what happened in the days after Teddy was born, how they coped in the weeks and months after his death, and how they started to rebuild their life.Visit the Teddy's Legacy JustGiving pageVisit Elle's blogMusic: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you ever feel overwhelmed by the pressure to do it all - you know, be a good parent, do your job well, keep up with the endless chat on WhatsApp, see your friends, and look after yourself - then this episode is for you. Mary 'Badass' Meadows is a life coach who works with mums (and dads) on slowing down, getting some balance and taking control of the things in life that make them feel bad.As a mum to a six-year-old herself, she knows how challenging life as a busy mum can feel. We had a brilliant chat and covered ways we can all set some boundaries, and how we can make very tangible positive changes to our lives.Check out Mary's website and follow her on Instagram.If you enjoy the podcast, then please take a couple of minutes to rate and review on iTunes!Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Telling your children that you have cancer is likely to up there on everyone's list of their worst fears but for my guest on this episode, Deborah James, it happened. Just over a year ago, mum-of-two Deborah went to her GP with suspected irritable bowel syndrome and was eventually diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer. 21 rounds of chemotherapy later, Deborah is still fighting the cancer, which has spread to her lungs, and is documenting her experiences on her blog Bowel Babe, her Instagram account and her column with The Sun.On the podcast, Deborah talks about what it was like to be told she has cancer, how she told her children and how the diagnosis has brought her closer to them. Deborah also explains why she wants to show a different side to cancer...Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you know your Farrow & Ball from your Little Greene Paint Company? I don't, but my latest guest on the podcast is all over that shizzle. Emily Murray is the founder of The Pink House, a website dedicated to fabulous family living. Launched in 2016, it has led to Emily becoming one of the top interiors influencers in the UK, giving stylish interiors tips to over 40,000 Instagram followers every day. Her bathroom has even gone viral on Pinterest.Emily juggles all of this internet fame with being the mum of two boys and doing up her new house in London, and in this episode of the podcast, we chat about all sorts of things from how difficult Emily found motherhood to begin with, how she tackles family life with boys in a beautiful home and Emily's tips on finding your own personal interiors style.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I loved recording this episode of the podcast - my guest, Lisa Smosarski, is a mum of three and is the Editor of one of my favourite magazines, Stylist. Since the magazine has a strong feminist theme, I wanted to chat to Lisa about how women (and particularly mothers) are portrayed in the media. It was so interesting to hear her thoughts on the language that's used when talking about women, the gradual shift for the better that she's seen since launching Stylist and how far we still have to go, before we see true equality for women.Lisa and I also chatted about how she manages the work/home life juggle - and yes she does admit that it's HARD - and why we put so much pressure on ourselves as mums.Sound: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anyone else get totally fed up with being encouraged to eat, drink and be merry all December and then told they have to diet and go to the gym as soon as we hit January 1st? It makes me really cross - the guilt that's laid on us for daring to enjoy ourselves at Christmas and the messages everywhere that we have to lose weight and be slimmer is so damaging.I've chatted lots about my feelings on body confidence on social media and my blog, so I thought it was really important to cover the issue here on the podcast. When I thought about who would be the perfect guest to have on, my mind kept coming back to one person: Helen Thorn. As one half of the comedy duo The Scummy Mummies, Helen wears a skin-tight gold catsuit on stage, and she recently started another Instagram account - Helen Wears A Size 18 - where she shows how fab she looks in various outfits. It's such a positive, inspiring account but also very real at the same time. So Helen and I got together and chatted about why she's so confident, how size 18 doesn't have to be something people try to slim down from and what fashion brands can do to be more inclusive of all sizes.You can subscribe and listen to the excellent Scummy Mummies Podcast here and check out their live dates too.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're anything like me, as soon as Christmas was over, you were dreaming of holidays and browsing for bargain flights to far-flung places. I've texted at least two different sets of friends about weekends away too. So I wanted to focus on family holidays and speak to a guest who is a bit of an expert on going away with kids.Katie Ellison is a mum of three children and runs family lifestyle and travel blog Mummy Daddy Me. She was named by Family Traveller magazine as the top Family Travel Blogger and has also won lots of other awards for her beautiful photography and videos.A couple of months ago, I was flown out to Orlando with Universal Orlando Resort for a week of theme park fun with my family, and Katie just happened to be out there, on a separate trip with her family. So I seized the opportunity to chat to her about family travel, and get her tips on flying with small children, her top destinations and some funny disasters she's dealt with too.You can read more about my week at Universal Orlando Resort over here - big thanks to Universal for taking us on the trip and allowing me to record this episode on location!Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you look after yourself, as a mum? For some people, it's about getting to the gym or eating leafy greens, but for me it's about spending quality time with friends who recharge my batteries, listening to my favourite podcasts, planning in lots of evenings where I can wear my PJs and watch Netflix, and drinking lots of water. My guest, in this episode, Rosie Nixon favours gym classes and getting her nails done - and we also discuss why it's important, as a mum, to carve out that time for self-care.Rosie is the editor-in-chief of Hello magazine, the author of two best-selling novels, The Stylist and Amber Green Takes Manhattan and a mum of two - to be honest, it's a wonder she has any time left to herself! But she does, and it was brilliant to chat to her about juggling work with family and making time for herself too.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most of us can't imagine ever having to say goodbye to our children, not knowing if we'll ever see them again, but my guest on this episode, Jo Tutchener-Sharp, had to do that when she went into hospital for an operation following a brain haemorrhage. Chatting to Jo about what that was like, I could hear the heartbreak in her voice as she remembered that moment. But Jo survived the surgery and when she was recovering, in hospital, she came up with a business idea that would help children who are separated from their parents, either because of a hospital stay like Jo, or just because of work or circumstance.Her business, Scamp & Dude, has been a roaring success, with the kids and grown ups' clothing being sold in Liberty, Harvey Nichols and Harrods. Scamp & Dude also sell Superhero Sleep Buddies - a special cushion that watches over a child - and for every one sold another is donated to a vulnerable child who needs a Superhero to have their back, via the charities Don’t Forget the Kids and Grief Encounter.Jo's story is inspiring and it's amazing to hear how she turned such an awful experience into something that helps so many people.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A recent Mumsnet survey revealed that 49% of mums are worried about fraud, and if you're anything like me, you will regularly receive emails and texts from people pretending to be your bank, mobile phone provider or a lottery company telling you you've won £12million! So it's something we all need to be aware of, and over the next few months I'm working with Take Five, a national campaign backed by the government and Financial Fraud Action UK. I'll be talking about the different ways to spot scams and how we can protect ourselves, and our money.In this bonus episode, which is brought to you with Take Five, I chat to three mums - Romeca, Franca and Megan - about fraud prevention. I test their knowledge, to see if they're as savvy as they think they are, and they share their own fears and experiences.For more information and advice on fraud prevention, head to the Take Five website: https://takefive-stopfraud.org.ukMusic: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you've suffered from fertility problems or not, Izzy Judd's story is one that is bound to touch you - in her book Dare To Dream, published by Penguin, she talks about the emotional journey she went on, with her husband Harry Judd, to conceive their daughter Lola.This was a tough episode for me to record, because as someone who's been through years of secondary infertility, and a recent failed round of IVF, it all felt very close to my heart. But it also felt amazing to be openly chatting about stuff that so many women (and men) go through, yet feel like they can't discuss through a feeling of shame or failure or just feeling like it's a very private matter.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's my first LIVE episode! Yes, this episode was recorded in front of an audience at the Oasis store on Tottenham Court Road in London. They held a whole day of events, from Mother Pukka doing a talk and a book signing to foodie demos and poetry readings and gin tastings, and during the afternoon, I interviewed Zoë from Dress Like A Mum in front of an audience, in the Saucer & Spritz cafe.As well as talking about fashion – and Zoë’s mission to get rid of this notion that mums are unfashionable – Zoë picked out a few pieces from Oasis (see below for a full list of what Zoë picked out) and gave us all some brilliant advice on how to style them. Afterwards, we chatted with the audience and then had a bit of a trying on session with Zoë giving more tips – it was honestly so much fun!Items Zoë picked out:Art deco sequin skirtDeco sequin teeFaux leather pencil skirtLurex rib wrap topNapoleonic collar knitJackie embellished bow topFlocked jade jeansZoë's outfit:Mini scallop turtle neckScallop pocket skirtKitty ankle bootAudio producer: Shola AlejeMusic: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I'm not being judgey but..." is something my guest Susie Verrill was criticised for saying a lot on Instagram Stories, and it's probably fair to say we can all be a bit judgemental from time to time. As parents, we've probably all felt judged more than a few times too - even if it's actually all in our heads sometimes.So judgement seemed like a good topic to discuss with Susie, who as a blogger, Insta Mum and partner of athlete Greg Rutherford, has had her fair share of judgement.We had a slight technical hitch with this episode recording, thanks to my laptop giving up and wiping half an hour of it, but like the true professionals we are, we recorded the episode from scratch.Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How many times each day do you reckon you feel guilty? Me: 427. At least. Mum guilt is a very specific type of guilt that can overwhelm you and eat you up inside. And it often starts when you're giving birth, and feel guilty about the circumstances (which is crazy, when you think about it.)So I wanted to chat to this week's guest, Michelle Kennedy about mum guilt. Michelle is one of those very clever women who has insightful things to say about motherhood. As the founder of Peanut, the app that allows mums to find likeminded mums in their area, she is a huge supporter of women.So let's try to ditch the guilt, and I suggest you start by taking half an hour to yourself to listen to this episode!Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mental health is a topic that's so important to discuss, and I've wanted to do an episode on post-natal depression since I launched the podcast. Amy Ransom is the perfect person to talk about it because she's been very open about her experience with PND and how it actually led to her starting her blog - Surviving Motherhood - and having her first book published.The New Mum's Notebook (published by Penguin) is a journal for new mums and has loads of supportive advice throughout it, so it's an ideal gift for new mums. During our chat, Amy shares lots of wise nuggets of advice on life and motherhood, so it's a great listen for everyone! I left our chat feeling really inspired, so hopefully you'll feel that, when you listen.Subscribe to make sure you don't miss an episode, and if you enjoy the podcast, tell your friends and rate it on iTunes!Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Emma Bunton - the Spice Girl, the presenter of Heart Breakfast and now the co-founder of Kit & Kin, a range of gorgeous eco-friendly nappies and baby skincare.In this minisode of the podcast, we chat about the highs and lows of motherhood, endometriosis (which both Emma and I suffer from) and teaching our kids about girl power. In fact one of the first things she said, when we started to chat was that she loved my Strong Girls Club pin - which is from Mutha.Hood (catch up on my episode featuring Gemma from Mutha.hood).Hope you enjoy this short and sweet episode - please rate and review on iTunes if you do!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you feel like a confident person? Even if your answer is yes, most of us have major wobbles from time to time (I know I do!) And as a mum, there are so many times when confidence is needed - those early newborn days where you've got all of this new stuff to get your head around, going to baby groups on your own, being a newbie at the school gate and going back to work after maternity leave all take confidence, and we don't always have it. My guests on this episode - Phanella Mayall-Fine and Alice Olins - have some brilliant thoughts on the matter. Together they run Step Up Club, a great organisation that gives women career support and networking opportunities. Their book, Step Up, was published by Penguin in 2016 and they recently launched The Step Up School. Tell me what you think of the podcast by tweeting me, emailing me or sending me a DM over on Instagram. If you haven't already, leave me a review on iTunes. Hope you enjoy this episode! Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's episode ten of Not Another Mummy Podcast! How time flies when you're having fun. My guest is TV and radio presenter Katy Hill - known from presenting Blue Peter, Live & Kicking and Heart Radio amongst others, Katy is also a mum of two so we chatted about how she fits it all in AND we delved into the whole 'Perfect Mum Myth'. Who is this perfect mum that we all aspire to be like and does she even exist? Katy had some very interesting things to say (AND she gave us some great Robbie Williams gossip...). Thanks for listening, as always, and if you haven't already, please hop over to the Reviews section on iTunes to rate and review the podcast! Click play below to listen, listen over on Acast or listen and subscribe on iTunes here! Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm one of those people who comes up with lots of business ideas but then does nothing about them, so it was great to chat to my two guests on this episode of Not Another Mummy Podcast who have done something with their business ideas. Gemma runs Mutha.hood, an online 'mama merch' brand, and Vickie runs INPO (In No Particular Order) where she designs and sells fab wall prints. Both of them juggle this with motherhood, and have some great tips on how to get a business idea off the ground, balance it with family life and not go slightly mad in the process. Click play to listen and don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe on iTunes as it really does help other people discover the podcast. Thank you! Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna Whitehouse aka Mother Pukka is my guest on this episode of Not Another Mummy Podcast. She's a blogger, a vlogger and along with her husband Matt (aka Papa Pukka) she does the Mother Pukka podcast (Dirty Mother Pukka) and the pair have just published their first book - Parenting The Sh*t Out Of Life. Anna also runs the Flex Appeal where she campaigns for better flexible working, so we chatted about her hopes and desires to change the way employers approach flexible working. We also veered off subject a lot, and covered her career, the new book, Insta-mums, dealing with miscarriage and infertility and the less glamorous side of parenting (is there actually a glamorous side? I'm not so sure...) Undoubtedly, the star of this podcast episode is Anna's daughter Mae, who kept popping in and joining in! Click play to listen and don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on iTunes! I'm overwhelmed by how many of you are listening every week! Music: Epidemic Sound Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Not Another Mummy Podcast, I chat to brilliant journalist Robyn Wilder. She writes features for magazines like ELLE and Grazia, has written for The Guardian and she is the parenting columnist for The Pool. Robyn is mum to two-year-old Herbie and at the time of our chat, she was VERY pregnant (and fed up!) with her second. Since then, she has had her baby - little Ned - so she is most probably currently in a feeding/winding/settling cycle whilst trying to entertain her toddler along with her husband, journalist Stuart Heritage. We spoke about social media, and the role it has played in her life, as a mum, and we also chatted about mental health, being a feminist when everyone around you is rolling their eyes at you and technology and kids. Please do subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and if you want to be REALLY amazing, rate and review! Listen by hitting play - hope you enjoy! Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Conway is one of my favourite people - she blogs at Brummy Mummy of 2, has a huge Facebook following (ummm but not as big as I thought, as you'll hear...) and has got over 12,000 subscribers on YouTube. She talks about the realities of being a mum of two in Birmingham. She's a normal lass (and there aren't enough normal lasses around, right?) Emma's youngest child starts primary school soon so we chatted about how she's coping (clue: not well) and we talk tips on getting through the first day and week of your kiddo starting school. It's such an emotional time! We drank rosé wine on a Thursday afternoon, recording this, while our children played upstairs - and it was a right laugh! Click play to listen, remember to subscribe on iTunes and I'll love you forever if you review and rate the podcast as it really helps! Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

JK & Charlie are my guests on the podcast for episode five - the incredibly multi-talented pair are both radio presenters (JK presents Drivetime on Heart London and Charlie presented a Heart breakfast show until recently), YouTubers (they make gorgeous videos about family life) and they recently launched their podcast Married & Tired. They're also parents to a two-year-old and have another baby on the way! After listening to the first couple of episodes of their podcast, I wanted to chat to JK & Charlie about how they think their relationship has changed since they became parents (spoiler alert: they get less sleep, watch more Pixar movies and go on "date nights" rather than just go out). It was brilliant to hang out with these guys - hope you enjoy this episode! hit play to listen and don't forget to subscribe on iTunes! Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm so excited to have Clemmie Hooper as the guest on this episode of Not Another Mummy Podcast. The midwife-turned-author of How To Grow A Baby And Push It Out really knows her stuff when it comes to pregnancy and birth. Clemmie came over to my place and we chatted about all of her births and how different they were (including why her twin birth was the best out of all of them), hypnobirthing and some GREAT tips on what to pack in your hospital bag. Clemmie also spoke about how, along with husband Simon, they created a two week cocoon with their new babies (no visitors allowed) and shared tips on how to do this yourself. We also chatted about her Insta-fame (340k+ followers on Instagram and counting...) even though it makes Clemmie cringe. Hope you enjoy this episode! Hit play to listen and subscribe on iTunes so that you don't miss an episode. Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For episode 3 of Not Another Mummy Podcast, I went to hang out with Louise Pentland - aka Sprinkle of Glitter - for the afternoon. It's a wonder she managed to squeeze me in though because as well as making videos for her 3.5 million YouTube subscribers and being the author of two best-selling books, Louise is mum to a six-year-old and has another baby on the way! So Louise was the perfect person for me to chat work/life balance with. I wanted to know how she juggles all of her work commitments with family life, and how she coped when she was a single mum following her divorce. You can listen by hitting 'play' and you can subscribe on iTunes to make sure you never miss an episode! Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the second ever episode of Not Another Mummy Podcast (go catch up with Episode 1 featuring The Unmumsy Mum) and my guest is Erica Davies. Erica is a former fashion editor and founder of The Edited, whose mix of high street outfits, decor inspiration and family life chat has captivated thousands - 55,000 to be precise because that's how many people follow Erica on Instagram. So I wanted to chat to Erica about how tricky it is when you're a new mum and you feel like your whole identity shifts a bit - you go from being "you" to being "someone's mum" and I remember looking in the wardrobe and genuinely thinking "What did I wear again, before I was pregnant?!" Erica had loads of tips on this - and general chat on being a style influencer (and having a cushion obsession). You can subscribe on iTunes (do rate and review too, if you can!) and listen by pressing 'play'! Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's here! Episode 1 of Not Another Mummy Podcast! I'm ridiculously excited to be sharing this with you, after months of plotting and planning (and, well, working out HOW on earth to record and release a podcast!) The podcast series will see me interview a range of mums (and dads) and in episode 1, I chat to Sarah Turner aka The Unmumsy Mum - as well as being a superstar blogger and author, Sarah is an ambassador for Mummy Social, a website which connects mums online and in real life. So we chatted about mum friendships - why they're SO important, how hard they can be to form when you're a sleep deprived new mum, school gate mums - the lot! We also caught up about Sarah's recently announced pregnancy and how she's feeling about becoming a mum of three. Subscribe on iTunes! And if you want to be really nice, rate and review it over on iTunes too. In episode 2, I'm chatting to Erica Davies from The Edited on identity and style. Music: Epidemic SoundSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well look at this! It's only the trailer for my podcast series! Each episode, I'll be chatting to a different mum or dad - and I've already recorded episodes with Sarah Turner aka The Unmumsy Mum, Erica Davies from The Edited, Clemmie Hooper aka Mother of Daughters and Louise Pentland from Sprinkle of Glitter. I've got lots more chats lined up in the next few weeks and I'm SO EXCITED to share them with you.Have a listen to this trailer for a sneak preview of what Not Another Mummy Podcast will be like, and come back for the first full episode, which will be here and on iTunes very soon.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.