Afleveringen
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In this eye-opening podcast episode, we unpack the truth about potty training, nappies, toilet learning, constipation, poo withholding, and the “readiness” myth many parents are told to follow. A research nurse explains why children historically potty trained much earlier, how disposable nappies changed parenting culture, and why waiting for “signs of readiness” may be causing more problems than parents realise. We also discuss toddler constipation, bowel health, potty refusal, anxiety around pooing, and practical ways to make potty training gentler and less stressful for both children and parents. Essential listening for parents of toddlers navigating toilet training struggles, poo withholding, accidents, or delayed potty training.
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Helen Thorn - comedian, author and one half of Scummy Mummies — joins me to share the story behind the smile. After discovering her husband had been having an affair, Helen suddenly found herself navigating heartbreak, divorce, single motherhood and rebuilding her life in her 40s - all at the start of lockdown.
We talk about betrayal, telling the children, grief, anger, identity, people pleasing, and how she slowly created a life she never expected to love. This is an honest conversation about losing the future you imagined and discovering something better on the other side.
🎙️ Topics: divorce, affairs, co-parenting, motherhood, rebuilding after heartbreak, relationships & resilience. -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Breastfeeding is often described as “the most natural thing in the world” - so why do so many parents struggle with it?In this powerful conversation, midwife Louise Broadridge explores the emotional reality of infant feeding, the pressure placed on new parents, and why feeding trauma is rarely talked about. She explains how a lack of education around breastfeeding physiology leaves many families feeling like they're failing when, in reality, they're navigating a completely normal learning process.From milk supply worries and cluster feeding to formula feeding decisions and maternal mental health, Louise challenges the "breast is best" narrative and argues for a more supportive, evidence-based approach that helps parents meet their own feeding goals without guilt or shame.This episode explores:Why feeding struggles can feel traumaticThe gap between breastfeeding intentions and realityHow understanding milk production reduces anxietyThe impact of feeding challenges on maternal mental healthFormula feeding, breastfeeding, and informed choiceWhy parents need better feeding education and supportA compassionate and thought-provoking discussion about one of the most important - and misunderstood - parts of early parenthood.
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What is it really like to foster a child?
In this powerful episode, Charis sits down with Deborah Bright, who has spent the last 35 years fostering more than 200 children alongside raising her own family and adopting two children herself.
Deborah shares the realities of fostering, from welcoming newborn babies into her home to the heartbreak of saying goodbye when they move on. She opens up about the emotional toll, the impact on her family, the challenges of caring for traumatised children, and the moments that have made it all worthwhile.
Together, Charis and Deborah discuss:
• How Deborah first became a foster carer
• The hardest part of fostering
• Supporting children through trauma and loss
• Maintaining relationships with birth families
• Why there is a shortage of foster carers
• The realities of fostering teenagers
• The emotional impact on foster carers and their families
• The moment Deborah knew she'd made a difference
This is an honest, moving conversation about love, loss, resilience and the life-changing impact of opening your home to a child in need.
If you've ever considered fostering, or simply want to hear an extraordinary story from someone who has dedicated her life to helping children, this episode is for you. -
What happens when the future you imagined for your child suddenly changes?
In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, a father shares what it really felt like in the early days of his son’s autism diagnosis - the fear, the uncertainty, and the quiet grief that so many parents experience but rarely talk about.
From spiralling thoughts about the future…
to feeling like everyone else has it easier…
to questioning everything you thought parenting would be…
This is the reality behind the moments no one sees.
💔 “What you’re grieving, in a sense, is the life you imagined.”
We talk about:
- The emotional impact of an autism diagnosis
- The pressure parents feel to “do everything right”
- Feeling isolated in everyday situations
- Why grief can exist even when your child is right in front of you
- Learning to navigate a completely different version of parenthood
If you’re a parent feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or alone in this - this conversation will make you feel seen. -
In this deeply moving episode, Chris shares the story of losing his wife Laura to sarcoma — a rare and aggressive cancer — while raising their young daughter together. From the shock of diagnosis during early parenthood, through treatment, recovery, relapse, and ultimately end-of-life care, Chris opens up about the reality of navigating grief in real time while still trying to be a present father.
He reflects on the moment their “normal life” changed forever, the challenges of explaining illness and death to a small child, and how he has continued to parent through heartbreak, responsibility, and love. This conversation explores grief, resilience, and what it means to keep going when everything you planned for your future disappears.
A powerful story of love, loss, and legacy — and how one family continues to honour Laura’s memory every day.
Topics include:
Sarcoma diagnosis and treatment journey
Parenting through terminal illness
Sudden loss and bereavement
Explaining death to young children
Life after losing a partner
Building legacy and raising awareness of sarcoma -
In this highlight episode, Dr Martha joins Parent Unplugged to unpack what young children are really struggling with - and why so much of what we label as “bad behaviour” is often just development.
From tantrums and public judgment to boundaries, punishment, emotional regulation and screen time, this conversation offers a calmer, more compassionate way to understand children without losing the need for firm, loving limits.
Because children aren’t mini adults - and parenting isn’t about controlling them, it’s about guiding them. -
In this episode of Parent Unplugged, we’re joined by clinical psychologist Emma Offord to talk about postpartum OCD, intrusive thoughts, and maternal mental health.
Emma shares her personal experience of becoming a mum while dealing with intense intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and hypervigilance - and why these thoughts can feel so real, distressing, and confusing.
We explore what intrusive thoughts actually are, why they are so common in new parents, and the truth behind fears like “what if this means something about me?”
This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating postpartum anxiety, OCD, or struggling with thoughts they feel scared to say out loud.
If you’ve ever questioned your thoughts, your identity, or felt alone in your experience - you’re not alone.
Topics covered:
Postpartum OCD
Intrusive thoughts in motherhood
Maternal mental health
Anxiety and hypervigilance after birth
Neurodivergence and parenting
Listen now for an honest, reassuring conversation that will help you better understand your mind - and feel less alone 🤍 -
What happens when the parent is the one with ADHD?
In this episode, we talk honestly about what parenting really looks like when you’re navigating ADHD yourself — from emotional dysregulation and overwhelm to the guilt, shame, and moments you wish you could take back.
We cover:
Why traditional parenting advice doesn’t work for ADHD brains
The reality of parenting with low sleep, no routines, and no capacity
ADHD and emotional dysregulation (and why it’s not a “lack of effort”)
The fear of losing control as a parent
Late ADHD diagnosis and the impact of growing up misunderstood
Why so many ADHD parents feel like they’re “failing”
How self-compassion can actually change everything
This is a raw, honest conversation about the parts of parenting people don’t talk about — especially for neurodivergent parents.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, reactive, or like you’re not the parent you “should” be… you are not alone.
You are not broken. You just need the right support. -
In this episode, Charis speaks with Dr Frankie Harrison about the trauma of pregnancy complications, losing one of her twins, developing pre-eclampsia, and delivering her son at just 31 weeks.Frankie shares the fear of meeting her baby in NICU, the heartbreak of going home without him, and the lasting impact neonatal trauma can have on a parent’s mental health.This is a powerful conversation about birth trauma, separation, guilt, anxiety, and why parents don’t have to “just get over it” once their baby is home.Listen now for an honest, validating discussion on premature birth, NICU life, and healing after a traumatic start to motherhood.
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What is it really like raising children with severe autism?In this powerful and emotional highlight, one mother shares the raw reality of parenting two non-speaking autistic sons with high care needs. From early diagnosis and sleepless nights to extreme behavioural challenges, medication decisions, and the heartbreaking choice to separate her children - this is a story rarely told in full.She opens up about:The early signs of autism and the diagnosis journeyLiving through constant crisis and emotional burnoutWatching your child in distress and not knowing how to helpThe impact on marriage, family life, and identityCo-parenting after separation and doing what’s best for your childrenAnxiety, mental health, and learning to ask for helpThis is an honest, unfiltered conversation about autism parenting, resilience, and survival.If you’re a parent of a neurodivergent child, a carer, or someone looking to better understand autism, this episode offers both insight and hope.
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In this deeply emotional episode, we’re joined by Bex Gunn to talk about the reality of miscarriage, baby loss, grief, and the silence so many parents experience after pregnancy loss.
Bex shares the heartbreaking story of discovering there was no heartbeat at her 12-week scan during Covid, the traumatic physical experience of miscarriage, and the loneliness that followed. Together, we discuss the things nobody prepares you for - the medical language, the shame, the isolation, the impact on relationships, and why so many people feel unable to talk about pregnancy loss openly.
We also explore:
What miscarriage is really like physically and emotionally
Why baby loss still feels so taboo
The comments that help - and the ones that hurt
Navigating grief while parenting other children
Fertility struggles, jealousy, anger, and guilt
How Bex went from sharing one honest post online to co-founding The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation
Why no one going through miscarriage should feel alone
This episode is raw, honest, validating, and incredibly important for anyone who has experienced miscarriage, fertility struggles, or baby loss - or wants to better support someone who has.
If this conversation resonates with you, please like, comment, and share to help normalise these conversations around pregnancy loss and grief. -
Alice Liveing joins Parent Unplugged for an honest conversation about body image, self-worth, pregnancy, postpartum identity, and what it really means to feel strong.In this episode, Alice opens up about her early experiences in dance and fitness, the pressure to be thin, the reality behind being known as “Alice with abs,” and the physical and emotional cost of chasing a certain body. She also shares how becoming a mum has changed the way she sees strength, health, confidence, and the message she wants to pass on to her daughter.This is a powerful discussion about letting go of “bounce back” culture, rebuilding your identity after having a baby, and learning to value a body that feels strong rather than simply looks a certain way.If you’ve ever struggled with body image, comparison, postpartum confidence, or feeling at home in your body, this episode is for you.#ParentingPodcast #BodyImage #PostpartumJourney #Motherhood #AliceLiving
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So many mothers feel pressure to be endlessly giving, patient, and selfless.
But what if that expectation is actually hurting us?
In this highlight episode, psychologist and author Susie explains why the “selfless mum” myth leads to burnout, resentment, and losing your sense of self - and how small shifts in self-compassion and self-advocacy can change everything.
You’ll also learn simple tools to calm your nervous system, reconnect with yourself in everyday moments, and show up as the parent you truly want to be.
Because motherhood doesn’t mean you stop mattering. -
What happens when your child isn’t developing the way you expected?
In this emotional episode, a father shares the reality of raising a nonverbal child - from the heartbreak of self-harm and the fear of an uncertain future, to the questions every parent is scared to ask:
Will they ever speak?
Will they make friends?
Will they live independently?
This is a raw, honest conversation about autism, parenting, and the mental spiral so many parents experience - but rarely say out loud.
And then… a moment that changes everything.
A small, unexpected act of affection that redefines connection, communication, and hope.
If you’re a parent navigating autism, speech delays, or just the overwhelming unknowns of raising a child, this episode will stay with you.
👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear more real parenting stories every week. -
Are baby food pouches actually bad for children? 🤔 In this conversation, registered nutritionist Charlotte breaks down the growing debate around baby food pouches, sugar, and how early eating habits shape a child’s relationship with food.Charlotte explains why pouches aren’t necessarily “bad”, but why relying on them too often may affect a child’s development, texture learning, and long-term eating habits. She also shares practical advice for reducing mealtime pressure, introducing new foods, and helping babies develop healthy relationships with food.In this discussion we cover:Whether baby food pouches are good or bad for babiesWhy texture is important for babies learning to eatThe truth about sugar and hyperactivity in childrenHow early food exposure shapes long-term eating habitsWhy family meals matter during weaningHow parents can reduce stress around mealtimesSimple “1% changes” that can improve your child’s dietThis episode is all about removing guilt from parenting while giving practical, evidence-based advice on feeding babies and toddlers.Whether you're starting weaning or navigating toddler mealtimes, this conversation offers helpful insight and reassurance for parents.
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What age should kids get a smartphone - and are we getting it wrong?
In this episode, we dive into one of the biggest parenting debates right now: screen time, smartphones, and how to support children’s emotional development in a digital world. From toddler tantrums to teenage group chats, we unpack what’s actually going on beneath behaviour - and why emotional regulation is a skill that takes practice, not punishment.
We talk about why telling kids to “calm down” often backfires, how to respond to big emotions in a way that actually works, and why perfection isn’t the goal when it comes to parenting. The conversation also explores the reality of screen use today - breaking down the difference between screens vs content, the pressures parents face, and how to set healthy boundaries without guilt.
You’ll also hear practical advice on:
Managing tantrums and emotional outbursts
Teaching kids lifelong coping skills
Setting realistic screen time boundaries
Navigating smartphones, social media, and peer pressure
Modelling healthy behaviour as a parent
This is an honest, relatable conversation for any parent trying to do their best in a world that feels increasingly overwhelming.
Because it’s not about getting it perfect - it’s about making small, meaningful changes that actually stick. -
Former deputy headteacher Ruth Lue-Quee explains why children learn best through play - not sitting at desks. After launching a petition from her bed that gained 106,000 signatures and triggered a debate in Parliament, she’s campaigning to protect play-based learning in schools. In this highlight episode she reveals why play improves memory, wellbeing, creativity and problem-solving - and why many education systems around the world are already moving in this direction.
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Parenting advice often assumes the parent is organised, patient and consistent. But what happens when the parent themselves has ADHD? In this episode, I’m joined by ADHD parenting coach Lauren, who shares her honest experience of raising children while navigating ADHD herself. We talk about the hidden challenges of parenting with a dysregulated nervous system, why traditional parenting advice often doesn’t work for neurodivergent families, and the shame many ADHD parents quietly carry. Lauren opens up about her own diagnosis, the emotional impact of growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, and the moment she realised just how overwhelmed she had become as a parent. Together we explore the realities of raising neurodivergent children, why self-compassion is so important, and how parents can begin to regulate themselves so they can better support their kids. This is an honest, validating conversation for any parent who has ever wondered if they’re doing enough.In this episode we discuss:
What it’s really like parenting with ADHD
Why most parenting advice isn’t designed for neurodivergent parents
The shame many ADHD parents carry
Why ADHD isn’t a “lack of attention”
How self-compassion can transform parenting -
When Daisy got divorced at 30 with a two-year-old son, her life flipped upside down overnight.
In this raw and honest conversation, she shares what no one talks about - the heartbreak of handing your child over for the first time, rebuilding financially from scratch, navigating co-parenting, dating after an 11-year relationship, and overcoming postnatal depression.
We talk about:
Divorce with a young child
The emotional rollercoaster of separation
Co-parenting and putting your child first
Losing your identity in motherhood
Rebuilding confidence after divorce
Dating again as a single mum
Mental health, resilience and starting over
This episode is for any mum who feels lost, overwhelmed, or like this chapter might define her forever.
It won’t.
Subscribe for more honest conversations about motherhood, identity, relationships and rebuilding after life doesn’t go to plan. - Laat meer zien
