BLUE MUMDAYS

Dr Rebecca Moore joins me for a Blue MumDays special discussing birth trauma. Rebecca is a perinatal psychiatrist, mother and co-founder of 'Make Birth Better', a collective of experts who offer support and training and campaign for better understanding of birth trauma and vicarious trauma. *TRIGGER WARNING: BIRTH TRAUMA* IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [00:00] Teaser quote. [01:29] Introduction to Dr...

The delightful AJ Silver joins me this week for an entertaining and very moving chat about their traumatic first birth experience, which led them to go on to train and work as a Doula. We discuss everything from the difficulties faced by same sex couples within the perinatal system, to the warmth of our pets tummies and killer flapjacks! *TRIGGER WARNING: BIRTH TRAUMA* IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:...

MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL: My mum is a warrior - she has not had an easy life. From an early career as an Astronomer Royal's Personal Computer at Herstmonceux, mum had to give this up to follow my dad's job. After multiple miscarriages she experienced pre-eclampsia, a traumatic birth and PTSD with my brother Graham. His disability wasn't properly diagnosed until he was 37. I came along 2 and a half yea...

Today's guest is the wonderful Christina Brown of the Motivational Mums Club, who found herself pregnant again within months of giving birth. As someone who was very career driven, this was a huge shock and she developed maternal mental health issues after the birth of her daughter. Chrissy talks about this experience and how it renewed her passion for helping other mothers - this time with an emp...

Hannah Hardy-Jones, mental health advocate and CEO of the Kite Program, developed bipolar disorder after the traumatic birth of her daughter. In Part 2, Hannah talks about what inspired her to start Kite to support the mental health of others, the benefits of having bipolar and the hugely positive experience she had with the birth of her second child, Henry. *TRIGGER WARNING: BI-POLAR DISORDER* !...

Hannah Hardy-Jones, mental health advocate and CEO of the Kite Program, speaks bravely and honestly about how the traumatic birth of her daughter triggered bi-polar disorder. Instead of falling into depression, Hannah experienced intense highs within the first few days of giving birth on barely any sleep. And then came the devastating low. *TRIGGER WARNING: BIRTH TRAUMA, BI-POLAR DISORDER* IN THIS...

I catch up again with Liz Wise, specialist PND Counsellor. In Episode 1 she talked to me about her lived experience of PND. This time she talks about her work with her charity Cedar House Support Group and how out of the thousands of women she has helped over 30 years, every one has made a full recovery from this horrible illness. *TRIGGER WARNING: CANCER, SUICIDAL THOUGHTS* IN THIS EPISODE WE DIS...

A really entertaining and moving chat with the amazing Leonie Huie BEM, author of 'The First Year is Survival'. Leonie found out she was pregnant unexpectedly - with twins! She talks about her early struggles as a new mum of multiples and the trauma of having to perform CPR on one of her daughters when she stopped breathing. When they subsequently ended up in hospital, Leonie was finally recognise...

The second part of my conversation with pioneering mental health campaigner Mark Williams, who has highlighted the need to include fathers in perinatal services. *TRIGGER WARNING: THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE* IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [00:00] Teaser quote for this episode [00:32] Introduction to Mark Williams (part 2) [02:09] 1001 Days - significant phase for children and why it's important to included...

I chat to pioneering parental mental health campaigner and author Mark Williams. In this first part, Mark talks about the traumatic birth of his son which triggered postnatal depression in both his wife and himself.  We discuss the added stigma of fathers struggling and the pressure put on men to “man up”. *TRIGGER WARNING: BIRTH TRAUMA/THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE/ALCOHOL ABUSE*  IN THIS EPISOD...

I continue my chat with inspiring maternal mental health specialist Naomi Buffery. In this part we discuss her mission to empower other mums to beat anxiety and depression, following her own experience of PND. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [00:00] Teaser quote [00:51] Introduction to Naomi Buffery (part 2) [01:21] Naomi's mission: the need for honest conversations around motherhood [05:30] Standing...

Wellbeing Practitioner Poonam Dhuffer of YSM8 talks self-compassion and being kind to yourself, in the second part of this 'Blue Monday' special. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [00:00] Teaser quote [00:55] Introduction to Poonam Dhuffer (Part 2) [01:15] The loop of negative thought and worry - let it go [04:00] Understanding triggers and not being afraid to ask for support [05:13] Naming the feeling...

A soothing, restorative 15 minute Loving Kindness Meditation, to help you relax and reset. Created especially for us by Poonam Dhuffer of YSM8, this practice has self-compassion at its heart. As a new mum I suffered terribly from self-criticism, anxiety, negative thoughts and insomnia - this is what I wished I'd had back then. You can listen any time, as many times as you need - whenever you want...

Wellbeing Practitioner Poonam Dhuffer of YSM8 talks self-compassion and being kind to yourself, in the first part of this 'Blue Monday' special. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [00:17] Introduction to Poonam Dhuffer [01:20] What actually is self-compassion? [05:05] The research behind the theory [06:10] The danger of negative self-talk - the 'Hag'! [07:40] Poonam's own experience - anxiety and panic a...

I talk to inspiring maternal mental health specialist Naomi Buffery, on her own experience of PND. In Part 2 we'll discuss how she's on a mission to empower other mums to beat anxiety and depression. But in this episode we learn how hard it was for Naomi navigating early motherhood, following a traumatic birth. *TRIGGER WARNING: BIRTH TRAUMA* IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [00:17] Introduction to Nao...

With 1 in 10 dads suffering after the birth of their baby, Elliott Rae of 'Music, Football, Fatherhood' talks about his PTSD, following the traumatic birth of his daughter. Elliott went on to found MFF (the "Dad's version of Mumsnet") to change the narrative on what it means to be a father. He has gone on to become one of the UK’s most prominent speakers on fatherhood, masculinity and mental healt...

I speak to Emily Goldhill about what it was like to have her baby during the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020. From her husband not being able to attend scans, to a lack of support and activities during the early months, it heavily contributed to her developing postnatal depression. Becoming a new parent can be isolating and lonely at the best of the times, so I can't imagine how hard it must...

Specialist Postnatal Depression Counsellor Liz Wise talks about her own personal experience of PND, which she suffered from with the birth of both her daughters. Despite surviving cancer twice, losing both her parents, losing two of her best friends and going through a very stressful divorce, none of these events ever gave Liz depression. Yet having her daughters did.   We also...

An introduction to the Blue MumDays parental mental health podcast. Hear from guests such as PND Counsellor Liz Wise and Elliott Rae of Music, Football Fatherhood in this short taster. MUSIC: Joseph McDade.