Midwife Pip Podcast

Loving your growing, changing body with Chessie King Pregnancy is such a momentous time in a woman’s life, your body is entirely devoted to growing a new little human life… or two! Breasts, bums and bellies grow rounder, our skin changes, we grow a superhuman sense of smell and can often vomit or cry with the flick of a switch. There are undoubtably some welcome and some less welcome changes that...

One of the most important things to consider as a new parent is ways to practice safer sleeping with your little one. Sadly, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome claims the lives of around 4 babies each week in the UK so informing ourselves about ways to help reduce this risk and to ensure your baby is sleeping as safely as possible is a key part of parenthood preparation. I am delighted to be joined on t...

Why caring for YOU in the postpartum is so important - With Emma Bord During pregnancy and birth your body has nurtured, grown and birthed your newborn baby. Your body undergoes huge physical and physiological changes during these stages and often we underestimate the importance of caring for your body after birth. The fourth trimester can encompass so many challenges from sleep deprivation, to ho...

All things Skin health with Erica Rodriguez Maintaining or even achieving a healthy, glowing complexion seems to be a never-ending mission. From dry to oily, breakouts to pigmentation our skin complaints are extensive and the range of products on the market are an absolute mind field. After all, our skin is the biggest organ on our body and it is always on show so it’s no surprise we want it to be...

This week The Pregnancy Wellness Podcast is taking a mini pause. Because sometimes in life we all need to hit that pause button for a moment. So this week I have recorded a little bonus episode for you- a short, simple pregnancy relaxation. I hope this helps to bring a little calm to your chaos and restores some peace in any of our busy lives. Let's get comfortable and enjoy... If you have found t...

Induction of Labour - With Midwife Marie Louise In the UK around 1 in 5 women have their labour induced. It therefore makes sense that we learn about induction of labour in the antenatal period. I am sure you all know by now that I am a believer of knowledge being power and that is because I feel that having honest, evidence-based information allows you to be empowered about your birth choices and...

Perineal and Vaginal Tearing during Birth - With Dr Brooke Vandermolen If there is one thing that seems to occupy an expectant mum’s mind in the preparation for birth it has to be perineal and vaginal tearing. And for good reason, the natural stretching that takes place during birth can result in some degree of tearing for around 85% of women having a vaginal birth. So, arming ourselves with the c...

How to protect, heal and nurture your body through Motherhood with Emma Brockwell You are pregnant, and just like that your body starts undertaking huge physiological and psychological change. I think sometimes we, as women, forget that during pregnancy your entire system is adapted as your body focuses on growing a new little human being. Parts become stretched, weakened and shifted as your littl...

Infant Feeding - With Stacey Zimmels As you move through pregnancy and into motherhood one of the main things you may be considering is how to feed your baby. Breast, Bottle, Expressing and Mixed Feeding are amongst some of the many terms and choices we hear of when we start to navigate our choices. From the benefits, equipment to purchase, tounge ties and feeding positions it can feel like a mind...

Returning to Exercise after Birth - Amy Lane Pregnancy and birth are momentous times in a women’s life during which your body undergoes huge physiological and psychological changes. A woman’s body’s in pregnancy is devoted to growing, nurturing and birthing a new little human. This is the biggest challenge your body will undergo and the postpartum period whereby recovery is so key is often overloo...

Positive Birth Story Em and Olive There are so many birth stories to be read, but the power of listening to and reading positive and empowering birth stories as you prepare your mind and body to meet your little one is incredible. Birth really is a whole-body experience that requires as much if not more psychological preparation as physical. And your birth is not merely one day it is an experience...

What to expect during a Homebirth? - With Midwife Keri When it comes to deciding where to give birth there are a few options- we have consultant led units, midwifery led birthing centres or the comfort of your own home. Various health and pregnancy factors may influence the recommendation for your place of birth and your choice but having accurate, honest information about your birthplace choices...

Eco-Motherhood Tips - With Angie Willis In a world where we are all seeking to be more environmentally friendly and are on a mission to be kinder to our planet there seems to be a mind field of considerations and choices to make over our lifestyles and purchases. Many new and expectant mums are seeking ways to parents in a more eco-conscious and sustainable way than we have done in previous genera...

What is an Obstetrician? - With Dr Ellie Rayner During the journey of pregnancy and birth there can be many twists and turns that crop up along the way. For this reason, many women will meet an Obstetrician during pregnancy, during labour or even after the birth of your baby. An obstetrician is a doctor who specialises in these specific areas and the are there to support you to make informed choic...

What you need to know about Exercise in Pregnancy With Charlie Barker (Bumps & Burpees) We all know that moving our bodies and exercising has so many health and wellness benefits, that is no surprise. But when it comes to exercising in pregnancy and feeling confident that you can do so safely there is a whole lot more confusion. It is also sensible to consider exercising in a way specific to pregn...

Why Nutrition Matters in Pregnancy with Midwife Pip and Lucinda Miller Pregnancy is a powerful time to nourish yourself and your baby towards a healthier future. It is an empowering change that you can make yourself to directly improve the health of your family for the present and for the future. Healthy eating habits have arguably never been more important than during pregnancy and yet it is an a...

To those of you who were Season 1 listeners welcome back and to those of you who are new to my podcast welcome to season 2 of The Midwife Pip Podcast hosted by me, Pip. I am a practicing midwife and enthusiastic of all things women’s wellness, especially when it comes to pregnancy and motherhood. Do you find yourself with lots of pregnancy questions unanswered? Do you feel extra midwifery support...

Pregnancy and the Postpartum can be very anxiety provoking times, add into that mix a global pandemic, self-isolation and a huge amount of uncertainty on future lockdowns and prospects and we can find ourselves amidst a challenging time to say the least. Equipping ourselves with mindfulness tools and techniques can be game changing in helping us manage our daily stresses and anxieties. I was, like...

What is Hypnobirthing? Google anything to do with labour and you will likely hear the term ‘Hypnobirthing’.  But it is not about chanting with charms and crystals, in fact that is a huge misconception!  At its core, Hypnobirthing aims to help a woman deal with any fear or anxiety around birth and aims to equip you with methods to help you stay calm, relaxed and in control.  On this week’s episode...

It comes as no surprise that our bodies undergo incredible changes during labour and birth. But how much do we actually understand about the ‘normal’ physiological process?  On this week’s episode I am joined by midwife Angie Willis who explains why women should understand what their body is doing and the amazing things it is capable of. We hear of terms such as contractions, the birth canal and c...

This week, Thursday 15th October marks Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.  Unfortunately the death of a baby is not a rare tragedy and so it is imperative that we break the silence on this issue, give bereaved families a voice and banish any taboo or stigma associated with losing a baby. I am honoured today to be joined by Josephine, mum to Oliver who was born sleeping in January this year...

Disordered Eating and Relationships with Food | Consultant Dietitian Maeve Hanan Food can trigger such a huge spectrum of emotions from positive to controlling and incredibly negative and can ultimately lead to the damage of physical as well as psychological health.  Eating disorders are complex mental illnessesand so many men and women are living with distorted perceptions of their body image and...

Understanding Assisted and Instrumental Birth  The concept of an assisted birth is an anxiety provoking one amongst most pregnant women and many are desperate to avoid the use of forceps of ventouse instruments during their birth. However instrumental assistance is currently used in around 1 in 8 UK births and so it is imperative women are informed and empowered about them.  On this week’s episode...

Returning to Exercise After Having a Baby For many women exercise forms part of their identity and hugely influences their overall wellness. The benefits of exercise for our physical and mental health are well understood and after giving birth this is often more important than ever. During pregnancy and birth women’s body’s are devoted to growing, nurturing and birthing their baby and to do so the...

You move from pregnancy to birth and then your whole world changes as you welcome your newborn into the world. But how well prepared are we or can we be for the immediate postnatal period and weeks of parenthood? Dr Punam Krishan, mum of two and GP, joins me this week to discuss navigating life as a new parent. Sharing her honest and unedited moments to let all mums know that they are not alone an...