Parents of Mouth Breathers

Five months ago, my son had his tonsils and adenoids removed, along with grommets, after years of recurring ear infections, glue ear, and sleep apnea. This episode is a real-time update on where we are now. I’m sharing what’s improved (his growth, the reduction in snoring) but also what’s quietly crept back in. Because the truth is, surgery hasn’t been a full solution. I talk through our delayed p...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Jessica Lee — an integrative ENT who trained in a conventional, surgery-focused medical system and realised that looking only at tonsils and adenoids wasn’t enough. She now approaches airway health through a broader lens — considering breathing patterns, growth curves, inflammation, immune health, gut health and collaboration across disciplines. We discuss sleep-d...

I’m joined by Dr Aoife , a London/Kent-based dentist whose work sits at the intersection of tongue tie, early orthodontics, and airway health. We talk about early signs from birth, feeding mechanics (not just position), reflux and congestion, sleep disruption, why crooked teeth can be downstream of mouth breathing, and what’s often missing from the “expansion” conversation online. We also get into...

After nearly two years on the waiting list and months of trying everything else, my son finally had a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, and grommets. This episode is my honest update. Not medical advice, not a tidy success story, just the reality of living through it as a parent. If you’re stuck in that awful in-between place, trying to avoid surgery but running out of alternatives, this one is for yo...

In this episode of Parents of Mouth Breathers , I’m joined by Dr David McIntosh , an Australian ENT (ear, nose & throat) surgeon and author of Snored to Death and Your Child’s Sleep Disorder Breathing . Dr McIntosh is internationally recognised for his work in paediatric airway health and sleep-disordered breathing. We dig into: Why snoring and mouth breathing are never normal in children The...

I’m joined by Dr Suraj Vatish, dental surgeon and lead at the Tongue Tie & Breathing Centre (Happy Kids, Chelsea). We unpack what a tongue tie really is, why “can they stick it out?” misses the point, how ties affect feeding, sleep, speech and breathing, and why aftercare + multidisciplinary support matter just as much as the release itself. What we cover The biggest myths (incl. the “stick it...

I’ve tried the scripts. The co-regulation. The whispered apologies. I’ve kneeled down at eye level and told myself, “this is what gentle parenting looks like.” But still—nothing seemed to work. In this episode, I’m sharing something I posted recently that’s brought me a weird sense of relief: maybe it’s not that I need to parent better. Maybe my child just needs to breathe and sleep better. Becaus...

When Dr Kathleen Schuster’s daughter started snoring, having nightmares, and acting “not like herself,” Kathleen didn’t just see a phase — she saw red flags. In this powerful conversation, Kathleen shares how she navigated swollen tonsils, chronic infections, and mounting pressure for surgery — and what actually helped her daughter breathe, sleep, and grow better without going under the knife. We...

In this episode, I offer a real-world guide for parents preparing for their child’s ENT appointment. We talk through what to expect, what to bring, and what not to take lying down. Because while ENTs can be part of the solution, they’re not the whole story—especially when it comes to airway health, sleep disordered breathing, and myofunctional issues. I share my own experience of walking into that...

In this episode of Parents of Mouth Breathers , I’m laying it all out, the overlooked reality of paediatric sleep apnoea, and what it’s really like trying to get your child’s breathing issues taken seriously. Sleep apnoea in children isn’t rare. It isn’t harmless. And it certainly isn’t something they’ll just "grow out of." It’s oxygen desaturation, chronic sleep disruption, behavioural...

In this episode of Parents of Mouth Breathers , I share my personal journey of advocating for my son’s airway health. I talk about the struggles and challenges I faced in getting my son’s sleep-disordered breathing issues acknowledged and treated. I offer practical advice for other parents in similar situations, focusing on the importance of trusting your instincts and relentlessly pursuing proper...

In this episode, I share the deeply personal and frustrating journey of discovering that my son’s behaviour, speech delays, and social struggles weren’t defiance, they were signs of undiagnosed glue ear . We talk about: What glue ear is and why it’s so often missed The signs we overlooked at home and in nursery How airway health and glue ear are linked Why so many children are labelled before they...

In this episode of Parents of Mouth Breathers, I talk about the overlooked issue of tongue tie and its potential long-term effects on children's health. Drawing from personal experiences with my two sons, I discusses the different manifestations and consequences of tongue tie, including feeding difficulties, sleep apnea, and mouth breathing. I highlights the challenges in getting proper diagno...

Podcast: Parents of Mouth Breathers Host: Natasha | @parentsofmouthbreathers In this episode, I explore the powerful insights from James Nestor’s bestselling book Breath —and how it completely changed the way I see my son’s symptoms. I cover: How mouth breathing reshapes the body Why carbon dioxide matters just as much as oxygen How breath affects the nervous system, behaviour, and sleep What mode...

In this episode of 'Parents of Mouth Breathers' host Natasha addresses the overlooked issue of children's breathing and sleep problems often dismissed by medical professionals. She shares her personal journey of discovering her child's airway health issues and introduces listeners to renowned experts like Dr. Christian Guilleminault, Dr. Kevin Boyd, Dr. Steven Lin, Patrick McKeown, Sharon Moore, a...

In the very first episode of Parents of Mouth Breathers , I share the beginning of my journey — the moment I realised something wasn’t quite right with my son, and how mouth breathing was at the heart of it. I open up about what it felt like to be dismissed over and over by the medical system, the early signs I noticed in his sleep and behaviour, and the turning point when I discovered James Nesto...