Not Another Mummy Podcast (Alison Perry)

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 Sound

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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.

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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 Sound

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Producer: Imogen Hart, Create Productions

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Producer: Imogen Hart, Create Productions

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

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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: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Producer: Imogen Hart, Create Productions

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Producer: Imogen Hart, Create Productions

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Producer: Imogen Hart, Create Productions

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Producer: Imogen Hart, Create Productions

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Recorded at: Acast Studios

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Support 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 Sound

Support 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: @iamalisonperry

Producer: Imogen Hart, Create Productions

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Support 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.uk

Music: Epidemic Sound

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Support 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.hooray

On 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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.uk

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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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.

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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support 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.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is award winning author and mum of one Laura Dockrill. Laura went viral back in 2018 when a blog post she wrote about her experiences of postpartum psychosis went viral. She went on to write memoir What Have I Done in 2020, sharing more on her experiences but she’s also the author of YA books, kids' books and her first adult fiction book I Love You, I Love You, I Love You comes out in June.

Her latest project is a beautiful picture book, Grey, illustrated by Lauren Child. It's the story of a child who feels as though all their colours have disappeared. Despite the joyful orange balloon, the huge yellow sun and the bright green trees, the child still feels grey.

Since it's Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, it's a good time to talk about mental health for mums but also open up the conversation with out kids about emotions and feelings.

Check out Grey here and follow Laura (or not Laura, as she explains!) on Instagram.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've had a short mid-season break which I'd love to tell you was intentional but was actually due to mounting work deadlines and a lack of time.

My guest on this episode would approve of a) me taking a break and b) me sharing it with you because Tamu Thomas is the author of Women Who Work Too Much - Break free from toxic productivity and find your joy.

Tamu and I talk about why we often find it hard to say no to work, the allure of being busy and why rest is just as important as work.

We also delve into how to role model a healthy work/rest balance for our kids to ensure they don't pick up unhelpful habits from us.

This is a great episode if you feel stressed by work and find it hard to get balance in your life!

Check out Tamu'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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm joined on this episode by Ferne McCann - star of The Only Way Is Essex and Ferne McCann: My Family & Me.

After being a single mum to daughter Sunday for five years, Ferne met husband Lorri and the couple now have one-year-old Finty.

Ferne chats to me about the six year age gap between her girls and how they make it work as a blended family with her step son.

She also talks about social media comparison, manifestation and running her business Shoorah.

Follow Ferne on Instagram and watch Ferne McCann: My Family & Me on ITVX.

This episode is brought to you by Eurocamp. You can book a summer getaway or get a head start on 2025 and book for next year, taking advantage of their early booking offer with up to 20% off! See all the details and book at Eurocamp.co.uk

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is award-winning journalist and mum-of-one Terri White.

Terri is the former editor of Empire, Time Out New York and Shortlist. She’s written for Grazia, Sunday Times Style and her book Coming Undone is a remarkable memoir about the contrast between her outward image of success and her inner turmoil.

Terri’s frank conversations about mental health have helped so many people and she’s now working as an ambassador for the NSPCC and its Listen Up, Speak Up campaign which encourages us all to play a part in spotting vulnerable, at-risk children and speaking up for them.

You can learn more about the NSPCC's 10-minute online training that they'd like everybody to complete, to help us all Listen Up, Speak Up.

You can follow Terri on Instagram and on X.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm joined on this episode by psychotherapist and author Anna Mathur. This is Anna's third time on the podcast, making her the most returning guest - and if you listen to this, you'll see why I invited her back!

Her new book, The Uncomfortable Truth, looks at ten of our minds' biggest fears - from 'Some people don't like me' and 'I'm going to fail' through to 'I will lose people I love' and 'I'm going to die'.

But rather than being a depressing read, it's an uplifting but practical guide to shifting the way we think about these fears.

Anna joins me to talk about some of them and to share her own experiences of tackling her fears.

You can follow Anna on Instagram, listen to her awesome podcast The Therapy Edit and buy her new book.

This episode of Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by Vue. A family trip to your local Vue cinema ticks all the boxes for beating the summer holiday lull. It doesn’t matter what the weather is doing and it won’t break the bank, with Mighty Mornings screenings of family favourites like IF and The Garfield Movie from £2.49 when booked online. My kids love the Big Shorts screenings which start at £3.99. Head to myvue.com to check screening times and book online.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much do you listen to what your body is telling you, when it comes to hunger and eating? My guest on this episode really got me thinking about how little listening I do to my body vs how much listening I do when it's other people sharing opinions.

Jeanette Thompson-Wessen aka The Mindset Nutritionist is a nutritionist and intuitive eating coach and we discuss a lot, from diet culture and how we're all walking pound signs when it comes to the diet industry... to whether the ‘obesity crisis’ is an actual thing or is it just a way of stigmatising people.

Jeanette is also a mum of three so we cover how to talk to our kids about intuitive eating (and the temptation to sell them off when parenting feels too hectic!)

You're probably going to have a lot of thoughts on what Jeanette has to say - come over to Instagram to tell us what you think!

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!

Follow Jeanette on Instagram and check out her website The Mindset Nutritionist.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm joined on this episode by the queen of life hacks – Casey Major-Bunce aka Major Mum Hacks offers up amazing ways to make life easier to her 667k followers on Instagram.

She’s a mum of four (so definitely needs a few ways to simplify her life) and has created a whole brand around helping fellow parents out.

Casey talks to me about her life raising four kids – ages 13, 8 and 5-year-old twins – plus her IVF journey and difficult pregnancies. A gentle warning that this episode covers baby loss so listen with caution if you need to.

Follow Casey 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marvyn Harrison joins me on this episode. Dad of two and founder of Dope Black Dads which celebrates and supports its community of Black fathers.

Marvyn talks to me about the mental health wobble one Father's Day which prompted him to set up a WhatsApp group with some dad friends and how that snowballed into Dope Black Dads with a podcast, events and upcoming TV programme.

We also talk about his new campaign - along with the Dad Shift - to get better paternity rights for dads.

Follow him on Instagram, follow Dope Black Dads and see more about the Dad Shift 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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Dr Naomi Potter, a menopause specialist who co-authored the book Menopausing with Davina McCall.

Menopausing explains the science, debunks damaging myths, and smashes all of the taboos relating to perimenopause and menopause. There’s now a new edition of the book – fully updated to reflect the changes in the conversation around the menopause over the past few years.

I talk to Naomi about the impact of her book – and Davina – shining a light on the menopause, why it took so long for that change to happen and the changes that we still need in women's health.

Follow her on Instagram and buy the new version of the book.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a replay episode from 2022, when I chatted to the comedian and actor Ellie Taylor.

“Becoming a mother is both massive and profound… and at the same time mediocre and humdrum,” according to Ellie. And isn’t she bang on the money?

I chat to 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 Hart

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is another chance to listen to my chat with journalist, author and podcaster Lorraine Candy.

Lorraine is the mum to four kids 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 of teens.

She shares all sorts of wisdom on this episode, recorded in 2021, 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.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Candice Brathwaite is such an important voice in the motherhood sphere so this is a chance to revisit my conversation with her from 2020.

Double Sunday Times Bestselling author, podcaster, mum, step-mum, fashionista and top-notch content creator, Candice talks to me about the reality of being a Black mum in Britain.

Her critically-acclaimed memoir I Am Not Your Baby Mother had just been published when we spoke and since then she has gone onto write more books and be a huge part of the conversation about diversity and representation.

Follow her on Instagram and check out her books.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a replay episode from 2023, when I talked to the brilliant Suzy Reading.

Suzy is a chartered psychologist, yoga teacher, coach, mum of 2 and author - but most importantly she is a solidly good human.

Her Instagram posts are among my favourite and I always take the time to stop scrolling and read what she has to say.

She is also the author of a whole bunch of books including her latest one Selfcare For Winter.

Follow her on Instagram here and buy her books 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. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now.

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to a brand new series of the podcast - series 12!

I'm joined on this episode by a familiar face from breakfast TV - Dr Hilary Jones. A father of five and also a grandparent, Dr Hilary talks to me about what it's like to be a grandparent, his views on modern parenting and the screen time debate.

He also offers up some brilliant advice on protecting our families from flu and helpful explanations of why it's important to get the available NHS vaccinations.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you've got a teenager and you're right in the thick of smartphone and social media use, or you've got a younger child and worries about what's to come, this episode is an essential listen.

I'm joined on this episode by one of the nest known psychologists in the UK - Dr Linda Papadopoulos. I met Linda at an event held by Meta in November, where we learned all about Instagram Teen Accounts, and I asked her to join me as a guest.

As a psychologist and mum of a teenager, she is well placed to talk about the ins and outs of navigating smartphone use and social media. Expect LOTS of brilliant, helpful, take away points from her!

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guests today are Reena Hammer and Aaron Chatterley - founders of teen beauty brand Indu.

They talk to me about the teen and tween skincare boom which has seen young girls flock to buy large numbers of products - often aimed at adult skin.

We discuss which ingredients parents should be looking out for - and avoiding - on their teen's bathroom shelf but also, how much of it they think should be a brand's responsibility to discourage young buyers vs parents or even the government.

Aaron also explains how it was a conversation with his own teenage daughters which led him to launch Indu, a cool teen beauty brand with safe ingredients.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is someone who is my online go-to for parenting advice. Clinical Psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado shares wise, thoughtful, evidence-based views on her Instagram posts and she is the author of the brilliant book How To Be The Grown Up, which has just come out in paperback.

Dr Martha and I discuss what she has learned about herself since becoming a mum and how her kids have taught her new skills. We also cover how time-poor parents can navigate research and studies about parenting and children, knowing what to listen to and what to ignore.

Dr Martha talks a lot about emotional regulation, both teaching ourselves how to process our own feelings, and how to model to our kids and teach them how to regulate their emotions. A really hard one to do!

And we also discuss screen time, how it's not the enemy we're led to believe, why we shouldn't demonise smartphones and how to work out what a healthy screen and device relationship looks like within your family.

Follow Dr Martha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.martha.psychologist/

Buy her book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1787636887

This episode is brought to you by The Baby Show and I am really excited to share that Not Another Mummy Podcast is the Official Podcast Partner for The Baby Show Excel London 2025. It is from Friday 7th March to Sunday 9th March at Excel London, and I will be there on Saturday 8th March recording a LIVE podcast with the wonderful Louisa Lytton talking about everything motherhood. Tickets can be bought online at thebabyshow.co.uk/excel and if you pop in the code PTNAMPODCAST before Thursday 6th March at midnight, you’ll get your ticket for only £16 per person, saving £14 on-the-door!

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm joined on this episode by one of my FAVOURITE people on social media - and the telly box - Ashley James. Ashley is a mum of two and regularly appears on ITV's This Morning sharing her views on the topics of the day.

She is a kick-ass feminist and manages to keep calm in even the most frustrating of conversations so I was keen to chat to her about mum shaming and coping with feeling judged by other parents.

We also talk about mum guilt she feels over working so much, scrabbling around in the dressing up box on the morning of World Book Day (hard relate) and more.

Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleylouisejames/?hl=en-gb

Find out more about the MAM campaign: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHBffSwCR1d/?img_index=1

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a very special LIVE episode, recorded in front of an audience at The Baby Show at London's Excel. While new parents and parents to be rested their weary feet in between shopping for baby essentials from the biggest and best brands, they could also watch us on stage.

I was so thrilled to chat to Louisa Lytton - best known for playing Ruby Allen in EastEnders but who has also starred in The Bill, competed on Strictly Come Dancing, and she will soon to be playing Rachel Watson in the stage adaptation of The Girl on The Train. 

Louisa, who is mum to a three-year-old, chatted to me about how she balances work with motherhood, what her expectations of being a mum was compared to the reality, who she goes to for advice and what it's like being part of a British institution with EastEnders!

Big thanks to The Baby Show for making Not Another Mummy Podcast your official podcast partner for 2025. Tickets are now on sale for the next Baby Show at the Birmingham NEC from 9th to 11th May 2025.

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Quick note about this episode before I introduce it - the audio quality isn't up to the usual standard. I've done what I can to improve it, and hopefully it doesn't take away from the importance and brilliance of the conversation. That said...

My guest on this episode is the fantastic Emma Barnett. Emma is a presenter and journalist, currently on BBC Radio 4's Today programme and formerly presenter of Woman's Hour.

Emma joins me to discuss her new book Maternity Service: A Love Letter to Mothers from the Front Line of Maternity Leave which looks at what maternity leave is really like for millions of new mums.

Emma talks about her own experiences from her two 'tours of duty' and questions why it's called maternity leave which it involves no actual leave...

Buy Emma's book: https://amzn.eu/d/2KtDOkB

Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmabarnett/

Buy Emma's ace colouring books: https://colouryourstreets.co.uk

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 Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m joined on this special episode by two guests to discuss a topic that’s very much part of the national conversation right now - keeping teens safe online.

Valiant Richey is Global Head of Outreach and Partnerships, Trust and Safety at TikTok in Dublin and Dr Kirren Schnack is a clinical psychologist and author of Ten Times Calmer - Beat Anxiety and Change your Life and a content creator. Both are parents of teens and so really understand the need to keep teens safe online

We discuss how to help your teens develop healthy screen habits, what digital wellbeing is (and how healthy your own might be never mind your kids').

This episode is packed full of wise advice and loads of info about the new safety features rolled out by TikTok recently, making it easier for parents and teens to have conversations about staying safe online, with new ways for parents to understand how their teen is using TikTok, and understand if they’re coming across content they are concerned about.

For more information, head to the TikTok Safety Centre.

This podcast episode is sponsored by TikTok

Support 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 skirt

Deco sequin tee

Faux leather pencil skirt

Lurex rib wrap top

Napoleonic collar knit

Jackie embellished bow top

Flocked jade jeans

Zoë's outfit:

Mini scallop turtle neck

Scallop pocket skirt

Kitty ankle boot

Audio producer: Shola Aleje

Music: Epidemic Sound

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 Sound

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.