Direct from quarantine in Australia, Felicity Ward returns to the podcast to share her 8 ½ months experience as a mum with new parents Hannah and Carl. They all agree that women, single parents and breastfeeding are mind-blowing, and cover a wide range of topics from postnatal depression to pink noise, colic, breastfeeding troubles and how much they love hand-me-downs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Back to pregnancy. Yay! Irish comedian Julie Jay is 31 weeks pregnant so Hannah and Carl thought it was only right to share their expertise with her (even if she was expecting to talk to a man called Keith) This episode includes previously untouched pregnancy related topics such as Gestational Diabetes, potato salad sandwiches, handwritten birth plans and baby-parent matching outfits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s Week 39, but it isn’t really. Also known as the Fourth Trimester, Hannah and Carl are on the steep learning curve that is actually taking care of a newborn baby. In this episode they chat through the post-pregnancy topics that are governing their lives right now – mainly boobs, poo, farts and wee. And sleep. And crying. And all the TV shows they can’t watch any more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Well. Week 38. There’s been a full moon and plans in place for a “not a baby shower” Zoom party taking place across three time zones. Hannah hasn’t completed her birth plan, thought about what she might wear to the hospital or how they will actually get there once her labour begins BUT it’s too late, guys! Because this episode includes our birth story, and the very special guest is our baby girl, Twyla. It’s happened. We’ve got a baby!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s Week 37, and although sounding a little bit delirious, Hannah and Carl feel like they are ready for the ever nearing arrival of their baby. They’ve got a first aid kit, have been doing their own “studies”, Hannah’s made attempts at colostrum harvesting and perennial massage, and their biggest, self-discovered tip this week is to buy yourself a doll. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s our Birth Partner Special! Carl takes the lead at the 36 week mark to chat to “Best Birth Partner Ever” – comedian Josh Howie. Father of 5 children, Josh compares the birth partner role to pit stops and shares his top tips for the birth room which include straws, massage oil, an old ipod and not blowing up the birth ball too soon if you bring your own… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Comedian Josie Long and her partner Jonny made a podcast a couple of years ago when they were expecting their baby – “Josie And Jonny Are Having A Baby (With You!)”. Recorded in the final weeks of Josie’s pregnancy, she went in to labour the day after they finished at the studio. Now at 35 weeks, Hannah’s not in labour yet and in this episode we chat with Josie about hypnobirthing, progesterone, night nurses and getting high on gas and air. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hannah and Carl have found themselves a new guru! It’s week 34, the baby is getting ever closer and this wonderful conversation with “broody person” Viv Groskop has got them feeling fine. Over the years Viv has researched, interviewed and written extensively about pregnancy and birth, and graciously shares her wisdom in this episode - along with stories of her three labours (4 hours, 1 hour & 40 minutes), confusing birth with food poisoning and 42-week pregnancies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Now self-proclaimed childbirth and parenting experts* after this week’s antenatal classes, Hannah and Carl cover their new understanding of the stages of labour, pain relief options, what baby bits they can put in the bin, and love using their new buzzwords - responsive parenting and secure attachment. *definitely still not experts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With a glass of 0% alcohol champagne, Hannah and Carl reflect on what they have learned throughout the 32 weeks of Hannah’s pregnancy from the books they’ve been reading and the wisdom of podcast guests, how their ideas might have changed and how comparing the size of the growing baby to fruits and vegetables just doesn’t work any more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Still working out life in lockdown, and 31 weeks pregnant, Hannah and Carl talk to Hatty Ashdown over Zoom. Now in the zone of really preparing for the baby, Hatty has loads of tips and recommendations, as well as plenty of breastfeeding chat, warnings about ruining your favourite songs by having them on your birth playlist and pregnant women being treated like public property. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s our first long distance lockdown episode! Guest Katie Mulgrew is in Manchester with her 4-week old baby, while Hannah & Carl are in London and 10 weeks away from the birth of theirs – it’s a postnatal and prenatal pandemic extravaganza!! Big chats about induction, babies in welding masks, amazing midwives, the reality of everything getting cancelled and wondering how our babies might be affected by social distancing… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
At Week 29 of Hannah’s pregnancy, it’s the 16th day of staying at home and the isolation has got Hannah feeling a bit sad. She’s been reading a lot but would prefer to be daytime drinking (like so many of her non-pregnant compadres). It’s not all bad though as she has been getting her boobs out in the sun, noticed how tiny her belly button is and been doing some major pram cleaning with Carl. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hannah and Carl have made it back to London and are now in lockdown! They talk through their exodus from Australia, how Coronavirus is already affecting their UK healthcare and baby plans, the 28-week scan they had prior to leaving Melbourne and the horrors of 3D ultrasound imaging. Oh, and nipple scouring. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hannah and Dana have been best friends since they were 12. Both actors, they have lived all sorts of parallel experiences but Dana’s pregnancy couldn’t be more different to Hannah’s (besides potentially the apocalyptic vibe that Hannah may soon be faced with in lockdown!). From spooky stories involving a French woman and a snake when Dana discovered she was pregnant to car park cannulas, 5-hour drives to the nearest hospital and producing enough milk for 4 babies – strap in for this Week 27 episode set mostly in outback, remote Australia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
While in Melbourne and facing the realisation that the global pandemic might be changing their birth plans, 26-week pregnant Hannah and Carl caught up with new mum, Laura Dunemann. Laura’s baby boy and birth story are only 6 weeks old – so the details are graphic (warning!) but very funny. As are her stories of finding a suitable grandfather name for her dad, what Granny has been hoarding in her shed and the stigma around being a pregnant bride. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
At 25 weeks pregnant, Hannah and Carl have made it to Australia but Hannah has come down with a cold post-long-haul flight and coronavirus is just starting to become a buzzword/epidemic. Inspired and full of facts from the home birth info session she attended, they also manage to discuss baby clothes, placenta rituals and the realisation they’ve had no doctors’ appointments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our guest this week is a proper expert for all sorts of reasons… Monique Howie is a Child Psychotherapist and she also has the most children out of anyone we know (5. She has 5 kids). At 24 weeks pregnant, Hannah has had yet another scan and we talk to Monique about how different pregnancies and babies can be, aggressive shooshing techniques, baby name themes and how to be the most amazing birth partner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sarah Niles is a brilliant British film, tv & stage actor and even though it's a few years since was pregnant, she still has plenty of advice for 23-week pregnant Hannah... mainly “do the pelvic floor exercises!” We also chat post-natal depression, the fact that having a caesarean is actually surgery and “push presents”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With no one else to talk to this week, Hannah and Carl get into a bit of deep chat. Now 22 weeks into the pregnancy, they’re still discovering that they don’t know anything and discuss ideas about parenting from their own experiences and the sort of parents they think they’d like to be… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.