Happy Mum

This week, Giovanna sits down with singer, presenter and all-round ray of sunshine Mollie King !Mollie chats to Gi about life with her two young daughters, the realities of motherhood (no sleep), and her exciting new venture into podcasting.She also opens up about navigating her father’s terminal illness while preparing to welcome her first baby.Don’t forget to check out Novel Idea — Mollie’s brilliant new podcast with Matt Edmondson!If you’re loving the conversations on the podcast, make sure you subscribe to our brand new Substack!

Trigger warning: this episode contains descriptions related to childbirth that may be distressing or upsetting to some listeners.Purpose isn't always comfortable. Sometimes it takes you somewhere extraordinary.This week we delve into the inspiring stories of two midwives whose paths were shaped by a pull they simply couldn't ignore.If you’re interested in being part of the next series of Life of a Midwife, we’d love to hear from you — just drop us an email midwives@pixiu.co.ukLinks from our midwives:Donate to Médecins Sans FrontièresBabySZN™ is a platform built to help women train specifically for fertility, pregnancy from a birthdual-qualified midwife and performance trainerFrontline Midwife by Anna Kent

TRIGGER WARNING: this episode contains some difficult conversations, including discussions around suicidal thoughts. We know this can be a lot to take in, so please do take care of yourself while listening and know that it's completely okay to step away and come back when you're ready 💛May is Maternal Mental Health Month, a reminder that keeping the difficult conversations going matters more than ever.Our guest this week you'll know from iconic films and tv shows such as Fresh Meat, Wild Child, and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. But after the birth of her son, Kimberley Nixon found herself in some of the darkest days of her life.Kimberley opens up to Giovanna about experiencing dark and intrusive thoughts, being diagnosed with postpartum OCD, and why she felt it was so important to share her story.Kimberley's brilliant new book She Seems Fine To Me is out now.

What does it feel like to hold a life for the first time?In this episode of Life of a Midwife, three midwives tell us what it feels like to catch a baby!If you’re interested in being part of the next series of Life of a Midwife, we’d love to hear from you — just drop us an email midwives@pixiu.co.ukLinks from our midwives:BabySZN™ is a platform built to help women train specifically for fertility, pregnancy from a birthdual-qualified midwife and performance trainer

Over the past nine years, Happy Mum Happy Baby has evolved — and so has our mission! Increasingly, our conversations have centred on mums themselves: their mental health, wellbeing, relationships, and identity. Because when a mum feels supported, seen, and heard, everything else can flourish. So... welcome to the era of Happy Mum !And joining us to start this exciting new chapter is the gorgeous Lydia West. You’ll know Lydia from It’s a Sin, Years and Years, and Big Mood, but what you may not know is that she welcomed TWO babies between filming seasons one and two of Big Mood!For the first time, Lydia opens up about her pregnancies and births, sharing her experience of severe hyperemesis, as well as the challenges she faced with bonding and feeding.She and Gi also discuss her returning to work just eight weeks postpartum, the importance of supported childcare on set, and learning to loosen the reins amid the chaos of toddler life!Big Mood series two is now streaming on Channel 4

To celebrate the international day of the midwife we’ve got something very special for you — the very first episode of our brand-new miniseries!Every Thursday, we’ll be sharing powerful stories from midwives, past and present, as they reflect on the moments that have shaped their lives and careers.In this first episode, we'll trace the moments two women were pulled into midwifery.We’ll return to our regular guest episodes next Tuesday xxIf you’re interested in being part of the Life of a Midwife series, we’d love to hear from you — just drop us an email midwives@pixiu.co.ukLinks from our midwives:Little Light Support offers independent, trauma-informed birth debriefs for women and families — particularly those who’ve had complex, confusing or difficult experiencesPetition · Make birth safer: protect midwives' working hours - United Kingdom · Change.orgHard Pushed: A Midwife's Story and Womb: The Inside Story of Where We All Began

We’ve got a special delivery coming your way… a brand-new miniseries! Life of a Midwife brings you raw, honest, and deeply personal stories from midwives — past and present — as they share the moments that shaped not just their careers, but their lives.Our first episode drops on Tuesday 5th May, perfectly timed to celebrate International Day of the Midwife! And new episodes delivered every Thursday after that.So join us as we honour the voices behind some of life's most extraordinary moments 💜

This week Giovanna sits down with creator and OG YouTuber Hannah Witton!Hannah opens up about navigating motherhood while living with long-term chronic illness.She also shares her journey with secondary infertility and the emotional challenges of coping with other people’s pregnancy announcements.

Catherine Simpson thought she was failing as a mother throughout the first 10 years of her daughter Nina's life. After a decade of misdiagnosis, blame, and searching for answers, she finally discovered the truth: Nina is autistic.In this episode of Happy Mum Happy Baby, Catherine sits down with Giovanna for a conversation about the journey to getting Nina—now 31—her diagnosis.This episode is all about letting go of perfection, and learning to navigate a world not built for autistic children.Catherine’s memoir, Hold Fast: Motherhood, My Autistic Daughter and Me, is available now.