Breaking the Taboo with Theo Clarke

Trigger warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide.

This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by Laura Kyrke-Smith MP, the Labour Member of Parliament for Aylesbury, and Nigel Middlemiss, her late friend Sophie’s father, to discuss maternal suicide, the devastating impact on families, and the urgent need for better perinatal mental health support in the UK.

Laura has been campaigning for improved awareness, assessment and support for perinatal mental health following the tragic loss of her close friend Sophie, who died by suicide ten weeks after the birth of her third child. Laura recently introduced a Private Members’ Bill to Parliament, which called for every pregnant woman to receive a structured mental health assessment as part of routine antenatal care - legislation often referred to as Sophie’s Law. In this episode, Sophie’s father Nigel also speaks movingly about his daughter, the impact of her death on their family, and his determination to support Laura’s Bill to help prevent other families from experiencing the same devastation.

Topics that we discuss on the show include: asking the right questions of new mothers who may be feeling suicidal; identifying danger signals and risk factors for maternal suicide; why many women struggle to admit they are not coping; challenges around breastfeeding and anxiety; gaps in postnatal GP support and follow-up appointments; bereavement counselling for families; the impact on other children; and what families, clinicians and policymakers can do to help prevent maternal suicide.

BIOGRAPHIES

Laura Kyrke-Smith MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Aylesbury. She serves as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Prior to entering Parliament, Laura was the UK Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee, worked in the Foreign Office under the last Labour Government. Her advocacy on perinatal mental health is deeply personal, shaped by the loss of her friend Sophie, and she is leading parliamentary efforts to improve mental health assessment and support for pregnant and postnatal women.

Nigel Middlemiss is a former teacher of English with the British Council overseas, a textbook author with Oxford University Press, former editor at the British Nuclear Forum and director at Echo Research. Following the death of his daughter Sophie, Nigel has become a passionate advocate for improved perinatal mental health care and for backing Laura Kyrke-Smith MP’s Bill to prevent further loss of life.

MBRRACE Report: Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care 2025 - Lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity 2021-23 | MBRRACE-UK | NPEU

Sands briefing on Maternal Mental Health (2025): Briefing from Sands - Westminster Hall Debate on Maternal Mental Health 05.02.25.pdf

MMHA: Home | Maternal Mental Health Alliance

PANDAS: pandasfoundation.org.uk

Perinatal Mental Health Assessment Bill:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/guest_posts/5431502-guest-post-why-every-pregnant-and-new-mum-deserves-mental-health-support-my-bill-for-change

This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell.

DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.

www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast

Breaking The Taboo production team

Producer: Natasha Feroze

Researchers: Max Austin

Designer: Emily Ryder

Social Media: Bella Carter

Studio Manager: Adam Woodward

Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club

This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by Auriana Griffiths, Partner and Head of the Medical Negligence Department at Irwin Mitchell’s London office, and Julianne Boutaleb, Consultant Perinatal Psychologist and Director of the Parenthood In Mind practice, to discuss avoiding family breakdown after birth trauma.

Topics that we discuss on the show include: how birth trauma impacts couples’ relationships; bonding difficulties following birth injuries; the impact on wider family and siblings; importance of communication; impact of traumatic birth on physical intimacy; how dads and partners experience trauma as “forgotten fathers”; what parents can do to support themselves and each other; the impact of returning to work with financial/medical pressures; consequences of medical negligence; mental health support, early intervention and available UK resources; and examples of families who have positively worked through birth trauma.

BIOGRAPHIES

Auriana Griffiths is a highly experienced Partner and Head of the Medical Negligence Department at Irwin Mitchell’s London office. Auriana specialises in high-value clinical negligence cases, with a particular focus on obstetric incidents resulting in brain injuries, paediatric brain injury, wrongful birth claims, maternal injuries and spinal injuries. Renowned for her strategic litigation and relentless client advocacy, she prioritises early liability decisions to secure essential interim payments for therapy, care and equipment, making a transformative difference in the lives of affected clients and their families. Auriana is recognised in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 in the top ranks of clinical negligence specialists.

https://www.irwinmitchell.com/our-people/auriana-griffiths

Julianne Boutaleb is the Clinical Director and Founder of the Parenthood In Mind practice and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. She is a passionate and highly experienced perinatal psychologist who has worked for over 23 years in the NHS and private practice with parents and parents-to-be and their babies (and bumps) who have needed support with a wide variety of perinatal mental health issues during and after pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth and reproductive loss, attachment issues, re-emergence of childhood issues and couples issues.

Instagram: @parenthoodinmind

Birth Trauma Association:

https://www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk/

This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell.

DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.

www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast

Breaking The Taboo production team

Producer: Natasha Feroze

Researchers: Max Austin and Elliott Malik

Designer: Emily RyderSocial Media: Bella Carter

Studio Manager: Adam Woodward

Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club

This week our host, Theo Clarke, former MP and Chair of the UK Birth Trauma Inquiry, is joined by Shaun Lintern, Health Editor of The Sunday Times, to discuss their recent investigation into failings in maternity care and the role that natural birth ideology plays. Despite a litany of scandals, universities are still pushing ‘normal birth’ over medical interventions.

Topics that we discuss on the show include: how natural or ‘normal’ birth ideology continues to shape university midwifery training; the impact this has on clinical practice and patient safety; the wider implications for maternity services, safety culture, and public trust; and how the newspaper’s investigation has prompted the regulator to act.

BIOGRAPHY

Shaun Lintern is Health Editor of The Sunday Times. An investigative health journalist for more than a decade, he has helped expose some of the worst scandals in NHS history, including the Shropshire and Telford maternity disaster and poor care at the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust and subsequent public inquiry. He was health correspondent for The Independent and previously bureau chief for the Health Service Journal.

Theo Clarke (Host) was the Member of Parliament for Stafford. She chaired the first parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma in British history and previously set up the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Birth Trauma in the House of Commons. Theo has served as parliamentary private secretary at the Departments for Education, Business and Trade and HM Treasury, in addition to being trade envoy for the Prime Minister. She won Speech of the Year at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards and was included in the prestigious Top 100 Women in Westminster list in 2025 and 2024. Theo hosts the hit podcast ‘Breaking the Taboo’ which ranks in the Top 5 most listened to shows in the UK for alternative health and a book club at ‘A Thread of One’s Own’. She has also published a memoir ‘Breaking the Taboo: why we need to talk about birth trauma‘. Don’t suffer in silence! Listen in and let’s break the final taboo in women’s health #breakingthetaboo.

Read the full article:https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/midwife-maternity-university-education-natural-births-investigation-2dbg80l0cX / Twitter: @ShaunLintern @theoclarkemp

This podcast is sponsored by the Global Birth Trauma Alliance.

DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.

Website:www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast

Breaking The Taboo production team:

Producer: Natasha Feroze

Researchers: Max Austin and Elliott Malik

Designer: Emily Ryder

Social Media: Bella Carter

Studio Manager: Adam Woodward

Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club

This week our host Theo Clarke, former MP and Chair of the UK Birth Trauma Inquiry, is joined by Dr Kim Thomas, CEO of the Birth Trauma Association to answer listener questions on birth trauma. They share information for expectant mothers and families who’ve experienced a traumatic birth, including recovery from mental and physical health issues after childbirth, and provide some practical advice to help affected families.Topics that we discuss on the show include: dealing with postnatal PTSD; available therapies for new mothers; advocacy during birth and after; advice for partners or families who’ve witnessed traumatic births; how to access birth debriefs; requesting a planned caesarean; the importance of self-care and creative practices; and where to find support for pregnant and new mothers on birth and complications.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr Kim Thomas is CEO of the Birth Trauma Association, a charity that supports parents experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder after birth. She was also the secretariat for the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) inquiry into birth trauma, and wrote the inquiry report, published in May 2024. She has published two books about birth trauma: Birth Trauma: A Guide for You, Your Friends and Family to Coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Following Birth; and Postnatal PTSD: a Guide for Health Professionals. Her book Broadmoor Women looked at the lives of women committed to Broadmoor in the nineteenth century. She also worked as a freelance journalist for more than 20 years, writing for national newspapers and magazines, with a specialist focus on health and medicine.

Birth Trauma Association:

https://www.birthtraumaassociation.org/

Theo Clarke was the Member of Parliament for Stafford. She chaired the first parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma in British history and previously set up the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Birth Trauma in the House of Commons. Theo has served as parliamentary private secretary at the Departments for Education, Business and Trade and HM Treasury, in addition to being trade envoy for the Prime Minister. She won Speech of the Year at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards and was included in the prestigious Top 100 Women in Westminster list in 2025 and 2024. Theo hosts the hit podcast ‘Breaking the Taboo’ which ranks in the Top 5 most listened to shows in the UK for alternative health and a book club at ‘A Thread of One’s Own’. She has also published a memoir ‘Breaking the Taboo: why we need to talk about birth trauma‘. Don’t suffer in silence! Listen in and let’s break the final taboo in women’s health #breakingthetaboo.

This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell.

DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.

Instagram: @Theoclarkemp @birthtrauma

Website: www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast

Breaking The Taboo production team:

Producer: Natasha Feroze

Researchers: Max Austin and Elliott Malik

Designer: Emily Ryder

Social Media: Bella Carter

Studio Manager: Adam Woodward

Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club

This week our host, former MP and Chair of the UK Birth Trauma Inquiry in Parliament, Theo Clarke, is joined by Hannah Barnes, Investigations Editor at the New Statesman, to discuss their special investigation: “Britain’s Next Maternity Scandal?” – an in-depth look at the rising concerns around safety, staffing, and accountability across maternity services at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Topics that we discuss on the show include: the shocking findings from the New Statesman and Channel 4 recent investigation into the state of maternity care in Oxford; why maternity safety is once again under scrutiny; how repeated warnings are being ignored across the NHS; how the voices of families affected by preventable tragedies are not being listened to; what systemic issues are driving failures in care; and how the Government needs to take urgent action to improve maternity care.

Hannah Barnes is the Investigations Editor at the New Statesman. She previously worked at the BBC. She is an award-winning journalist and author of Time to Think: The Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock’s Gender Service for Children (Swift) – a Sunday Times Bestseller and shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford and Orwell prizes.

📖 Read the full investigation: Britain’s Next Maternity Scandal? – New Statesman🎥 Watch Channel 4 News – Part 1: YouTube🎥 Watch Channel 4 News – Part 2: YouTube

This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell.

DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.

Instagram / TikTok: @newstatesman X / Twitter: @hannahsbee

@Theoclarkemp

Website:www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast

Breaking The Taboo production team:

Producer: Natasha Feroze

Researchers: Max Austin and Elliott Malik

Designer: Emily Ryder

Social Media: Bella Carter

Studio Manager: Adam Woodward

Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club

This week our host and former MP, Theo Clarke, is joined by Shauna Leven, Chief Executive of Twins Trust, and Tia Brown, mother of twins, to discuss twins, multiples, IVF and fertility treatment, and birth trauma.

Topics that we discuss on the show include: the emotional and physical trauma of a high-risk twin pregnancy; challenges faced by families with multiples; ensuring the right care during a multiples pregnancy and birth; the work of the Twins Trust; advice on preparation for parenthood; campaigning to make sure families’ voices are heard; premature ovarian insufficiency; the process of IVF and egg donor conception and expense.Shauna Leven has worked in senior management roles in the charity sector for more than 10 years. She is also a human rights lawyer, a successful campaigner and strategist, but her most important role is mum to boy/girl twins.

Tia Brown is a mother of boy/girl twins, Maliyah and Kawhi, who were born in January 2022. Tia was diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency when she was just 29 and underwent a tough IVF battle, spending around £40,000, to become a mother through egg donor conception. She now shares her story on her social media @life_with_the_brown_family to help raise awareness around the issues about early menopause.

Theo Clarke was the Member of Parliament for Stafford in the UK. She chaired the first parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma in British history and previously set up the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Birth Trauma in the House of Commons. She won Speech of the Year at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards and was included in the prestigious Top 100 Women in Westminster list in 2025 and 2024. Theo hosts the hit podcast ‘Breaking the Taboo’ which ranks in the Top 5 most listened to shows in the UK for alternative health. She has also published a bestselling memoir ‘Breaking the Taboo: why we need to talk about birth trauma’. This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell.DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.Connect with Twins Trust:www.twinstrust.orgX / Twitter: @twinstrustWebsite:www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast

@theoclarkemp Breaking The Taboo production team:Producer: Natasha FerozeResearchers: Max Austin and Elliott MalikDesigner: Emily RyderSocial Media: Bella CarterStudio Manager: Adam WoodwardStudio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power ClubThis is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

This week our host, former MP and bestselling author Theo Clarke, is joined by Meg Murray Jones, founder of Postpartum Plan, and Zara Kadir, Child, Adolescent, Adult & Family Psychotherapist and founder of The Therapy Shed, to discuss intrusive thoughts, recovery and parenting after birth trauma.

Topics that we discuss on the show include: why intrusive thoughts happen; what’s normal and what might be a sign that the body is stuck in trauma; the physical impact of intrusive thoughts; regulating your emotions as a parent; boundaries with your thoughts and your children; the role of shame and silence; and practical ways to support recovery, including breath and body work, compassion, and therapy.

Biographies

Meg is a reflexologist, breath-work practitioner and mum of three. Her first traumatic birth in 2016 led her to create Postpartum Plan to support new parents with their emotional and physical recovery postpartum. The foundation of her work is to raise awareness of the postpartum period and parents’ nervous system health after birth through corporate employee benefit inclusion, HR training and employee coaching.

Zara Kadir is a Child, Adolescent, Adult & Family Psychotherapist and the founder of The Therapy Shed - a space dedicated to helping families understand emotions, strengthen relationships and find calm in the chaos of modern parenting. With two MAs in Psychotherapy and years of clinical experience, Zara blends evidence-based practice with real-life parenting insight. She shares compassionate, down-to-earth guidance with her growing online community, helping parents and children feel seen, supported and understood.

Resources:www.the-therapy-shed.co.ukwww.postpartumplan.co.uk

Instagram: @postpartumplan

Instagram: @the.therapy.shed

This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell.

DISCLAIMER:This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.

Website:www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast@theoclarkemp

Breaking The Taboo production team:Producer: Natasha FerozeResearchers: Max Austin and Elliott MalikDesigner: Emily RyderSocial Media: Bella CarterStudio Manager: Adam WoodwardStudio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by Abbie Harris, Education and Operations Manager at Action on Pre-eclampsia, and Professor Andrew Shennan, Professor of Maternal and Fetal Health at King’s College London, to discuss pre-eclampsia in pregnancy.

Topics that we discuss on the show include: signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia; who gets pre-eclampsia and what it means for that mother and her baby; how women can reduce their risk; what checks are needed to pick it up; advances in understanding and management; neonatal experience; pregnancy after loss; and where to find help and support.

Biographies:

Abbie Harris

Abbie is the Education and Operations Manager at Action on Pre-eclampsia, where she also serves as the primary contact for helpline calls and as the organisation’s designated mental health first aider. She has been a part of the charity since 2022.

In 2017 Abbie developed severe pre-eclampsia and gave birth to her son, Jude, prematurely at 24 weeks and 5 days. Jude survived for 32 days in neonatal care. This heartbreaking experience has fuelled Abbie’s passion for raising awareness of pre-eclampsia, advocating for better support for families affected by it, and contributing to the search for a cure.

She is also a devoted mum to her vibrant six-year-old daughter, Thea, and her cocker spaniel, Maxy. Outside of work, Abbie finds strength in time with family and staying active at the gym.

Instagram: @apec_uk | @harrishome8

Professor Andrew Shennan OBE

Andrew Shennan is Professor of Maternal and Fetal Health and Head of Department, Women’s and Children’s, at King’s College London. He is based at St. Thomas’ Hospital. He is chairman of the charity Action on Pre-eclampsia and founder of APEC International. He is a passionate educator.

His research interests include interventions to predict and prevent preterm birth and pre-eclampsia, and he specialises in innovations to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality, especially in low and middle income settings. He advises the House of Lords, NHS England, FIGO and the WHO. His global research into reducing mother and baby deaths is based throughout Africa, India and South America.

He was awarded an OBE for services to maternity care and is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Science.

X / Twitter: @OBSevidence

Resources:

www.action-on-pre-eclampsia.org.uk

This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell.

DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.

Website:

www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast

@theoclarkemp

Breaking The Taboo production team:

Producer: Natasha Feroze

Researchers: Max Austin and Elliott Malik

Designer: Emily Ryder

Social Media: Bella Carter

Studio Manager: Adam Woodward

Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

‘BREAKING THE TABOO’ - THE INSTANT BESTSELLER

MY BOOK IS OUT NOW, ORDER HERE

This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by Charlotte Howden, CEO of Pregnancy Sickness Support (PSS) and Afshan Azad, former Harry Potter actress and Ambassador for PSS, to discuss Hyperemesis Gravidarum - a severe and debilitating condition affecting women during pregnancy.

Topics that we discuss on the show include: what Hyperemesis Gravidarum is; symptoms of extreme morning sickness; the physical and mental challenges it presents during pregnancy; available support for severe nausea and vomiting; the impact on family life; and how it can affect future pregnancies.

Biographies:

Charlotte Howden

Charlotte Howden has been a campaigner and Trustee for Pregnancy Sickness Support (PSS) since 2018 and is well known for presenting and producing the world’s first documentary about Hyperemesis called Sick – The Battle Against HG. Charlotte joined the charity as CEO in August 2023 and is passionate about building on the legacy of previous leaders to further the charity’s impact. Charlotte brings deep professional expertise alongside personal experience as a sufferer of HG. She is determined to develop the charity further and continue helping sufferers with both the physical and mental aspects of this condition.

Afshan Azad

Afshan Azad is a British actress and public figure best known for her role as Padma Patil in the Harry Potter film series. Beyond her career in the entertainment industry, Afshan is also a proud mother of two girls and serves as an Ambassador for Pregnancy Sickness Support. She shares her story to raise awareness of the realities of HG and to support others experiencing it. Through her advocacy, she hopes to break the silence around severe hyperemesis and ensure more women feel seen, heard, and supported.

Don’t suffer in silence! Listen in and let’s break the final taboo in women’s health #breakingthetaboo.

Instagram: @afshanazad @pregnancysicknesssupport

Resources:

www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

The Hyperemesis Files podcast

Sick: The Battle Against HG documentary

This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell.

DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.

Website:

www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast

@theoclarkemp

Breaking The Taboo production team:

Producer: Natasha Feroze

Researchers: Max Austin and Elliott Malik

Designer: Emily Ryder

Social Media: Bella Carter

Studio Manager: Adam Woodward

Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by Karen Burgess, CEO and Founder of Petals, The Baby Loss Counselling Charity, and Molly Hunter, lawyer and mother of three, to discuss miscarriage and birth trauma.

Topics that we discuss on the show include: meaning and stigma attached to the term ‘miscarriage’; the psychological impact of pregnancy loss and the trauma it brings; the overlooked experiences of fathers and partners; how pregnancy loss can affect relationships and intimacy; psychological support and implications for families and society; the emotional and physical toll of recurrent miscarriage; the lack of understanding and research around causes and treatment; and the challenges of navigating pregnancy after recurrent loss.

Biographies:

Karen Burgess is the CEO and Founder of Petals, The Baby Loss Counselling Charity.Karen has been a practising counsellor for 25 years. In 2009, Karen established and ran a counselling service within the Rosie Maternity Hospital at Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge. When budget cuts forced the closure of the service in 2011, Karen was determined that this invaluable support should not be lost to bereaved parents and Petals Charity was formed. From its formation in 2011, Karen has grown Petals into a national charity that delivers a free counselling service with a unique and effective approach that provides a safe space for devastated lives to recover.

Molly Hunter is a wife and a mother to three children, a boy aged 8 and two girls aged 2 and 8 months. She is also a lawyer at the law firm Mishcon de Reya. Between the births of her first and second children, Molly had four miscarriages.

This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell.

DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.

Connect with Petals, The Baby Loss Counselling Charity:www.petalscharity.orgX / T

witter: @petalscharity

Website:www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast

Breaking The Taboo production team:

Producer: Natasha Feroze

Researchers: Max Austin and Elliott Malik

Designer: Emily Ryder

Social Media: Bella Carter

Studio Manager: Adam Woodward

Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com