Child

Milk. However it comes its a vital source of life. India Rakusen explores it’s various forms and the history and politics that have shaped the way we view how we feed our babies.

The pressures around feeding our new-borns can be intensely difficult to navigate. India speaks to a new mum, Kerry, about her experience expressing and feeding in neonatal wards. She also finds out how milk is built from scientist Mary Fewtrell and talks to historian and author Joanna Wolfarth about the way milk has ruled motherhood, and how we can move forward.

Presented by India Rakusen

A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

The chemical and emotional connection between a parent and baby is really important but just how quickly are babies making emotional connections? India talks to MIT professor Rebecca Saxe about scanning babies brains to find the answers. Helen Jukes questions the ‘naturalness’ of the mother-baby bond and talks about the variety of relationships out in the natural world, and India talks to Paternal mental health expert Scott Mair about the important role of dads in the very early days of bonding.

Presented by: India Rakusen.

A Listen Production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

The baby is born and takes its first breath. But it’s not over. India examines how the body reacts and recovers in this first hour, how the placenta is born, and how bonding begins between parents and baby. And what if it doesn’t? It’s not always instant love, and that’s okay. India speaks to doula Leila Baker and former midwife Rachel Reed about building that enchantment a different way when the rush of hormones doesn’t have the expected effect. Midwife Leah Hazard describes the immediate aftercare and India asks Dr Alison Wright about how more personalised care could improve mothers experiences.

Produced and Presented by: India Rakusen.

A Listen Production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

The baby is almost here. In this episode, India Rakusen explores how the baby moves through the cervix into the birth canal to the moment the baby’s head starts to crown.

And through all of this, how is pain acknowledged and addressed? India looks at the history of pain relief - and finds out from historian Randi Hutter-Epstein about an extreme form called Twilight Sleep that gained popularity at the start of the 20th Century. She also speaks to research midwife Rachel Ibikunle about the horrific beliefs about pain for Black and Asian women, and to Siobhan Miller of the Positive Birth Company about how understanding our body can help manage pain.

Presented by India Rakusen

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4

With near-constant headlines of problems in our maternity services here in the UK, what does the word ‘trust’ mean today when it comes to birth, and what can we do to create more of it?

India Rakusen heads to her own hospital where she’s due to give birth to speak to the director of midwifery Shirley Peterson, Dr Sanem Atakan a consultant obstetrician and a doula Aimee Hamblin about the breakdown and rebuilding of trust.

Produced and Presented by India Rakusen

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4

Being in control and having a sense of choice can be the difference between a positive or negative birth experience, but how much choice do women really have?

India Rakusen speaks to Dr Anna Nelson about consent for cervical examinations and how muddy this area can be. Leah Hazard discusses what these examinations are for and how useful they can be, and we also hear from Dr Ihab Abassi about his decision to only perform gentle caesareans and the long lasting positive impact this can have on women.

Presented by India Rakusen

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4

Labour begins. The womb begins its grinding dance into contractions and the hormone Oxytocin steps onto the scene. In this episode, India Rakusen explores the influence that both people and the places we are in have over labour and birth.

Where we give birth, and with who, has changed quite dramatically over the centuries. But what do we know now about the significance of both? We hear from Dr Sarah Fox about the move from birth being a women-only space to the rise of man-midwives. Economist Emily Oster discusses the benefits of having a doula, and Leila Baker, one of the directors of Doula UK, talks about the rise in Doulas and what that means for marginalised groups, security and safety. Finally Dr Ranee Thakar considers how recent headlines have eroded trust - with consequences for oxytocin.

Presented by India Rakusen

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4

At the end of a pregnancy, a lot is going on. The baby might be descending and moving into place, and the pregnant body is changing every day. It’s the baby’s time to arrive and it’s going to happen, one way or another. But what is a due date?

India speaks to Holly Dunsworth, a biological anthropologist who’s challenging the obstetrical dilemma. Exploring the idea of why the due dates exist, India looks at the inaccuracies of how they are measured whilst questioning - how does labour begin? Midwife and author Leah Hazard provides insights into what we do know, and the possible influence of full moons.

Presented by India Rakusen.

A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

How can we truly plan for something as big and unknowable as birth? What are we forgetting to prepare for - or not being told? India Rakusen talks to obstetrician and gynecologist Dr Ranee Thakar about tearing during birth, and to Siobhan Miller, founder of the Positive Birth Company, about hypnobirthing.

Presented by India Rakusen.

A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

The huge changes that occur during pregnancy have been felt by people for millennia, but it's only in recent years that we've had data to back those feelings up. India Rakusen talks to Herman Potzner about just how energetically taxing pregnancy is, and to Elseline Hoeksma about the changes in the maternal brain.

Presented by India Rakusen.

A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.