This week, I’m joined by the incredible Maëla, a mother and midwife whose journey has been filled with courage, heartbreak, and hope. Maëla opens up about her path to motherhood, sharing her experiences of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and a termination for medical reasons (TFMR).

She speaks candidly about the shame and judgement that too often surrounds TFMR, and how finding her voice helped her begin to heal. We also talk about her rainbow baby, a birth that took an unexpected and terrifying turn when doctors believed she had died and began a perimortem C-section.

This conversation is raw, powerful, and deeply moving. Maëla reminds us that there is strength in vulnerability, and that by sharing our stories, we create space for others to do the same.

This episode honours both the fragility and the resilience of motherhood.

So please join us

In this episode, I’m joined by the incredible Mars Lord, a highly sought-after life coach and birth activist. Mars is a triple award-winning doula, mentor, educator, and coach, known for her powerful voice in birth equity and her unwavering commitment to supporting families and professionals alike.

We talk about her inspiring journey, from becoming a doula to leading change as an activist and she opens up about the deeply moving experience of supporting a dear friend through a stillbirth. Mars shares this story with such honesty, grace, and compassion that it’s impossible not to be touched.

This conversation is heartfelt, powerful, and full of wisdom. It’s about love, loss, and the strength that comes from showing up for one another, even in the most difficult moments.

So please join us.

If you’re not following Mars then you need to start now.

marslord.co.uk

https://www.instagram.com/_marslord?igsh=MWVxajNscDhudnYxOQ==

https://www.instagram.com/abueladoulas?igsh=MThqdzAwcWNwcG01Ng==

This week you will hear Andrea’s story. Andrea lives in the America and is a paediatrician who specialises in child abuse, a profession that speaks to her lifelong commitment to protecting children. Yet, when it came to her own journey into motherhood, Andrea faced challenges that few could have imagined. Years of infertility issues, countless rounds of IVF, heartbreaking miscarriages, and failed implants eventually led her to gestational surrogacy, first for her twins, and later for her third son. Much of this journey was carried in silence, as Andrea shielded herself from the pain of having to share difficult news over and over again. When her long-awaited children finally came home, Andrea’s dreams were realised, but so too came the weight of everything she had endured. The impact on her emotional wellbeing was profound. With time, therapy, and reflection, she chose to break her silence, not only for herself but also for her children. Although she has always been open with her sons about how they came into the world, it was the assumptions and comments from others that compelled Andrea to raise her voice publicly. Her book, “Every Family is a Tree”, is a beautiful celebration of the many different ways families are formed, and a tender resource for parents who want to begin those important conversations with their children. This is one of the first times Andrea has spoken openly about her journey. It is unique, yet far more common than many people realise. I am deeply grateful to her for joining me on this episode and for trusting this space to share her truth. This is a conversation you will not want to miss. So please join us

To find out more about Andrea’s book please visit

https://www.andreaali-panzarella.com/

This week you will hear Emily’s story.

Emily was told she would never have children naturally and yet, against the odds, she fell pregnant unexpectedly. She was shocked, nervous, and full of mixed emotions and if she’s honest, terrified, But her nerves soon turned into joy when she gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

Just six months later, Emily found herself pregnant again, but this time, her joy was cut short when she experienced a missed miscarriage. A heartbreak that was made even harder by the lack of care and compassion she faced in A&E.

In this episode, Emily opens up about the whirlwind of emotions, the hidden trauma, and why she’s determined to speak out, not just for herself, but for partners who are too often left out of the conversation. She also shares why it’s so important that we keep talking about these experiences, no matter how difficult they are to hear.

This is a story about hope, heartbreak, and the courage to speak out and I’m honoured to share it with you.

So please join us

This week you will hear Chris’s story! A father, husband, musician, and brave storyteller. Chris shares his deeply personal journey of loss, love, and healing, after the heartbreaking loss of his twins and supporting his wife through an early miscarriage.

But this is also a story of hope. Chris goes on to have two beautiful boys, and he uses his gift of music to honour the lives lost and raise awareness. His powerful song, featuring his wife and sons, called “You are not alone”

captures the raw emotions of grief and the strength it takes to move forward.

You will get a glimpse of it at the end as I have used it for the outro on this episode.

Chris also opens up about facing a major operation shortly after having his son adding another layer to an already life-changing year.

This is a conversation filled with honesty, reflection, and the power of creative expression in healing.

So please join us

Chris can be found on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/iamseesings?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MWNvcGg1OXV6c3Jxag==

This week you will hear Peter’s Story. Today is Father’s Day, and in this episode, we honour the grief, strength, and voices of fathers. Peter is a courageous father who shares the heartbreaking story of losing his son at just 25 weeks into the pregnancy. After hours in hospital while his wife was in pain, the devastating words “prolapsed cord” were shouted by doctors.

 

What followed was a painful loss, and an explanation that Peter and his wife continue to question. They were told their son had “tiny lungs,” but their hearts and instincts tell a different story, and they are still fighting for answers.

 

In the midst of this grief, Peter has created something powerful: NINE – NOD IS NOT ENOUGH, a WhatsApp group that provides a safe and positive space for men of colour to come together, support one another, and share their experiences of baby loss.

 

His wife has also channelled her pain into purpose, setting up a charity called Ebony Bonds, dedicated to supporting families of colour through the trauma of baby loss – ensuring no one walks this path alone.

 

Together, Peter and his wife are a force for change. In the wake of unimaginable loss, they’ve channelled their grief into action, advocating for better outcomes and meaningful support for all families navigating baby loss, with a vital focus on those from communities of colour.

 

Their lived experience has highlighted the systemic gaps in care and the urgent need for equity, compassion, and accountability. They are determined to ensure that no parent is left unheard, unseen, or unsupported in their time of deepest need.

 

This episode is a tribute to all grieving fathers. Your pain is real, your voice matters, and your love lives on.

 

So please join us

If you would like to join the group NINE or access the charity Ebony Bonds- the details are below

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/peterjtreeves_ive-heard-there-was-a-debate-on-linkedin-activity-7293965295046545408-0JyJ

https://www.ebonybonds.org.uk/

This week you will hear Alexa’s Story – From Heartbreak to Healing

Shared as part of Black Baby Loss Awareness Week

At just 20 weeks pregnant, Alexa experienced every parent’s worst nightmare. After seeking help when she felt something wasn’t right, she was told everything was fine. But later that same day, following a long walk home, her cervix began to open. Doctors attempted to save the pregnancy with an emergency stitch, but it only held for a short time, and she went into early labour. Her precious daughter passed away.

What followed was a journey marked by deep grief, therapy, and rediscovery. Over the years, Alexa tried different paths before finding her calling at Sister Circle, where she now supports other families through the pain of baby loss. Through her work with hospitals and the NHS, she advocates for better care, earlier intervention, and improved outcomes — especially for Black families whose voices often go unheard.

Alexa’s story is one of unimaginable loss, resilience, and the power of turning pain into purpose. This heartfelt episode honours her experience and the experiences of so many others during Black Baby Loss Awareness Week.

So Please Join us

This week is a special episode. Today Sunday 27th April is Zion’s birthday, and he would have been five this year, I still can’t believe it’s been five years since I gave birth to our beautiful baby boy.

As a tribute to his birthday Zion’s dad and I are sitting down together to reflect on the journey we’ve been on over the last five years — the highs, the lows, and everything in between.

This episode is raw and unedited — just us, being honest about how grief has affected us both in different ways.

It hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve always worked hard to stay connected, to keep communicating, and most importantly, to keep Zion’s memory alive.

We’ve had to learn, sometimes the hard way, how to communicate, to support each other, and to keep moving forward.

We’re still learning even now, but we wanted to share a little bit of our story, for anyone who might be walking a similar path, and for Zion, whose light is always with us.

We hope by sharing our journey, it brings a bit of comfort to anyone out there feeling alone in their own grief right now.

So please join use

This week you will hear Aisha’s story. Aisha is the founder and creator of mind body revival coach and so much more. Listen as Aisha takes us on her journey of life after infertility without children. Aisha has spent most of her life suffering from endometriosis, spending years not being believed or taken seriously. It wasn’t until after she was married and years of trying for a baby unsuccessful that she was finally diagnosed. By this point her condition was so bad, Aisha’s only hope of conceiving a baby would be through IVF. After a ten yearlong battle, eleven IVF cycles, multiple losses and losing herself in the process, Aisha chose herself! Aisha made the difficult decision to stop treatment without a baby to take home, putting her own mental health and wellbeing first. Listen as Aisha talks about what it is like to live with endometriosis and how this still impacts her everyday life. You will hear about her journey through IVF, the losses she experienced along the way and the ripple effect on her family. Aisha is an inspiration to all women as she advocates for the childless community whether by choice or circumstance. She works hard to raise awareness and be a voice for all experiencing endometriosis and those affected by infertility. She has overcome some enormous challenges and she’s still smiling and thriving. So please join us. https://www.instagram.com/mindbodyrevival_coach?igsh=MTV6cjJiZmh5N3VnZw==

This week you will hear Illiyin’s story. Illiyin Morrison is the founder and creator of mixing up motherhood. Listen as Illiyin takes us on her journey from being a midwife to becoming her own boss. Illiyin has many vocations from public speaking to birth debriefings. From Advocacy to cooking. Although Illiyin hasn’t experienced baby loss personally, she has experienced loss and trauma. This podcast is all about Love, Life and Loss, what ever that looks like to you. Illiyin lost her mum suddenly and then went on to lose her brother in law eight months later. The work Illiyin does is so good in supporting the community of baby loss and grief. She’s doesn’t try to fix you but she helps you to learn to see yourself and understand yourself so much better. When we are grieving we often lose ourselves and it becomes a battle to find a new version of us. With the work Illiyin does she gives you the tools and space you need to do just that and having the expertise of being a midwife is just an added bonus. Illiyin is genuinely invested in what she does, she loves her work and it shines through. There is an aura about Illiyin that is just magic. So please join us.