Milk and Mummies Podcast

Why are women prepared so thoroughly for pregnancy and birth—but so rarely prepared for what happens afterwards?

This week, Raychel is joined by Dr Julie Hammond: award-winning GP, women’s health advocate, founder of mamAR and author of The Fourth Trimester: The Best Friend’s Guide to Your Postpartum Body and Mind.

Despite her medical training and years spent supporting women through postnatal care, Dr Julie says that even she wasn’t prepared for the physical, hormonal and emotional realities of life after birth.

In this honest and reassuring conversation, Raychel and Dr Julie explore postpartum recovery, maternal mental health, intrusive thoughts, breastfeeding pressure, pelvic-floor health, intimacy, identity, relationships and why so many mothers feel forgotten once their baby arrives.

They also discuss the limitations of the six-to-eight-week postnatal check, the inequalities affecting Black mothers and what genuinely supportive maternal healthcare should look like.

Dr Julie’s book, The Fourth Trimester, is published on 19 November 2026 and offers compassionate, practical guidance for navigating the body and mind after childbirth.

Pre-order The Fourth Trimester:
https://www.sheldonpress.co.uk/titles/julie-hammond/the-fourth-trimester/9781399824675/

Find Dr Julie:
https://www.drjuliegp.com/

Discover mamAR:
https://www.mamarhealth.com/

Follow @milkandmummiespodcast and @loveraychel on Instagram.

If this episode helps you, please follow Milk & Mummies, leave a review and share it with a mother or expectant parent who needs to hear it.

Please note: This episode is intended for general information and conversation and is not a substitute for individual medical advice.

Joy Randolph’s first experience of motherhood began with survival.

During her first pregnancy, Joy experienced a life-threatening medical complication while her baby spent time in NICU. That baby would go on to become a healthy elite athlete, and Joy would later have two further healthy pregnancies — but the experience fundamentally changed the way she approached pregnancy, birth and maternity care.

In this episode, Joy joins Raychel Addo to talk openly about what it means to become a mother while fighting to survive, the emotional aftermath of NICU and finding the courage to become pregnant again after trauma.

They discuss how Joy’s relationship with maternity care changed, the balance between trusting medical professionals and advocating for yourself, Caesarean birth, informed choice and Joy’s experience of a maternal-assisted C-section.

They also explore a much bigger question: can a birth be medically successful and still be traumatic for the mother?

Joy explains why those experiences ultimately led her to create ShapeCare, designed to help mothers better understand their care, risks and options so they can feel more informed and involved in their pregnancy experience.

A powerful conversation about survival, choice, resilience and what truly good maternity care can look like.

Follow Joy: @iamjoyrandolph
ShapeCare: myshapecare.com
Follow Milk & Mummies: @milkandmummiespodcast
Follow Raychel: @loveraychel

Content note: This episode contains discussion of serious pregnancy complications, cancer, traumatic birth experiences and NICU.

This podcast is for discussion and informational purposes only and does not provide individual medical advice.

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Danielle Coleman hid her pregnancy from her friends — and some didn’t know she had a son until after he turned one.

In this episode of Milk & Mummies, Danielle joins Raychel for a deeply open conversation about why she chose privacy during pregnancy, her experiences surrounding conception, and how trauma, trust and survival shaped her journey into motherhood.

They explore the difference between protection and hypervigilance, the behaviours we inherit from our families and cultures, setting boundaries after becoming a parent, and the difficult work of breaking generational cycles. Danielle also shares her thoughts on emotional regulation, raising her son without unconsciously passing on her own wounds, and what motherhood has taught her about herself.

It’s a conversation about motherhood, survival, privacy, boundaries — and deciding what stops with you.

⚠️ Content note: This episode contains discussion of sexual assault, trauma and difficult experiences surrounding pregnancy and conception.

Follow Milk & Mummies for more honest conversations about motherhood, identity and everything that comes with raising tiny humans.

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When Selma Nicholls’ daughter Riley-Ann asked, “Why doesn’t anyone look like me?”, it sparked an idea that would grow into Looks Like Me — an award-winning casting agency and movement championing authentic representation across advertising, television and film.

In this episode of Milk & Mummies, Raychel sits down with Selma to talk about the motherhood story behind the mission.

They explore representation and belonging, building a purpose-led business, creativity, ambition, burnout and why creating meaningful change and making money don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Selma also reflects on how motherhood has changed her definition of success, the responsibility that comes with creating change through content, and what she hopes her daughter will ultimately take from the life and legacy she is building.

An honest conversation about being seen, building something bigger than yourself and what can happen when a mother truly listens to her child.

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Can women really have it all — and should we even be asking that question?

This week, Raychel is joined by entrepreneur, strategist, investor, mentor and mum of two Sedge Beswick.

After becoming ASOS’ first social media hire, Sedge went on to found and scale influencer marketing agency SEEN Connects to a reported £24 million valuation. She’s since become an advisor, investor, speaker and mentor to founders and brands — all while navigating motherhood and raising two daughters.

In this warm, funny and candid conversation, Sedge and Raychel talk about what happens to ambition after motherhood, the realities of building a successful business, mum guilt, burnout, boundaries and whether “having it all” is actually possible.

They explore the pressure ambitious women put on themselves, how motherhood can change the way we lead, knowing when it’s time to walk away from something you’ve built, and why becoming a mum doesn’t mean becoming less ambitious.

Plus, Sedge shares practical advice for women who have a big idea — but haven’t quite given themselves permission to start.

In this episode:

A conversation for every woman who’s ever wondered: Can I be a brilliant mum and still want something that’s mine?

Instagram: @milkandmummiespodcast

Instagram: @sedgebeswick

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Can women really have it all?

This week on Milk & Mummies, Raychel sits down with actors and Mother Act co-founders Phoebe Sparrow and Allegra Marland to explore what happens when motherhood meets a career built on uncertainty.

From navigating auditions with childcare to redefining success after becoming parents, Phoebe and Allegra share the honest realities of balancing family life with creative ambition. Together they discuss identity, rejection, resilience, why they founded Mother Act, and the changes they hope to see across the entertainment industry for working mothers.

Whether you’re an actor, freelancer, entrepreneur or simply trying to hold onto your own ambitions whilst raising children, this episode is a reminder that motherhood doesn’t mean giving up on your dreams—it simply changes the journey.

In this episode we discuss:

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Can hypnobirthing really make a difference during labour? What does a doula actually do? And how can expectant parents prepare for birth with confidence instead of fear?

This week on Milk & Mummies, Raychel Addo is joined by hypnobirthing teacher, birth and postpartum doula Carina Gillespie from Radiance Birthing.

Together they explore hypnobirthing, birth preparation, labour, birth trauma, partner support, postpartum recovery and the realities of modern motherhood.

Whether you’re expecting your first baby or adding to your family, this episode offers practical advice, evidence-based insights and reassuring conversation to help you approach birth feeling informed and empowered.

Topics include:

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Success and motherhood don’t have to exist on opposite sides of the scale.

This week, Raychel sits down with award-winning PR and communications entrepreneur, speaker and personal branding coach Ronke Lawal to explore what it really means to build a fulfilling career whilst raising a family.

Together they discuss ambition, identity, confidence, visibility, burnout, leadership and the realities of balancing motherhood with personal and professional growth.

An honest, thoughtful conversation for every woman who’s ever wondered whether she can build the life she dreams of without losing herself along the way.

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Motherhood evolves—and so do we.

When actor, singer and writer Eliza Williams first joined Milk & Mummies, we spoke about the realities of balancing motherhood and a creative career while raising young children.

This time, we’re revisiting the conversation from a completely different chapter. Eliza reflects on what motherhood looks like when your children become more independent. We explore the unexpected emotions of being needed differently, rediscovering your identity beyond constant caregiving, embracing ambition in midlife, and finding space to reconnect with yourself.

Whether you’re navigating the newborn stage, the school years or watching your children grow into adults, this episode is a reminder that motherhood is never static—it continues to evolve, and so do the women living it.

In this episode, we discuss:

If this conversation resonated with you, we’d love for you to follow the podcast, leave a review and share this episode with another mum who might need to hear it.

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This week on Milk & Mummies, Raychel is joined by registered midwife, mother, author and founder of Black Baby Loss Awareness Week, Alicia Burnett.

Alicia shares her experiences of motherhood, midwifery, advocacy and supporting Black families through pregnancy, birth and baby loss. Together, they discuss Black maternal health, culturally sensitive care, grief, motherhood, raising children, and what every woman deserves to know when navigating pregnancy and birth.

This is an honest and powerful conversation about care, community and creating change.

Follow Alicia on Instagram : @midwife_alicia or @blackbabylossawareness

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