Not Another Mummy Podcast

On this episode I welcome Stuart Heritage as my guest. Stuart is a dad of two and when his first son was just a few hours old, Stuart started writing a column about fatherhood for The Guardian. Since then he’s written for Esquire, The Times and lots of other newspapers, magazines and websites. His writing on fatherhood is just as likely to make you smile and laugh as it will make you reflect on your own experiences of parenting.

Stuart’s latest project is writing a children’s picture book Jonathan The Magic Pony, which has been brilliantly illustrated by Nicola Slater. It’s a lovely, funny, story about a rubbish magician.

Stuart chats to me about what inspired him to write the book and we also chat about how fatherhood is portrayed – both by writers like him but also in children’s TV shows like Peppa Pig. He talks about being a hands-on dad and the amazement and praise he receives when he’s spotted out with his sons, yet (surprise surprise) his wife Robyn doesn’t get the same comments.  

Follow Stuart on Twitter and Instagram and pre-order Jonathan The Magic Pony.

If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!

Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Mark Lemon, a dad of two and children’s author who at the age of 12, found his life changed forever when his dad was murdered. Mark talks to me about the huge effect this had on him, as a teenager, and also how it has shaped the kind of person – and dad – he is today.

Incredibly, Mark turned something tragic into something positive because he now does a lot of work talking about grief, on his podcast Grief Is My Superpower, in his writing and in his role as a bereavement ambassador for charity Winston’s Wish. Mark has also written a children’s book The Magical Wood, which introduces the idea of death to little ones.

You can follow Mark on Instagram and Twitter, check out his books, listen to Grief Is My Superpower and find out more about Winston’s Wish.

If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you!

Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Pragya Agarwal is my guest on this episode – she’s an author, a two-times Tedx speaker, an academic, and a mum of three. Her book Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias was published in April and brilliantly, allows the reader to explore the concept of bias in a non-judgemental way. Pragya takes a scientific approach at looking at bias and when I read it, it made me analyse my own biases.

In my chat with Pragya, we delve into what unconscious bias is and why it exists in us all. We talk about why we gravitate towards people like us, why we exist in echo chambers (both in real life and online) and was talk about when this is OK and when it’s a good idea to push outside of this.

Pragya also talks to me about how to discuss racism with children and how she is raising her multi-racial daughters in a way that gives them access to their Indian heritage and ensures they’re comfortable with who they are.

You can buy Sway here and follow Pragya on Twitter here.

If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!

Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode I’m joined by Zoey and Kelly Allen who are, along with their two kids and dog, an LGBTQ+ family. 18 months ago, Zoey came out as transgender to her wife Kelly and they started a new phase of their lives. Through their blog – Our Transitional Life – they document their journey and offer support to the LGBTQ+ community, showing that coming out can, overall, be a positive experience. The blog has gone on to win awards and was recently named the No.1 LGBTQ+ blog by Vuelio.

During our chat, Zoey tells me what it was like to slowly realise that she is a trans woman and talks about the fears she had, knowing that she had to tell Kelly.

Kelly talks about it from her side too, and it’s heart-warming to hear how she reacted to the news with love and support. I ask them what life as a trans family is like (“normal-ish!”) and how they told their kids and wider family.

You can read their blog here and follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Zoey and Kelly also recently launched their own range of Kelzo handmade jewellery which you can check out here.

If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes.  Thank you!

Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Candice Brathwaite, mum of two and author of the Sunday Times Bestselling book I Am Not Your Baby Mother which has been described as a “thought-provoking, urgent and inspirational guide to life as a black mother”. In it, Candice writes about her experiences growing up in South London and shares her story of motherhood so far. She challenges the stereotypical version of motherhood that we see in the British media, pointing out that it’s wholly unrepresentative of our society at large.

During our chat, Candice talks about what it’s like to live with daily racial micro-aggressions, how a friend warned her to be extra nice to the midwives when she was giving birth just to ensure she got a basic level of care and how she’s raising her kids, equipping them with the tools they need to navigate what is still undoubtedly a racist world. It's a valuable insight into what it's like to be a black mother in Britain today.

You can buy I Am Not Your Baby Mother and follow Candice on Instagram. You can find Make Motherhood Diverse on Instagram too.

If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can subscribe to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thanks!

Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Carers Week, my guest is Penny Wincer. Penny is a mum of two and she is carer to her 10-year-old son Arthur who has autism and learning difficulties.

Penny talks to me about spotting the signs that Arthur was struggling with certain things when he was little, getting the diagnosis of autism when he was three and balancing caring for Arthur with parenting his 8-year-old sister Agnes.

She talks about how her caring journey started at age 11 when her mum’s mental health started to deteriorate, and with a dad living in the States following divorce, caring for her mum was left to Penny and her two brothers.

We discuss what self care looks like for her as a carer, what her support network looks like and how we can care for carers that we might know.

Penny’s brilliant book Tender: The Imperfect Art Of Caring is out now and in it, she describes her journey in a beautiful way, talks to other carers about their experiences and answers many of the questions we didn’t even know we had about caring.

You can buy Tender here and follow Penny on Instagram and Twitter.

Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry. You can pre-order my book OMG It's Twins (out March 2021) now.

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mindfulness is one of those things that I know I should focus more on, and I know it would probably help me get through each day with more of a smile, yet it’s not something I’ve properly explored before. But one of the guests on today’s episode – Izzy Judd – has written a book, Mindfulness For Mums, which for the first time has got me thinking about how I can use mindfulness day to day.

I chat to Izzy and her husband, McFly drummer, Harry Judd, about how they incorporate mindfulness into parenting their two children and we also chat about family life, the roles they each play and how they have a pretty equal share in parenting their children.

They talk to me about Izzy getting pregnant after a long fertility road (something you can hear more about in an episode from 2017) and Harry shares his experience of their IVF journey. We also touch upon the question of whether to share photos of your kids on social media – something Izzy and Harry have thought a lot about.

This episode was recorded back in December 2019, and because so much has changed since then, Izzy and I caught up for a quick chat a couple of weeks back, which you can hear at the end of the episode. She tells me what lockdown has been like for the Judds and we discuss how mindfulness has been helping her through challenging moments.

You can follow Izzy on Instagram, you can follow Harry on Instagram and you can buy Izzy’s book Mindfulness For Mums.

Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an episode of two parts! My guest - the brilliant Shakira Akabusi - and I recorded our chat back in December 2019. The episode didn't go out back then because I'd just finished a podcast series and had a big writing project to knuckle down to, so it stayed tucked away on my laptop for over five months. In that time though, mum of two and ante-natal/post-natal fitness expert, Shakira, announced that she's pregnant again.... with twins! 

So a few days ago, we caught up for another chat. 

In the first part of the episode, Shakira talks to me about the problems we - in our society - have when it comes to talking about exercise and health, we delve into why so many new mums are desperate to get their pre-baby body back and Shakira tells me why she doesn't have a problem with people having a physical health goal like getting back into a certain size of jeans. We also chat about how growing up being the daughter of Olympic athlete Kriss Akabusi influenced and affected her.

In the second part of our chat, Shakira tells me what her twin pregnancy has been like so far, how it's affected her health and how she feels about very possibly giving birth during lockdown.

We cover a lot of ground and even if you're not pregnant or a new mum, there's so much in our chat that I hope you'll find useful.

Check out Shakira's website Strong Like Mum and follow her on Instagram.

Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a brand new series and things are kicking off with psychotherapist Anna Mathur – the eagle eyed among you might recognise her because Anna was a guest on the recent mini series about family life in lockdown. She’s back to talk about her new book Mind Over Mother, Every Mum’s Guide to Worry and Anxiety in the First Year.

Mum of three Anna was inspired to write her brilliant book following her own experience with post natal depression and hopes it will help mums enjoy parenting without feeling overwhelmed by some of the worry and anxiety that motherhood can bring.

In this episode, Anna and I delve into some of the things that can cause this worry – like listening to that negative voice inside us telling us we’re not doing a good job and comparing ourselves to other parents on social media. Anna talks about some of the reactions we commonly have to anxiety, and shares some coping strategies.

We also touch on the seemingly conflicting notions of giving yourself permission to talk about bad days and struggling with parenthood, but at the same time being aware of privilege.

You can order Anna’s book here and follow her on Instagram. Her popular Reframing Anxiety course can be found here and her podcast The Therapy Edit, which is ten minute snippets of mental health support, is really worth a listen.Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final episode in the mini series dedicated to family life in lockdown, I’m joined by one of the most influential doctors in the UK. Dr Rangan Chatterjee is a dad of two and a GP who wants to change the way we look at illness, and health. He is known for finding the root cause of people's health problems and empowering people to take control of their health with simple changes to their routines.

Rangan talks to me about his own experience of lockdown, and offers up lots of advice on how to look after our mental health and physical health during this time. He reflects on the positive effects that he’s seen, both within his own family and nationwide, and we talk about how to keep those good habits as government restrictions ease.

You can find Rangan on Instagram, listen to his podcast Feel Better, Live More and buy his latest book Feel Better in 5.

If you enjoyed this episode, do check out the rest of the mini series! And subscribe - a new regular series of the podcast will be starting in the next couple of weeks.

Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry

Music: Epidemic Sound

Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.