Not Another Mummy Podcast

My guest today is award winning author and mum of one Laura Dockrill. Laura went viral back in 2018 when a blog post she wrote about her experiences of postpartum psychosis went viral. She went on to write memoir What Have I Done in 2020, sharing more on her experiences but she’s also the author of YA books, kids' books and her first adult fiction book I Love You, I Love You, I Love You comes out in June. Her latest project is a beautiful picture book, Grey, illustrated by Lauren Child. It's the story of a child who feels as though all their colours have disappeared. Despite the joyful orange balloon, the huge yellow sun and the bright green trees, the child still feels grey. Since it's Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, it's a good time to talk about mental health for mums but also open up the conversation with out kids about emotions and feelings. Check out Grey here and follow Laura (or not Laura, as she explains!) on Instagram. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season 11 of Not Another Mummy Podcast kicks off with a chat with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. Previously a lawyer and Labour MP, Sadiq has been mayor since 2016. As well as creating policies for the smooth-running of the city, he is a dad of two daughters, now in their twenties. Sadiq talks to me about how his own upbringing with seven siblings in a South London council flat has influenced his own parenting, what it was like to raise two teenage girls and how they navigated things like phones and social media. Sadiq also discusses the importance of women's safety, what we need to do to improve it and why providing free school meals for every primary school child in London has been so important to him. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

I’m joined on this episode by Harriet Shearsmith. Harriet is a mum of three and the presenter of the Unfollowing Mum podcast - about breaking the parenting cycle, unsubscribing from drama by healing generational trauma and putting ourselves and our mental health first. Harriet talks to me about what cycle breaking parenting is, why we might want to do it and the things she personally is breaking the cycle with. We also delve into parental estrangement with Harriet talking about her own experiences of breaking contact with her mum. As a qualified coach, Harriet offers helpful insight - and does a bit of a therapy session on me too, which is lovely! Follow Harriet on Instagram and listen to her podcast here. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is a returning guest! Rosie Nixon is a mum of two tween boys and passionate about reclaiming midlife. We chat about everything from how she is reinventing midlife - and her recent career pivot away from being Editor-in-Chief of Hello! magazine towards coaching and creating - to parenting tweens, tackling screentime and more. We also touch on how Rosie uses AI - namely Microsoft Copilot in Windows - to plan memorable holidays, how her kids are creating amazing artwork and how it's helping her with basic family life admin. This episode is brought to you by Microsoft, whose groundbreaking AI tool, Copilot in Windows, can make your life easier across work, home and family. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

TV personality best known for The Only Way Is Essex, influencer and entrepreneur Lydia Bright joins me on this episode. Lydia is a mum to toddler Loretta and has her debut picture book coming out on February 1st – Mummy and Me. Lydia chats to me about single motherhood, how giving birth two weeks into the first 2020 lockdown was a blessing for her, what the term co-parenting means to her and how growing up in a family that fostered children has influenced her as a mum. We also talk about her picture book, Mummy and Me which celebrates single motherhood and is a gorgeous read. Check out Lydia's book here and follow her on Instagram. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

I'm joined on this episode by Jess Chalmers, who runs workshops on online child safety. As a mum of two tweens herself, Jess got the fear after watching The Social Dilemma on Netflix and took matters into her own hands by training herself up on the latest online child safety information. She now goes into schools and workplaces to talk to parents and kids about online safety. Jess chats to me about the mantra you should be drumming into your children (screenshot, block, report), why setting your underage child up on a social platform with a fake age is a really bad idea, how to talk to your kids about porn and more. Follow Jess on Instagram here. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

I'm joined on this episode by Jess Chalmers, who runs workshops on online child safety. As a mum of two tweens herself, Jess got the fear after watching The Social Dilemma on Netflix and took matters into her own hands by training herself up on the latest online child safety information. She now goes into schools and workplaces to talk to parents and kids about online safety. Jess chats to me about the mantra you should be drumming into your children (screenshot, block, report), why setting your underage child up on a social platform with a fake age is a really bad idea, how to talk to your kids about porn and more. If you're listening to this with small people around, please note, this episode contains a reference to Father Christmas not being real. Follow Jess on Instagram here. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

We've got a replay episode this week - this episode originally went out in January 2022 and if you're in the mood to declutter and organise as 2023 draws to a close, this episode is for you. My guest is Nicola Lewis. If you’re not already familiar with Nicola, she can be found offering hints, tips and practical real life solutions on keeping organised on social media as well as providing a home decluttering and organising service to people all over the UK. She is also the author of Mind Over Clutter: Cleaning Your Way to a Calm and Happy Home. On this episode, Nicola shares all of her brilliant new year organisation tips – from fridges to wardrobes to that Monica cupboard you might use as a dumping ground. You can find her online on Instagram and you can check out her book Mind Over Clutter 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 author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins now. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/notanothermummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you're already perimenopausal/menopausal or you're looking ahead to it, my guest today will give you lots to think about. Mum of 3, Kate Rowe-Ham, is a personal trainer who specialises in using exercise and fitness to help women through perimenopause and menopause. Despite being a personal trainer, Kate found herself totally derailed in her early 40s as perimenopause started. Her usual strategies to stay well weren’t working and HRT wasn’t the magic bullet she hoped it would be. Only when she started changing the way she exercised, what she ate and drank, and lifting weights did she feel better. Kate chats to me about her journey and her book Owning Your Menopause: Fitter, Calmer, Stronger in 30 Days which aims to educate and inspire women to make the same vital changes to their health that Kate did. Pre-order Kate's book, follow her on Instagram and check out her app. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

Whether you're already perimenopausal/menopausal or you're looking ahead to it, my guest today will give you lots to think about. Mum of 3, Kate Rowe-Ham, is a personal trainer who specialises in using exercise and fitness to help women through perimenopause and menopause. Despite being a personal trainer, Kate found herself totally derailed in her early 40s as perimenopause started. Her usual strategies to stay well weren’t working and HRT wasn’t the magic bullet she hoped it would be. Only when she started changing the way she exercised, what she ate and drank, and lifting weights did she feel better. Kate chats to me about her journey and her book Owning Your Menopause: Fitter, Calmer, Stronger in 30 Days which aims to educate and inspire women to make the same vital changes to their health that Kate did. Pre-order Kate's book, follow her on Instagram and check out her app. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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 CBeebies legend Andy Day. Presenter of an array of programmes like Andy's Global Adventures and star of Andy And The Band with his rock band Andy and the Odd Socks, Andy is also a dad of two - with one more on the way. Andy also works as an ambassador for Anti-Bullying Week and Odd Socks Day which is all about spreading the anti-bullying message and encouraging children to celebrate their uniqueness and individuality. We talk about his experiences as a dad of girls, how he's proud to be breaking generational cycles with his parenting and what his CBeebies co-stars are really like! The new series of Andy And The Band is on CBBC and BBC iPlayer now and you can follow Andy on Instagram. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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 CBeebies legend Andy Day. Presenter of an array of programmes like Andy's Global Adventures and star of Andy And The Band with his rock band Andy and the Odd Socks, Andy is also a dad of two - with one more on the way. Andy also works as an ambassador for Anti-Bullying Week and Odd Socks Day which is all about spreading the anti-bullying message and encouraging children to celebrate their uniqueness and individuality. We talk about his experiences as a dad of girls, how he's proud to be breaking generational cycles with his parenting and what his CBeebies co-stars are really like! The new series of Andy And The Band is on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer now and you can follow Andy on Instagram. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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 CBeebies legend Andy Day. Presenter of an array of programmes like Andy's Global Adventures and star of Andy And The Band with his rock band Andy and the Odd Socks, Andy is also a dad of two - with one more on the way. Andy also works as an ambassador for Anti-Bullying Week and Odd Socks Day which is all about spreading the anti-bullying message and encouraging children to celebrate their uniqueness and individuality. We talk about his experiences as a dad of girls, how he's proud to be breaking generational cycles with his parenting and what his CBeebies co-stars are really like! The new series of Andy And The Band is on CBBC and BBC iPlayer now and you can follow Andy on Instagram. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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 Suzy Reading. As well as being a chartered psychologist, yoga teacher and coach, Suzy is a mum of two and the author of a whole bunch of books including her latest one, Rest To Reset. Suzy is a must-follow on Instagram where her daily reminders, questions and invitations to adjust your thinking will soothe even the most tired, frazzled brains. So who better to chat to about the overwhelm so many of us feel in the run up to Christmas? Suzy offers up advice on how to handle keeping everyone happy (spoiler alert: we probably can't), how to think about what kind of Christmas YOU want and more. Check out Suzy's Instagram and her latest book Rest To Reset. This episode is brought to you in partnership with The Night Owl Sings and their new album - The Night Owl Sings Nursery Rhymes, the beautiful and relaxing new album, perfect for bedtimes. Visit https://thenightowlsings.com for more info and to stream the album. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 You can buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

I'm joined on this episode by Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley, authors of the book The Queer Parent and hosts of the podcast From Gay To Ze. From fostering and fertility treatment to co-parenting and dealing with homophobia, the book is an essential parenting handbook for the LGBTQ+ community, their friends, families and allies, and anyone who wants to understand and support the full breadth of the queer experience. Lotte, who is mum to a five-year-old (and cats who like frogs, as you'll hear) with her wife, and Stu, who is the dad of three adopted children with his husband, chat to me about their own journey to parenthood. We also talk about the language we use around parenting and how we can make it more inclusive without erasing anyone's experiences. Buy their book, listen to their podcast and follow them on Instagram. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood on the podcast. Check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry You can buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

Welcome back to SERIES TEN of Not Another Mummy Podcast. It's six years since we launched, back in a time when believe it or not, there were hardly any parenting podcasts! I'm thrilled to be kicking off our tenth series with an episode which is part of Acast's Take the Scary out of Menopause campaign in conjunction with The Menopause Charity. We know we need to revolutionise the support and advice women receive for menopause and perimenopause — and it all begins by having open, honest conversations. This episode will appear alongside dozens of special episodes on Acast's Take the Scary out of Menopause playlist. Hear them all at themenopausecharity.org/acast and to find out more about the amazing work The Menopause Charity does! And who better to talk to me about midlife, motherhood and menopause than Liz Earle? Liz is a wellbeing writer, podcaster and author. She launched The Liz Earle Skincare Co and then sold it over 10 years ago. And she is a huge advocate for menopause education and support. You can read more from her and listen to her podcast at Liz Earle Wellbeing. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

Why are mealtimes so stressful? Is it really that important to eat as a family? How bad are those toddler snacks you can buy in the supermarket, really? If - like me - you ask yourself these kinds of questions a lot then this episode is for you! My guest today is Charlotte Stirling-Reed, leading nutritionist and author of a whole array of books about feeding babies, toddlers and her latest one - whole families. She worked with Joe Wicks on his Wean In 15 book and when she's not dishing up (geddit?) nutrition tips on social media, she's feeding two small kids of her own. Follow Charlotte on Instagram and buy her latest book How to Feed Your Family here. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

It's not every day you get to chat to an ACTUAL Lioness, but in this week's episode, my guest is the epic Beth Mead. England and Arsenal footballer Beth was the top goalscorer in the UEFA Euros 2022, which saw England crowned champions - their first international trophy since the 1966 Men's FIFA World Cup. She was also named Player of the Tournament and has since won BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022. In February 2022 she launched the Beth Mead Scholarship with Teesside University to support students who have the potential to reach professional level in women's football. Her book - Roar - is an inspirational handbook for readers aged 7+ who want to find and play the sport they love and achieve their dreams. Beth chats to me about her childhood, how her parents encouraged and supported her love of football, what she's learned along the way and how she's used her recent injury to motivate her, despite it meaning she can't play in the upcoming World Cup. Roar is out now in bookshops and you can follow Beth on Instagram. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.

Grief is still such a taboo subject but that's something that my guest on this episode is determined to change. Stacey Heale is a mum of two and in September 2021, her husband - Delays singer Greg Gilbert - died, five years after being diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer. Stacey talks to me about what life was like before the diagnosis - falling in love with this bookworm pop star and having babies together - and then what it was like to process his cancer diagnosis. She tells me how she's been supporting her daughters - now age 7 and 9 - through the death of their dad and what she's learned about grief in the past seven years. Stacey talks beautifully about grief and loss on her Instagram page and watch this space for her book, which she's currently writing. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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 today is one of the biggest experts in menopause and perimenopause. Dr Louise Newson is a GP, the creator of free menopause app Balance and runs The Newson Clinic which helps thousands of women to navigate perimenopause and menopause smoothly. Dr Louise is also the author of the book The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause, appears regularly on This Morning and hosts a podcast The Dr Louise Newson Podcast. Phew! How she had time to chat to me, I don't know. Thankfully, she did and we have a brilliant conversation about the basics - what is the menopause and perimenopause - right through to the nitty gritty of whether women should be taking testosterone, the benefits of HRT and why the breast cancer risks aren't as big as we were lead to believe. Order Dr Louise's book, listen to her podcast and check out the free Balance app. If you enjoyed this episode then please leave a rating or review - and you can follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss future episodes. Thank you! Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author 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 buy my book OMG It's Twins 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.