A Better Start to Motherhood

Returning Well (1/2): Understanding the Real Challenges of Coming Back to Work After Maternity Leave

In this episode, we sit down with Kirstie Sneyd - organisational psychologist, return-to-work specialist, and author of Returning Well - to map out the challenges that come with going back to work after maternity leave. We explore her research-backed framework across three areas: being out of the loop, managing a dual role, and navigating culture and norms. Kirstie draws on her coaching work, her academic research, and her knowledge of the psychological dynamics at play - covering everything from lost confidence and missed career opportunities, to identity shifts, guilt, and the compare-and-despair trap. This is the first of two conversations; the second focuses on practical strategies for each challenge.

Dealing With Birth Trauma: How to Recognise It, Navigate the System, and Start to Heal

In this episode, we pick up where we left off with Dr. Emma Thornton - doctor, former obstetrician, GP specialising in women's health, and founder of Cocoon - and move from understanding birth trauma into what you can actually do about it. We cover how to recognise the signs in yourself or someone you care for, when to seek help and what that looks like, and how to make the most of the support that's already available through the NHS. Emma also introduces Cocoon - a digitally delivered, clinically guided platform built to give women access to birth trauma support on their own terms and in their own time. This is part two of two - part one covers what birth trauma is and why it matters.

Understanding Birth Trauma: What It Is, Why It Happens, and Why It Matters

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Emma Thornton - doctor, former obstetrician and GP with a specialism in women's health, and founder of Cocoon - to build a clear picture of birth trauma: what it is, how it shows up, and why it matters. We cover the definition, the prevalence, the signs and symptoms, and the wider spectrum of perinatal trauma that often goes unacknowledged. We talk about what actually causes trauma - and why feeling unheard or uninformed during birth is often more damaging than the medical events themselves. We also get into the state of birth debriefs, the gaps in postnatal care, and why addressing birth trauma early rather than pushing through is so important for long-term health. This is part one of two - next episode, we look at what you can actually do about it.

The State of UK Postnatal Care Today

In this episode, we sit down with Susie Crowe - consultant obstetrician and one of the most senior voices in UK maternity care - to take an honest look at postnatal care as it stands today. We cover what postnatal care actually includes, why the quality and depth of that care varies so significantly depending on where you live, and what needs to change. We talk about birth debriefs, maternal mental health, pelvic health, physical recovery, and the case for trauma-informed care. Susie also shares what she believes every woman should feel entitled to ask for - and why self-care in the postnatal period isn't selfish, it's essential.

Navigating Your Career Journey as a Working Parent

In this episode, we pick up where we left off with Susie Powis, founder of HiHo Coaching, and move from recognition into action. We explore Susie's three-pillar framework; Return, Navigate, Accelerate - and what practical steps look like at each stage. We talk about how to identify your values as the person you are today, how to avoid knee-jerk career moves that close off future options, and how to position yourself for growth without losing sight of family life. Susie also shares her own experience of leaving corporate life, moving through a startup that wasn't quite right, and eventually building HiHo - the hardest year and a half of her life, and the most purposeful.