Dr Sophie Bostock on sleep, insomnia and how to get more z’s

As the peri-menopause hits, Anna and Polly ask Dr Jen about what to expect when you are expecting… The Change. From periods to pregnancy and the menopause, this is an A-Z on tackling Mother Nature’s biggest hormonal shifts.

From ridiculous lists with £1,000 vases to unending hen dos and stag dos that soak up the cash, is a white wedding really all that for the guests? And does Pinterest have a lot to answer for?

This episode packed a sex ed punch. Sex and relationships journalist Beth digs deep on the slut shaming she faced as a young girl and what parents need to watch out for. We unpick the controversial decisions happening around sex ed for under 9’s and how to raise a sex positive kid.

Have you ever had well-meaning but awful advice landed on you? By a mother in law maybe or a mate even? This episode goes into the nitty gritty of what not to say to a mother. Especially new mothers.

Quite the episode. We interrupt usual service of interviewing incredible women for a DMP special on Anna’s engagement to Olly. From love post-divorce to looking back at one of the toughest junctures of her life, this is maybe not the Disney happily ever after but it is, indeed, very happy.

As hot flushes land and brain fog descends, Anna and Polly question their symptoms and open-up about navigating the next biological female chapter. Pre-warning: there’s a lot of justified, although slightly off-the-wall rage.

Whether newborn exhaustion or pure insomnia, Dr Sophie explains the impact of sleeplessness on our minds, bodies and parental souls. From sleep disorders to effective sleep routines, this is 45 minutes of sleepiness in podcast form.

Shouldn’t laugh but this week your stories on how your kid’s pets came to an end is something else. From fish jumping into toasters to sinister Siamese cats unravelling your parental mind, this is one of the darkest, funniest chats to date.

The CEO of The World Happiness Index certainly knows a thing or two about finding joy. In this open-hearted chat Anna and Polly ask Karen how she started smiling again against the grieving odds. Funny, sad, uplifting and ultimately a happy ending.

Pets and grief is quite the juggernaut to navigate with kids. Anna has to handle the death for the family pet hamster Ziggy. Is lying ever ok to protect your kids? How do you navigate a rodent funeral? And was buying two guinea pigs really a good idea in the wake of all this? Expect tea-through-nose laughter and solemnity. A tale of two sides.