The Perinatal Podcast: Growing Through...

Sarah @sarahwinskillwellness shares her experience of going from one child to three after welcoming twins in 2022. Through this we consider how planning with flexibility is key for birth AND post-partum. Sarah shares some of the practical and psychological strategies that helped her and I know will help you if you are preparing for parenthood for the first time or the third! Sarah shouts out her doula Jen Muir @the_birthwork_coach and Sarah Carpenter, a sleep consultant who has helped the family since the twins were born @sarahcarpentersleep @thesleepmums If you are affected by any of the content of the podcast, please talk to someone your trust. You can find some UK based helplines and charities on my website www.drjennapsychologist.com/podcast You can also find my podcast terms and conditions on my website which all should read before listening. Take care, Jenna

In this episode I talk with Leonie about assertiveness and boundaries surrounding her experiences of free birth and growing her family. Leonie shares beautifully how she grew into who she is as a woman and as a mother across her three pregnancies, to set boundaries that felt healthy and appropriate for her and her babies needs. She also talks openly and honestly about her reflections looking back on that process and how the journey of learning (and un-learning) continues in parenting. You can find Leonie on Instagram @birthwise.withleonie where you can see her ongoing reflections on her experiences with boundaries and assertiveness in her pregnancies and births. Leonie also co-hosts the Normal Boring Freebirth podcast with Victoria from @FreetoBirth

Megan (@Birth_Ed) shares her experience of two Hyperemesis Gravidarum pregnancies. Megan talks about the minimising of her symptoms in her first pregnancy, the proactive planning that helped in her second pregnancy, and the distinct lack of appropriate emotional and mental health support during and after both! Megan talks about what was helpful for her based on her own experiences, research, and contact with experts in the field. However please be aware that anything said on the podcast by myself, or my guests, is not a replacement for medical or mental health advice. Please consult an appropriate professional for individualised assessment and treatment. Megan is a birth educator and you can find her @Birth_Ed and https://birth-ed.co.uk/ If you are experiencing HG or planning another pregnancy after HG you can also find support from Pregnancy Sickness Support @pregnancysicknesssupport https://www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk/ If you are affected by any of the content of the podcast, please talk to someone you trust. You can find some other UK based helplines and charities on my website www.drjennapsychologists.com/podcast You can also find my podcast terms and conditions on my website which you should read before listening. Take care, Jenna

This is Carl’s story of becoming a first-time dad to twins born at 27+4 weeks gestation. He shares his experience of the shock, anxiety, and trauma, with his twin boys spending around 9 weeks in NICU. He talks about bringing them home and only really months after beginning to process the experience. This led him to start his blog PremDad which grew from his go-to strategy for coping and processing, which was writing. For any NICU dads past, present, or future, this episode is for you – I hope it will be another source of support, validation, and anchoring for your own well-being journey. You can find Carl on Instagram @PremDad_UK His website here https://premdad.co.uk/ and the Huffington Post article here https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/traumatic-birth-dads_uk_5e346378c5b611ac94d42b09 If you are affected by any of the content of the podcast, please talk to someone you trust and reach out for support from your local services. You can find some UK based helplines and charities on my website www.drjennapsychologist.com/podcast You can also find my podcast terms and conditions on the website which you should read before listening! Take care, Jenna

Jessica (@empoweredbirthclub) shares with us her experience of birth trauma, re-traumatisation, and healing. She talks about her experience of complaining to maternity services and her experience of EMDR therapy with a clinical psychologist in her local perinatal team in the NHS. Jessica is a doula and birth educator and you can find her @empoweredbirthclub and https://www.empoweredbirthclub.com/ If you've experienced a traumatic birth and are unsure or scared about asking for or accessing support, I hope you find this episode helpful. If you are affected by any of the content of the podcast, please talk to someone you trust and reach out for support from your local services. You can find some UK based helplines and charities on my website www.drjennapsychologist.com/podcast You can also find my podcast terms and conditions on my website which you should read before listening! Take care, Jenna

Erin Fung (Better Birth UK) shares with us her experiences of birth and post-partum with her first baby. Erin talks honestly about the impact of her experiences on her mental health including seeking control after birth trauma, guilt for having negative thoughts about becoming a mum, and neglecting herself in the fight to get her baby the right medical support for allergies. You can find more about Erin and her work as an antenatal education and hypnobirthing instructor @betterbirthuk If you follow me @dr.jenna.psychologist you'll already know that I'm no tech expert and we can all agree that the editing is shocking... aside from that which I really don't need reminding of, please let me know what you thought of the episode. Consider leaving a review or subscribing so you don't miss the rest of the season! If you have been impacted by this episode or have any questions feel free to get in touch, there are some helplines and charities on my website drjennapsychologist.com/podcast Take care, Jenna

I’m Dr Jenna Brough and here on the Perinatal Podcast: Growing Through I want to bring you with me, to be reminded that emotions are the threads that connect us all. Though each person’s story is unique, when we dig a little deeper, we discover the similarities in our feelings. Join us to navigate a whole host of challenging, beautiful, messy, and transformational experiences across the perinatal period – from trying to conceive, pregnancy, baby loss, birth, postpartum, and early parenting. You’ll hear real people’s stories and from experts in the field. If you are affected by any of the content in this podcast, please talk to someone you trust and reach out for support from your local services. You can find some UK based helplines and charities on my website drjennapsychologist.com