BONUS EPISODE: Coping with Christmas and more lockdowns

With panto cancelled for Lloyd, and Jon enjoying a break from work, the dads loaded up the microphones for a special, unplanned episode focusing on Christmas. Topics of conversation ranged from managing expectations to what to buy a two year old, Christmas dinners and importantly Christmas TV and film recommendations. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone who has listened - enjoy!

It took Stephen Guy and his wife Samatha nearly 10 years, and four rounds of IVF, to get pregnant, and in episode nine Stephen joins the dads to discuss his experience of nearly a decade of trying for a baby and finally becoming a father. In this open and honest account, he discusses what happens when undergoing IVF, the stresses it can cause a relationship and his own mental health as the failures notched up. This incredible episode, with the message of supporting each other and always maintaining hope, is the first of a series of discussions with Stephen, who is about to become a dad for a second time - this time entirely naturally!

For episode 13 the dads were honoured to welcome Sam Jackson, author of the parenting book Diary of a Desperate Dad. Sam, who is a father of four, talks about giving your children equal time and focus, what advice he’d give his younger self and the differences between boys and girls. He also talks about The Five Love Languages, when applied to raising children, and also how to navigate parenting in the digital age. A definite listen for all dads and dads to be!

The dads kick off episode 12 talking about baths - when to start bathing your baby, tips for if your child doesn’t like bath time and Lloyd has a warning about plastic bath toys. They also broach the tricky subject of date nights and having sex for the first time after the birth. Jon has one of his rants, this time about the concept of dad bods and the pressures on new dads to have the perfect body, before the conversation turns to baby classes and toddler groups and why, as dads, you should get involved and be silly with your little ones. Finally, your favourites Stuff to Buy and Cliche Corner are back, along with their jingles.

Jon and Lloyd are joined by psychologist and counsellor Raoul Lindsay to discuss a number of subjects related to mental health and being a father. This includes the change of identity when becoming a dad, media representation of fathers and the pressure social media brings. They also talk about Black Lives Matter and raising children in a time where the movement is gathering momentum and achieving global coverage, and what dads can do to educate themselves and their children about diversity, including reading children’s books that feature diverse characters.

With both dads battling hayfever, they discuss the all important day-night routine (officially called the circadian rhythm) and dealing with pet jealousy when your baby arrives. Plus, they finally get to talk about one of their joint passions - children’s TV shows - and they get quite vocal about which ones they love and which ones they’d rather never see again. WARNING: Ottilie is struggling with a particular word and it’s leaving Lloyd mortified! In fact, this is actually our first explicit episode!

The dads are back, and in this first episode of season two they discuss silent reflux, burping your baby, the benefits and risks of swaddling and baby slings. Plus, they premiere their new jingle (which they’re very excited about) for the segment ‘Stuff to Buy’. To round off the episode Jon and Lloyd answer a question from a listener about mums being shattered in the first trimester - tread carefully boys! Welcome to Poddy Training season two!

In a bonus episode to mark Dwarfism Awareness Month, which takes place every October, Jon and Lloyd chat with Gareth Jenkins, a father of two whose daughter Freya has achondroplasia, the most common form of Dwarfism. With brilliant honesty and openness, Gareth talks about what it was like finding out Freya had achondroplasia, how he has learned about the condition and how the charity Little People UK have been a constant source of support and guidance in the first year of his daughter's life.  You can support Gareth in his fundraising efforts for Little People UK at justgiving.com/fundraising/gjenkins39

The whole of Poddy Training season one was recorded during the coronavirus pandemic. In this bonus episode, Lloyd and Jonathan talk about the ups and downs of living with a toddler in lockdown, discuss ideas and games they’d recommend playing with your child (regardless of whether there’s a global health disaster going on), and finish off with what they’ve discovered about themselves and their lifestyles because of COVID-19.

In the last episode of season one, the dads talk about their final tips for the first few days and weeks of being a dad. They also debate whether dummies are good or bad, talk about which brand of nappies you should consider if you don’t want to remortgage the house and the gadgets they valued the most, including digital vs analogue baby monitors. And it wouldn’t be a dad podcast without the all-important changing nappies discussion!