E227. The Truth About Stretch and Sweeps with Midwife Pip

The Truth About Stretch and Sweeps with Midwife Pip   If you’ve been offered a stretch and sweep, or heard people say “just get a sweep and it’ll start labour,” this episode is for you. In this episode, Midwife Pip explains exactly what a stretch and sweep (also called a membrane sweep) is, how it works in the body, what the research actually shows about its effectiveness, and how to decide whether it’s right for you, without pressure. We talk honestly about when sweeps are more likely to help, when they often don’t, what they can feel like, potential downsides, and the importance of informed consent. This isn’t about saying yes or no, it’s about understanding your options so you can feel steady and confident in your decision. Calm, evidence-based guidance for late pregnancy, induction decisions, and informed choice. Extra Resources: 📚Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: https://www.midwifepip.com/midwife-pip-books💫 Feel calm, confident, and fully supported through pregnancy with Midwife Pip ‘DM” -  “YPJ” on Instagram: @midwife_pip Connect with Pip:Instagram: @midwife_pip Facebook: Midwife Pip Email: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a short review -  it truly helps more mums find this support and reassurance. And if you’d love to feel more confident and calm through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, come join our community,  you don’t have to do motherhood alone. Enjoy listening… and don’t forget to subscribe! Midwife Pip x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leaking Urine in Pregnancy: What’s Normal and What Actually Helps - with Midwife Pip   Leaking urine during pregnancy is incredibly common, but that doesn’t mean you have to just put up with it. In this episode, Midwife Pip breaks down why leaking happens in pregnancy, what’s considered normal, what’s not, and what the evidence actually says helps. We explore why leaking isn’t always about a “weak pelvic floor”, the huge role pressure management plays, and the small changes that can make a real difference, even during pregnancy. This is calm, clear, expert-led guidance designed to remove shame, reduce confusion, and help you feel more in control of your body during pregnancy. If you’ve ever leaked when coughing, sneezing, exercising, or standing up, this episode is for you. Extra Resources: 📚Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: https://www.midwifepip.com/midwife-pip-books💫 Feel calm, confident, and fully supported through pregnancy with Midwife Pip ‘DM” -  “YPJ” on Instagram: @midwife_pip Connect with Pip:Instagram: @midwife_pipFacebook: Midwife PipEmail: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a short review -  it truly helps more mums find this support and reassurance. And if you’d love to feel more confident and calm through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, come join our community,  you don’t have to do motherhood alone. Enjoy listening… and don’t forget to subscribe! Midwife Pip x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FAQs Every New & Expectant Dad Has (But Rarely Asks) - with Midwife Pip   Becoming a dad can feel exciting, surreal, and quietly overwhelming - often all at once. In this episode, Midwife Pip answers the questions many new and expectant dads think but rarely say out loud. From why pregnancy can feel abstract, to what your role really is in labour, to bonding with your baby and navigating postnatal mental health, this is an honest, judgment-free guide to fatherhood. We talk about emotional disconnect, relationship changes, postpartum mental health in dads, and the myths that put unnecessary pressure on new families, without macho nonsense or pretending it’s all sunshine. If you’re about to become a dad, are already in the thick of it, or want to support your partner better, this episode will help you feel more prepared, more grounded, and far less alone. Extra Resources: 📚Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: https://www.midwifepip.com/midwife-pip-books💫 Feel calm, confident, and fully supported through pregnancy with Midwife Pip ‘DM” -  “YPJ” on Instagram: @midwife_pip Connect with Pip:Instagram: @midwife_pip Facebook: Midwife Pip Email: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a short review -  it truly helps more mums find this support and reassurance. And if you’d love to feel more confident and calm through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, come join our community,  you don’t have to do motherhood alone. Enjoy listening… and don’t forget to subscribe! Midwife Pip x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lie We Tell Women About Birth - with Helen Ashfield A challenging or traumatic birth can leave a deep imprint, one that extends far beyond the early postpartum weeks and can shape how the future feels, too. When thoughts of another pregnancy or birth arise, they often carry a powerful mix of emotions, memories, and questions. This week, I’m joined by the wonderful Helen, an incredible mum of 2 who I’ve had the honour of supporting through my YPJ - Your Pregnancy and Postnatal Journey programme. Although Helen prepared for her first birth in all the ways we’re told we “should,” the experience itself was not close to what she wanted. Determined to approach things differently the next time, she chose to reclaim her power and prepare in a new way. Today, I’m so grateful to share space with her as she opens up about her journey, with the hope of supporting and guiding others as they navigate birth themselves. Extra Resources: 📚Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: https://www.midwifepip.com/midwife-pip-books💫 Feel calm, confident, and fully supported through pregnancy with Midwife Pip ‘DM” -  “YPJ” on Instagram: @midwife_pip Connect with Pip:Instagram: @midwife_pipFacebook: Midwife PipEmail: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a short review -  it truly helps more mums find this support and reassurance. And if you’d love to feel more confident and calm through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, come join our community,  you don’t have to do motherhood alone. Enjoy listening… and don’t forget to subscribe! Midwife Pip x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your Birth, Your Power: How to Take Control- with Gabbie Smith Parenthood is the wildest ride of all, one minute you’re on top of the world, the next you’re Experiencing a traumatic or difficult birth can have lasting effects- not only in the immediate postpartum period but well into the future. The thought of another pregnancy or birth can then bring up a whole new wave of emotions and reflections. This week I am joined by an incredible, mum, Gabbie. I have had the pleasure of supporting Gabbie and her family in my YPJ – my Your Pregnancy and Postnatal Journey programme. Gabbie’s first birth was a traumatic experience despite doing the prep society convinces us is the right thing to do and she decided to take the reins on her next birth, to prepare differently and today I have the privilege of talking to her as she shares her story to help others navigate birth too.  Extra Resources: 📚Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: https://www.midwifepip.com/midwife-pip-books💫 Feel calm, confident, and fully supported through pregnancy with Midwife Pip ‘DM” -  “YPJ” on Instagram: @midwife_pip Connect with Pip:  Instagram: @midwife_pip  Facebook: Midwife Pip  Email: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us  If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a short review -  it truly helps more mums find this support and reassurance. And if you’d love to feel more confident and calm through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, come join our community — you don’t have to do motherhood alone. Enjoy listening… and don’t forget to subscribe! Midwife Pip x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pelvic Floor Secrets No One Told You with Clare Bourne   Today we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood and most transformative parts of pregnancy prep: your pelvic floor. These are the muscles that quietly hold everything together, influence how you birth, shape your recovery, and even affect how you feel in your body long after the baby arrives. Yet for so many women, the pelvic floor only becomes a topic after something goes wrong. In this episode, pelvic health physiotherapist, author, and educator Clare Bourne @clarebournephysio joins us to pull back the curtain on what’s really happening in your body during pregnancy and birth. Clare has guided thousands of women through evidence-based, practical birth prep that replaces fear with confidence. Settle in as we explore why your pelvic floor deserves a starring role in your birth plan, how to actually prepare it for labour, and what meaningful recovery looks like beyond the myths, mixed messages, and “just do your Kegels” advice. This is the conversation every mum-to-be should hear.   Extra Resources: 📚Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: https://www.midwifepip.com/midwife-pip-books 💫 Feel calm, confident, and fully supported through pregnancy with Midwife Pip ‘DM” -  “YPJ” on Instagram: @midwife_pip Connect with Pip: Instagram: @midwife_pip Facebook: Midwife PipEmail: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a short review -  it truly helps more mums find this support and reassurance. And if you’d love to feel more confident and calm through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, come join our community,  you don’t have to do motherhood alone. Enjoy listening… and don’t forget to subscribe! Midwife Pip x   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What About Dad? Mathew Lewis Carter Opens Up on the Reality of Fatherhood. Dads are often profoundly affected by pregnancy and parenthood, even if their experiences are less visible. Many feel pressure to stay strong and supportive while quietly navigating their own fears, identity shifts, and emotional challenges. The transition to fatherhood can trigger changes in mental health, especially when sleep deprivation, financial pressures, or relationship strain enter the picture. And because society tends to focus primarily on mothers, dads can feel sidelined, unsupported, or unsure of where to turn when they’re struggling. In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Mathew Lewis Carter @mathewlcarter @secretlifeofdads brings to light a side of parenthood that is too often overlooked: the emotional and mental health struggles fathers face behind the scenes. From the unexpected weight of postnatal depression to challenges, Mathew shares the reality so many dads live but rarely speak about. Together, we explore why men’s experiences are so often dismissed, how these struggles impact relationships and identity, and what real support for fathers should look like. This is an episode for anyone who has felt unheard in their journey to parenthood, and for every family who wants to understand the full picture of what it means to become a parent today. Extra Resources: 📚Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: https://www.midwifepip.com/midwife-pip-books💫 Feel calm, confident, and fully supported through pregnancy with Midwife Pip ‘DM” -  “YPJ” on Instagram: @midwife_pip Connect with Pip:Instagram: @midwife_pip Facebook: Midwife Pip Email: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a short review -  it truly helps more mums find this support and reassurance. And if you’d love to feel more confident and calm through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, come join our community,  you don’t have to do motherhood alone. Enjoy listening… and don’t forget to subscribe! Midwife Pip x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to today’s episode and buckle up, because we’re diving into the world of Twins, triplets and more. What’s it really like to be pregnant with, and raise twins, triplets or more? In this episode of the Midwife Pip Podcast, Pip is joined by Helen Peck, Head of Healthcare Engagement and Research at the Twins Trust, for an honest, heart-warming and eye-opening conversation about life with multiples. From high-risk pregnancies and neonatal care to feeding decisions, exhaustion, and the magic of watching tiny humans grow side by side, nothing is off the table. Helen shares her own powerful story as a mum to identical twins, born after a complex and anxious pregnancy, and how a chance connection with the Twins Trust became her lifeline  and eventually her life’s work. Together, Pip and Helen unpack the realities parents of multiples face: the isolation, the overwhelm, the relentless logistics… and the joy, humour and unbreakable bonds that only families of multiples truly understand. From what parents of twins and triplets wish they’d known during pregnancy to the importance of specialist care, informed choice, and having a voice.  Whether you’re expecting multiples, supporting someone who is, or simply fascinated by the extraordinary strength of parents who do this every day, this episode will leave you feeling informed, reassured, and deeply inspired. Check out Twins Trust: https://twinstrust.org Extra Resources: 📚Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: https://www.midwifepip.com/midwife-pip-books💫 Feel calm, confident, and fully supported through pregnancy with Midwife Pip ‘DM” -  “YPJ” on Instagram: @midwife_pip Connect with Pip:Instagram: @midwife_pipFacebook: Midwife PipEmail: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a short review -  it truly helps more mums find this support and reassurance. And if you’d love to feel more confident and calm through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, come join our community,  you don’t have to do motherhood alone. Enjoy listening… and don’t forget to subscribe! Midwife Pip x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Nurseries Are Failing Children at Mealtimes? We wouldn’t dream of sending our children to childcare with dirty toilets or unsafe toys, yet so many settings serve food that barely meets the mark. In this episode, we’re lifting the lid on what’s really being served to our children, and why their nutrition deserves far more attention than it’s getting. Why Nurseries Are Failing Children at Mealtimes… with Catherine Lippe If you’re a parent, you probably check the toilets, the toys, and the teaching before choosing a nursery. But how often do you check the food? In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Catherine Lippe, registered nutritionist and early-years specialist, to uncover the truth about nutrition in childcare and the silent standards slipping under the radar. We explore why nutrition in early years matters far more than most people realise, how current systems are failing children, and what needs to change to protect their health and development. From packed lunches to nursery menus, Catherine shares the real-world solutions that help parents and childcare providers raise healthier, happier children, without guilt or overwhelm. Because every child deserves food that fuels their future, not just fills their plate. Extra Resources: 📚Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: https://www.midwifepip.com/midwife-pip-books 💫 Feel calm, confident, and fully supported through pregnancy with Midwife Pip ‘DM” -  “YPJ” on Instagram: @midwife_pip Connect with Pip: Instagram: @midwife_pip Facebook: Midwife Pip Email: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a short review -  it truly helps more mums find this support and reassurance. And if you’d love to feel more confident and calm through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, come join our community,  you don’t have to do motherhood alone. Enjoy listening… and don’t forget to subscribe! Midwife Pip x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Staying Calm When Your Kids Push Your Buttons with Kirk Martin “If you’ve ever lost your temper and thought, ‘Why did I react like that?’  this episode will hit home. Because it’s not about fixing your children; it’s about finding calm within yourself so you can connect, not control. Peace in parenting starts with you.” Staying Calm When Your Kids Push Your Buttons We’ve all been there, one moment you’re calm and collected, the next you’re saying things you swore you wouldn’t. Parenting can pull out every emotion you’ve ever had… and a few you didn’t know existed. In this powerful conversation, I’m joined by Kirk Martin, founder of Celebrate Calm and host of the Calm Parenting Podcast, whose practical, proven methods have helped millions of parents transform conflict into connection. Kirk’s approach flips traditional parenting on its head, it’s not about control or punishment, but emotional safety, respect, and understanding. You’ll learn how to stay calm when your child isn’t, break free from power struggles, and create a home built on trust and peace,  even with strong-willed or neurodivergent children. If you’re tired of yelling, guilt, and chaos, this episode is your roadmap back to calm  starting with you. Extra Resources: 📚Midwife Pip’s Guide to a Positive Birth: https://www.midwifepip.com/midwife-pip-books💫 Feel calm, confident, and fully supported through pregnancy with Midwife Pip ‘DM” -  “YPJ” on Instagram: @midwife_pip Connect with Pip:Instagram: @midwife_pipFacebook: Midwife PipEmail: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.midwifepip.com/contact-us If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a short review -  it truly helps more mums find this support and reassurance. And if you’d love to feel more confident and calm through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, come join our community,  you don’t have to do motherhood alone. Enjoy listening… and don’t forget to subscribe! Midwife Pip x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices