Child – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Technical and general information from the podcast's RSS feed.

Child

BBC Radio 4

Society & Culture

Science

Frequency: 1 episode/22d. Total Eps: 37

Child returns for the next chapter of the story of all of us. Delve deep into the mind of a toddler and explore how our emotions and our selves are built through life experience.

Site

RSS

Apple

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

🇬🇧 Great Britain - documentary
04/09/2026
#92
🇬🇧 Great Britain - documentary
03/09/2026
#97
🇬🇧 Great Britain - documentary
31/08/2026
#99
🇬🇧 Great Britain - documentary
30/08/2026
#85
🇬🇧 Great Britain - documentary
29/08/2026
#84
🇬🇧 Great Britain - documentary
27/08/2026
#75
🇬🇧 Great Britain - documentary
26/08/2026
#89
🇬🇧 Great Britain - documentary
17/08/2026
#96
🇬🇧 Great Britain - documentary
15/08/2026
#76
🇫🇷 France - documentary
15/08/2026
#83

Spotify

No recent rankings available

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.

See all

No links shared by this podcast

RSS feed quality and score

Technical evaluation of the podcast's RSS feed quality and structure.

See all

RSS feed quality

To improve

Score global : 63%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

Year

Latest published episodes

Recent episodes with titles, durations, and descriptions.

See all

Introducing Child

Season 1 · Episode 1

Friday, January 5, 2024 • Duration 03:11

In this new look at the beginnings of life we tell the story of a child from fertilisation to first birthday through the lens of society, history, and science.

1. The Dance Begins

Season 1 · Episode 2

Friday, January 12, 2024 • Duration 15:20

After that very first moment, when sperm meets egg - the life of a human begins to unfold. But how does that one cell begin to divide and differentiate into the billions of complex parts of a human being. How much do those very first cells know?

India Rakusen heads to a lab in Cambridge to look at a human embryo and speaks to leading cell biologist Magdelana Zernika-Goetz.

And a baby isn’t a baby without the people and the world around it. We speak to Child psychologist Graham Music and historian Elinor Cleghorn about how intertwined we are with our world, and the instant effects on the mother.

Presented by India Rakusen. Producer: Ellie Sans. Series Producer: Ellie Sans. Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts. Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon. Mix and Mastering by Olga Reed.

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Read moreCollapse

10. Due Date

Season 1 · Episode 11

Monday, January 29, 2024 • Duration 14:30

At the end of a pregnancy, a lot is going on. The baby might be descending and moving into place, and the pregnant body is changing every day. It’s the baby’s time to arrive and it’s going to happen, one way or another. But what is a due date?

India speaks to Holly Dunsworth, a biological anthropologist who’s challenging the obstetrical dilemma. Exploring the idea of why the due dates exist, India looks at the inaccuracies of how they are measured whilst questioning - how does labour begin? Midwife and author Leah Hazard provides insights into what we do know, and the possible influence of full moons.

Presented by India Rakusen. Producer: Lucy Hunt. Series Producer: Ellie Sans. Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor Rhian Roberts. Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon. Mix and Mastering by Olga Reed.

A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Read moreCollapse

11. Oxytocin

Season 1 · Episode 12

Monday, March 18, 2024 • Duration 14:39

Labour begins. The womb begins its grinding dance into contractions and the hormone Oxytocin steps onto the scene. In this episode, India Rakusen explores the influence that both people and the places we are in have over labour and birth.

Where we give birth, and with who, has changed quite dramatically over the centuries. But what do we know now about the significance of both? We hear from Dr Sarah Fox about the move from birth being a women-only space to the rise of man-midwives. Economist Emily Oster discusses the benefits of having a doula, and Leila Baker, one of the directors of Doula UK, talks about the rise in Doulas and what that means for marginalised groups, security and safety. Finally Dr Ranee Thakar considers how recent headlines have eroded trust - with consequences for oxytocin.

Presented by India Rakusen Producer: Ellie Sans Series Producer: Ellie Sans Production Team: Ella McLeod & Georgia Arundell Executive Producer: Suzy Grant Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by ESKA And The Big Moon. Mix and Mastering by Olga Reed

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4

Read moreCollapse

12. Consent

Season 1 · Episode 13

Monday, March 18, 2024 • Duration 14:39

Being in control and having a sense of choice can be the difference between a positive or negative birth experience, but how much choice do women really have?

India Rakusen speaks to Dr Anna Nelson about consent for cervical examinations and how muddy this area can be. Leah Hazard discusses what these examinations are for and how useful they can be, and we also hear from Dr Ihab Abassi about his decision to only perform gentle caesareans and the long lasting positive impact this can have on women.

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4

Read moreCollapse

13. Trust

Season 1 · Episode 14

Monday, March 18, 2024 • Duration 14:44

With near-constant headlines of problems in our maternity services here in the UK, what does the word ‘trust’ mean today when it comes to birth, and what can we do to create more of it?

India Rakusen heads to her own hospital where she’s due to give birth to speak to the director of midwifery Shirley Peterson, Dr Sanem Atakan a consultant obstetrician and a doula Aimee Hamblin about the breakdown and rebuilding of trust.

Produced and Presented by India Rakusen Series Producer: Ellie Sans Production Team: Ella McLeod & Georgia Arundell Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by ESKA Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4

Read moreCollapse

14. Pain

Season 1 · Episode 15

Monday, March 18, 2024 • Duration 13:55

The baby is almost here. In this episode, India Rakusen explores how the baby moves through the cervix into the birth canal to the moment the baby’s head starts to crown.

And through all of this, how is pain acknowledged and addressed? India looks at the history of pain relief - and finds out from historian Randi Hutter-Epstein about an extreme form called Twilight Sleep that gained popularity at the start of the 20th Century. She also speaks to research midwife Rachel Ibikunle about the horrific beliefs about pain for Black and Asian women, and to Siobhan Miller of the Positive Birth Company about how understanding our body can help manage pain.

Presented by India Rakusen Producer: Ellie Sans Series Producer: Ellie Sans Production Team: Ella McLeod & Georgia Arundell Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by ESKA Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4

Read moreCollapse

15. Golden Hour

Season 1 · Episode 16

Monday, March 18, 2024 • Duration 15:24

The baby is born and takes its first breath. But it’s not over. India examines how the body reacts and recovers in this first hour, how the placenta is born, and how bonding begins between parents and baby. And what if it doesn’t? It’s not always instant love, and that’s okay. India speaks to doula Leila Baker and former midwife Rachel Reed about building that enchantment a different way when the rush of hormones doesn’t have the expected effect. Midwife Leah Hazard describes the immediate aftercare and India asks Dr Alison Wright about how more personalised care could improve mothers experiences.

Produced and Presented by: India Rakusen. Series producer: Ellie Sans. Production Team: Ella McLeod & Georgia Arundell Executive producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by ESKA. Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King.

A Listen Production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Read moreCollapse

16. First Love

Season 1 · Episode 16

Monday, March 18, 2024 • Duration 14:34

The chemical and emotional connection between a parent and baby is really important but just how quickly are babies making emotional connections? India talks to MIT professor Rebecca Saxe about scanning babies brains to find the answers. Helen Jukes questions the ‘naturalness’ of the mother-baby bond and talks about the variety of relationships out in the natural world, and India talks to Paternal mental health expert Scott Mair about the important role of dads in the very early days of bonding.

Presented by: India Rakusen. Producer: India Rakusen Series producer: Ellie Sans. Executive producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon. Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King.

A Listen Production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Read moreCollapse

17. Milk

Season 1 · Episode 17

Monday, March 18, 2024 • Duration 15:19

Milk. However it comes its a vital source of life. India Rakusen explores it’s various forms and the history and politics that have shaped the way we view how we feed our babies.

The pressures around feeding our new-borns can be intensely difficult to navigate. India speaks to a new mum, Kerry, about her experience expressing and feeding in neonatal wards. She also finds out how milk is built from scientist Mary Fewtrell and talks to historian and author Joanna Wolfarth about the way milk has ruled motherhood, and how we can move forward.

Presented by India Rakusen Producer: Ellie Sans Series Producer: Ellie Sans Executive Producer: Suzy Grant Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon and ESKA Mtungwazi Mix and Mastering by Olga Reed

A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Read moreCollapse

Child – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Child – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify