This week is Baby Loss Awareness Week and we had the privilege of interviewing author, mother and motivational speaker, Malin Andersson. Malin speaks about the loss of her baby girl Consy and how she navigated her grief journey alongside the loss of her mother, whilst also in the midst of a domestically abusive relationship. We speak about what Malin found helpful in her grief, the arrival of Consy's younger sister Xaya, and parenting again after loss. We were all inspired by Malin's bravery, and know that you will be too. Trigger Warning: we speak about domestic abuse in this episode.

In this special epsiode we talk about Back to School Week and other triggers. We discuss the doorstep pictures on social media and how they make us feel, aswell as how we manage other things that trigger us most in our grief. 

In this episode we are joined by Teddy’s Wish Bereavement Counsellor, Paula Abramson. Paula gave her time and expertise to explain what bereavement counselling is, and how it can help bereaved parents in the immediate aftermath of loss, or further down the line.  We also chatted about the importance of bereavement support training for healthcare professionals who are looking after families, and how those early experiences, conversations and language used can have a lasting affect on parents. 

In this episode we talked with award-winning food writer and presenter Georgina Hayden about the loss of how her son Archie, who was stillborn in 2014.  Georgie shares with us her heartbreaking experience of having to say goodbye to Archie and then finding herself in a world of secondary infertility and IVF treatment before she went on to welcome her two daughters. It’s fair to say that Georgie, alongside her fantastic network of friends and family, has a wicked sense of humour that has definitely seen her through the darkest times in her life. Georgie also shares honestly about how she used her passion for cooking to create new work projects to help herself process losing her son, and her involvement in brilliant charities such as Tommy’s. 

In this episode we talk to blogger Kajal about losing her daughter, Aurelia. Kajal shares with us how she got through those first days and weeks without her daughter, and what she did to find and build her community online, creating a network of supportive women who would help her through the most heartbreaking time of her life. We all learned so much from our chat and were all in awe of Kajal’s warmth, kindness, humility and fantastic sense of humour, and we think that you will be too.

In this episode we discuss what life after the loss of your baby actually looks like. We have an honest chat about what really got us through those darkest early days after death, and how we coped navigating the road of integrating back into life again. We cover everything. From late night walks, to life-saving pets, family get togethers and more...

In part 2 of this episode we continue to discuss our personal stories of losing our boys Freddie, Teddy and Eddie; how they all came into this world, and how we navigated through those first days and weeks without them. 

In this episode we discuss our personal stories of losing our boys Freddie, Teddy and Eddie; how they all came into this world, and how we navigated through those first days and weeks without them. There are many tears shed, but we feel it’s important to highlight the many different circumstances of losing a baby, and how this often leads to similar emotions. We also talk about how we came to meet one another, and in-turn how the Other Mother’s podcast was born. 

Welcome to the Other Mothers Podcast, hosted by Elle Wright @featheringtheemptynest, Caro Tasker @spikey and Jen Reid @teddys_wish. 

In this episode we are joined by Buffy Hinson, who shares her story of losing her baby Zara to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) in 2018 and how she navigated her grief alongside parenting Zara’s two elder sisters. Buffy openly shares her parenthood story before and after loss, as well as all of the things she used to help her during the most heartbreaking time. Trigger Warning: we do talk about sleep safety and for more information please visit The Lullaby Trust: www.thelullabytrust.org.uk

In this episode, we speak to Ex-England Rugby legend and World Cup winner, Will Greenwood. Will speaks for the first time on a podcast about the loss of his first baby boy, Freddie, in 2002. We hear about how he navigated his grief and the incredible things he has achieved in memory of Freddie; including trekking to the South Pole and becoming a patron of Borne charity . A first for us on the pod, as we get to hear what the loss of a child feels like from a dad’s perspective. 

In part 2 of this episode, we continue our conversation with midwife and author, Sophie Martin who is best known for her blog, and most recently her brilliant book “The Infertile Midwife: In Search of Motherhood. A memoir”. We chat to Sophie about her journey through infertility whilst working to deliver other peoples babies, and the challenges that raised for her along the way. Sophie candidly shares with us her journey into motherhood, losing her twins Cecil and Wilfred to stillbirth and welcoming her son, Percy, in 2021.  

To launch our new series, we are joined by midwife and author, Sophie Martin who is best known for her blog, and most recently her brilliant book “The Infertile Midwife: In Search of Motherhood. A memoir”. In this episode we chat to Sophie about her journey through infertility whilst working to deliver other peoples babies, and the challenges that raised for her along the way.  Sophie candidly shares with us her journey into motherhood, losing her twins Cecil and Wilfred to stillbirth and welcoming her son, Percy, in 2021.  We loved chatting to Sophie, and we know how much her book is set to help those who need it, so we hope you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

In this episode, ahead of Mother's Day, we discuss how we all navigated our first one without our boys, and what we do now as each year passes. We also chat about messages of support from friends on Mother's Day or what we would have loved to have heard from those supporting us. It's challenging explaining what it feels like to be a mother without a baby here for the world to see, but we do our best at giving an insight into how that can feel. We know how difficult this day can be for so many, so we are sending everyone who needs it, all our love and strength this weekend.

In this episode, we speak with Professor Mark Johnson, leading Consultant Obstetrician and Head of Research & Development at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London. Mark is also the founder of Borne, a medical research charity which aims to prevent premature birth. This episode is particularly pertinent as Mark supported Caro in her subsequent pregnancies after losing her first son, Freddie.

In this episode we chat about supporting someone close to you who has lost their baby. We speak honestly about our personal "do’s and don’ts" in supporting: what worked for us (and what didn’t!)  We also talk about how other peoples reactions to our losses affected us in the early weeks of grief. 

Parenting another child after loss can be an extremely frightening time for anyone. In this episode we discuss our experiences of some of those anxieties, and what parenting after loss can feel like. We also chat about things that each of us have found most helpful, and what we think we’ve done differently, as a bereaved parent. 

To launch our new series, it is a privelege for us to speak to Jenni Thomas OBE, who is widely recognised as a leading figure and pioneer in bereavement support for families grieving the death of a child and for educating health professionals on how best to support families. We speak to Jenni about her experience in supporting bereaved families over the last 60 years, and her newly published book 'After a Child Dies, Parent’s Grief'.

In this episode we talk to Professor Alex Heazell, consultant obstetrician and Clinical Director of The Tommy’s Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre in Manchester. We speak about Professor Heazell's pioneering research projects which focusses on the causes and prevention of stillbirth, and his visions for the future.

For more information on his work at Tommy's, please visit: https://www.tommys.org/ 

For Black Baby Loss Awarness Week, we are joined by Rachel Burrell and Gina Reeves, founders of the charity Ebony Bonds, a bereavement charity dedicated to providing support for black bereaved families . We speak about Rachel and Gina's personal experiences of baby loss - Rachel tragically lost her baby Rhema to stillbirth and Gina tragically lost her baby boy Dante to stillbirth. We also speak about the disparities and systemic inequalities of maternity care for black and mixed heritage families, and what is needed to make meaningful change.

For more information on Ebony Bonds please visit: https://www.ebonybonds.org.uk/ 

You can follow them on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/ebonybondsupport 

We are joined by author Ellie Harley-Jones who speaks to us about her baby boy Theo, who she lost to stillbirth in March 2021.  Ellie has channelled her grief for Theo by writing and illustrating 'Theo Bear - A Midnight Wish', a beautiful and heartfelt story which is lovely to read to children, and is also a comfort for bereaved parents. We also speak about how healing and cathartic it has been for Ellie to write in Theo's name.

In our final episode of Series 5, the three of us speak about inherited grief and the impact this has on our subsequent children. We talk about how we raise our loving children in the shadow of grief, and the conversations that come up in daily life.

To launch Series 6 of The Other Mothers Podcast, we were honoured to speak to journalist and author Ali Harris about her new novel “This Wasn’t Meant To Happen” – a love story about a couple, Sofie and Rory, whose world imploded after the stillbirth of their baby boy at 39 weeks.

Ali also opens up about the devasting loss of her daughter Poppy and explains how this experience became the inspiration behind her latest novel.

This wasn’t meant to happen. But it did.

"Sofie Jensen knows the safest way to live is by staying in control. And she knows that love can come with a cost.

But what she doesn’t know is that one unexpected moment will change everything. Because meeting Rory and falling in love wasn’t part of the plan. Neither was becoming pregnant or losing her baby.

Sofie doesn’t know how she’ll survive this kind of grief – but she knows life will never be the same again…

Told with quiet strength and breathtaking honesty, This Wasn’t Meant to Happen is a powerful portrait of love, grief and the tender, complicated path back to hope"

Ali’s book can be purchased on Amazon here

In this episode, we are joined by Lucy Livesey, founder of Ellie's Gift. Lucy shares her story of losing her baby girl Ellie to TFMR (termination for medical reasons) and how she set up Ellie's Gift in her memory to support the baby loss community.

The Ellie's Gift App is a free resource to support individuals through baby loss by offering practical assistance, mental health support, and educational resources. More information can be read here: https://www.ellies.gift/