The Netmums Podcast

What happens when the parenting reality doesn't match the picture you imagined? On The Netmums Podcast this week, comedian, actress, author and mum of two Ellie Taylor joins JB Gill and Louise Burke for a special video episode full of brilliantly honest conversation about the messy, funny and emotional reality of family life.
Ellie, a former Strictly contestant and also a star of the popular TV show, Ted Lasso, opens up about why she found the newborn stage so difficult, the guilt of not feeling an instant bond with her babies, and why she believes more parents need to be honest about those early struggles. She is also super honest about the moment she was struck by gender disappointment with her second child and the challenges of welcoming another baby after a five-year age gap.
The conversation goes on to explore how she shares the parenting load with a stay-at-home dad, and how motherhood has reshaped her marriage. 
Ellie talks openly about the love for her children while also reflecting on learning to let go of control and embracing a ‘good enough’ approach to parenting. Plus, she talks about balancing a busy career with family life and filming her latest ITV show The Box out this autumn.

In this episode:

Why Ellie didn't instantly fall in love with motherhood

The reality of having a second child

Gender disappointment and changing expectations

Sharing parenting with a stay-at-home dad

Keeping a relationship alive after children

Why 'good enough' parenting is enough

Whether you're in the newborn trenches, weighing up a second child or simply trying to hold everything together, this episode is full of honest reflections, big, big laughs and reassuring reminders that parenting doesn't have to be perfect to be enough.
Fancy watching the full episode of The Netmums Podcast on Youtube? Visit the Netmums YouTube Channel now!
Read more trusted parenting advice at Netmums and join the conversation on social @Netmums.
JB and Louise would love to hear your parenting stories, questions and dilemmas. Email thenetmumspodcast@netmums.com and you could be featured in a future episode.

The Netmums Podcast is brought to you by Netmums, trusted by parents, backed by experts.
This episode was produced by Further Films.

Summer holidays are brilliant... until someone says, ‘I’m hungrrrry’ for the fifth time before 11am.
In this episode of The Netmums Podcast, JB Gill and Louise Burke are joined by leading baby and child nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed to tackle one of parents' biggest summer challenges: feeding the family without the guilt.
From endless snack requests and picnic planning to heatwave eating habits, holiday treats and the pressure to get it ‘right’, Charlotte shares practical, reassuring advice to help parents take the stress out of mealtimes. She explains why one ice cream, or even one whole summer, won't define your child's relationship with food, why healthy eating is built over days, weeks, months and years, and how small, consistent habits matter far more than perfection.
Charlotte also explores why the first 1,000 days of a child's life are so important, shares balanced advice following the BBC Panorama investigation into the safety of baby food pouches, and offers realistic, affordable tips for busy families. Plus, if you're wondering whether you've missed the boat with older children, she explains why it's never too late to build healthier eating habits.
In this episode:

Why children seem hungry all the time during the summer holidays

Healthy picnic ideas and budget-friendly snacks for days out

Should parents feel guilty about daily ice creams?

How to encourage healthy eating without creating pressure or guilt

Why the first 1,000 days matter and what that means in real life

Baby food pouches, convenience foods and making informed choices without judgement

Can you improve your child's eating habits if they're older?

Find out more about Charlotte's work atwww.srnutrition.co.uk and discover her books How to Wean Your Baby, How to Feed Your Toddler, How to Feed Your Family and The Ultimate Weaning & Toddler Cookbook.
Read more trusted parenting advice at Netmums and join the conversation on social @Netmums.
JB and Louise would love to hear your parenting stories, questions and dilemmas. Email thenetmumspodcast@netmums.com and you could feature in a future episode.
The Netmums Podcast is brought to you by Netmums – trusted by parents, backed by experts.
Prefer to watch? Full episodes are available on the Netmums YouTube channel.
This episode has been produced by Decibelle Creative.

*This episode contains discussions around baby loss, birth trauma and grief. Please listen in a way that feels right for you.
This week on The Netmums Podcast, Louise Burke and JB Gill are joined by television personality and author Lauren Goodger for an honest and deeply moving conversation about motherhood, grief and finding the strength to keep going.
In her new book, Mum of Two, Lauren shares the story behind the headlines – from the overwhelming joy of becoming a mum to daughter Larose, to the unimaginable heartbreak of losing her second daughter, Lorena. She opens up about navigating grief while parenting, learning to live alongside loss, and why she wants other bereaved parents to know they're not alone.
Lauren also reflects on the realities of early motherhood, the pressure to appear as though you're coping, the importance of asking for help, and how she's found moments of hope and joy again.
In this episode:

Why becoming a mum changed Lauren's life forever

The raw reality of early motherhood and feeling like you're in survival mode

Parenting through grief and keeping Lorena's memory alive

Why healing isn't about ‘moving on’ from loss

Finding strength, purpose and hope after the hardest days

If this episode raises difficult feelings for you, support is available through organisations including Sands, Tommy's and PANDAS.
Read more trusted parenting advice at Netmums and join the conversation on social @Netmums.
JB and Louise would love to hear your parenting stories, questions and dilemmas. Email thenetmumspodcast@netmums.com and you could be featured in a future episode.
The Netmums Podcast is brought to you by Netmums, trusted by parents, backed by experts.
Fancy watching full episodes of The Netmums Podcast on YouTube? Visit the Netmums YouTube Channel now!
Proudly produced by Decibelle Creative.

How do we raise our children to believe they're enough in a world that's constantly telling them they need to look different, be different or do more?
This week on The Netmums Podcast, Louise Burke and JB Gill are joined by broadcaster, best-selling author, campaigner and mum-of-two Katie Piper for an inspiring conversation about confidence, resilience and raising children who value themselves for who they truly are.
Drawing on both her own extraordinary life experiences (most notably surviving a life-changing acid attack in 2008, carried out at the request of her ex-boyfriend) and her work with international children's cleft charity Smile Train, Katie shares why true confidence isn't something we inherit – it's something we build. Together, they explore how parents can nurture resilience from an early age, support children through the pressures of social media and appearance culture, and encourage them to develop a strong sense of identity that goes far beyond external validation.
Katie also reflects on becoming a mum, how parenthood changed her perspective, why she was determined not to pass her own fears onto her daughters, and what her children have taught her about healing, patience and self-compassion.

In this episode:

Why resilience is the real foundation of confidence

Helping children build self-worth beyond appearance

Raising girls in the age of filters, influencers and social media

Why Katie encourages her daughter to focus on discovering who she is before worrying about relationships

Katie's work with Smile Train and supporting families and children born with cleft lip and palate around the world

Challenging stigma and misconceptions surrounding facial differences

How becoming a mum transformed Katie's outlook on life

The parenting lessons Katie's daughters have taught her

Whether you're raising toddlers or teenagers, this episode is packed with thoughtful advice and reassuring reminders about helping children grow up believing that who they are matters far more than how they look.
Read more expert advice at Netmums and join the conversation on social @Netmums.
JB and Louise would love to hear your parenting stories, questions and dilemmas. Email thenetmumspodcast@netmums.com and you could be featured in a future episode.
The Netmums Podcast is brought to you by Netmums, trusted by parents, backed by experts.
Proudly produced by Further

This week on The Netmums Podcast, Louise Burke and JB Gill tackle one of the biggest parenting challenges of our time: keeping children safe online.
With the UK moving towards restricting social media access for under-16s, this conversation couldn't be more timely.
Joining the podcast are Lauren Cowell, campaigner for the Raise the Age movement, entrepreneur and fiancee to Simon Cowell, and Ellen Roome, who has dedicated herself to improving online safety following the devastating loss of her 14-year-old son, Jools.
Together, they share powerful insights into the realities of parenting in the digital age, why parental controls alone aren't enough, and the practical steps every family can take to better protect their children online.
From delaying smartphones and keeping devices out of bedrooms to building open conversations and recognising the hidden risks of social media, this episode offers honest advice every parent needs to hear.

In this episode:

Why many parents feel they're fighting a losing battle online

The reality of navigating parental controls

Practical ways to keep children safer online

How to build trust so children come to you when something goes wrong

The online risks every parent should understand, from algorithms to sextortion

Why campaigners believe stronger protections for children are urgently needed

* This episode touches on child loss and online harm. Please listen in a way that feels right for you.
Read more expert advice at Netmums and join the conversation on social @Netmums.
JB and Louise would love to hear your parenting stories, questions and dilemmas. Email thenetmumspodcast@netmums.com and you could feature in a future episode.
The Netmums Podcast is brought to you by Netmums, trusted by parents, backed by experts.
Proudly produced by Decibelle Creative.