28:14

S01:E13 Oct 26, 2026

Marie Bateson - Two Ectopic Pregnancies: Grieving the Finality of What Can Never Be

In this open and honest episode, host Heather is joined by Marie Bateson to talk about ectopic pregnancy — a loss she points out is rarely spoken about, and one that comes with major surgery on top of grief. Marie conceived her son easily, with no problems at all. What followed was years of secondary infertility and two ectopic pregnancies. The first, at around 12 weeks, came completely out of the blue and cost her one fallopian tube. The second was discovered barely a week after a positive test — and she woke from surgery knowing, before anyone said a word, that she now had no tubes at all. What Marie describes so powerfully is that the hardest part wasn’t only losing the babies. It was the finality. Knowing that natural conception was, from that moment, simply not possible. She talks about months of appearing fine during the day and weeping the moment she got into bed, recovering from full abdominal surgery twice, and receiving no support of any kind — no groups, no information, not even a leaflet. The medical focus, she says, was on the medical issue and nothing else. Marie also shares what helped: her second husband proposing to give her something to focus on, planning a wedding, and going privately for IVF — which they had to fund themselves because although Marie had a son, her husband had no children. It worked first time, and her daughter arrived after a 9.5-year gap. Two later attempts with frozen embryos didn’t succeed, but by then, Marie says, she had her boy and her girl. Key Topics Covered: Secondary infertility after an easy first pregnancy Two ectopic pregnancies, and losing both fallopian tubes Why the finality hurt more than the loss itself Recovering from full abdominal surgery while grieving No support groups, no information, not even a leaflet Finding a focus — planning a wedding to get through the days Paying privately for IVF, and the rules around eligibility Success first time, and the 9.5-year gap between her children Friends who cared but had no idea what to say Avoiding baby showers, and showing up at work anyway Why she says never give up hope, and to seek out someone who understands A candid conversation about a loss that rarely gets talked about, and the particular grief of a door closing for good. Connect with Marie: Marie Bateson

26:33

S01:E12 Oct 12, 2026

Claire Williams - The Body Knows: Claire's Story of Choice, Coercion and Somatic Healing

Content note: This episode touches on abortion as part of our guest’s personal story. Our conversation is really about the body’s response to trauma, nervous system protection, and the different ways healing can look. All experiences around pregnancy and loss are deeply personal, and this conversation isn’t about telling anybody what they should or shouldn’t do. In this brave and long-overdue conversation, host Heather is joined by Claire Williams of Claire Sophia Coaching — a yoga teacher and somatic trauma therapy practitioner — who shares her story publicly for the very first time. If baby loss is a taboo subject, Claire points out, abortion and termination are more so. And her story isn’t the one people expect. In her mid-20s, married, buying a house, outwardly happy, Claire was in a relationship that involved infidelity, coercion and gaslighting — and she had kept much of it from family and friends. When she discovered she was pregnant, her mind reeled, but her body simply knew. It was, she says, the first time she really trusted her own instincts and knew her own no. Losing her husband, her home and her baby in the space of weeks, Claire went through the clinic process alone at 25. She describes a sterile, clinical environment, being asked repeatedly to justify her decision, no leaflet and no mental-health support — and the one question she does remember: did she want it to appear on her GP record? In other words, did she want to keep it secret. Now in her 40s, Claire speaks honestly about grieving a life she might have had, and about how this has only recently begun to surface — because her body finally feels safe enough to look at it. She and Heather also explore her work in depth: what somatic healing actually is, how it differs from talking therapy and coaching, and why she believes the somatic approach is the next big wave in healing. Key Topics Covered: Why abortion remains even more taboo than baby loss, and the shame around it A coercive marriage behind an outwardly perfect life The first time Claire trusted her body and knew her own no Losing husband, home and baby within weeks Going through the clinic alone at 25 — and being asked to keep it off her record Grieving, in her 40s, the life she might have had Why the feelings surfaced only once her body felt safe Somatic healing explained: the bottom-up, body-led approach Therapy is the past, coaching is the future — somatics is the present Titration, slowness, and why the nervous system can’t be rushed Community and being witnessed as a missing piece in healing “Your body knows the way, even when you feel lost.” Connect with Claire: Claire Williams — Claire Sophia Coaching, Yoga Teacher & Somatic Trauma Therapy Practitioner Website: clare-sophia.com Instagram: @iamsophia

31:21

S01:E11 Sep 28, 2026

Louise Fletcher - Daniel, Kate the Kidney, and the Work of Coming Home to Yourself

In this tender and deeply honest episode, host Heather is joined by Louise Fletcher — a coach who helps women become the leading lady in their own life — to share the story of her son Daniel, and everything that came after. Louise was in her early 20s, in a relationship only a few months old, when a late-night call from her doctor sent her to hospital with a suspected kidney problem. It was there she discovered she was four weeks pregnant. Coming from a broken family, all Louise had ever wanted was a family of her own, and she loved being pregnant — until, at around 25 weeks, she noticed the movements slow and her bump stop growing. Daniel was born at 32 weeks weighing 1lb 13oz, breathing on his own, tiny and perfect. He died at six days old. Louise speaks with remarkable openness about the details she still carries: asking for the lung-development injection on the way to theatre and being told she didn’t need it; not holding her son because she was certain he’d be coming home, and because she felt she was in the way; and navigating it all largely alone, at 22, with a fragmented relationship with her mum. She also shares what came later — the discovery that both fallopian tubes had been damaged during her section, the years of trying with her ex-husband that never came to anything, and the kidney transplant she lovingly calls Kate the Kidney. And she describes the moment, decades on, when she went looking for the root of a lifelong lack of confidence and found it waiting there: how can I be confident when I couldn’t carry a child? Now Louise helps other women uncover exactly those buried beliefs. Her message throughout is that loss is never only about grief — it shapes worthiness, relationships, and business, quietly, for years, until someone helps you look at it. Key Topics Covered: Discovering a kidney condition and a pregnancy in the same hospital admission Noticing reduced movements at 25 weeks, and Daniel’s birth at 32 weeks The injection she asked for and was told she didn’t need — and why she says speak up Not holding her son, and the lifelong feeling of “being in the way” Facing it all at 22, alone, with a fragmented relationship with her mum Damaged fallopian tubes discovered years later, and never conceiving again Kate the Kidney — her transplant, and the peace that came with it Tracing a lack of confidence back to not being able to carry a child How grief quietly shapes worthiness, relationships and self-sabotage Why talking helps but deeper subconscious work is what truly shifts it The healed, beautiful relationship she has with her mum today “I’d tell her I was proud of her.” A moving conversation about grief, self-worth, and finding your way back to peace. Connect with Louise: Louise Fletcher — Coach & Speaker Instagram: @iamlouisefletcher Facebook: facebook.com/louisefletchershines

1:04:07

S01:E10 Sep 14, 2026

Samantha Jones - Midwife to Fertility Specialist: Trusting Your Body, Trusting Your Instincts

In this powerful two-part conversation, host Heather sits down with Samantha Jones — an ex-NHS midwife, acupuncturist, and now a fertility and pregnancy specialist — for an episode that comes at maternity care from both sides. Samantha always wanted to be a midwife, and after having her own children and a wonderful experience of midwifery care, she went back and trained. But the reality of the job wasn’t the one she’d signed up for. After around seven years in the NHS, she found herself building rapport with women she then couldn’t care for the way she wanted: ten-minute appointments, protocols that didn’t fit the people in front of her, and a system where care felt disjointed rather than trauma-informed. She is candid about the two things she would change tomorrow — the blame culture and the time constraints — and equally clear that midwives genuinely want to be with women. That, after all, is what the word means. Heather shares her own experience of being sent away after a loss with no leaflet, no aftercare, and a walk back through a waiting room full of scan photographs — and together they talk about what compassionate, trauma-informed support after baby loss could actually look like. In the second half, Samantha turns to her fertility work. She explains how supporting women through birth trauma led her to women who simply didn’t want to try again, and how that shaped a practice built on choice rather than being pro- or anti-anything. She talks about unexplained infertility as good news rather than a diagnosis, why not everything needs to be medicalised, the “cycle of despair” couples ride every single month, and the profound effect of feeling disconnected from your own body — including one client of ten years who conceived naturally after seven months of working together. Key Topics Covered: Seven years in the NHS and why the care felt disjointed What trauma-informed care really means — and why being heard matters The blame culture and time constraints she would change tomorrow The gap in support after miscarriage and baby loss, and what should replace it The BRAIN acronym and the 2015 Montgomery case — your rights in maternity care “Ignore a woman’s intuition at your own peril” — trusting your instincts How birth trauma work led Samantha into fertility Unexplained infertility, IVF, and why not everything needs medicalising The cycle of despair, and living in the wait rather than waiting to live Why preconception care should start 3–6 months before trying The mind-body connection as the biggest and least-discussed block Samantha’s three practical tips: omega 6:3 ratio, stress, and mind-body work A moving, hope-filled conversation that ends with both women in tears — and a message that it is okay not to be okay. Connect with Samantha: Samantha Jones — Fertility & Pregnancy Specialist, Ex-NHS Midwife & Acupuncturist Website: naturalfertilityandpregnancy.com Email: sam@naturalpregnancy.wales

49:12

S01:E09 Aug 31, 2026

Michelle Turpin - When Support Was Missing: One Woman's Fight for Baby Loss Awareness

In this powerful episode, host Heather sits down with Michelle Turpin, a women’s empowerment coach and hypnotherapist, to discuss baby loss, the lack of support so many women face, and her journey to becoming an advocate for change. Michelle opens up about her personal experience of pregnancy loss, the intense pressure of societal expectations around motherhood, and the additional challenges brought by her spinal condition. She shares how the absence of proper care and emotional support during her pregnancies drove her to speak out — and ultimately shaped the work she now does to help other women navigate similar pain. Through her role as a coach and hypnotherapist, Michelle now helps women find their strength after loss, challenging the silence that still surrounds baby loss and calling for better awareness and care for those who experience it. Key Topics Covered: Personal experience of baby loss and pregnancy challenges The pressure of societal expectations around motherhood How a spinal condition added to the difficulties of pregnancy The lack of support available during and after pregnancy loss Becoming an advocate for baby loss awareness and better care How hypnotherapy and coaching can support healing after loss A vital conversation about the gaps in care that still exist, and one woman’s determination to make sure others don’t face them alone. Connect with Michelle: Michelle Turpin — Women’s Empowerment Coach & Hypnotherapist

48:25

S01:E08 Aug 17, 2026

Wendi Hyland Smith — The Loss Nobody Talked About — Ectopic Pregnancy, Fertility and Healing

In this honest and compassionate episode, host Heather is joined by Wendi Hyland Smith, a wellbeing and mindset coach, to discuss ectopic pregnancy, fertility, and the long shadow that loss can cast over our lives. Wendi shares the story of discovering her ectopic pregnancy just months after her wedding, the emergency surgery on New Year’s Eve, and a recovery that felt invisible — with little emotional support from the medical system. She speaks openly about the impact on her mental health, her identity, and her subsequent fertility journey, and how she eventually found healing through inner work, the right support, and a deep commitment to self-care. KEY TOPICS: Ectopic pregnancy and the shock of an unrecognised loss Lack of emotional care and aftercare in the NHS How loss affects partners, children, and family Fertility treatment, anxiety, and pregnancy after loss Rebuilding confidence, trust, and self-worth through wellbeing practices A vital conversation about the losses that are often minimised or misunderstood, and why every experience of pregnancy loss deserves to be treated with compassion.

33:54

S01:E07 Aug 3, 2026

Angela Clifford — Carrying Brian — Losing a Baby to Meningitis and Learning to Grieve

In this deeply moving episode, host Heather sits down with Angela Clifford, the Northern Neat Freak and declutter and home organising expert, to talk about the loss of her baby son Brian, who died just 10 days old from meningitis in 1988. Angela shares her story with remarkable honesty — losing her son at just 17, at a time when grief was expected to be buried rather than spoken about. She reflects on the isolation she felt, the sisters who had babies at the same time, and the decades she spent carrying that trauma in silence. It was only in her forties, with the right support around her, that she finally allowed herself to fully grieve — and found the courage to have Brian’s name tattooed on her arm. This episode is a gentle and powerful reminder that grief does not have an expiry date, and that it is never too late to talk. Key Topics Covered: The loss of a baby to meningitis and the shock of sudden infant loss Growing up fast and carrying grief without support How unspoken grief affects relationships and mental health over time Finding the courage to acknowledge loss — including getting Brian’s name tattooed Keeping a child’s memory alive and talking openly with your family A powerful episode about what it means to carry love for a child across a lifetime, and why it is never too late to talk.

1:00:24

S01:E06 Jul 20, 2026

Barry Rose - The Conversations We Never Had

In this deeply personal and emotional episode, host Heather sits down with her husband Barry Rose for an honest conversation about baby loss from a man’s perspective. Together, they open up about the heartbreak of losing seven babies, the silent grief men often carry, and the conversations they perhaps never truly had at the time. From feeling pressure to stay strong, to navigating pain privately while supporting a partner through unimaginable loss, this episode shines a light on the emotional reality many fathers and partners experience behind closed doors. This raw and heartfelt conversation explores grief, trauma, relationships, emotional survival, healing, and the impact baby loss can have on both people in a relationship in very different ways. Key Topics Covered: Baby loss from a father’s and partner’s perspective The pressure men feel to stay strong and grieve in silence How loss affects relationships and communication as a couple Navigating grief differently when you’re the support for someone else The importance of men having open conversations about loss This episode may feel emotional for some listeners, but the hope is that it helps others feel less alone and encourages more open conversations around baby loss — especially for the men whose voices are so often unheard. Please listen gently and take care of yourself while listening.

1:08:59

S01:E05 Jul 6, 2026

Sarah Stephens - Still Their Mum — Child Loss, Legacy and Learning to Live Again

In this deeply moving episode, host Heather sits down with Sarah Stephens, a visibility strategist and founder of the Global Visibility Club, to discuss child loss, grief, and the extraordinary legacy she has built in memory of her children. Sarah opens up about losing her daughter Violet at just 15 months old — a little girl who loved Katherine Jenkins, travelled the world, and touched the hearts of everyone she met. She also speaks with remarkable honesty about the devastating decision to terminate a subsequent pregnancy with her son Arthur after a serious brain condition was discovered at the 20-week scan, and how the grief of those two losses, so different from each other, shaped everything that followed. She reflects on being high-functioning in grief, the friends who disappeared, the anxiety of pregnancy after loss, and how raising £50,000 for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital gave her something to hold on to when there were no answers. She also shares why she went public after Channel 4’s In The Dog House edited out all mention of child loss from her appearance on the show. Key Topics Covered: Losing a child and navigating grief in your own way Termination for medical reasons and the unique grief that follows High-functioning grief and why it can isolate you further Losing friendships after child loss Building a legacy to keep your children’s memory alive Pregnancy after loss and the anxiety it brings Why we must say the names of the children we have lost Whether you have experienced child loss or want to better support someone who has, this episode is a powerful reminder that these children existed, they matter, and they deserve to be remembered.

31:03

S01:E04 Jun 22, 2026

Dawn Hamilton-Fishwrick — You Are Not Alone — Miscarriage, Grief and the Power of Speaking Out

In this heartfelt episode, host Heather sits down with Dawn Hamilton-Fishwrick, a Tropic Ambassador and advocate for self-care, to discuss miscarriage, grief, and the importance of speaking openly about baby loss. Dawn shares the story of losing her first baby at just 21 years old — a traumatic experience made all the harder by a lack of compassion and support at the hospital. She reflects on the self-blame that followed, the isolation of watching those around her celebrate new arrivals, and the slow journey towards healing shaped by family support, open conversations, and a growing resilience she never expected to find. She also speaks warmly about how loss changed her relationship with her husband, what it meant to navigate grief as a couple, and why she now volunteers that experience whenever she hears of someone else going through the same. Key Topics Covered: Experiencing miscarriage and navigating hospital care Self-blame and the emotional aftermath of baby loss How loss affects partners and the wider family The isolation of grief and why comparison can be harmful Finding confidence and resilience through trauma This episode is a reminder that grief looks different for everyone — and that reaching out, even imperfectly, can make all the difference.

37:37

S01:E03 Jun 8, 2026

Lucy Wade — When the Plan Falls Apart — IVF, Infertility and Finding Yourself Again

In this deeply moving episode, host Heather sits down with Lucy Wade, a chocolatier and creative entrepreneur, to discuss a profoundly personal topic: IVF, infertility, and the loss of motherhood identity. Lucy opens up about living with severe endometriosis since childhood, her journey through IVF, and the devastating moment she was told that a pregnancy could cost her her life. She shares candidly about the emotional and physical toll this took — including a suicide attempt — and how CBT therapy, self-discovery, and a fierce determination to redefine herself helped her find a way through. She reflects on what it means to grieve a future you always assumed was yours, the identity crisis that follows infertility, and how she has come to love and embrace the life she now leads — on her own terms. Key Topics Covered: Living with endometriosis and its hidden long-term impact The emotional and physical toll of IVF and infertility Losing your identity when motherhood is taken away Mental health, suicide, and reaching out for help Redefining yourself and finding joy beyond the expected life path Whether you’re navigating infertility yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode offers honesty, hope, and a reminder that there is a life worth living — even when it doesn’t look the way you planned.

39:09

S01:E02 May 25, 2026

Suzanne Edgley - Breaking the Silence — Baby Loss, Grief and Finding Strength

In this deeply moving episode, host Heather sits down with Suzanne Edgeley, a business and mindset coach, to discuss a profoundly personal topic: baby loss and grief. Suzanne opens up about losing her daughter Laura at 24 and a half weeks of pregnancy when she was just 18 years old. Through an honest and heartfelt conversation, she shares her journey from discovering her pregnancy as a young woman to navigating the devastating loss, and ultimately finding strength and resilience through her experience. She reflects on how losing Laura shaped her path, her subsequent pregnancies and children, and how NLP coaching transformed her healing process. This episode also addresses the wider taboo surrounding baby loss and grief, offering compassionate advice for those who have experienced loss and guidance for friends and family on how to provide meaningful support. Key Topics Covered: Young motherhood and unexpected pregnancy The impact of baby loss and coping mechanisms The importance of breaking the silence around grief Finding strength and resilience through trauma How to support loved ones during loss Whether you’ve experienced baby loss yourself or want to better understand how to support someone going through it, this episode offers hope, wisdom, and the reminder that healing is possible. Connect with Suzanne: Facebook: Suzanne Edgeley Website: suzanneedgley.com

18:09

S01:E01 Apr 19, 2026

Welcome to my new Podcast

In this first episode of The Truth After Baby Loss, I’m sharing my personal story of experiencing seven miscarriages and the emotional impact of baby loss. This is an honest and raw conversation about miscarriage, grief, and the reality of life after pregnancy loss… including the parts that often go unspoken. I open up about how baby loss affected my identity, confidence, and mental health, and how these experiences stayed with me long after the physical loss. As a qualified Coach and Deep Structure NLP Practitioner , I also share how unprocessed grief, loss, and trauma can impact how we feel about ourselves and how we show up in the world. This podcast is here to create safe, open conversations around baby loss, child loss, infertility, IVF journeys, and the experience of not being able to have children… while also including perspectives from partners, men, and those supporting loved ones through loss. If you’ve experienced miscarriage, baby loss, fertility struggles, or are supporting someone who has… this space is for you.