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The MAMA Podcast

The MAMA Podcast

Written by: MAMA Academy
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About this listen

 Brought to you by the safer pregnancy charity, MAMA Academy, which aims to save babies lives in the UK.
Hosted by Heidi Eldridge, CEO, with various special guests, this bi-weekly podcast empowers parents on how to have a safer pregnancy as well as maternity rights and how to cope with a pregnancy after loss.
Full of inspiring conversations on how to navigate the complex world of parenting to being aware of cultural differences with our peers.
Packed with practical advice and fascinating facts for healthcare professionals as well as expectant parents, you are guaranteed to learn something new in every episode.
Please rate and review if you enjoy it.
Together we can help more babies arrive safely.

All information we provide is for entertainment and awareness purposes only. Any concerns should be discussed with your GP, Midwife or healthcare professional.MAMA Academy 2023 Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • Termination for Medical Reasons (TFMR) with Emma Belle

    Termination for Medical Reasons (TFMR) with Emma Belle
    Feb 13 2026
    Content note: this episode discusses baby loss, TFMR, stillbirth and grief.

    Emma shares her experience of receiving a life-limiting diagnosis, navigating care during Covid, and living with grief while parenting her living daughter. She also discusses the stigma surrounding TFMR and why compassionate bereavement care matters so deeply.

    Support links:
    • Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC)
    • MAMA Academy Baby Loss Support

    If you’ve been affected by this conversation, please know you are not alone.

    Follow Emma on Instagram: @emmakbelle or @tfmrmamas

    If you’d like to see more of what we do, you can find us at:
    Our Website – https://www.mamaacademy.org.uk/ Or @mamaacademy on all your favourite social media platforms.

    If you'd like to make a one-time donation to support everything we do, you can text:
    ‘MAMA05’ to 70085 to donate £5
    ‘MAMA10’ to 70085 to donate £10
    ‘MAMA50’ to 70085 to donate £50
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • Listen to staff, save services: leadership lessons from The Happy Midwife

    Listen to staff, save services: leadership lessons from The Happy Midwife
    Jan 30 2026
    Sophie Eldridge, better known as The Happy Midwife, joins Heidi Eldridge for a frank conversation about what maternity services need to change, and how change actually happens.Sophie is a practising midwife, mum, and perinatal governance professional with a passion for quality improvement. Together, they explore why transparency and communication sit at the heart of safer care, how “flattening the hierarchy” can protect families and staff, and what leaders can do right now to improve culture and retention.They also discuss flexible working, psychological safety, accountability, and why Sophie believes “keep asking why” is one of the most powerful tools in maternity care.

    In this episode, you’ll hear about:
    • Why transparent leadership improves culture and safety
    • The real reasons staff leave, and what retention looks like in practice
    • How to challenge unsafe or outdated practice without being silenced
    • What “flattening hierarchy” means on the shop floor
    • Why communication is at the root of most incidents
    • Sophie’s message to midwives and future leaders: go for the job, speak up, keep asking why

    Follow Sophie:
    TikTok: @thehappymidwife
    Instagram: @thehappymidwifeig

    If you’d like to see more of what we do, you can find us at:
    Our Website – https://www.mamaacademy.org.uk/ Or @mamaacademy on all your favourite social media platforms.

    If you'd like to make a one-time donation to support everything we do, you can text:
    ‘MAMA05’ to 70085 to donate £5
    ‘MAMA10’ to 70085 to donate £10
    ‘MAMA50’ to 70085 to donate £50
    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
  • Birth Injury, Recovery and the Reality of Life After Birth with Theo Clarke

    Birth Injury, Recovery and the Reality of Life After Birth with Theo Clarke
    Jan 16 2026
    In this episode of The MAMA Podcast, Heidi is joined by Theo Clarke to talk about her personal experience of birth injury and the long road to recovery that followed.
    Theo shares what it was like navigating physical recovery, postnatal care, and mental health challenges after a traumatic birth and reflects on how unprepared many parents feel for complications after labour.The conversation explores the realities of postnatal recovery, the importance of clear information and follow-up care, and why many parents struggle to access the support they need in the weeks and months after birth.
    Theo also discusses how lived experience can shape public conversations about maternity care, and why listening to parents’ experiences matters.
    This episode focuses on awareness, reflection, and the ongoing need for better understanding and support around birth injuries and postnatal recovery.

    If you’d like to follow Theo Clarke’s work, you can do so here

    If you’d like to see more of what we do, you can find us at:
    Our Website – https://www.mamaacademy.org.uk/ Or @mamaacademy on all your favourite social media platforms.

    If you'd like to make a one-time donation to support everything we do, you can text:
    ‘MAMA05’ to 70085 to donate £5
    ‘MAMA10’ to 70085 to donate £10
    ‘MAMA50’ to 70085 to donate £50
    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
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