Podcast · Kids & Family

Dear Mum

by Charlie Barker · English · Kids & Family

Dear Mum is the funny, honest, zero-judgement podcast that feels like the mums’ group chat that’s always open - for 3am feeds, school runs, and everything in between. Hosted by Charlie Barker (mum of three, business owner), it’s real chats, stories you couldn’t make up, deep-breath moments, and pr

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 48 min
Latest: 8 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026 · 51 min

Dear Mum, it's Emily Jackman: I Lost My Pink Completely

A gentle heads up: this episode includes an honest conversation about a traumatic birth and time in intensive care with a newborn, in case that's a hard topic for you to hear right now. Dr Emily Jackman spends her days reassuring worried patients that their child's rash is probably fine…at 3am with her own kids? She's just as lost as the rest of us. Emily's mum to Madden and Romy, and this one's a proper mum chat. A traumatic first birth that ended in two weeks in intensive care with her newborn, and the single session of rewind therapy that finally helped her process it months later. The…

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Earlier episodes 24 most recent

S2 · E11 · 1 Oct 2026 · 45 min
Dear Mum, it's Giorgina Falcone: All I Wanted Was To Be A Mum… But I Was Lonely
“The first thing she said to me was, can you pick me up now?" That's Giorgina Falcone on meeting her daughter Summer-Rae after her C-section. She had to tell her no… not for six weeks. Giorgina and I only met recently and talked for hours, so she had to come on. She's mum to Summer-Rae and Dylan, and this one is the full mum chat. Two emergency C-sections, including two days of labour before Dylan, how she was living with her sister, Giovanna, who she called her live-in midwife when she gave birth, and the NCT group that left her feeling worse - before the friendships that came later. We…
S2 · E10 · 24 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
Dear Mum, it's Kelly Taylor: The Woman Who Turned Class WhatsApp Into Comedy Gold
"You're too young to be going through perimenopause." That's what Kelly Taylor was told the first time she asked for help — so the second time, she didn't ask. She walked in and said, "I have perimenopause. I want HRT." Kelly's the comedy creator behind those painfully accurate class WhatsApp sketches (if you know, you know), and mum to two very different girls. We talk about the early days of motherhood she spent "really, really good at masking", including the moment she broke down on a work Zoom call and had to shut it off entirely, and the years-long fight to get properly diagnosed with…
S2 · E9 · 17 Sep 2026 · 43 min
Dear Mum, it's Aimee Vivian: I Had Sepsis FOUR WEEKS After Birth
Content Warning: this episode includes conversation around a serious postpartum health scare (sepsis). Please listen with care. "You can't let me die tonight." That's what Aimee Vivian said to nurses four weeks after having her daughter — the night she genuinely didn't know if she'd make it through sepsis. Aimee's a Capital Radio presenter, mum to 14-month-old Charlie, and one of the most refreshingly honest guests we've had on this show. We talk about her whirlwind route into radio, going back to work at four months postpartum out of financial necessity as a self-employed presenter, and the…
S2 · E8 · 10 Sep 2026 · 57 min
Dear Mum, it's Anita Mitra: I Scanned Myself and Found Out It Was Twins
TRIGGER WARNING - this episode includes an honest conversation about miscarriage and pregnancy loss, in case that's a hard topic for you to hear right now. Listen with care. "It took me about six months to really bond with them." Dr Anita Mitra is a gynaecologist, cancer surgeon, and the voice behind Gynae Geek… and is here on Dear Mum being honest about something almost nobody admits to out loud. Anita and I go back years, long before either of us had kids, and this conversation covers a lot: meeting her husband on labour ward mid-emergency, self-scanning herself pregnant with twins in an…
S2 · E7 · 3 Sep 2026 · 46 min
Dear Mum, it's Alice Liveing: I Wore Busyness Like a Badge of Honour
"Have you tried putting your baby down drowsy but awake?" A statement SO many of us mums have been told… but why!? It’s a question the wonderful Alice Liveing has us all asking in this episode, which will make you laugh (and maybe swear a little) on Dear Mum. Alice is a personal trainer, an old gym friend of mine from way before either of us had kids, and mum to eight-month-old Jeanie - she’s also a much loved content creator and blogger. We talk about the reality-check of early motherhood - the four months of relentless crying, not leaving the house for weeks, and the strange identity shift…
S2 · E6 · 27 Aug 2026 · 47 min
Dear Mum, it's Lina Perez: The Sh*t Shot Nobody Warns You About
A gentle heads up: this episode includes an honest conversation about postpartum anxiety and depression, and briefly touches on a parent's dementia diagnosis, in case that's a hard topic for you to hear right now. "Can you come and watch me sleep?" That's the request Lina Perez made to friends during her second postpartum — and the fact that most said no is exactly why this episode matters. Lina is a mum of two, business owner, and founder of RestoreHer postpartum retreats. We have an honest, deeply relatable conversation about the realities of postpartum mental health, the loneliness of…
S2 · E5 · 20 Aug 2026 · 40 min
Dear Mum, it's Chaneen Saliee: I Breastfed Two Babies at Once for 18 Months
If Chaneen Saliee isn’t already on your radar, she should be, because this mum of three is a beautiful force! Founder of breastfeeding-wear brand ‘Chic and Discreet’, Chaneen is also a content creator who just so happens to be our first guest to bring her baby, Dare, into the studio with her (fair warning: he steals the show). We talk about the whiplash of going from free-spirited world traveller to mum of one, then two, then — after a seven-year gap — a surprise-announced third. Chaneen tandem breastfed her older daughters until they were three, and this time round she's doing things…
S2 · E4 · 13 Aug 2026 · 34 min
Dear Mum, it's Louenna Hood: I Chose a Path of Solo Parenthood, Through Adoption
Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions around infertility and becoming parents through surrogacy. "I walked into a room full of cots, and it was like a lightning bolt." That's the moment Louenna Hood describes as the turning point… the second she knew she was going to adopt. Louenna's spent her whole career looking after other people's children, over 100 babies, a Norland nanny training, and now the app and book that's helped thousands of parents (myself included). She chose to build her family on her own terms, no father, no partner, just her in her quest for motherhood. We talk…
S2 · E3 · 6 Aug 2026 · 52 min
Dear Mum, it's Charlie Watson: "You're Not Going to Be Able to Have Kids"
Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions around infertility and becoming parents through surrogacy. "You're not going to be able to have kids." That's what Charlie Watson was told at 16, and it's the starting point for one of the most powerful conversations we've had on this show. Charlie's a dietitian, a marathon runner, and mum to Bertie and Woody — both born via the same surrogate in the US, after Charlie was diagnosed with MRKH, a condition that meant her uterus never fully developed. We talk about keeping that diagnosis in a box for over a decade, the surrogacy process itself…
S2 · E2 · 30 Jul 2026 · 53 min
Dear Mum, it's Alice Rickard: Twins Left Me With A Body I Didn't Recognise
Trigger Warning: This episode includes an honest conversation about postnatal anxiety and depression, as well as weight loss, in case that's a hard topic for you to hear right now. This one's for anyone who's ever felt like motherhood cracked them open and left them wondering who they even are anymore. Alice Rickard 's been there (further down than most of us talk about) and she's come back out the other side.Alice and I go way back through the fitness world, she's a personal trainer, life coach, and mum to six-year-old twins Willow and Jagger. If you've seen her online, you'll know her as…
S2 · E1 · 23 Jul 2026 · 57 min
Dear Mum, it's Georgia Jones: On Not Wanting a Second Baby
( A gentle heads up: this one includes an honest chat about postnatal mental health, in case that's a hard topic for you to hear right now) Dear Mum is BACK!! and Series 2 starts here, with the most incredible mum that I know so many of you already love… It’s Georgia Jones! Georgia and I go way back - she was one of my pregnant clients before either of us knew what motherhood would actually throw at us. Now she's mum to eight-year-old Cooper, a former model married to McFly’s Danny Jones, and one of the most honest voices I know on what early motherhood really feels like once the filter…
S1 · E12 · 16 Apr 2026 · 59 min
Dear Mum, it's Anna Mathur: Mum overwhelm, burnout and why snapping at your kids is NOT your fault
We’re at the end of Series 1 of Dear Mum - and I feel like I should be the one writing a post-it note for myself, because this series has genuinely changed how I think about motherhood, and this final conversation is the perfect way to close it out. Anna Mathur is a psychotherapist, author, and a refreshingly honest mum of three. You might know her from her books, her incredibly honest Instagram, or from the way she has this gift of making you feel like someone finally gets it. We'd been talking about doing this episode for months and I'm so glad we waited, because it felt like the perfect…
S1 · E11 · 9 Apr 2026 · 50 min
Dear Mum, it's Maisie Crompton: Surprise pregnancies, sold-out bag launches and 5pm bedtimes!!
This week's guest is proof that there is no perfect time, no perfect age, and no perfect plan... and that things can still turn out better than you ever could have imagined. Maisie Crompton is the founder of Totes For Youu, content creator, and mum to the most fiery, loving three-year-old, Elsie. We'd never met in person before this, but it felt like catching up with an old friend - which I think says everything about the kind of person Maisie is. We talk about what it was actually like finding out she was pregnant at 19, telling her boyfriend by text at 11pm, and how both sets of parents…
S1 · E10 · 2 Apr 2026 · 42 min
Dear Mum, it's Neema Sempebwa: Perimenopause, motherhood and advocating for yourself
Nobody warned us about perimenopause. Not really. We heard about menopause - hot flushes, older women, “something to worry about later”… But perimenopause? The feeling that you are fundamentally breaking apart, that the person showing up for your kids every day isn't really you anymore… and all of it arriving while you're also knee deep in the baby years?! It's a whole other world. This week I'm joined by my friend of many years, Neema Sempebwa — personal trainer, mum of two, and someone I used to work alongside doing towel duty at a gym in Chelsea about 12 years ago. By 43, Neema knew…
S1 · E9 · 26 Mar 2026 · 48 min
Dear Mum, it's Clare Bourne: Honest truths about pelvic floor, diastasis and getting back to exercise
Pelvic floor… It comes up at every antenatal class, every postnatal check, every mum WhatsApp group. And most of us are still just crossing our legs and hoping nobody brings it up!! This week, I'm joined by Clare Bourne - pelvic health physiotherapist, author of Strong Foundations, mum of two (soon to be three!), and one of my oldest friends. We met nine years ago when I was training her, and now she's the one educating me. So we sat down for what was genuinely one of the most useful conversations I've had on this podcast. We talk pelvic floor - properly. Not the scary version, not the "just…
S1 · E8 · 19 Mar 2026 · 42 min
Dear Mum, it's Courtney-Mae Briggs: Losing yourself after baby - and rediscovering her spark (and style!)
To the mum who's standing in front of a wardrobe full of clothes that don't quite fit the same way anymore, wondering where she went - this one's for you. This week I'm joined by Courtney-Mae Briggs; actress, voiceover artist, fashion content creator, and mum to the most stylish almost-two-year-old, Minnie. You might know her from the West End, from Wicked the film (yes, that Wicked), or from her absolutely brilliant outfits on Instagram. We last saw each other on the floor at baby music class - now we're in chairs, no children.?! What a strange luxury. In this episode, we talk about what…
S1 · E7 · 12 Mar 2026 · 53 min
Dear Mum, it's George: My husband gets honest about pregnancy loss, parenting and whether we're having a fourth
Dear Mum, meet George. Our very first DAD on the podcast… who also happens to be a very special “Dad” in my life - because he’s my husband and the father to our three. This episode is proper, unfiltered, and surprisingly emotional - because George and I sit down (possibly for the longest uninterrupted conversation we've had in years?!) to talk through our whole journey into parenthood. From meeting at university and never really moving apart, to four miscarriages in our first year of trying, to navigating three children under five and everything in between. We get into the one-to-two…
S1 · E6 · 5 Mar 2026 · 50 min
Dear Mum, it’s Dr Lils: Nursery bugs to kissing newborns - Advice from a Paediatrician you NEED to hear
Trigger warning & Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of infant infections, hospitalisation, and childhood illness anxiety. This episode is for general information and support only, not personalised medical advice. If you’re worried about your child, trust your instincts and speak to your GP, NHS 111, or seek urgent care if needed. ** To the parents who are permanently wiping noses, side-eyeing a thermometer, and wondering if you’re overreacting (or not reacting enough) - welcome back to Dear Mum… This one is a proper deep exhale. This week I’m joined by Dr Lils (Dr Lillie Parker) -…
S1 · E5 · 26 Feb 2026 · 51 min
Dear Mum, it’s Milly Griffin: ‘Remove what’s removable’… the GP advice that changed everything
Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of maternal mental health, burnout, anxiety, depression and postnatal depression, including seeking support from a GP. To the mums who feel like they’re “fine” right up until they’re suddenly… not - this one’s for you. This week I’m joined by one of my closest friends, who I met through motherhood, and is one of the most honest people I know (even when it’s messy)… Milly Griffin. This is the kind of conversation that feels like a voice note from the friend who won’t sugarcoat it, but will make you feel less alone. Milly takes us right into…
S1 · E4 · 19 Feb 2026 · 50 min
Dear Mum, it’s Tobi Asare: Identity after kids, confidence, and going back to work
To the mums who are running on fumes, holding it together with a cold tea and pure willpower, welcome back to the podcast just for you. In Episode 4, I’m joined by the incredibly inspiring and relatable Tobi Asare, where we’re talking about the *real* juggle - work, motherhood, identity, and the pressure to “do it all” without falling apart. Tobi shares what burnout actually looked like for her, how she navigated thoughts and actions around her career in the chapter of motherhood, the moment she knew she had to speak up at work, and why taking a pause doesn’t mean you’re failing - it means…
S1 · E3 · 12 Feb 2026 · 45 min
Dear Mum, it’s Charlotte Stirling-Reed: The truth about fussy eaters, high-chair battles, and the one rule that changes everything
If mealtimes in your house feel like a daily battle, this one’s for you. For Episode 3 of Dear Mum, I’m joined by Charlotte Stirling-Reed - NHS-trained child nutritionist and an actual guru of weaning, toddler food and everything in between. And we’re getting into the thing that sends so many of us over the edge - fussy eating! We talk about why “fussy eater” is a label that can make things worse, what’s actually normal (spoiler: loads of it), and how our reactions - even the well-meaning ones - can accidentally turn food into a power struggle. Charlotte shares the practical stuff you can…
S1 · E2 · 5 Feb 2026 · 46 min
Dear Mum, it’s Olivia Hammond: Mum friendships in your 20s, feeling lonely, and type-B parenting
Welcome back to Dear Mum - and this week I’m joined by Olivia Hammond - mum of two, and the woman a lot of you will know as the original “festival baby” mum… yes, she took her firstborn to Glastonbury Festival… and honestly? Iconic! We talk about what it’s really like becoming a mum at 25 when it’s totally unplanned - how it flips your whole life upside down (including travel plans, friendships, and the way you see yourself)… and then doing it all again when baby number two is also a surprise. Olivia is so honest about the whiplash of going from “out every weekend” to being responsible for…
S1 · E1 · 29 Jan 2026 · 46 min
Dear Mum, it’s Chessie King: "My husband had postnatal depression and we didn't know..."
Trigger warning: postnatal depression, suicidal ideation, mental health. Welcome to the very first episode of Dear Mum! I’m so glad you’re here because we are very much setting the tone - funny, honest, zero judgement… and the kind of chat you can have with your cold tea in hand. For Episode 1, I’m joined by Chessie King , and we’re getting into the real stuff: what happens to your relationship after a baby, when you’re both exhausted and it starts to feel like you’re just… passing the child between you and surviving the day. Chessie shares how things got really hard for her and her husband…
S1 · 21 Jan 2026 · 2 min
Dear Mum...
Introducing: Dear Mum... 💜💛 The funny, honest, no-judgement podcast that feels like the mums’ group chat that’s always open - whenever you need it. Hosted by Charlie Barker (mum of three and business owner), each episode is packed with the good, the hard, and the chaotic bits in between - real conversations, stories you couldn’t make up, vulnerable moments that feel like a deep breath, and practical little wins that actually help. From newborn nights to exam weeks, nap traps to parenting with your partner, it’s motherhood and grown-up life, as it really happens.Not the “perfect parent” show.…

About Dear Mum

Dear Mum is a English kids & family podcast from Charlie Barker. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Charlie Barker
Language: English
Category: Kids & Family
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 48 min
Latest episode: 8 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1870952241
Rights: Charlie Barker

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