Breaking the Taboo with Theo Clarke

Theo Clarke

Breaking the Taboo with Theo Clarke is a leading UK women’s health podcast exploring the issues that shape women’s lives before, during and after motherhood. Hosted by former MP and birth trauma campaigner Theo Clarke, the series combines powerful personal stories with expert insight and national policy conversations. Now entering its fifth series, the podcast has evolved from a groundbreaking initial focus on birth trauma into a wider platform addressing maternal mental health, pelvic health, returning to work after birth, pregnancy complications, fatherhood, family relationships, NHS maternity care and women’s long-term wellbeing. Featuring campaigners, clinicians, researchers, policymakers and families, Breaking the Taboo is helping drive public conversation around some of the most overlooked and unspoken issues in women’s health. theodoraclarke.substack.com

  1. 1 day ago

    S5, E9: How to Talk to Your Doctor: Self-Advocacy, Women's Health and Getting the Care You Need

    This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by author, health journalist and long-term patient Penny Parkes, whose new book How to Talk So Your Doctor Will Listen draws on the lessons she has learned from navigating the healthcare system while living with rare and complex health conditions. Penny shares practical advice on preparing for medical appointments, communicating symptoms effectively and advocating for yourself when you feel you aren’t being heard. She also discusses the gender health gap, diagnostic delays and the need for more joined-up care, alongside her own experience of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, traumatic births, anaesthesia failure and PTSD. Topics discussed on the show include: how to talk to your doctor; preparing for medical appointments; self-advocacy; communicating symptoms and using health data; advocating for your children; what to do when you don’t feel listened to; medical misogyny and the gender health gap; birth trauma and PTSD; and improving joined-up NHS care for complex patients. This episode of Breaking the Taboo is sponsored by Irwin Mitchell. About Penny Parkes Penny Parkes is an author, health journalist and long-term patient. She lives with a growing portfolio of invisible and dynamic disabilities and incredibly rare conditions. As an author, she has topped the Audible and Kindle charts many times – How to Talk So Your Doctor Will Listen is Penny’s seventh book but the one she has waited a lifetime to write. Her dedicated account @how2talktoyourdoctor on TikTok and Instagram went viral within a few short hours and provides a community and advice hub to accompany the book. Resources 📖 How to Talk So Your Doctor Will Listen by Penny Parkes National Voices - Member directory for finding trusted medical charities and patient organisations About the Host Theo Clarke is a bestselling author, podcaster and former Member of Parliament. She is the author of Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma and led the first UK parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma. www.theo-clarke.org.ukInstagram: @theoclarkemp Producer: Adam WoodwardResearch: Kate KenyonDesigner: Emily RyderSocial media: Eleanor Flavin This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

    S5, E9: How to Talk to Your Doctor: Self-Advocacy, Women's Health and Getting the Care You Need

  2. 2 Sept

    S5, E8: Preparing for Pregnancy and Birth: What to Expect From Your Midwife

    This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by Debra Kroll, a community midwife with 44 years’ experience, and Gill Walton, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives, to discuss preparing for pregnancy and birth and the wider state of maternity care in the UK. Debra shares practical advice on what to expect throughout pregnancy, from your first midwife appointment and scans to choosing where to give birth, writing a birth plan and packing your hospital bag. Gill discusses maternity safety, staffing pressures and continuity of care, as well as what needs to change to ensure women and families receive high-quality maternity care. Topics include: preparing for pregnancy; midwife appointments; pregnancy blood tests and scans; choosing where to give birth; birth plans; preparing birth partners; when to seek medical help; hyperemesis gravidarum; what to pack in your hospital bag; pregnancy after birth trauma; maternity safety; midwife staffing; continuity of care; and improving maternity services. About Debra Kroll Debra has been a midwife for 44 years and talks about how fulfilling her career has been. She has spent the majority of this working on the community, delivering care to local women and their families during pregnancy, labour (delivering both on the birth centre and at home) and in the postpartum period. In addition to providing direct care, Debra has also worked as a midwifery lecturer and has contributed to work at the Royal College of Midwives and the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Working in the community has been the most satisfying part of her career, being able to be with and support women and their families where they live and can access local services. She is now a ‘granny midwife’ looking after pregnant women whose mothers were under her care when they were pregnant. About Gill Walton Gill Walton is Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), one of the world’s oldest and largest midwifery organisations, representing the majority of the UK’s midwives. Gill is a passionate midwife, experienced midwifery leader and NHS manager. She started nursing at University College Hospital, and then undertook Midwifery training at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton. She has held Director of Midwifery posts at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, Barking, Havering and Redbridge, John Radcliffe in Oxford and more recently at Portsmouth Hospitals. RESOURCES Tommy’s The Lullaby Trust NHS Pregnancy About the Host Theo Clarke is a bestselling author, podcaster and former Member of Parliament. She is the author of Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma and led the first UK parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma. www.theo-clarke.org.ukInstagram: @theoclarkemp Producer: Adam WoodwardResearch: Kate KenyonDesigner: Emily RyderSocial media: Eleanor Flavin This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

    S5, E8: Preparing for Pregnancy and Birth: What to Expect From Your Midwife

  3. 15 Jul

    S5, E7: Closing the Gender Health Gap: Dame Lesley Regan on the Future of Women's Health

    This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by Dame Lesley Regan, England’s first Women’s Health Ambassador, to discuss the UK Government’s Women’s Health Strategy, tackling the gender health gap, and improving healthcare for women throughout every stage of life. Topics discussed on the show include: the Women’s Health Strategy for England; tackling the gender health gap; menstrual health, period poverty and breaking taboos around women’s health; fertility, contraception and reproductive choice; healthy ageing and preventing chronic disease; lessons from the Birth Trauma Inquiry and improving maternity care; why listening to women matters; women’s health hubs and reducing waiting lists; menopause and access to HRT; breast health and screening; empowering women to advocate for themselves; and the future priorities for women’s healthcare in England. BIOGRAPHY Dame Lesley Regan historic appointment was the government’s first ever Women’s Health Ambassador for England to look at how to improve Women’s health and care. Dame Regan is honorary secretary of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and was previously president (2016 to 2019) of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). She is also Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Imperial College London St Mary’s Hospital Campus, and remains in active clinical practice after more than 40 years experience in reproductive medicine with particular expertise in menstrual health, recurrent miscarriage and the menopause. She is a non-executive director on the board of NHS Resolution and was awarded a DBE for services to women’s health in the 2020 New Year Honours List. RESOURCES Women’s Health Strategy for Englandhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/womens-health-strategy-for-england Wellbeing of Womenhttps://www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk/ ABOUT THE HOST Theo Clarke hosts the hit podcast Breaking the Taboo which ranks in the Top 5 most listened to shows in the UK for alternative health. She has also published a bestselling memoir Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma. She was the Member of Parliament for Stafford and won Speech of the Year at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards in the UK. Theo was included in the prestigious Top 100 Women in Westminster list in 2025 and 2024. This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell. DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor. www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast Instagram: @theoclarkemp Breaking The Taboo production team Founder and host: Theo Clarke Producer: Natasha Feroze Designer: Emily Ryder Social Media: Eleanor Flavin Studio Manager: Adam Woodward This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

    S5, E7: Closing the Gender Health Gap: Dame Lesley Regan on the Future of Women's Health

  4. 8 Jul

    S5, E6: Understanding High-Risk Pregnancy: Induction, Assisted Birth and Caesarean Sections Explained

    This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by Dr Jo Senior, Specialty Doctor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, to discuss what it means to have a high-risk pregnancy and explain some of the most common interventions during labour and birth. Topics that we discuss on the show include: what “high risk” means in pregnancy; when induction of labour may be recommended; what happens during induction; how induced labour differs from spontaneous labour; the benefits and risks of induction; when an instrumental or assisted birth may be recommended; the risks and benefits of assisted delivery compared with spontaneous birth; when a caesarean section may be offered; the questions mothers should ask when deciding between an assisted birth and a caesarean section; and what these interventions may mean for future pregnancies. Biographies: Dr Jo Senior Dr Jo Senior is a Specialty Doctor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology with 14 years’ experience working in maternity care. She is passionate about improving antenatal education and reducing psychological birth trauma. Dr Senior is also the mother of a two-year-old son. Resources Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) https://www.rcog.org.uk NHS Inducing Labour https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/inducing-labour/ Birth Trauma Association https://www.birthtraumaassociation.org About the Host Theo Clarke hosts Breaking the Taboo and A Thread of One’s Own. She is the bestselling author of Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma. Theo was formerly the Member of Parliament for Stafford, where she chaired the first parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma in British history and founded the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Birth Trauma. She won Speech of the Year at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards and has been included in the prestigious Top 100 Women in Westminster list three years in a row. Theo is a high profile campaigner on improving maternity care and her petition with Louise Thompson resulted in the UK Government creating a new appointment for the first ever Maternity Commissioner. Follow Theo: https://www.instagram.com/theoclarkemp/ This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell: https://www.irwinmitchell.com/ DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP, midwife or obstetrician for individual medical advice. Website:https://www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast Breaking The Taboo production team: Founder and host: Theo Clarke Producer: Adam Woodward Researchers: Kate Kenyon Designer: Emily Ryder Social Media: Bella Carter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

    S5, E6: Understanding High-Risk Pregnancy: Induction, Assisted Birth and Caesarean Sections Explained

  5. 1 Jul

    S5, E5: What Every Mum Should Know: Prevention, Treatment & Recovery from Birth Injuries

    This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by Professor Ranee Thakar to discuss birth injuries, obstetric a**l sphincter injuries (OASI), and the importance of improving awareness, prevention, diagnosis and treatment for women after childbirth. Topics discussed on the show include: perineal trauma during childbirth; what obstetric a**l sphincter injuries (OASI) are and how common they are; the impact of birth injuries on women’s physical and mental health; the consequences of undiagnosed injuries; risk factors for severe tears during childbirth; prevention, treatment and recovery; pelvic floor health; the current landscape of maternity care in the NHS; and the work of charities, such as MASIC, in supporting women affected by birth injuries. BIOGRAPHY Professor Ranee Thakar, MD, FRCOG, is a highly respected Consultant Obstetrician and Urogynaecologist based in London, with extensive experience in the diagnosis and management of pelvic floor and perineal conditions across a woman’s life course. She is also an Honorary Professor of Women’s Health at the University of Liverpool. With many years of senior consultant practice, Professor Thakar specialises in caring for women with postnatal pelvic floor problems, bladder and bowel incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, perineal pain, and sexual dysfunction, as well as women experiencing pelvic floor symptoms around the menopause and later life. Professor Thakar served as President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) from December 2022 to 2025, reflecting her national and international leadership in women’s health. Her global reputation is reflected through honorary fellowships from leading professional bodies. RESOURCES MASIC Foundationhttps://masic.org.uk Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)https://www.rcog.org.uk ABOUT THE HOST Theo Clarke hosts the hit podcast Breaking the Taboo which ranks in the Top 5 most listened to shows in the UK for alternative health. She has also published a bestselling memoir Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma. She was the Member of Parliament for Stafford and won Speech of the Year at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards in the UK. Theo was included in the prestigious Top 100 Women in Westminster list three years in a row. This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell. DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor. www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast Instagram: @theoclarkemp Breaking The Taboo production team Producer: Natasha Feroze Researcher: Kate Kenyon Designer: Emily Ryder Social Media: Bella Carter Studio Manager: Adam Woodward Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

    S5, E5: What Every Mum Should Know: Prevention, Treatment & Recovery from Birth Injuries

  6. 24 Jun

    S5, E4: You’re Not Alone: Finding Support as a New Mum with Michelle Kennedy

    This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by entrepreneur, author and Peanut founder Michelle Kennedy to discuss loneliness in motherhood, building support networks and why no mother should feel alone. Topics discussed on the show include: the emotional reality of new motherhood; loneliness and isolation after having a baby; expectations versus reality; building a support network; asking for help; identity and motherhood; what women need most in the early weeks after birth; and the importance of community and connection throughout motherhood. BIOGRAPHY Michelle Kennedy is founder and CEO of Peanut, one of the fastest-growing social networking apps for women focusing on fertility, pregnancy, motherhood and menopause, which has raised $23m to date. Michelle was formerly Deputy CEO of dating behemoth Badoo, and during her tenure was integral to and inaugural board member of Bumble, (which IPOd at a $13bn valuation). Having worked in social discovery for ten years, Michelle has unprecedented experience and understanding of the safety and growth components of building a social network for women and continues to execute on her mission to make Peanut the leading network to connect women when they need each other most. She is also a strategic investor in several early and late stage startups, and institutional venture capital funds. Michelle is also the author of It Takes a Village: And Other Essential Truths for New Mothers, which brings together stories from women in the Peanut community alongside expert insights on fertility, pregnancy, birth and motherhood. RESOURCES Peanut https://www.peanut-app.io It Takes a Village: And Other Essential Truths for New Mothershttps://www.peanut-app.io/book ABOUT THE HOST Theo Clarke hosts the hit podcast Breaking the Taboo which ranks in the Top 5 most listened to shows in the UK for alternative health. She has also published a bestselling memoir Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma. She was the Member of Parliament for Stafford and won Speech of the Year at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards in the UK. Theo was included in the prestigious Top 100 Women in Westminster list three years in a row. This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell. DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor. www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast Instagram: @theoclarkemp Breaking The Taboo production team Host and Founder: Theo Clarke Producer: Natasha Feroze Researcher: Kate Kenyon Designer: Emily Ryder Social Media: Bella Carter Studio Manager: Adam Woodward Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

    S5, E4: You’re Not Alone: Finding Support as a New Mum with Michelle Kennedy

  7. 23 Jun

    S5, BONUS EPISODE: The Hidden Impact of Birth Trauma on Fathers with Ryan Libbey

    This week our host, Theo Clarke, is joined by Ryan Libbey, father, writer and storyteller, to discuss the hidden impact of birth trauma on fathers. Topics that we discuss on the show include: Ryan and Louise Thompson’s experience of pregnancy, miscarriage and birth trauma; the expectations of becoming a father compared with the reality after a traumatic birth; what it was like for Ryan to support Louise during labour, emergency surgery and recovery; the experience of seeing his son in NICU; the pressure on fathers to stay strong; guilt, fear and helplessness after traumatic birth; how trauma affected Ryan and Louise’s relationship; the importance of vulnerability and honest conversations; bottle feeding, breastfeeding pressure and the need for a post-birth plan; becoming a hands-on father; Ryan’s writing through Letters to Leo; support for dads after birth trauma; and the campaign to appoint a maternity commissioner. Biographies: Ryan Libbey Ryan Libbey is a father, writer and storyteller whose work explores modern fatherhood, resilience and the everyday moments that shape who we become. Through his weekly newsletter, Letters to Leo, he writes letters to his young son that have grown into a community of thousands of readers seeking more meaningful conversations about family, wellbeing and life. Following his family’s experience of birth trauma, Ryan has become a passionate advocate for greater awareness and support for parents, sharing his perspective as a dad navigating caregiving, recovery and the realities of family life after trauma. Through his writing, podcasting and outdoor adventures, he hopes to encourage more honest conversations about connection, vulnerability and the values we pass on to the next generation. Ryan also co-hosts the podcast He Said, She Said with his fiancée Louise Thompson. About the Host Theo Clarke hosts Breaking the Taboo and A Thread of One’s Own. She is the bestselling author of Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma. Theo was formerly the Member of Parliament for Stafford, where she chaired the first parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma in British history and founded the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Birth Trauma. She won Speech of the Year at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards and has been included in the prestigious Top 100 Women in Westminster list three years in a row. Theo is campaigning to improve maternity care and for the appointment by the UK Government of a Maternity Commissioner. Follow Theo: https://www.instagram.com/theoclarkemp/ Resources: Dad Matters: https://dadmatters.org.uk/ Fatherhood Solutions: https://linktr.ee/fatherhoodsolutions Secret Life of Dads podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thesecretlifeofdads/ Letters to Leo: https://ryanlibbey.beehiiv.com/ Maternity Commissioner petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/ This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell: https://www.irwinmitchell.com/ DISCLAIMER: This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor. Website:https://www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast Breaking The Taboo production team: Producer: Natasha Feroze Researcher: Kate Kenyon Designer: Emily Ryder Social Media: Bella Carter Studio Manager: Adam Woodward Studio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

    S5, BONUS EPISODE: The Hidden Impact of Birth Trauma on Fathers with Ryan Libbey

  8. 17 Jun

    S5, E3: Everywoman Festival LIVE: State of the Nation - What Needs to Change in Maternity Care?

    This week on Breaking the Taboo, Theo Clarke hosts a special live panel recording from the Birth & Beyond Tent at the Everywoman Festival in London: State of the Nation: What Needs to Change in Maternity Care?Joined by investigative journalist Hannah Barnes, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Susie Crowe, and Birth Trauma Association CEO Dr Kim Thomas, Theo explores the current state of maternity services in England and asks what meaningful reform should look like for women, babies and families. Topics discussed on the show include: the rise in birth trauma; whether maternity care faces a crisis of safety, trust, or both; why women often feel unheard during pregnancy and birth; accountability and learning when things go wrong; improving care throughout pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period; variation in outcomes between maternity units; the role of data in NHS care; what a truly woman-centred maternity system could look like; and an update on the current investigations into maternity care led respectively by Baroness Amos and Donna Ockenden.BIOGRAPHIESHannah Barnes is Investigations Editor at the New Statesman, where she focuses on the topics and stories shaping the world we live in. An award-winning journalist, she spent 15 years at the BBC specialising in analytical and investigative journalism on both television – for BBC Newsnight – and radio. Hannah produced, edited and reported for many of Radio 4’s best known news and current affairs shows. She is the author of Sunday Times Bestseller, *Time to Think: The Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock’s Gender Service for Children*.England’s maternity crisis is in desperate need of reform, and Hannah Barnes has already established herself as the reporter best placed to deliver it, exposed legal gaps that left bereaved families without answers, and stayed with those families long enough to ensure the promises made to them were kept.Dr Susie Crowe, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at Barts Health NHS Trust and President of the British Intrapartum Care Society (BICS). Susie also serves as the National Workplace Behaviours Adviser for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and previously led the joint RCM/RCOG safety programme Each Baby Counts Learn and Support. With a wealth of leadership experience – from intrapartum lead and clinical director to regional lead obstetrician for London – Susie is passionate about improving maternity care. She believes that delivering high-quality care starts with creating nurturing, compassionate environments where teams feel safe to thrive.Dr Kim Thomas is CEO of the Birth Trauma Association. She authored the 2024 Parliamentary Inquiry report into birth trauma and has written two books on birth trauma, including on PTSD. Theo Clarke (Chair) hosts the hit podcast Breaking the Taboo on women’s health which ranks in Top 5% most listened to shows around the world. She has also published a bestselling memoir ‘Breaking the Taboo: why we need to talk about birth trauma’. She was the Member of Parliament for Stafford, chaired the first parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma in British history and previously set up the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Birth Trauma in the House of Commons. Theo has served as parliamentary private secretary at the Departments for Education, Business and Trade and HM Treasury, in addition to being Trade Envoy for the Prime Minister. She won Speech of the Year at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards and was included in the prestigious Top 100 Women in Westminster list in 2025 and 2024. This podcast is sponsored by the law firm Irwin Mitchell.**DISCLAIMER:** This show is not intended to be medical advice – please seek advice from a GP or doctor.http://www.theo-clarke.org.uk/podcast RESOURCES Birth Trauma Association British Intrapartum Care Society Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology Postnatal PTSD Independent Investigation into Maternity Services in England Maternity Commissioner Petition with Louise Thompson Breaking The Taboo production team Founder and host: Theo Clarke Producer and Studio Manager: Adam WoodwardResearcher: Kate KenyonDesigner: Emily RyderSocial Media: Bella CarterStudio: Studio 55, part of Wolfe Power Club This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theodoraclarke.substack.com

    S5, E3: Everywoman Festival LIVE: State of the Nation - What Needs to Change in Maternity Care?
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4.9
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41 Ratings

About

Breaking the Taboo with Theo Clarke is a leading UK women’s health podcast exploring the issues that shape women’s lives before, during and after motherhood. Hosted by former MP and birth trauma campaigner Theo Clarke, the series combines powerful personal stories with expert insight and national policy conversations. Now entering its fifth series, the podcast has evolved from a groundbreaking initial focus on birth trauma into a wider platform addressing maternal mental health, pelvic health, returning to work after birth, pregnancy complications, fatherhood, family relationships, NHS maternity care and women’s long-term wellbeing. Featuring campaigners, clinicians, researchers, policymakers and families, Breaking the Taboo is helping drive public conversation around some of the most overlooked and unspoken issues in women’s health. theodoraclarke.substack.com

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