Parent Unplugged

Charis Halsall
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Parent Unplugged is a parenting podcast built on real stories. Through raw, honest conversations, we explore what it actually feels like to raise children - the moments no one prepares you for, the thoughts you don’t say out loud, and the experiences that change you. From everyday overwhelm to life-altering challenges, each episode brings you inside the reality of parenting - not the polished version. If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one struggling, thinking or feeling a certain way… you’re not.

  1. 5d ago

    This Wasn't Just Morning Sickness

    What if pregnancy meant being violently sick up to 40 times a day, spending months bedridden, and questioning whether you could survive another day? This week on Parent Unplugged, Charis sits down with Amy Never, who shares the devastating reality of living with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) - a severe pregnancy illness that affects around 1% of pregnancies but is so much more than "morning sickness." Amy opens up about: Being bedridden for months and unable to keep even water down. Repeated hospital visits, feeling dismissed, and the trauma of spending hours in A&E. Losing weight, losing her confidence, and considering pregnancy termination out of sheer desperation. The emotional toll HG took on her marriage, career and identity. Why she believes women with HG deserve better support and understanding. Finding hope, healing and purpose after the darkest chapter of motherhood. This is an incredibly honest conversation about maternal mental health, invisible illness, the pressure of motherhood, and why so many women suffer in silence. Whether you've experienced HG yourself, supported someone who has, or simply want to better understand what some parents endure, this episode is an important listen. 🎧 Topics covered: Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) Pregnancy complications Maternal mental health Pregnancy trauma Miscarriage after-effects Career and motherhood Hospital experiences Support networks for mums Parenting after trauma Women's health awareness

    This Wasn't Just Morning Sickness

  2. Aug 30

    Rebuilding Life After Everything Changed

    When Francesca Amber found herself pregnant with twins during the pandemic, everything changed. Already a single mum, she suddenly faced losing her business, financial uncertainty, isolation, and the overwhelming reality of raising three children alone. In this honest conversation, Francesca opens up about the grief of losing the motherhood experience she imagined, why she struggled to bond with her twins, the guilt she still carries, and how she rebuilt her life one step at a time. Together, we explore single motherhood, identity, resilience, and what it really takes to keep going when life doesn't go to plan. Whether you're a single parent, feeling lost in motherhood, or simply navigating a difficult season, this episode is a reminder that it's possible to rebuild - even when everything feels like it's falling apart.

    Rebuilding Life After Everything Changed

  3. Aug 26

    When OCD Took Over Motherhood

    Ashleigh was diagnosed with OCD before becoming a mum, but when she fell pregnant with her daughter Aurora, her intrusive thoughts became all-consuming. In this powerful highlight episode, she opens up about the fear that her baby would die, the compulsions and constant reassurance-seeking that took over her pregnancy, and how the loss of her mum's baby before she was born shaped her deepest fears. She also shares the reality of her postpartum OCD, the terrifying health anxiety that followed Aurora's birth, and the guilt she carries over feeling like she couldn't fully enjoy those precious first weeks with her baby. But this is ultimately a story of hope. Ashleigh talks about finding the right treatment, having another baby, and learning that the thoughts that once consumed her don't have to last forever. A raw and honest conversation about OCD, intrusive thoughts, pregnancy, postpartum mental health, motherhood and finding your way back to yourself.

    When OCD Took Over Motherhood

  4. Aug 23

    Our IVF Journey & Heartbreak

    What happens when your dream of becoming a parent is met with heartbreak? In this deeply honest episode of Parent Unplugged, Peggy opens up about her IVF journey, the hope of finally seeing a positive pregnancy test, and the devastating moment everything changed. Peggy shares the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatment, pregnancy loss, miscarriage, and the reality of navigating grief while sharing her story online. She also reflects on the unexpected support she found from complete strangers, the resilience it took to keep going, and why she's determined to help others feel less alone. This is a powerful conversation about hope, heartbreak, and finding strength when life doesn't go to plan. If you've experienced infertility, IVF, miscarriage, or pregnancy loss, we hope this episode reminds you that you are not alone. ❤️ Subscribe for more honest conversations about parenting, fertility, mental health and family life. #IVF #Miscarriage #PregnancyLoss #FertilityJourney #ParentUnplugged

    Our IVF Journey & Heartbreak

  5. Aug 19

    Christine McGuinness On Autism & Motherhood

    Christine McGuinness opens up about raising three autistic children, receiving her own autism diagnosis, navigating motherhood, divorce and family life, and learning to embrace parenting on her family’s own terms.

    Christine McGuinness On Autism & Motherhood

  6. Aug 16

    I Could Have Lost My Kids

    This conversation contains sensitive topics including addiction, substance misuse, sexual assault, trauma, and postnatal mental health. Cat shares her story openly and honestly, including some difficult moments from her journey. Cat Sims opens up like never before about alcoholism, motherhood, recovery, undiagnosed ADHD, and the shame she carried for years behind a seemingly "normal" life. She shares the devastating moments that forced her to confront her addiction, how recovery transformed her marriage and parenting, and why understanding herself changed everything. This is an honest, powerful conversation about hitting rock bottom, finding hope, and proving that recovery is possible.

    I Could Have Lost My Kids

  7. Aug 12

    The Reality Of Autism Parenting

    Mother of two autistic children Lisa opens up about the heartbreaking reality of masking, postnatal depression, feeling dismissed, school struggles, and learning to parent children with completely different needs. A powerful, honest conversation that every parent - and everyone supporting autistic families - needs to hear. 💜

    The Reality Of Autism Parenting

  8. Aug 9

    How Pregnancy Saved My Life

    Amy Bresnahan shares the traumatic pregnancy that led to a life-changing heart diagnosis, being separated from her newborn for three days, navigating postpartum recovery, sensory overload, working motherhood, and why she now refuses to sweat the small stuff. A powerful conversation about resilience, gratitude and finding purpose after trauma.

    How Pregnancy Saved My Life
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Parent Unplugged is a parenting podcast built on real stories. Through raw, honest conversations, we explore what it actually feels like to raise children - the moments no one prepares you for, the thoughts you don’t say out loud, and the experiences that change you. From everyday overwhelm to life-altering challenges, each episode brings you inside the reality of parenting - not the polished version. If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one struggling, thinking or feeling a certain way… you’re not.

Information

  • Creator
    Charis Halsall
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    120
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Charis Halsall
  • Show Website
    Parent Unplugged
  • Provider
    Charis Halsall