The Worst Girl Gang Ever

This episode is brought to you by Wild Nutrition - THE BEST when it comes to supplements for your hormones and fertility - Our listeners benefit from 50% OFF for THREE MONTHS by following this link and entering WORSTGIRLGANG50 at check out. This week is National Fertility Awareness week (2nd - 6th November) and today we're chatting to Jacky Maughan a hairy lad from Durham (his words, not ours) We chat about male infertility, sperm DNA fragmentation, how fertility affects relationships and what advice Jacky wishes he and his partner Eleanor had when they started on their TTC journey 5 years ago. The book Jacky mentions in this episode is called 'Your Nuts' By Michael Carroll and can be found in waterstones (along with, we're sure, many other places!) Jacky himself can be found on IG here and Aloomah, the community that he and Eleanor have created can be found here . We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

This week we speak to Louise, the founder of Little Forget me Nots Trust https://littleforgetmenotstrust.com/ a charity based in Northern Ireland. Louise shares her own journey through grief after the loss of her son, Reuben. She discusses the challenges of navigating pregnancy after loss, the importance of creativity in healing, and her role as a funeral director. Louise emphasizes the need for open conversations about grief and the support Little Forget me Nots trust offers. It's an empowering and inspiring conversation this week, one that we think will resonate with many. We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

This weeks episode is brought to you by the Sibyl app - Sibyl is a private companion for pregnancy loss - here whenever you need answers, reassurance, or just a place to make sense of it all. As listeners of the podcast, we are pleased to offer one month free with code TWGGE Download in the app store or visit https://www.sibyl.care/ for more information. This week we speak to Elle Margetson https://www.instagram.com/elle.hypnotherapy/ Elle trained as a hypnotherapist following her own lived experience of baby loss and now helps women navigate the path of life after loss. During the episode we chat through her own story and how hypnotherapy and recognising the connection between mind and body has helped Elle come to terms with how things are, without feeling the need to 'move on' We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

This weeks episode is brought to you by the Sibyl app - Sibyl is a private companion for pregnancy loss - here whenever you need answers, reassurance, or just a place to make sense of it all. As listeners of the podcast, we are pleased to offer one month free with code TWGGE Download in the app store or visit https://www.sibyl.care/ for more information. This week we chatted to Melissa, Founder and creator of Sibyl, an app for pregnancy loss. Melissa was hurt by the fact that, when she miscarried, she simply reported it on her pregnancy app and went 'back to the start' with cycle tracking, waiting for her period to come, no advice, no sympathy and no insights. Passionate about how after care 'should' look, she created Sibyl - available on apple now (but if you have an android phone, she has encouraged you to contact her through the website!) Other than that, we have a real chat, and a laugh about the Dutch word for shopping trolley. This is a great, animated episode - one for the way to work perhaps. Sending all our love, always Bex & Laura We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

In this episode, Mel Spencer shares her deeply journey through pregnancy, loss, and the challenges of motherhood. From her struggles with endometriosis to the heartbreak of losing her first child, Mel opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of navigating pregnancy complications and the impact of her experiences on her perspective of life and parenting. She emphasizes the importance of empathy, the significance of naming and honouring lost babies, and the lessons learned from grief. Mel's story is a testament to resilience and the complexities of motherhood, offering insights and support to those who have faced similar challenges. We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

In this episode, We chat to the absolute ball buster that is Ruth. She shares her deeply personal journey through pregnancy loss and the subsequent maternity scandal that unfolded in Wales. She discusses the emotional toll of her experiences, the fight for better bereavement care, and the importance of advocacy in the healthcare system. Ruth reflects on her transformation from a passive recipient of care to an active advocate for change, emphasizing the need for compassion and accountability in maternity services. The conversation highlights the struggles faced by bereaved parents and the systemic issues within the healthcare system that continue to affect families today. We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

NOTE : Ollie joins us from the fire station having just gotten back from a call out - the sound is not what it could be - apologies! A break from the norm for us with a mid-week episode for those in Hertfordshire & those willing to travel! Ollie Dent is a fire officer who joined us with his partner for a previous episode talking about their loss and the difficulties he had at work following their experience. Since then, Ollie has done great things in raising awareness within the emergency services and has organised a Baby Loss Awareness Day at his fire station in Hatfield. It's on Tuesday 13th October - 9.30 - 4.30, and will be supported by us, sands, Zion's lighthouse, aching arms and the silence of TFMR - all organisations looking for the same thing - a change in how these experiences are supported. If you'd like more info - please email Ollie Oliver.dent@hertfordshire.gov.uk We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

Cathryn shares her story of IVF, the devastating loss of her daughter Freya, and what it really means to keep living when your world has completely changed. She talks openly about the relentless highs and lows of fertility treatment, the heartbreak of losing Freya, and trying to navigate grief in a world that doesn’t always know what to say or how to show up. Cathryn also shares the importance of keeping Freya’s memory alive and creating a legacy for her, the people and support that helped her through the darkest days, and why we desperately need to keep talking about baby loss - even when those conversations are difficult. We also talk about parenting after loss, the complicated emotions that come with moving forward while carrying someone with you, and the impact grief can have on relationships, family and everything you thought life was going to look like. It’s raw, heartbreaking and full of love - a conversation about Freya, grief, survival and finding a way to carry it all. During this episode we talk about a facebook group for those in Bristol and Bath - here is the link to join if you are local https://www.facebook.com/groups/1219410566556112 We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

This week we chat to Liz from oop north. Liz suffered the loss of her baby whilst on holiday for her 30th in Portugal. She and her husband Chris faced language barriers, different hospital procedures and a challenging lack of empathy whilst facing the most difficult days of their lives. Liz talks us through her diagnosis of an incompetent cervix when she got back to the UK and how that medical terminology affected her mental wellbeing. Following their loss, Liz and Chris have gone on to have baby Archie, Liz speaks about the anxiety during her pregnancy and how she advocated for a cervical stitch. Liz wanted to come on the podcast to share a story of hope for anyone diagnosed with an incompetent cervix. We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

This week we talk to Suzanne from Galway about her baby’s diagnosis of T21 and high drops. Suzanne had to have additional scans during her pregnancy because medical professionals ‘hoped’ her baby would die naturally, to prevent her from travelling to England for a termination for medical reasons. This was not the case & the day before she was due to fly, the hospital cancelled her appointment because a lift was broken and then, when she arrived in Liverpool, she was told that they didn’t have a surgeon and would need to be transferred to Middlesborough. All this while trying to navigate the devastation of knowing that she wouldn’t be bringing home her baby. During the transfer, she was asked to take a box with her and later discovered that inside the box were the instruments that were needed to carry out her termination. This is a devastating story and a clear demonstration of the pain caused by current abortion laws. Taboo exists, and Suzanne highlights this bravely and articulately. During the episode we speak about a support group that Suzanne has found huge comfort in, "Let Me Choose" or Leanbh mo Chroí - they can be found at https://lmcsupport.ie/about We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

This week we spoke to Natalie, Following 3 rounds of IVF, the final resulting in a missed miscarriage, Natalie speaks about how she has begun to navigate being childless not by choice. She talks about her experience of fertility testing and IVF and the difficulties she had both physically and emotionally, with medical professionals. We speak about expectations, misconceptions and how to look after yourself properly. As a therapist herself, Natalie learned that she would need to make some changes to protect and restore her mental wellbeing and that those changes would come with guilt. We explore guilt, shame and how it feels to be ambivalent about becoming a parent, before having that decision taken from you. A very thought provoking episode. We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

This week we chat to Nathalie Van Haaren, she shares her profound journey through loss, pregnancy, and healing after the tragic loss of her daughter Amaya. She discusses cultural differences, emotional resilience, spiritual perspectives, and her work supporting women through transitions and grief. We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

During this episode we chat with our pal Jayna about miscarriage, complications, and the difficulties we face when we come face to face with the fact that everything 'might not' be ok. We chat about childhood beliefs and how they are challenged when we don't fall into the 'disney narrative' and how this can shake more than just our confidence in the ability to have a baby. We also talk about testing and the gap in knowledge between natural pregnancy and IVF - if you're in this gap, give this episode a listen! We recorded this in December.... so please excuse the weather chat.... it was a different time!!! We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

In this episode, Amanda shares her personal journey through fertility challenges, including her diagnosis of Mosaic Turner Syndrome and her experiences with IVF. She discusses the emotional rollercoaster of the IVF process, the importance of managing expectations, and the joy of motherhood after a long and difficult journey. Amanda emphasizes the need for support and open conversations about fertility issues, highlighting the significance of having a trusted doctor and community during this challenging time. We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

This week we chat to Louisa, founder of ‘Zion’s Lighthouse’ and host of podcast ‘Love, life & loss’ (links at the bottom of the shownotes) Louisa shares her journey through miscarriage and how the loss of her beautiful Zion after he was born prematurely inspired her to start ‘Zion’s Lighthouse’ an organisation devoted to advocacy, support and education around Baby Loss. Listen to Louisa’s podcast on spotify ‘Love, Life & Loss’ https://open.spotify.com/show/4VTbAKipdy2KGNFN2gkr1k https://www.zionslighthouse.co.uk/ We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

THIS IS A BIG FAT TRIGGER WARNING - In this episode we talk about suicide and mental health. In this episode, Bex shares her recent traumatic experience and how she's managing her mental health while navigating life after a devastating event. Laura and Bex discuss the importance of self-care, community support, and upcoming events to raise awareness and funds. Our autumn campaigns to register, simply fill in this form! London to Brighton cycle ride https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/twggef2026l2b Run 10k to Raise 10k https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/run10koct26 Royal Parks Half Marathon https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/rphmtwgge Little Big Book Drop https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/thelittlebigbookdrop Just because we smile, doesn't mean we're over it. https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/justbecause We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

Ooof, this is an emotional one people. This week we chat to Sian Gardner https://www.instagram.com/flicks_and_red_lips/ We last had her on the podcast back in season 8 (no one can remember the episode number, but it was forty something) In our previous episode, Sian talked about the loss of her baby boy, Chase to a TFMR (termination for medical reasons) Since we recorded, Sian has gone on to experience another TFMR with her daughter Aubrey. In this epsiode, we talk about the strength of the TFMR community, the help that Sian has sought out and received and the pain of losing a second child in this way, alongside the joy she was able to find during her pregnancy and birth with Aubrey. This is a hugely personal and emotional episode, but one that is full of inspiration and beauty. There’s support for TFMR out there - here are the resources we cover in this podcast episode. Ellie’s Gift - https://www.ellies.gift/ ARC - https://www.arc-uk.org/ Mental health Midwfie - https://www.instagram.com/mentalhealth_midwife/ We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

Do your boobs hang low, can you tie them in a bow? This is basically the energy levels we’re bringing to you this week. Bex is fresh off her UK photography tour for our upcoming exhibition (although is far from being actually fresh) and the girls chat about the tour itself, the exhibition in October at the vagina museum & how you can get involved. It’s a very lighthearted one, with LOTS of singing, bickering and LOL’s. You can find details on our campaign and exhibition here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/justbecause If you would like to find out more about how you can get involved, please email info@twgge.co.uk with Exhibition in the subject line. We are also looking for sponsors & Partnerships xxx We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

This week we chat to Amy & Nat from Riot about the dark comedy they have written ‘A thirty something’s guide to your first miscarriage’ The girls are currently fundraising to make this film a reality and Bex & Laura are getting involved to help bang that drum even louder (they have also been promised cameo roles) We ask that if you’ve ever felt your experience has been minimised, if you’ve ever been the victim of a sentence starting with ‘at least’ donate a pound to help bring this film into existence, not just for now, but so it can be found by women in the future, searching for something that makes them feel less alone. You can donate here: https://greenlit.com/project/thirty-somethings-guide-your-first-miscarriage We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk

💔 Episode Summary In this episode, Serena shares her story of pregnancy, loss, and everything that came after. She talks about the early excitement of becoming a mum, and how quickly things changed as she was faced with difficult decisions no one ever expects to make. Serena opens up about the emotional weight of that time, navigating medical conversations, uncertainty, and the kind of grief that’s hard to put into words. We talk about the role of healthcare and how support, or lack of it, can shape your experience during pregnancy and loss. Serena reflects on how grief showed up for her in ways she didn’t expect, and how returning to everyday life, including work, felt far from simple. This episode is about the complexity of loss, the courage it takes to keep going, and the importance of giving yourself the space and care you need along the way. 💬 Key Takeaways Pregnancy can begin with hope and excitement, before everything shifts unexpectedly. Experiences within the healthcare system can deeply affect how loss is processed. Being faced with difficult decisions during pregnancy can feel overwhelming and isolating. Grief after loss is complex and can show up in unexpected ways. Support from healthcare professionals can make a meaningful difference. Returning to work after loss isn’t always straightforward and may take time. Resilience often grows quietly through lived experience. Self-care is not a luxury, it’s a necessity after emotional trauma. We are The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. We’re all about bringing people together who are going through the tough stuff — baby loss, infertility, and everything in between — and making sure no one has to face it alone. Our community is full of honesty, compassion, and real talk, offering support, understanding, and hope when it’s needed most. You can find out more and connect with us over at www.theworstgirlgangever.co.uk