Pregnancy after losing your mum is something no one prepares you for. Martine opens up about losing her mum to cancer, finding out she was pregnant months later, and why becoming a mother has deepened her grief.
Love,
Lou & Adina
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Check out The Motherless Mothers charity and community on our website here.
In this episode, we sit down with Bonnie — a doula, mother of two, and daughter who lost her own mum in her early 20s. She shares her story of navigating motherhood while grieving, and how her work supporting others at life’s most tender moments — birth and death — has been shaped by her own experiences of loss.
Love,
Adina & Lou
To find out more about Bonnie's work as a doula, check out her site here.
The Motherless Mothers website is here.
Follow TMM on IG here.
For anyone who’s had to parent while grieving—or make heartbreaking care decisions for a parent—this conversation is for you. Ann-Marie opens up about the emotional complexity of losing her mum to cardiac amyloidosis while raising a newborn, the challenges of being an only child with no surviving parents, and the gratitude she still holds for the life she shared with her mum.
Love,
Lou & Adina
For more info on TMM check out our website here.
Follow TMM on IG here.
Something monumental is happening, and we can’t wait to tell you about it. In this episode, Lou and Adina share the behind-the-scenes of the very first Mother Loss Awareness Day taking place at the Houses of Parliament. We talk about why this moment matters, what you can expect on the day, and why it feels like Christmas Eve every time we think about gathering our community in person. From hugs and shared stories to making sure MPs, policymakers and businesses hear our voices, this day is about connection and change. With our partners at Peanut, we’re putting mother loss on the map in a way that’s never been done before. Over 70 of you are already signed up, and there’s still space for more. Will you join us?
Love,
Lou & Adina
Find out more about TMM here.
Pregnancy is a time filled with expectation—but it can also bring deep fears, especially for mothers who have experienced loss or are navigating motherhood without their own mum. In this episode, we sit down with Heidi, founder of MAMA Academy, to talk about her journey of turning pain into purpose and building a charity that works tirelessly to prevent stillbirth and support families through pregnancy after loss. We explore grief, what every parent should know about safer pregnancy, and the power of community in the hardest moments.
It's Baby Loss Awareness Week here in the UK, and TMM wants to shine a light on the incredible work Heidi is doing at MAMA Academy to reduce stillbirth and promote safer pregnancies.
Love,
Lou & Adina
To find out more about Heidi and MAMA Academy, check out the website here.
Find The Motherless Mothers website here.
Follow TMM on IG here.
Email us at themotherlessmothersuk@gmail.com
You don’t have to be a writer to write. You just need a story, and if you’ve experienced mother loss, you have one. In this episode, Beth—a motherless mother and published author—shares how creative writing can help us cope with grief, find clarity, and even rediscover ourselves after loss.
Beth's upcoming creative writing workshop with TMM will take place on November 12th from 8-9pm UK time. To find out more, sign up to our newsletter on our website .
Love,
Lou and Adina
Navigating a relationship with your mother-in-law is tricky enough, but when you don’t have your own mother, it can feel even more complicated. In this episode, Lou and Adina share honest stories about expectations, boundaries, and those moments where you just wish things were different. Whether your MIL is amazing or… not so much, this is a conversation for anyone trying to balance grief, family dynamics, and motherhood.
Love,
Lou & Adina
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Find out more about TMM here.
Birth, death, and grief — three words that have defined Jo’s journey in the most profound ways. In this episode, Jo opens up about losing both her parents within 16 months, the lessons learnt through caregiving, and how she’s transforming her pain into purpose. If you’ve ever wondered how to hold joy and sorrow at the same time, this conversation is for you.
Love,
Lou & Adina
To find out more about Jo and her work, check out her IG here.
Want to connect with TMM? Have a look at our website here.
Follow TMM on IG here.
What does it really take to break generational cycles and parent differently? In this episode, we sit down with Harriet Shearsmith, host of Unfollowing Mum and author of Unfollowing Mum: Break Unhealthy Habits and Be the Parent You Wish You’d Had. We talk about estrangement, setting boundaries, and why healing your inner child is key to raising the next generation.
Love,
Lou & Adina
Follow us on IG here.
Find out more about TMM here.
Follow Harriet on IG here.
Find the Unfollowing Mum Podcast here.
Harriet's book is available on Amazon here.
We’re back, and we’re glad you’re here. In this first episode of season two, we reconnect — with each other, and with you. We talk about what’s been stirring, what’s shifted, and what we’re hoping for in the months ahead. For every motherless mother listening: you are not alone. You belong here.
Love
Lou & Adina
It’s hard to believe it’s been a whole year since we started this podcast—and even harder to believe we’ve built all of this without ever meeting in person! In this special season finale, Lou and Adina reflect on an unforgettable year of growth, vulnerability, and community.
Together, they share the highs, the raw moments, and the surprising lessons learnt while building TMM across time zones, WhatsApp voice notes, emails, and countless Zoom calls. From hosting their first event at the Houses of Parliament to seeing over 90 countries engage with their work, this milestone is a testament to the power of connection.
They’ll chat about their favourite moments, the stories that changed them, the wildest things they Googled while figuring out how to run a charity, and their biggest, boldest dreams for the year ahead. Whether you’ve been here since Episode 1 or this is your first listen, thank you for being part of this growing, global movement of motherless mothers.
We’re just getting started.
Love,
Lou & Adina
To find out more about TMM check out our website here.
In this deeply moving and vulnerable episode of The Motherless Mothers, Lou and Adina sit down with Vikki, who lost her mum to breast cancer when she was just 11 years old. Growing up, Vikki found herself in a silent grief, her family avoided speaking about her mum, each trying to protect the others from more pain. Now, Vikki opens up about her journey.
With her mum’s birthday on July 15th, this conversation, airing just one day before, feels especially poignant. Vikki’s story is a beautiful reminder of the importance of making space for grief, for memory, and for the love that never leaves us.
If you've ever struggled with the silence that often follows loss, this one is for you.
Love,
Lou & Adina
For more information on The Motherless Mothers check out our website here.
Friends are the family we choose for ourselves. This could not be truer of co-founder Lou’s friendship with Sacha, a bond spanning over two decades. Their childhood friendship has seen the highest of highs as they welcomed their babies into the world only six weeks apart last summer. But also the lowest of lows - weathering the storm of the loss of both of Lou’s parents at only 20-years-old.
Lou and Sacha sit down to talk about the intersection of friendship and motherlessness. How has mother loss changed their friendship? How has Sacha learnt to support Lou when mother loss feels too heavy to carry? What has Sacha learnt about supporting a motherless friend?
This conversation shines a light on the magic of a sisterhood, not by DNA, but by memories, choice, and supporting one another through it all. For the friends who are behind the scenes. For the friends who want to do more to support a motherless friend. For the friends who are new to this world of motherlessness, this is for all of you.
In this special episode, TMM Co-Founder Adina sits down with her husband and two teenage children to talk about what it’s really like to be in a motherless mother’s family. This is a conversation for all the motherless mothers, for their partners and children, and for anyone who wants to better understand the invisible layers of grief and resilience that shape so many of our families. You’ll hear us reflect on what’s hard, what’s surprising, what makes us strong, and where we find the joy. Real talk, real love — and a few laughs too. We hope it helps you feel a little less alone.
Love,
Adina & Lou
To find out more about TMM check out our website here.
In this deeply moving conversation, Adina sits down with Katie to talk about what it means to navigate motherhood in the wake of profound, unexpected loss. While the grief is real and raw, this episode is also a tribute to the beauty that can emerge even in heartbreak. Katie shares the incredible story of the unmistakable sign her mum sent at the birth of her second child—an experience that left Adina with chills and something she’ll never forget.
You don't want to miss it.
Love,
Adina & Lou
For more information on TMM and our community check out our website here.
In this conversation, co-founder Lou sits down with her husband Dan to reflect on being a husband to a motherless mother.
Their story started as friends when they met on a postgraduate university course. Before they were a couple, Lou remembers telling Dan her parents had died and feeling embarrassed, self-conscious and different. Little did she know it would be one of the things that brought them together and in love.
Dan is the reason Lou feels she can dedicate time to TMM. The reason she can record podcasts, host groups, have meetings. He sits silently behind her and their family; the husband of a motherless mother. But what is it like to walk in his shoes?
An honest, important conversation on how the other half feel about motherlessness and how the impact of mother loss really does affect the whole family.
An important listen for partners – we see you too.
Love,
Lou & Adina
For more information on The Motherless Mothers, check out our website here.
On this episode of The Motherless Mother Podcast, Lou and Adina talk with Sarah about what it was like to lose both of her parents in the same year she became a mother. She speaks honestly about navigating early motherhood while grieving and what helped her cope when everything felt overwhelming. Sarah shares some genuinely helpful advice for anyone facing big life changes and loss at the same time. It’s an honest and hopeful conversation you won’t want to miss.
X Lou & Adina
Want to know more about TMM? Check out our website here.
What happens when you become a mother without your mum by your side? In this episode, we sit down with grief psychotherapist and researcher Mandy Gosling to discuss the lifelong ripple effects of losing a parent as a child. From identity and attachment to the emotional landmines of parenting, we explore what it means to mother through absence and how early loss shapes us in ways we’re still uncovering. It’s honest, tender, and full of recognition for anyone who's felt the ache of grief while trying to show up for their own children.
Hope you find this helpful.
Love, Lou & Adina
To find out more about Mandy Gosling and her research on ABCs check out her website here.
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Check out our website here where you'll find loads of resources and can sign up to our community and what's app group too!
In this powerful episode, Lou and Adina sit down with Laura to explore a type of mother loss that often goes unnamed: estrangement. Laura became a mother in 2005 while still in contact with her own mother, navigating years of parenting with someone in her life who couldn't show up in the way she needed. She shares what it was like to feel deeply alone while technically “not alone” and how setting boundaries—eventually leading to full estrangement in 2021—brought clarity, peace, and a surprising kind of healing. Together, we talk about the grief of unmet needs, the freedom of going no contact and the strength it takes to mother yourself while mothering your children.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating a complicated mother-daughter relationship while trying to show up as the parent they needed for themselves.
Love,
Lou and Adina
To find out more about TMM check out our website here.
Follow TMM on IG here.
Adina mentions Kelly McDaniel's book Mother Hunger in this episode. Adina doesn't receive payment or sponsorship for this recommendation; it's simply a book she finds helpful for women on this subject.
This week, we’re joined by Anna, a doula and motherless mother, to talk about the role doulas play in supporting people through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum — especially for those navigating the journey without their own mothers. We discuss how grief can resurface during motherhood, what to look for in a doula as a motherless mother, and the powerful impact of shared experience.
Let us know what you thought.
Love, Lou and Adina
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To find out more about our work, check out our website here.
Join our private community here.
You can check out Anna's website here.
Anna's IG is here.
The Doula UK website is here.