There are a few things every parent needs in their arsenal: wet wipes, snacks, great coffee and a list of really good podcasts. They’re the perfect company when you’re walking for miles with a newborn, doing the tenth wash of toddler clothes of the day or in desperate need of some good adult chat that will make you laugh and feel like you’re not alone. 

From expert tips on how to tackle a tantrum to how to make being a working mum work, here are Stylist’s favourite parenting podcasts.

Searching for a podcast on motherhood that’s honest, relatable and thoughtful? Meet Stylist’s new podcast: Mother Lovers Club. We know that being a mum can be a challenge, and that balancing the needs of family, shining at work and getting round to everything that needs doing at home can feel like an impossible task.

So, that’s why Stylist editorial director Lisa Smosarski and I have teamed up with a curated list of special guests to discuss what it’s really like to juggle motherhood with work and navigate all the highs, lows and in-betweens. Expect honest conversations that aim to lighten the load for working mums everywhere, as we talk candidly about how we’re coping with our careers while looking after our families.

Everyone knows how hard being a parent can be, so when something doesn’t go to plan, sometimes you just have to see the funny side of it.

Hosted by comedians Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe, this podcast dives into the hilarity and woes of parenting. Airing twice a week, Beckett and Widdicombe share their tales and invite fellow celebrity guests to talk about their experiences. 

Child psychologist Dr Becky Kennedy is my go-to for kind parenting advice, and while so much in this sector involves ‘solutions’ that my children would laugh at, Kennedy’s tips are realistic and genuinely work. Her podcast covers so much ground, from screen time to shyness, and is the one I recommend to mum friends the most.

Motherhood In Black & White is hosted by two Gen X mums, Kaanji Irby and Tara Campbell. Irby and Campbell are close friends who talk together about their experiences raising boys – one as a black woman and the other as a white woman. They discuss everything from being working mothers to how their lives have changed since raising a family, providing honest and empathetic takes on what it means to be a parent. 

Another Stylist podcast, Baby On The Brain is about pregnancy, motherhood and the fears that surround it. We know that deciding to start a family is an exciting time for many, but also realise it comes with sleepless nights wondering about what will happen when the baby arrives.

In our podcast, Stylist’s Fliss Thistlethwaite meets pregnant women to talk about all their concerns, from identity to parental leave, and finds experts and other mothers to answer their all-important questions. By doing this, we hope to de-mystify the process and make it feel a little bit less lonely for mums-to-be. 

Janet Lansbury has worked with parents and their children for over 25 years, so has plenty of wisdom to share when it comes to parenting. In this podcast, she addresses listeners’ parenting concerns with a helpful, positive and respectful approach, offering up everything from advice on how to raise creative critical-thinkers to suggestions of the best games to play with your children.

Hosted by Giovanna Fletcher, Happy Mum Happy Baby uses honest and warm conversations to take a deep-dive into parenting. Each episode, Fletcher is joined by a guest as they discuss issues ranging from mental health to premature birth. So far, the podcast has attracted a host of recognisable names, including Oti Mabuse, Becky Adlington and Louise Thompson.

This podcast from couple Glennon Doyle, his wife Abby Wambach and his sister Amanda Doyle isn’t strictly about parenting (although a lot of the episodes do cover it), but offers a template for how to live better. It discusses everything from how to have healthier conflict and why you should be more playful, to what it feels like to live with neurodiversity.

Every episode gives me something to think about or something to question. I think the impact it has on my own behaviour makes me parent better, or at least more thoughtfully.

This podcast is hosted by transformational coach Zoe Blaskey. Every week, Blaskey interviews experts in the parenting world, from doctors to teachers, to talk about a range of issues that affect parents. The podcast is “on a mission to help mothers shift from guilt, exhaustion and comparison to confidence and empowerment”.

Perhaps one of the most recognisable podcasts on motherhood, Anna Whitehouse’s Dirty Mother Pukka bills itself as being “for people who happen to be parents”. It candidly explores topics that many others may shy away from (including post-partum sex and masturbation) while also looking at important issues like loneliness, ableism and experiencing the menopause while parenting. It’s a must for anyone who wants funny, thoughtful and honest takes on being a parent. 

Images: Courtesy of podcasts