The Obs Pod

Episode 185 Medicines In Pregnancy

28 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We talk frankly about why medicines in pregnancy and breastfeeding feel frightening, even though most women take something during pregnancy and many t...

Episode 184 Too little amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios)

21 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We explore what low amniotic fluid really means at different stages of pregnancy and when to act, when to watch, and how to personalise decisions. We ...

Episode 183 Too much amniotic fluid (Polyhydramnios)

07 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We unpack polyhydramnios with clear guidance on measurement, risk, and choices, showing why most mild cases near term are benign while outlining when ...

Episode 182 Big Baby Update

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Remember my popular Episode 29 on big babies from five years ago? Today I'm diving into what's changed since then, spurred by Warwick Univer...

Episode 181 Assisted Vaginal Birth, a woman's perspective

17 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Trigger warning: This episode discusses birth trauma.When a birth doesn't go as planned and requires intervention, how does it feel from the woma...

Episode 180 Mama Academy a chat with Heidi

15 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Trigger warning Baby LossThis episode is part of the podcasthon global charity podcast event 15th-21st March 2025. Join me as I chat with Heidi Eldrid...

Episode 179 Ramadan Special

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Step into our enlightening conversation about the multi-faceted experience of Ramadan, particularly as it relates to pregnant women and the maternity ...

Episode 178 Maternity Triage

15 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Maternity triage plays an essential role in providing urgent care to pregnant women, ensuring timely and appropriate responses to potentially life-thr...

Episode 177 Be the Difference a chat with Catherine

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode recorded for baby Loss Awareness week 2024,  Join us as Catherine MacLennan from the Vilomah Foundation opens up about her personal j...

Episode 176 Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) - a chat with Sarah

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join me as I talk with Sarah Fishburn,  who shares her deeply personal journey through three pregnancies plagued by pelvic girdle pain (PGP). Sarah o...

Episode 175 RSV vaccine

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Curious about how the new RSV vaccine could protect your baby? Join me, Florence, as we uncover the latest addition to the UK’s maternal vaccination...

Episode 174 Dental Care

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Can dental care during pregnancy really impact your baby's health? Join me, Florence, as I crack open the myths and present the facts on this cru...

Episode 173 Postnatal Psychosis a chat with Sarah

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Could you imagine the emotional and mental whirlwind of encountering postnatal psychosis right after welcoming your baby into the world? Join us as we...

Episode 172 The Unexpected - A Chat with Prof Emily Oster

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wondered how to navigate the uncertain terrain of pregnancy complications with confidence? Join us as we welcome Professor Emily Oster, an econom...

Episode 171 Noise

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine giving birth in a peaceful sanctuary rather than a bustling, noisy ward. Join me, Florence, as  newly installed noise-monitoring devices in o...

Episode 170 Weight Stigma in Pregnancy

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever considered the impact of a simple medical term on a person's experience? Midwife Jenny Cunningham and Catriona Forbes of a research...

Episode 169 Hyperemesis

25 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I am excited to bring you this episode on hyperemesis gravidarum. Joined by renowned experts Professor Catherine Nelson-Piercy, Dr. Melanie Nana, and ...

Episode 168 Ramadan, it's ok to ask

30 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever experienced a moment of cultural awakening, realizing that there's so much more to learn about the traditions of those around us? T...

Episode 167 Consent

16 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week follows directly on from Episode 166 Personalised care this time talking about the issue of consent. In this episode I reflect on the introd...

Episode 166 Personalised Care

02 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As we navigate the intricate journey of childbirth, there is a  balance between a mother's autonomy and stringent clinical guidelines.  Step in...

Episode 165 Oxytocin Use

17 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Discover  the hormone oxytocin and its role in the birthing process  in the latest ObsPod episode. We unravel the dual nature of this potent hormone...

Episode 164 Intermittent Auscultation

03 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join me & my guest Dr. Kirsten Small as we build on our previous joint episode 157 Fetal heart monitoring in labour. This time we discuss the worl...

Episode 163 Overweight

20 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Embark on a poignant exploration of a topic that's often cloaked in stigma yet crucial to maternal health: obesity and BMI during pregnancy. Join...

Episode 162 Alcohol and Pregnancy

06 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Embark on a transformative journey through the complexities of alcohol use during pregnancy, as we unravel the myriad risks and the vital necessity of...

Episode 161 Blood Transfusion

09 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Are you already familiar with the life-saving role of blood transfusions in obstetrics? If not, get ready for an enlightening journey into this critic...

Episode 160 ICP & Me

25 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Trigger warning this episode contains discussion of baby loss.What if you found yourself entangled in a challenging and rare pregnancy condition, not ...

Episode 159 Sleep position in Pregnancy

11 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ever felt confused or guilty about your sleep position during pregnancy? Fear not, as I, Florence, an experienced NHS obstetrician, guide you through ...

Episode 158 Fertility

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today is a much awaited episode having been brewing for over three years since I started the podcast which seems apt given the subject. How does it fe...

Episode 157 Monitoring the Fetus in Labour

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How much trust are you placing on the CTG monitor as you welcome a new life into the world? Get ready to have your beliefs challenged as Dr. Kirsten S...

Episode 156 Hypnobirthing with Megan Rossiter Birth-Ed

23 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wondered how hypno-birthing can change your childbirth experience? Today's special guest, Megan Rossiter, will take you on a journey through...

Episode 155 Antenatal Steroids

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What if the treatments we believe to be beneficial in Obstetrics aren't as helpful as we thought? Or worse, might they bring along hidden risks f...

Episode 154 Pregnancy in Prison

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There have been some disturbing stories in the media recently about outcomes for women and babies in prison. Here I explore some evidence and more imp...

Episode 153 Breast Cancer in Pregnancy

04 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined once again  by incredible obstetric physicians Professor Catherine Nelson-Piercy & Dr Melanie Nana. This time we are ...

Episode 152 Obstetric Medicine

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I am joined by incredible obstetric physicians Professor Catherine Nelson-Piercy & Dr Melanie Nana. We discuss what is an obstetri...

Episode 151 Compassion

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's a tough time in the NHS at the moment. This week is a brief reflective episode on the importance of compassion not only for families under o...

Episode 150 Experience of Induction of Labour

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I explore an article that looks at women's experience of induction of labour and ask are we aware of the repercussions when we su...

Episode 149 Smoking

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Quitting smoking is the single most important action a woman can take to improve the health of her baby. I am ashamed to say I don't know much ab...

Episode 148 Bladder Care

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This episode follows on directly from last week's episode on fluid balance as the urine we produce is such an important component of that balance...

Episode 147 Fluid Balance

17 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With a bit of a heatwave this week by UK standards we are encouraging pregnant women to drink plenty of water, but is there a downside could we actual...

Episode 146 Thyroid

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today I am talking about the thyroid gland and what we think about if it is under or over active in pregnancy. These women are often referred to an ob...

Episode 145 Born Before Arrival

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What  is a BBA? What do we mean by born before arrival and how frequently does it happen? What are the options for women that may have experienced th...

Episode 144 Unstable Lie

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today I am talking about unstable lie when a baby is moving around loads at the end of pregnancy instead of settling to head down.Want to know more?ht...

Episode 143 Chickenpox

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Chickenpox or varicella is a common infection , what happens if you get it in pregnancy or your child does?Want to know more?https://www.rcog.org.uk/m...

Episode 142 Waterbirth

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Water can be used for pain relief during labour and giving birth. It has incredible benefits but why are only approximately 10% of women using water ?...

Episode 141 Flourish

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is out a day early to celebrate International Day of The Midwife 2023.It's a chat with my colleague and friend Kate Greenstock , all...

Episode 140 Low Lying Placenta

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Here I discuss what do we mean by a low lying placenta or placenta praevia & how can  are for women with this pregnancy complication to keep them...

Episode 139 Building community relationships to tackle inequality

21 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am talking to the fabulous midwife Rosie Murphy about her Dazi project: 'Improving outcomes for women from minoritised ethnic backgro...

Episode 138 Baby's movements

01 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We are always asking women about their baby's movements, why is that and what is considered normal?Want to know more?https://www.rcog.org.uk/medi...

Episode 137 Infant feeding - A chat with Lyndsey Hookway

25 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As obstetricians we can be ignorant of infant feeding issues and its not our fault incredible as it seems we have no training in this and it turns out...

Episode 136 It's OK to Ask

18 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am chatting to Teri Gavin-Jones about her work on health inequality and her journey with community partners resulting in a fantastic resou...

Episode 135 Embrace Equity

11 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To mark international women's day on 8th March I am discussing the recent WHO report of trends in global maternal mortality.Want to know more?htt...

Episode 134 Safety Clutter

04 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I have been doing some training to be ready for the new NHS Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF). In this episode I reflect on what I ha...

Episode 133 FGM

25 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

FGM or female genital mutilation can be a tricky topic that we feel uncomfortable talking to women about. Here I sign post some useful NHS training an...

Episode 132 TEDxNHS

18 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Last summer August 2022 I gave a TEDxNHS talk. I wanted to bring the perspective of women giving birth but also that of the obstetricians and other ma...

Episode 131 Cord Blood

11 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cord blood is actually an inaccurate description, this is the baby's blood.Here I am exploring the timing of cutting the umbilical cord and the i...

Episode 130 City of Sanctuary

04 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today I am joined by two very special guests to discuss City of Sanctuary Maternity Stream. Katherine is a midwife and Wan is a woman seeking sanctuar...

Episode 129 CQC Maternity Survey 2022

21 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Each year the Care Quality Commission surveys experiences of maternity care in England.  Here I take a look and discuss the lateset results published...

Episode 128 Meconium

14 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is meconium? Why do we worry about meconium in the waters during labour?Want to know more?https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/1185https://w...

Episode 127 Re:Birth

07 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As we start the new year I thought I would build on previous episodes 23 & 24 on language by discussing Re:Birth a project looking at language by ...

Episode 126 WildObs Part 2

18 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we hit the festive season join me and my great friend Gill Phillips of the wildcard whose shoes podcast as we reflect on 2022 and have a little fun...

Episode 125 Fetal Blood Sampling

10 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What is Fetal Blood Sampling? How did we do it , and why I think it should it be abandoned if you haven't already stopped this procedure?Want to ...

Episode 124 The Pelvis

26 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are there four types of pelvis, that's what we are taught but is it true? Are we sometimes misinforming women about their pelvic shape and abilit...

Episode 123 Transfer

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The episode is out on Thursday this week in honour of World Prematurity Day 17th Nov  when we focus on the fact  the worldwide 1 baby in every 10 is...

Episode 122 Sepsis

12 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode covers Sepsis  & the sepsis six the mainstay of  initial treatment for this serious life threatening illness. Warning this episode ...

Episode 121 Small Baby

05 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I can't believe I have managed to neglect the topic of a small baby up to this point especially given Episode 29 Big baby is now my most popular ...

Episode 120 Reading the Signals

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It is a difficult time in maternity care in the UK, last week saw the release of the report into East Kent Maternity services 'Reading the signal...

Episode 119 Belly Woman

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you wondered what it would be like practicing maternity care in a low or middle income country? What if you went to do that, and then found yours...

Episode 118 Postnatal Innovation a chat with Sunita

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Meet Sunita Sharma a consultant in O&G with a passion for all things postnatal. Take a listen to the innovative work she is  doing to improve pos...

Episode 117 Baby Loss Awareness Week 2022

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It is Baby Loss Awareness week 2022. In its 20th year the aims are: Remembrance, Raise Awareness & Drive Change. This year the theme is 'Step...

Episode 116 Conference

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What are medical conferences for? Are they just an excuse for some fun or do they add value?Here I explore a bit about why there are so many medical c...

Episode 115 The Black Maternity Experience Survey

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you read the FiveXmore Black Maternity Experience Survey published this year? If you haven't and you work in maternity then its essential re...

Episode 114 Age

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today I am discussing if the age a woman is when she become pregnant is important? Find out some stats and definitions of how age can have an impact o...

Episode 113 Data

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

My attention has recently been drawn to a report - The 'so what' of maternity data. Join me as I discuss my thoughts & reflections on th...

Episode 112 Blood clots, treatment and prevention

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are we obsessed with blood clots , thrombosis in pregnancy? Why do we worry & what can we do about them.Want to explore more?Reducing the risk of ...

Episode 111 Travel

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When should you or shouldn't you travel during pregnancy ? What are the issues you need to consider when planning a trip whether it be for work, ...

Episode 110 Anatomy lesson

22 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know your anatomy? When we doctors and midwives use the word perineum do you know what we are talking about? Here I explore some research on th...

Episode 109 HIV

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we screen for HIV in pregnancy ? Here I give a little thought to women who are pregnant and HIV positive and how much their care has changed ov...

Episode 108 Running and Pregnancy and Postpartum

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Can you run in pregnancy &how do you get back into running afterwards? Here I chat to Megan doing a PhD on running postpartum, what advice is ther...

Episode 107 Low Platelets

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What are platelets, why are they important and why do you get packed off to the obstetrician if your count is low? Here I talk about thrombocytopenia ...

Caesarean Birth - a chat with Birth-Ed podcast Megan

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I have previously discussed caesarean birth in Episode 11 a bit about how my thinking and practice in Caesarean birth has change dover the years. I ha...

Episode 106 Mr ObsPod

17 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It suddenly occurred to me that one of the key people behind the scenes in my career had been left out of TheObsPod story. In this episode join me as ...

Episode 105 Birthday

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's my birthday week so I am reflecting on birth stories and the story of my own arrival in the world.Thank you all for listening, if you have e...

Episode 104 The WHO

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What are we talking about when we say we are doing The WHO? What is it? When did it start & why is it important?Want to know more?https://www.nejm...

Bonus !

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I wanted to share this episode of WildcardWS podcast with my friend Gill Phillips. If you haven't already listened to her podcast its a set of in...

Episode 103 One Hundred Years of Progress?

20 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For International day of the Midwife I am reflecting on the theme of One Hundred Years of Progress.  Have we progressed, how much have we changed and...

Episode 102 Shoulder Dystocia

13 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode looks at the emergency situation that is Shoulder Dystocia when there is difficulty with the birth of the baby's shouders after the ...

Episode 101 A Chat with Maria from Mothers for Mothers

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

To mark Maternal Mental Health Week 2022 I had a wonderful conversation with Maria Viner CEO of Mothers for Mothers a maternal mental health charityTr...

Episode 100 The Hundredth Episode!

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Well here we are who would have believed I would reach Episode 100! Here I reflect on my podcast journey, who is listening, where you listen, who you ...

Episode 99 Lets Talk about Sex

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Here I am pondering why we don't talk more about sex during pregnancy and after birth? I explore sex during pregnancy and  I am joined by expert...

Episode 98 Book Before Ten

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

NICE guidance suggests we should be seeing women for their first appointment before 10 weeks of pregnancy. Here I talk to Rose Ngadze  O&G doctor...

Episode 97 Awards

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why are awards in the NHS or healthcare becoming common, are they a good thing or can they cause problems?Want to know more?You only have to google NH...

Ask the Audience

26 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I can hardly believe its two years since I started my podcast journey. I'm starting to think about how to celebrate my one hundredth episode,  a...

Episode 96 Money

19 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

March is the end of the NHS Financial year. Does it matter to me as a clinician? Here I  explore budgets, end of year money and why with a NHS annual...

Episode 95 Broken Waters

12 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the possible signs of labour is breaking your waters - actually this happens less often that you might think. Here I discuss what happens next ...

Episode 94 A chat with NCT Practitioner Laura James

05 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Through my work at the London Maternity Clinical Network I became friends with Laura James. Amongst other things Laura is an NCT Practitioner and a ch...

Episode 93 Diet

26 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You are what you eat, or so they say, so what should we be eating or avoiding during pregnancy? Listen whilst I explore this topic that as obstetricia...

Episode 92 Uniform

19 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sparked by some comments on social media about what is and isn't appropriate work wear for healthcare staff today I am chatting about all things ...

Episode 91 Cord Prolapse

12 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Maybe you've seen the trailer for 'This is going to hurt' BBC First view depicting cord prolapse. Prompted by this dramatised version I...

Episode 90 Reception

05 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On entering most maternity units who are the first people you encounter? Why reception staff of course. Here I pause to think about the role they play...

Episode 89 Birth Time

29 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Three Australian women made a documentary film asking the question 'What would it take for all women to emerge physically well and emotionally sa...