See You in September: 22 Stories, One Village and a Summer Break Artwork

Raising with the village

Raising with the Village

Because it really does take a village to raise a child — and most of us don’t have one anymore.

Raising with the Village is a podcast about the real stories of parenthood — from pregnancy to the early school years and everything in between. Each episode shares an honest, unfiltered conversation with a parent who’s been there: through the highs, the lows, the unexpected turns and the moments that change everything.

No experts. No judgement. Just real people sharing their experiences — because when we talk openly about what we’ve been through, we help someone else feel less alone.

Whether you’re preparing for your first baby, navigating the chaos of toddlerhood, or simply figuring it out one day at a time, this is your virtual village — a place to listen, relate, and remind yourself that you’re doing better than you think.

🎧 Hosted by Maeva,
Parent, storyteller, and believer that there’s power — and comfort — in sharing our stories.

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Raising with the village

See You in September: 22 Stories, One Village and a Summer Break

July 30, 2026 • Maeva • Season 1

0:00 | 6:50

See You in September: 22 Stories, One Village and a Summer Break

Before the village takes a summer break, I wanted to stop — really stop — and mark this moment properly.

Twenty two episodes. Twenty two extraordinary people who trusted this space with their most personal stories. And a community that has grown into something that genuinely feels like what it was always meant to be — a village.

In this episode I take you through every story we have covered so far, from pre-eclampsia and NICU journeys, to solo parenthood, infertility, loss, blended families, and everything in between. Think of it as your summer listening guide — whether you are catching up on episodes you missed or revisiting ones that stayed with you.

I also take a moment to celebrate the milestones I was too busy to mark along the way. Ten episodes. Fifteen. Twenty. We did that together.

The podcast returns in September with more stories, more honesty, and more of the conversations that remind us we are never doing this alone.

In this episode:

A celebration of 22 episodes and everything this community has built together
A full recap of every guest and topic covered so far — your ultimate summer listening guide
A heartfelt thank you to every guest who shared their story
A sneak peek at what is coming when we return in September

Not yet following the podcast? Hit follow on your favourite platform so you never miss an episode when we return. And if there is a story you think deserves to be told on Raising with the Village — get in touch. The village is always growing. 💛

💛 Raising with the Village

This podcast is about real parents sharing real stories — because no one should feel alone in parenthood.
New episodes every Thursday!

🌐 Website: https://raisingwith.co.uk/
📸 Instagram: @raisingwiththevillage
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and all major platforms.

If you’d like to share your own story — about birth, parenting, or family life — get in touch via the website or Instagram DMs.

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey Village! Before we dive in, if you haven't already, hit follow on your favorite podcast platform. It takes two seconds, it costs nothing, and it means the world to me. Right, let's go! Hey Vinage, it's me! I wanted to pop in with a slightly different kind of episode today. No guest, no story, just me. Because before I had a forwellent summer break, I wanted to take a moment to do something I haven't been very good at this year. Stopping. And saying Look how far we've come. Twenty two episodes. People who trusted this space with some of the most personal, most tender, most extraordinary chapters of their lives. And somehow in less than a year, this little podcast has grown into something that genuinely feels like a village. I never stopped to celebrate hitting 10 episodes. I never stopped at 15. And I quietly crossed 20 and kept going. So today I'm stopping and I'm celebrating because this community deserves that. And I think I also do. Now, if you are new here, or if you have a few long summer days ahead of you, lucky you, and you are looking for something to listen to, let me take you through what we have covered so far because there is really something for everyone. We started with birth stories. Lily opened the village with her experience of preeclampsia. Melissa gave us the most beautiful account of three water births. And Louisa took us on the extraordinary journey of her first pregnancy after 40. IVF, Unexpected Challenges, and the NICU baby across two unforgettable episodes. And speaking of the NICU, we have spent real time in this corridors this year. Sarah shared her experience of a premature birth at 32 weeks. And then Liam came on, one of our very first dads, to give us the father's perspective of an IQ journey and what co-parenting through that looks like. We have talked about the moments that don't make it onto the birth announcement. Grace shared what happened when her child stopped growing. Anita joined us twice, first to talk about her emergency and elective C-sections, and then to come back and tell us about the rest of the story. Pregnancy loss, a lung defect, and everything that followed in her daughter's very first year and a half of life. We have explored what family looks like when it doesn't follow the conventional script. Liz shared her row, honest and deeply moving story of choosing IVF alone and navigating lone parenthood across three episodes. Elliot opened up about single fatherhood, divorce, and starting over. And Monique came on to talk about what happens when nobody believes a mother's instinct. A story about cerebral pose, medical gaslighting, and trusting yourself. We have talked about the village behind the village. Holly gave us an honest look at parenting when your schedule runs opposite to everyone else's. And then Phil, her partner, came on to give us the other side of the story. Simon, known as Psy MC, reflected on becoming a young dad, breaking generational cycles, and the man he chose to become. We have laughed a lot, a lot, with Liz, mum to four-year-old twins, who reminded us that family comes in all shapes and that sometimes life hands you two for the price of one. And we have zoomed out to look at the bigger picture with Nina joining us all the way from Sydney to explore what pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood look like in Australia. And what the UK could learn from it. And Candida, who perfectly summed up early motherhood in one sentence. Two boys, one newborn, and a cool cup of soup. And if that doesn't say it all, I don't know what that's. Twenty-two stories, and every single one of them a reminder that there is no one right way to do this. That the village looks different for everyone, and that the most powerful thing we can do for each other is simply share our truth. And I cannot wait to tell you what that is. I will be back in September, but until then, go and listen. Go and share, and go and enjoy your summer village. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for listening, and thank you for making this feel like exactly what it would always do. I'll see in September.