Newborn To Teen and Everything Inbetween Decibelle Creative

This is a topic close to Becks’s heart as she starts to prepare for both of her children leaving home for university. One of Becks’s friends asked us to record this episode – so here you are! 
We spoke about: 
How it’s a different milestone to going to childcare / school for the first time. The social media phenomenon of making the most of ‘18 summers with your children’...what we think! The feelings and emotions that you have and the stages that you go through when your child/ren leave home. How Claire felt sad for her parents when she left home for college and how it’s important to think about how you manage the situation as a parent. Preparing for the empty nest and the importance of planning for you; what can you do that you have always wanted to?  Teaching your child/ren life skills and how key this is to prepare them! How they will still need you (and the fact that they might come back..!!!!!)! 
Instagram - @bespokefamily / Facebook - @bespokefamily  
For information about a Bespoke Family Parent Consultation click here: https://www.bespokefamily.co.uk/parent-consultations    
‘Your Guide to...’ (our downloadable webinars including behaviour, toilet training, sleep and more) - get 25% off any guide with the code ‘PODCAST’     
This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative 

Please note that Meriel was a surrogate in the US and rules in each country are very different – to find out more about surrogacy rules in the UK you can find them here and more information on surrogacy in the UK here. 
Meriel is a three times surrogate from the United States. She was blessed to help two families achieve the dream of completing their families through surrogacy. She currently works for an agency as a surrogacy journey coordinator, where she is passionate about helping to create families and supporting other women who wish to embark on the amazing and fulfilling journey of becoming surrogates.  
We spoke to Meriel about: 
What made her decide to become a surrogate and how her family and others reacted (including some funny stories!). What surrogacy is, who might use a surrogate and why that might be. Some terminology and the process for both the family and the surrogate. The contact that the surrogate has with the family throughout the pregnancy and beyond. The labour experience and who shared the labour room with Meriel when she had the babies and how special she tried to make it for everyone involved. What being a surrogate means to Meriel, the joy she took from it and how it has shaped her and her life as it is now as a surrogacy journey coordinator. Some of the rules around surrogacy and being a surrogate as well as the support that there is for surrogates. Keeping in touch with the families after the birth of their baby and whether that happens. Who is on the birth certificate and legalities (spoiler it can be quite complicated – especially in the US!). How research into the best surrogacy path is SO vital! 
https://www.collectivesurrogacy.com/ - the agency where Meriel works and where you can find her blogs 
Meriel on LinkedIn 
Read our blog where we talked to Simon Berney Edwards about his experience of surrogacy here. 
Instagram - @bespokefamily / Facebook - @bespokefamily  
For information about a Bespoke Family Parent Consultation click here: https://www.bespokefamily.co.uk/parent-consultations    
‘Your Guide to...’ (our downloadable webinars including behaviour, toilet training, sleep and more) - get 25% off any guide with the code ‘PODCAST’     
This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative 

We spoke to Hayley and Becky from Paths to Parent Hub. We first came across Paths to Parent Hub when we listened to their podcast following a recommendation from a friend. 
We started with Hayley and Becky sharing their own stories with us. Hayley is a donor conceived person herself and is also a parent of twins through sperm donation. Becky was diagnosed with early menopause at 28 – she and her husband did 5 rounds of IVF and then decided to use an egg donor to have her 3 children. Both Hayley and Becky shared their stories on the internet and found each other there. 
Becky created Paths to Parent Hub (a membership platform) during lockdown to support people in similar situations to themselves and it now has over 1000 members. 
We also talked about: 
When and how Hayley found out that she was a donor conceived person and the reasons she talks about her story now. Talking with donor conceived children about how they came to be and dealing with their questions, and those from family and friends. The laws around donor conception and the parallels with adoption.  The experience that Becky had abroad in finding an egg donor and how she feels now about having chosen to have an anonymous donor.  Whether there is a limit on how many families one donor can produce and how this differs around the world. The reasons someone might want / need to use a donor.  Hayley’s experience when finding her parent sperm donor. Terminology around donor conception.  The information you get about a donor when choosing and how the matching works. What Hayley and Becky would say to people considering donor conception. About Paths to Parent Hub and the support, information and connection opportunities. 
Instagram - @bespokefamily / Facebook - @bespokefamily / @pathstoparenthub / @definingmum  @dcp_journey_2_rp 
Paths to Parent Hub website 
All things donor conception  - Hayley’s website 
Paths to Parent Hub podcast 
For information about a Bespoke Family Parent Consultation click here: https://www.bespokefamily.co.uk/parent-consultations    
‘Your Guide to...’ (our downloadable webinars including behaviour, toilet training, sleep and more) - get 25% off any guide with the code ‘PODCAST’     
This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative 

Lee is Becks’s ‘Boxing trainer’ - (well kind of 😉!) and a personal trainer (to real boxers!). He is also a stay-at-home dad looking after his little girl Beaux which started when she was 3 months old. 
We talked to Lee about: 
As a couple how Lee and his wife came to the decision that Lee would be the main carer and how he felt about it. The reaction from friends and family to Lee staying at home with his little one. How he and his wife prepared for parenthood (reading blogs, books, listening to podcasts (ours) and talking to other parents) and how important routine and consistency was for them. The importance of working together as a team, communicating about next steps and what might need to be changed etc. How Lee fills his weeks with Beaux doing groups, dancing, swimming, crafts and play. Fitting in at baby and toddler groups and what it feels like to often be the only dad there.  How Lee feels really lucky to be able to spend this amount of time with his daughter. Being an only child – the worries Lee has about Beaux being one (Claire is one too so no need to worry 😉). Dads and daughters and the wonderful bond they can have! What Lee would say to other stay at home / solo dads. 
Read our blogs about dads and supporting dads here -
https://www.bespokefamily.co.uk/blog/gettingtoknowmarkwilliams?rq=dad
https://www.bespokefamily.co.uk/blog/supportingdads?rq=dad 
Socials: Instagram - @bespokefamily / Facebook - @bespokefamily 
For information about a Parent Consultation click here: https://www.bespokefamily.co.uk/parent-consultations    
‘Your Guide to...’ (our downloadable webinars including behaviour, toilet training, sleep and more) - get 25% off any guide with the code ‘PODCAST’     
This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative 

You probably already know Susie Amy – perhaps from Footballer’s Wives or maybe from Hollyoaks or as a stage actress (we recently saw her in Fatal Attraction).  We do too, but we are also lucky to know Susie via a mutual friend who gave her a gift of some time with Claire when her first baby was born. Susie didn’t feel for a while that she was ready to use this gift straight away – she felt instead that her baby didn’t like / need sleep and was just a bit different! When Claire spent some time with Susie and her family a routine was introduced and they haven’t looked back! 
We talked to Susie about: 
The importance of sleep (and how more sleep means better sleep)! When Claire had worked with her and Raff to introduce a routine - they stuck to it like glue and responded to their baby’s sleep signals, Noa immediately responded! How predictability is important to all of us and how Susie has found the children’s routine helpful for her as well. The responsibility of having a baby feeling huge, but how just a few tweaks and a routine can help so much. Trusting your instincts as a parent. Being nap trapped and how it doesn’t have to be a negative thing! Restorative naps and where these work best. Morning, bedtime and bathtime routines and how important they are from the start. How the best gift for a new parent is support! 
Instagram - @bespokefamily / Facebook - @bespokefamily 
 ‘Your Guide to...’ (our downloadable webinars including behaviour, toilet training, sleep and more) - get 25% off any guide with the code ‘PODCAST’     
For information about a Parent Consultation click here: https://www.bespokefamily.co.uk/parent-consultations     
This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative 

If not, you must listen to this podcast! 
We spoke to Bik-ki Wong and Helen Thompson who are both partners at Myerson solicitors 
Bik-ki is responsible for wills, trust and probate and Helen heads up the department that looks after contesting wills. 
We talked to Bik-ki about: 
What happens if you don’t write a will? Doesn’t it just go to my husband / wife?  Not necessarily, Bik-ki explained. And what happens if you aren’t married? How many people we know who don’t have a will and don’t want to think about it. The fact that a will doesn’t have to be expensive; you can have a simple one drawn up and there are charities that might write a simple one for you. What happens if you both die and don’t have a will or are a sole / single parent? Appointing a guardian, how you do this and the implications. Some real-life case studies of families who realised they needed to make a will for example because of illness or divorce. How often you should review your will once it has been written. Some of the terminology and responsibilities. The role of an Executor, Trustee, Guardian, how many you should have and things to consider when choosing them. How having family planning meetings around writing wills can be helpful. 3 things that Bik-Ki would say to someone who doesn't have a will. 
And we talked to Helen about: 
What happens when... 
a will is challenged and the associated issues and conflicts. there isn’t a will and the intestacy rules that come in to play where the law decides what happens. for example, a child isn’t provided for in a will because a will hasn’t been updated. Considerations for blended families, step families, solo parents, single parents etc. 
3 things to consider when looking at issues with a will. 
Instagram: @myersonsolicitors @bespokefamily / Facebook - @bespokefamily 
More information about Myerson can be found here - https://www.myerson.co.uk/ 
Contact Myerson about making a will here
Government information on making a will: https://www.gov.uk/make-will 
Read our bereavement blogs here including a blog from Bik-Ki about writing a will 
 ‘Your Guide to...’ (our downloadable webinars including behaviour, toilet training, sleep and more) - get 25% off any guide with the code ‘PODCAST’     
For information about a Parent Consultation click here: https://www.bespokefamily.co.uk/parent-consultations     
This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative