Child podcast

#Science #Society #BBC #BBC Radio 4 #Documentaries

26:18

How do you know when it’s time to make your next big career move? With International Women’s Day around the corner, we are excited to feature Avni Patel Thompson, Founder and CEO of Milo. Avni is building technology that directly supports the often overlooked emotional and logistical labor that falls on parents—especially women. Milo is an AI assistant designed to help families manage that invisible load more efficiently. In this episode, Avni shares her journey from studying chemistry to holding leadership roles at global brands like Adidas and Starbucks, to launching her own ventures. She discusses how she approaches career transitions, the importance of unpleasant experiences, and why she’s focused on making everyday life easier for parents. [01:26] Avni's University Days and Early Career [04:36] Non-Linear Career Paths [05:16] Pursuing Steep Learning Curves [11:51] Entrepreneurship and Safety Nets [15:22] Lived Experiences and Milo [19:55] Avni’s In Her Ellement Moment [20:03] Reflections Links: Avni Patel Thompson on LinkedIn Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn Ipsos report on the future of parenting About In Her Ellement: In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element? About The Hosts: Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030. Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders. Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.…

Child

Series home•Feed

In this new look at the beginnings of life we tell the story of a child from fertilisation to first birthday through the lens of society, history, and science.

28 episodes

Child

updated about a year ago

Series home•Feed

In this new look at the beginnings of life we tell the story of a child from fertilisation to first birthday through the lens of society, history, and science.

28 episodes

#Science #Society #BBC #BBC Radio 4 #Documentaries

All episodes

Child

1
27. Birthday Cake 13:51

1 year ago13:51

13:51

We get inside the mind of a one year old with Professor of psychology and baby expert Alison Gopnik. What can babies teach us, and how are they influencing their future. We also take a moment think about the village we need to survive that first year and beyond. It’s a cliche, but we know it’s true. The community around a child is one of the most fundamental factors for its development. Presented by: India Rakusen. Producer: Ellie Sans. Series producer: Ellie Sans. Executive producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon. Mix and Mastering by Olga Reed. A Listen Production for BBC Radio 4.…

Child

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26. Nursery 14:48

1 year ago14:48

14:48

Whenever an infant heads to nursery, it can feel like an enormous step. Things are changing for everyone. There are all sorts of feelings flying around - relief, sadness, doubt, fear. But what’s going on behind the doors of nurseries and childcare settings in England? India speaks to Joeli Brearley from Pregnant Then Screwed about the current childcare crisis, child development psychotherapist Graham Music about how childcare impacts children, as well as economist Emily Oster on our choices around childcare. India then meets artists Conway and Young who have found a way to make the invisible labour of childcare pay. Presented by: India Rakusen. Producer: Georgia Arundell. Series producer: Ellie Sans. Executive producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon. Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King. A Listen Production for Radio 4.…

Child

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25. Lullaby 14:31

1 year ago14:31

14:31

Lullabies. Simple, soothing… nonsense. Right? Wrong. Here we’re getting behind the importance of music and singing in a baby's development. India speaks to Dr Nina Polytimou about her research into how music can help with speech and communication and also be a powerful tool for bonding. India then visits a Singing Mamas group to hear how coming together as mothers to sing is a powerful, important, and missing slice of community. Kate Valentine, the founder, describes the impact it has on maternal mental health. Presented by: India Rakusen. Producers: India Rakusen And Georgia Arundell Series producer: Ellie Sans. Executive producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon. Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King. A Listen Production for Radio 4.…

Child

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24. Attachment 14:36

1 year ago14:36

14:36

Attachment is an interesting word. It conjures up images of love, security, but also a specific focus and intensity that has encircled modern parenting. India Rakusen speaks to Child Psychotherapist Graham Music about attachment styles and people behind the theory. We hear from Marvyn Harrison, founder of Dope Black Dads, about his experience of becoming a father and India talks to Dr Charlotte Faircloth about how attachment parenting and other intensive parenting methods are impacting parents today. Presented by India Rakusen Producer: Ellie Sans Series Producer: Ellie Sans Executive Producer: Suzy Grant Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon and Eska Mtungwazi Mix and Mastering by Olga Reed A Listen production for BBC Radio 4…

Child

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23. Crawling 13:50

1 year ago13:50

13:50

Seeing a baby make its first moves is a magical time. It marks the beginning of their independence. And it’s something that is often tracked using developmental milestones - but are they actually more problematic than they are useful? India Rakusen speaks to Professor Karen Adolph who shares her problems with milestones and discusses the cultural expectations of early development. She also hears from Dr Vanessa Cavallera from the World Health Organisation about the work they’re doing to update their 2006 milestone graph and the future of infant development. Presented by India Rakusen Producer: Georgia Arundell Series Producer: Ellie Sans Executive Producer: Suzy Grant Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon and ESKA Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King A Listen production for BBC Radio 4…

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22. Baby Food 14:47

1 year ago14:47

14:47

Baby food is about so much more than mashed carrot. It’s another important foundation for the rest of the child’s life. But it isn’t an equal playing field and it’s another minefield of parenting. India Rakusen talks to feeding specialist Kim Grenawitzke about the importance of learning to eat, and how to introduce solids. Historian Amy Bentley describes how the rise of commercial baby food affected parenting and babies, and Dr Vicky Sibson from First Steps Nutrition takes us down the baby food aisle. Presented by India Rakusen Producer: India Rakusen Series Producer: Ellie Sans Executive Producer: Suzy Grant Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds…

Child

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21. Sleep 14:29

1 year ago14:29

14:29

Go on, be honest. Is this the first episode you clicked? It drives people crazy. It’s a firecracker of a topic, and emotions run high around sleep. So let’s talk about it. When did we start getting so anxious about baby sleep, and what’s ‘normal’ for a baby anyway? India talks to anthropologist Dr Helen Ball about all this and the controversial topic of bed sharing as well as economist Emily Oster, who’s crunched the numbers and research on… sleep training. Presented by: India Rakusen. Producer: Ellie Sans. Series producer: Ellie Sans. Executive producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon and Eska Mtungwazi. Mix and Mastering by Olga Reed. A Listen Production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.…

Child

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20. Playtime 14:30

1 year ago14:30

14:30

As parents start to think about the development of the child within, they might head out to classes. The advice on how a baby ‘should be’ and the pressures on parents to ‘get it right’ can be a lot, but does it all matter? Lucy Jones, journalist and author, guides us through the history of why there is so much pressure on carers. We also hear more from Rebecca Saxe, a cognitive neuroscientist and Dean of Science at MIT about what babies are learning from play, and from Graham Music about what makes good play. But, put down your wallet - the best toys for a baby are free, and with you all the time. Presented by India Rakusen Producer: Lucy Hunt Series Producer: Ellie Sans Executive Producer: Suzy Grant Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds…

Child

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19. Time Warp 14:36

1 year ago14:36

14:36

We’re taking a pause to lose ourselves down the rabbit hole of time. Because something strange happens to time in those first weeks of a baby's arrival. The rest of the world still seems to, mostly, rise with the sun, and sleep with the dark - but the world of a new parent has turned on its head. So what would happen if we looked at time in a totally different way? In this episode, India Rakusen explores the relatively new concept (but ancient experience of) Maialogical time with historian Joanna Wolfarth, discusses the impact of the first few months with Perinatal psychiatrist Trudi Seneviratne, and talks to musician and mother Eske Mtungwazi about her experience in the world of neonatal care. Presented by India Rakusen Producer: India Rakusen Series Producer: Ellie Sans Executive Producer: Suzy Grant Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by Eska Mtungwazi Mix and Mastering by Olga Reed A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds…

Child

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18. Fingers and Toes 13:53

1 year ago13:53

13:53

How are mother and baby developing? Sure, we’ve counted their toes - but what happens now? So many huge emotional shifts are happening in the “Fourth Trimester”. We talk about postnatal care with midwife Leah Hazard and the history of lying-in with Dr Sarah Fox. We also discuss postnatal depression, and inpatient support for mums. An area in which England is world leading. India visits a mother and baby unit to talk to Dr Trudi Seneviratne about the psychological support for new mothers. Presented by India Rakusen Producer: Ellie Sans Series Producer: Ellie Sans Executive Producer: Suzy Grant Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon and Eska Mtungwazi Mix and Mastering by Charlie-Brandon Hill A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds…

Child

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17. Milk 15:19

1 year ago15:19

15:19

Milk. However it comes its a vital source of life. India Rakusen explores it’s various forms and the history and politics that have shaped the way we view how we feed our babies. The pressures around feeding our new-borns can be intensely difficult to navigate. India speaks to a new mum, Kerry, about her experience expressing and feeding in neonatal wards. She also finds out how milk is built from scientist Mary Fewtrell and talks to historian and author Joanna Wolfarth about the way milk has ruled motherhood, and how we can move forward. Presented by India Rakusen Producer: Ellie Sans Series Producer: Ellie Sans Executive Producer: Suzy Grant Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon and ESKA Mtungwazi Mix and Mastering by Olga Reed A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds…

Child

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16. First Love 14:34

1 year ago14:34

14:34

The chemical and emotional connection between a parent and baby is really important but just how quickly are babies making emotional connections? India talks to MIT Professor Rebecca Saxe about scanning babies brains to find the answers. Helen Jukes questions the ‘naturalness’ of the mother-baby bond and talks about the variety of relationships out in the natural world, and India talks to Paternal mental health expert Scott Mair about the important role of dads in the very early days of bonding. Presented by: India Rakusen. Producer: India Rakusen Series producer: Ellie Sans. Executive producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon. Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King. A Listen Production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.…

Child

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15. Golden Hour 15:24

1 year ago15:24

15:24

The baby is born and takes its first breath. But it’s not over. India examines how the body reacts and recovers in this first hour, how the placenta is born, and how bonding begins between parents and baby. And what if it doesn’t? It’s not always instant love, and that’s okay. India speaks to doula Leila Baker and former midwife Rachel Reed about building that enchantment a different way when the rush of hormones doesn’t have the expected effect. Midwife Leah Hazard describes the immediate aftercare and India asks Dr Alison Wright about how more personalised care could improve mothers experiences. Produced and Presented by: India Rakusen. Series producer: Ellie Sans. Production Team: Ella McLeod & Georgia Arundell Executive producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by ESKA. Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King. A Listen Production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.…

Child

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14. Pain 13:55

1 year ago13:55

13:55

The baby is almost here. In this episode, India Rakusen explores how the baby moves through the cervix into the birth canal to the moment the baby’s head starts to crown. And through all of this, how is pain acknowledged and addressed? India looks at the history of pain relief - and finds out from historian Randi Hutter-Epstein about an extreme form called Twilight Sleep that gained popularity at the start of the 20th Century. She also speaks to research midwife Rachel Ibikunle about the horrific beliefs about pain for Black and Asian women, and to Siobhan Miller of the Positive Birth Company about how understanding our body can help manage pain. Presented by India Rakusen Producer: Ellie Sans Series Producer: Ellie Sans Production Team: Ella McLeod & Georgia Arundell Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by ESKA Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King A Listen production for BBC Radio 4…

Child

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13. Trust 14:44

1 year ago14:44