Birth trauma, Sleepwalking, Lolita Chakrabarti

Published: May 14, 2024, 10:45 a.m.

How many women have decided not to have more children after a traumatic birth? The UK\u2019s first inquiry into traumatic childbirth has found that too often poor care is normalised, with devastating effects on women\u2019s mental and physical health. Nuala McGovern talks to one Woman\u2019s Hour listener who decided she couldn\u2019t face having another child after a traumatic birth, and to the author of the report, Dr Kim Thomas, about its recommendations.

Journalist Decca Aitkenhead regularly sleepwalks. She talks to Nuala about her night-time escapades which include finding herself locked out in the middle of the night, eating food she\u2019d find disgusting when awake and incredible strength that has seen her smash furniture to pieces. She\u2019s joined by neurologist and sleep expert Prof Guy Leschziner who explains what\u2019s going on in our brains when we sleepwalk, and how women are affected.

New analysis from the TUC, the Trades Union Congress, says that more than 1.5 million women have dropped out of the workforce because of long-term sickness. The figure marks a 48% increase compared with five years ago. Nicola Smith, Head of Economics at the TUC, tells Nuala McGovern what may be stopping women from returning to work.

Award-winning playwright and actor Lolita Chakrabarti discusses her new Radio 3 play, Calmer. All about motherhood and chaos, it follows three generations of ultra-successful women in one family - but their lives are not as \u2018good\u2019 as they appear on paper.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern\nProducer: Olivia Skinner