Episodes

  • How Do We Manage Childbirth?

    How Do We Manage Childbirth?
    Jul 6 2026
    Childbirth is something that many women will experience, and yet if you speak to them you’ll find their experiences vary wildly, from stories of pure elation to ones that are far more traumatic. Women are told to plan for the birth they want and yet they rarely get to have it. So what are we getting wrong? Megan Rossiter is the founder of Birth Ed - an antenatal programme that is designed to help women have more agency in the birthing process. Her recent book, ‘Birth Power’ is a guide to what happens in your body during pregnancy and childbirth; the maternity healthcare system; and how to think critically about the care you are offered. She doesn’t advocate for a particular type of birth, but rather that women should be able to have the birth that they want. In this episode Megan explains the history of maternity care and why it’s getting worse, and she helps us understand how we can have power in the birthing process by being confident in knowing what our bodies need, and how to navigate when things don’t go to plan. Resources & Links The Birth Ed Method: https://birth-ed.co.uk/ Buy Megan’s book ‘Birth Power’ Host: Stephanie von Bismarck Guest: Megan Rossiter Producer: Holly Fisher Production Manager: Angela Crago Executive Producer: Ellie Di Martino The series was recorded and edited at PodShop studios
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    50 mins
  • How Do We Manage Our Medication?

    How Do We Manage Our Medication?
    Jun 29 2026
    Did you know that, according to a study by the University of Liverpool, as many as 16.5% of hospital admissions in the UK are caused by adverse reactions to medication? Or that most prescription drugs work for less than half the population? We can be very willing to take the medicines that are prescribed for us, but how much do we really know about what we are ingesting? Dr Nick Barber is Emeritus Professor of Pharmacy at UCL, and the author of a new book called, ‘How To Take Drugs: A New Approach to Medication for Better Results and Fewer Side Effects’, in which he looks at the flaws in the prescription system and how you, as a patient, can have the utmost agency to decide which drugs are right for you to take. Today he joins Stephanie in the studio to tell us about the efficacy of prescription drugs; the systems we can use to determine if what we’re taking is working for us; when we should be worried about the side effects; and whether the expensive painkillers really do any better than the cheap ones. Resources & Links If you are taking prescription drugs and have any queries about what you are taking, it is important that you seek out professional medical help from your doctor. Buy ‘How To Take Drugs’ by Dr Nick Barber here Host: Stephanie von Bismarck Guest: Dr Nick Barber Producer: Holly Fisher Production Manager: Angela Crago Executive Producer: Ellie Di Martino The series was recorded and edited at PodShop studios
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    38 mins
  • How Do We Manage Banning Social Media?

    How Do We Manage Banning Social Media?
    Jun 22 2026
    In recent weeks the British government has announced that social media will be banned for under 16s. Australia implemented their own ban last year. Social media bans have attracted mixed reviews; some say that they will keep children safe, others say it takes the responsibility away from the big tech companies. Our guest today helps us to understand what social media bans are, and what the effects of them could be. Harry Dyer is a digital sociologist and lecturer at the University of East Anglia. He researches the impact of social media on identity and education - particularly in children. We live in a world that has adopted social media as a part of daily life - so is completely removing it from our kid’s lives just delaying their digital education? And kids are savvy, does banning it mean they won’t find a way to use it? In this episode we’ll learn what it means to be a ‘digital native’ - and why that term is unhelpful; why digital education isn’t currently up to scratch; and what children are doing to get around social media bans in the countries that have already put them in place. Resources & Links Information on the upcoming UK social media ban Host: Stephanie von Bismarck Guest: Harry Dyer Producer: Holly Fisher Production Manager: Angela Crago Executive Producer: Ellie Di Martino The series was recorded and edited at PodShop studios
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    47 mins
  • How Do We Manage Being Proactive About the Future?

    How Do We Manage Being Proactive About the Future?
    Jun 15 2026
    How we navigate the future in an uncertain world is tricky. But for this week’s guest it is her job. Amy Webb is a futurist; someone who uses data, evidence and methodology to predict multiple plausible outcomes for the future. Amy is the CEO of Future Today Strategy Group, who advise leaders and businesses on how to strategise for potential outcomes. She publishes an annual ‘Convergence Outlook’; a report that looks at the multitude of trends, how they collide and the storms they might create. So what can we learn from a futurist about how to weather any upcoming storms? Stephanie speaks to Amy Webb about how AI might affect both our professional and personal lives; what the safest jobs and skills of the future are; and the importance of remaining curious about life. Resources & Links Future Today Strategy Group: https://ftsg.com/ Host: Stephanie von Bismarck Guest: Amy Webb Producer: Holly Fisher Production Manager: Angela Crago Executive Producer: Ellie Di Martino The series was recorded and edited at PodShop studios
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    37 mins
  • How Do We Manage Understanding The Power of Motherhood?

    How Do We Manage Understanding The Power of Motherhood?
    Jun 8 2026
    Motherhood has created social and political change for centuries, so why has the act of growing, birthing and nurturing children been so overlooked as something that women just ‘do’? Elinor Cleghorn is a historian and author, whose first book ‘Unwell Women’ documented the ways in which women’s health has been treated throughout the ages. Her latest book ‘A Woman’s Work: Reclaiming The Radical History of Mothering’ looks at how the documentation of motherhood in history has largely been stories of domesticity told by men, rather than the incredible impact that the role of the mother has had on everything from social reform to medicine. In this episode Elinor will explain how the very basis of women’s healthcare in history stemmed from them being vessels for carrying children, and little else; the incredible women of the past who documented the realities of mothering; and the patterns in history that we can learn from today while navigating parenthood alongside the image of the ‘perfect mother’ on social media. Resources & Links Buy Elinor’s books: ‘A Woman’s Work: Reclaiming The Radical History of Mothering’ and ‘Unwell Women’ Follow Elinor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elinorcleghorn/ Host: Stephanie von Bismarck Guest: Elinor Cleghorn Producer: Holly Fisher Production Manager: Angela Crago Executive Producer: Ellie Di Martino The series was recorded and edited at PodShop studios
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    44 mins
  • How Do We Manage Learning Through Movement?

    How Do We Manage Learning Through Movement?
    Jun 1 2026
    Did you know that playing on the monkey bars could help improve your child’s writing skills? It’s reported all over the world that our lives are becoming more sedentary than ever before, and the knock-on effects for children extend far beyond health issues. Movement is key for cognitive development in children, and when a Christchurch-based teacher called Gill Connell recognised this in her classroom, she decided to do something about it. Gill is the founder of Moving Smart International. She has developed programmes that help children to develop the physical skills they need to help them learn, as well as learning language and other key skills through movement. Her programmes have been adopted by 30% of primary schools in New Zealand to support the way that children learn in the classroom. She is also the author of A Moving Child Is a Learning Child; and she facilitates online training for teachers. In this episode Gill Connell will tell us why movement and learning are so intrinsically linked, exercises you can do with your children to help them with their cognitive development, and the importance of free play and letting your imagination go for a wander. Resources & Links Moving Smart website: http://movingsmart.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MovingSmartNow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/movingsmart_nz/ Movement Matters Foundation Course: https://movingsmart.com/movement-matters-foundation-course/ Host: Stephanie von Bismarck Guest: Gill Connell Producer: Holly Fisher Production Manager: Angela Crago Executive Producer: Ellie Di Martino The series was recorded and edited at PodShop studios
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    39 mins
  • How Do We Manage Supporting Domestic Abuse Victims?

    How Do We Manage Supporting Domestic Abuse Victims?
    May 25 2026
    According to the charity Women’s Aid, statistics show that nearly a third of women in the UK have experienced domestic abuse in some form. Ministers have called it a ‘national emergency’ and yet women who decide to press charges against their abuser can find themselves in an extremely precarious position once they are in court. Dr Charlotte Proudman is a renowned barrister and activist who has vast experience representing female victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault in family court, which she has detailed in a book called ‘He Said She Said’. The book looks at some of the shocking findings for cases she has worked on - and their detrimental effects on mothers and children, as well as some of the landmark wins - getting the term ‘gaslighting’ defined as a form of domestic abuse in court, for example. Today she joins Stephanie to talk about where the family court system fails to support victims and to understand the nuances of what domestic abuse can look like - and in turn, how this has a huge knock on effect for the safety of any children involved. Please note: this episode contains topics of domestic abuse, sexual assault and child sexual abuse. Resources & Links If you are a victim of domestic abuse or know someone is, you can find a list of resources provided by Right To Equality - Dr Charlotte Proudman’s non-profit organisation - here: https://righttoequality.org/survivor-resources/ Right To Equality: https://righttoequality.org/ Proudmans law firm: https://www.proudmans.com/ Follow Charlotte: https://www.instagram.com/drproudman/ For more from How Do We Manage you can follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/howdowemanage https://www.instagram.com/stephanievonbismarck Host: Stephanie von Bismarck Guest: Dr Charlotte Proudman Producer: Holly Fisher Production Manager: Angela Crago Executive Producer: Ellie Di Martino The series was recorded and edited at PodShop studios
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    40 mins
  • How Do We Manage A Good Mental Health Routine?

    How Do We Manage A Good Mental Health Routine?
    May 18 2026
    For years the conversation around mental health has been framed in a negative way. People often ask you ‘what’s wrong?’ but do they ever ask you ‘what’s right?’ In a new book What’s Going Right: A Powerful New Method for Optimizing Your Mental Health, celebrity-endorsed psychiatrist, renowned author and president of Pacific Premier Group, Dr Paul Conti flips the lens on mental health to arm us with the tools we need on a daily basis to explore ourselves from a positive standpoint. In this episode, Dr Conti teaches Stephanie about something called the ‘generative drive’ - the thing inside all of us that helps us get things done, help others, solve problems and connect to others; and how tapping into that can lead us away from the unhelpful thought processes that make us feel stuck or worried. Please note: the information in this episode is not designed for people who are currently suffering with acute mental illness. If you are struggling with your mental health there is support out there; we have listed some charities below. Resources & Links For more from How Do We Manage you can follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/howdowemanage https://www.instagram.com/stephanievonbismarck Mental health charities: https://www.samaritans.org/ https://www.mind.org.uk/ Links to Dr Paul Conti’s work: https://drpaulconti.com/ https://pacificpremiergroup.com/ Buy Dr Paul Conti’s new book, What’s Going Right: A Powerful New Method for Optimizing Your Mental Health (US) Buy Dr Paul Conti’s new book, What’s Going Right: A Powerful New Method for Optimizing Your Mental Health (UK) For more from Dr Paul Conti why not listen back to our other episode with him all about trauma Host: Stephanie von Bismarck Guest: Dr Paul Conti Producer: Holly Fisher Production Manager: Angela Crago Executive Producer: Ellie Di Martino The series was recorded and edited at PodShop studios. Follow @HowDoWeManage
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    35 mins