Hilary Whitehall answers your burning parenting questions

This week on No Parental Guidance, Louise and Hannah are back with another proper parenting therapy session, joined by Hilary Whitehall for a bonus episode that swings from absolute maternity ward chaos to the kind of advice you actually want to hear at 3 a.m. It kicks off with a listener story so mad it sounds fake: they’d just given birth when the ceiling collapsed from the room above and they were stuck in the labour room for five hours while it was cleaned up. Hilary talks through how she’d handle it as a doula, and why sometimes all you can do is stay calm, focus on the baby, and use humour because you literally cannot fix the chaos around you. From there it turns into a very real chat about being in the trenches. Half term dread, kids needing to be “run like dogs”, and how to survive a week off without losing your mind. Hilary shares genuinely useful ideas that don’t require you to be a Pinterest mum, plus a couple of low-effort wins like water painting with a brush and a bucket that keeps them busy without destroying your house. There’s also a relatable detour into teenage boys and food, the snack hiding places they always find, and the way grown-up kids still walk into your house and go straight to the fridge like they own the place. But the heart of the episode is Hilary’s advice for exhausted mums who feel like it’s never-ending. Her message is simple, comforting, and honestly a bit emotional: you are doing a great job, make a cup of tea, take a breath, ask for help, and aim to be a “good enough mother” not some impossible perfect version. There’s also a brilliant chat about taking guilt out of breastfeeding and why a flourishing baby matters more than anyone’s opinions. Warm, funny, and properly reassuring. This is the one you’ll want to send to a mate who’s just had a baby and is spiralling at night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices