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About
My Book
Podcast
Shop
- Louise X Nobody’s Child
- Shop More
Shop the Look
Health & Calorie Coach
Press
Petition
- Write to your MP
- A Call for a Maternity Commissioner

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This is the proudest moment in my career to date.

And i’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tad overwhelmed right now.

I’m sat at my desk trying to process the last few days, and I keep coming back to one thought:

We have been heard.

When @theoclarkemp and I launched our petition calling for a Maternity Commissioner, we knew it was ambitious. But we also knew that continuing as we are SIMPLY WASN’T AN OPTION.

Too many families have paid the ultimate price for a system that has failed them.

So this week, hearing the news that the Government WILL appoint the UK’s first ever Maternity Commissioner feels like an incredibly rare moment where persistence, ruthless campaigning, and a hell of a lot of noise from affected parents has finally cut through.

It isn’t the finish line and it will never undo harm. But it is movement.

One of the most surreal parts of this week was going into the BBC studio in media city in Manchester to do BBC Breakfast.

Four years ago I woke up in intensive care having no clue what had happened to me or whether I was dead or alive. This Tuesday I sat next to John Kay and Sally Nugent on live television, speaking about maternity safety and questioning the Health Secretary directly on when families will see action.

I was nervous because of what I was carrying into that room, the voices of mothers who have messaged me at their lowest points, bereaved families, fathers, and clinicians who know the system can and must do better. That conversation wasn’t just about me. It was about them. It’s a lot of responsibility. Theo and I divided and conquered so we could get the most exposure but it took a lot of courage for me to sit there without her and to be quizzed about politics. The thing that makes it a smidge easier (that I keep explaining to people anyway) is the drive of anger and frustration which overrides the feeling of fear in that moment.

So much hard work has gone into getting to this point… Meetings, emails, evidence, conversations, rally’s, petitions, constant education, press interviews, sharing videos and a hardcore determination stemming from the knowledge

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Wow

Last week I pointed out that the NHS C-section data published on its own website hadn’t been updated since 2008... and they’ve just changed it.

After nearly TWO DECADES.

The website was presenting a stat on their main c-section page (shown on slide ) that is no longer relevant because the figure has doubled in value over the last 18 years.

This sort of data is important for people like you and me who lean heavily on NHS pages when making major decisions about our healthcare. It’s an educational resource for me more than anything else.

A LOT of you were as bamboozled as I was and had something to say about it… Many of you went a step further and complained about it.

I’m really pleased to share that your noise has made a difference because someone has changed it… Swipe to see the updated data and also to see the lovely DM that confirmed it to me at the end of last week.

I have to be honest, the fact that it required an Instagram post to prompt this says quite a lot to me.

This is the problem in miniature. No single person responsible. No one whose job it is to notice. Just a quiet, institutional drift towards the unacceptable - unchallenged until someone with a following makes enough noise.

It’s why Theo Clarke MP and I are pushing for an independent Maternity Commissioner.

Statutory.
Party-neutral.
Accountable.

One person who cannot point to another department, to another body or to another review.

The buck has to stop somewhere.

Tomorrow, Baroness Amos publishes her national maternity review. A significant moment. But reviews are not the same as oversight - and we’ve had enough of the former.

Fingers and toes crossed for the recommendation for the implementation of a materity commissioner.

The petition closes 7 July. Link in bio. Sign it. x

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[ad] FOUR RECIPES IN TWO MINUTES 👅

In April, Ryan and I headed to the Lake District with @ArlaDairyUK to live like Icelanders for a few days. We indulged in cold swims, long hikes, slow mornings, and food that did rather more than fill a gap (food for us being the entire point of leaving the house).

Somewhere on the drive home we made the grand declaration that we should live like this permanently, knowing full well we won’t. We are commitment phobes, and I am constitutionally incapable of escaping the gravitational pull of London... and my brother, who is the ball-and-chain neighbour next door. But we did agree to smuggle parts of it back into ordinary life.

The lake, regrettably, is not portable. Nor is the silence. The food, however, is.

So this week I set about recreating some recipes in my own kitchen. Namely…

Chicken marinated in Arla Skyr, flatbreads made from two ingredients (a discovery so IMPOSSIBLY EASY I’ve made them every other day since), a loaded chicken Caesar dip capable of resolving even the most savage of mine and Ryan’s arguments, and a fresh mango salsa for equilibrium, crunch and colour.

This is my case for healthy food with intellect.

It’s high in protein, rich in flavour, and substantial enough to see off the 4 pm cupboard excavation entirely.

Another added bonus - Leo inherited the yoghurt-marinated chicken for his dinner, tomorrow’s meal prep took care of itself, and I spent an evening convincingly back in the Lakes so was zen. A v rare instance of everybody in the house winning.

My in-laws are staying for a few days this week, and this is on the menu tonight. So I guess even though the holiday ended after a few beautiful days, the flatbreads needn’t.

Here is the recipe if you want to re-create this total treat at home:

Here’s what you’ll need 👇🏻 cont. in caption

🍗 Arla Skyr Marinated Chicken Chicken breasts ½ cup Arla Skyr ¼ cup olive oil 1 tbsp honey Juice of 1 lemon plus 1 tsp zest 5 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp fresh parsley ½ tsp each of paprika, onion powder, oregano, basil and seasoning salt ¼ tsp each of cayenne, coriander, cumin and black pepper 👇🏼

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london in june. 36oC. no aircon. send help.

I feel hot and bothered, and like a roast chicken so it seems my 4 year old son is very dialled in to the emotions shared in this household…

… but why does he love saying roast chicken and fart and poo all together so regularly even on a cold day?

I had to the cut vid off as it was just fart, poo, roast chicken, repeat.

I promise this is not one he’s sponged.

X

#britishweather #heatwave #londonheatwave #noaircon #kidsofinstagram

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I have quite a lot to say about what is going on in the maternity space atm, but I can only move through one thing at a time so please bare with me as I prioritise things that I think are immediately helpful.

→ This week, the government announced that Martha’s Rule is being extended to all NHS maternity settings. This is a direct response to the Ockenden report into Nottingham University Hospitals, which was the largest maternity review in NHS history and sadly uncovered that there were 444 potentially avoidable outcomes across 2,500 families.

Martha’s Rule is SO IMPORTANT because it gives us layman folk a bit of power when we are at our MOST vulnerable.

…and giving birth, especially for the first time, has to to be one of the most vulnerable moments in a woman’s life.

I’m pleased to see the government take action on this because lots of structural changes that are announced take YONKS before ever trickling down to reach the general public, aka, US, as patients relying and trusting on our nhs healthcare.

Martha’s Rule was born from the most devastating loss. Martha Mills was 13 when she died from sepsis in 2021, after her family’s concerns about her deteriorating condition went unheard. Her parents, Merope and Paul, turned that grief into a campaign that is now saving lives across England. I well up when I think about that tragedy because I can’t even begin to imagine the unimaginable pain of losing a child, but they have done something unthinkably brave by turning her legacy into something that will save so many mothers and babies. It’s brilliant the rule has transcended into maternity care.

And here’s why I really wanted to race to write this post before the weekend...

I feel like a rule is v powerful but only if people know it exists and know how to use it. I’ve personally been informed by lots of brilliant people about the rule because it actively sits within the campaign work that i’m doing. But for lots of people they may NOT be informed. They might miss it. They might not catch the news that day. They might not be on social media. Not their fault, not the gov fault, just the way it is. So please share this, but also talk to people i 👇🏼

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A rare routine shake up following a brilliant podcast chit chat with Anna Williamson that felt like everything we needed… laughter with a side of therapy.

Ryan and I haven’t prioritised each other much over the past few months. He explained he feels a bit like he’s been sleeping in the spare room (literally and metaphorically) so on Anna’s advice we booked a date night in for 7 days time, which was last night, 7 weeks time and 7 months time. Apparently this is called the 777 rule. As long as you always have something to look forward to in and around those rough time scales apparently all will be ok.

Ryan booked one of our favourite restaurants in SW London. We haven’t eaten at Petersham nurseries in years. We used to visit almost monthly. At one point we even considered getting married here. After last night we’ve reminded ourselves that we need to make it a bi-annual trip again. Or at the change of each season. We had loose childcare plans for the evening but they fell through, so this wasn’t exactly the big fat peaceful lol and catch up we had in mind but Ryan had preempted the situ and booked a table for 3. At this point it’s feels like a given-we do almost everything as a unit. Lucky Leo. The feeling is mutual.

If you’re looking for a special date - this place gives a holiday (or Mediterranean) feeling on the outskirts of london and we couldn’t have picked a more beautiful balmy evening.

After dinner we drove through Richmond park and saw the most regal deer trotting around and felt like we were in a fairy tale. Must get back to both asap.

Thanks for the treat R. X

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Getting a lot of questions about the skincare routine I do the night before a podcast recording or shoot, so I thought I’d share what’s been working for me lately.

As someone who’s constantly juggling work, family life, travel and everything in between, I love products that don’t require loads of effort but still make a noticeable difference.

Whenever I use this combination, I wake up feeling like my skin looks calmer, brighter and more even. It gives my skin that well-rested glow that makes such a difference when I’m sitting in a studio, filming content or heading into a busy day.

Lately I’ve been reaching for the @medicube_global_official PDRN range the night before important events, and it’s become a bit of a staple in my routine. AD

Available on Amazon UK.
#medicube #glassskin #pdrnpinkpeptideserum #pdrneyecream #pdrngelmask

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An intimate tennis match watching the current world no.1 @janniksin against our brilliant Brit @norriee ahead of Wimbledon. What a treat.

For the outfit I recycled an oldie but a goodie from my wardrobe with a few other pre-loved items and got heaps of compliments on the colour and print. I’m starting to think orange is my colour. What season does that make me?

📍@thehurlinghamclub
@giorgioarmanitennisclassic

x

#thehurlingham #wimbledon #jannicksinner #petitefashion #tennisfan

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This means a lot to me which is why I was up until midnight last night creating it with a fervent anger

Because I wanted to have a c-section

I asked people throughout my pregnancy how we could make that happen

But it was made out to be impossible. I was ‘low risk’ and should be having a ‘home birth’ apparently

If I had been listened to, my outcome is likely to have been very different.

If I’d had a home birth I don’t think I would have made it at all.

No one wants to talk about it, but yesterday I learnt (whilst reading and researching) that for years, maternity units across England were performance-managed on their c-section rates...

This created institutional pressure to push women toward vaginal births, regardless of individual clinical need.

In February 2022, a letter from NHS England’s Chief Midwife finally instructed all maternity units to stop using c-section rates for performance management.

I feel disgusted and triggered to learn that this was just 3 months after my birth!!

I’m even more disgusted that it was several years after this revelation:

Shrewsbury and Telford had the highest natural birth rate in England between 2010 and 2018 - and Donna Ockenden found evidence of a multi-professional focus on normal birth ‘at pretty much any cost’, contributing to at least 201 preventable baby deaths and babies with severe brain injuries.

I’ll be waiting with bated breath (and huge anxiety) to see what comes out in the latest ockenden review today where over 2500 families and over 800 staff members have given evidence. Some are being investigated for manslaughter and others detained.

#birthtrauma #ptsd #maternitycare #maternityscandal #pnd

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This is for my memory more than anything else.🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

My 75 year old father might never have changed a nappy in his life but he’s the most devoted grandpa to Leo and he is magic to me because he…

- spent several hours in his kitchen shelling peas from their pods ahead of our lunch together
- cut 50+ asparagus ends before putting them back in their respective bags and them into another bag
- taught me how to host and to cook
- brought around 1kg of fresh crab even though im allergic but its fine because he brought me my own vacuum packed salmon 😅😂
- always brings Leo thoughtful little trinkets
- thinks he looks really good in photos
- is incredibly domesticated - does several loads of laundry every day
- is v intelligent
- could tell you the flight number of every single flight he’s boarded in his life. Right the way back to the 60s/70s
- is the most generous person I know
- sits in a fold out chair in the vestibule of any train
- is so clean he brings fairy liquid, cutlery and bin liners and foil and scourers to every party
- he also takes all of the rubbish back to his own bin!!!

He’s basically the dream party guest. Do invite him. He always jokes that all of his friends are dead so we need to keep him popular and occupied! 😂😂😂

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What a wedding 💒 @lottyhenick x Charles 💒

Adore you, adore love x

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🍒🍒 Happy Father’s Day we love you x 🍒🍒

Made you a little something something and flew back from Barcelona to hang today because I know how much it means to you.

#happyfathersday #fathersday #FathersDayUK #DadLife #ForTheDads

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Wow.

Well done Ryan.

You are such a clever cookie 🍪 …sorry if that sounds patronising.

But what you did for men last week was mega. On Thursday night you brought together a group of brilliant men for a brilliant fireside chat at the Allianz stadium 🏟️ (Twickenham) aka the home of English rugby.

I was a total intruder (intentionally trying to lurk in the background) because it was all about the boys and rightly so. I regularly have my moment in the limelight, so I was very glad to be able to step back (to look after Leo) and to see you in action to celebrate this special occasion that you poured your heart and soul into (witness slide 4).

To be totally honest as a mother raising an impressionable young boy I think more moments like this are NEEDED.

Everyone’s been talking about the manosphere online… and for good reason. It’s toxic af.

If we dig a little deeper into what it all stands for you can see that this manosphere biz did not emerge from nowhere. It found men who were struggling… struggling with loneliness, struggling with purposelessness, and struggling with a grief that comes from never having been taught to name what you feel. The grief of silence.

That vulnerability handed some horrible people a framework. It told them that vulnerability was the wound, not the cure. That asking for help was weakness dressed up as wisdom. That the solution to male suffering was more hardness, more anger, more closing off, and more abject stoicism. Oh and treating women like shit was sensible too.

And millions of men listened. Maybe because nobody was offering them anything better. Eeeek.

I absolutely loathe the idea of my 4 year old growing up in world where he has no positive role models, one where he is intentionally targeted, then isolated from the real world, isolated from emotions and isolated from human expression. I fear that young boys are choosing to bed down into the toxic online world where losers almost become godly.

So what can we do to combat this?
Get good men talking?
Get all men talking?

I think that one of the things that I was really naive about is how difficult it actuallt is for men to have honest conversations. 👇🏼

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[ad] I was looking through old holiday photos the other day and the first thing I noticed wasn’t the location or what I was wearing, it was my skin. You know that specific holiday glow? The one that somehow appears after a few days of sunshine, sea air, decent sleep and spending less time staring at a screen.

For years I think I assumed that glow belonged to the holiday itself. But recently I’ve realised it’s actually much more about the way skin looks when it’s hydrated, healthy and catching the light in the right places.

So I’ve tried to recreate that same look without having to leave my bedroom and I fear I’m now going to be unstoppable with this new make up routine.

I’ve been using @charlottetilbury Unreal products and I genuinely think this is the closest I’ve come. I start with the Invisible UV Primer because if I’m investing in my skin, I want to protect it too. Then the Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Foundation Stick, which feels far more like skincare than foundation. It gives that fresh, rested look without ever looking like you’ve got lots of makeup on.

The Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick adds that warmth that usually only arrives halfway through a holiday, and the Airbrush Flawless Powder keeps everything looking polished without losing the glow. But the real standout for me is the Unreal Highlighter. I’ve become slightly obsessed with it. It’s packed with skincare ingredients including hyaluronic acid and vitamins C and E, and somehow manages to make skin look glazed and luminous without looking glittery or overdone. Just healthy. Expensive. Well-rested.

Finished with the Healthy Glow Nectar Oil and a generous amount of Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, and suddenly I’m sitting in my bedroom in England looking like I’ve just stepped off a flight from somewhere considerably sunnier.

Perhaps holiday skin isn’t something you go and get.
Perhaps it’s something you create.

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[ad] I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how much stuff we accumulate when we’re trying to become someone.

Not because we’re materialistic, but because we’re hopeful.

A new book because maybe this one has the answer.

A new hobby because maybe this is the thing that finally sticks.

A new routine because maybe this version of me wakes up at 5am, drinks green juice and has their life together.

The reality is that most of us are just figuring things out as we go.

I spent years believing that I needed to keep moving forward, keep improving, keep finding the next thing. The next challenge. The next goal. The next solution.

And whilst there’s nothing wrong with wanting to grow, I think there comes a point where you realise that not every chapter needs to be carried into the next one.

Some things have served their purpose.
Some things were bought with good intentions.
Some things were genuinely useful.
And some things were expensive reminders that I am not, in fact, the sort of person who makes homemade smoothies EVERY hour of the day. Hence I don’t need multiple devices. The same applies for some of my LED light therapy machines and hair tongs. I do NOT need one for every room.

What I’ve learnt over the last few years is that feeling settled has very little to do with what you own. It comes from having less noise. Less pressure. Less expectation. Less of the constant feeling that you need to be fixing yourself.

So I’ve been having a proper clear out.

Not because I’m becoming a minimalist overnight, and definitely not because I’ve suddenly acquired excess spare storage space in doing so (sadly), but because it feels good to let things go when they no longer fit your life.

There’s something quite freeing about admitting that you’ve changed.

Or that you tried something and it wasn’t for you.
Or that you’ve simply outgrown it.

Anyway, if you’ve been putting off a clear out, this is probably your sign.
And if any of my old treasures happen to become your new treasures, even better. I love the idea of someone else enjoying my old bits and bobs.

Everything is now up on my Vinted ❤️

X

#vinted #vintedaddict #vintedfinds #v

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I feel a smidge guilty for ever questioning whether man landed on the moon….when my ACTUAL BABIES are sat inside R2D2 flying across the ocean. I actually cried when I received these photos.

Science is AMAZING.

Sooooo much kudos to all the scientists that have dedicated their lives to researching fertility and how to make this crazy phenomenon happen. My job suddenly feels incredibly underwhelming.

Regardless, I feel a little full of hope and a little full of nerves today. Handling both well. x

Sharing becuase for anyone earlier on their journey I would have had NO idea how embryos are transported and it still blows my mind how much I’m learning about this experience every day.

#infertility #embryotransfer #embryoshipping #ivf #fertilityjourney

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😬 Can someone please explain how a 5ft gal is supposed to climb down off a bar stool with grace on a first date?

Or on the 1000000x with their husband? I feel like I’m giving everyone in the restaurant the ick becuase I look like a child that has smuggled her way in with a fake id 🪪 .

X

#petitegirl #petitefashion #petiteproblems #5ft #petitestyle

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Attempting to get back into fitness for the gazillionth time just so I can keep up with this crazy sporty household of mine…

today I legit busted Leo on a lat pulldown machine in our basement 😵🫪😂😂😂

#sportsday #parentsrace #motherson #fitnessrecovery #healing

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My son looks at me like I’m the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. Even with no makeup, messy hair and my Miss Havisham nighty. It took me 36 years to learn to see myself the same way (well, I was 31 when I had him and he gradually changed my mind knowing he was half me) but at least we got there in the end.

Growing up I always felt most self-conscious without makeup on. Now I realise the people who love us most see us at our rawest, and that’s exactly when they think we’re most beautiful. Being referred to as Anna of Arendelle on a daily basis helps, even though I feel more like Shrek after a 4am wake up😅😂.

#motherson #parentsofinstagram #motherhood #boymom #frozen

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I don’t smoke. I haven’t smoked in nearly 10 years. I don’t drink anymore either. But I have brilliant hobbies and multiple outlets for communicating with my close friends and family members. I’ve never found it particularly hard to open up about my feelings… and I love therapy too. For other people it isn’t always that easy. And for that reason I don’t judge these sorts of social (or anti social) behaviours. I think that seeing two men talk about their HARD life experiences (in this instance witnessing different loved ones fall mercilessly unwell to the wretched disease that is alzeheimers) feels really quite healthy. I suppose that’s why pubs are one of civilisation’s greatest inventions… as, it turns out, is my back garden with a beer, a cigar and an umbrella. Because sometimes you just need to get outside and create your own smoking area.

Love these two men. Love catching these sorts of moments. What great role models. ❤️

#menmentalhealth #manhood #rolemodels #fatherinlaw

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3 rounds of IVF which led to 3 very different outcomes for us. It turns out it’s impossible to compare circumstances with your own body let alone with the bodies of strangers... so dont be tempted to turn to ai for predictions the day after egg retrieval. 🫪 I speak from experience and I’ll admit it’s much easier said than done. It’s such an individual process and the unpredictability can feel v disconcerting, especially when you’re a control freak.

The burden of ivf can be heavy - the costs, the pain, the grief… it can really drag you down, but just because you didn’t get the results you wanted (or expected) the first time round, you could potentially get better results with a different protocol at a different clinic… I learnt a lot about switching from all of your comments under my last post so I think sometimes a fresh perspective is important. The only and I really mean ONLY good thing about having done several cycles is that you are armed with more data.

So what might have helped us this time around? A new clinic, me quitting all toxic skin chemicals, tan, nails, Botox, eating well, yoga, sleep, an extra day before retrieval, dare I say it supplements, melatonin etc. When I was younger I didn’t massively buy into the idea of supplements, probably because I was suspicious of all the marketing, so I sort of hate to admit this but I did HOUND them ahead of this third round and the results were better. I shared what I took last month but I’ll share again this weekend for anyone interested… or just ask me below. Ryan will have been 50% of this whole picture so worth asking him too. It’s all incredibly nuanced.

Now let’s wait to see what pgt-a euploid embryos we get because anything could happen. The only thing that has been textbook in our last two cycles has been the 50% drop off following the testing which fits with our age group.

You might be wondering why we went for a third cycle, but the quality of no.2 was quite varied and I am strongly considering going on some hrt to sort out some horrible symptoms that I’ve sucked up for 4 years but am pretty sick of at this point so I guess once I start that I’m sort of over and out??!!?

#fertilityjourney

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Just a reminder that your life saving medical device is NOT nasty and does not need to be hidden away or fill you with shame !!!

Look, I know that bad characters do and say horrendous things in tv scripts ALL THE TIME, I won’t even list them here because then no one will see this, but given that stoma bags feature SO infrequenly in this space it feels quite jarring and a little upsetting to watch and I wonder if it’s a tad irresponsible?!?! It would be ok if there was light with the shade; or nods to bravery, but continued online shade around ileostomy bags is a bit depressing. I also really doubt someone would be walking around with staples in their stomach like that (high risk of infection) before having them removed in hospital.

I’ll admit I’m personally very well adjusted so this is less about me, but I’m really creating this post on behalf of younger Louise and my younger audience who look up to me… also for those that have been told that having a stoma fitted in the future is a very real possibility. It’s fear mongering and i know how vulnerable I was when I was a teenager. If I’d had this surgery back then things might have been harder for me… because teenagers tend to be much less exposed and adjusted to bodily differences and I wonder what opinions they might have after watching this series of euphoria?

Imagine you’re 18 years old again, you’ve just had a stoma surgery, you google it to find out a bit more and THIS is what shows up. It’s not gonna make you feel good at all. Hmmmm.

Obviously I’m biased and sensitive to the intricacies of stoma life but what do you think? If I was naive and had never seen one before i think I’d be fairly influenced. I know it’s JUST a show and those who haven’t had a medical condition might perceive this as sensitive but I’m willing to take the backlash in favour of reaching a few who need this !

You do NOT need to hide your body away or feel shame.

Also I know I use the word horrendous 3 times in this video with reference to a body but I think I was feeling so strongly about how horrendous the sentiment was in this clip.

X

#stoma #stomabag #euphoria #ibd ulcerativecolitis

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It’s been two years since we launched 🚀📕 Lucky (yikes)

… so it felt like an appropriate time to pop back to the Penguin HQ in Battersea to say hi to my wonderful publisher Charlotte. I love being around women who make great things happen and that is Charlotte to a T.

I felt a tad emotional walking back into the building to be honest. I have fond memories of all the meetings: beginning, middle and end … the canteen, the manuscripts, the audiobook and the little party we had when the book won the no.1 Sunday times best seller accolade. Some moments felt enormous at the time - like when I gave a totally impromptu speech to the whole floor - and then, much like other things in life, it all sort of breezes past in a flash. Hence my desire to get back into it. It’s slightly addictive.

Anyway I used this (kinda coincidental) anniversary as an opportunity for reflection. A moment to go through everything.

The reviews, the stats, where we want to take things next (exciting). But mostly i just let myself look back, which, if you know me, does not come v naturally. I’m much more comfortable sprinting towards the next thing than pausing to acknowledge the last one. It’s a bit cowedly really.

So here are some things I didn’t let myself properly celebrate at the time:

- Lucky hit number one on the Sunday Times bestseller list the week it came out.

- It charted for many weeks after that.

- The audiobook went on to win several Audible awards.

- It has over 3,500 ratings on Goodreads.

- Over 250 of you wrote wrriten reviews on Amazon. Those are from people may never meet, but who somehow the entire reason I wrote it.

Maybe my most flattering one to date:

‘I’m a big reader, maybe four or five books a week most of my life. I’ve only ever reviewed two. I can’t get Louise’s story out of my mind.’

Someone who reads five books a week and I made it into the two review club. Genuinely not sure anything will top that.

The others 👇🏼 continues in comment

*if you’re struggling to read the font size you can pinch in on the screen*

#bookstagram #luckybook #bookreview #sundaytimesbestseller #louisethompson

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TW: birth trauma, baby loss

I felt compelled to pull this information together after watching the Panorama documentary on Monday. I sat through the show questioning HOW some of these issues could still be impacting women in 2026? Some of the behaviour described is totally abhorrent.

I’ll admit I’m always shocked by what I continue to learn about the maternity care in this country. It’s day in day out. WHEN are Apple TV / Netflix / Amazon or Sky going to come along and make a documentary about this story. Surely it matches the scale (if not supersedes) the critically acclaimed mr bates vs the post office. That was called the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British history. I don’t believe that to be true. I believe this is.

The theme of this specific post hasn’t touched me personally, but that almost makes it more important to share. I can write about it from a place of clarity rather than grief.

Mothers who have lost a baby are at their absolute rock bottom. They should never have to also be doing research, cross-checking certificates, or understanding their legal rights in the worst moments of their lives. That knowledge needs to exist before anyone ever needs it.

This carousel won’t be for everyone and it’s a big steer away from the lifestyle content I usually post. But if healthcare professionals, hospitals and the government aren’t going to hand this information to people, then I want to.

Check the slides.

#maternitycare #birthtrauma #pnd #ptsd #neonataldeath

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Sorry it’s a long one and there is a lot of neck touching, it was quite hard to get all my thoughts out in one go with no prep and my nervous system feels heavily dysregulated at the moment but I’m working on it, and I couldn’t not share this becuase it might help someone or unlock something/an important conversation. There is quite a lot to digest so if it’s easier for those who prefer reading or in a rush to get to work this morning let me summarise my points below…

1. I happened upon a panorama doc on bbc which is very unusual and feels like one of those weird synchronicities because i’m very rarely in bed watching tv at that time aimlessly scrolling w/ the remote, but somehow that feels really signficiant. I’m becoming increasingly spiritual. A lot of all of this progress has happened at times that feel totally ‘in time and on time’.

2. Donna Ockenden’s investigation into the maternity failings at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is officially the LARGEST of its kind in NHS history. The report will be published on the 24th June.

3. Ryan and I were immensely triggered. Ryan rarely sits through stuff like this but was strangely drawn to it even though most of his trauma is totally unprocessed. He was sick all night and blamed it on food poisoning, but i’m not entirely convinced. This never happens.

4. Shows like this are really important for families likes us (when they’re out of the depths of ptsd symptoms because it can be V triggering so please turn off) when they are ready it encourages more conversations and more healing.

5. These incidents are not isolated to Nottingham. Nottingham are noisy. 👏🏼👏🏼 They have found their community. Other people have experienced the same thing and have been told that this sort of behaviour and treatment and baby loss is ‘normal’ so they should get on with it. You are not alone, this is not normal.

6. If you’ve listened to our latest episode of HSSS that came out this morning you’ll learn that i’ve had a rough week. I’ve turned a new corner in my recovery, but the exercise i’ve started doing again has put me back AGAIN and i’

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Which one should I wear to a June wedding 1-7?

One of my best friends is getting married in Catalonia this month and it’s been a while… so I want to look good. All my friends always go 100000% for this sort of big deal so I need to step it up becuase I seem to bounce from red carpet to shell suit and am surprisingly not thaaat good at the in between.

However, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve since bringing out my own petite collection with Nobody’s Child - and I know all those pieces are going to fit like a glove and ultimately fit = comfort = everything.

There are a few curve balls in here too, and some silly moments. I promise I’m not getting 🍑 job and also the last dress is SENSATIONAL in real life despite looking a bit creased and bizarre in this video. Maybe doesn’t photograph quite as well..: all useful to rector in!

Any questions pop below?

#petitestyle #petitegirl #summerdress #weddingguest #petitefashion

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5 years sober
And one of the best non-decisions I’ve ever made 🌝

For some reason, this video feels a bit scary to post, which might sound mad because I share a lot of full-on things on here... but when I really dig into it, I think the main difference for me is that none of those other things I’ve talked about have been my fault. Bad health wasn’t my fault, birth trauma wasn’t my fault, my stoma bag wasn’t my fault, my mental health wasn’t my fault.

But drinking kind of was. In a way.
I had a choice to drink. Or did I?

I feel like I danced a fine dance with alcoholism for many years of my adolescence, and I’m in a better place to acknowledge that now I’m fully out the other side. It wasn’t very helpful when a lot of people I used to drink with told me I didn’t, maybe because I used to entertain them? But deep down I was always waiting for an epiphany to happen. I knew myself that I was desperate to give it up, but I could never abstain for longer than a few months at a time.

Without going too much detail about my past right here right now (i’ll let the video do the talking, and maybe I can write a piece on it because I still maintain that i’m better with written word than spoken word - and long form over short form) I can say that I’ve finally reached a spot where I feel genuinely proud of myself for stopping for a decent chunk of time.

At the beginning, I didn’t feel particularly proud because I was simply too overwhelmed with life and poor mental health to even consider having a social life that involved alcohol. I was too fearful of everything I put in my body and all the medication I was on and obsessively tracking that I couldn’t think about adding anything else that would potentially alter the neurotransmitters in my brain and cause my life to mess up even more, so I hard-stopped. And I’ve never looked back. It’s one of the few things I’m grateful for the trauma for.

I knew I’d be a crap parent if I continued my drinking habits, so it’s quite good that that decision was removed for me. I am now a brilliant parent a much better partner, family member, colleague👇🏼

#sobriety #soberissexy #sobernotboring

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You should never ask a woman her age, her salary, or her AMH. But since we’re here...

TW: fertility stuff.

I wanted to educate you on some fertility stuff. For me this video is very real and very raw and I’m going to expose the pants side of IVF and the fertility industry in this caption. I don’t plan on glossing over the brutal maths of IVF... Because this is the drop off.

Not for everyone,
But for me.

This was the drop off during my first cycle at my local hospital.

As someone who had been told that I didn’t need to rush into freezing any fertility back in 2022 and 2023 AND 2024 after having complications with Leo, I was really expecting much better results. My AMH count was GOOD and I was told that this was the holy grail for measuring fertility or ‘ovarian reserve’.

Something I found pretty weird was that my AMH, which stands for Anti-Müllerian Hormone, kept fluctuating month on month as I got it tested. Sometimes it was 25, others it was 18. And yet when I googled what AMH stood for, Gemini literally told me this:

“AMH is a protein hormone produced by the small, growing follicles in the ovaries. Because AMH levels stay stable throughout your cycle, a simple test can be taken at any time.”

Well mine didn’t seem to stay stable at all. Any doctors on here that would care to educate me, please do?! I’d love to know why mine bounced around so much over a 12 month period.

Anyway... below is my disappointing, nobody-really-warns-you-about-it drop off from egg retrieval to euploid embryo. I don’t know whether this will freak you out or make you feel less alone, but there is more insightful news later on if you care to carry on reading but it gets interesting

1. I had 20 great looking mature follicles on the scan
2. Then I was put to sleep in theatre because I was so scared
3. When I woke up I was told then retrieved 10 eggs and I cried
4. Not because I knew what I wanted but because I was expecting closer to 20 from all the scans I had
5. I have so many screenshots of follicle tracking scan
6. Then I panicked because I did lots of research around stats for women of my age

After the 10 were collecte 👇🏼

#ivf #infertility #ivf

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Come and spend a Sunday with us, ft. a surprising amount of green. 💚🪀🧃🥦🍀🦎🐢🐸🧚🏼‍♂️

*sound on* for all

… and if you want a 💩 your pants moment this evening (funnier than icebath gate) watch slide 3 because it will NOT disappoint.

I bloody love leo at this age. Whoever told me it gets better and better, I can confirm it really does get better and better. 4 1/2 is cream of the crop.

So lovely seeing my sister in law before she has her baby next week. Leo is very excited to have MORE little cousins to play with 🫶🏼 he’s a lucky boy.

1. All of us currently sleeping in this one bed like we’re the buckets in Charlie and the chocolate factory in this heat

2. ⁠Leo calling my mango hedgehog a poo hedgehog

3. ⁠has anyone ever experienced their child threaten to cut all their hair off?

4. ⁠a perfect egg and great commentary. We like to celebrate all wins in our household

5. ⁠wrapping baby gifts and hoping one day we might have another becuase the sweet little things are tm

6. ⁠lunch with a view

7. ⁠fish spotting

8. ⁠we saw a dog on a barge - what a life

9. ⁠parma ham on pizza 🍕 👌🏼👌🏼

10. ⁠Leo’s been doing forward rolls since he was 18 months haha

11. ⁠a moment for the £34 dress

12. ⁠cuddles

13. ⁠claps

14. ⁠dragon fly infestation

15. Sam realising that kids aren’t always jokes but being too polite to do anything about it

16. ⁠Koji likes to make out with me, he is my firstborn

17. ⁠Leo can now cycle up steps no joke so we built him a ramp

18. ⁠Sam playing in soccer aid !!

Well done for surviving half term everyone !!!

Sweet dreams x
x

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A note from one mother to another x 🤱🏼🤱🏾🤱🏽🤱🏻🤱🏿

#mothertomother #motherhood #mumsofinsta #parentsofinstagram #mumhood

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About
My Book
Podcast
Shop
Louise X Nobody’s Child
Shop the Look
Health & Calorie Coach
Press
Write to your MP
A Call for a Maternity Commissioner

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Personal picks, launches and more. No fluff, just the good stuff.

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