The Maternal Journal podcast

The Maternal Journal podcast

Join us for the second series of The Maternal Journal podcast. A deep dive into the power of journaling and creativity to support mental health and wellbeing through pregnancy, birth and parenting. Hosted by Maternal Journal founder, artist, writer and midwife, Laura Godfrey-Isaacs.

The new series focuses on graphic novels and illustrated books. We have some amazing guests who share their work and thoughts with us. Every podcast includes reflections from our guests on the relationship between motherhood and creativity, and tips on how to boost your journaling practice.

In this episode, we're joined by cartoonist and writer Becky Barnicoat whose recent graphic memoir, ‘Cry when the Baby Cries’, is described as ‘The most accurate account of becoming a parent I have ever read’ by Philippa Perry. Her daily cartoons in publications such as The Guardian and Buzzfeed offer a candid and often hilarious glimpse into the emotional landscape of motherhood.

Bestselling American cartoonist Lucy Knisley’s book ‘Kid Gloves’ takes us on a journey through pre-conception, pregnancy and birth to the unexpected joys of parenting. Lucy's work brings warmth, wit, and vulnerability and explores how the graphic form can become a powerful space for advocacy, reflection, and solidarity as well as the means to highlight how some modern birth practices and cultures can let us down at one of the most important moments of our lives.

Artist and poet Mimi Kunz’s book ‘Mother Tongue’ brings a stunning combination of poems and drawings together. Made in parallel, whilst she was taking care of her new born daughter, Iris, in the first year of her life, it recounts moments of marvel, fear, and laughter. Mimi explores how the body of mother and child form our first language, our mother tongue. In this gentle conversation, we hear Mimi read some of her beautiful poems live and discuss her positive ideas on the (positive?) framing of motherhood and creativity.

In this episode we speak to Canadian writer and memoirist, Teresa Wong, who’s deeply moving graphic memoir ‘Dear Scarlet’ charts her motherhood journey, touching on how she moved from ‘tiredness to sadness’. Her experiences of postnatal depression shaped her early mothering experiences and is depicted in beautiful and economically drawn cartoons that communicate these Important issues in emotionally charged and redemptive cycles.

Illustrator and cartoonist Lilly Williams talks about her experience of depicting pregnancy and birth through her memoir ‘Scaredy Cat Gives Birth,’ created during the COVID pandemic, and which employs a series of animal characters. She also introduces the Graphic Guide to Pregnancy and Birth that she has created with Laura (Maternal Journal founder and host of the podcast) that is published on 6th November, by Icon Books.

In a wide ranging conversation with writer and historian Isabel Davis and artist and illustrator Anna Burrel, we discuss their book, ‘Conceiving Histories’, which is illustrated by Anna and inspired by Isabel’s own experiences. The book brings together history, personal memoir and illustration to investigate the culturally hidden experience of trying to conceive. It follows myth, fantasy, science and pseudo-science to explore the (un)reproductive body in pursuit of a viable pregnancy.

Laura and Leah Hazard both practising NHS midwives, writers and birth activists, discuss how to bring evidence-based information about midwifery, birth and women’s bodies into the public sphere in a way that’s accessible, relatable and relevant to our times. Leah’s new book, Womb: The Inside Story of Where We All Began, expands on the history of women’s reproductive lives interwoven with her own personal story.

Writer and artist/illustrator Miriam Gold discusses her beautiful graphic memoir, ‘Elena – A Hand Made Life’, which is part memoir and part biography of her beloved granny, Dr Elena Zadik. By the time her granddaughter knew her, Zadik was a longstanding GP in the former mill town of Leigh in Lancashire but she also carried trauma and displacement stories of how she fled persecution and war in WW11. The episode discusses how we can honour family stories and memories through graphic form, using drawing, collage and photography.

Lorem ipsum

Lorem ipsum