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The Baby Tribe

The Baby Tribe

Afif EL-Khuffash & Anne Doherty 143 episodes Latest Jun 8, 2026

The Baby Tribe podcast provides parents and caregivers with expert advice on maternal health, pregnancy, postpartum care, and infant health. Hosted by neonatologist Afif El-Khuffash and obstetric anesthesiologist Anne Doherty, both working at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, the show covers topics like breastfeeding, formula feeding, introducing solids, and maternal recovery. The hosts bring over 40 years of combined experience and feature regular guests and real parent stories.

Episodes

133: The Freebirth Movement: Choice, Risk and Accountability Jun 8, 2026 3241 In this episode of The Baby Tribe, Afif speaks with Irish Times journalist Ellen Coyne about her reporting on the rise of freebirth in Ireland: giving birth without a midwife, doctor or trained medical professional present. Ellen discusses what led her to investigate the movement, the concerns raised by senior midwives, the lack of clear data around unassisted births, and how online communities c
132: Bad Science in a Pretty Font - Caesareans, Risk and Birth Misinformation Jun 1, 2026 2256 In this episode of The Baby Tribe, Afif and Anne take on one of the most emotionally charged topics in maternity care: caesarean birth. Online birth content often presents two true statements side by side: caesareans carry more risk than vaginal birth, and caesarean rates are rising. The implied conclusion is often that unnecessary caesareans are harming women. But is that a fair interpretation of
131: Alcohol, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: No Shame, No Myths, Just Biology May 25, 2026 2355 Alcohol, pregnancy and breastfeeding are surrounded by myths, slogans and a fair amount of internet nonsense. In this episode, Afif and Anne look at what alcohol actually does before conception, during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. They discuss paternal alcohol exposure, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the “sober enough to feed” slogan, pumping and dumping, beer and milk supply, and the misl
130: Vitamin K at Birth: The Tiny Injection Social Media Got Wrong May 18, 2026 2075 In this episode, Afif and Anne take a deep dive into vitamin K at birth and the growing wave of misinformation surrounding it online. They explore why newborn babies are naturally low in vitamin K, how clotting works, and what vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) actually is. The discussion covers the differences between intramuscular and oral vitamin K, why the injection remains the most reliable
129: When Baby Sleep Advice Becomes Dangerous May 12, 2026 2296 In this episode of The Baby Tribe, Afif speaks to BBC journalist Divya Talwar about her investigation into unsafe advice given by some self-described baby sleep experts. Divya explains why the BBC pursued the story, what parents told her, and how exhaustion, social media credibility and gaps in postnatal support can leave families vulnerable to advice that may conflict with safer sleep guidance. A
128: Leaking Isn’t Normal: Pelvic Floor Health, Surgery & the Mesh Debate May 4, 2026 2121 Pelvic floor problems affect a huge number of women, yet many suffer in silence, unsure what’s normal and what isn’t. In this episode, we’re joined by Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and urogynaecology specialist Breffini Anglim O'Regan to break down everything you need to know about pelvic floor health, from prolapse and urinary incontinence to the real impact of pregnancy, childbirth,
127: When Birth Doesn’t Go to Plan: Understanding Postpartum Care Apr 27, 2026 2253 In this episode of The Baby Tribe, Afif and Anne tackle an important but often overlooked topic: what happens when things don’t go to plan after a baby is born. While most women recover well after delivery, a small number require closer monitoring or escalation of care. Anne, a consultant obstetric anaesthesiologist, explains how maternity teams identify early warning signs, what triggers a move
126: I Thought I’d Be a Mother… Then Life Took a Different Turn Apr 20, 2026 2003 We all grow up with a version of how life is supposed to go. Meet someone, settle down, have kids. But what happens when that version doesn’t unfold the way you expected? In this episode, comedian Aideen McQueen joins us for a funny, honest, and deeply personal conversation about identity, addiction, recovery, and coming to terms with not having children. From always imagining herself as a mother
125: Clare McKenna on Finding Your Version of Wellness (Without the Pressure) Apr 13, 2026 3424 Parenting is hard enough… so when did “wellness” become another thing to get right? In this episode, we’re joined by Clare McKenna, host of Alive & Kicking and author of Would You Be Well?, to unpack the modern obsession with wellness and why, for many parents, it’s doing more harm than good. We explore Clare’s journey from chasing diets, routines, and “perfect health” to realising that well
124: Understanding Baby Sleep: Biology vs Sleep Training Apr 6, 2026 2166 “Sleeping like a baby” is one of the biggest myths in parenting. In this episode, we strip back the noise around infant sleep and look at what the science actually tells us. From circadian rhythm development to night waking, we explain why babies don’t sleep the way we expect them to, and why that doesn’t mean anything is wrong. We explore the full spectrum of sleep training methods, from cr
123: Hilary McGann (News by Hil): From Global News to Motherhood Mar 30, 2026 3263 Becoming a parent changes how you see everything. In this episode, we’re joined by Hilary McGann (News by Hil), journalist and creator, to talk about what happens when someone whose job is to understand the world becomes a mother in it. Hilary shares her deeply personal journey through a complicated and anxiety-filled pregnancy, including emergency surgery, ovarian torsion, and the constant
122: Fear Less with Dr David Coleman: Are We Raising Anxious Kids? Mar 24, 2026 2981 A practical and honest conversation with clinical psychologist Dr David Coleman, author of Fear Less, on childhood anxiety. We explore why anxiety feels so common in children today, the difference between normal fear and something more serious, and how parents can support their child without overprotecting them. From the science behind anxiety to simple tools that actually work, this episode focus

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