It takes a village to raise a child… but let’s be honest, a vineyard helps. Join two U.K. mums and best friends, Vicky & Emma, as we navigate the highs, lows and ‘what the heck?!’s of parenting babies, toddlers and everything in between - armed with emotional support wine and zero expertise.
From fertility struggles and baby classes to threenagers and the importance of ‘mum time’, we’re keeping it real, raw and ridiculously honest. Expect laughter, over sharing and wine fuelled chats that feel like a girls night in.
We’re not here to give advice - we’re just surviving motherhood one glass at a time.
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Ep.13 - Breastfeeding... magic, mayhem and crying over spilt milk
Today we’re going back to the baby days and talking about breastfeeding - the beautiful, brutal, baffling journey that feels part‑magic, part‑military operation, and part emotional meltdown over actual spilt milk.
Between latch dramas, weight‑check panic, leaking through breast pads, the Hakka doing overtime, and bottles being accepted one minute and dramatically rejected the next… we’ve lived the full spectrum.
It's been a rollercoaster journey, which ended in us navigating the tricky challenge of figuring out how to stop (complete with toddler boob‑grabs and very emotional last feeds).
We also get into extended breastfeeding, the weird hormonal crash at the end, your body producing milk months later, how you actually transition away from comfort feeds, and why breastfeeding is equal parts nourishing, exhausting, comforting and completely wild.
All fuelled by a Fabulous & Pink Hungarian Chardonnay - dangerously drinkable at 11:42am in Crimbo Limbo and one that's going straight at the top of our summer 'to drink' list.
Cheers!
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16 Jan 2026
Ep.12 - Time away from your kids... the guilt, the prep work and how it pays off
It's 2026 and we're back after a lovely Christmas break!
Today we’re talking about time away from your kids - that huge milestone where you finally escape the house… but bring a breast pump, a spare bra, and a mountain of mum guilt with you...
Join us as we journey through sprinting home from lash appointments and driving back from weddings at 5am… to drag bingo, our first “Christmas do”, being ID‑ignored at the door (humbling), and finally discovering the joy of adult conversation that isn’t interrupted seven million times.
We’re unpacking:
mum guilt that hits even when you’re having a great time
why the build‑up is always worse than the actual night away
how your boobs dictates every early outing
the identity shift of “what on earth do I wear now?”
and why even a few hours away makes you a calmer, nicer mum
Recorded on tour from the birthplace of the pod - Hoar Cross Hall - fuelled by a (couple of) spa‑trip Sauvignon Blancs and the sheer joy of drinking something uninterrupted.
Cheers!
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26 Dec 2025
Christmas Special
Today we’re talking Christmas - the chaotic, magical season where the kids are feral, the house smells like pine and snacks, and bedtime is more of a suggestion 🎄✨
We talk about what we actually love about Christmas with the kids: the traditions we swear we’ll keep forever, the ones that somehow just… happened, and the joy of seeing it all through their eyes (even when they wake up at 5am for it).
We’re talking matching PJs, wonky decorations, sticky fingers, and the small moments that make the madness worth it - all while firmly enjoying a well-earned glass of wine 🍷
Because Christmas isn’t about perfection. It’s about memories, survival, and topping up your glass when no one’s looking.
Cheers 🥂
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19 Dec 2025
Ep.11 - The Opinionated Stranger... did they really just say that??
Pour yourself a glass and join us as we dive into the world of unsolicited parenting advice - from the “clothes police” insisting on socks and hats, to strangers comparing kids to dogs, to the jaw-dropping comments about breastfeeding, food, and even family size.
In this episode, we share our own stories, listener submissions, and a few cathartic laughs about the things people say when they really should’ve stayed quiet.
Parenting is hard enough without the opinionated stranger… so let’s rant together, vineyard-style. 🍷
Cheers!
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5 Dec 2025
Ep.10 - School Applications… our babies are big, and we’re not okay
School applications? Already? We’re absolutely not okay.
Drinking tea (and secretly building our wine wishlist because… coping mechanisms), while wondering where our tiny babies went.
We chat about the girls’ current childcare setups, touring schools, the low birth-rate lottery, and Vicky’s top ‘teacher tips’ for spotting the good ones.
Cheers!
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28 Nov 2025
Ep.9 - Weaning… expectations vs reality
Today we’re talking weaning - the glorious, messy era where you think your choices will define everything… only for your kids to prove you wrong anyway 🤝😂
Emma went full baby led weaning, Vicky went down the purée route, and somehow we ended up with one child who eats air and another whose favourite food is… olives?!
We’re unpacking mum-guilt, picky eaters, and how to keep everyone (including us) sane.
Fuelled by an Aldi New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - cheap, cheerful, and frankly the only thing any of us were eating consistently during weaning 🍷
Cheers!
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21 Nov 2025
Ep.8 - Days out… the good, the bad and the ugly
Fresh off a truly disastrous V&A trip (shout-out to late lunches and Care Bear diplomacy gone wrong), we’re unpacking why our London adventures always seem to descend into gentle chaos.
We chat the non-negotiables for a GOOD day out - strong café game, space for kids to be kids, places to flop, and the underrated art of saying “nope, we’re going home.”
Plus: further-afield trips, overnights with friends (half the cost, double the fun), and this week’s wine: a winter white Pinot Gris - Weingut Full Reserve Grauburgunder. Yes, it’s fancy. No, we don’t usually drink like this. A gal can treat herself.
Special shout-outs to our fave spots for days out with the girls:
@Hitchinlavender
@Hertfordshirezoo
@nhmtring
@Altontowers
@Kentwell
@Wimpoleestate
@LegolandWindsor
Cheers!
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14 Nov 2025
Ep.7 - Deep in the newborn trenches... surviving the fourth trimester
In this episode, we dive into the early days of parenthood - from recovering after a c-section vs. a home birth, to the emotional rollercoaster of hormones, sweat, and sleep deprivation. We talk paternity leave (spoiler: it’s never enough), breastfeeding pain (toe-curling, anyone?), jaundice, nocturnal routines, and the obsession with tracking everything via apps.
We ask the big questions: To hat or not to hat? Is there actually a definitive list of what babies need? And what makes a visitor “good” or “bad” in those fragile early days?
Plus, we share the joy and anxiety of leaving the baby bubble for the first time - and yes, we talk about when we started drinking again.
Vicky’s playing sommelier with two open bottles (Aldi Rioja for Vicky and Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc for Emma).
We’ve lived it, logged it, and now we’re pouring a glass and talking about it - because sometimes it really does take a vineyard. Cheers!
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7 Nov 2025
Ep.6 - The Threenager Episode… “I can do it myself!” (Apparently.)
We’ve hit that stage… the threenager era - and we are feeling it. This week we’re taking a break from our story timeline to talk about what’s happening right now: life with our fiercely independent, wildly emotional, and occasionally feral 3.5 year olds.
We’re sipping the viral Aldi Rosorange wine (which is dangerously drinkable) and getting honest about the highs and lows of this stage - from the constant “I can do it myself!” to the meltdowns, the whining (even though we know they can talk properly), and those big feelings that hit out of nowhere.
We chat about the hills we’re willing to die on (and the ones we’re learning to let go of), how screen time really affects behaviour, and how we handle consequences, frustration, and those occasional… erm… violent outbursts.
If you’re deep in the trenches of threenagerhood too, this one’s for you - a reminder that you’re not alone, and that some things really do go down easier with a glass of rosorange.
Cheers!
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31 Oct 2025
Ep.5 - Vicky’s home birth story… from bump to bed
We’re drinking tea this week - yes, really! Don’t worry, no one’s pregnant… it’s just before lunch and we’ve swapped our usual pour for a cuppa.
In this episode, Vicky shares her home birth story - from how she decided it was the route she wanted to take, to what the preparation looked like (ever wondered how a birthing pool actually works, or why they always need so many towels?). She talks about her midwife’s memorable exit to get back to her roast dinner, the snacks and pain relief she made the most of, and the joy of recovering in her own bed afterwards.
In classic Vicky fashion, she can’t quite remember the name of the book or the Instagram accounts that helped her prepare… but we’ll pop them on our socials when she does!
It’s an open, reassuring and down-to-earth chat about a calm, positive birth experience - with the usual laughs along the way, of course. Cheers!
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Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of c-section and birth trauma.
This week, it’s Emma’s turn in the hot seat as Vicky asks all the questions in part one of our birth stories. We’re sipping a classic - Bella Cucina prosecco from good old Tesco - and diving into the reality of birth plans that didn’t go to plan.
From deciding what to do when overdue, to the drama of induction, a four-day labour, and an emergency c-section that ended in a major haemorrhage (which, weirdly, wasn’t a big deal), Emma shares it all.
We talk hospital bags, scans, and the ridiculous covid rules that meant Emma was alone before and after birth - and how that really felt.
There’s also a shoutout to the excellent push present, the early days of recovery, and the classic mistake of trying to do too much too soon (did the kitchen REALLY need cleaning that day, Emma?!).
It wasn’t what was planned, it wasn’t wonderful, and it wasn’t what Emma wanted - but it brought baby Lola into the world, and that made it all worth it. Cheers!
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17 Oct 2025
Ep.3 - Pregnancy…the longest dry January of our lives
Trigger warning: this episode includes discussion of miscarriage and IVF.
In this episode, we pick up where we left off: we've just found out we're pregnant, and now we're diving into the rollercoaster of all three trimesters. We recorded this one with a fancy orange wine called Methodic - because after pregnancy (even 3.5 years later), we deserved something bougie.
Vicky’s pregnancy was mostly magical (minus the anxious first trimester and miscarriage fears), while Emma’s was mostly miserable - think nausea, exhaustion, and a body that fully rebelled thanks to hypermobility. We chat scans, weird symptoms (pregnancy rhinitis?!), and the endless list of things you’re suddenly “not allowed” to do.
There’s hypnobirthing, affirmations, baby classes, and covid chaos. Plus: a no-alcohol Christmas, baby showers, and the wonderful fact that you CAN have soft cheese, as long as it's piping hot (with a whole slice of bread obvs).
We’re not experts - just two mums oversharing our way through motherhood, one trimester (and one wine) at a time. Cheers!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
17 Oct 2025
Ep.2 - Making a baby...spilling the tea (not the wine) on conception
Trigger warning: this episode includes discussion of infertility, miscarriage and IVF.
In this episode of It Takes a Vineyard, we pop open a bottle of Emma's favourite savvy b, and spill everything (except the wine, thank god) - from scheduled sex and peeing in the dark to IVF, PGD, PCOS and TTC (jeez, who knew conception had so many acronyms?!).
Vicky dives into her reading list, including 'It Starts with the Egg' and a mystery PCOS book we promise to name once we remember it. We also spent a solid chunk of time trying to remember the word 'phthalates' (spoiler: we didn't).
We're not doctors, scientists, or fertility gurus - just two mums sharing our very real journeys to conception, helped along by wine. Because sometimes, the road to motherhood needs a little Sauvignon. Cheers!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
17 Oct 2025
Ep.1 - It takes a vineyard...and a baby class
Welcome to our first episode of It takes a Vineyard, a podcast where two besties share the highs and the lows of parenting - all while enjoying a wine.
This week, we spill the wine (La Vielle Ferme, aka Chicken Wine) and the story of how baby classes turned two strangers into besties. From prenatal prep to ‘our first date’, we unpack why signing up for those classes isn’t just good for your baby - it’s a lifeline for mums too.
Expect laughs, a little chaos and plenty of clinks along the way. So pour a glass and join us as we set out on our mission to prove that parenting wisdom flows better with wine. Cheers!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
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