You finally get them down… and then they’re up again 😴
If your baby is waking every 2 hours, you’re definitely not the only one – but does it have to be this way?
In this week’s Is It Normal...?, parenting expert @parentingwithheidi – a speaker at next month’s @thebabyshowofficial – explains why frequent waking is common, what might be behind it, and why small tweaks can sometimes make a big difference.
Got a question you’ve been wondering about? DM us and we might answer it next 👇
The Baby Show is taking place at Birmingham’s NEC on 8-10 May.
#SleepingTips #BabySleeping #ParentingTips #IsItNormal #Netmums
Say hello to the next chapter of The Netmums Podcast.
Netmums is thrilled to welcome JB Gill – singer, presenter, farmer, father (and Strictly finalist!) – as our brand new co-host alongside Netmums’ Editorial Director Louise Burke, as we re-launch for our 18th series.
Together, the dad-of-2 and mum-of-three will dive into the real talk parents want – from the newborn days to big feelings, money meltdowns to making it work. No filters, just facts, fun and the full parenting experience.
🎧 Expect a brand new format:
🌟 Standout guests
📱 Bold, social-first storytelling
And a podcast made for every UK parent in 2026.
The Netmums Podcast just got a glow-up, but you can still expect the same trusted Netmums realness.
The new season launches on 10th February 2026 – and trust us, you don’t want to miss it!
Comment the word 'Netmums' and we will send you the full story.
#NetmumsPodcast #ParentingPodcast #JBGill #PodcastAnnouncement #Netmums
‘Parents know what’s best for their children – not the state’, says Rupert Lowe, MP.
He says families shouldn’t be fined for choosing ‘precious time together.’ Because childhood is short, and family memories shouldn’t come with a penalty notice.
Speaking at the MPs debate in Westminster Hall, which was a result of the petition by the @FightSchoolFines campaign – calling for children to be allowed up to ten days off school per year, without parents facing fines – MP Lowe said fined should be abolished.
He said: ‘Parents are being fined and threatened simply for taking their own children out of school for a handful of days to spend meaningful time together as a family. Is that such an awful crime? I think not.
‘A short term-time family holiday is not an act of neglect. Often, it is the only opportunity many families ever get for such an experience.’
What do you think?
The UK’s friendliest parenting community – real advice, real support, no judgement. Follow us on socials @Netmums .
#netmums #TermTimeHoliday #SchoolFines #HolidayFines #FightSchoolFines
Fitness coach and gladiator @mattdoesfitness has sparked debate after speaking out about childhood obesity.
His comments have reignited difficult conversations around childhood obesity, parenting, healthy eating and where the line falls between concern and blame.
While some agree society has become too comfortable ignoring serious health risks in children, others say shaming parents is unhelpful and oversimplifies a complex issue influenced by poverty, mental health, education and access to healthy food.
As well as offering his views, Matt also offered advice for parents of obese children, urging them to ‘build movement into everyday life, and telling parents to ‘force’ their children to do activities.
He added: ‘If that means forcing them to do an activity to lose some fat, then that’s something you’ve got to do.’
He also urged parents to educate their children about ‘good food choices.’
What do you think?
#ChildhoodObesity #Overweight #Exercise #Netmums
Forget the 6am towel dash!
Netmums’ Head of Social, @h5y.jo Joanna Lovell has found a @eurocampholidays parc where you can pre-book your family’s holiday sunbeds FOUR months before travelling – and now she thinks every resort should do it.
It comes as a German holidaymaker successfully sued a tour operator in Greece after the lack of available sun loungers devalued his package holiday due to ‘sunbed wars.’ He won nearly €1,000 (£868) in compensation.
While there were a few downsides for Joanna, – including accidentally booking beds by the ‘wrong’ pool – the mum-of-two says knowing her family had guaranteed sunbeds every day made for a much more relaxing holiday.
We can see the appeal! Have you ever been anywhere where you’ve been able to pre-book beds, and would you welcome it? See our LIB for the full story.
#FamilyHoliday #HolidayHack #SunbedWars #TravelTips #Eurocamp
Paris in a weekend 🇫🇷
From Eiffel Tower views and flower-shaped ice creams to Seine dinner cruises, Montmartre strolls and a one-day Disneyland trip 🎢
Here’s everything we managed to fit into 48 hours in Paris – including the hotel location at @holidayinn Gare De Lyon, that made seeing the city so much easier.
📍 Eiffel Tower
🍦 Amorino
🚤 @bateauxmouches dinner cruise
🛍️ Galeries Lafayette rooftop
❤️ Montmartre & Moulin Rouge
🎠 @disneylandparis
Saving this for your next Paris trip and comment the word ‘Paris’ and we will send you the full guide.
#Paris #WeekendInParis #DisneylandParis #ParisGuide #Netmums
‘I used to judge mums who went back to work straight after having a baby, and wondered what they were trying to prove – then I became one of them.’
When Netmums’ Lifestyle Editor @charlievbond gave birth to her son Seb at 33 weeks, she spent the first month of motherhood making daily trips to NICU, sitting beside an incubator and trying to cope with the uncertainty of premature birth.
Just two weeks postpartum, she found herself working again – not because she was chasing success, but because work became a lifeline in the chaos.
In a powerful personal piece, Charlie opens up about premature birth, NICU life, identity after motherhood and why returning to work isn’t always about money.
Read the full story via the LIB.
#NICU #PrematureBaby #Motherhood #WorkingMum #MaternityLeave
‘If you’ve got nothing to hide, I don’t see the issue.’
From tracking teenagers on the school run to secretly spotting a partner’s weekly McDonald’s stop, location sharing in relationships has become surprisingly normal for some families – and a total red flag for others.
We asked women whether they share their location with their partner… and the responses were very divided.
Some said it makes family life easier, safer and less stressful, others said absolutely not:
So… do you share your location with your partner?
#Relationships #Marriage #Parenting #LocationSharing #Netmums
When does a childhood worry become something more?
During Mental Health Awareness Week, experts are urging parents to know the signs of OCD in children – and why it’s much more than a ‘quirky habit.’
Netmums’ resident counsellor Emma Page explains that OCD is driven by intrusive fears and compulsions that children feel unable to stop, from repeated checking and handwashing to needing things to feel ‘just right.’
Some early signs can include:
🔹 Repeated reassurance-seeking
🔹 Distress when routines change
🔹 Avoiding certain places or objects
🔹 Taking a long time over simple tasks
🔹 Intense “what if?” worries
Emma describes OCD as ‘a hungry monster’ – the more compulsions are fed, the bigger they become.
Comment the word ‘OCD’ and we will send you a link to the full expert guide on how to spot the signs early, when to seek help, and how parents can support children without reinforcing the OCD cycle.
#OCD #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #Parenting #ChildMentalHealth #Netmums
As Eastenders star and SEN mum @kelliebrightofficial launches a campaign to scrap SATs, parents from the Netmums community have been having their say.
While many have agreed to support the campaign to see an end to SATs, others say they are a good way of preparing children for exams at ssecondary school.
Comment the word ‘school’, and we will send you a link to the full story, including how you can join the campaign to scrap SATs.
#SATs #SEND #SchoolTests #Netmums
