Fact sheet
What is Trying Again podcast?
Trying Again is a podcast that tells a story of miscarriage, of the usually silent 1 in 4, through the eyes of journalist and host, Rachael Smith. It is a mix of interviews with people sharing their stories of miscarriage and baby loss, expert advice and information on miscarriage treatments, research and services and honest discussions on issues surrounding miscarriage including body awareness, mental health and grief management.
In each episode, Rachael discusses a topic or theme surrounding miscarriage and shares information of her journey as she decides whether to try again following multiple losses. The episodes are a mix of conversation, dark humour and audio drama.
The Trying Again podcast is a non-for-profit project produced in Coventry, UK.
Why is it needed?
According to stats from NHS, Tommy’s and The Miscarriage Association charities – miscarriage affects 1 in 4 pregnancies and is one of the biggest causes of pregnancy loss in the UK, but also the least understood.
Tommy’s Miscarriage Research centre is the biggest of its kind in Europe, sharing research facilities with University Birmingham, University of Warwick and the Imperial College, London. The centre’s work is helping women and couples throughout loss, with tests and treatments to find better ways of managing or supporting miscarriage and baby loss or pregnancy after loss – despite this there’s very little conversation surrounding the research in the media.
Podcast details
Website: www.tryingagainpodcast.com
Email: tryingagainpodcast@gmail.com
Social:
- Facebook @TryingAgainPod
- Instagram @TryingAgainPod
- Twitter @TryingAgainPod
- You Tube: Trying Again Podcast
- Hashtag: #TryingAgainPod
Downloads
- Fact sheet
- Images
- Logo square
- Logo 16:9
- Non-text image square
- “Peg” image – by Andrii Yalanskyi
- Audio
- 45 second clip – with music/without music (.mp3)
- 60 second clip – with music/without music (.mp3)
- Video
- 1 min video – with music/without music (.mp4)
- The video trailers are also on YouTube – click here to view them.
- A transcript is provided (.pdf)
- Eat Well: Nutrition guide to support recovery from pregnancy and baby loss (.pdf)
Summary:
The Trying Again podcast shares honest, brave and true stories, thoughts and insights into the usually silent world of miscarriage.
Going through a miscarriage can feel very lonely; the podcast opens up the conversation into issues surrounding miscarriage and baby loss in a hope to raise awareness of the research, community and people surrounding it.
When can I hear Trying Again Podcast?
Series One launched on Thursday 24 September 2020 with episodes 1 and 2 available to listeners. Episodes were then released weekly.
Series Two launched on Friday 8 October 2021. Series two will cover topics such as friendships, second trimester, recurrent miscarriage and Rachael is looking more into the recent study in the Lancet and what’s been happening since.
Contact Rachael at tryingagainpodcast@gmail.com to be part of the series.
Download/Subscribe:
Listen to the podcast via the website www.tryingagainpodcast.com and via podcast platforms such as Apple podcasts; Spotify; Google podcasts; Amazon podcasts; TuneIn and Stitcher. Highlights from the podcast are also available on YouTube with captions.
What is the podcast genre and format?
The podcasts genres are health, parenting and personal journal.
The format is a mix of interview, storytelling and audio drama.
Audio drama episode details
This is episode two of the podcast, titled “The story so far…” The episode shares the host’s story of loss and is written, produced and edited by Rachael Smith in her first radio drama production.
EP02: The story so far… synopsis: Rachael guides you through a story of loss; love and hope as she decides to try for a baby with her boyfriend, Lee. Rachael’s story starts in Coventry, UK, on New Year’s Day and from there, we follow her journey to motherhood. The drama is a raw account of miscarriage, based on real-life diary notes, blog posts and memories it takes you through a time-line of love and loss, sharing the highs and lows of the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Cast:
Rachael is played by Emily Jane Brooks
Lee is played by Philip Kingsley Elton
Vanessa is played by Loretta Hope
Luke is played by Oraine Johnson
The walk-in centre nurse is played by Alexander Doddy
The clinic nurse is played by Olivia Finch
The EPU nurse is played by Lynne Payne
The Midwife is played by Dawn Butler
Click here for cast images and bios
Production:
The drama was recorded remotely in the Midlands, UK, due to coronavirus social distancing in 2020. Funding for the episode was provided via a micro-grant from Coventry City of Culture Trust
Written, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.
Script advice provided by Lee, Vici Edwards and Kim Greengrass.
Post production support provided by Kirtan Bhachu.
Music is by Joe Chris
Featured music: www.purple-planet.com
Theme song is Small Bump by Ed Sheeran.
Quotes
“I am making this podcast because I feel, to my core, that this is a subject that needs to be talked about. It is tough and it has taken me a while to understand how to navigate pregnancy loss. I am still on my journey – baby or no baby, who knows how this will end?”
Rachael Smith, podcast creator, producer and host.
“I’m thrilled to be involved in this achingly brave podcast drama giving a voice to the often untold stories of the 1 in 4”
Emily Jane Brooks, Actor/Actress in EP02: The story so far…
“I am so glad to be part of the fantastic cast bringing this script to life!”
Loretta Hope, Actor/Actress in EP02: The story so far…
Images
Who is Rachael Smith?
The Trying Again Podcast is created, written, produced and edited by Rachael Smith.
Rachael is a journalist, based in the UK. The inspiration for the podcast came from her having tests at the Tommy’s Miscarriage Research centre following multiple miscarriages.
Whilst researching her own situation and trying to understand the changes going on in her body and more importantly – why. She had found she was part of a community that she never knew existed before and she had to learn how to grieve differently, sometimes in silence.
She wanted to investigate this more and look into why there’s a taboo; why are her babies dying; what happens if she can’t ever have a baby – what is her place in society then?
The more she researched, the more she found that she may be able to help herself, and perhaps some others feeling as lonely and isolated, if she shared the stories.
This is a personal non-for-profit podcast. You can see Rachael’s other work via her personal blog or via LinkedIn.
Trying Again Podcast 