Louise has had a rare few days alone while Ryan and Leo headed off on their first father–son trip. Ryan reflects on what that one-on-one time meant to him, while Louise opens up about something many mums don’t say out loud: that she enjoyed the space, and why she refuses to feel guilt for needing time to herself.

That honesty leads into a bigger conversation. Inspired by Emma Grede describing herself as a “three-hour mum”, we unpack the pressure around modern motherhood. How much time is “enough” with your kids, what’s expectation versus reality, and how our own experiences shape the kind of parents we want to be.

We also share a major surrogacy update. It’s a big step forward, and one that brings a mix of hope, nerves, and the weight of everything starting to feel very real. And to close, we answer a listener question about how we navigated our darkest moments together and what it really took to come out the other side.

00:00 Introduction

01:50 Our double date weekend away

03:26 Our driving habits

07:22 Sam forgot to book a hotel room!

15:32 Ryan first trip alone with Leo

19:48 Ryan's Vision of Fatherhood

28:28 Louise's Solo Time away from Leo

34:03 No Mum Guilt in Taking Time Off

37:39 Emma Grede ‘Three Hour Mom’ Controversy

41:34 Sacrifices and Adaptability in Parenting

43:43 Our BIG Surrogacy Update

52:37 Listener Question: Keeping the Spark Alive Through Trauma

58:51 See you next week!

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