This episode is not for the faint-hearted, it’s for the women who’ve been judged, broken, doubted… and kept going anyway.

At 36 weeks pregnant, Laura (@thefitpregnantchick) is still training, still showing up, and still being trolled online for it. Why? Because apparently, being pregnant and strong is controversial.

But this story goes way deeper.

In this honest conversation, Laura opens up about:

• Losing her brother at just 45 to cancer 💔
  
  
• Navigating a cancer diagnosis in her family during early pregnancy
  
  
• Surviving betrayal after a 3-month marriage
  
  
• The isolation of single life and the messiness of modern dating (yes, even Tinder stories)
  
  
• Men with pregnancy fetishes 😳
  
  
• And the non-stop judgement she’s faced just for working out while growing a human
  
  

She’s been called “too old” to be pregnant at 36. She’s been shamed for lifting weights while expecting. But Laura is breaking stereotypes and leading the way for women who want to move, sweat, and stay connected to their strength, physically and mentally, without fear.

Her mission? To create a space where women can train during pregnancy safely, maintain their confidence, and ignore the noise. No shame. No apologies.

This one is raw, emotional, empowering, and sometimes even a little jaw-dropping. If you’ve ever been told to “tone it down” this is your permission to turn it up.

🔔 Subscribe, like, comment, and most importantly, share this with a woman who needs to hear it.

#PregnancyFitness #UnderTheSkinPodcast #FitPregnancy #PregnantAndStrong #WomenWhoLift #RealTalkPodcast #TanyaKhan #LauraTheFitPregnantChick #StrengthInMotherhood #PregnantAt36 #GriefToGrowth #EmpoweredWomen

This week on Under The Skin Podcast, I sit down with Alex Sikiniotis (@fitnessmamauk) and I am in awe of this woman.

By the age of 17, Alex had already endured childhood sexual abuse, silence, and a teenage pregnancy. In her early twenties, she entered a marriage shaped by trauma, religious pressure, and deep vulnerability. What followed was a relationship marked by abuse, and ultimately, a divorce that became one of the most painful, complex battles of her life.

Her husband did the unthinkable. The breakdown of that relationship wasn’t just a heartbreak, it was a war she had to survive.

And yet… here she is. Speaking with grace, power, and clarity, not for attention, but to help others feel less alone. That kind of strength is rare. That kind of healing is hard-won. Alex has done the work, risen from her trauma, and now uses her voice and her platform to uplift women through movement, community, and truth.

She is a powerhouse. A mother. A business owner. A survivor. And this conversation is one you will not forget.

💛 Trigger warning: This episode includes discussions of childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, and trauma. Please take care while listening.

If you're craving connection, healing, and time just for you — Alex’s next YogaFit Retreat in Greece (Sept 2025) might be exactly what you need.

👉 Join her in Greece for a week of movement, rest, sisterhood, and transformation.

[https://yogafitretreats.com/products/yogafit-greece-21-28-september-2025](https://yogafitretreats.com/products/yogafit-greece-21-28-september-2025)

📘 If you or someone you know has experienced childhood abuse and needs support:

**NSPCC (UK)** – [https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/](https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/)

Free, confidential helpline: 0808 800 5000

✨ If this episode moved you, please take a moment to comment, subscribe, and share. It truly helps these brave stories reach the people who need them, and that’s exactly why we do this podcast. To open up conversations, to support healing, and to remind each other we’re not alone.

"No one would miss me if I just disappeared"

In this raw and emotional episode, Nurse Orlagh Stevenson shares her deeply personal battle with postnatal depression, a condition that affects 1 in 5 women in the UK, yet often goes unseen and unheard.

Through tears, honesty, and courage, Orlagh opens up about the darkest moments of new motherhood, the overwhelming feelings, the isolation, and the heartbreaking thoughts that nearly made her walk away. What followed was a journey through pain, healing, and ultimately, strength found in vulnerability, support, and family.

💛 This conversation is not just about one mother, it’s about so many women suffering in silence 💬 If you’re a mother, know a mother, or have ever felt alone in your mental health journey, this episode is for you.

👉 Please like, comment, share your feelings or story, and subscribe to support more conversations like this, and to help others find stories that matter 🫶

🔔 Hit the notification bell to stay updated with future episodes.

📲 Share this with someone who needs to hear they’re not alone ❤️

📘 Helpful UK Resources & Support

NHS – Postnatal Depression: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-natal-depression/overview/

PANDAS Foundation (WhatsApp + helpline): https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/

Mental Health Foundation: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/postnatal-depression

#postnataldepression
#mentalhealth #motherhood
#newmum #struggles
#maternalmentalhealth
#postpartumanxiety
#motherhoodreality
#mentalhealthpodcast
#Undertheskinpodcast