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Kate Middleton Talks Hypnobirthing, Mum Guilt, and Post-Birth Photos in Her First Podcast
Getty / Chris Jackson
Kate Middleton made her podcast debut on Feb. 15 after secretly recording a session with Happy Mum, Happy Baby host Giovanna Fletcher back in January, and it’s quite possibly her most vulnerable interview yet. The Duchess of Cambridge stopped by for an open conversation about parenting, discussing everything from her own childhood, to how she handled pregnancy with each of her and Prince William’s three kids, to whether or not she experiences “mum guilt.” Spoiler alert: she does, and she thinks any mom who doesn’t is lying.
Kate is a passionate advocate for early childhood development, and is currently promoting the launch of her “5 Big Questions on the Under Fives” survey, which she hopes will provide a step forward in creating a positive, lasting change for the next generation. During the interview, Kate explained she’s always had a passion for learning about children, even before giving birth to George, Charlotte, and Louis. Catch up on a few of our favourite moments from Kate’s 30-minute sit-down below.
FilmMagic / Niki Nikolova
On the After-Birth Baby Debut
Kate and William famously debuted each of their children on the St. Mary’s Hospital steps shortly after giving birth. This tradition has sparked debate among royal observers, as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle opted to introduce their son more privately at Windsor Castle. Kate acknowledged the whole experience can be a bit “terrifying.”
“Yeah, slightly terrifying, slightly terrifying, I’m not going to lie,” Kate said of Prince George’s debut, which took place the day after his birth. “Everyone had been so supportive and both William and I were really conscious that this was something that everyone was excited about and, you know, we’re hugely grateful for the support that the public had shown us, and actually for us to be able to share that joy and appreciation with the public I felt was really important. But equally it was coupled with a newborn baby, and inexperienced parents, and the uncertainty of what that held, so there were all sorts of mixed emotions.”
GC Images / Neil Mockford
On Her Decision to Use Hypnobirthing For Each Child
Kate was transparent about the difficulties of her pregnancies, although she acknowledged other mothers have had it much worse. “I got very bad morning sickness, so I’m not the happiest of pregnant people,” she said, referencing her hyperemesis gravidarum. “I was really sick – I wasn’t eating the things I should be eating – but yet, the body was still able to take all the goodness from my body and to grow new life, which I think is fascinating.”
Her “utterly rotten” experience with pregnancy led Kate to discover hypnobirthing. “There’s levels of [hypnobirthing]. I’m not going to say that William was standing there sort of chanting sweet nothings at me. He definitely wasn’t!” she shared. “I didn’t even ask him about it, but it was just something I wanted to do for myself.”
“I saw the power of it really,” Kate added, “the meditation and the deep breathing and things like that – that they teach you in hypnobirthing – when I was really sick and actually I realised that this was something I could take control of, I suppose, during labour.”
She continued, “It was hugely powerful and because it had been so bad during pregnancy, I actually really quite liked labour! Because actually it was an event that I knew there was going to be an ending to! But I know some people do have really, really difficult times, and it’s not for everybody.”
POOL/AFP via Getty Images / AARON CHOWN
On Mom Guilt
Does Kate experience parenting guilt? “Yes, absolutely, and anyone who doesn’t as a mother is actually lying,” she candidly told Giovanna.
“There’s such a pull, but I am such a hands-on mom, and whatever you’re doing you want to make sure you’re doing the uttermost best job you can for your children,” she explained. “And you know, even this morning, coming to the nursery visit here, George and Charlotte were like, ‘Mommy how could you possibly not be dropping us off at school this morning?'”
Like so many others, Kate finds herself in the “constant challenge” of balancing her parenting duties. “You’re always sort of questioning your own decisions, and your own judgments, and things like that, and I think that starts from the moment you have a baby.”
Getty Images / Max Mumby/Indigo
On Her Own Childhood and What She Wants For Her Kids
Kate remembers her childhood fondly. She told Giovanna, “It was great fun – I’m very lucky, I’ve come from a very strong family.” She said her parents were “hugely dedicated” to her and her siblings, Pippa and James, and she can really appreciate their sacrifices now that she’s a parent.
She hopes Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis will remember the “simple things” when they reflect on their own upbringing. “Someone did ask me the other day, ‘What would you want your children to remember about their childhood?'” Kate said. “And I thought that was a really good question, because actually if you really think about that, is it that I’m sitting down trying to do their maths and spelling homework over the weekend?”
“That’s what I would want them to remember, those moments with me as a mother,” she added, “but also the family going to the beach, getting soaking wet, filling our boots full of water, those are what I would want them to remember. Not a stressful household where you’re trying to do everything and not really succeeding at one thing.”
To finish off the interview, Giovanna asked Kate when she’s happiest. Kate responded, “I’m with my family outside in the countryside and we’re all filthy dirty.”