He Said, She Said

“We could have a baby by NEXT YEAR” - The Turning Point in our Surrogacy Journey

He Said, She Said

Show Notes

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!

🗓 New episodes every Wednesday

📩 We’ve got a NEW email! Want to get involved? Email [email protected] or slide straight into our DMs @hesaid.shesaid.podcast. We want it all. Your dilemmas, questions, voice notes, stories and opinions. If it’s pod-related, we’re listening.

🩵 Follow us everywhere Instagram | TikTok | Youtube @hesaid.shesaid.podcast

And of course… don’t forget to subscribe, follow, rate and review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More from He Said, She Said

Jul 14, 2026

So, we have some news to share with you…

Jul 7, 2026

"Maternity system is fundamentally broken." It's a headline that understandably caught the attention of parents across the country last week. Following the publication of the landmark maternity report, Louise reflects on her campaigning for safer maternity care, unpacks what the findings really mean, and explains why the appointment of a Maternity Commissioner marks a significant step forward. Despite the alarming headlines, her message is clear: women should come away feeling hopeful, not fearful.

Jun 30, 2026

This week, Louise and Ryan share an exciting update on their fertility journey, opening up about where things stand now and the possibility of welcoming a baby next year. They reflect on the emotional highs and lows along the way, with Ryan sharing a powerful moment of acceptance as he talks about finally feeling at peace with the surrogacy journey.

Jun 23, 2026

This week we're joined by relationship expert and Celebs Go Dating coach Anna Williamson. As Sam and Pete's former dating coach, we had to get the inside scoop on what they were really like behind the scenes, and Anna shares a few stories that Louise and Ryan may not have heard before.

Jun 16, 2026

This week’s episode is a special Father’s Day edition, and one Ryan certainly wasn’t expecting. What begins as a conversation about fatherhood takes an emotional turn when a surprise message from his dad leaves him completely speechless, and the whole room fighting back tears.

See all episodes →