Motherhood is often described as beautiful, but for many parents it is also raw, exhausting and deeply transformative. For Samantha Kerrod, founder of The Mum Pod, the challenges of sleepless nights, identity shifts and the overwhelming noise of conflicting advice sparked a determination to find another way. What began as a personal search for gentle, evidence-based support during her own motherhood journey has grown into a business where she supports families with holistic sleep coaching and doula care that prioritises connection and compassion. Whether you’re preparing for birth, surviving on very little sleep or rediscovering who you are as you return to work, Samantha has built the kind of support she wishes had been available to her. Here she talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind The Mum Pod, the challenges she has overcome, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The Passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
The Mum Pod was born from the raw, real and often invisible moments of my own motherhood journey. There was no business plan, just something inside me that said, “There has to be another way” other than cry it out or intermittent crying, checklists and policies, and just going with mainstream media. Becoming a parent rocked my world. Not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. The exhaustion, the sleep deprivation, the identity shift… and the overwhelming noise of advice that didn’t feel right. I have always had the type of personality that questions and wants to find answers, so when I had my first baby at the height of Covid, I found it really hard. So, I started training in sleep and reading all the books by Lyndsey Hookway. When I had my second child, I could feel something burning inside me even more and I went on to train to become a certified doula. I returned to work after that maternity leave still feeling a pull.
I didn’t want to just cope. I wanted to understand what was happening, for both me and my baby. I wanted real evidence. I wanted to feel supported, and to make sense of the changes. That desire became a calling. I trained as a doula and a holistic sleep coach to support other parents through the fog, with evidence-based tools and gentle, attuned care. I built the support I wish I’d had.
The Launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
It began small. With just an online community of mums who were seeking alternatives and who felt lonely during Covid. I started supporting family and friends, sharing what I’d learned – and squeezing client calls into nap times while feeding a baby on my lap and working full-time in marketing. I then decided to take the leap and go all in. I knew this was where I was meant to be, and it felt like a natural transition for me. It was daunting of course, but the fire inside me couldn’t be tamed. I was turning away enquiries and with every one I turned away, I felt this yearning of wanting to support them more than returning to my 9-5. So, I started with 1:1 sleep support and doula services, but my focus was always on the emotional side of parenting too, not just the checklists and routines. I am now almost done with my OCN Level 6 Holistic Sleep Coaching Programme with Lyndsey Hookway.
As word spread, families started coming to me for a different kind of support: one that respected their intuition, their baby’s needs and the emotional complexities of new parenthood. I let the business grow organically, always led by connection, trust and compassion.
The Innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for your business?
The real turning point came when I recognised that families didn’t just need information; they needed companionship. In a world full of downloadable schedules and quick fixes, parents were craving something deeper: someone who could walk alongside them in the messy, emotional, beautiful parts of early parenting.
That insight led me to shift from one-off sleep consults to more immersive, wraparound packages that offer real-time support, flexibility and compassion. I moved away from prescriptive “sleep training” and toward gentle, holistic guidance that centres both the child and the parent’s wellbeing.
It changed everything, for the families I work with, and for me.
Since making that change, I’ve been fully booked in my first month of launching and am now heading into a packed summer schedule. It’s been incredible to see just how many families are actively seeking support that doesn’t feel rigid or clinical, but human, responsive and deeply personalised.
The breakthrough wasn’t just in my business model either. It was in redefining what sleep support can look like: collaborative, emotionally attuned and rooted in trust as well as evidence.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Honestly? It’s an ongoing juggle. I’m married to a professional athlete, often away for work, and we’re raising two young children far from family support. Which means boundaries are essential, and flexibility is non-negotiable.
I set working blocks, protect family time (most of the time!), and lean heavily on systems and my own village. I’ve learned to give myself permission to shift priorities depending on the season. It’s not perfect, but it’s honest.
