About this episode

Fay Reid discusses her experiences with menopause, childlessness, and strength training.

Our guest for this episode is the brilliant and hilarious Fay Reid, known on Instagram as  @9to5menopause . We talk about her experience of entering perimenopause at 45. She discusses the stigma that she feels exists within the Black community around the topic, how she built up the courage to speak out, and what happened when she did.  Fay also tells us about her attempts to have a child, and the grief and acceptance that followed. She shares the top three things she wishes she'd known at the start of her journey, and reveals the benefits of being menopausal - yes, there are some! There's a bit of chat about strength training, and of course, we end with Scummy Mummy Confessions.  Follow Fay  @9to5menopause  and visit  fayreid.com  for more.  We are back on tour in 2026! Many venues are already selling out so get in quick!  See you soon Hexham, Alnwick, and Darlington. In February we're coming to Northampton, Cirencester and Hertford.  Then in March it's Manchester, Kent and our SCOTTISH TOUR! See you soon Edinburgh, Dundee, and Glasgow! WE HAVE A SHOP! Visit  scummymummies.com  for our ace t-shirts, mugs, and…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ellie Gibson, Helen Thorn

Guest: Fay Reid

Topics covered

• menopause
• parenting
• strength training
• grief
• acceptance

Keywords

• menopause
• perimenopause
• Black community
• strength training
• parenting

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: @9to5menopause, fayreid.com, scummymummiesshop.com

More episodes of The Scummy Mummies Podcast

• 334: People pleasing, sex, and Giles Brandreth, with Bryony Gordon · April 21, 2026 · 55 min
• 333: How to sleep better with Lorna MacDonald · April 7, 2026 · 56 min
• 332: Just the Two of Us - Helen's New Book! · March 24, 2026 · 44 min
• 331: Cariad Lloyd on grief, writing, and problematic face painting · March 9, 2026 · 46 min
• 330: Confessions special: cats, gynaecologists, and Sky broadband engineers · February 24, 2026 · 31 min
• 329: How to stop feeling so bloody old with Kate Rowe-Ham · February 9, 2026 · 51 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Scummy Mummies Podcast podcast page.