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Space; Gillian Clarke; Vaginal seeding; Old diaries

Dr Wanda Austin, CEO of Aerospace Corporation and Gillian Clarke, National Poet of Wales. Plus how a baby's birth may affect its future health, and reading someone else's diary.

As she prepares to stand down after eight years as the National Poet of Wales, Gillian Clarke performs live for Woman's Hour and talks to Jenni about the publication of selected poems from her ten collections.

'Microbirthing' or 'Vaginal Seeding' - giving babies a swab of vaginal fluid after they have been born by caesarean - is said to be gaining popularity. It apparently helps the baby's immune system. Jenni talks to Toni Harman, author of 'The Microbiome Effect' and Dr Eimear Brannigan, consultant in infectious diseases and infection prevention at Charing Cross Hospital, London about how your baby's birth MAY have an impact on their future health.

Dr Wanda Austin, CEO of the Aerospace Corporation, a research centre for the US national security space programme talks to Jenni about her rise to the top, using her background as a black female to promote STEM subjects and her work to manage debris in space.

Diary Dilemmas: What would you do if you found someone else's diary? What if it was written by a much loved deceased parent? Burn it? Dive in and devour from cover to cover? Philosopher, Dr Mahlet Zimeta and writer Elisa Segrave discuss the consequences of reading - or not reading.

Available now

58 minutes

Chapters

  • Gillian Clarke

    National Poet of Wales, Gillian Clarke talks about her work

    Duration: 10:42

  • Vaginal Seeding

    Toni Harman and Eimear Brannigan talk about 'microbirthing'

    Duration: 09:18

  • Wanda Austin

    The CEO of the Aerospace Corporation talks about promoting STEM subjects to girls

    Duration: 10:35

  • Diary Dilemmas: What would you do if you found someone else's diary?

    Mahlet Zimeta and Elisa Segrave discuss the consequences of reading someone's diary

    Duration: 11:38

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jenni Murray
Interviewed Guest Gillian Clarke
Interviewed Guest Wanda Austin
Interviewed Guest Mahlet Zimeta
Interviewed Guest Elisa Segrave
Interviewed Guest Eimear Brannigan

Broadcast

  • Thu 12 May 2016 10:00

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