Matt Dearsley: Baby Loss, Bereaved Dads and Life in the Met Police

Matt shares the devastating reality of losing Harry and Daisy, alongside the other pregnancy losses experienced by him and his wife, Lauren. He talks about hearing the words “there’s no heartbeat”, supporting Lauren as she delivered their babies, explaining loss to their children and reaching a point where he struggled to recognise himself.

He also explains why many grieving dads remain silent, why he would cry alone in his car and how joining a football team for bereaved fathers helped to save his life. That experience eventually led to Dad’s Still Standing—a podcast providing honest, practical and sometimes funny support for dads and families affected by baby loss.

The conversation then turns to Matt’s policing career: being robbed at gunpoint as a teenager, joining the Metropolitan Police at 19, facing a meat cleaver during his first arrest and working across CID, Trident and proactive policing. Matt also reflects on grief within the workplace and how policing has changed during his career.

This is a powerful conversation about surviving experiences you never chose, finding a way to live alongside grief and creating something meaningful from unimaginable loss.

Please be aware that this episode contains detailed discussion of miscarriage, baby loss, pregnancy loss and childbirth following loss.

Listen to Dad’s Still Standing wherever you get your podcasts.

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