Mom & Mind Podcast | Postpartum | Birth | Pregnancy | Maternal Mental Health |

Our conversation today is on the recent FDA panel about the safety of antidepressants during pregnancy—and all the ways the panel got it wrong. It’s not just about wrong information, but it’s about the harm that wrong information does to people in the perinatal period. Join us to learn more about why this information from the FDA is so dangerous to women.  Dr. Catherine Birndorf is a reproductive psychiatrist and the CEO, founder, and medical director of The Motherhood Center of New York. Dr. Birndorf is a founding director of the Payne Whitney Women’s Program at Weill Cornell Medical Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where she is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry. A graduate of Smith College, Dr. Birndorf attended Brown University Medical School and did her psychiatry residency at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. For 10 years, Dr. Birndorf was a regular mental health columnist for Self Magazine and appeared on numerous television programs, including the Today Show, Good Morning America, MS

Today, I’m bringing you the second part of my 2 am Pep Talk. This time, I’m really focusing on supporting new parents, especially those of you who might be feeling anxious, lonely, or dealing with those tough, intrusive thoughts that can pop up during pregnancy or after having a baby. I know those quiet, late-night hours can make everything feel even more overwhelming, and I want you to know you’re not alone in that. I’m discussing setting aside “worry time” to help manage anxious thoughts, using thought labeling to get some distance from those worries, practicing grounding exercises to stay present, and I even guide you through a relaxing body scan technique to help calm both your mind and body. Your feelings are valid, and there are fundamental, actionable strategies you can use to navigate the ups and downs of perinatal mental health. Tune in to hear more! Show Highlights: Emotional challenges faced by new parents during pregnancy and after childbirth Feelings of loneliness, anxiety, intrusiv

Maternal rage is, unfortunately, more common than we want to think. The worst part is that not many people are talking about it, which only adds to the stigma and misunderstanding. New mothers are led to believe that they shouldn’t feel rage and anger, and they are shamed when they do. We are uncovering maternal rage, exploring how and why it manifests, and what can be done about it. Join us to learn more! Nicole McNelis is a licensed mental health therapist and a specialist in perinatal mental health counseling. She is the founder of an award-winning counseling private practice in the suburbs of Philadelphia, where she resides with her family. She has been featured as a mental health expert in print publications, online media, books, and podcasts, and she serves as a subject matter expert and conference presenter for Postpartum Support International. Nicole is passionate about serving the perinatal mental health community through life transitions, big and small.  Show Highlights: Understanding materna

This episode explores how doulas integrate themselves into the healthcare system to enhance outcomes for mothers, families, and babies. There are countless benefits to hiring a doula to improve the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience. Join us to learn more! HeHe Stewart is a leading childbirth educator, advocate, and maternity care reform expert. With a master’s in human development and over a decade of experience, she empowers families with evidence-based birth prep, informed decision-making, and postpartum readiness. She is a fierce advocate for informed consent, reducing unnecessary interventions, and ensuring patient autonomy in birth. Beyond working with families, HeHe is actively involved in legislative efforts to improve women’s health policies and expand access to midwifery care. She works to reform maternity care by advocating for patient rights, increased birth options, and improved mental health outcomes. As the host of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe interviews leading experts in women’s h

We are starting something different today that will carry through the next few Behind the Sessions episodes. I’m tackling those “middle-of-the-night” feelings during pregnancy and the postpartum. Nighttime can bring feelings of dread and loneliness that mothers experience as a heaviness, and all of this can magnify and intensify any perinatal mood and anxiety disorders to make life very challenging for a sleep-deprived parent. You are not alone, and there is a whole community of people experiencing the same things. Think of these subsequent few sessions as your “2 am pep talk.” Join me now! Show Highlights: The importance of connection Sleep deprivation makes everything darker. You may feel like you’re doing everything wrong. You are doing a LOT while giving love and care to your baby. You aren’t a bad mother if you don’t LOVE middle-of-the-night care. Don’t judge yourself because of how you feel at 2 am. The next few episodes will include coping skills for the middle

Today’s episode brings you interesting insights into the connection between sleep and temperament. We dig into the science and psychology behind why it is harder for some babies to settle into sleep—and the connection to their overall temperament. Join us to learn more about this fascinating topic. Macall Gordon is a researcher, speaker, and author specializing in the link between temperament and sleep, especially as it relates to sleep training advice. Her master’s degree in applied psychology is from Antioch University, and her B.S. degree in human biology is from Stanford. She is a certified Gentle Sleep Coach and has worked with thousands of parents of alert, sensitive, intense children. Issues with her own two children and feeling that she hadn’t slept for 18 years have influenced her focus on this work. Her book is Why Won't You Sleep?! A Game-Changing Approach for Exhausted Parents of Nonstop, Super Alert, Big Feeling Kids. Show Highlights: Temperament: When does this form in a baby? Manag

Today’s topic is maternal near-miss. If that term is unfamiliar, please join us to learn more about this perinatal scenario that profoundly impacts many birthing people, their partners, and the future of their mental health, marriages, and families. Our guest shares her professional expertise and her personal experience with navigating pregnancy loss, postpartum hemorrhage, and postpartum anxiety. Since this is an intense topic, please judge for yourself whether you are ready to listen.  Tiffany Lowther is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida. She owns Lowther Counseling Services and is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Perinatal Mental Health. She specializes in supporting adults through pregnancy and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, along with trauma and PTSD related to pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum.  Show Highlights: Tiffany’s journey leading to her specialization in perinatal mental health Explaining maternal near-miss: a life-threaten

In today’s episode, I want to discuss the feeling many people have that “something’s not right,” but they may not have the words to articulate exactly what it is. That feeling can come during pregnancy or postpartum, and it can follow a loss or a grueling infertility journey. For the most part, when people don’t feel like themselves, they don’t have the language to express that they might have a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. They may even internalize their feelings in extreme isolation and conclude that they are just “a bad parent.” I’m talking today about why people need space for their feelings, and above all, why they deserve to feel seen and heard. Join me! Show Highlights: Signs and symptoms of a mom who is suffering Be curious in your support of a new mom. Giving space for feelings and making someone feel seen and heard can make a HUGE difference. Examples of validating responses and resources that can be very helpful People have been dismissed and had their feelin

“I have to stop taking my mental health medications during pregnancy, right?” This question is a common one for pregnant moms, and the answer might surprise you. There are many misconceptions about medications during pregnancy, especially those for mental health conditions. Many moms have been misinformed about their available options, and today’s expert guest is here to set the record straight. If you are suffering from mental health conditions and are newly pregnant, it is essential to know your options. Join us to learn the risks and benefits of medications, what to look for in a provider who meets your needs, and much more.  Dr. Stacy Stuart is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who obtained her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Auburn University and is currently in private practice, contracting with Revival Psychiatry in Athens, AL. She is married to her husband, Will, and is the proud mom of two kids, ages 8 and 6. In her free time, Dr. Stacy enjoys watching football, c

Today’s episode covers infertility and its impacts on a couple. We recognize that these challenges can be stressful on a relationship, and our goal is to provide as much support as possible to couples facing these scenarios. Join us to learn more! Rebecca Reddin is a psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, and certified perinatal mental health specialist with Postpartum Support International. She runs a private practice, Mindful Roots Counseling, and has worked for 15 years with individuals and couples within the tender transition to parenthood. She is the founder of The Perinatal Mental Health Institute, which provides education and training around mental health challenges to perinatal providers worldwide. Rebecca is a member of The Irish Fertility Counsellors Association and has specialized training in the unique impact of infertility and fertility challenges on relationship dynamics, believing that this is an essential part of perinatal work. She is a board member of the Psychological Societ

One goal of this podcast is to shed light on aspects of our self-perception that have been in the shadows. Moms often feel shamed and judgmental about discussing their feelings, and they frequently believe they are alone in their experiences. Therapy can be very helpful for a parent who feels overwhelmed and overloaded, because talking about issues helps develop coping skills to navigate their imperfect lives as they allow the healing process to begin. The pressure to “know everything” in motherhood can weigh a new mother down, especially if their mother instincts aren’t kicking in. There needs to be a greater understanding and compassion for mothers facing this challenge. Let’s unpack this topic in today’s episode. Show Highlights: Common socializations around motherhood and the mother instinct Pressures are NOT truths!  Events in our lives can greatly affect our mother instinct. Blanket generalizations about mother instincts are unfair. What we are leaving out is the mother’s F

Today’s guest tells her story of birth trauma, postpartum preeclampsia, and how therapy helped her to process her emotions. I’m thrilled to have Courtney here to share her story and how she is helping other moms. Join us! Courtney Costello is a licensed master’s social worker with nearly 15 years of experience in the field. She worked predominantly with families and children before having her son in 2023, when she became personally and professionally passionate about maternal well-being and mental health. After going to therapy for her own postpartum challenges (birth trauma and PTSD), she was inspired to be more of a support for others in the perinatal period. Combining her education and lived experience, Courtney now works as a perinatal mental health counselor in Buffalo, NY. In addition, she runs an online maternal mental health training for other clinicians who are interested in learning more about supporting mothers. This year, Courtney is acting as a co-leader for Buffalo’s local Climb through Postpar

Today’s episode focuses on patients who receive devastating news during the perinatal period. Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common, and complexities are affecting both the patient and the medical provider, most notably the delicate balance of professionalism, compassion, and humanity. Our conversation explores the psychological impacts and ways of handling these situations.  Dr. Christiane Manzella is a senior licensed psychologist at the Seleni Institute, a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive reproductive and maternal mental health services. She specializes in working with individuals navigating bereavement, trauma, fertility challenges, miscarriages, late-term loss, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons, child loss, and life transitions. Her purposeful and caring manner helps her patients recover and navigate these complex situations.  Dr. Babalola (Femi) Jinadu is a board-certified OB-GYN with over a decade of experience in women’s health. He earned his medical degree from the

You may think that postpartum depression covers all aspects of perinatal mental health issues that new mothers face. The fact is that there are other kinds of mood changes, some that are talked about and some that are relatively unknown and uncommon. Today’s show focuses on one specific problem that some mothers experience: it’s called D-Mer, which stands for Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex.  Heidi Koss, MA, LMHC, is a psychotherapist in private practice in Redmond, WA. She specializes in perinatal (pregnancy and postpartum) mood disorders, birth trauma, sexual abuse, and parent adjustment issues. Heidi has been the WA State Coordinator for Postpartum Support International ⁠www.postpartum.net⁠, and has volunteered for over 20 years with Perinatal Support Washington ⁠www.perinatalsupport.org⁠. She served as past board member for PATTCh – the Prevention and Treatment of Traumatic Childbirth, ⁠www.pattch.org⁠. Heidi is active leading trainings for clinicians on appropriate assessment and treatment options for pe

Today’s guest returns to the podcast with her passion for perinatal mental health, and I’m honored to share our conversation with you about her work and her new book, which offers holistic and realistic support for new parents. We cover topics related to birth and postpartum with her real and honest perspective as an Ob/Gyn. Join us! Dr. Jessica Vernon, PMH-C, is a board-certified OB/GYN who has cared for and supported thousands of people throughout their reproductive journeys during the past 15 years. She is the Associate Medical Director and the Director of Mental Health at Oula, a midwifery-based women’s health startup in New York City. As a mom of two, she brings her lived experience in the transition to parenthood to her work, along with a deep passion for providing holistic, people-centered, culturally humble care. Dr. Jessica has developed programs to increase access to perinatal mental health care and improve health equity. She has received professional recognition and been quoted in the media for he

Today’s guest is sharing her story as a survivor of postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and birth trauma caused by random placental abruption. She is also a NICU mama who learned to balance parenting with the start of her psychotherapy practice to bring therapy to a rural area. Her story has multi-faceted, beautiful parts, and we are honored to have her here. Beth Partain is a licensed clinical social worker and the mother of three beautiful children. She founded Flourish Counseling and Consulting in 2020 to empower women and bring specialized perinatal expertise to an area where it was previously inaccessible. Her passion stemmed from her experience with the local hospital as she struggled through PPD, PPA, and birth/NICU trauma. Beth is the first mental health provider in Owensboro, KY, and the western Kentucky area to have a perinatal mental health certification. She serves on the new Maternal Health Council at her hospital and is a Blue Dot Ambassador, working in advocacy with the Maternal Mental

Today’s episode explores a crucial topic that warrants our attention. We are discussing the after-effects of postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and perinatal mental health conditions. The lingering sense of guilt, sadness, regret, grief, anger, and frustration comes as a result of feeling that you weren’t present during the postpartum time. How much time does it take to “make up” for that time that you felt disconnected and anything but joyful about motherhood? Do you feel that you missed important milestones in your baby’s life? All of these are important questions that many mothers wrestle with in a constant mental battle. Let’s take a closer look. Show Highlights: Where does the unreasonable pressure come from? Are you punishing yourself? The truth: You WERE there in all the ways you could manage at the time. You do acts of love and caring, even if you don’t feel like doing them. What you need now is what you needed then: compassion, support, and loving thoughts.

We are hearing Alyssa’s story in today’s episode. She shares her experience with postpartum anxiety, depression, and OCD, as well as her lifelong battle for mental health. We’ve discussed many times on the podcast that a history of mental health issues is a significant risk factor for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Because Alyssa did not get the help she needed when she needed it most, she has become a passionate advocate and supporter of other moms and families facing these issues.  Alyssa Verge is a 31-year-old mom of a two-year-old and the stepmom of an eight-year-old. After her child was born, she was diagnosed with postpartum depression and anxiety and eventually with postpartum OCD. She’s passionate about mental health and healing generational trauma.  Show Highlights: The birth story of Alyssa’s son, when she felt the “baby blues” immediately after his birth Being told everything she was feeling was “normal,” even though she was sincere and open about her experience Alyssa’s h

Today’s topic is all things matrescence as we look at the book, Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage. We will discuss the process of matrescence and the developmental steps that many people do not understand. Join us to learn more! Jessie Harrold is a coach and doula who has been supporting women through radical life transformations and other rites of passage for over 15 years. She works one-on-one with women and mothers to facilitate mentorship programs, women’s circles, rituals, retreats, and nature-based experiences. Jessie is the author of Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage and Project Body Love: my quest to love my body and the surprising truth I found instead. She also hosts The Becoming Podcast. Jessie lives on the east coast of Canada, where she raises her two children, writes, and tends the land. Show Highlights: What is matrescence? Comparisons between matrescence and adolescence (both transitions are processes that take time) Jessie’s model

The end of the school year and the transition to summer bring different types of mental load for parents. There is a shift in schedule, priorities, and what you’re thinking about each day, and there can be more to manage, especially for the default parent who usually takes care of everything. It’s a different type of stress, but it is stress nonetheless. There can be a wide variance in the load you carry, depending on your partner and other supports you have in place. We must acknowledge that the mental load is an invisible load yet a significant burden; it’s a labor of thinking, remembering, organizing, and planning that keeps the family and household running smoothly. It can all be overwhelming! Join me in today’s episode for a closer look. Show Highlights: The constant hum in your mind of all that needs to be done The potential for contention between parents in remembering ALL the details (along with anxiety, depression, and disconnection) Remember that two things can be true at the same