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Postpartum University® Podcast

Advertise on podcast: Postpartum University® Podcast

Rating
★★★★★
4.9
from
54 reviews
This podcast has
252 episodes
Language
English
Date created
2021/04/12
Latest episode
2026/01/13
Average duration
32 min.
Release period
8 days

Description

Top-Ranked Podcast for Postpartum Care Providers in Nutrition + Holistic Care The current postpartum care model is failing—leaving countless mothers facing postpartum depression, anxiety, hormonal imbalances, and autoimmune issues. For providers, the call is clear: advanced, root-cause care is essential to real healing. The Postpartum University® Podcast is the trusted resource for professionals committed to elevating postpartum support. Hosted by Maranda Bower—a medical researcher, author, mom of 4, and the founder of Postpartum University®—each episode delivers powerful insights into functional nutrition, hormonal health, and holistic practices for treating postpartum issues at the root. This podcast bridges the gaps left by Western medical education, empowering providers to support their clients with individualized, science-backed, and traditional-aligned solutions. Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive insights, resources, and tools to revolutionize your impact in postpartum wellness and functional nutrition: www.PostpartumU.com/Subscribe. 

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Check latest episodes from Postpartum University® Podcast podcast


The End of the Postpartum University® Podcast + What's Next EP 250
2026/01/13
Send us Fan Mail This isn’t a farewell, it’s an evolution. Let’s be honest, if you’re listening to this podcast, you know basic postpartum protocols are falling short for clients battling postpartum depression, PPA, and autoimmune conditions, which is why we aren’t quitting, we’re going deeper in a different way.  Maranda is pausing the podcast because the weekly format became a cage, limiting the essential unconstrained research and complex arguments needed for deep root-cause analysis. She's making a deliberate shift to a long-form writing platform dedicated to giving you what you really need: comprehensive functional health frameworks and searchable, in-depth holistic maternal health resources. If you're ready to stop relying on surface-level fixes and access the next level of dignified, research-based postpartum provider education that truly heals, the revolution is about to unfold. Check out this episode on the blog HERE.  Key time stamps:  0:15: Acknowledging the failing care system and the urgent need for holistic root cause care.2:00: The podcast format is too limited for sharing complex health arguments.4:00: Why long-form writing offers superior depth and unconstrained research.5:30: The shift to a new, searchable writing platform for comprehensive resources.7:15: The continued growth of postpartum nutrition certification and perinatal mental health training.8:30: The final, crucial message: Question everything and trust the mother's body knowledge. NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
How Fertility Impacts Postpartum | Gabriela Rosa EP 249
2026/01/06
Send us Fan Mail That years-long struggle to conceive doesn't disappear when the baby arrives—it becomes the root cause of challenging postpartum recovery. Fertility specialist Gabriela Rosa is here to expose the devastating link between unresolved fertility trauma and intense perinatal mental health struggles. . We dive deep into the physiological and emotional barriers, highlighting the profound impact of pre-conception health and the shocking reality that the male factor accounts for up to 50% of fertility issues, yet remains frequently ignored. Learn how to shift focus from treating symptoms like postpartum anxiety to addressing the arduous, traumatizing path to pregnancy for true holistic family healing. Check out the episode on the blog HERE.  Key time stamps:  04:15: The unresolved trauma of infertility and how it fuels guilt and resentment in the fourth trimester.09:32: Need for trauma-informed perinatal mental health for previously infertile mothers.10:19: Infertility is never "one thing" but systemic, biochemical obstacles.14:27: The concept of transgenerational fertility and lifetime exposures.16:00: Endocrine disruptors and their impact on reproductive lifespan.19:00: Why miscarriages are common but not normal—a call for root-cause investigation.25:52: The critical need to address male factor infertility 27:10: How Gabriela Rosa achieved a 78.8% live birth rate by treating both partners.30:45: The conflicting interests in the healthcare system that promote IVF overuse over prevention.35:18: The massive cost savings of implementing preventative medicine in the perinatal period.36:44: Inspire Study for reproductive grief and trauma.Connect with Gabriela  Gabriela Rosa is a renowned fertility specialist, reproductive health educator, and Harvard University-awarded scholar. She is the founder and CEO of The Rosa Institute, the world's first virtual and holistic fertility clinic, serving patients globally. Gabriela's innovative methodology addresses biochemical obstacles to help couples overcome infertility and recurrent miscarriages. With her team, she has educated over 140,000 couples in more than 110 countries. She also hosts the TalkSex with Gabriela Rosa podcast. For more information, visit www.fertilitybreakthrough.com. Website | IG NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
The Warming Foods Principle - Ancient Wisdom Modern Science Finally Proves EP 248
2025/12/30
Send us Fan Mail The truth is out: If your clients are struggling with slow healing, relentless fatigue, or impaired milk production, the cold food in their diet is the root cause. For generations, reductionist nutrition dismissed the ancient, global wisdom of warming foods as mere cultural folklore. They were wrong. This episode is your urgent intervention, proving with hard science that ice water and cold cereal actively deplete the new mother's energy reserves, fueling everything from anxiety to postpartum depression. Maranda dives into the non-negotiable physiology—from digestive enzyme function to nervous system regulation—that proves traditional postpartum care systems (like TCM and Ayurveda) understood holistic health far better than modern medicine. Discover the concrete, scientific mechanisms that validate the Warming Foods Principle and learn how to integrate this critical postpartum nutrition strategy immediately, giving your clients the rapid, foundational recovery they deserve. It's time to stop letting modern convenience trump functional healing! Check out the episode on the blog HERE.  Key time stamps:  00:30: The universal consensus: Traditional postpartum care systems across the globe mandate warm foods.04:15: Examples from TCM, Ayurveda, Latin American, African, and European traditions.11:47: Why modern medicine dismissed this ancient wisdom as superstition (reductionism, male-dominated science).19:50: Physiological mechanism 1: Cold food impairs digestive enzyme function at 98.6°F.21:20: Physiological mechanism 2: Cold causes vasoconstriction, impairing blood flow and nutrient absorption.23:45: Physiological mechanism 3: Cold forces metabolic energy expenditure (thermogenesis) the mother can't afford.26:38: Physiological mechanism 4: Cold activates sympathetic "fight or flight," warm supports parasympathetic "rest and digest."29:10: The role of warming spices (ginger, cinnamon, turmeric) in promoting gastric secretions.31:45: The link between warm foods, optimal blood flow, and robust milk production.34:23: Addressing objections: Hot climates and the difference between "refreshing" and "beneficial."36:50: The power of the Three Pillars of Knowledge (Science, Stories, Practice) for optimal perinatal health education.NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
Postpartum Anxiety: Why Traditional Screening Misses the Identity Crisis | Carley Schweet EP 247
2025/12/23
Send us Fan Mail When your clients say they're "drowning" or they "can't trust themselves," we can't just chalk it up to a simple chemical imbalance. We have to get real about postpartum anxiety (PPA). The clinical model, with its standard screening tools like the Edinburgh scale, is missing the deeper, unrecognized crisis of identity and boundaries that fuels so much of the mental load and perinatal mental health struggle. Carley Schweet joins Maranda us today to share her own journey through undiagnosed PPA and the profound psychological and neurological rewiring that happens in the mother's brain. They talk about radical self-care, the power of reconnecting with maternal intuition, and how setting and honoring boundaries is the key to moving from feeling "not enough" to thriving in motherhood. This conversation is your key to recognizing the subtle, yet debilitating, non-clinical signs of PPA and giving your clients permission to choose differently so they can heal at the root. Check out this episode on the blog HERE:  Key time stamps:  01:47 Carley's personal struggle with undiagnosed postpartum anxiety 02:56 The  fear of losing a child that silences mothers & mental health. 03:40 The creation of Hello Postpartum gift boxes to honor the mother07:12 Standard clinical scales miss the identity shift and deeper trauma. 08:25 Postpartum anxiety can start 3+ years after birth. 09:48 Carley's coaching background + boundaries and people-pleasing. 11:13 Motherhood as a mirror for untrue narratives and lack of self-care. 13:53 The challenge of boundary setting is a consistent theme16:14 Psychological and neurological rewiring in the mother's brain 17:21 The biggest hormonal drop occurs after the placenta detaches. 17:40 The power of giving yourself permission to choose differently 19:36 How Chat GPT and AI contribute to intuitive disconnection 21:52 The daily practice of disconnection Connect with Carley:   In 2020, Carley founded Hello Postpartum, a platform dedicated to curating thoughtful gift boxes for new moms while uplifting other women-owned businesses. As a mom of two, published author, entrepreneur, and holistic self-care coach, Carley brings a passionate and intentional perspective to all she does. She currently lives outside of Seattle, where she runs her business and enjoys life with her family.   Website | IG  NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
The Fiber Paradox: Why Raw Veggies and High-Fiber Foods Sabotage Postpartum Recovery EP 246
2025/12/16
Send us Fan Mail Let's expose the standard advice that is making new mothers miserable: the push for high-fiber, raw fruits and vegetables immediately postpartum. It sounds healthy, but it's the root cause of crippling postpartum bloating, gas, and poor nutrient absorption! Get ready for a physiological truth: the postpartum digestive system is temporarily compromised. Loading it with complex plant matter is sabotage. You'll uncover the ancient wisdom of traditional cultures (Chinese, Ayurvedic) that prioritized warm, cooked, easily digestible foods for thousands of years. This episode is your guide to strategic postpartum nutrition that maximizes healing and finally ends the cycle of depletion and discomfort. Check out this episode on the blog HERE.  Key time stamps:  02:50: Why the postpartum digestive system is temporarily compromised.04:05: The body prioritizes critical healing over complex digestion. 05:40: Traditional cultures prioritize warm, cooked, easily digestible foods. 07:15: Why cold, raw foods dampen the digestive "fire." 08:20: The flaw in modern nutrition: ignoring digestibility and absorption. 08:50: Fiber requires significant digestive capacity the postpartum body lacks. 10:10: How high-fiber foods cause bloating, gas, and inflammation in a compromised gut. 11:00: Raw vegetables are problematic: they require high energy and are "cooling." 12:50: The benefits of cooking: increased nutrient bioavailability and reduced anti-nutrients. 13:30: The real causes of postpartum constipation (hormones, fear, magnesium deficiency). 14:55: How high fiber impairs nutrient absorption (binding effect) for depleted mothers. 16:00: The correct progression: simple/cooked → complex/raw. 17:00: Immediate relief: Switching to cooked, warm food resolves bloating in days. 17:55: The importance of respecting digestive capacity and natural progression.NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
The Problem with Obstetrics and How it's Failing Mothers with Dr. Stuart Fischbein EP 245
2025/12/09
Send us Fan Mail Postpartum providers, the PPD and exhaustion your clients face are direct outcomes of the medicalized birth model. Renowned OB-turned-advocate Dr. Stu Fischbein joins us to expose why standard practices (like the "six-week checkup") create pervasive obstetrical trauma. This episode cuts through the noise to reveal the root cause of the postpartum crisis and shows you how to fight for the holistic care your clients deserve. Check out this episode on the blog HERE Key time stamps:  01:44: Dr. Stu's unique perspective: 28 years in hospital OB vs. 12+ years in home birth04:52: OB residency teaches providers to view pregnancy as an illness08:00: The hospital model is designed for efficiency and profit11:48: The "see you in six weeks" model is driven by financial reimbursement15:04: The medical system separates mother and baby as two entities20:50: The economic and societal benefit of paid parental leave23:44: subsidizing midwifery care for a year is an important social change26:40: Why women must not abdicate responsibility for their birth care29:44: Obstetrical abuse behaviors are similar to domestic abuse35:07: Obstetrical trauma makes postpartum recovery more difficult. 38:40: cognitive dissonance that prevents doctors from seeing the problem. 44:45: Why families cannot rely on the system for postpartum support. 46:00: The critical role of the husband in defending the mother48:38: Why medicine ignores what it can't quantify or bill for 50:40: The danger of licensing doulas and regulating quality. 54:17: Why midwifery schools are becoming medicalized Connect with Dr. Stu Stuart James Fischbein MD is a published author of the book “Fearless Pregnancy, Wisdom & Reassurance from a Doctor, A Midwife and A Mom” and peer-reviewed papers Homebirth with an Obstetrician, A Series of 135 Out of Hospital Births, Breech Birth at Home and Twin Home Birth. He spent 28 years assisting women with hospital birthing and, then for the next 12+ years, was a homebirth obstetrician who worked directly with midwives.  He now lectures globally, advocating for informed consent and reteaching breech & twin birth skills. Host of the weekly Birthing Instincts Podcast with Blyss Young. Website | IG  NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
The 300-500 Calorie Myth - Why Standard Postpartum Nutrition Advice Is Starving Mothers EP 244
2025/12/02
Send us Fan Mail  Stop Starving Postpartum Mothers: The Dangerous Lie of the 300-500 Calorie Postpartum Diet Recommendation The 300-500 calorie recommendation for breastfeeding?  It's fundamentally flawed, based on decades-old data scaled down from men, and is actively keeping postpartum mothers nutritionally depleted. Maranda is exposing this colossal gap in maternal health. Learn the real metabolic demands of healing, the truth about nutrient depletion, and the 1100–1600 extra calories needed for holistic recovery. This is the key to unlocking lasting solutions for your clients struggling with exhaustion and mood disorders. Check out this episode on the blog HERE: https://postpartumu.com/podcast/the-300-500-calorie-myth-why-standard-postpartum-nutrition-advice-is-starving-mothers-ep-244/ Key time stamps:  02:12: Defining the 300-500 calorie myth and its inadequate nature.03:45: The shocking history: RDAs based on male bodies, not women.06:40: The massive nutrient depletion caused by pregnancy and birth.08:15: Milk production costs 500-700 calories—consuming the entire recommendation.09:30: Energetic demands: Tissue healing, blood rebuilding, hormone recalibration.10:18: The shocking truth: Moms need 1100–1600 extra calories a day.11:55: The focus of current science is accommodating weight loss, not healing.13:00: 80% of postpartum women are depleted in key nutrients.14:50: Why the body literally cannibalizes bones and teeth for milk.16:30: The solution: Focusing on nutrients, not just calories.17:00: Protein needed: 80 to 120 grams per day for tissue repair.17:55: Importance of therapeutic micronutrients (beyond RDA levels).18:40: The damaging effect of calorie restriction on postpartum hunger signals.19:50: Restricting calories triggers a stress response and leads to weight retention.20:45: The myth that breastfeeding guarantees automatic weight loss.21:40: Prolactin, the lactation hormone, triggers fat storage—it's protective.22:30: The 300-500 calorie recommendation needs to die. NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
The War on Women's Language with Milli Hill EP 243
2025/11/25
Send us Fan Mail If you feel like you & your clients are losing a battle, you need to listen. Journalist and activist Milli Hill  connects the dots on how the industrialized assault on female health is a unified war on women's autonomy. Milli connects the industrialized assault on female health to the rise of PPD and birth trauma. We expose the truth your perinatal mental health clients face: how ultra-processed food, profit-driven medicalization of childbirth, and sex-based language erasure attack the biological reality of motherhood.  Check out the episode on the blog HERE: https://postpartumu.com/podcast/the-war-on-womens-language-with-milli-hill-ep-243/ Key time stamps:  02:20 Ultra-Processed Women Why changing diet is a radical act of resistance04:45 Disconnection from nature and the body as a systemic issues09:06 The link between industrialization, profit, and the patriarchal control over women's bodies12:11 Why the saying "all that matters is a healthy baby" minimizes the woman's birth experience and value14:15 Moms and babies are not fine/ moving away from normalization of struggle16:16 Navigating the debate around sex-based language and cancel culture 25:00 Distinguishing between individual inclusion/pronoun respect and population-level language erasure26:37 The erasure of women in politics and publications creates a new form of censorship28:58 Language war is a men's rights movement aiming to decouple womanhood from female biology31:00 "What About Women?"Connect with Milli Milli Hill is a best-selling author, feminist journalist, and advocate known for reframing the narrative around women's bodies and autonomy in health. She is the author of The Positive Birth Book, Give Birth like a Feminist, and the critically acclaimed Ultra Processed Women. She founded and ran the Positive Birth Movement (2012-2021), a global network focused on improving birth experiences. A leading voice in the debate around sex-based language in maternity care, she writes the popular Substack, WHAT ABOUT WOMEN, which focuses on feminism, sex/gender issues, and the erasure of women from language, alongside her Substack Unprocess (exploring a less processed plate and life). She lives in Somerset with her family. Website | IG | Substack  NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
The 6 Critical Blind Spots of Science That Are Harming Postpartum Moms EP 242
2025/11/18
Send us Fan Mail What if the very foundation of modern care—science alone—is the problem? You see the stats: mothers are drowning in postpartum depression, crippling anxiety, and mysterious autoimmune flare-ups. You're doing the screenings, you're following the standard protocols, but the lasting solutions are elusive. What if the very foundation of modern care—science alone—is the problem? Maranda dives into the six critical limitations of medical science that are actively harming mothers in the fourth trimester. This isn't anti-science; it's a call for a more honest, holistic postpartum health model. This episode exposes the six critical limitations of medical care actively harming the fourth trimester. We break down why relying on RCTs ignores millennia of successful traditional postpartum practices. Discover the Three Pillars of Knowledge for root-cause resolution in perinatal mental health and move beyond symptom management Check out the episode on the blog HERE: https://postpartumu.com/podcast/the-6-critical-blind-spots-of-science-that-are-harming-postpartum-moms-ep-242/ Key time stamps:  04:15: Miranda’s personal story: Dismissed with Zoloft, actually had thyroid dysfunction, gut infection, and severe nutrient deficiencies.09:05: The Three Pillars of Postpartum Knowledge: Science, Women's Stories, and Traditional Practices.11:47: Limitation #1: Science is money-driven and prioritizes patentable solutions over holistic postpartum practices.16:30: Limitation #3: Dismissing millennia of traditional care (like warm, cooked foods) as mere anecdotal evidence.21:20: Limitation #4: Doctors are taught pathology, not how the body actually heals, leading to a focus on pieces instead of the whole.26:38: Limitation #5: The male bias in research and leadership and why women were historically excluded from clinical trials.31:45: Limitation #6: Time lag in policy change—it takes 10-15 years for new evidence to become standard practice.34:23: Clinical Example: Client with "medication-resistant PPD" actually had Hashimoto's and severe B12/Ferritin deficiency.36:50: Call to Action: Believe your client, investigate beyond basic labs, and hold providers accountable for outdated care.40:17: Final thought: Science alone is not enough; we need all three pillars for comprehensive, root-cause postpartum support. NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
The Missing Partner in Postpartum Care: Why Excluding Fathers Harms Maternal Health | Eric Stein EP 241
2025/11/11
Send us Fan Mail As a postpartum provider, you already know the postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression epidemic is real. But we are avoiding a massive blind spot. We’re talking about the missing partner in postpartum care—the fathers.  Eric Stein, co-founder of Restorative Roots (the nationwide postpartum meal delivery service), to dive deep into how sidelining the masculine partner is costing maternal health dearly, often fueling postpartum resentment and a profound lack of safety. This isn't just about making dads feel useful; it’s about functional postpartum recovery and safeguarding the mother's entire well-being. Eric shares his raw journey from an unprepared first-time father to a fully present birth partner and why finding a men’s group was the game-changer for his family's harmony. Learn how, as a provider, you can help your clients' family dynamics and foster genuine holistic postpartum health for both parents. Check out this episode on the blog HERE.  Key time stamps:  01:55: Why most fathers feel unprepared and excluded from postpartum care.02:22: The cost of sidelining partners: increased maternal anxiety and slow progress.03:07: Addressing the guilt of partners who can't take time off work.04:03: Provider tip: Tailor communication to the partner (listener, talker, reader).06:23: Societal pressure and why men feel pushed out of the birth process.08:43: The trap of "robot mode" doing vs. the power of being present.09:48: The missing inter-generational transfer of fatherhood knowledge.10:18: Addressing postpartum resentment when partners are unsupportive.14:30: Defining "masculine leadership" as showing up prepared and confident.15:30: Why partner self-care is mandatory before the baby arrives.20:41: The #1 intervention: Men's support groups for direct, masculine feedback.25:59: Call to action: Providers must create or push men's groups for support.Connect with Eric:  Co-founder of Restorative Roots,  (formerly known as Mama Meals) a nationwide postpartum meal delivery company.  He spent the last 3.5 years growing their business from weekly pickups out of their garage to nationwide direct-to-consumer frozen delivery right to your door. Website  NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
A Functional Approach to Postpartum Intrusive Thoughts vs. Postpartum OCD EP 240
2025/11/04
Send us Fan Mail Let's be real: telling a terrified mom that her horrific intrusive thoughts are "normal" is only half the story, and it's not good enough. This episode is your new essential guide. We're cutting past the surface talk about "scary thoughts" and diving deep into the neuroscience of what's actually going on. Your client's brain is doing a brilliant, protective job being hypervigilant, but then sleep deprivation, nutritional depletion, and chronic stress turn that protection into a panic spiral. We explain exactly how to spot the difference between a normal thought and pathological Postpartum OCD and, most importantly, how to offer root-cause solutions that stop the nervous system from fueling those terrifying images. If you want to move beyond just screening and genuinely help your clients heal, you need to hear this. Check out the episode on the blog HERE Key time stamps:  1:03  Naming the Unspeakable: What Do Postpartum Intrusive Thoughts Really Look Like? 2:34  Why Telling a Mom "It's Normal" Simply Isn't Enough (and Why It's Harmful). 5:57 Maternal Brain Plasticity 101: How Evolution Made the Postpartum Brain Brilliant. 8:18  Hypervigilance, Sympathetic Dominance, and The Postpartum Energy Debt. 10:58  The Spiral: When a Protective Thought Leads to Pathological Anxiety. 14:25 Root Causes Driving Postpartum Nervous System Dysregulation. 17:54 Case Study: Resolving Severe Nighttime Intrusive Thoughts with Nutrition (Ferritin & Labs). 20:22 Case Study: Feeding Anxiety, Blood Sugar Crashes, and Adrenal Support. 22:09 The Critical Distinction: Intrusive Thoughts vs. Postpartum OCD (P-OCD). 25:12 The Whole-Person Assessment Framework for Intrusive Thoughts. 27:08  Layered Interventions That Work: Regulation, Foundations, Trauma, and Support. 29:27 Common Provider Mistakes: Minimizing, Catastrophizing, and Isolating Symptoms. 32:17  Intrusive (Ego-Dystonic) Vs. Psychotic (Ego-Syntonic) Thoughts: Why This Distinction is Life-Saving. 35:17  Partner Education: Helping Support People Provide Help, Not Judgment. 37:47  Building Resilience, Not Symptom Suppression: Long-Term Nervous System Health. NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
Postpartum Gut Health and The Mother-Baby Microbiome | Anu Simh EP 239
2025/10/28
Send us Fan Mail Postpartum providers, let's be direct: Your clients are exhausted, anxious, and let down by the current system. This episode with functional health expert Anu Simh gives you the unfiltered truth about postpartum recovery. We're destroying the "bounce back" myth and focusing on root causes: the massive changes in the mother-baby microbiome, the power of 42 days of rest, and why conventional diet advice is failing. Anu explains why the focus must be on rebuilding health at the root—through strategic nutrition, gut health support, and, most critically, community support. This is a deep-dive into how ancient, holistic care practices backed by modern science provide the lasting solutions for your clients’ lifelong well-being. Check out this episode on the blog HERE: https://postpartumu.com/podcast/postpartum-gut-health-and-the-mother-baby-microbiome-anu-simh-ep-239/ Key time stamps 01:50: Ditch "Bounce Back": Recovery is about rebuilding the body, not a quick fix.05:33: Ancient Wisdom: Universal postpartum care means warming foods and holistic support.09:51: Provider Gap: Mothers seek help elsewhere because doctors miss the gut-microbiome connection.12:00: 42 Days of Rest: It's a non-negotiable functional health window for hormonal and microbial reset.15:40: Fueling Recovery: Good fats and complex carbs are essential for brain function and breastfeeding.18:39: Microbiome Heirloom: The mother's gut changes dramatically, directly impacting the baby's microbial health.22:15: Missing Support: Lack of community connection is a primary driver of maternal stress and poor outcomes.26:28: Resources: Anu's book, Flourish from Within, on optimizing the baby's first three years.Connect with Anu Anu Simh is a Board Certified Functional Health Coach and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She blends her background in organic chemistry, Ayurvedic counseling, and holistic nutrition to guide clients toward vibrant, lasting health. Anu’s work centers on gut health, sleep quality, circadian rhythm, and the brain’s reward system to reduce inflammation, manage cravings, and support sustainable weight loss. Through her Nine Arms of Wellness program, she teaches how to use food as medicine and draws from over 100 dietary theories to support physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.   Website | IG  NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
The Invisible Mental Load - Why Mothers Are Breaking Down EP 238
2025/10/21
Send us Fan Mail Your postpartum clients aren't just "busy"—they're breaking down. Here's the truth your assessments are missing: The invisible mental load is a chronic state of cognitive overload that's hijacking her body.  This isn't a failure of willpower; it's a physiological response to chronic stress that causes everything from unexplained anxiety and low milk supply to pelvic pain and insomnia. Maranda reveals how this unacknowledged cognitive burden triggers the HPA axis, shuts down nervous system regulation, and creates a cascade of physical symptoms. Every postpartum provider—from lactation consultants to functional health experts—must recognize this root cause. Stop treating the symptoms (the fatigue, the rage, the anxiety) and start addressing the overload. Learn the red flags and the Postpartum Restoration Method framework to deliver the lasting solutions your clients desperately need. Check out the episode on the blog HERE: https://postpartumu.com/podcast/the-invisible-mental-load-why-mothers-are-breaking-down-ep-238/ Key time stamps:  1:03 -  Defining The Invisible Mental Load & The Shocking Case of Low Milk Supply3:33 - The Physiology of Cognitive Overload: HPA Axis and Systemic Effects6:53 - Clinical Patterns Providers Miss: The Hyper-Vigilant Manager, Overwhelmed Perfectionist, and Depleted Default Parent9:37 - Pelvic Floor Tension & The Bonding "Disconnection"22:15 - The Red Flags and "Better Questions" for Assessment NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
Making Postpartum Beautiful | Courtney Boylan EP 237
2025/10/14
Send us Fan Mail This episode rips into the postpartum care crisis and why the current system fails new mothers. Maranda hosts Courtney Boylan, founder of Le Lolo, a brand dedicated to transforming sterile, clinical postpartum essentials into beautiful, functional, and empowering tools. Courtney shares her personal struggle with postpartum mental health and the medical-grade narrative that makes women feel "broken." We discuss the deep need for high-quality postpartum accessories and why shifting the focus to the mother's needs first is the only path to true postnatal healing and long-term maternal wellness. This is a bold call for a cultural shift in how we support and value the new mother. Check out this episode on the blog HERE: https://postpartumu.com/podcast/making-postpartum-beautiful-courtney-boylan-ep-237/ Key time stamps:   00:15: Addressing the Postpartum Care Crisis and need for Holistic Solutions. 01:33: Courtney Boylan shares her postpartum mental health struggles and the market gap. 02:37: The birth of Le Lolo: Transforming sterile postpartum essentials into beautiful tools. 04:29: Le Lolo's mission: Products as a physical reminder of a mother's worth and strength. 08:01: The crucial shift: Prioritizing the mother’s needs first for true postnatal recovery. 09:12: The taboo truth: Mother's self-care prevents depletion and resentment. 13:37: Normalizing postpartum products on a baby registry to end shame. 18:18: Why Postpartum Providers must advocate for and educate on essential products. Connect with Courtney  Courtney Boylan is the founder of Le Lolo, a brand dedicated to making postpartum essentials beautiful, functional, and empowering for new moms. Inspired by her own experience as a mom of three, she created Le Lolo to fill a gap in the market—offering stylish, high-quality accessories that remind new moms of their strength, beauty, and worth. With 16 new breastfeeding accessories that just launched, Le Lolo is on a mission to revolutionize and beautify the postpartum market. At its core, the brand is a reminder that self-care and self-love are essential during postpartum—because no one is more deserving of beautiful accessories than a new mom. Website | IG  NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals
When It's Not Depression - Misdiagnosed Mental Health in Postpartum EP 236
2025/10/07
Send us Fan Mail There is a massive blind spot in perinatal mental health: the failure to investigate root causes. This episode is a fierce wake-up call.  Postpartum professionals, stop watching new moms get a PPD/PPA label when their body is screaming for help. That crippling fatigue, brain fog, and anxiety is often a symptom of profound physiological imbalance, not just a psychiatric one. We’re exposing the epidemic of undiagnosed medical conditions—like Hashimoto's, severe iron deficiency, and B12 depletion—that mimic PPD. If you want lasting solutions and to quit playing symptom whack-a-mole, you must learn to spot the "Anxious Mother" and "Depleted Mom" patterns and confidently demand the life-saving comprehensive labs that reveal the truth. Check out the episode on the blog HERE: https://postpartumu.com/podcast/when-its-not-depression-misdiagnosed-mental-health-in-postpartum-ep-236/ Key time stamps:  0:00The Crisis in Postpartum Care 1:10 Sarah’s Story: Misdiagnosed and Depleted3:37 Labs No One Ordered6:58 Maranda’s Postpartum Wake-Up Call11:42 Stats That Should Make You Angry15:02 Symptom Whack-a-Mole in Clinics17:49 Screening Limits and Missed Needs21: 16 Pattern One: The Anxious Mother24:32 Pattern Two: The Depleted Mom27:12 Thyroid Truths Postpartum31:09 Inflammation as a Driver33:35 A New Model: Root-Cause Training37:12 The Cost of Misdiagnosis40:22 What Moms and Providers Can Do NEXT STEPS: 🎒Download the Postpartum Restoration Method™ Assessment Tool 🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist👍Rate, REVIEW & share the podcast📱Connect on Instagram!📚Get a Copy of the BOOK: Reclaiming Postpartum Wellness  Additional Courses for Providers & Postpartum Professionals

Podcast reviews

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4.9 out of 5
54 reviews
★★★★★
Lauren21D 2025/08/05
Great resource
Such a good resource, important topics covered in an accessible way!
★★★★★
Abigail Monti 2025/08/04
A great listen
Postpartum University is an exceptional resource for professionals, providers, and advocates who work with postpartum mothers. They carefully curate t...
★★★★★
The Fit Postpartum Mom 2025/02/17
Wonderful resource
Maranda Bower is an expert when it comes to postpartum nutrition and as a physical therapist who specializes in postpartum exercise, I am always seeki...
★★★★★
Scottie123k 2025/02/12
An essential resource for perinatal support and empowerment
As a psychotherapist and life coach specializing in perinatal mental health, I find the content and perspectives shared on this podcast not only insig...
★★★★★
bbbbbryn 2025/02/11
Postpartum Nutrition is the missing component we all need
As a Dual-Certified Postpartum Doula and Newborn Care Specialist, with my own prior history of perinatal mental health disorders, the moment I found M...
★★★★★
SamBGuia 2024/10/10
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Essential Listening for Postpartum Moms and Health Professionals!
Maranda Bower’s deep expertise shines through in every episode, providing the evidence-based information we all need but rarely get from the tradition...
★★★★★
JanelleLara 2024/10/08
This podcast is INCREDIBLE
Every woman who has had a baby needs to listen to this podcast. Maranda is setting women free with her groundbreaking information, amazing guests and ...
★★★★★
Kristin H LAc 2024/09/26
Great resource for all women!
So glad this podcast exists to help women and families navigate postpartum and beyond.
★★★★★
Rachel Olstad 2024/09/18
Must listen for every mother
This podcast has been such a helpful resource for me and I have shared it with many friends and fellow moms. We are not taught any of this about nutri...
★★★★★
LifeinBloomNJ 2024/06/17
Great Resource for Postpartum Doulas + Parents
This show is an invaluable resource for postpartum doulas and parents. Maranda’s explanation of the postpartum cascade has shaped the way I view and e...
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