Prepared for Parenthood is an educational podcast for hopeful, expectant, and new parents with little ones up to age 5. On this show, we’ll discuss everything from the most up-to-date practicals of best supporting your children, to thriving in relationship as a family, to more eye-opening and even surprising topics around the psychology and development of babies from conception through age 5. I’m your host, Dr. Stephanie Dueger, a psychotherapist, author, educator, parent coach, and married mother of two. My background is in pre- and perinatal psychology and health, and child development.
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Données mises à jour le 14/07/2026
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Interview with Dr. Kailey Buller: Medical Care for Babies: What Parents Should Know
Saison 2 · Épisode 20
jeudi 6 novembre 2025 • Durée 29:24
Keywords
parenting, newborn care, postpartum, emergency medicine, breastfeeding, sleep training, parental advice, baby health, parenting myths, Dr. Kailey Buller
Summary
In this episode of Prepared for Parenthood, Dr. Kailey Buller, a double-board-certified physician in emergency and family medicine, shares her insights on postpartum and newborn care. She discusses common parental concerns, the importance of seeking medical advice when worried, a checklist of the most important concerns with which to seek emergency care, and the challenges of breastfeeding and sleep for new parents. Dr. Buller emphasizes the need for flexibility in parenting and provides practical advice from her new book, Surviving Tiny Humans: The Messy Truth About Parenting and Your Guide to Baby's First Year.
Takeaways
~If you're worried about your baby’s physical health, you should always consult a medical doctor.
~Dr. Buller provides an important list for parents that includes five symptoms, four injuries, and three features of a fever that she would want parents to bring their child into the emergency room for evaluation.
~It's important to adapt all parenting strategies as needed. Parents should be skeptical of any blanket advice regarding parenting as there is often a sub-context from the provider.
~Breastfeeding and sleep challenges are common for new parents and are not a reflection of a parent's ability to care for their child.
~In both feeding and sleep issues, support and methods can vary widely and should be tailored to the needs of the whole family.
~Support systems play a significant role in new family success. Seek out professional support if needed.
~Dr. Buller's book, Surviving Tiny Humans: The Messy Truth About Parenting and Your Guide to Baby's First Year, provides practical advice for new parents.
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Amazon: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Bookshop.org: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
If you enjoyed this podcast, please help it succeed by Rating, Reviewing, Subscribing, and Downloading it. Thank you for your support!
Interview with Elly Taylor part two: Parenthood versus Parenting: Navigating Becoming A Family
Saison 2 · Épisode 19
mardi 21 octobre 2025 • Durée 25:11
Keywords
parenthood, parenting, relationship expert, couplehood, mental health, support systems, emotional growth, nesting, bonding, preparation for parenthood
Summary
In part two of this conversation, Dr. Stephanie Dueger speaks with Australian parenthood and relationship expert, bestselling author, and founder of Becoming Us, the whole-family approach to parenthood, Elly Taylor. Elly shares how parenthood changes everything – it is a seismic shift and insistent invitation to grow. From your own inner experience, to experiences with your partner, to getting to know your little one and adjusting to your new family life, nothing is untouched. We discuss how learning to grow with these changes, instead of fighting against them, allows for the process to unfold more easily, as does being attuned to and supportive of each other. Elly shares how it’s never too late to up-level in these relationships.
Takeaways
~Parenthood changes everything. Embracing the changes instead of fighting against them is the path to both more ease and more growth for the couple.
~Relationship dynamics and roles will be impacted when becoming parents. Being clear about and focusing on priorities supports the whole family system. So does expressed gratitude.
~Becoming a parent often opens us up to seismic changes within ourselves as well. We may find that our relationship with our body and our emotions deeply shifts.
~While it’s helpful to become aware and make some needed changes before becoming a parent, it is never too late to up-level. Attuning to ourselves, our partner, and our baby provides some of the best chances for healthy family relationships.
Guest Contact:
Website: www.becomingusfamily.com
Purchase Elly Taylor's Book on Amazon:
Interview with Elly Taylor: Parenthood versus Parenting: Navigating Becoming A Family part one
Saison 2 · Épisode 18
lundi 6 octobre 2025 • Durée 28:22
Keywords
parenthood, parenting, relationship expert, couplehood, mental health, support systems, emotional growth, nesting, bonding, preparation for parenthood
Summary
In this conversation, Dr. Stephanie Dueger speaks with Australian parenthood and relationship expert, bestselling author, and founder of Becoming Us, the whole-family approach to parenthood, Elly Taylor. Elly shares the critical distinctions between parenting and parenthood, the importance of couple-hood during the major rite of passage transition into parenthood, and the need for preparation and support systems for new parents. They discuss the emotional and relational challenges that often arise after having a baby, the significance of nesting, resting, and bonding, and the impact of relationship dynamics on mental health. Elly shares insights from her book/ program, Becoming Us, which aims to help couples navigate the complexities of parenthood together, fostering deeper connections and understanding.
Takeaways
~“Parenthood” is a different focus in becoming a parent that is often overlooked in favor of “parenting.”
~Preparation for the major rite of passage involved becoming a parent is essential for new parents.
~Approximately 92% of couples experience increased conflict during the first year after having a baby.
~Having a baby takes a couple's relationship to a new level that they've likely never visited before at a time of great changes, sleep deprivation, and often less support and capacity to cope.
~Nesting, resting, and bonding are the most critical priorities postpartum. Parenthood involves adjusting expectations.
~It's important to create a supportive environment for new families, where parents can feel very vulnerable.
~Approximately one in three birth moms and one in five dads or partners are struggling with mental health issues in adjusting to new parenthood.
Interview with Holly Lammer part two: Mindful Birthing: A Transformative Journey
In part two of this interview with Holly Lammer, a registered nurse with over 25 years of experience in obstetric nursing, Holly sharesher insights on how mindful birthing and early repair can be healing for both the birthing parents and the baby. Holly discusses how mindfulness may also help throughout the entire journey of parenthood. The conversation also explores how sharing the birth story can help both the parents and baby heal and integrate their experiences.
Takeaways
~Birth can be both a transformative experience and a place to potentially set firm boundaries and claim one’s passage into parenthood.
~Healing from birth trauma is possible and important for both parent(s) and child.
~Mindfulness can help parents regulate their emotions and responses throughout the entire parenting journey, as well as model for one’schild that emotions don’t need to be feared.
~Stressful experiences for the birth parent will be felt by the baby in utero, but they can be repaired quickly and easily at that time as well.
~It’s important and healing for a birth parent to share their experience of the birth. The baby will also share their experience physically if given the opportunity.
In part one of this episode of Prepared for Parenthood, Holly Lammer, a registered nurse with more than 25 years of experience in obstetric nursing, shares her insights on mindful birthing and the importance of non-attachment during the birthing process. Holly discusses her journey into birth education and the writing of her new book ( Intelligent Birthing: Ancient Wisdom for a Modern Birthing World), the significance of trusting one's body, and how mindfulness can transform the birth experience. She emphasizes the need for emotional connection with the baby during birth and the healing potential of addressing birth trauma. The conversation also explores the cultural (US) experience of control and how birth can elicit experiences of a positive or negative lack of control.
Takeaways
~ Mindfulness practices may significantly improve the birthing experience.
~ Non-attachment to birth preferences (or plans) can help reduce stress and anxiety.
~ Trusting the body's natural intelligence is crucial during birth, leading for a potential of birth to be a transformative experience rather than a traumatic one.
~ Connecting with the baby during pregnancy and birth helps enhance bonding.
Interview with Esther Bertram of Mini Maestros: Harnessing the Power of Music for Early Childhood Development
Saison 2 · Épisode 15
mercredi 20 août 2025 • Durée 14:59
Keywords
music education, early childhood, neuroplasticity, child development, Mini Maestros, parenting tips, sensory sensitivity, brain development, musical learning, online music classes
Summary
In this episode of Prepared for Parenthood, Dr. Stephanie Dueger speaks with Esther Bertram, Chief Marketing Officer at Mini Maestros, about the importance of music education for children under the age of five. Esther discusses how music can enhance brain development, the significance of neuroplasticity during early childhood, and practical ways parents can incorporate music into their daily routines. She also addresses concerns from parents who may feel unmusical and offers insights on supporting sensory-sensitive children through music.
Takeaways
~ Music education helps develop neural pathways crucial for lifelong learning.
~ Music activates almost all areas of the brain simultaneously, and the brain is at its peak of early growth and neuroplasticity under the age of five.
~ Parents' voices are the most comforting sounds for babies.
~ You don't need musical skills to engage with your child musically. Everyday activities can be turned into songs to enhance learning.
~ Music can help children express emotions and manage sensory sensitivities.
~ Investing in music education early on can lead to many positive outcomes for children. In-person classes allow for greater socializing, while online classes offer flexibility and accessibility for families.
In this episode of Prepared for Parenthood, part two of a two-part series, we interview Lynn Schulte, a pelvic health physical therapist, who discusses the importance of supporting the pelvic floor muscles and organs during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Lynn discusses common issues faced by women, such as postpartum pain during intimacy and Cesarean scar tissue pain, and how pelvic floor PT can help alleviate these. She shares how recent research has shown that keeping the abdominal muscles strong during pregnancy can support easier recovery and movement postpartum and how “closing the bones” after birth helps restore healthy pelvic floor function.
Takeaways
~ Postpartum pain during intimacy is common but not normal and can be supported to heal through pelvic floor physical therapy.
~ A Cesarean birth leads to scar tissue that can restrict healthy movement of the muscles and organs in the pelvic floor. Symptoms caninclude back pain, incision site pain, and bladder issues. These can also be healed with proper pelvic floor physical therapy.
~ Abdominal exercises that keep the muscles strong can be practiced during pregnancy, newer research shows, allowing for a more easeful birth and recovery postpartum.
~ “Closing the bones” postpartum also allows for easier recovery.
In this episode of Prepared for Parenthood, part one of a two-part series, we interview Lynn Schulte, a pelvic health physical therapist, who discusses the importance of pelvic health during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Lynn highlights common issues faced by women, such as pelvic and back pain, and how pelvic floor PT can help alleviate these. She emphasizes the need for awareness of both the baby’s position in the uterus and the birthingparent’s body positioning during labor, as well as how previous injuries can affect the birth. Lynn introduces the concept of the 'open birthing pattern' in the pelvis and the necessity of postpartum care to restore pelvic floorfunction.
Takeaways
~ Pain is not normal and is a sign that there is dysfunction somewhere in the body.
~ What shows up in your body during pregnancy and your birth, including restrictions from prior injuries and scar tissue from surgeries, can impact the way your birth unfolds significantly. These can be alleviated through specialized pelvic floor physical therapy.
~ Awareness of both baby positioning and any spaces in the pelvic area that may have a restriction is crucial during pregnancy for a more easeful birth.
~ Postpartum pelvic floor care is essential for restoring pelvic floor function. This is standard care in Western European countries. Pelvic floor muscles should be able to contract and relax easily after birth.
Interview with Kalee Isbell: From Overwhelmed Mom of Two-Under-Two with PPD to Launching Her Dream Business Helping Others Preserve Precious Family Memories
Saison 2 · Épisode 12
dimanche 25 mai 2025 • Durée 25:19
Keywords
postpartum depression, parenting, mental health, creativity, family films, support, motherhood, anxiety, healing, community
Summary
In this conversation, Kalee Isbell shares her journey through prenatal anxiety and postpartum depression, detailing the challenges she faced as a mother of two children under the age of two. She discusses the importance of seeking support, the healing power of creativity through editing family videos, and how her personal experiences led her to establish Isbell Family Films. Kalee emphasizes the need for community and normalizing the struggles of parenthood, offering insights and encouragement for others facing similar challenges.
Takeaways
~ Kalee Isbell, founder Isbell Family Films, shares part of her early parenting journey through prenatal anxiety and postpartum depression,finding solace in editing videos of her children.
~ She discusses how feeling isolated, not having adequate support or sleep, and having children who were experiencing some challenges contributed to her feelings of overwhelm and depression at the time.
~ Kalee describes how expressing her creative side in early parenthood became a healing outlet for her, leading to a newfound perspective on motherhood as well as a new business helping families preserve their video memories.
~ She helps normalize the extremely common experience of perinatal mood disorders like anxiety and depression while highlighting the importance of seeking a broad range of support, such as social connection, sleep, and options like therapy and appropriate medication.
In the second part of this conversation, Dr. Stephanie Dueger speaks with Nina Ketscher, a holistic and integrative somatic prenatal and perinatal practitioner, about how parents can heal themselves and their children on an energetic, spiritual level with the support of ancient practices. Nina shares her understanding of mantras and yantras as well as of the holy womb chakra. In the healing of this chakra, she explains, a parent can provide an environment for a growing child to avoid embodying intergenerational trauma. Nina adds that anyone can use these practices to help support the health and wellbeing of themselves and their families.
Takeaways
~ Implementing mantras and yantras, which anyone can practice, can serve as vibrational medicine for emotional and spiritual healing.
~ Yantras are found in nature, as a reflection of sacred geometry, and being in nature can support one’s wellbeing and health in many ways.
~ Intentional healing can be directed forward to our children, backwards to our parents and grandparents, and outwards to our clients andcommunities.
~ The holy womb chakra, Nina explains, is a place that houses the soul, and supporting this chakra can lead to profound healing and clearing of intergenerational trauma for ourselves and our children.
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Amazon: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Bookshop.org: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
If you enjoyed this podcast, please help it succeed by Rating, Reviewing, Subscribing, and Downloading it. Thank you for your support!
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Amazon: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Bookshop.org: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
If you enjoyed this podcast, please help it succeed by Rating, Reviewing, Subscribing, and Downloading it. Thank you for your support!
Host Contact:
Dr. Stephanie Dueger: info@preparedforparenthood.com
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Amazon: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Bookshop.org: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
If you enjoyed this podcast, please help it succeed by Rating, Reviewing, Subscribing, and Downloading it. Thank you for your support!
Host Contact:
Dr. Stephanie Dueger: info@preparedforparenthood.com
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Amazon: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Bookshop.org: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
If you enjoyed this podcast, please help it succeed by Rating, Reviewing, Subscribing, and Downloading it. Thank you for your support!
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Amazon: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Bookshop.org: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
If you enjoyed this podcast, please help it succeed by Rating, Reviewing, Subscribing, and Downloading it. Thank you for your support!
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Amazon: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Bookshop.org: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
If you enjoyed this podcast, please help it succeed by Rating, Reviewing, Subscribing, and Downloading it. Thank you for your support!
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Amazon: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Bookshop.org: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
If you enjoyed this podcast, please help it succeed by Rating, Reviewing, Subscribing, and Downloading it. Thank you for your support!
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Amazon: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
Get Dr. Dueger's Book on Bookshop.org: Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families
If you enjoyed this podcast, please help it succeed by Rating, Reviewing, Subscribing, and Downloading it. Thank you for your support!
If you enjoyed this podcast, please help it succeed by Rating, Reviewing, Subscribing, and Downloading it. Thank you for your support!
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