Milk and Motherhood – Details, episodes & analysis

I meant to take a 3 month podcast break and it's turned into a full year. It's been a year. This is a catch-up episode because I feel like it would be weird to just jump back in after such a prolonged break. I talk about my endometriosis excision surgeries and iron infusions and other controversial things in the crunchy world that I zero percent regret.

**Trigger warning: This episode does briefly mention some sensitive subjects like postpartum hemorrhage, blood loss, anesthesia, and pediatric hospitalization. Like I said, it's been a year. But you might want to hold off on listening if the above subjects are particularly activating for you.**

In this bonus episode, my friend Stephanie Risinger (@stephanie.hopefulandwhole) and I talk about our personal experiences with the birth control pill and our professional experiences in working with women who are not always seen, heard, and respected in medical settings. In short, medical gaslighting is very common in the perinatal settings in which we see clients. So when the Washington Post came out with an article titled, Women are getting off birth control amid misinformation explosion, I knew we had to talk about it.

In holistic spaces, there's a lot of backlash against this article, referencing medical gaslighting but also calling out media at large and its glaring biases.

We discuss the article with an eye on critical thinking and curiosity more so than making a definitive statement or writing a thesis on birth control or feminism. As I re-listened to our conversation, I realized these are the kinds of discussions we need to be having as the media prepares to tell women how to feel and think and act about their bodies for the next 8 months of this election cycle.

So while I will be back to my postpartum and motherhood content soon, I think this discussion is an important one to have in the larger conversation about women's health and where the authority really lies (hint: the authority lies with you, not your doctor and not with social media and not with poorly-researched "news" articles).

For more on birth control's potential side effects, check out episode 16 on the Are You Menstrual? podcast.

--

If you're enjoying this podcast, please subscribe and leave a review in Apple Podcasts to help other people find us! You can also find me on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@happy.mama.healthy.baby⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more content.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter and get a free freezer meal download: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://happymamahealthybaby.ck.page⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about my work and schedule an in-person or virtual lactation consult ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at ⁠⁠⁠⁠happymamahealthybaby.co⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our online breastfeeding and postpartum course: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedbeginningscourse⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (15% off with code PODCAST15)

Postpartum recipes and resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedmotherbundle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

My allergy e-cookbook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedwithnuance⁠⁠⁠

Dr. Molly (@drmollyhayes) and I cover a lot in this conversation: Cavities in pregnancy, fetal development, how breastfeeding helps form the palate, bottles and pacifiers, cavities and nighttime nursing, airway issues and sleeping positions, and more! We also talk about what we've had to learn the hard way as moms in terms of oral health, and we are here to potentially help you avoid making the same mistakes! (Of course, this episode is meant for educational purposes and doesn't replace medical advice.) Dr. Molly's website is https://drmollyhayes.com. You can find her House Call resource drmollyhayes.com/housecall. Dr. Molly helped us launch our breastfeeding course and references it in our conversation. You can find that course https://happymamahealthybaby.freshlearn.com/nourished-beginnings. Use the code PODCAST15 to get a 15% discount! **This podcast is for educational purposes only! The opinions of myself or my guests are never meant to replace individual medical advice. Please practice informed consent with your mom intuition and your care team.** -- If you're enjoying this podcast, please subscribe and leave a review in Apple Podcasts to help other people find us! You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/happy.mama.healthy.baby/ for more content. Get a FREE postpartum (or any time) freezer meal plan with 14 recipes, a master grocery list, and step-by-step instructions when you  sign up for my monthly newsletter: https://happymamahealthybaby.ck.page/ Learn more about my work and schedule an in-person or virtual lactation consult ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at https://theresedansby.wixsite.com/therese Our online breastfeeding and postpartum course: https://happymamahealthybaby.freshlearn.com/nourished-beginnings (15% off with code PODCAST15) Postpartum recipes and resources: https://happymamahealthybaby.freshlearn.com/my-downloadable-41616 My food allergy e-cookbook: https://happymamahealthybaby.freshlearn.com/10729

EFT tapping has been a really helpful resource for me for everything from postpartum panic and birth trauma to mom overwhelm and food allergy fears. In this episode, Theresa (@livingrootswellness) and I talk about what this is and why it helps.

We got on to talk a lot about practicing joy and resilience and why it's a gift to have life circumstances that force us to practice these skills again and again. Throughout the conversation, we also cover re-parenting, co-regulating, and creating safety in the body.

Resources:

• Try Tapping for a Lack of Sleep on Theresa's YouTube channel

• You can find Theresa's website and get a 7-day tapping trial HERE

• You can hear more from Theresa on her podcast HERE

• The book about moving through emotions that I couldn't remember the name of is Burnout: The Secret of Unlocking the Stress Cycle by sisters Emily and Amelia Nagowski

• The Place we Find Ourselves podcast with Adam Young

• Postnatal Depression Screening Tool

**This podcast is for educational purposes only! The opinions of myself or my guests are never meant to replace individual medical advice. Please practice informed consent with your mom intuition and your care team.**

--

If you're enjoying this podcast, please subscribe and leave a review in Apple Podcasts to help other people find us! You can also find me on Instagram ⁠⁠@happy.mama.healthy.baby⁠⁠ for more content.




Get a FREE postpartum (or any time) freezer meal plan with 14 recipes, a master grocery list, and step-by-step instructions when you  sign up for my monthly newsletter: ⁠⁠https://happymamahealthybaby.ck.page⁠⁠




Learn more about my work and schedule an in-person or virtual lactation consult ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at ⁠⁠happymamahealthybaby.co⁠⁠




Our online breastfeeding and postpartum course: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedbeginningscourse⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (15% off with code PODCAST15)




Postpartum recipes and resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedmotherbundle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠




My food allergy e-cookbook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedwithnuance⁠⁠

After sharing my birth stories (episode 14) and a lot of info on infant food allergies (episodes 15 and 16), it seems fitting to talk about postpartum mental health again.

In this interview, I have the hosts of the Hormone Genius podcast (@thehormonegenius) here to talk with us about progesterone and postpartum mental health. Teresa is a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner at Sancta Familia and Jamie is a FertilityCare Practitioner and hormone coach through the Fiat Institute.

In this interview, we talk about hormones (of course), mental health, and the NaPro progesterone protocol for postpartum women.

Links to things we discuss in this conversation:

• NaPro and Postpartum Depression

• Jamie shares more of her PPD story on Episode 20 of the Hormone Genius podcast

• I share more of my own postpartum story in Episode 14 of this podcast

• Progesterone and Mood

• 7 Superpowers of Progesterone

For general overview of postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, check out ⁠episode 5 of this podcast⁠!

To hear MY interview on THEIR podcast, hop over to Hormone Genius podcast Season 3 Episode 25: Holistic Support for the Breastfeeding Woman

**This podcast is for educational purposes only! The opinions of myself or my guests are never meant to replace individual medical advice. Please practice informed consent with your mom intuition and your care team.**

--

If you're enjoying this podcast, please subscribe and leave a review in Apple Podcasts to help other people find us! You can also find me on Instagram ⁠⁠@happy.mama.healthy.baby⁠⁠ for more content.

Get a FREE postpartum (or any time) freezer meal plan with 14 recipes, a master grocery list, and step-by-step instructions when you  sign up for my monthly newsletter: ⁠⁠https://happymamahealthybaby.ck.page⁠⁠

Learn more about my work and schedule an in-person or virtual lactation consult ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at ⁠⁠happymamahealthybaby.co⁠⁠

Our online breastfeeding and postpartum course: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedbeginningscourse⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (15% off with code PODCAST15)

Postpartum recipes and resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedmotherbundle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

My food allergy e-cookbook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedwithnuance⁠⁠

This is the second half of the interview that I got to do with Dr. Trill from Free to Feed. For the first half, refer back to episode 15! In this episode, we talk through all of YOUR listener questions, including:

-How do I talk to my pediatrician about my allergy concerns?

-Are my baby's allergies my fault?

-What are my allergy testing options?

-How do gut tests and probiotics affect baby's reactivity?

-Why does my baby react to some forms of an allergen but not others?

...and so much more

--

My food allergy cookbook, Nourished with Nuance, can be found ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

For $20 off a Tiny Health gut test for you and/or your baby, use code HAPPYMAMA20.

**This podcast is for educational purposes only! The opinions of myself or my guests are never meant to replace individual medical advice. Please practice informed consent with your mom intuition and your care team.**

--

If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave a review in Apple Podcasts to help other people find us! You can also find me on Instagram @happy.mama.healthy.baby for more content like this <3

Get a FREE postpartum (or any time) freezer meal plan with 14 recipes, a master grocery list, and step-by-step instructions when you ⁠⁠sign up for my monthly email newsletter⁠⁠

You can learn more about me and schedule an in-person or virtual lactation consult ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find my online breastfeeding course ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (15% off with code PODCAST15)

You can find postpartum recipes and resources ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find my allergy e-cookbook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Molecular biologist Dr. Trill (@free.to.feed) and I talk about food allergy facts and misinformation. In fact, we talked for so long that I broke the interview into two episodes. This is part one, and it covers the different types of food allergies, how babies can still react to allergens when exposed via breastmilk, how to eliminate potential triggers, why the top 12 infant allergens are different than the top adult allergens, and how allergies differ from intolerances. Links we mention: My Nourished with Nuanace allergy cookbook can be purchased https://happymamahealthybaby.freshlearn.com/10729. Participate in the https://www.freetofeed.com/study! https://www.freetofeed.com/consults https://www.freetofeed.com/support-package for parents https://www.freetofeed.com/product-page/navigating-food-reactivity-for-parents-professionals-masterclass for professionals For $20 off a tinyhealth.com gut test for you and/or your baby, use code HAPPYMAMA20 **This podcast is for educational purposes only! The opinions of myself or my guests are never meant to replace individual medical advice. Please practice informed consent with your mom intuition and your care team.** -- If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave a review in Apple Podcasts to help other people find us! You can also find me on Instagram @happy.mama.healthy.baby for more content like this <3 Get a FREE postpartum (or any time) freezer meal plan with 14 recipes, a master grocery list, and step-by-step instructions when you https://happymamahealthybaby.ck.page/ You can learn more about me and schedule an in-person or virtual lactation consult https://theresedansby.wixsite.com/therese You can find my online breastfeeding course https://happymamahealthybaby.freshlearn.com/nourished-beginnings (15% off with code PODCAST15) You can find postpartum recipes and resources https://happymamahealthybaby.freshlearn.com/my-downloadable-41616 You can find my allergy e-cookbook https://happymamahealthybaby.freshlearn.com/10729

I have referenced my own birth stories in several episodes, but I haven't shared them in their entirety on this podcast... until now. I knew I probably needed to share more, to put my experiences in perspective when I share little tidbits here and there, but I was dreading a long monologue. Then I realized, well, I've walked through these stories before with a really fantastic interviewer and unless you found me through @happyhomebirthpodcast you may not have heard this story before. This exact interview was originally published as Happy Homebirth Podcast Episode 193: Preparing for Birth When Plans Change Last Minute. If you like encouraging birth stories and deep conversations about things that matter in the birth world, I cannot recommend Katelyn's podcast enough, by the way. EVEN IF you have zero desire to have a homebirth (spoiler alert: none of mine ended up being home births, although the third was supposed to be until plans changed at 38 weeks). Notes on this interview:

These are really three happy stories. However, my third birth experience ends with some unexpected events after delivery that registered as trauma in my body.  I give a trigger warning before going into it, so if you're in a sensitive place, go ahead and skip forward 5 minutes or so when you hear that warning. Katelyn says, "Despite my great love and desire for mothers to know about homebirth as an option, that does NOT automatically mean that home is the best option for everyone. The best option for a mother is for her to give birth where she feels safest and most comfortable. We are asking our bodies to open up and be fully vulnerable. If they are most comfortable doing that in a hospital, there is absolutely no shame in that."

I go into my People Pleaser Tendency here. Katelyn says, "This is very common in pregnancy and birth, and it's something we need to be aware of so that we can prepare ourselves beforehand. Strengthening our boundaries during pregnancy can be incredibly useful." Finally, birth can be beautiful and still have complications. There can still be traumas after something amazing and lovely, and we can eventually find ways to integrate these experiences and not get stuck in those traumatic moments.

**This podcast is for educational purposes only! The opinions of myself or my guests are never meant to replace individual medical advice. Please practice informed consent with your mom intuition and your care team.** ---

If you're enjoying this podcast, please subscribe and leave a review in Apple Podcasts to help other people find us! You can also find me on Instagram ⁠@happy.mama.healthy.baby⁠ for more content.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter and get a free freezer meal download: ⁠https://happymamahealthybaby.ck.page⁠

Learn more about my work and schedule an in-person or virtual lactation consult ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at ⁠happymamahealthybaby.co⁠

Our online breastfeeding and postpartum course: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedbeginningscourse⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (15% off with code PODCAST15)

Postpartum recipes and resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedmotherbundle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

My allergy e-cookbook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedwithnuance⁠

In this interview, Mary Haseltine (@madeforthisbirth) and I talk about what God ACTUALLY told Adam and Eve in the garden, what we can expect from birth and motherhood, when we need to surrender control in this process, and how this surrender is something that will come up again and again in our motherhood journey, as Mary is learning as she launches her oldest child off to college.

**This podcast is for educational purposes only! The opinions of myself or my guests are never meant to replace individual medical advice. Please practice informed consent with your mom intuition and your care team.**

----

Resources we reference in this episode:

Mary's book Made for This: The Catholic Mom's Guide to Birth

Gloria Furman's book Labor with Hope: Gospel Meditations on Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Mothering

Verity podcast: Reframing Pregnancy and Birth

Verity podcast: Motherhood Culture (because while sacrifice is a part of motherhood, it's also important to know we aren't called to suffer for the sake of suffering in our roles as mothers)

Read Aloud Revival #216: How to Teach from Rest (we can expect this to be work, whether we are talking about homeschooling or motherhood)

Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond podcast: Birth as a Hero's Journey with Pam England 

----

If you're enjoying this podcast, please subscribe and leave a review in Apple Podcasts to help other people find us! You can also find me on Instagram ⁠@happy.mama.healthy.baby⁠ for more content.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter and get a free freezer meal download: ⁠https://happymamahealthybaby.ck.page⁠

Learn more about my work and schedule an in-person or virtual lactation consult ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at ⁠happymamahealthybaby.co⁠

Our online breastfeeding and postpartum course: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedbeginningscourse⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (15% off with code PODCAST15)

Postpartum recipes and resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedmotherbundle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

My allergy e-cookbook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedwithnuance⁠

• In this interview, Taylor (@taylorkulik) and I talk about what's normal in regards to infant sleep in the first year and what's not normal. We cover the Safe Sleep 7 and what is and is not recommended in terms of safe sleep environments. If you're dealing with sleep red flags, we talk about what to consider next including things like oral ties, airway issues, breastfeeding problems, and food sensitivities as well as where to look for next steps. Most importantly, we talk about how to function and care for yourself during a season of very little sleep.

• Taylor's website with info on consults and courses can be found HERE.

• Her podcast episode that goes in-depth on sleep red flags is HERE.

• Taylor did a sleep module within the postpartum segment of my breastfeeding course, Nourished Beginnings. You can find that course HERE⁠⁠. (code PODCAST15 will get you 15% off!)

• Use THIS LINK + code "newtoearthley" for 10% the Goodnight (magnesium) Lotion we talk about at one point.

• Dr. Jame's McKenna's books, research, and website are a wealth of sleep information for moms of young children. You can find his safe co-sleeping guidelines HERE.

• This BBC article from 2022 summarizes a lot of what we do know about infant sleep (which isn't as much as we like to think). I found this article to be extremely interesting since it analyzed global trends and reported sleep norms. You can read it for yourself HERE.

• THIS podcast interview with Abigail Dodds on the Journeywomen podcast was so encouraging to me in one of my seasons of sleep deprivation.

• Finally, THESE WORDS from Charles Spurgeon hit me when my first was just 2 months old and, like I mention in the episode, I was just so discouraged that he wasn't sleeping the way I'd expected him to.

**This podcast is for educational purposes only! The opinions of myself or my guests are never meant to replace individual medical advice. Please practice informed consent with your mom intuition and your care team.**

--

If you're enjoying this podcast, please subscribe and leave a review in Apple Podcasts to help other people find us! You can also find me on Instagram ⁠@happy.mama.healthy.baby⁠ for more content.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter and get a free freezer meal download: ⁠https://happymamahealthybaby.ck.page⁠

Learn more about my work and schedule an in-person or virtual lactation consult ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at ⁠happymamahealthybaby.co⁠

Our online breastfeeding and postpartum course: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedbeginningscourse⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (15% off with code PODCAST15)

Postpartum recipes and resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedmotherbundle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

My allergy e-cookbook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/nourishedwithnuance⁠