The Motherlands Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

We spend most of our waking moments in our minds. Planning, rationalizing, thinking, evaluating. All of these are important processes. But did you know that the pelvis speaks a language of its own?

Kimberly Ann Johnson describes how the body carries not only personal stories from our life experience, but also ancestral stories. These stories are lodged within the body and can be expressed in an infinite number of ways.

More specifically, our tissues hold memory. For example, when there is scar tissue present, it is physical evidence of trauma. Trauma can mean different things, but in this context I simply mean that something abrupt happened to the body that disturbed the tissues enough to create a scar. That does not mean it is internalized by the individual as a traumatic event (although it absolutely could and often does). Regardless of whether or not a person with scar tissue consciously perceives it as a traumatic event, the scar tissue speaks for itself.

Kimberly has supported women for many years processing birth stories. She explains that often times the person may have a narrative in place in their mind, but they might not have the somatic connection or recall from that experience until someone is able to bring awareness to the pelvic floor. In order to create harmony between the body (the pelvis) and the mind, she helps women direct their attention to their pelvic floor through hands on support.

She listens and responds to the individual’s body- not simply the words that someone speaks. Kimberly describes how a woman might feel ready in her mind for the hands on touch, but her body might not be ready. When this happens, she allows the body to express itself first as it gives valuable information about the individual that the conscious mind may not even be aware of.

There are many aspects of this episode that resonate with me deeply as a woman, as a birth doula, and an educator. I hope it hits home for you, too.

If you would like to connect with Kimberly you can do so here.

Her newest course called MotherCircle builds community support for mothers in order to feel a sense of camaraderie and a place of belonging… This offering helps break past barriers that make motherhood feel lonely and difficult to connect. You can find out more information about MotherCircle and sign up for the course here.

5:12 Kimberly’s personal upbringing

8:17 Hands on, hands in body work and the information the pelvis holds

12:37 Listening to the tissue and the whole body, not just what is verbalized

16:20 Helping clients connect with their pelvis

19:11 Perennial stretching, prenatal movement, and healing rupture through touch

21:28 The intelligence of scar tissue and how it holds trauma and emotion

25:31 To push or not to push// fetal ejection reflex

29:09 Observations from Kimberly’s time as a birth doula

31:13 The prescriptive, shaming, and accusatory tone that often permeates digital spaces on women’s health

36:27 Making “mistakes” does not mean that you are doing it wrong

39:43 Using your discernment about when to listen to the outside world and when to listen to your body

41:44 Oppositional gaze and the limitations of our dependence on digital resources

44:45 Building community, horizontal care, and mother circles

46:43 The Fourth Trimester book and what Kimberly would add now

49: 24 Female life stages are not problems to solve

Thank you for being here and for supporting the MOTHERLANDS Podcast.

Please like, review and share with anyone you think would enjoy this conversation.

** If you know someone that works with a brand or company that shares the ethos of providing deeper and more comprehensive care to women and mothers and who may be open to supporting the MOTHERLANDS Podcast, please email hello@keelysemler.com.

You can connect with our host, Keely Semler, MPH, CD here or by visiting her website.

When it comes to being a woman, pleasure is not really something as a culture we are taught to explore or prioritize. For Marissa Correia, it is her passion to share about the importance of pleasure in our lives and how it allows us to be more connected to our bodies and our environment.

In our conversation, we discuss what it means to build a practice of embodiment. She explains that embodiment is a process of re-inhabiting our bodies.

Marissa explains that sometimes pleasure is used as a means to leave our bodies, or a way out of feeling instead of a way in to feeling more deeply. She says there is a place for both - but that the true work is strengthening and promoting safety to be fully within one’s skin.

She posits that a lot of the issues we are collectively facing as a society can be attributed to the idea of disembodiment or disconnection from one’s physical body. By nature, we were not designed nor meant to be living in such a fast pace way, every single day.

Marissa shares her authentic perspective on the cycles of nature and how they relate to the human body. The way she uses language to explain how the body is intricately connected to the earth is incredibly beautiful. For example, we discuss the earth based wheel of the year and its significance and correlation to a woman’s menstrual cycle. Most notably, when seasons change from the depth of winter’s release to the slow emergence of early spring, we can see the correlation it has to the menses (bleeding) phase and the beginning of the follicular phase when our hormones begin to rise again to prepare for ovulation.

She also describes the womb is a mirror; it reflects how we treat our body as a whole. How might we be using protection when it may not be necessary? How does being in fight or flight influence our nervous system? And how might the nervous system affect our womb?

We also discuss the pelvic bowl, in lieu of the term pelvic floor, is a place of receiving and releasing.

Marissa offers many different courses on earth womb embodiment both online and in person in San Diego.

You can connect with her here or by visiting her website.

As always thank you for being here and for supporting the MOTHERLANDS Podcast. Please like, review and share with anyone you think would enjoy this conversation.

4:30 Defining embodied pleasure

13:32 Supporting the conditions that allow the body to feel safe

16:37 Witnessing different nervous system responses without judgment

19:45 How people pleasing comes into play during birth and embodiment

20:46 Natural cycles, body cycles, and earth womb embodiment

26:43 Tracking cycles

28:31 “Pelvic bowl” and “pelvic diaphragm” in lieu of “pelvic floor”

34:38 The importance of relaxation

36:12 Understanding the intelligence of scar tissue and that tension is not protection

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Molly Nourmand, LMFT, is a Psychotherapist that specializes in perinatal mental health. She started an incredible company called Life After Birth where she facilitates group sessions with new mothers as they process the complexities of becoming a parent, shifts in identity, changes related to intimacy and so much more. We discuss what are some common ways that Postpartum Anxiety and Mood Disorders  (AKA PMADS) present in early parenthood.

Molly also shares a bit about her own birth story – which ultimately lead her to creating her company, Life After Birth. I have been truly thankful for the feedback on all the different guests of MOTHERLANDS.

If there are any specific topics that you are eager to learn about feel free to send an email to hello@keelysemler.com. I’d love to hear from you! 

The book referred to in this episode is Fair Play by Eve Rodsky

Connect with Molly on Instagram (@lifeafterbirth_la)Join a Life After Birth Group

Connect with our host, Keely Semler on Instagram (@k.eelys or @motherlands.podcast)

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2:28 Mental load. What is it?

5:31 Creating a roadmap of parenting preferences

7:49 Developing self-advocacy practices while pregnant

10:05 risk factors for postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs)

11:10 Addressing the mental and the physical

12:31 How the lack of emotional prep can cause the development of PMADs

13:33 Giving and receiving support to new mothers

18:30 Allowing space for the partner to process

22:15 How the partner can be present and how the birthing person can best receive that support

24:28 The evolution of intimacy, sex, and identity post-birth

31:42 An ever-changing sense of identity

34:40 Holding space for hope and dealing with uncertainties collectively

37:28 Placenta encapsulation and situational PMADs

40:11 Symptoms of PMADs versus the “baby blues”

43:41 Parenting technology: benefits, reliances, and impacts on mental health

44:48 Molly’s birth experience

56:22 Recovery and the impetus for Life After Birth

Jennifer Davidson and Kimmy Mills are a team of lactation consultants best known as the Milky Way Mamas who are on a mission to educate and empower clients on the amazing benefits of breastfeeding. Our conversation covers a variety of common breastfeeding topics such as milk supply, engorgement, thrush, and mastitis.  While honoring the unique journey of every nursing mother, Jennifer and Kimmy share helpful tips and resources so that new mothers feel both supported and validated.    You can connect with Jennifer and Kimmy by visiting their website or following them on Instagram @themilkywaymamas and @theartofnurture. 


We apologize for any poor audio quality during this episode. We hope you still enjoy this incredible interview.

www.keelysemler.com

4:43 Factors to consider and prep for after birth

6:46 Thrush

16:50 Engorgement: diagnosis, prevention, and treatment

28:05 How does food impact milk supply?

32:36 Consuming alcohol while breastfeeding

33:36 Nursing is still possible when a mother cannot breastfeed

36:57 Jennifer’s birth experience

40:35 Kimmy’s birth stories

49:31 Milky Way film and The Art of Nurture nursing benches

52:27 Where to find Kimmy and Jennifer’s projects and work

Jules Blaine Davis is a mother, writer, wayshower and coach. She has been called the "midwife to life", encouraging women to live the life that is right here, right now. We go deep in our conversation where we discuss giving ourselves permission to listen to the body, how we often say "No" to ourselves. We also talk about how every person is a mother - including men. And that we are constantly birthing the new mothers inside of us. 

To purchase a copy of the Kitchen Healer or to find out more information about Jules you can visit her website https://www.julesblainedavis.com

You can also find Jules on Instagram @julesbdavis

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Lina Bardovi, L.Ac, found her calling to Chinese medicine in her 20s when she discovered that her boyfriend had brain cancer. The one treatment that seemed to make him feel better was acupuncture. In this episode we discuss how all humans are a delicate balance of yin and yang energy, the importance of the 5 elements within the body, as well as the 5 pathogens according to traditional Chinese medicine. Lina discloses that she is currently pregnant – and shares how she has prepared for pregnancy. Chinese Medicine refers to the mother's womb as the baby palace, and we discuss everything from nutrition, to morning sickness to postpartum healing.

You can book an appointment with Lina at Resonant Healing or follow her on Instagram @resonant.healing.

*Licensed acupuncturist and clinical herbalist
**This is not medical advice.

www.keelysemler.com

1:50 Lina’s journey to becoming an acupuncturist

9:43 Lessons from loss

10:58 An overview of Chinese medicine’s basic principles

13:14 The essence of Yin and Yang

14:50 Five element theory

18:39 Channels and meridians

20:15 Choosing acupuncture points

20:45 Individualizing diagnoses to each person’s constitution

22:56 Chinese medicine as a tool for fertility 

26:01 The role of nutrition in Chinese medicine 

36:05 The importance of heat in the female body

38:24 The impact of the temperature of foods and liquids consumed

40:21 The significance of wind and pathogens in Chinese medicine

42:25 Chinese medicine for young children

44:13 Postpartum anxiety, grief, and depression

49:33 Lina’s pregnancy, preparing for birth, finding a midwife, and envisioning a new life

53:53 The power of choice

This episode is very special as I interview my mentor, Julie Freitas. Julie was a childbirth educator and doula for over forty years. She taught in hospitals, clinics and in her home in Los Angeles. Her intimate style of teaching was coveted by the hundreds of families she taught from all different cultural backgrounds. In this episode, Julie describes the way in which women give birth has changed over time and she shares the story of her first son's birth. We also discuss postpartum depression, breastfeeding, sleep training, and the early days of parenthood.

*This is not medical advice.

www.keelysemler.com

1:38 How Julie's work in childhood education influenced her first birth experience

4:30 Finding a doctor who supported her wish for a natural birth

6:53: Julie’s birth experience

11:58 The impact of the birth on Julie’s partner and their relationship

13:16 The impetus of Julie’s journey into birth work and the nature of birth teaching

16:02 Julie’s labor support journey

20:27 The evolution of the culture around childbirth

24:46 Julie’s style and history of teaching

27:56 Qualities of a good doula

32:22 Doing it together: being there for your child and knowing you can't control the life they came here to lead

34:56 Feeding with love, with or without breastfeeding

37:04 Finding a good caregiver for your child

In this episode we exchange ideas on the importance of doula work, and how each birth signifies the brilliance and miracle of new souls choosing their arrival. Rima Thierry has given birth four times, four different ways, in which she says, her children's personalities distinctly shine through each experience. 

Rima Thierry is a birth doula, yoga teacher, and cofounder of SovernLA, a healing arts organization that uplifts and supports black + indigenous women and gender non-binary people.

To attend a class or a new moon circle led by Rima, please visit https://www.sovern.la

*This episode is not medical advice.

1:21 What makes for a good doula

3:22 Mother and baby know best

4:53 The social media inspiration and fallacy

6:59 Choosing your birth environment

11:21 Choosing the right birth team

13:07 Helping clients relinquish control

15:58 Holding space for an empowered birth

18:59 Rima’s first birth - breech cesarean birth

26:24 Second birth - head down cesarean birth

34:12 Third birth - cesarean birth

45:00 Yoga training and fourth birth - vaginal with a doula

59:54 The duality and spirituality of birth and life

1:02:49 Rima’s organization SovernLA

1:05:24 Childhood and parenthood as a child of immigrants - the places we come from

More at www.keelysemler.com

In this episode Olivia Van Dyke, a wife, a mother, and a CEO, speaks about her experience conceiving her first child at 24, the self-imposed pressure to get pregnant before her ailing father passes away, along with grieving the loss of her father while simultaneously preparing to give birth. This conversation is exceptionally moving as we examine together the heartbreak and the beauty found within the everyday moments of motherhood. 

www.keelysemler.com

2:46 Origins and inspiration for the Motherlands Podcast

3:12 Misconceptions about conception

7:02 The journey and guilt of grief and loss during pregnancy

9:39 Holding space for your emotions

11:15 Olivia’s first birth experience

20:39 The post birth feeling of invisibility for the mother and partner

24:18 Feeling disconnected from your baby

28:54 NICU and a rough transition into motherhood

31:35 Conceiving their second child and a very different second birth

33:03 Self judgment at play for using or not using an epidural

33:41 Finding a connection with a doula and determined to have an unmedicated birth

35:44 A fear of changing existent family dynamics with another child

36:48 Many new factors: an unmedicated birth during covid

48:44 Breastfeeding and working in early motherhood

51:56 Feeding the other parts of you outside being a mother

53:33 Sex drive after birth

57:21 Therapy and discovering new parts of yourself after having a baby

1:00:29 Advice for future birth-givers: you will be ok

1:01:50 The benefits of being off of social media: no FOMO or comparison

In this episode, Michelle divulges how how she relates to her career after having a baby, and the stigma around being a mother whilst being a female business owner. We discuss topics that are often perceived as taboo such as sex and intimacy post birth, sleep training, and gender roles. The episode concludes with the story of her son's birth. Michelle Pellizzon Lipsitz is the founder of Holisticism, a community and educational platform for wellness-oriented entrepreneurs and creatives. She is also the co-host of The Twelfth House Podcast

You can follow Michelle on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/michellepellizzonlipsitz/ and Holisticism here https://www.holisticism.com

*This episode is not medical advice.

www.keelysemler.com

1:31 Changes after birth

4:13 Expectations about birth and motherhood

5:35 How society treats women/mothers who go back to work after birth

8:00 Sleep training and “parenting expertise”

13:32 Revelations of motherhood and gender roles

15:55 The spectrum of gender identity and labels in birthing

18:18 Intimacy and physical activity during and post pregnancy

23:15 Stigmas and assumptions around breastfeeding

26:27 Building an understanding with your partner regarding postpartum intimacy

27:01 Preparing for birth, deciding on having a doula, and hypnobirthing

29:00 Michelle’s birth story

38:00 Working with medical staff while also maintaining your autonomy

43:11 Post birth realizations, needs, and family dynamics