Prepared for Parenthood

Summary Alyssa Brade, author of Mommy Needs a Minute: From Burnout to Empowerment, shares her personal journey of becoming a Millennial mom and the difficult challenges she faced. She discusses the impact of societal expectations on maternal mental health and the need for authentic solutions. Alyssa emphasizes the importance of self-discovery, mental health, and making authentic, aligned choices a...

Summary Sarah Parise, a wellness coach for moms, shares her journey to motherhood, which was filled with challenges, including a difficult first birth, postpartum depression, and anxiety. Sarah's journey led her to a breaking point, after which she sought healing and later created a program to support other moms in their postpartum recovery and self-care. [ TRIGGER WARNING FOR POSTPARTUM DEPRE...

Summary Angie Weber, a mom of twins, shares her experience of preparing for multiples mentally, emotionally, and physically. She discusses the surprise of finding out she was pregnant with twins and the challenges she faced during pregnancy and birth. Angie also opens up about not having an instant bond with her children and the journey of developing a strong connection with them over time. She sh...

Summary Melanie Bonk, a certified love, sex, and relationship coach, discusses the importance of intimacy and sex in a couple's relationship and how it evolves over time, especially as a couple has children. She shares her personal experience of using sex as a barometer for emotional well-being and the importance of meeting each other's needs. Melanie also talks about how sex and intimacy...

Summary Heather Elkins, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and owner of Root Love Lactation Services, shares her journey into the field of lactation consulting and the importance of prenatal education and lactation support throughout the breast- and chest-feeding journey. Heather previously practiced as a healthcare lawyer and recently completed a 5-year grant initiativ...

Summary Rebecca Molitor, LCPC, a licensed clinical professional counselor and certified Prenatal Bonding (BA) facilitator and trainer, discusses the importance of Prenatal Bonding (BA) and its correlation with reduced rates of birth interventions and preterm birth, postpartum depression, and infant colic. Prenatal Bonding (BA) has also been shown to correlate with increased breastfeeding rates. Pr...

Summary Dr. Christiana Rebelle, a perinatal health consultant, researcher, and current Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, shares her journey from military service and fitness to focusing on the health of moms and babies. She discusses the importance of the gut microbiome and the impact of birth and postpartum interventions on its diversity. Dr. Rebelle...

Keywords breastfeeding, lactation consultant, social support, community, breastfeeding pain, pumping, breastfeeding multiples, tips for new parents Summary Diane Michel, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), shares her experience and expertise in helping mothers breastfeed or chest-feed their babies. She discusses her own breastfeeding journey and how it led her to become...

Summary In this conversation, Dr. Stephanie Dueger interviews Dave Bonaiuto, a psychotherapist and co-creator of a fatherhood coaching and support group called Council of Fathers. They discuss the challenges and transitions that fathers face, the lack of resources for new fathers, and common themes that arise in early fatherhood, such as overwhelm and relationship changes. Dave shares some of the...

Summary Madison Fugere, a postpartum doula and sleep consultant, discusses newborn sleep and the challenges parents may face in getting their babies to sleep. She explains that newborn sleep is different for every baby and every family situation and emphasizes the importance of sleep shaping in the first three months. Madison also offers advice on feeding and awake windows in relation to sleep and...

Summary In this episode, Dr. Stephanie Dueger interviews Jennifer House, a registered dietitian and expert in baby-led weaning. Jennifer discusses the importance of introducing solids to babies and the potential mistakes parents make during this process. She shares her personal experience with baby-led weaning and the benefits of this approach. Jennifer also highlights the significance of iron in...

Summary In this episode, Dr. Angel Hill shares insights on how to prepare your body for pregnancy. She emphasizes the importance of fertility as an indicator of overall health and recommends at least three months of preparation for those who are already healthy, and up to a year for those with health issues. Dr. Hill discusses the impact of synthetic fragrances and plastics on fertility and sugges...

Summary In this conversation, Dr. Stephanie Dueger speaks with John Chamberlain, son of Dr. David Chamberlain, about the field of birth psychology. John shares the story of how his father stumbled upon birth psychology and the role he played in its development. They discuss the use of hypnotic induction therapy to access birth memories and the impact of these memories on individuals. John also tal...

Summary In this conversation, Dr. Stephanie Dueger interviews Dr. Annie Brook, a world-class somatic and birth trauma therapist with 45 years of experience. They discuss three themes related to pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. The conversation covers major topics such as stress and overwhelm during pregnancy, common birth experiences like induction and C-sections, and transitioning into par...

Summary Dr. Thomas Verny, MD, a renowned psychiatrist and international bestselling author, discusses the concept of prenatal memories and the importance of understanding that babies in utero and at birth have remembered lived experiences. He shares his journey of discovering and researching prenatal memories, as well as his formation of the Association of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Hea...

Summary Dr. Raylene Phillips, a neonatologist and President of the Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health (APPPAH), discusses the first hour after birth - The Sacred Hour - and the impact of birth psychology on maternal and infant outcomes. She explains the nine stages of a baby finding the breast just after birth and the dangers of interrupting The Sacred Hour. Dr. Phillips...

This is a brief introduction to Prepared for Parenthood , the 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 and young childr...

Welcome to Prepared for Parenthood , the 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 y...