Fourth Trimester: The First Months and Beyond | Parenting | Newborn Baby | Postpartum | Doula

Your baby's brain works differently than yours, and understanding that difference can change the way you communicate from the very beginning. In this episode, Sarah talks with Dinalynn Rosenbush about the baby brain, early family communication, and how parents can do what they can to support optimal future success through connection, routines, tone, and play. Dinalynn is a speech-language patholog...

This is the primer on Resilient Parenting. Learn how resilient parenting helps you feel steadier in the early months after baby, and why that steadiness matters for your baby too. In this episode, Sarah talks with Dr. Kate Lund about simple ways to support your nervous system, respond instead of react, and create more connection and consistency in everyday care. Dr. Kate Lund is a licensed clinica...

How dads can support their partners postpartum is a question many families are trying to answer in real time after baby arrives. A lot of dads want to help, but they may be working from the wrong playbook by focusing on fixing problems, pushing through stress, or assuming practical support is enough. In this episode, learn how emotional presence, steady communication, and helping a partner feel se...

If you've ever felt like you're carrying the weight of keeping your family organized, fed, scheduled, and functioning, you're not alone. In this episode, learn how to identify the hidden mental load of parenting, understand why it often falls unevenly between partners, and discover practical strategies for creating a more balanced and supportive family dynamic. Sarah is joined by Dr. Shoshana Benn...

Many parents enter pregnancy and postpartum believing they can prepare enough, plan enough, or perfect their way through uncertainty. But becoming a parent often challenges the very patterns we once relied on to feel safe. In this episode, learn how self-trust, emotional flexibility, and even storytelling can help parents navigate the identity shifts of the fourth trimester with more resilience, c...

Community doula support can change how you experience pregnancy, birth, and the fourth trimester. In this episode, you’ll learn how having the right support in place can help you feel safer, more confident, and better equipped to navigate real-life challenges beyond your birth plan. Marlee-I Mystic and Alli Cuentos are co-executive directors of SisterWeb and experienced birth workers leading a com...

Postpartum recovery after 38 is not just about healing from birth. It is about protecting your metabolism, stabilizing insulin, and understanding the hormonal shifts that can quietly influence your long-term health. In this episode, you’ll learn what most providers are not routinely testing, how nutrition and muscle mass impact recovery, and the small daily habits that build resilience for the yea...

Your baby’s nervous system is the foundation for sleep, emotional regulation, and lifelong health, yet most parents are never shown what actually supports its development. In this episode, you’ll learn how everyday moments of connection, movement, and time in nature can shape calmer behavior and more resilient outcomes for your child. Kathleen Lockyer brings nearly 30 years of experience in pediat...

Learn how to reduce birth anxiety and feel calmer, more grounded, and in control during birth using simple, practical tools. Erin Acharya, a certified clinical hypnotherapist and hypnobirthing instructor, shares how to work with your mind and nervous system so you can approach birth with real confidence. Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodcast.com Connect with Erin Acharya birthevolved.com | In Th...

Preparing for birth is only part of the journey. What happens after baby arrives matters just as much. This is about how to have a well-resourced fourth trimester so that you know what actions you can take in the first weeks, months and year with your newborn. In this episode, Esther and I explore postpartum support and how to prepare for life after baby so you don’t feel alone. Our guest, Claudia...

We are covering fourth trimester fundamentals with this conversation and talking about what is needed in the first few weeks and months after birth . We're looking at postpartum recovery support through the lens of Ayurvedic practices and introducing the concept of the "sacred window". Most parents prepare for birth, but far fewer are prepared for what comes after. The early postpartum period is o...

In this episode, we explore birth center vs hospital birth , and what parents should know before deciding where to welcome their baby. Our guests are Certified Nurse Midwife Nancy Myrick , co-founder of the San Francisco Birth Center, and Monica Levine, Board Member of the San Francisco Birth Center Foundation. Nancy brings more than three decades of experience supporting births across home, hospi...

In this episode, perinatal psychologist Dr. Shosh shares how becoming a grandparent may reactivate old experiences, including anxiety from early parenthood. We explore healthy boundaries, communication, and how families can navigate this stage with confidence, clarity and care. This episode is so informative, and it also works beautifully as a conversation kickstarter between the new parents and n...

In this episode, IBCLC and Certified Nurse Midwife Lisa Paladino explains how to recognize tongue tie symptoms, when breastfeeding pain needs evaluation, and what to expect from treatment. Learn how to make an informed decision about treatment. We'll share questions to ask your doctor, the signs that your baby might have tongue tie, pros and cons of a frenectomy and when to wait on a procedure. Fu...

Father mental health during pregnancy is one of the most overlooked risk factors for postpartum depression and infant bonding challenges. In this episode, we explore how Dadcare and father-inclusive prenatal care can prevent postpartum depression and strengthen families from the very first visit. This is a powerful conversation with Edward M Stephens MD and PSI-Founder Jane Honikman that enables e...

It's time to find out what the word "yoni" means . And, how to tune into your pelvic floor. This episode is about leaning into your innate power and wisdom . Learn how to pause and honor the profound transitions that happen throughout your life. Britt Fohrman is here to lead us through the what, how and why for yoga for your yoni. Learn to connect, alleviate discomfort, and feel good in your own b...

If you had a best friend who knew everything there was to know about how to heal Diastasis Recti safely , your friend would be Leah Keller. She's our guest on this episode and our topic is a very deep dive into how to identify issues, and heal and strengthen your core during pregnancy and after birth. (And that could be many years, several decades after birth even, and still benefit.) Let's learn...

According to the CDC , women are having babies later in life. "First births for older mothers increased, with a 12.6% rise for those aged 30 to 34 and a 25% increase for mothers aged 35 and older ." The continuing trend of delayed motherhood means more cases of older moms experiencing perimenopause during their postpartum recovery period. With very similar symptoms between perimenopause and postpa...

Sarah Healy is a certified sleep consultant who puts the health and wellness of babies first. And this fact is precisely why we invited her to be our guest on Fourth Trimester. Healthy family sleep is our topic, including key considerations around sleep training such as age, developmental factors, the unique needs of a given baby plus the unique needs of the parents and other adults in the househo...

Learn what Nutritional Psychiatry is and how it supports a healthy fourth trimester. Esther and Sarah have a great conversation with holistic health educator Celeste Brinkerhoff about micronutrients, genetics and tools that help people improve their mental health . As Celeste reminds us, “ Prevention is everything. If both parents strengthen their nutrition and mental health before baby arrives, t...

Here are empowerment tools for postpartum wellness from an OB-GYN who has helped thousands of families during pregnancy, birth and the fourth trimester. In this episode Dr Eboni January shares what she advises families based on her experiences after delivering 8,000 babies and counting. These Fourth Trimester tools can be used by everyone. They are about keeping parents and baby safe and well-reso...

Preeclampsia affects around 5-10% pregnancies, and increasingly we are learning new ways to lower risks . Here's how. In this episode, we are joined by OBGYN and maternal health leader Dr. Amanda P. Williams to talk about what every parent and perinatal professional should know about preeclampsia prevention, warning signs and treatment . Yes, this episode is all about safer pregnancies and healthi...

We had a lovely conversation with multiple-time founder Miki Agrawal on the best diapers & how small efforts parents make now can have a big impact for future generations. Listen to the episode to learn how certain diapers are better and healthier for your baby. Plus, pick up many great parenting tips along the way. The highest quality products aren't always the most expensive, and they may su...

Spoiler alert: there's no perfect set of ingredients that will make anyone the perfect "cool grandpa" . However, there are general guidelines that will get most people well along the way - at least for the parts in their control. What's key? Communication, boundaries, having fun. Here's the 'recipe', if you will, in a nutshell. (Plus a little self-reflection!) So here's the 'recipe' from Cool...

What would happen to your baby if something happened to you? It’s a difficult question, but one every parent needs to face. In this episode, estate planning attorney Patricia De Fonte shares how to create a plan that protects your loved ones, minimizes stress, and reflects your values. It doesn't matter how much money or assets you have - every parent needs to have a plan in place to protect their...