Into Motherhood

In this episode of Into Motherhood, Julie welcomes Gila Glassberg registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor, and mother of five, for a conversation about motherhood, birth, grief, resilience, and personal growth.

Gila shares her journey from struggling with disordered eating to discovering intuitive eating and building her own private practice. She reflects on the challenges of entrepreneurship, balancing motherhood with her professional goals, and learning to embrace life's uncertainties.

Gila recounts the sudden loss of her mother while nine months pregnant, navigating an unexpected C-section, and welcoming her son just days after her mother's passing. She opens up about the complexities of grief and processing profound loss during what is often expected to be a joyful time.

Gila also shares her subsequent birth experiences, including her journey toward achieving a vaginal birth after two C-sections (VBA2C), the importance of supportive providers, as well as the advocacy and support of a doula.

Throughout the conversation, Gila offers meaningful reflections on trusting the process, finding strength through difficult experiences, and recognizing that life doesn't always unfold as we imagine.

Content note: This episode includes discussions of disordered eating, pregnancy complications, C-sections, parental loss, grief, and challenging birth experiences.

Disclaimer: This episode is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice or a substitute for individualized guidance from qualified healthcare professionals.

Learn more about Gila and reach out here: https://gilaglassberg.com/

Chapters:

0:00 Welcome and Gila's bio
1:13 Growing up and falling into dieting
4:19 Becoming a dietitian and discovering intuitive eating
7:46 Leaving the nursing home and launching a private practice
14:53 Gila's mom's sudden illness and a breech pregnancy
22:21 Rochester: saying goodbye to Gila's mom
29:32 The C-section and the birth of Nechemya
37:05 Telling the story, writing the book, and navigating grief
44:00 COVID and growing the business
51:19 ADHD, recipes, and the e-cookbook
54:03 Akiva's birth and the VBAC that became a C-section
1:05:08 The VBAC after two C-sections

In this episode of Into Motherhood, Julie speaks with childbirth educator, doula, and mother Lauren Seidman of Birth Positive for a thoughtful conversation about preparing for birth with confidence and a sense of autonomy.

Lauren shares her perspective on the importance of understanding your options throughout pregnancy and birth, asking questions, and making informed choices that feel right for you. They discuss everything from navigating medical interventions and choosing a healthcare provider whose philosophy aligns with your own, to the role of childbirth education and why feeling informed can shape the way a woman experiences her birth.

The conversation also explores the idea that a “positive” birth doesn’t have one definition. Different families may have very different preferences when it comes to pain management, interventions, and medical care—and part of preparing for birth is understanding what matters to you and finding a care team you trust.

As with every conversation on Into Motherhood, this episode is intended to offer education, perspective, and thoughtful discussion. It is intended for educational and informational purposes and is not medical advice or a substitute for individualized guidance from your own healthcare providers.

https://bebirthpositive.com/

[email protected]

Lauren's free webinar "Choosing the Right OB for You"

Lauren's 3 Questions to Ask Your OB & Why

Chapters:

00:00 — Introducing Lauren Seidman
00:48 — Lauren’s childbirth education services
05:22 — Helping parents feel informed and empowered
08:35 — Addressing fear and building confidence for birth
09:42 — Medicalized birth, interventions, and autonomy
14:15 — Making sense of birth information and education
17:42 — Choosing a healthcare provider who aligns with your goals
22:48 — Finding the right provider through trusted recommendations
27:26 — Who benefits from childbirth education
30:40 — Preparing for future births and learning from experience
31:44 — Processing birth outcomes that don’t go as planned
32:45 — How to connect with Lauren

Ruthie Pollak is the proud mother of 5 boys. She joins Into Motherhood to tell us the story of how her second born, Ezra, tragically passed away just four years ago, at the age of 2 years and 4 months while they were vacationing in the Bahamas. She shares the story of who he was: a baby born during COVID who later became an energetic toddler with a radiant smile, a love for mischief and a close bond with his big brother, Akiva. She shares the details of his passing and how the Jewish community came together to ensure he have a respectful and swift burial while supporting her family through a tumultuous time. Ruthie discusses how she and her husband Tani cope with this immense loss and how she functions on a day to day basis. Having recently given birth to her fifth child, she shares what it's like to parent after this tragedy. To keep Ezra's memory alive as she manages the daily rigors of mothering her young children. She shows courage and strength as she speaks of her feelings, her journey, what her marriage looks like and how her immediate and extended family has transformed through this tragedy.

Please check out:

Ruthie's Substack linked here

Donation Page to ZAKA in Ezra's a"h memory linked here

TRIGGER WARNING: Child loss

00:00 — Meet Ruthie & Her Family
03:43 — Supporting a Grieving Parent: What Helps and What Doesn’t
14:55 — Ezra’s Story: From His Birth to the Bahamas
28:31 — Unanswered Questions, Grief & Faith
39:13 — Keeping Ezra’s Memory and Legacy Alive
46:05 — Parenting Akiva After Losing His Brother & Best Friend
56:37 — Raising a Family While Living With Grief
1:04:49 — Marriage, Different Ways of Grieving & Supporting Each Other
1:15:28 — Milestones, Holidays, New Babies & Life Continuing
1:29:44 — Looking Ahead, Remembering Ezra & What Ruthie Wants Others to Know
1:47:26 — Remembering Ezra a”h: A Photo Slideshow
1:48:58 — Rabbi Bluming Sings “Hamalach Hagoel”

In this episode, Gabrielle Moskovitz LCSW, PMH-C discusses postpartum challenges faced by mothers and postpartum planning, the impact of a new baby on a marriage, and the role of medication and therapy in this stage. She continues by covering coping mechanisms for overstimulated mothers and tools for couples to use experiencing challenges, including those concerning intimacy, during the postpartum stage and thereafter. Gabrielle talks about pregnancy loss, secondary infertility, pregnancy complications, birth trauma, C-sections and VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean). TRIGGER WARNING-topics such as infertility and pregnancy loss are discussed.

Gabrielle Moskovitz, LCSW, PMH-C is the founder and practice owner of MomWell Therapy- a boutique private practice specializing in maternal mental health. Gabrielle is a Perinatal Mental Health-Certified clinician (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International. 

As a boy mom of three, Gabrielle understands firsthand the many ups and downs that come with motherhood. She specializes in supporting women navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, pregnancy, postpartum anxiety and depression, and the everyday stressors and transitions of motherhood.

Gabrielle combines a variety of therapeutic modalities to help clients better navigate the emotional, relational, and personal challenges that can come with becoming and being a mother. She also offers couples therapy and believes strongly in the importance of intentionally nurturing and strengthening your relationship throughout the motherhood phase. 

As with every conversation on Into Motherhood, this episode is intended to offer education, perspective, and thoughtful discussion. It is intended for educational and informational purposes and is not medical advice or a substitute for individualized guidance from your own healthcare providers.

Reach out to Gabrielle:

[email protected] or 201-579-0381 

(www.momwelltherapy.com)

Into Motherhood Podcast Streaming Platforms: https://intomotherhood.riverside.com/

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Maternal Mental Health
• 01:28 Challenges Faced by Postpartum Mothers
• 06:33 Coping Mechanisms and TIPP Skills
• 13:39 Impact on Marriage and Intimacy
• 32:26 The Role of Medication in Maternal Mental Health
• 35:15 Reproductive Psychiatry and Medication
• 36:18 Challenges of Motherhood
• 41:48 Secondary Infertility and Pregnancy Losses
• 01:01:57 C-Sections and VBAC Deliveries

In this episode, we get to hear from Rachel Schacht DPT speak about the importance of pelvic floor health and why women deserve good care. She helps listeners distinguish between what is normal and what is common when it comes to pelvic floor issues. She cares deeply about her work and her patients and speaks with such enthusiasm and passion for the field. Rachel addresses the many biological stages in a woman's life and delves into the topics of penetration pain, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause. Rachel emphasizes the importance of patient education and encourages women to ask questions and seek help as soon as they need it.

A mother of two and currently pregnant, Rachel shares with us her unique perspectives on her two c-sections and recoveries along with her hopes for the future.

Rachel Schacht is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with specialized training in pelvic floor physical therapy. She lives in Sharon MA with her husband and 2 kids. Rachel has experience treating a diverse patient population including pelvic health, orthopedics, post surgical recovery and geriatrics. She has always been passionate about human anatomy and exercise science, which serves as the driving force behind the desire to help people overcome their health challenges through movement.

As with every conversation on Into Motherhood, this episode is intended to offer education, perspective, and thoughtful discussion. It is intended for educational and informational purposes and is not medical advice or a substitute for individualized guidance from your own healthcare providers.

Reach out to Rachel at [email protected] with questions or see her in person at Momlife Health and Wellness in Medfield, MA.

Chapters

• 00:00 Long-standing Friendship and Professional Background
• 02:53 Distinguishing Between Normal and Common in Pelvic Floor Health
• 06:10 Comprehensive Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy
• 20:32 Journey of Becoming a Pelvic Floor Therapist
• 25:33 Perinatal Care and Patient Experience
• 26:26 Perineal Massage and Birth Preparation
• 43:26 Perineal Tearing and C-Section Recovery
• 58:08 Understanding Postpartum and Perimenopause
• 58:52 Symptoms and Treatment Options
• 01:02:17 Challenges and Decision-Making
• 01:13:05 Personal Experiences and Patient Education

In this episode, Sara Schreiber shares her journey of becoming a mother and starting her career at the same time in her early 20's. She speaks of balancing her work as a group practice owner and consultant with motherhood. We get down to the details of her daily schedule from work meetings, to counseling calls, to meal prep, carpool and family time. She shares what it's like for her to have ADHD as a mother and entrepreneur and delves into finances with us. Sara encourages jewish women to strive for career independence and financial freedom so that they can be less stressed and more present with their families. Sara is real, easy to talk to and filled with insight. Enjoy!

Sara Schreiber, LCSW, CGP, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Group Psychotherapist, and the founder of the group practice, Collaborative Minds Psychotherapy LLC. She is passionate about supporting clients through group therapy and helping therapists successfully start, market, fill, and run therapy groups in private practice through her consulting business, Groups in Private Practice LLC. 

Into Motherhood podcast website: https://intomotherhood.riverside.com/

Reach Sara:

Instagram: groupsinprivatepractice

Website: collaborativeminds.net and groupsinprivatepractice.com

Chapters

• 00:00 Long-lasting Friendship
• 04:42 Transition to Group Therapy
• 24:42 Balancing Career and Family
• 27:39 Challenges of Parenting and Work-Life Balance
• 52:37 Visionary and Integrator
• 54:03 Challenges of ADHD
• 58:13 Balancing Work and Family
• 59:49 Financial Transparency and Empowerment

In this episode, Rachel Pekarsky brings us into her journey of egg freezing as a single woman. She talks about faith and faith, the experience of building capacity for uncertainty and above all how one can turn pain into purpose-all through the lens of freezing her eggs.

Rachel Pekarsky is a speech-language pathologist, collector of passport stamps, and firm believer that life rarely follows the timeline you imagined. Rachel has firsthand experience with egg freezing and joins us to talk candidly about the medical, emotional, and social sides of the journey, from making the decision to freeze her eggs to navigating dating and uncertainty along the way. In this episode, she discusses the highs, lows, and unexpected lessons she's learned about fertility, dating, resilience, and building a future family that may still feel a long way off.  

As with every conversation on Into Motherhood, this episode is intended to offer education, perspective, and thoughtful discussion. It is intended for educational and informational purposes and is not medical advice or a substitute for individualized guidance from your own healthcare providers.

Reach out to Rachel:

Instagram @koshercompassco

Listen to this episode on other platforms:

https://intomotherhood.riverside.com/

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Guest Bio
• 00:26 Facing the Fear of Needles
• 00:54 The Decision to Freeze Eggs
• 01:03 The Emotional and Physical Process
• 03:01 Impact on Relationships and Faith
• 04:28 Misconceptions and Technical Details
• 08:04 The Egg Freezing Process
• 10:15 The Medication and Injections
• 11:50 The Timing and Cycle of the Process
• 18:00 Support and Supervision
• 28:53 The Journey of Egg Freezing
• 29:48 Community Support and Accessibility
• 30:00 Financial Assistance and Storage Options
• 31:28 Insurance and Healthcare Challenges
• 35:41 Halachic Considerations
• 41:15 Emotional and Social Support
• 01:02:45 Resilience and Uncertainty

In our second episode, we have the privilege of hearing from Dr. Jennie Berkovich, board certified pediatrician and Director of Education at The Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association (JOWMA).

In this interview, we hear about the important work of JOWMA, the Jewish Woman's Health Handbook, which Dr. Berkovich recently co-authored, how visits with the pediatrician as a new mom might look, how to know when to call the doctor, the breakdown of what vaccines actually are and the misinformation being presented about them, among other topics. Dr. Berkovich addresses challenges that new moms face and how she helps them navigate what can be an overwhelming transition. She talks to us about her own experiences as a mother and pediatrician and how she handles having both roles. I truly feel fortunate to have been able to interview Dr. Berkovich. Please tune in and enjoy!

Dr. Berkovich is passionate about community health education, using movement as medicine and empowering parents with tools and knowledge. She lives in Chicago with her husband and four children and is the co-author of the recently published Jewish Woman’s Health Handbook, available on Amazon or your local Jewish bookstore 

As with every conversation on Into Motherhood, this episode is intended to offer education, perspective, and thoughtful discussion. It is intended for educational and informational purposes and is not medical advice or a substitute for individualized guidance from your own healthcare providers.

Reach out to Dr. Jennie Berkovich:

[email protected]

https://intomotherhood.podview.com/

Chapters

• 00:00 Vaccine Hesitancy and Importance of Vaccines
• 25:52 Navigating Differing Opinions in Healthcare
• 32:49 Empowering Parents to Be Advocates
• 39:11 The Value of Pediatrician-Patient Relationships
• 49:12 Balancing Work and Family as a Doctor and Parent

Please join me in this first episode of Into Motherhood! In this episode we interview Ariella Azaraf Schur LCSW on all things motherhood. We discuss the transition of becoming a mother, the challenges of the postpartum stage, the impact of a new child on a marriage and effective coping mechanisms to "settle" onself and communicate one's needs successfully. Ariella guides us in understanding the complex yet soft, fast yet slow, experience of becoming a mother.

Ariella Azaraf Schur, LCSW is a psychotherapist in private practice and speaker based in New York City and New Jersey. She works with adults and emerging adults navigating anxiety, depression, relationships, and boundary-setting, while supporting them in cultivating a deeper sense of self-love.Through a lens of self-compassion and self-acceptance, Ariella is passionate about helping individuals move through trauma and life’s challenges while building emotional resilience and inner stability. In her own journey into motherhood, she brings an added depth to her work—honoring the complexity of identity, attachment, and emotional growth across life transitions.

As with every conversation on Into Motherhood, this episode is intended to offer education, perspective, and thoughtful discussion. It is intended for educational and informational purposes and is not medical advice or a substitute for individualized guidance from your own healthcare providers.

Reach out to Ariella:

https://www.ariellaazaraflcsw.com/

[email protected]

Instagram: ariellaazaraflcsw

Access Into Motherhood on other platforms:

https://intomotherhood.podview.com/

Chapters

• 00:00 The Transition to Motherhood
• 02:03 Professional Journey and Identity
• 06:03 Challenges of Motherhood
• 12:51 Settling into Motherhood
• 21:59 Finding Support and Coping
• 30:14 Navigating Motherhood and Anxiety
• 36:24 The Impact on Marriage and Relationships
• 55:27 Practical Tools for Self-Care and Communication

Into Motherhood is a podcast for women and mothers to learn, grow, connect, and feel supported. Hosted by Julie Pernikoff, the podcast features experts in pregnancy, postpartum, and child development. Welcome to the community!

Access Into Motherhood:

https://intomotherhood.podview.com/