What happens when motherhood collides with elite performance, constant travel, and a career that doesn't have to pause for postpartum?

In this conversation, I sat down with storyteller, publicist, and brand strategist Megan Harrod to explore what it looks like to become a mother while working inside the fast-paced world of elite ski racing. Megan shares the reality of taking both of her babies around the world just weeks after birth, navigating postpartum while traveling full-time, pumping in airports and media centers, and balancing the demands of caring for world-class athletes while learning to care for herself.

But underneath the logistics is a much deeper conversation about identity, nervous system resilience, and the unrealistic expectations we place on mothers. We talk honestly about miscarriage, body image, breastfeeding, the invisible mental load of motherhood, and why sharing the messy parts of postpartum matters just as much as celebrating the joyful ones.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Becoming a mother while working in elite sports

• Traveling internationally with newborns and young children

• Breastfeeding, pumping, and the realities of postpartum on the road

• The identity shifts that come with motherhood

• Miscarriage, grief, and why we need to talk about it more openly

• Why postpartum isn't something you can fully understand until you're living it

• The pressure to "bounce back" and making peace with a changing body

• Learning to receive support while balancing work and family

• Building resilience through flexibility instead of perfection

• Why honest conversations about motherhood help all of us feel less alone

One of my favorite reminders from this conversation:

"You really realize how much you're capable of... and how much time you have. Your threshold for discomfort and chaos expands in ways you never expected."

This conversation is an honest look at the realities of modern motherhood including the beauty, the exhaustion, the humor, and the constant recalibration that happens as we learn to care for ourselves while caring for everyone else. Whether you're preparing for postpartum, currently in the thick of it, or supporting someone who is, I hope this conversation reminds you that there is no one "right" way to mother, only the way that is true to you.

Connect with Megan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganharrod/

Connect with Lesha:
Website: https://www.leshanelson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesha__nelson/

What if the most important preparation for birth isn't actually about the birth itself?

In this conversation, I sat down with entrepreneur, coach, and mother Jean Madson to explore what it really means to prepare for birth and postpartum. While we expected to spend much of our time talking about postpartum, the conversation naturally unfolded into something much bigger: trust, support, and the often-overlooked challenge of learning to receive care.

Jean shares her first birth experience, including an unexpected transfer from a birth center to the hospital, how intentional preparation allowed her to navigate those changes with confidence, and why she believes the support she accepted during postpartum made all the difference. We also explore the realities of preparing for twins, the privilege and barriers that exist within maternity care, and why building a trusted support team may be one of the most important parts of preparing for parenthood.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why preparation is about more than creating a birth plan

• How trust in your care team can shape your birth experience

• The role of doulas, midwives, and building a support system

• Navigating unexpected changes, including hospital transfers

• Why allowing support can be one of the hardest parts of postpartum

• The tension between independence and receiving care

• Setting boundaries while still letting people help

• The realities of breastfeeding, sleep deprivation, and early postpartum

• How privilege, access, and community shape the transition into parenthood

One of my favorite reminders from this conversation:

"The reason the challenging moments didn't lead me into depression or anxiety... was because of the support I allowed."

Whether you're preparing for birth, navigating postpartum, or simply reflecting on what it means to let yourself be supported, I hope this conversation leaves you feeling a little less alone.

Connect with Jean:

Website: https://whole-human-co.myflodesk.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanmadison_/

Connect with Lesha:

Website: https://www.leshanelson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesha__nelson/

What if the problem isn’t that you’re inconsistent… but that you were never meant to be the same every day?

In this conversation, I sit down with mental health therapist, childbirth educator, doula, and mother of five Shara Jackson Harper to explore the intersection of hormones, nervous system health, motherhood, and life transitions. This conversation felt both validating and expansive, especially in a world that asks us to perform with the same capacity every single day.

We talk about the realities of cyclical living, how stress and cortisol shape our emotional experiences, and why so many women feel like they’re failing when their bodies may actually be asking for something different.

This conversation also moves into pregnancy, postpartum, caregiving, self-trust, and the cultural pressures that make rest feel impossible.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why women are not meant to feel the same every day
• The four phases of the menstrual cycle and how they impact mood, energy, communication, and capacity
• How hormones and the nervous system work together (and sometimes against us)
• Why cortisol hits differently depending on where you are in your cycle
• What actually happens hormonally after birth and why postpartum can feel so emotionally intense
• The nervous system cost of modern motherhood, overstimulation, and productivity culture
• Rest as a biological need and not a luxury
• Mom guilt, self-trust, and learning to listen to your body
• Why repair matters more than perfection in parenting
• Community, play, and connection as nervous system medicine

One of my favorite reminders from this conversation:

“Rest is productive.”

If you’ve ever wondered why some days you feel clear, social, and energized and other days everything feels like too muchthis episode is for you.

Connect with Shara: https://www.instagram.com/growthinherseasons/

Website: https://growthinherseasons.com/

Link to all of her awesome downloads and resources: https://linktr.ee/sharalea?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGna9XxC6MU_i--FZyOLHU4fPqENmUemrxTQHcxA9NtLu_4GvHZhlG4sulvavc_aem_eB46ADTgPmtFx74qn21_Qw

Work with and support Lesha:

https://www.instagram.com/lesha__nelson/

www.leshanelson.com

In this episode of Nurturing Resilience, host Lesha Nelson speaks with Annalee Muse, a birth worker and doula, about her journey through birth experiences, the impact of societal narratives on birthing individuals, and the importance of community and connection in the birthing process. They discuss the role of spirituality, the significance of birth story medicine, and the need for ritual and ceremony in navigating the complexities of motherhood. Annalee shares her insights on healing from birth trauma and offers advice for expecting mothers, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and learning in the postpartum period.

Main Takeaways:

• Anna Lee's journey into birth work began after her own challenging birth experiences.
• The societal narrative often blames birthing individuals for outcomes that are beyond their control.
• Spirituality and preparation are important, but they cannot guarantee specific birth outcomes.
• Birth story medicine helps individuals process their experiences and find healing.
• Community support is crucial for navigating the complexities of birth and postpartum.
• Ritual and ceremony can play a significant role in honoring the birthing experience.
• Social media can create unrealistic expectations around birth and motherhood.
• Healing from birth trauma is a long process that requires time and self-compassion.
• Expecting mothers should focus on learning how to mother rather than performing perfectly.
• Acknowledging the gray areas in birth experiences can lead to deeper understanding and healing.

Work with Annalee:

https://musebirth.com/

https://www.instagram.com/muse.birth/

Work with Lesha:

https://www.leshanelson.com

https://www.instagram.com/lesha__nelson/

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Anna Lee's Journey

02:04 Exploring Birth Experiences and Spirituality

04:05 The Complexity of Birth Narratives

05:57 Navigating Birth Expectations and Reality

09:56 Cultural Perspectives on Birth Outcomes

12:28 The Role of Birth Story Medicine

14:34 Understanding the Nuances of Birth Preparation

20:26 The Impact of Social Media on Birth Narratives

27:25 Earning Worthiness in Motherhood

35:28 Advice for New Mothers in Postpartum

38:44 The Influence of AI on Birth Support

42:30 Environmental Impact of AI and Human Connection

45:18 The Importance of Initiation and Knowledge in Birth

47:50 The Role of Ceremony and Ritual in Healing

49:47 Navigating Spiritual Practices in Birth

53:18 Presence and Authenticity in Rituals

56:17 Preparing for Birth: Personal Reflections and Insights

01:00:51 Processing Birth Trauma and Personal Growth

01:06:52 Unraveling Beliefs Around Birth Experiences

01:11:29 The Journey of Healing and Support in Birth

What happens when the golden hour is missed? When the first imprint we carry is one of separation and rupture- not safety or skin-to-skin?

In this episode, we explore the blueprint of connection we’re born with and what’s possible when that blueprint is interrupted. I begin by sharing some personal reflections on being born via C-section and how that shaped my own attachment patterns. Then I’m joined by Briana Georjae, practitioner, doula, and guide, who shares her story of being separated from her mother at birth and the lifelong healing that followed.

Together, we explore:

• When something goes out of plan, how can we shift our perspectives that something happened for us.
• Recognizing your power can transform experiences.
• There is a blueprint in nature that can guide us.
• The innate intelligence runs through all living things.

• Communication with our life force fosters resilience and understanding our connection to creation is vital.

• What it means to respond to rupture with power and presence

This is a conversation about the places we begin, the patterns we inherit, and the possibility of reconnecting with our bodies, our babies, and the blueprints written in nature itself.

About Briana:
Briana Georjae serves from the critical need to preserve and foster the innate intelligence of women’s bodies. Within a traditional, intuitive, and woman-led container, she offers herbal consultations, holistic womb care, psychedelic integration, and doula services.

Work with Briana: https://www.heirlooms.love/

Work with Lesha: https://www.leshanelson.com

keywords: power, response, blueprint, innate intelligence, life force, nature, communication, self-awareness, creation, energy, golden hour, birth trauma resolution

In this rich and revealing conversation, Lesha Nelson and Sena Maria explore the transformative power of Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) and its profound connection to both physiological and emotional health. Sena shares her personal journey from deep depletion to vibrant vitality, highlighting the importance of mineral balancing and the subtle interconnectedness of minerals within the body.

Together, they unpack the concept of the calcium shell as a protective mechanism, the mineral-depleting impact of modern diets, and the thoughtful, individualized use of supplements. Their dialogue weaves through the terrain of body image, self-acceptance, and healing, offering insight into how societal pressures shape our inner landscape.

With a focus on women’s experiences, they explore the effects of sympathetic dominance, the cost of overriding physical limits, and the influence of birth imprints on long-term health. This episode bridges spiritual seeking with physical grounding, and offers grounded, practical guidance for postpartum mothers—including ways to nourish and restore the body while honoring the deep emotional and energetic layers of healing.

Work with Sena Maria: https://www.sena-maria.com/

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sena__maria/

Work with Lesha: https://www.leshanelson.com

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesha__nelson/

In this podcast episode, Lesha Nelson discusses the Perrin Technique, a method developed by Dr. Raymond Perrin for detoxifying the body and brain. She shares her personal journey through the 12-week program, explaining the importance of the lymphatic and glymphatic systems in health and recovery, particularly for those suffering from chronic fatigue and long COVID. Lesha emphasizes the need for consistency in treatment and the potential benefits of the Perrin Technique for fertility and overall wellness.

In this episode:• What the Perrin Technique is and how it works• Why lymph and glymphatic flow matter for detox and recovery• How this method supports Long COVID, fatigue, and potentially fertility• Lesha’s personal experience through the 12-week program

Perrin Website: https://theperrintechnique.com/

Lesha's Website: https://www.leshanelson.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Parent Technique

00:56 Understanding the Lymphatic and Glymphatic Systems

06:34 The Impact of the Parent Technique on Long COVID

11:09 Personal Journey and Experience with the Parent Technique

16:51 The Importance of Consistency in Treatment

22:21 Exploring Fertility and Women's Health

25:04 Bridging Science and Healing

Keywords

Perrin Technique, Lymphatic System, Glymphatic System, Chronic Fatigue, Long COVID, Detoxification, Health, Wellness, Craniosacral Therapy, Fertility

In this episode, I’m joined by Rachel of The Root Celler Co., a classically trained homeopath whose work bridges the wisdom of natural law with the tender continuum of pregnancy and postpartum.

We talk about:

• The principle of “like cures like” and how homeopathy works with the body rather than against it.

• Why suppression (through pharmaceuticals) can create chronic patterns.

• The law of polarity and the law of correspondence — and how they apply to both individual and collective healing.

• Pregnancy as a portal where lineage imprints rise to the surface.

• Postpartum as a fulcrum where mothers attune to both baby and culture.

• Remedies Rachel turns to that carry deep blueprint energy, including fungal remedies, matrodonal remedies (birth substances), and mammalian milks.

Rachel’s reflections reveal why tending to mothers is not just personal care — it is collective healing.

Resources & Links:

• Rachel’s Website: therootcellerco.com

• Rachel's Instagram: @therootcellerco

• Lesha's Website: www.leshanelson.com

  Lesha's Substack: substack.com/@lesha

  Lesha's Instagram: @lesha__nelson⁠

In this heartfelt episode, I share my personal journey of navigating and recovering from burnout as a birth worker. Through honest reflection, I explore the unique challenges caregivers face in this deeply emotional and demanding field—from the unpredictable schedules to the weight of holding space for others.

You’ll hear the turning points that helped me recognize the need for change and the strategies that transformed my approach to work and life. From setting boundaries to integrating nervous system regulation practices, I offer actionable steps to help birth workers create sustainable, aligned careers that honor both their passion and their well-being.

Whether you’ve experienced burnout yourself, are feeling the early signs, or simply want to ensure longevity in your caregiving work, this episode is packed with insights, encouragement, and practical tools to support you.

Quote shared in episode was by Prentis Hemphill

Purchase your very own copy of Replenish + Thrive: a mini workbook for birth and bodyworkers to prevent burnout and secondary trauma

https://leshanelson.kit.com/products/replenish-thrive

Stay connected with me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/lesha__nelson/

Welcome back to another episode of Nurturing Resilience where today we're diving into a fascinating topic that's been buzzing in both medical and alternative health circles: the rise in tongue-ties and changes in oral-facial development.
Have you noticed more people talking about tongue-ties lately? Or maybe you've heard about changes in facial structures affecting breathing and sleep? Well, you're not alone. There's been a noticeable increase in these conditions, and today we're going to break down why I think this might be happening.
Since my practice has opened 13 years ago I have definitely seen an increase in oral restrictions. I get asked all of the time "why is this happening?" If you know me, you know that I like to answer my clients with the best information I can, and so today I am sharing the top seven reasons (aka rabbit holes) I have found to hold true.
In this episode I share the 7 reasons which include:
- Processed diets lacking essential nutrients
- Increased exposure to environmental toxins
- Changes in breastfeeding practices
- Genetic factors like MTHFR mutations and folic acid
- More sedentary lifestyles
- Increased awanress and diagnosis
- Changes in our oral habits and development
While the exact cause is not fully understood, it is clear the rise in tongue-ties and changes in oral-facial development likely result from a combination of modern lifestyle factors. I talk about what are the factors we can control and what to do to seek help if you are mom struggling with this issue.
This is a nuanced topic and I did my best to highlight multiple perspectives and thoughts. The biggest take away is to get help! You do not need to struggle through this alone and there are many people trained specifically to address this topic.
Remember, while we're seeing an increase in these conditions, understanding the potential causes empowers us to make positive changes that can affect future generations.