Perinatal Wellbeing - The Podcast about Prenatal, Pregnancy & Postpartum Health

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Content Warning: Birth Trauma, Trauma responses, mention of c-section, medical procedures

Jen Gillean and Emma Fernando are the co-facilitators of Birth Trauma Ottawa. After connecting for the first time in 2017 at a birth trauma retreat, it was clear that they shared a similar passion to spread the word, provide resources and support those that had been affected by birth trauma. Hoping to find a way to help others by holding the heartache that comes with the unique experience of living with birth trauma, they created Birth Trauma Ottawa in 2022.  Birth Trauma Ottawa holds space for those struggling to navigate life after and related to birth trauma, loss and/or abortion experiences at any point in their perinatal journey and creates regular connection points for the community related to birth trauma. Here members can share their stories and challenges with peers and be met with compassion and understanding. Today, Jen, Emma and I are going to talk about birth trauma, what it is, what can the aftereffects of birth trauma look like, what help, support in community and treatment can look. If you have experienced birth trauma, you are not alone and there is hope for recovery. 

Highlights:

3:03 - How Jen and Emma met and starting Birth Trauma Ottawa

8:04 - The impact of the pandemic on birth people and traumatic experiences

11:45 - Risk factors to experiencing trauma

15:57 - What is birth trauma?

24:43 - Risk factors to experiencing trauma Pt. 2

26:44 - What is trauma? Nervous system responses

38:36 - What can the aftereffects of birth trauma look like (for example, high anxiety, PMADs, trauma responses, fear of another baby, etc.)

49:22 - What help, support and treatment can look like post birth trauma

59:07 - Support at Birth Trauma Ottawa

 Resources mentioned in this episode: 

You can find Jen and Emma and Birth Trauma Ottawa online at https://mailchi.mp/e46083061ba5/birthtraumaottawa and on Instagram @ birthtraumaottawa

You can find Jen on Instagram @Inthemomentwithjen

You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email [email protected]

 If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this or any episode please reach out to me at [email protected] and I can help you find support in your area or online.

Check out Postpartum Support International at www.postpartum.net for more information about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders as well as free online support groups and a provider directory. 

You can look for an individual therapist on www.psychologytoday.com . 

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On today’s episode Lorraine Lowry talks about how her symptoms of ADHD and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) show up and impact her parenting. Lorraine is 3 years postpartum and was recently diagnosed with ADHD. Lorraine was also diagnosed with BPD after her son was born. Lorraine shares that “it’s been a whirlwind learning who I am while trying to help him figure out who he is, especially when I see similar traits and I get scared for his future”.

Highlights:

1:36 – What is BPD/ADHD and how does Lorraine define them for herself

13:08 - How did BPD/ADHD affect Lorraine’s parenting

16:51 – Sensory issues, feeling touched out and overstimulated 

23:30 - Sleep vs rest - How lack of sleep impacted symptoms in postpartum period - Making a plan for postpartum coping

35:00 - Seeing symptoms in her son, guilt of hereditary symptoms

46:46 - What are the advantages of ADHD in parenting

1:00:31 – Advice for neurodivergent & neurotypical parents.

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

You can find Lorraine on Instagram @bpdifferentmom and @llowryinspires

You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email [email protected]

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this or any episode please reach out to me at [email protected] and I can help you find support in your area or online. 

Check out Postpartum Support International at www.postpartum.net for more information about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders as well as free online support groups and a provider directory. 

You can look for an individual therapist on www.psychologytoday.com . 

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Content Warning: C-section delivery, NICU stay, delivery during COVID, guilt, anxiety

🎙️Today’s episode is part 2 of Ashley and Adam’s story and their experience of staying in the NICU with one twin. Be sure to listen to last week’s episode where they discussed their journey to parenthood through a fertility journey. Ashley and Adam talk about the difficulty of having one twin in the NICU and one twin being discharged all with a toddler at home. Ashley and Adam continue to share honestly and openly about the impacts on their emotional and mental health throughout this next phase of their parenting journey. 

Highlights:  

0:55 - One twin had to go to NICU, Adam and Ashley having to divide and conquer

15:30 - Discharged with one baby, other baby transferred to another hospital

30:34 - Bringing baby home

37:57 - Impacts on mental health, Ashley’s experience with anxiety

49:23 - Adam’s experience with guilt in the postpartum period 

1:04:31 - How does this experience continue to impact you in the present day?

Resources mentioned in this episode: 
You can find Ashley and Adam on Instagram @ajherridge @adam.mets 

You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email [email protected]

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this or any episode please reach out to me at [email protected] and I can help you find support in your area or online. 

Check out Postpartum Support International at www.postpartum.net for more information about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders as well as free online support groups and a provider directory. 

You can look for an individual therapist on www.psychologytoday.com . 

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Content Warning: Fertility challenges, fertility treatments, c-section delivery

On today’s episode, Ashley and Adam share their journey to becoming parents. It started with fertility challenges that they faced head on despite the many ups and downs they experienced. Ashley and Adam very candidly share about their fertility testing and treatments including IUI attempts and IVF resulting in the birth of their first child as well as twins! Ashley and Adam explore their feelings about all of the challenges and milestones they faced when becoming parents. I so appreciate their vulnerability and authenticity. Stay tuned for next episode which is part 2 of Ashley and Adam’s story.   

Highlights: 

1:19 - Ashley and Adam’s journey into parenting, fertility challenges

8:32 - Adam’s struggles with fertility and the mental health impacts

17:43 - IVF journey

25:31 - Finding out we’re pregnant 

31:50 - Delivery

38:02 - Trying for another baby

41:23 - Reaction to twins

48:22 – Donating the remaining embryos

51:56 - Twin Pregnancy and delivery via c-section 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 
You can find Ashley and Adam on Instagram @ajherridge @adam.mets 

You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email [email protected]

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this or any episode please reach out to me at [email protected] and I can help you find support in your area or online. 

Check out Postpartum Support International at www.postpartum.net for more information about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders as well as free online support groups and a provider directory. 

You can look for an individual therapist on www.psychologytoday.com . 

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Content Warning: trauma, NICU stay, c-section, anxiety, challenges with nursing, grief

Sydney shares her story of having her first baby and experiencing a NICU stay with him. Sydney talks honestly and openly about the challenges she faced when welcoming her baby into the world. Sydney discusses the delivery, the experience of baby going to the NICU, how traumatic that was for her and how that experience impacted her mental and physical health. Sydney also talks about her challenges with nursing and the grief she experienced as a result of how her story unfolded. 

Highlights:

1:16 – Sydney shares what the lead up to the delivery was like 

2:11 – C-section delivery

6:36 - Worked with bereaved families and families in NICU previously

8:34 - Social norms of the NICU

10:11 – Discussing NICU experiences and not wanting to hear other trauma stories

15:10 – Sydney felt they were traumatized from their NICU stay

18:24 – Fear and anxiety around baby’s health 

20:23 - Impact of all the stress on Sydney’s recovery; including challenges with nursing and high blood pressure

24:56 – Anxiety and losing trust in our parenting following traumatic experiences

38:32 - Grief

56:30 - Sebastian’s 1st birthday

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email [email protected]

 If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this or any episode please reach out to me at [email protected] and I can help you find support in your area or online.  

Check out Postpartum Support International at www.postpartum.net for more information about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders as well as free online support groups and a provider directory. 

You can look for an individual therapist on www.psychologytoday.com . 

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Content warning: Labour and delivery story, cervical checks, induction, post-delivery, placenta delivery and being stitched, medical issues, baby in special care unit

On today’s podcast episode Morgan Fancy, MA, RP she/her, shares her story of welcoming her little one into her family. I love hearing birth stories and people’s experiences of bringing their baby into the world! Morgan shares the ups and downs of birthing and becoming a parent in a real and authentic way. Take a listen and let us know what you think!

Highlights:

2:27 - Birth Story

4:49 - Induction

5:55 - Pre-baby work into coming to terms of not being in control

9:37 - Birth preferences vs birth plan

10:48 - Alternative pain Management – counter pressure, massage techniques

11:13 - Disappointing for Partner

12:02 - Asked for Epidural and it was too late

12:41 - Intensity of induction

14:30 - Cervical checks were difficult because of slow movement

15:46 - The mental journey of labour delivery

20:00 - Delivery and post delivery

21:04 - He weighed 5lbs

23:25 - Bonding and nursing, the golden hour, feel it was taken away - The pressure to nurse in that first hour

26:48 - WHY was baby so small? Lots of pressure from healthcare providers to find out the WHY

32:40 - Nursing experience - Baby was in special care unit, medical professionals wanting to monitor baby’s intake

37:26 - Partner being on same page, advocating for nursing

40:27 - Expectations of parenthood vs parenting from the self

Information overload and taking away from trusting ourselves

49:31 - Postpartum recovery went well. - Checking in with yourself at the 2 week mark

52:16 – The importance of 

57:50 - Biggest surprises about birthing a baby

1:01:21 - Taking care of yourself postpartum

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

You can find Morgan at [email protected] https://fancytherapy.ca/ and on Instagram        @fancy.therapy

 You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email [email protected]

 If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this or any episode please reach out to me at [email protected] and I can help you find support in your area or online. 

Check out Postpartum Support International at www.postpartum.net for more information about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders as well as free online support groups and a provider directory. 

You can look for an individual therapist on www.psychologytoday.com . 

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Today’s guest is Katie Lamport, RSSW. Katie is a counsellor in private practice in the Barrie, Ontario area. I first met Katie when I started a new job as an addiction’s counsellor. Katie was fully pregnant as a gestational carrier and went on maternity leave a few days later. Katie shared her story of being a gestational carrier in season 1 so check it out. On today’s episode we talk about the impacts of beauty standards and ideals on us in the perinatal period and how we can challenge the impacts of these ideals on us. 

You can find Katie on Instagram @katielamportcounselling at  https://www.mainstreamtherapy.com and

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapists/katie-lamport-barrie-on/960500?preview=1&return_to=https%3A%2F%2Fmember.psychologytoday.com%2Fca%2Fhome&_ga=2.157527610.1247068831.1649346645-1756219686.1648751043

 2:50 - How are body image/weight issues perpetuated in the perinatal period, Katie and Christine’s journey with body image and weight 

5:40 – Women being told that we should be tiny, be small and the pressure of chasing the ideal body

11:13 - Coming home to your body

12:00 – Acknowledging patriarchy and capitalism

15:07 – Impact of beauty standards on Katie and Christine’s pregnancies

23:53 – If we stop chasing ideals, could we reach body neutrality? Gratitude, being in awe of having babies

30:12 - Weight gain as the worst possible outcome

34:15 - Pressure to retain a certain image in motherhood

39:15 – Intuitive eating, being present with our bodies as they are now

42:43 – What being a mom means in terms of body image and sexuality and how we chase these ideals

47:54 – What would it look like if we stopped chasing? A framework could look like:

Reconnecting to your body

Be mindful

Learn to trust the self 

Sit with the discomfort   

1:03:47 – Katie’s poem

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

 The Body is not an apology by Sonya Renee Taylor

Decolonizing Wellness: A QTBIPOC-Centered Guide to Escape the Diet Trap, Heal Your Self-Image, and Achieve Body Liberation by Dalia Kinsey   

You can find Katie on Instagram @katielamportcounselling at  https://www.mainstreamtherapy.com and

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapists/katie-lamport-barrie-on/960500?preview=1&return_to=https%3A%2F%2Fmember.psychologytoday.com%2Fca%2Fhome&_ga=2.157527610.1247068831.1649346645-1756219686.1648751043

You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email [email protected]

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this or any episode please reach out to me at [email protected] and I can help you find support in your area or online. 

Check out Postpartum Support International at www.postpartum.net for more information about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders as well as free online support groups and a provider directory. 

You can look for an indivi

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On today’s episode we have Alesha Thomas from Adaptive Parent Project talking about parenting with a disability. Adaptive Parent Project is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering parents with disabilities. Alesha is currently working on a provider list of healthcare providers that have experience working with people with disabilities in California. Alesha is also gathering provider information for worldwide healthcare providers. Alesha is a parent to 4-year-old Nolan and lives in California with her family. Alesha lives with Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia and works to advocate for more inclusion for disabled parents in terms of healthcare access and in parenting spaces. Alesha shares adaptive techniques on Youtube and Instagram for parents with disabilities. 

Highlights:

2:14 - Alesha’s story and Adaptive Parent Project

9:05 - Going into pregnancy/parenthood with a disability

21:13 - Supports postpartum

24:23 - Challenges parenting with a disability

32:45 - Advocating for myself and my son

35:41 - What positive qualities do you bring into parenting?

39:31 - Challenges with parenting kids as they grow and are more mobile

46:48 - Parenting a child with a disability

51:50 - Stigma and ableism around parenting with a disability

58:10 - What do you want to see change? Universal accessibility and inclusivity

Resources: 

You can find Alesha and Adaptive Parent project at https://www.adaptiveparentproject.org and on Instagram @adaptiveparentproject. 

Check out their Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@AdaptiveParentProject/featured 

You can purchase the colouring book by Adaptive Parent Project called the ABC’s of Disability on Amazon or their website! https://www.adaptiveparentproject.org/shop or https://www.amazon.ca/Adaptive-Parent-Project-Presents-DISABILITY/dp/B0C2TBB55L/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1VK2P39LN8WNB&keywords=abcs+of+disability&qid=1683477975&sprefix=abcs+of+disability%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-2 

 Here are the books and Instagram accounts that Alesha recommended:

Instagram:

@wheelchair_rapunzel

Documentary Film “Dani’s Twins” https://www.danistwinsfilm.com

Books:

“We’ve got This: Essays by Disabled Parents” by Eliza Hull

“Come over to My House” by Eliza Hull

In the United States, Alesha recommends checking out your county’s website or local hotline for supports. 

You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email [email protected]. Check out the website for our latest programs including group therapy, individual therapy and peer support. 

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this or any episode please reach out to me at [email protected] and I can help you find support in your area or online. 

You can look for an individual therapist on www.psychologytoday.com . 

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I’m so happy to share this week’s episode with you, featuring Drew Soleyn from Dad Central and Connected Dads. We had a great in-depth conversation about the challenges of becoming a parent from a dad’s perspective, including becoming a parent to twins and a 3rd baby after twins. Drew also provided some excellent ideas for seeking support, trying to take care of yourself as a parent and learning critical skills to help us be the best parents we can be! Drew is the Director of Dad Central Ontario, Founder of Connected Dads, and a Career Coach at the Queen's Smith School of Business. As an International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Maxwell Leadership certified Coach, Trainer & Speaker, he helps dads show up at their best for the people who matter most. 

Highlights:

4:30 – Review of studies about PPD in men, significant rates compared to the general population however it’s not talked about enough

10:05 - Drew didn’t share with friends and families about his experience of becoming a father

14:15 – Drew was in survival mode

15:21 – Drew’s experience of becoming a dad, first time dad to twins, fertility challenges 

19:39 – Feelings of helplessness, being hard on himself

23:07 - Retuning to work after babies

Being the support person, having having support

27:25 – Welcoming a 3rd baby, the joys and challenges with having toddler twins at home

38:59 - Realizing I can’t handle it all, the challenges of therapy

47:13 - The importance of emotional and psychological safety in the partnership

48:08 - Building supports, resources, learning what a healthy relationship looks like, boundaries, communication, emotion management

1:04:00 – Resources for adults to learn skills

1:10:01 – Drew’s organization Dad Central, Connected Dads

1:13:40 – Drew’s advice – seek support, start with one step

Resources mentioned in this episode:

You can reach Drew by email [email protected] 

Dad Central https://dadcentral.ca and Dad Central Podcast https://dadcentral.ca/podcast/ 

Connected Dads https://www.connecteddads.ca 

Dr. Laura Markham, Aha parenting https://www.ahaparenting.com 

Dr. Stuart Shanker Self-regulation courses https://self-reg.ca/resource-library/ 

Dr. Henry Cloud https://www.drcloud.com/books/boundaries  

You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email [email protected]

 If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this or any episode please reach out to me at [email protected] and I can help you find support in your area or online. 

Check out Postpartum Support International at www.postpartum.net for more information about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders as well as free online support groups and a provider directory. 

You can look for an individual therapist on www.psychologytoday.com. 

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Content Warning: We like to swear, if you’re listening with kids or don’t like swearing, please be aware!

Episode #25 is the 2nd part of my chat with Naomi about body hair and its impacts on our body image and parenting. My guest today is Naomi from Queer Nest. Naomi uses she and they pronouns, and is Founder and head Doula of Queer Nest, where she coaches and supports Queer and gender-non-conforming folks and entrepreneurs through one of their biggest life transitions— becoming a parent! Through support, advance preparation, self-advocacy, and abundance, she helps you become the parent of your dreams. On today’s episode Naomi and I continue to talk about body hair and how the shame around body hair and body image can impact our parenting. We also talk about how we can start changing and challenging these issues. 

Highlights:

1:15 – Naomi’s body change in the postpartum period

6:50 – How we talk to ourselves about our bodies and removing the judgement

12:15 – Body hair, parenting, femininity, motherhood

15:44 – Recovering people pleaser

18:20 – Being connected to the Self and parenting from the Self

22:40 – Not fitting the mold of the maternal goddess

26:30 – How do we change the patriarchy and capitalism when we continue to live in a patriarchal, capitalist society? 

Resources: 

You can find Naomi on Instagram at @naomi_authentically 
 Company Website: https://queernest.co 

You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email [email protected]

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