The Slow Postpartum Podcast

In this final episode of The Slow Postpartum Podcast for 2025, I’m sharing a gentle end-of-year reflection and an update from me.

It’s been a longer pause between episodes than I’d planned, and in this conversation, I speak honestly about why. The last few months have been deeply full — caring for mothers and babies back to back — and alongside that, it’s been a year that’s asked a lot emotionally and mentally too.

As we move into the heart of winter here in the UK, I’ve felt a strong need to slow down and to truly live the values I so often speak about — rest, seasonal living, nervous system care, and honouring the body’s need to pause. This episode is an invitation to do the same, wherever you are in the world and whatever season you’re moving through.

I also offer a short, simple solstice pause — something you can return to as the year closes — and share a little about my plans to take a break over January and February, before returning with Season Three of the podcast in the spring.

Mostly, this episode is a thank you. To the listeners, to the families I’ve had the privilege of caring for, and to this community that continues to value slowness in a world that so often rushes.

Wherever you are, and whatever season you’re in, I hope this episode meets you gently.

In this episode:

• An honest update after a quieter period on the podcast

• Reflections on busyness, burnout, and listening to the body

• Honouring winter in the Northern Hemisphere — and summer in the Southern

• A short solstice pause you can take with you

• A gentle closing of the year and what’s ahead for the podcast

  
  

  PS: If, as this year closes, you find yourself thinking about the support you might need in 2026 — whether for your body, your postpartum journey, or your work with families — you’re very welcome to reach out.

  You can find me on my website here:
  👉 https://slowpostpartum.com

  Or connect with me on social media:
  👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slowpostpartum

In this week’s episode I’m joined by Christine Eck, founder and director of the Center for Sacred Window Studies, to explore the Ayurvedic understanding of the postpartum period — known as 'the sacred window'.

Christine shares how she came to this work through her own experiences of motherhood and study, and how the teachings of her mentor Ysha Oakes inspired her to carry forward this lineage. Together, we talk about what it means to honour the first weeks after birth as a powerful time for healing, renewal, and connection.

We also talk about:

• Why the postpartum window is considered one of the most potent healing periods of a woman’s life

• How Ayurveda helps balance the body and mind after birth through warmth, nourishment, and routine

• How simple practices such as warm oil massage, easy-to-digest meals, and gentle breathwork can be transformational in this time

• The importance of community and why no one was ever meant to do postpartum alone

• The wisdom behind the saying “40 days for 40 years”

It’s a deeply grounding and practical conversation for anyone supporting new families or preparing for their own postpartum season.

You can learn more about Christine’s work and her Conscious Postpartum Caregiver Training at sacredwindowstudies.com.

If you’re a doula or perinatal professional wanting to bring more nourishment and calm into your work, start with my free guide — “Five Ways to Holistically Support Postpartum Families.”Download it here

For those who’d like more personal guidance, I also offer one-on-one mentoring and coaching to help you grow your business in a soulful, sustainable way — while staying true to the heart of your care. You can find out more here

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you might subscribe, share it with a friend or fellow birthworker, and leave a review — it really helps more people find the podcast and join the Slow Postpartum movement.

In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Lampp, a father of three and birth partner coach whose work helps dads and partners step into their role with confidence and care — not only in the birth room but throughout the postpartum journey.

Nick shares how his first experience of birth during lockdown completely transformed his understanding of what it means to be a truly present birth partner. He speaks about how preparation, calm presence, and teamwork can shape both the mother’s and the baby’s experience, and how important it is to view postpartum as a shared journey rather than something a mother navigates alone.

We discuss:

• How couples can build their birth plan together so partners feel prepared and empowered

• The importance of planning for the postpartum period, not just the birth

• Letting go of “bounce-back” culture and creating space for deep rest and recovery

• How dads and partners can support bonding, feeding, and emotional well-being

• The emotional challenges that new fathers and partners often face, and why their care matters too

Nick’s reflections are full of wisdom, honesty, and heart. His work reminds us that presence and planning can make an enormous difference — not only to mothers and babies, but to the strength and connection of the whole family.

You can find Nick on Instagram at @nick.lampp and read his writing on Substack, where he shares thoughtful resources for dads, partners, and birth professionals.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Birth Without Violence by Frederick LeBoyer

• The importance of baby massage for bonding and connection

• Conversations that help couples prepare emotionally for the fourth trimester

  To find out 'Five Ways to Holistically Support Postpartum Families' download my free guide here.

In this seasonal episode of the Slow Postpartum Podcast, I’m guiding you through a short meditation to honour the equinox.

The equinox is the moment in the year when day and night are equal, inviting us to pause, notice the balance between light and dark, and gently transition into the next season.

In this meditation, you’ll be guided through:
✨ A full-body relaxation to help you soften and release tension
✨ Gentle breathwork to slow the nervous system and bring calm
✨ A seasonal reflection—whether you’re moving into autumn in the northern hemisphere or spring in the southern hemisphere
✨ Grounding practices to help you feel steady and connected to the earth

This practice helps you slow down, reconnect with your natural rhythms, and honour the seasonal shift in a nourishing way.

🌿 Free resources mentioned in this episode:

• For doulas & birth workers: How to Support New Families to Plan a Peaceful & Positive Postpartum

• For mothers & parents-to-be: Six Secrets to a Slow Postpartum

Take this time for yourself—you deserve it. 💛

In this episode, I’m joined by Julianna Werner of postpartum.se (Stockholm, Sweden). During this inspiring chat, Julianna shares her two contrasting postpartum experiences—her first with little planning and a lot of instability, and her second, intentionally designed around rest, nourishment, and support. We talk about what truly helps in the tender weeks after birth, and why practical help (meals, tidy spaces, partner support) is just as vital as emotional care. Some of the topics we cover include

• Two contrasting postpartums: a beautiful home birth followed by shock, homesickness, a UTI, and housing upheaval—then a second, planned experience anchored in rest, food, and aligned support.

• Planning differently the second time: an unassisted birth with on-call midwives for immediate postpartum checks, plus a clear plan for the first hours and days.

• Food as medicine: a custom postpartum meal plan (bone broths, congee, soft veg, porridges, electrolytes) to prevent constipation, protect the pelvic floor, and stabilise energy and mood.

• Support that actually supports: how visitors can celebrate the mother and baby while taking on chores—without overlooking the simple connection.

• Nutritional testing & recovery: why checking labs in pregnancy, ~6 weeks, and ~1 year postpartum can guide replenishment and long-term healing.

• Top tips for parents & birth workers: stock freezer meals; prioritise oxytocin-boosting rest and warmth; secure practical help for the home and the partner.

  
  

“Food should be everyone’s focus during postpartum—having nourishing meals ready makes you feel safe, regulates your nervous system, and supports true recovery.” - Julianna Werner

Mentioned in this episode

• Julianna Werner — postpartum.se (Stockholm): in-home care focused on nourishing foods, belly binding, sitz baths/steams, and deep listening. She also runs a one-year postpartum doula training (in Swedish).

• Jojo’s free guides

  • Six Secrets to a Slow Postpartum (for expectant/new parents)

  • Five Ways to Holistically Support Postpartum Families for Doulas & Perinatal Professionals.

In this episode of the Slow Postpartum Podcast, I’m joined by Jaimie Zaki, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), mother of five, and host of the Breastfeeding With Confidence Podcast. Jaimie has been supporting women through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum since 2016, and her holistic approach helps mothers not only with practical breastfeeding challenges like latching and milk supply but also with the confidence to trust both information and intuition.

Together, we talk about:

• Why preparing for breastfeeding before your baby arrives is so important

• How birth interventions (like C-sections and IV fluids) can impact feeding in the early days

• The “golden hours” after birth and why protecting undisturbed skin-to-skin time matters

• The essential role of community and support in breastfeeding success

• Why nervous system regulation, sleep, and nourishment are the foundation for both mother and baby’s well-being

  
  

Jaimie also shares her top three tips for expectant parents to create a positive and successful breastfeeding journey—whether it’s your first baby or your fifth.

If you’ve ever thought, “Why didn’t anyone tell me this sooner?”, this episode will leave you with the tools, wisdom, and encouragement you need to approach breastfeeding with confidence.

👉 Find Jaimie’s resources at littlebearlactation.com/library and listen to her podcast Breastfeeding With Confidence.

In this episode, I’m joined by Erin from Ohio, USA, who shares her beautiful, wild, and deeply intentional slow postpartum story with her fourth baby, Serenity.

After three very different postpartum experiences with her older children – including two C-sections and a home birth – Erin entered her fourth pregnancy with a clear vision: to honour the emotional, spiritual, and physical depth of postpartum. She prepared meals and herbs, built her village, and embraced the art of asking for help.

We talk about:

• How her earlier postpartum journeys shaped her desire for something different this time.

• The powerful influence of her doula during her third birth – and how that changed everything.

• What it really means to “hold space” for a new mother.

• Balancing preparation with the humility of receiving help from friends, family, and her children.

• The importance of slowing down, listening to your intuition, and showing yourself the same patience and kindness you offer your children.

Erin’s story is a moving reminder that postpartum is not just about physical recovery – it’s an emotional and spiritual journey that shapes the rest of our lives.

If you’re expecting or supporting a new mother, this episode is full of wisdom, inspiration, and encouragement to create a postpartum period that is peaceful, supported, and deeply nourishing.

If you are pregnant or a new mother and wanting to create an intentional, supported and slow postpartum with your new baby you can get my free eguide here

If you are a doula or postpartum professional wanting to learn more you can find out 'Five Ways to Holistically Support New Families' here.

In this solo episode, I’m giving you a peek behind the curtain at what I actually do as a postpartum doula. It's one of the most common questions I’m asked — and not always easy to answer, because this work is so much more than baby cuddles and casseroles (though there’s plenty of both).

Come with me through a typical (but never quite the same) day in my life as a postpartum doula here in the Devon countryside, where I live with my dog Tui. From my slow morning cup of coffee in the garden to holding space for new mothers to rest, cry, share their birth stories, and feel nourished — emotionally, physically, and spiritually — this episode offers a genuine window into the beauty and depth of postpartum care.

I also share the magic that makes my support truly effective: the detailed postpartum plan I create before baby arrives. It's a complete game-changer for both the families I support and my ability to offer truly aligned care — and I’d love to share that with you too.

• Why this work is so varied — and so satisfying

• How I start my day slowly with my dog Tui in the Devon countryside

• Why I always check in with my client before I visit

• What I prioritise as soon as I arrive (hint: it involves hot tea and second breakfasts)

• The power of holding space for a mother to tell her birth story

• Why postpartum care is about listening, resting, food, massage, and tiny rituals of beauty

• How creating a personalised postpartum plan before birth changes everything

• Why this kind of slow, responsive care is at the heart of what I do — and why I want to share it with you

  
  

Freebie for Birth Professionals
Download my Postpartum Planning Template — the exact one I use with my clients:
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Free Guide for New and Expectant Parents
Planning your own peaceful postpartum? I’ve created a gentle guide to help you get started:
Download the guide (insert link)

Train or Mentor with Me
Whether you're a doula, birth worker, or someone who feels called to this sacred work, I’d love to walk alongside you.
Explore my trainings and mentorship (insert link)

A gentle request:
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with someone who might benefit or leaving a short review. It helps others discover the podcast and supports the Slow Postpartum movement.

Until next time, I hope your day unfolds with calm, care, and connection.

In this solo episode of the Slow Postpartum Podcast, I invite you to slow right down with me.

It’s midsummer here in Devon (and midwinter in the southern hemisphere), a natural midpoint in the year that calls us to pause, reflect, and soften our pace.

This week, I’m sharing a gentle guided meditation you can listen to anytime you need to come back to yourself. It includes calming breathwork, a full body scan, soothing visualisations, and affirmations to remind you that it is not only okay to slow down—it’s essential.

Whether you're a new parent, a birth professional, or simply someone longing for a moment of quiet in a busy world, this meditation is here to support you.

So find a comfortable spot, press play, and permit yourself to rest.

• A welcoming introduction to the idea of seasonal slowing down

• Gentle breathwork to calm your nervous system

• A guided full-body scan for deep relaxation

• Visualisations to create a safe, restful inner space

• Affirmations that honour the power of slowness

• An invitation to choose rest and ease in your everyday life

Thank you for being here. If you enjoy this episode, please follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so you don’t miss future episodes.

You can also share this meditation with anyone you know who needs a gentle reminder that it’s okay to slow down.

• Learn more about Slow Postpartum and my offerings: slowpostpartum.com

• Listen to other episodes: slowpostpartum.com/podcast

• Follow me on Instagram: @slowpostpartum

Thank you for choosing slowness with me today.
Be gentle with yourself.

In this episode of The Slow Postpartum Podcast, I’m joined by the brilliant duo behind 360 Mama, Hannah and Emma—two postpartum experts who are transforming the way we support C-section recovery.

We dive deep into what every mother deserves to know about healing after a surgical birth. From rest and scar massage to pelvic floor recovery and emotional wellbeing, this episode is full of essential, practical guidance—whether you’re preparing for a planned C-section or recovering from an unexpected one.

💛 We talk about:

• Why rest really matters after a caesarean (even if you feel “fine”)

• How to create a nourishing postpartum sanctuary

• Why C-section recovery should be included in every birth plan

• Gentle movement and diaphragmatic breathing in early recovery

• Scar massage: when to start, how to do it, and why it’s so healing

• The surprising connection between C-sections, pelvic floor health, and emotional trauma

• Recommended products to support healing (scar oils, compression wear, silicone strips, and more)

• Their new book: C-Section Recovery: Everything You Need to Know—a resource every new mother deserves

✨ Hannah & Emma write:

“The 360 Mama are a team of postpartum experts who are passionate about improving the lives of mothers after pregnancy and birth… We so frequently heard the phrase ‘I wish somebody had told me this before’ about how to heal properly from pregnancy and birth.”

Their book is like having a postpartum support team in your hands—with clear answers to every question, comforting encouragement, and practical tips that make recovery truly achievable. This is a must-read for new parents, doulas, and birth professionals alike.

I offer in-person and virtual postpartum support packages specifically tailored for C-section mothers. Whether you need scar massage, emotional care, gentle movement, nourishing meals, or simply someone to hold space for your healing—I’m here to support you every step of the way.

Are you a doula or birth professional looking to deepen your skills in Slow Postpartum care? I also offer 1:1 mentoring and coaching to help you bring more rest, nourishment, and sacred support into your client work.

📩 Reach out via slowpostpartum.com or DM me @slowpostpartum on instagram.

C-Section Recovery: Everything You Need to Know
By Hannah Poulton & Emma Brockwell
➡️ Available now on Amazon

• 360 Mama Website

• Follow @360mama.uk on Instagram

• Postpartum Products & Discounts

• Jojo’s Support Packages & Courses

If this episode speaks to you, I’d love it if you shared it with a friend or left a review.

Your body is amazing. Your healing matters. You deserve rest, care, and support.