Listen to expert conversations on life after birth.
From mental health to self-care to what recovery is really like, the Hello Postpartum podcast can help you feel less alone and more confident as you navigate your new role as a mother. Life after birth can feel lonely, complicated, and overwhelming, and we're here to help.
Throughout her pregnancy and postpartum, Maria noticed a huge lack of postpartum care, especially for those with less access to support and resources. So, she started In Kind Boxes. Listen in to hear her story.
What is In Kind Boxes?
In Kind Boxes is a non-profit organization aiming to reduce the gaps and disparities in postpartum care through its curated, high-quality postpartum and baby care boxes.
How can I order a box?
Boxes are available online at their website inkindboxes.org. You have the option to submit a family to have a box donated to them or purchase. All boxes carry the same quality of goods because no family should be excluded from getting quality products to help in the postpartum journey.
How can I support In Kind Boxes?
You can support In Kind Boxes by donating on their website or social media platforms. Every dollar matters, even just the price of a cup of coffee, goes a long way in suppor the women and products that make In Kind Boxes an essential to postpartum care.
Topics Covered:
The story behind In Kind Boxes (1:33)
How to access and support (6:39)
What's in the box? (9:04)
Postpartum care in the US (13:34)
Packed by volunteers (22:21)
Making it happen (25:35)
Resources:
Check out In Kind Boxes website and on instagram to purchase, nominate or donate.
1 Jan 2023
039 | Why the Invisible Load of Motherhood is Breaking You
Lauren A. Tetenbaum (https://www.latcounseling.com/) is an advocate and therapist certified in perinatal mental health who specializes in life transitions affecting millennial and young women.
With an approach grounded in empathy and emotional intelligence, Lauren counsels clients on romantic relationships, career choices, pregnancy and parenting, anxiety, and family dynamics. She offers cognitive behavioral and feminist-based psychotherapy to individuals and couples.
A mother of two with over a decade of experience in the legal industry, Lauren also facilitates support groups for working, new, and aspiring parents and provides consulting and mental health coaching to support parents in corporate settings. She is passionate about building connections and giving back to her community.
What is the Invisible Load?
The invisible load is the behind the scenes work that goes into being a parent. It can be logistical, physical, emotional or mental. It's the moms usually that are doing this kind of work in the household.
Since they are conditioned from an early age to be the caretakers in a family dynamic, it can be hard to let go of control.
Sometimes we think it is easier to do it yourself, but negative feelings can arise from this.
The damage of cultural expectations
Mom as the primary parent is still very much expected in today's society. Dad's are usually only does the bare minimum. This can lead to an increase in anxiety, burnout, resentment and can sometimes trigger unwanted anger toward both your partner and your children.
Even full time working moms are expected to do all the things. Even when your partner reaches out to help, relinquishing control is easier said than done because of how society has influenced the role of mothers to be.
“Change happens when we are the squeaky wheel, as hard as it may be.”
Getting the conversation started
The best way forward in changing this is to start small. Being self aware of your role and your responsibilities is the first step. Communicating with your partner how you are feeling and why brings awareness to them as to how they can possibly approach things differently and offer you support.
Making a list and having open conversations is a great place to start. And remembering that you are not relinquishing control but rather sharing the load, working as a team, is a great way to put things in perspective for your family to support each other in the ever fluctuating world of parenting.
Topics covered
The invisible load (2:37)
Real life examples (7:51)
Anxiety (13:22)
The route not chosen (24:03)
The idea of maintaining boundaries (28:52)
Strategies to get the conversation started (32:20)
Additional resources
Book: Fair Play (https://amzn.to/3iQ51NS) by Eve Rodsky
Feeling Resentment Towards Your Partner After Birth? Here’s Why
Maternal Gatekeeping and The Dark Side of “Doing It All”
New Baby? Six Tips for Setting Boundaries with Family
Done with Being the Default: How Moms Can Advocate for Change & Improve their Mental Health
18 Dec 2022
038 | Common Misconceptions: About C-Section Recovery (and What to Know Instead)
038 | Nicole Alfred, C-Section Recovery Coach
Nicole Alfred is a cesarean recovery coach, registered massage therapist, and mother of two. She has given birth two times by C-section: one emergent and traumatic, the other empowered and planned. Her different experiences opened her eyes to the abject lack of support mothers receive post-operatively. Nicole sees a need for much more emotional and physical attention.
Nicole believes there are important steps that new mothers need to take beginning immediately after surgery and through the first 12 weeks postpartum for optimizing their recovery. These steps include restoring normal function with every day movements, wound & scar healing, core muscle system recovery, and connecting with the incision scar to facilitate emotional processing and healing.
How c-section recovery looks today
C-sections are the 2nd most popular surgery done daily. With healthcare based in a man's world, women's care is not prioritized, or often understood, as to what we need after having a baby, whether natural or by c-section.
Being responsible for a child in recovery is a lot different from recovering from any other surgery or hospital stay. A lot of mother's fall into survival mode and can never turn that switch off. Lack of knowledge and support, from either our doctors or others, effects women's' recovery greatly when we don't know what to focus on or have the ability to do so.
What we should know in the first 2 weeks
C-section recovery requires a lot of rest. Practicing basic functional movements and listening to your body is essential in the first 2 weeks of recovery. Having support in those movements can help make the process less frustrating in teaching your muscles how to turn back on.
As time move forward in your recovery, resting as often as possible between movements is important. Doing anything that requires intense movement, like trips to the store or walking long distances, can drastically effect your recovery in a negative way.
“C-section recovery can be easy and feel empowering.”
Ways to Support Your Body
Mothers are so good at not prioritizing themselves. By taking care of our bodies and our minds in recovery, we are creating a better environment for our children to learn and understand from.
There is a sequential order of things that need to be worked on when it comes to c-section recovery. Focusing on key areas like posture, breathing exercises, pelvic floor support, core system exercises, and scar massage are some of the ways you can support yourself.
Topics covered
What got Nicole started as a c-section recovery coach (1:41)
3 misconceptions around cesarian recovery (8:19)
What you should and should not do in the first 2 weeks (12:37)
Looking at the layers (19:26)
We should prioritize recovery (24:10)
Getting back to the basics (30:47)
Healing the c-section shelf (33:40)
Ignoring yourself (44:02)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.9 / 5
16 ratings
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