Mom Breaks: Science and Stories of Postpartum Psychosis

About Mom Breaks: Science and Stories of Postpartum Psychosis

What happens when motherhood collides with a mental health crisis that even doctors struggle to recognize? Postpartum psychosis is a mental health condition that is said to affect about 1–2 in every 1,000 births. This is less common than other mental health conditions - though with 130–140 million births worldwide each year, we’re talking about 130,000–364,000 new cases annually. Across years, as many as 4 million survivors of postpartum psychosis may be living today - yet too often, our stories go unheard. We're creating space to hear those stories. In this podcast, we explore postpartum psychosis in all its complexity - our researched understanding as well as human experiences. We'll weave perspectives into an honest, compassionate conversation - making space for both the heaviness and the hope. We bring together: Survivors who’ve lived through the storm Researchers uncovering what we know (and what we still don’t) Clinicians on the frontlines of care Partners and loved ones who witnessed the unthinkable Here, we normalize Mom Breaks - both the psychotic kind no one asks for, and the everyday kind everyone needs. A delusion I had during my psychosis was that I could reach an altered state where I wouldn’t have to care for myself at all, and could endlessly serve others. The truth - the cure, in many ways - is the opposite. We all need breaks. The small, regular pauses we build into our days and family routines are just as relevant as the bigger, harder interruptions that force us to stop. Mom Breaks remind us that caring for ourselves is not selfish—it’s what allows us to thrive and care for the people we love. We’re here to shine light, offer understanding, and remind each other that nobody has to walk this path alone. If you’ve lived it, love someone who has, or simply believe these stories need to be heard - welcome.

Publisher

Meg

Category

health & fitness · science

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

8 Sept 2025

Latest episode

28 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

31 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Sept 2026

   The What, Why, How & Who of Postpartum Psychosis: Frequently Asked Questions

   What exactly is postpartum psychosis? How is it classified in the ICD and DSM, and what do we know about why it happens? In this episode, Julia and I – with our shared love of neuroscience and empirical research – talk through the “basics” of postpartum psychosis after digging into the literature together. We discuss genetics, sleep, hormones, brain imaging, and other factors researchers are investigating – plus what we know about risk, proactive treatment for people who are at risk, and ways to support people without a prior history of mental illness. And then there’s recovery: What does the research tell us about treatment and timelines? What helps people rebuild and make sense of what happened? And where are the biggest gaps in what we know? We are two survivors of postpartum psychosis sharing what we’ve learned from the research and our own experiences. This episode is for informational purposes and is not medical advice; please discuss medical questions with a qualified healthcare provider. Resources: Mom Breaks Substack (https://mombreakspodcast.substack.com/) Citations Bergink et al (2026, May 1). Postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder: Review of Neurobiology and Expert Consensus Statement on Classification. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12673989/) Biological psychiatry. Borghare, P. T., Methwani, D. A., & Pathade, A. G. (2024, August 5). A comprehensive review on harnessing wearable technology for enhanced depression treatment. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11374139/) Cureus. Engqvist, I., & Nilsson, K. (2014, February 21). The recovery process of postpartum psychosis from both the woman’s and next of Kin’s perspective - an interview study in Sweden. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3960751/) The open nursing journal. McKenna et al (2026, April 15). Postpartum psychosis is associated with elevated neuromelanin-MRI signal in the midbrain. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-026-03476-9) Nature News. Sambataro, F., Cattarinussi, G., Lawrence, A., Biaggi, A., & Fuste, M. (2021, May 12). Altered dynamics of the prefrontal networks are associated with the risk for postpartum psychosis: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study | translational psychiatry. (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01351-5)Translational Psychiatry.

2. 

   11 Sept 2026

   Kara’s Journey: Twin Angels, a Cloud of Doom, and the Ghost of Christmas Past in Postpartum Psychosis

   Kara is a special education teacher, runner, and survivor of postpartum psychosis. She lives in Pennsylvania with her partner and daughters in a blended family — she and her partner each had a child from previous relationships, then together they welcomed twins. She shares how she went from never expecting to be a mom to a mom of four, as well as her experience with C-sections, twin pregnancy, the NICU, and navigating flu season with two newborns. We discuss how her postpartum psychosis began after her babies were born last year, as worries about repeat hospitalizations and a series of scares along the way developed into a delusional narrative that her babies had died. We also talk about breastfeeding and medication, self-compassion, making space to care for yourself through early parenthood, and what recovery looked like for Kara as she worked to make sense of her experience — including listening to Mom Breaks and recording voice memos to herself along the way. Resources: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (https://988lifeline.org) (US) — Call or text 988 U.S. Maternal Mental Health Hotline (https://mchb.hrsa.gov/national-maternal-mental-health-hotline) — Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA Citations: Bornand, D., Toovey, S., Jick, S., & Meier, C. (2016, March 3). The risk of new onset depression in association with influenza – a population-based observational study - sciencedirect. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889159115300672) ScienceDirect. Cimino, S., & Cerniglia, L. (2023, September 27). Breastfeeding apps: A descriptive report. (https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/10/801) Behavioral sciences.

3. 

   31 Aug 2026

   Shelby’s Story: Bathroom Crickets, Boiling Frogs, and the Whirlwind of Postpartum Psychosis

   Shelby joins us to share her experience with postpartum psychosis. A mental health counselor in Kentucky and mom of two, Shelby reflects on what first drew her to become a therapist, her experience with a miscarriage and depression, and navigating medication during a subsequent pregnancy and postpartum period. Despite trying different medications after giving birth, Shelby became manic and then psychotic. During her psychosis, she believed she was jumping between timelines—and, because of her professional background, was able to mask some of her symptoms even as they intensified. Shelby also reflects on how her experience has shaped her as a mental health counselor, deepening her empathy and compassion for others in similar situations. We talk about healing after postpartum psychosis, the role of medication in her experience, navigating a narcolepsy diagnosis, and more. Resources: Shelby’s Practice - Central Kentucky Counseling Associates (https://kycounselingassociates.com/contact-us) Citations: Anderson, I. (1998, December 7). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors versus tricyclic antidepressants: a meta-analysis of efficacy and tolerability. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10760555/) ScienceDirect. Carr, C., Borges, D., Lewis, K., Heron, J., Wilson, S., Broome, M. R., Jones, I., Di Florio, A., & Morales-Muñoz, I. (2023, December 7). Sleep and postpartum psychosis: A narrative review of the existing literature. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10744103/#sec5-jcm-12-07550) Journal of clinical medicine. Evans, C., Kreppner, J., & Lawrence, P. J. (2022, June 28). The association between maternal Perinatal Mental Health and Perfectionism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9796248/)The British journal of clinical psychology. Ross, L. E., Murray, B. J., & Steiner, M. (2005, July). Sleep and perinatal mood disorders: A critical review (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1160560/). Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN. Verstraete, L. (2025, January 30). Narcolepsy and psychiatric comorbidity: A review of the literature (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1697260025000493) - sciencedirect. Elsevier.

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