Motherhood comes with a million questions. So why is it so hard to get real answers? Why does society tell moms to just “push through,” like it’s just part of the job? And when moms do ask for help, why is the first place we turn to Google? Why are we left scrolling social media or scouring the internet for answers?
That's why we created "So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs and Allie Hales," a show where you bring your toughest maternal and mental health questions to top experts and get real, evidence-based answers and actionable resources.
Co-hosted by Dr. Ruta Nonacs, a clinical psychiatrist at Mass General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Allie Hales, a mom of four, this show isn't just for real moms, it's by real moms. Because moms don't just deserve support, they deserve solutions—whether before or during pregnancy, postpartum and beyond.
Each episode we take on questions that keep moms up at night. Every conversation is led by YOU. Your questions, your experiences, your mental health—front and center. No question is too small. No topic is off-limits. You ask. We answer.
🎧 Subscribe now and send us your questions at podcast@womensmentalhealth.org (mailto:podcast@womensmentalhealth.org) or leave us a voicemail at (617) 643-9232.
Brought to you by the MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health (https://womensmentalhealth.org/) and the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation.
Send us Fan Mail There is so much information available about postpartum depression that it can be hard to know where to begin. Reaching out for help can feel scary when you don't know where the conversation will lead. Finding a doctor or therapist, getting to appointments, and managing treatment can also be time-consuming, especially for new moms. In this episode, Dr. Ruta and Allie are joined by two renowned reproductive psychiatrists, Dr. Kristin Yeung Lasseter, MD, and Dr. Lee S. Cohen, M...
22 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT
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8 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT
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Postpartum psychosis affects approximately 1-2 per 1,000 people after childbirth and is the most severe perinatal mental health condition. It is a medical emergency that often requires hospitalization, but with prompt treatment, recovery is possible. Dr. Ruta and Allie are joined by postpartum psychosis survivors and advocates Meghan Cliffel and Kriti Lodha. Together, they discuss what postpartum psychosis is, the symptoms to watch for, how treatment works, and what recovery can look like. Th...
24 Jun 2026
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10 Jun 2026
What Should I Know About My Mental Health During Pregnancy?
Mental health during pregnancy plays a critical role in postpartum well-being, yet many people aren’t sure what’s safe or where to start. If you’ve ever wondered how to get help or how to support someone you love, you’re not alone. It’s important that pregnant people have access to safe, effective mental health care. That’s why reproductive psychiatrists and OB-GYNs often work together to provide the best support. In this episode, Dr. Ruta and Allie are joined by reproductive psychiatrist Dr....
27 May 2026
Why Does Miscarriage Feel so Isolating?
Stigma is, unfortunately, a common thread across So Glad You Asked. In this episode, we explore the silence, stigma, and shame that can surround miscarriage. Even though 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage, much of the grief and recovery still happens in private. Dr. Jessica Zucker, a Los Angeles–based psychologist specializing in reproductive health and author of the award-winning books NORMALIZE IT: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame That Shape Women’s Lives and I HAD A MISCARRIAGE:...
13 May 2026
What Happens When Pregnancy Doesn’t Go as Planned?
50% of pregnancies involve some type of complication, yet we often don’t know why they happen or how to prevent them. Pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting come with so much uncertainty, and that can be incredibly hard to navigate. Our expert guest today is someone who, like Dr. Ruta, has dedicated her career to helping people understand what the data actually says. Dr. Emily Oster, PhD—Professor of Economics at Brown University, and founder and CEO of ParentData—joins Dr. Ruta and Allie for a...
29 Apr 2026
When Does Normal Worry Become Postpartum Anxiety?
Welcome back to So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs and Allie Hales! We’re starting off this season with such an important episode. We talk all the time about postpartum depression but what about postpartum anxiety? In this advice-packed episode, Dr. Ruta and Allie sit down with Nicole Amoyal Pensak, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, and Author of the book RATTLED, How to Calm New Mom Anxiety with the Power of the Postpartum Brain. They discuss how the new mom's brain changes and what that means...
8 Apr 2026
Welcome Back: So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs Season 2
So Glad You Asked returns April 29 with Season 2. Hosted by psychiatrist Dr. Ruta Nonacs and Allie Hales, So Glad You Asked is the maternal mental health podcast that tackles the questions keeping moms up at night clearly, compassionately, and with expert guidance you can trust. This season, we’re featuring more expert voices, covering the topics listeners have been asking for, and sharing new resources handpicked by Dr. Ruta. Because moms deserve high‑quality, easy‑to‑access mental hea...
25 Jun 2025
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11 Jun 2025
Everyone Has an Opinion. Is There a “Right” Way to Feed My Baby?
Allie interviews Susie, Kriti, and Desiree Cameron about the challenges and stigmas surrounding infant feeding, highlighting the diverse experiences of mothers and their feeding choices.
28 May 2025
I Lost My Mom While Pregnant. How Do I Move Forward?
Dr. Ruta Nonacs discusses navigating grief during pregnancy and postpartum, featuring a mother's experience of losing her own mother while pregnant, alongside insights from Hannah Bonoyer, BSN, RN, PMH-C, in this interview episode.
14 May 2025
This Isn’t What I Expected: What Comes Next After a Traumatic Birth?
Welcome back to So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs! Birth is a journey that can bring incredible joy—but for many, it can also come with unexpected challenges. This week, we hear from Kara about a topic that hits home for so many parents: healing from a traumatic birth and deciding whether to have another child. Then, our host Allie Hales speaks to her own birth experiences—the highs, the lows, and what she wishes she knew. If you’ve felt overwhelmed by your birth experience or unsure abo...
30 Apr 2025
3. I Have Bipolar Disorder. Can I Keep Taking My Meds While Pregnant?
Welcome back to So Glad you Asked! In this episode, we’re diving into a crucial but often overlooked topic: the safe use of psychiatric medications during pregnancy. You'll hear from a listener with bipolar disorder who asks Dr. Ruta if it’s safe to stay on her medications while planning for pregnancy. Plus, author and advocate Michelle Yang shares her personal journey navigating pregnancy with mental illness, as well as her unique cultural experiences as an Asian mom. We hope you leave today...
23 Apr 2025
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23 Apr 2025
We Asked, She Answered: Dr. Jade Wu - What every mom should know about sleep
Today, our hosts dive even deeper into a conversation with Dr. Jade Wu - a leading sleep expert and psychologist - on a topic that literally keeps moms up at night - Sleep. From understanding the science of how sleep changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period, to practical tips you can use right away, this is a must-listen: what every mom should know about sleep. Recommended Resources: Check out Dr. Ruta’s Resource HubLearn More about Dr. Jade WuFind your copy of Hello Sleep here Disc...
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Coming Soon: So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs
COMING IN APRIL: Motherhood comes with a million questions. So why is it so hard to get real answers? Why does society tell moms to just “push through” - like it’s just part of the job? And when moms do ask for help, why is the first place we turn to Google? Why are we left scrolling social media or scouring the internet for answers? That's why we created "So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs" - a show where you bring your toughest maternal and mental health questions to top experts an...
Inside a recent episode
I Think I Have Postpartum Depression. Now What?
Published 5 Aug 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] It can be really hard for some people, especially I think when you're trying to judge it yourself. So when you're asking the patient to try and decide on their own. But one thing that I think is really helpful for people to understand is that it feels very different from what would be normal and it's more long lasting. So it's not just, you know, periods throughout the day of maybe feeling more emotionally labile or more kind of up and down. Instead, it's you know, most of the day not feeling yourself, feeling down or not feeling interested in things or maybe not even being, you know, feeling bonded to your baby. […]
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