Doula Talk Blog & Podcast
Welcome. This is a space for thoughtful guidance, honest conversations, and practical insight for the postpartum period and first year.
Here you’ll find blog posts and podcast episodes that help you make sense of sleep, feeding, recovery, and the emotional load of early parenthood. My goal is not to give you more rules to follow, but to help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface so you can respond with clarity and confidence.
Whether you’re navigating sleep disruptions, feeding challenges, or simply trying to feel more steady in your role as a parent, these resources offer evidence-informed perspective, real-world context, and support you can return to whenever you need it.
You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
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The Overloaded Brain: Why Parenthood Feels Like Decision Fatigue on Steroids (And What to Do About It)
You know the moment.
You’re standing in the kitchen holding a bottle, a pump part, your phone, and a cold cup of coffee. You walked in there for a reason, but now you can’t remember what it was. The baby finally fell asleep, you should probably eat something, someone texts asking how you’re doing, and suddenly your partner says:
“What do you want for dinner?”
And for reasons you cannot explain, you feel irrationally angry.
If this sounds familiar, first: hi, welcome to postpartum.
Second: no, you are not failing.
And third: your brain is probably overloaded.
One of the biggest misconceptions about new parenthood is that because we have more information than ever before, parenting should feel easier. But for many families, especially in the postpartum period, the exact opposite happens.
Instead of feeling supported, we feel buried under information, opinions, tracking apps, and endless decisions.
If you’re struggling with postpartum brain fog, postpartum overwhelm, or decision fatigue in parenthood, there is a reason for that, and it has a lot less to do with your capability than you think.
Beyond the 6-Week Checkup: Why Postpartum Healthcare Needs a Massive Rethink
If you’ve ever walked out of your six-week postpartum appointment thinking, Wait… that’s it?, you are absolutely not alone.
For many families in the perinatal period, postpartum care feels shockingly incomplete. You grow an entire human, give birth, survive sleep deprivation, hormone shifts, recovery, feeding challenges, and a complete identity transformation… and then the healthcare system basically says, “Okay, good luck out there!”
Maybe they check your bleeding. Maybe they ask if you’re crying too much. Maybe they clear you for exercise and sex.
Meanwhile, you’re sitting there with brain fog, exhaustion, anxiety, inflammation, nutrient depletion, pelvic floor symptoms, mood swings, and a nervous system hanging on by a thread wondering if this is all just “normal motherhood.”
Here’s the thing: common does not automatically mean healthy.
And postpartum women deserve better healthcare than a rushed mood-and-wound check.
When Feeding Feels Hard: What Actually Helps (and What Quietly Makes It Worse)
Feeding a baby is often described as something that should feel natural and instinctive. But for many families, feeding can quickly become one of the most stressful parts of the day.
Maybe your baby feeds constantly but still seems unsettled.
Maybe every feed feels like a guessing game.
Maybe you’ve tried adjusting wake windows, spacing feeds, or following a schedule, and nothing seems to make things easier.
If feeding feels harder than you expected, you’re not alone. Many families reach a point where they realize they’re trying everything they’ve been told to do, yet the system still feels tense, exhausting, or confusing.
The good news is that feeding challenges are often less about doing the wrong things and more about doing things before the system is ready.
Understanding how feeding rhythms actually develop can take a huge amount of pressure off both parents and babies.
When Feeding Feels Hard: Why It’s Not Just About the Bottle
If feeding your baby feels harder than you expected, you are not alone.
For many parents, feeding starts as something neutral or even grounding. Then suddenly it feels charged. Every feed comes with tension. You find yourself bracing your shoulders, holding your breath, watching the clock, or panicking when your baby cries, arches, or refuses again.
And almost inevitably, the questions start.
Is it reflux?
Is it the bottle?
Is it the formula?
Is it my fault?
Here is what I want you to hear clearly.
When feeding feels hard, it is rarely just about the bottle.
Why You Can’t Relax After Birth (and What Your Nervous System Has to Do With It)
If you’re pregnant or newly postpartum and already wondering, “Why can’t I just calm down?”, you’re not alone.
So many new moms tell me that even when the baby finally sleeps, their bodies stay tense, their hearts race, and their minds won’t stop spinning. You’re exhausted, but you can’t rest. You’re grateful, but you feel on edge. Sound familiar?
When Worry Won’t Stop: Postpartum Anxiety & OCD Explained (Guests: Dr. Angie Maxwell, PT, DPT, WCS & Laura Meader, LICSW)
You’ve got the nursery organized, the baby clothes washed, and your hospital bag packed. You’ve probably read a million posts about the “baby blues” and postpartum depression. But let me ask you this: has anyone warned you about postpartum anxiety or postpartum OCD?
Understanding Postpartum Mood Disorders (Dr. Angie Maxwell, PT, DPT, WCS and Laura Meader, LICSW)
Learn how to prepare for postpartum mood disorders before baby arrives. Expert advice on PMADs, recovery, and real support—you’re not alone.
