The Science of Motherhood

Dr Renee White
  • 4.3 (8)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Knowledge is power and we are all about empowering the mothers of the world! In each episode we will unravel and interpret the latest research and evidence-based practices for pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood.

  1. 3d ago

    Ep 240. Birthing on Country: What Culturally Safe Care Looks Like

    For generations, birth belonged to community, culture and country. That belonging is being reclaimed inside hospital rooms across Australia today, one birth at a time. That's the belief driving birthing on country, a way of caring for mothers built on trust, culture and community. In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Melanie Briggs, a proud Dharawal and Gumbaynggirr woman and endorsed midwife who manages the Birthing on Country program at Waminda, to explore what birthing on country truly means. Together they unpack the model's remarkable outcomes, the systemic barriers First Nations families still face, and the personal calling that led Melanie to this work. This is part three of six in our Pregnancy and Birth series. You'll Hear About What birthing on country truly meansHow Waminda's model transformed birth outcomesWhy continuity of care changes outcomesWhat racism still looks like in maternity careHow Melanie found her purpose in this work Birthing on country is a powerful reminder that culturally safe care is every mother's birth right. When community leads the way, mothers and babies thrive. Share this episode with a mother who deserves to know her birth rights matter. Subscribe to The Science of Motherhood for more conversations that put evidence and community at the heart of birth. Resources & Links 📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_ 📲 Connect with Renee on LinkedIn: Renee White 🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services 🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies Connect with Melanie Briggs 📲 Instagram: @birthingoncountry_waminda 📘 Facebook: Waminda - Birthing on Country 🌐 Website: waminda.org.au/maternity/birthing-on-country This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth. Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

    Ep 240. Birthing on Country: What Culturally Safe Care Looks Like

  2. Aug 10

    Ep 239. Birth Centres Explained: Is One Right for You?

    Most mamas picture birth happening in a hospital room, because that's the only version most of us have ever seen. There's another path many don't even know exists. Hospital can feel like the only option on the table, but there's a wider spectrum of care available than most mums realise. In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Jaimee Smith, endorsed private midwife and manager of the Launceston Birth Centre. Jaimee shares how relationship based care shapes calmer births and why continuity with the same midwife changes the experience for mums. This is part two of our six part Pregnancy and Birth series. You'll hear about Why continuity of carer changes birth outcomesWhat actually happens inside a birth centreHow midwives support birth after caesareanWhat private midwifery costs across AustraliaWhy home birth differs from free birth Understanding the full spectrum of care available means you get to choose what feels safest and most supported for your family. Share this episode with a friend who's exploring her birth options beyond the hospital doors. Subscribe to The Science of Motherhood so you never miss an episode. Resources & Links 📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_ 🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services 🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies Connect with Jamiee: Website: themidwivesmidwife.com Instagram: @themidwivesmidwife_ Facebook: The Midwives’ Midwife Launceston Birth Centre This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth. Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

    Ep 239. Birth Centres Explained: Is One Right for You?

  3. Aug 3

    Ep 238. What to Expect From Private Midwifery Care on Day One

    You've probably never been told that a private midwife is even an option, not just the hospital care you default to. That gap in information can shape how safe, informed and supported you feel through pregnancy and birth. This conversation gives you a real look at what private midwifery care involves in practice, from early pregnancy through labour, and why having the same trusted person by your side changes the experience. This is part one of our six-part Pregnancy and Birth series. In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White chats with Kelly Langford, endorsed private midwife and co-founder of MAMA Private Midwifery Practice, to explore what private midwifery care and home birth involve. Together they cover continuity of care, what non-negotiables matter for first-time mums, the physiology behind labour, and how to choose a care provider that feels right. You'll Hear About What private midwifery care actually includesWhy continuity of care changes birth outcomesHow physiological birth naturally worksWhat pain relief looks like without interventionHow to choose the right care provider You don't need a radical plan to feel in control of your birth, only the right information and the right people around you. Understanding your options early gives you the confidence to make decisions that are truly your own. If this conversation shifted how you think about your birth options, share it with a friend who's navigating the same decisions. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood. Resources & Links 📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_ 🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services 🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies 🌐 Learn more about MAMA and their midwifery services 📲 Follow Kelly and the team at MAMA on Instagram @mamabirth.au This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth. Disclaimer The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

    Ep 238. What to Expect From Private Midwifery Care on Day One

  4. Jul 27

    Ep 237. Pregnancy Rewires Your Brain. Here's What You Gain

    That feeling of not quite recognising yourself after your baby arrives has a biological explanation. Pregnancy reshapes the structure of the brain, and those changes can still be measured years down the track. What you're experiencing is your brain doing exactly what it's built to do. If you've ever said out loud that you feel like a different person since becoming a mum, you're describing something researchers can now see on a scan. Understanding what's happening in there changes how the whole experience feels. In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Dr Elseline Hoekzema, neuroscientist and head of the Pregnancy Brain Lab at Amsterdam University Medical Center, to unpack what pregnancy does to the maternal brain. Together they explore the changes to brain tissue first mapped in 2017, what those changes mean for how you think and feel, and what shifts differently the second time around. Elseline also works through the questions that flooded in after Renee shared her research on Instagram, covering what might happen with a third or fourth baby, spacing between siblings, pregnancy loss, and what changes for fathers and adoptive parents. She's honest about how much this field still has left to uncover. You'll Hear About: What happens to grey matter during pregnancyWhy the changes peak in the third trimesterHow a second pregnancy rewires different brain networksWhat the research shows about perinatal depressionWhy your instincts are worth listening to Your brain has been quietly reorganising itself to meet the exact demands of the life you're now living. Knowing that gives you something solid to hold onto on the days you feel furthest from yourself. Share this with a friend who's been saying she doesn't feel like herself since having her baby. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood. Resources & Links 📲 Follow Renee on Instagram: fillyourcup_ 🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services 🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies Follow Elseline's and the Pregnancy Brain Lab's work on Instagram: @pregnancybrainlab Explore the Hoekzema Lab research at pregnancyandthebrain.com Studies mentioned in this episode 📄 Pregnancy leads to long-lasting changes in human brain structure. Nature Neuroscience, 2017. PMID 27991897 📄 Do pregnancy-induced brain changes reverse? The brain of a mother six years after parturition. Brain Sciences, 2021. PMID 33525512 📄 Mapping the effects of pregnancy on resting state brain activity, white matter microstructure, neural metabolite concentrations and grey matter architecture. Nature Communications, 2022. PMID 36414622 📄 The effects of a second pregnancy on women's brain structure and function. Nature Communications, 2026. PMID 41714315 This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth. Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

    Ep 237. Pregnancy Rewires Your Brain. Here's What You Gain

  5. Jul 20

    Ep 236. What Your Child's Brain Is Doing Mid-Meltdown

    Your child is banging on the wall, sobbing, and won't let you near them. In that moment, staying calm isn't about having the right words, it's about understanding what's happening in their brain and yours. This conversation gets into what's happening in your child's brain during a meltdown, and how you can stay regulated enough to help them find their way back. In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Dr Tina Payne Bryson, New York Times bestselling author of The Whole-Brain Child and founder of The Center for Connection, to explore what's happening in a child's brain during a meltdown and how parents can respond in ways that build resilience instead of reactivity. They talk through practical, science-backed strategies for staying regulated as a parent, repairing after the hard moments, and why play might be the most underrated tool in your parenting kit. You'll Hear About Why the upstairs and downstairs brain matterWhat to do when your child melts downHow to stay regulated during a meltdownWhy repair matters more than perfectionHow play builds resilience and connection You don't need to get every moment right to raise a regulated, resilient child. What matters is showing up, staying steady in the hard moments, and repairing when you get it wrong. If this conversation shifted how you think about your child's big feelings, share it with a friend who needs to hear it too. Subscribe to The Science of Motherhood so you never miss an episode. Resources & Links 📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_ 🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services 🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies Guest links: 🌐 Website: tinabryson.com 📩 Subscribe: tinabryson.com/subscribe 📲 Instagram: instagram.com/tinapaynebryson 📺 YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCCXGwMEmoL_noUYgx8kpakw 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/TinaPayneBrysonPhD 🐦 X/Twitter: twitter.com/tinabryson 🏢 The Center for Connection: thecenterforconnection.org 🏢 Play Strong Institute: playstronginstitute.com 🏢 CFC Santa Barbara: cfcsantabarbara.com 🛍 Amazon shop (Tina's favourites): amazon.com/shop/tinapaynebryson 📚 Books: The Bottom Line for Baby, The Whole-Brain Child, No-Drama Discipline, The Yes Brain, The Power of Showing Up, The Way of Play 📱 HumanUp app: humanup.com This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth. Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

    Ep 236. What Your Child's Brain Is Doing Mid-Meltdown

  6. Jul 13

    Ep 235. Does Fibre Affect Your Fertility? New Research Explained

    Have you ever seen a headline claiming a certain food can boost your fertility and rolled your eyes? You're not wrong to be sceptical, and most of what circulates online about diet and conception is wellness noise dressed up as science. This time, the science actually holds up. A new 2026 study traces a real, step by step mechanism from what's on your plate to whether an embryo implants. In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White breaks down a new mouse study linking dietary fibre, gut bacteria and the uterine immune system. She walks through how the pathway works, where the research falls short, and what's reasonable to take from it if you're trying to conceive. You'll Hear About: Why mouse studies are used in fertility researchWhat the new 2026 fibre study foundHow gut bacteria influence uterine immune toleranceWhy this mechanism doesn't yet prove human benefitWhat foods support this specific fibre pathway You don't need to overhaul your diet to take this seriously. Paying attention to fibre quality, not only quantity, is a small, evidence-backed step available to you now. The mechanism is real, even if the guarantee isn't, and that still counts for something. If this episode helped you look at fertility diet advice differently, share it with a friend who's trying to conceive and wading through conflicting information. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood. Resources & Links 📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_ 🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services 🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth. Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

    Ep 235. Does Fibre Affect Your Fertility? New Research Explained

  7. Jul 6

    Ep 234. Why Doesn't My Midwife Ask About My Mental Health?

    You've sat through an antenatal appointment focused on blood pressure and bump measurements, wishing there'd been room to talk about how you were actually feeling. Midwives want that room too, working inside appointments measured in minutes. There's real momentum building to bring emotional wellbeing further into that time together. Two researchers went looking at exactly what that momentum looks like in practice, and how to act on it without asking midwives to find time they don't have. In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Lesley Pascuzzi, childbirth educator and perinatal mental health researcher, and her colleague Nicole Freeman, midwife and PhD researcher in early pregnancy care, to unpack what midwives told them about supporting mental health during pregnancy. Together they explore where the system falls short, and the pilot program already testing a different way forward. You'll Hear About: Why the current model centres illness over wellnessWhat midwives believe a well woman looks likeHow time pressure shapes mental health conversationsWhy continuity of care changes everythingWhat the new pilot program is testing Knowledge is the foundation of advocating for your own mental health, in pregnancy and beyond. The more you understand about your options, the more equipped you are to ask for exactly what you need. If you've ever left an appointment feeling rushed or unheard, send this to a friend who's navigating pregnancy right now. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood. Resources & Links 📲 Follow Renee on Instagram: fillyourcup_ 🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services 🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies Connect with Lesley Pascuzzi on LinkedIn: Lesley Pascuzzi Connect with Nicole Freeman on LinkedIn: Nicole Freeman This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth. Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

    Ep 234. Why Doesn't My Midwife Ask About My Mental Health?

  8. Jun 29

    Ep 233. Navigating Grandparents Without Losing Your Mind

    Your parents or your in-laws are going to tell you they did things differently and you turned out fine, right in the middle of a conversation about sleep safety or feeding choices, and you can feel the eye roll building before they've even finished the sentence. Their love is real, and you don't have to brace for it each time they visit. In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White unpacks what grandparents and in-laws genuinely need to know before the baby arrives, cutting through outdated advice to share what the current evidence actually supports, what's changed, and what's genuinely worth doing differently. You might be pregnant or newly postpartum and quietly dreading the moment a well-meaning relative tells you how it used to be done. If you're the grandparent listening in, most of those moments come down to a gap in information that's easy to close. Start the conversation early, and you give your village the chance to actually hold you up, the way you deserve. You'll Hear About: Why vaccinations protect newborns before six weeksHow updated safety guidance differs from old adviceWhat matrescence means for the woman you loveWhy cuddles are something to be earnedHow to offer help without the unsolicited opinions You don't have to manage anyone else's feelings while you're still learning your own baby. The right people in your life will meet you with curiosity instead of correction, and that's the kind of village worth building around yourself and your baby. Share this with the grandparent, aunty, or friend who wants to support you well, and with the parent who needs the words to start this conversation early. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood. Resources & Links 📲 Follow Renee on Instagram: fillyourcup_ 🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services 🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth. Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

    Ep 233. Navigating Grandparents Without Losing Your Mind
See All (237)

Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Knowledge is power and we are all about empowering the mothers of the world! In each episode we will unravel and interpret the latest research and evidence-based practices for pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Renee White
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    237
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023 The Science of Motherhood
  • Show Website
    The Science of Motherhood

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