The Postpartum Revolution

Annie Hopkins, PT, RYT

Welcome to The Postpartum Revolution! This podcast was born because, as a pelvic health physical therapist, I’ve heard and seen the ways our system has failed postpartum people in America. Newly postpartum people have repeated the same questions to me, with fear in their eyes and fatigue written all over their bodies, and I’ve grown tired of soothing them with the reassurance that it’s “all a part of the process, it’s normal to feel like this”. I began to wonder - what the hell kind of “normal process” is this, that produces tired and scared mothers? While not everyone has a negative experience with childbirth and postpartum, many people do. A lot of factors influence our postpartum experience: understanding how your body recovers, how much community and financial support you have, and how well our society helps to support a new family. My goal is to provide education about the postpartum recovery process, so you can set yourself up for a successful return to the things that bring you joy. I also want to bring awareness to the larger, systemic challenges that pregnant and postpartum people face, so that collectively we can start to turn the tide of our culture, and our children won't be trapped in an unhealthy and unsupported birth and postpartum culture. We have lost our power in the birth and postpartum world, and our loss is directly linked to other people's gain. It's time to take back the power over our bodies, our births, and our postpartum health. We are the change we have been waiting for. Let's go.

  1. 03/13/2021

    Resentment In Mothers Can Pass Through Generations, Heal It Now & Change The Future with Amelia Moro Mars, LMFT

    Have you ever worried that you’re following in the footsteps of your own mother and drifting towards the same unpleasant habits? In today’s episode we dive deep into understanding patterns from our own parents and how they affect our own lives and the lives of our children.  In this episode I talk with Amelia Mora Mars, mom of 10 and founder of Mom Connections where she works as a psychotherapist and mom coach to women raised by emotionally unavailable mothers. She empowers women to break the cycle, heal their hearts, and reclaim their lives.  As a mom, she too had to learn to overcome these wounds caused by her own mother. Through her personal journey, she was able to forgive her mom and change the way she mothered her own children. She supports moms to leave a lasting legacy of love for their children and generations to come.  Amelia’s story is very interesting and unique, yet, mothers all over the world have SO MANY similarities of unhealthy generational patterns between mothers and their children.  Amelia founded Mom Connections to help give mothers the support and resources they need to start the journey of putting themselves first. She helps them gain the confidence to say no and set boundaries, and how to begin the “re-mothering” process.  You can find Amelia’s offerings on her site: Momconnections.com (She has a free webinar with more information about her process) You can connect with her on Facebook and Instagram @momconnections Or join her private Facebook group where she's creating her own tribe of support for all mothers: MomConnections Re-Mothering Tribe. As, always, help support this revolution by subscribing, reviewing, and joining our community, The Postpartum Revolution  Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at thepostpartumrevolutionpodcast@gmail.com Support the show

    57 min
  2. 03/05/2021

    Keep Diet Culture Out Of Postpartum with Jaren Soloff, RD, IBCLC

    *Gains weight during pregnancy*  People: Oh cute, you're eating for two! *Gains weight postpartum*  People: Ew, you need to start losing the baby fat ASAP. Why do people think that our bodies are ready to start bouncing back to an intense exercise routine and restricted diet IMMEDIATELY after giving birth? Postpartum is the time that you need to rest, replenish, and recover! Childbirth and infant feeding demand a lot from our body, and when we deny those demands, our health can suffer.  Here's why:  - 20 million women in America have an eating disorder.  - Approximately 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape.  - Only 5% of women naturally possess the body type often portrayed by Americans in the media. - 93% of individuals who identified disordered eating during their pregnancy are not identified by their providers.  Jaren Soloff, a Registered Dietitian, an Internal Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and I discuss her experience with recovering from an eating disorder, how motherhood challenged her relationship with food and her body in ways she couldn't imagine,  the importance of practicing intuitive eating, especially around your children, and the dangers of restricting your diet while recovering from childbirth. Jaren is the founder of FULL CRCL, which provides nutrition counseling and lactation consultations to help both mom and baby thrive in motherhood. Informed by her own journey and the hundreds of women she has counseled, Jaren’s experience comes full circle to support women in navigating pregnancy, birth, and postpartum from a simple and intuitive framework. You can receive Jaren’s pre and post birth nutrition counseling or lactation counseling at her website: https://www.fullcrcl.co/about Or follow her on Instagram: @Fullcrcl_ Check out her new cookbook:  The Postnatal Cookbook Join the Postpartum Revolution on Facebook Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at thepostpartumrevolutionpodcast@gmail.com Support the show

    1h 9m
  3. 02/26/2021

    Closing The Postpartum Care Gap - How To Educate And Advocate For Yourself In A Sea Of Misinformation with Tanya Tringali, MS, CNM

    Welcome to episode 38, where I am STILL baffled about the knowledge gap, the misinformation, lack of information, contradictions, the high morbidity and mortality rates for pregnant and postpartum people, and all other failures in our healthcare system.  We have to do better. Today, I talk with Tanya Tringali, another badass individual trying her best to provide real care and support to our postpartum and pregnant women.  Tanya is the founder of Mother Wit Maternity Services. She is a Certified Nurse Midwife with 20 years of experience in Maternal-Infant health. She is also a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Crossfit Level 1 and Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Coach.  Tanya grew frustrated with the medical system and decided to do better for her clients. She stepped out of the system and created a holistic care program that closes the postpartum gap (let's be real, "void" might be a better word) by providing education, advocacy, and a comprehensive program of postpartum care.  We talk about what to do during the first 2 weeks postpartum, what the 6 week exam is (and is not), what doctors know (and do not know), what informed consent really means, and how to wade through the sea of misinformation that’s out there to find the answers and the care team that is right for YOU. We also mention the IRTH app - Birth without the Bias, it's like Yelp for maternity care. This app is something that ALL birthing people, specifically people of color, should use to help share experiences, rate providers and hospitals, and get the healthcare they deserve. So, BIPOC birthgivers - share your experiences! White birthgivers - l i s t e n to the experiences of BIPOC people and choose your providers accordingly. Again, White folks, we are here to l i s t e n (not speak) and vote with our dollars and choice of providers.  Bottom line: you deserve a team who takes the time to educate you, listen to you, honor your choices, and support your recovery after childbirth. Periodt. Connect with Tanya: www.motherwitmaternity.com - book a FREE consultation with Tanya if you are interested in joining her amazing program.  Follow her on IG: @mother.wit.maternity Connect with Annie: Postpartum Revolution FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/657837214948980 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fullbloomwellness603/ Full Bloom Wellness FB: https://www.facebook.com/fullbloomwellness603 www.fullbloomwellness603.com As always, like, comment, and share this podcast so this revolution can make some waves!  Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at thepostpartumrevolutionpodcast@gmail.com Support the show

    1h 3m
  4. 02/19/2021

    Trauma In Birth & Pregnancy: How, Why and What We Can Do with Emily Lapolice, LICSW, RYT, TCTSY-F

    Trauma exists on a spectrum, so why do we only take the big “T” trauma seriously?  What about the little “t” trauma that happens to SO many mothers during pregnancy and childbirth?  If providers can’t recognize trauma, then how can it be treated? Many of these questions and more were answered in today’s episode with Emily Lapolice, a clinical social worker and trauma center trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator (TCTSY).  We discuss HOW trauma so often occurs in pregnancy and birth experiences, WHY this is more common than not, and WHAT we can do to fix it.  Emily is a certified yoga instructor specializing in work with trauma, anxiety, and perinatal mental health and at 60:22 she offers a mini practice on being present and truly listening to your body’s needs.  Check out the book Emily contributed to here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/645679/embodied-healing-by-jennifer-turner/ Visit her website: https://www.iwtherapies.com Learn more about TCTSY: https://www.traumasensitiveyoga.com/ Sign up for TCTSY trainings:  3-hour Intro Workshop in March 20-hour Training in April  Emily is currently involved in research projects studying TCTSY applications in the perinatal and Native American / Indigenous populations. As always, follow the Postpartum Revolution Facebook Group! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at thepostpartumrevolutionpodcast@gmail.com Support the show

    1h 30m
  5. 02/12/2021

    Real Talk: It's A Revolution and We Won't Be Softspoken with Melissa Cioffi, DPT

    Warning friends, this episode is explicit. So hold on to your hats because today is all about truth bombs and real talk.  Joining us we have, Melissa Cioffi, a pelvic health PT, whose story begins fresh out of  school where she jumped into corporate healthcare and was ready to change some lives… only, that’s not what really happened.  Four years later and Dr. Mel realized that the system was failing her patients, doctors, and herself. So, she said f*ck the system and set off on her own practice.  Now, Melissa is doing her diligence to provide the public with knowledge and power.  Today she’s here to help give her tips to seeing a pelvic PT without an MD script, knowing what questions to ask when looking for the right healthcare provider, and when to leave your provider when something isn’t right She also has some FREE resources for your pelvic health including her own podcast; Finally Fearless and new eBook; Finally Floored- Learning All About a Part of Your Body You Never Knew Existed AKA the Pelvic Floor Download the PDF here You can also find her at her website at yournewquest.com Or follow her on Instagram: @dr.mel_pt Join the Postpartum Revolution Facebook Group so we can grow this community and have more power. Enjoying The Postpartum Revolution Podcast? Click that subscribe button and leave a review!  Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at thepostpartumrevolutionpodcast@gmail.com Support the show

    1h 1m
  6. 02/05/2021

    The Revolution Is Here: Join Mom Congress And Be Part Of The Change with Joy Burkhard

    Are you ready to make some changes and take action with this revolution? Now is the time! And my friend, Joy Burkhard, is helping lead the way.  “Joy is the founder and executive director of 2020 Mom a non-profit social change organization aggressively working to close gaps in maternal mental health through education, awareness, and advocacy.” We discuss some of Joy’s big projects happening in 2021, which include Mom Congress and TheBlueDot Project. Mom Congress endorses federal policies that support mothers during birth and postpartum. A few changes in the works include paid family leave, affordable childcare, maternal mental health, maternal mortality, Black maternal health, and support for working moms. TheBlueDot Project focuses on maternal mental health and creates a community that combats the stigma and shame of these disorders.  If you want to see this revolution soar, please take action to support the changes you want to see in the world. We know you're a busy parent, so Joy and her team made it easy to join. The goal is to have as big of a voice as the AARP and NRA and we can do it if we stick together and speak up! Need more inspiration to get involved? Check out the Maternal and Mental Health Forum March 24-26, 2021 and you get a discount for being a part of the Postpartum Revolution! Use Promo Code: PPREVO2021 Join Mom Congress: https://www.mom-congress.com/get-involved-individuals You can also read more about the TheBlueDot Project here:  https://www.thebluedotproject.org To learn more about 2020 Mom, check out the website for even more projects and ways you can help this movement.  https://www.2020mom.org/ To find the article mentioned in the podcast about maternal mortality rates: https://www.vox.com/2020/1/30/21113782/pregnancy-deaths-us-maternal-mortality-rate Join something worth sharing in 2021.  Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at thepostpartumrevolutionpodcast@gmail.com Support the show

    48 min
  7. 01/22/2021

    Motherhood: The Ultimate Journey of Self-Discovery, Part 1 - Finding Your Own Path with Rose Schieck

    Rose Schieck did all the right things to prepare for her pregnancy, but what she didn’t prepare for was motherhood and postpartum. Sleep deprivation, anxiety, and depression came full force once she jumped back into work 2 months after becoming a new mom. After a year of self-doubt, guilt, and way too little sleep, Rose decided she needed to do something for herself. She became a registered yoga teacher through the Yoga Alliance.  With a new yogic lens, Rose was able to reevaluate her life priorities and begin walking the path of self-discovery.  She continued her education by training to become an Energy Medicine Yoga Level one teacher and Reiki I & II Master.  With new knowledge and a new appreciation for herself, she was able to prepare herself better for her second birth.  Rose shares tips from her experience on how you too, can enjoy motherhood and start your own journey towards self-discovery.  This is part one of the episode as we dive deeper into how to find yourself during motherhood.  Connect with Rose https://www.mamastewell.com/ Instagram: @mamastewell Facebook: Mamaste Well Join Rose's upcoming workshop Rose's blogs related to today's episode: Your Energy Matters, Mama Self Talk Follow me, your host, Annie on Instagram, and join the Postpartum Revolution on Facebook! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at thepostpartumrevolutionpodcast@gmail.com Support the show

    42 min
4.7
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Postpartum Revolution! This podcast was born because, as a pelvic health physical therapist, I’ve heard and seen the ways our system has failed postpartum people in America. Newly postpartum people have repeated the same questions to me, with fear in their eyes and fatigue written all over their bodies, and I’ve grown tired of soothing them with the reassurance that it’s “all a part of the process, it’s normal to feel like this”. I began to wonder - what the hell kind of “normal process” is this, that produces tired and scared mothers? While not everyone has a negative experience with childbirth and postpartum, many people do. A lot of factors influence our postpartum experience: understanding how your body recovers, how much community and financial support you have, and how well our society helps to support a new family. My goal is to provide education about the postpartum recovery process, so you can set yourself up for a successful return to the things that bring you joy. I also want to bring awareness to the larger, systemic challenges that pregnant and postpartum people face, so that collectively we can start to turn the tide of our culture, and our children won't be trapped in an unhealthy and unsupported birth and postpartum culture. We have lost our power in the birth and postpartum world, and our loss is directly linked to other people's gain. It's time to take back the power over our bodies, our births, and our postpartum health. We are the change we have been waiting for. Let's go.