The Postpartum Wellness Show

Dr. Kristal Lau

The first few years of having a new baby are filled with beautiful and chaotic moments, coupled with physical and psychological healing, learning how to parent, and discovering yourself. And there are many ways to approach the postpartum period; through traditions and culture, and modern healthcare. Join Dr. Kristal Lau, the award-winning author of her book  'Postpartum 30: Thirty Days to a Nurtured Fourth Trimester'  and mom of 2, in an exploration of postpartum, parenthood, and heritage. If you want to learn how to thrive in your postpartum journey and beyond, this show is for you!

  1. 4D AGO

    Ep.19: How to Do Your Confinement Postpartum Practice during the Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year Festive Season - Fire Horse 2026

    Drop us a comment! Note: If you submit a comment, you agree that we have the right to publish it on all our digital platforms. Thank you! Preparing for your postpartum Confinement during Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year can be exciting but also emotionally complicated. In this special episode of The Postpartum Wellness Show, Dr Kristal Lau explores how to navigate Confinement during the festive season, especially when family expectations, cultural traditions, and FOMO all intersect. She discusses boundaries with elders, the emotional realities of postpartum recovery, and practical ways to still participate in celebrations while prioritizing healing and well-being. This episode is especially helpful for new parents who are navigating their postpartum Confinement month during this festive season. ------------------ EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Why festive seasons can create pressure for new parentsNavigating expectations from elders and extended familyThe emotional load of boundary setting during postpartumUnderstanding FOMO during cultural celebrationsHow food traditions and confinement practices may conflictPractical ways to celebrate CNY & LNY while prioritizing recovery------------------ QUOTES “Your confinement period is just this one time. The festive season comes every year.” “You enter postpartum depleted in every single way, so protecting your rest matters.” “The whole point of confinement is to rest. That includes resting mentally and emotionally.” ------------------ RESOURCES MENTIONED Award-winning book Postpartum 30 by Dr Kristal Lau  - Chapter 3: Managing Expectations and Setting Boundaries in the Postpartum Year Available via online retailers (link below!) ------------------ CONNECT WITH DR KRISTAL LAU! Website: Bridges In Health Buy My Book! 'Postpartum 30: Thirty Days To A Nurtured Fourth Trimester' YouTube @drkristallau Instagram @mamaswingwoman LinkedIn @kristallau

    21 min
  2. JAN 28

    Ep.18: Why Postpartum Belongs in the First 1000 Days of Life (OBVIOUSLY!)

    Drop us a comment! Note: If you submit a comment, you agree that we have the right to publish it on all our digital platforms. Thank you! Let's talk about why the First 1000 Days of Life matter not just for children—but for parents, postpartum care, and the future of families. In this episode of The Postpartum Wellness Show, Dr Kristal Lau explores the first 1000 days of life concept of early childhood development and explains why postpartum care must be part of this critical window.  This episode connects science, lived experience, and common sense to challenge the status quo that postpartum is still treated as an afterthought. Dr Lau reframes postpartum care for parents as central to early childhood development. ----------------------------------------------------------- EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS What the first 1000 days of life actually meanHow postpartum fits directly into early childhood developmentThe intergenerational impact of stress, disadvantage, and biologyWhat children truly need to thrive beyond nutritionWhy supporting parents is essential to supporting childrenHow clinicians and caregivers can apply a two-year postpartum lens today----------------------------------------------------------- QUOTES “Children are like sponges. Even before they can speak or really process a bunch of stuff that’s happening, their nervous system can already sense and read the room.” “If we’re not able to give parents both education support and the confidence to feel like they can do the job, then how are they supposed to provide a stable and responsive and loving type of nervous system output for their children?” “When we’re not able to love ourselves and care for ourselves as parents, there’s a high chance that kids pick up the message that being a parent must be terrible.” ----------------------------------------------------------- P.S. The free membership resource hub is still in development. Check back soon for the link! ----------------------------------------------------------- Episode Links: My email: contact@bridgesinhealth.comThe First 1000 Days of Life RCH Melbourne----------------------------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH DR KRISTAL LAU! Website: Bridges In Health Buy My Book! 'Postpartum 30: Thirty Days To A Nurtured Fourth Trimester' YouTube @drkristallau Instagram @mamaswingwoman LinkedIn @kristallau

    17 min
  3. JAN 21

    Ep.17: The Current Postpartum Duration is STILL Outdated! Postpartum Should Last 2 Years Instead.

    Drop us a comment! Note: If you submit a comment, you agree that we have the right to publish it on all our digital platforms. Thank you! Learn why the clinical definition of postpartum as “six to eight weeks” is outdated, where this timeframe possibly came from, and why redefining postpartum as a two-year period is critical for parents, families, and long-term population health. In this episode, Dr Kristal Lau breaks down the science, history, and lived experience behind postpartum recovery, briefly explains what the 2023 Lancet maternal health series revealed, and makes the case for extending postpartum care to align with the first 1000 days of life. ----------------------------------------------------------- EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS The current clinical definition of postpartum and why it falls shortWhat the Lancet maternal health series revealed about postpartum complicationsThe overlooked role of lived experience in postpartum careWhere the six-to-eight-week postpartum timeframe likely originatedWhy redefining postpartum as a two-year period makes clinical and public-health senseHow the first 1000 days of life framework supports this shift----------------------------------------------------------- QUOTES “The majority of health problems after childbirth start after the six-to-eight-week mark.” “We rely so heavily on evidence-based data that we forget women have been telling us this for generations.” “If we don’t change how we define postpartum, no amount of money will fix postpartum or birth-rate problems.” ----------------------------------------------------------- P.S. The free membership resource hub is still in development. Check back soon for the link! ----------------------------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH DR KRISTAL LAU! Website: Bridges In Health Buy My Book! 'Postpartum 30: Thirty Days To A Nurtured Fourth Trimester' YouTube @drkristallau Instagram @mamaswingwoman LinkedIn @kristallau

    17 min
  4. 02/02/2024

    Ep.14: Mama, are You Feeling Grief for the Loss of Your Pre-Mummy Self?

    Drop us a comment! Note: If you submit a comment, you agree that we have the right to publish it on all our digital platforms. Thank you! Storytime episode with Dr Kristal Lau where she shares her brush with grief for her "old self" during her Matrescence and motherhood journey. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Why I felt grief despite having a healthy pregnancy and smooth birth experienceStages of GriefHow to hold space for a mom if she's experiencing this type of grief QUOTES "I'm gonna talk about grief that's not related to a physical loss. In fact, it's grief related to feeling like you losing your old self before you became a mom or dad."  "It's not just made up and you're not feeling selfish or dumb for having the sense of loss for your old self or your old life." "When I first started feeling this intense sensation of loss. I didn't know what to do with it because I had a healthy pregnancy. I didn't understand why I was feeling this way because I really felt it not just a deep, heavy feeling in my chest, but this pit in my stomach, like something is gone forever and that I was never gonna get it back. " ~~~ Please seek help from your family and friends, your health provider, or your counselor and therapist, if you need to talk to someone. Even your religious or spiritual advisor or community member if you're more comfortable with them. Read the blog & transcript: https://www.mamaswingwoman.com/ep14 ~~~ I offer postpartum coaching to help new moms and their families adjust to the big changes when a new baby arrives. This takes time and someone to really care about the unique-ness of what you and your family need and want. Book a free 30-minute Discovery Call with me to see if we jive and how you can reach your postpartum goals with me! [https://calendly.com/drkristallau/ppconnect] CONNECT WITH DR KRISTAL LAU! Website: Bridges In Health Buy My Book! 'Postpartum 30: Thirty Days To A Nurtured Fourth Trimester' YouTube @drkristallau Instagram @mamaswingwoman LinkedIn @kristallau

    14 min
  5. 01/07/2024

    Ep.13: 2024 Year of the Dragon - Why There Might Be A Baby Boom and What To Expect For Mothers, Families, and Industry Leaders

    Drop us a comment! Note: If you submit a comment, you agree that we have the right to publish it on all our digital platforms. Thank you! Learn why many Chinese and East Asian parents want a baby born under this zodiac sign and how this cultural belief leads to a baby boom that affects mothers, families, population census, services, and businesses. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Why the Year of the Dragon is a BIG DEALA Brief Introduction to the Significance of this Chinese Zodiac SignEffects of this cultural belief on individuals up to population levelQUOTES "The dragon is the most revered and majestic animal and Chinese mythology and culture. It symbolizes power, nobility, honor, luck, and success."  "...roughly 25% more babies were born among the Chinese populations of Singapore and Malaysia during the 1988 year of the Dragon compared with the previous year. In response, Singapore, three quarters of which is ethnically Chinese, opened nine new primary schools." Want to DIY your confinement month? Buy my book 'Postpartum 30' to learn how! https://www.mamaswingwoman.com/postpartumbook Read the blog: https://www.mamaswingwoman.com/ep13 ARTICLE LINKS China Highlights: https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/dragon.htmNational Post: https://nationalpost.com/news/world/many-chinese-believe-dragon-babies-destined-for-greatness-but-baby-booms-have-unintended-consequencesBBC World Asia: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16589052Al-Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2012/1/23/year-of-the-dragon-roars-into-asiaMedium Master Steven Chen: https://medium.com/@thechinesezodiac/is-2024-a-good-year-to-have-a-baby-befd6abbca65Courtly: https://www.courtly.com/resources/couples-rush-to-have-baby-dragons-chinese-zodiacThe Star: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/11/01/getting-wed-to-get-little-dragonsMothership: https://mothership.sg/2023/11/luxurious-confinement-centre-6000-a-night/CONNECT WITH DR KRISTAL LAU! Website: Bridges In Health Buy My Book! 'Postpartum 30: Thirty Days To A Nurtured Fourth Trimester' YouTube @drkristallau Instagram @mamaswingwoman LinkedIn @kristallau

    21 min

About

The first few years of having a new baby are filled with beautiful and chaotic moments, coupled with physical and psychological healing, learning how to parent, and discovering yourself. And there are many ways to approach the postpartum period; through traditions and culture, and modern healthcare. Join Dr. Kristal Lau, the award-winning author of her book  'Postpartum 30: Thirty Days to a Nurtured Fourth Trimester'  and mom of 2, in an exploration of postpartum, parenthood, and heritage. If you want to learn how to thrive in your postpartum journey and beyond, this show is for you!