Episode 5

Navigating Postpartum Disorders & Finding Love In Motherhood

Season 3 14 March 2022 37 mins

with Emily Phelps

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When expecting a new child, our hearts and minds can be overrun with thoughts of boundless love – but what happens when postpartum disorders interfere with that perfect love we imagined? For today’s guest, her unexpected struggle with multiple postpartum mood disorders forced her to reexamine everything she thought she knew about becoming a mother. Emily Phelps, a Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Doula, joins me to discuss her personal struggle following the birth of her son, the loss of identity that new mothers experience, and why we need to normalize the wide range of responses we have after childbirth.

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Emily’s role as a Prenatal, Birth & Postpartum Doula [2:08]

Why Emily became a Duola [04:15]

The pregnancy struggles Emily experienced [05:58]

The emotions that Emily felt after giving birth [09:53]

Postpartum OCD is explained [11:06]

The limitations of diagnosing mental health and perinatal disorders [13:00]

The feelings Emily had for her son initially [14:28]

Developing love for a child after postpartum [17:10]

Loss of identity with motherhood [19:18]

Learning to be compassionate with ourselves [21:40]

Having a baby during the pandemic [23:00]

Biggest lessons Emily learned through two pregnancies [27:05]

Advice for postpartum women [29:08]

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“I had postpartum depression, anxiety, postpartum onset OCD, and birth trauma so I would joke that I had the trail mix of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders because I had all of them.” [04:25]

“I felt emotionally evaporated. There was nothing left.” [10:38]

“People feel like they are defective. [They think] “What am I doing wrong? I’m not a good parent, I’m not a good mom, or dad, or partner. I’m not able to do it right. It’s me.” And it is not true. [20:36]

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