What if postpartum isn’t something to “recover from” — but a profound identity transformation?

In this episode of The Golden Hour, Dr. O sits down with Jessie Harrold, doula, coach, author of Mother Shift, and host of the Becoming Podcast, for a deeply honest conversation about matrescence, the fourth trimester, and why the transition to motherhood often takes years — not weeks.

Together, they explore:

• Why postpartum is a developmental stage, not a pathology
• The difference between the fourth trimester and matrescence
• Why so many mothers feel “lost” after birth
• The role of grief, body change, and identity shifts in early motherhood
• How lack of community and maternity leave impact maternal mental health
• Why “bouncing back” is the wrong goal

This episode is essential listening for:

• Mothers and birthing people
• Women considering motherhood
• OB-GYNs, midwives, doulas, and women’s health providers
• Anyone supporting someone through postpartum

🎧 Listen, reflect, and share with someone who needs this reminder:
You’re not broken — you’re becoming.

Takeaways

• Motherhood is a rite of passage that changes everything.
• Matrescence is a developmental process similar to adolescence.
• The transition to motherhood can take two to three years.
• Community support is essential for new mothers.
• Grief is a natural part of the motherhood journey.
• Body image changes significantly during and after pregnancy.
• It's important to honor and validate feelings about body changes.
• Societal pressures can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy in mothers.
• The healthcare system often fails to support the postpartum period adequately.
• Transformation in motherhood is messy but ultimately empowering.

Keywords

#motherhood #matrescence #postpartum #transformation, #identity #community #bodyimage #grief #ritesofpassage #support

Thank you for listening ❤

PODCAST LINKS:
- Podcast Website: ⁠https://goldenhour.fm⁠
- YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GoldenHourFM?ref=bs
- Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/golden-hour/id1768847425?ref=bs
- Spotify: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/goldenhourfm?ref=bs
- RSS: ⁠https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2401875.rss?ref=bs

SOCIAL LINKS:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/goldenhour.fm?ref=bs
- Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@goldenhour.fm?ref=bs

#podcast #postpartum #mom #mother #momlife #motherhood #postpartumjourney

In this episode of The Golden Hour, Dr. O sits down with Abby Mercado, co-founder and CEO of Rescripted, the leading global media platform empowering women with science-backed health information.

Abby shares her deeply personal journey through infertility, IVF, miscarriage, preeclampsia, and postpartum recovery — and how those experiences revealed just how broken women’s healthcare systems can be.

Together, they explore:

• Why fertility care is so complex and inaccessible
• How misinformation dominates women’s health online
• The dangers of relying on AI and social media for medical advice
• Why women weren’t included in medical research until 1993
• How Rescripted and its women’s-health-focused AI, Clara, are changing the future

This conversation is honest, urgent, and hopeful — a reminder that women are turning pain into purpose and building a better system from the inside out.

🎧 Listen now and join the movement redefining women’s health — from first period to last.

Keywords

#womenshealth #fertility #fertilityjourney #motherhood #mother #pregnancy #pregnancyjourney #health #healthinformation #womenshealth #Rescripted, #misinformation #healthcareinnovation #personalstories #communitysupport

Takeaways

• The internet can be a scary place for women's health information.
• Sharing personal stories helps normalize women's health experiences.
• Women often face misinformation about their health, especially online.
• Access to reliable health information is crucial for women.
• The healthcare system often lacks adequate support for women's unique health needs.
• Innovations in women's health are emerging to address these challenges.
• Community support is vital for women navigating health issues.
• Personal experiences can drive passion for change in healthcare.
• Education about women's health is still lacking in many areas.
• The future of women's health looks promising with new technologies and advocacy.

Thank you for listening ❤

PODCAST LINKS:
- Podcast Website: ⁠https://goldenhour.fm⁠
- YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GoldenHourFM?ref=bs
- Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/golden-hour/id1768847425?ref=bs
- Spotify: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/goldenhourfm?ref=bs
- RSS: ⁠https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2401875.rss?ref=bs

SOCIAL LINKS:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/goldenhour.fm?ref=bs
- Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@goldenhour.fm?ref=bs

#podcast #postpartum #mom #mother #momlife #motherhood #postpartumjourney

In this episode, Dr. O sits down with Venla Hakunti — entrepreneur, leadership coach, and Finnish Happiness Ambassador — for a deeply honest conversation about parenthood, postpartum support, and why having children feels fundamentally different in the U.S. compared to Europe.

Venla shares her lived experience giving birth and raising children in Germany and Finland, where postpartum care, parental leave, and childcare are treated as societal responsibilities — not personal luxuries. Together, they unpack the emotional and financial realities of parenting in America, where many families are forced to ask a question rarely heard elsewhere: “Can we afford to have a child?”

This conversation explores:

• Why parenthood in the U.S. often becomes a financial calculation
• What Europe gets right about postpartum care and parental leave
• How systemic support (or lack of it) shapes maternal mental health
• The “power of the pause” — and why time off after birth isn’t lost time
• What true choice looks like when families are actually supported

Venla Hakunti is an entrepreneur and leadership trainer with a diverse background across multiple industries. She is the co-founder of several early-stage startups, a strengths coach, and a workshop facilitator currently leading major projects in AI education and facilitator training. Originally from a small village in northern Finland, Venla has lived in Spain and Germany and now resides in Helsinki with her partner and their two children.

This episode is not about idealizing Europe — it’s about re-imagining what’s possible when we invest in parents, birthers, and families.

🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on maternal health, identity, and systems that shape our lives.

#MaternalHealth #PostpartumCare #PostpartumSupport #ParentalLeave #Motherhood #ParentingInAmerica #ParenthoodInEurope #USvsEurope #HealthcareSystems #FamilyPolicy #PostpartumMentalHealth #MaternalMentalHealth #WorkingMothers #WomenAndWork #ThePowerOfPause #WomensHealthPodcast #MaternalHealthPodcast #HealthcarePodcast #LeadershipAndMotherhood #WomenInMedicine #BecomingAMother #LifeAfterBirth #ParenthoodConversation #ModernMotherhood #GlobalParenting

Thank you for listening ❤

PODCAST LINKS:
- Podcast Website: ⁠https://goldenhour.fm⁠
- YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GoldenHourFM?ref=bs
- Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/golden-hour/id1768847425?ref=bs
- Spotify: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/goldenhourfm?ref=bs
- RSS: ⁠https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2401875.rss?ref=bs

SOCIAL LINKS:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/goldenhour.fm?ref=bs
- Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@goldenhour.fm?ref=bs

#podcast #postpartum #mom #mother #momlife #motherhood #postpartumjourney