Many expecting parents spend months preparing for the baby — but far less time preparing for the birth itself.

In this episode, Dr. O sit down with Brittany Pruneau, a birth educator who works closely with families preparing for labor and delivery, to talk about why so many people walk into birth feeling unprepared — and how education can change the entire experience.

Brittany shares what she regularly sees when working with expecting parents: many arrive at the hospital without fully understanding the range of decisions that may come up during labor, the interventions that might be offered, or how quickly circumstances can change.

We talk about why birth is not something you can simply “wing,” and why understanding your options ahead of time can make a significant difference in how people experience labor.

Brittany also explains how expectations shape birth experiences. When someone believes there is only one “right” way for their baby to be born, any deviation from that expectation can feel overwhelming — even when both parent and baby are healthy. In many cases, it’s the gap between expectations and reality that leads people to feel disempowered or distressed about their birth experience.

This conversation explores how preparation, information, and realistic expectations can help parents approach birth with greater confidence and clarity.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why many parents feel unprepared for labor and delivery
• The role of birth education in decision-making during labor
• How expectations influence birth experiences
• Why flexibility and knowledge can reduce fear around birth
• What expecting parents should understand before going into labor

If you’re expecting a baby — or supporting someone who is — this episode offers an honest look at why birth preparation matters.

#birthprep #birtheducation #pregnancy #laboranddelivery #newparents #mom #momlife #motherhood #mother #pregnancyjourney #postpartum #postpartumjourney

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 Dr. Anna Glezer, a reproductive and integrative psychiatrist trained at Harvard and UCSF, where she continues to teach and mentor residents and fellows. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Psychiatry, creator of the Fellowship in Reproductive & Integrative Psychiatry, and co-founder of the Bay Area Reproductive Mental Health Conference. Through her clinical work, teaching, and national leadership, she has helped shape how we understand women’s mental health across the reproductive lifespan.

This conversation moves beyond isolated diagnoses and instead examines women’s mental health as a longitudinal experience — from preconception and pregnancy through postpartum and into perimenopause.

We explore:

• The misconception that pregnancy is protective for mental health
• Why symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety often begin during pregnancy
• The role of shared decision-making when discussing SSRIs in pregnancy
• The concept of matrescence as a profound identity and neurobiological transition
• The statistic that 1 in 5 women experience perinatal or postpartum depression — and why anxiety, OCD, and trauma are often underrecognized
• Why approximately 40% of birthing people describe birth as traumatic, even when nothing “medically went wrong”
• How loss of locus of control contributes to birth trauma
• Why perimenopause can last 5–15 years and frequently manifests through mood swings, irritability, insomnia, and brain fog
• The integrative approach to mental health in midlife, including hormone therapy, CBT, exercise, sleep, micronutrients, and lifestyle medicine
  
  
  

At its core, this episode reframes women’s health around one central principle:

Mental health is health.

From pregnancy through midlife, women deserve to feel informed, seen, and supported — not dismissed, minimized, or told to “grin and bear it.”

If you work in women’s health, psychiatry, primary care, or are navigating these transitions yourself, this conversation offers both clinical depth and practical insight.

#reproductivepsychiatry #womensmentalhealth #birthtrauma #perinatalmentalhealth #perimenopause #postpartum #postpartumdepression #postpartumanxiety #mom #momlife #pregnancy #motherhood #motherhoodjourney #postpartumjourney

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

Postpartum care in America is failing women.

In this powerful episode of The Golden Hour, Dr. O sits down with Boram Nam — entrepreneur, hospitality leader, and co-founder of Boram — to discuss why postpartum recovery is treated as optional in the U.S., while in Korea 84% of women receive structured postpartum support.

Boram shares:

• Her personal experience with postpartum depression (that she didn’t recognize at the time)
• The guilt, rage, and exhaustion no one warned her about
• Why the “supermom” narrative is harming women
• How Korea’s postpartum retreat model inspired her to build Boram
• What true postpartum support should look like
• Why parental leave and postpartum infrastructure are policy issues

Together, they explore:

• Matrescence and identity shifts
• The invisible labor of new motherhood
• Why postpartum doulas and lactation consultants are undervalued
• How to build your village — even if you don’t have one
  
  

If you are pregnant, postpartum, supporting someone who is, or simply care about women’s health equity — this conversation is essential.

Postpartum isn’t six weeks. It’s a transformation.

#postpartumcare #maternalhealth #postpartumdepression #fourthtrimester #workingmoms #parentalleave #womenshealth

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