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

What if everything you were taught about periods, birth control, and menopause was incomplete — or flat-out wrong?

In this eye-opening episode, Dr. O sits down with Dr. Sophia Yen, one of the most influential voices in women’s health today. Dr. Yen is a Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford in Adolescent Medicine, an MIT and UCSF alum, and Founder/CEO of Pandia Health, the only doctor-founded birth control delivery company. She’s spent her career fighting for reproductive justice, better patient education, and healthcare that truly centers women.

Together, Dr. O and Dr. Yen dive into:

✨ #PeriodsOptional — why most women don’t need to bleed every month
✨ The real science behind hormonal birth control (and what reduces cancer risk)
✨ Perimenopause: symptoms, misconceptions, labs you shouldn’t order, and why women feel so confused
✨ FDA-approved uses of hormone therapy — and what emerging research is showing
✨ How to reduce UTIs, protect bone health, and support cognitive aging
✨ Why comprehensive sex ed and empowered contraceptive counseling matter more than ever
✨ Dr. Yen’s mission to reshape women’s health: access, accuracy, autonomy

From high-yield education to myth-busting to the kind of clarity most women never get in a 15-minute clinical visit — this conversation is bold, evidence-based, and deeply empowering.

If you’ve ever had a period, plan to stop having periods, are navigating perimenopause or menopause, or simply want to understand your body with more confidence — this episode is for you.

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, I’m joined by Lisa Schultz, a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach based in Los Angeles with nearly two decades of experience in the wellness industry. After a near-death experience in 2011 and years of surgeries and chronic pain, Lisa rebuilt her health through natural healing and lifestyle changes. She later served as the Wellness Director at a physical therapy clinic in Santa Monica and now brings her expertise to a wider audience through Verdura Method, her online nutrition course.

In our conversation, Lisa shares an honest look at her journey through pregnancy, birth, and the emotional realities of postpartum. From shifting her mindset from “goals” to “intentions,” to the unexpected “nose dive” she experienced after birth, Lisa offers vulnerable insight into what the early months of motherhood can really feel like.

We talk about matrescence, identity, the pressures placed on new moms, and why postpartum should be understood not as 6–12 weeks, but as a full-year transition. Lisa also opens up about the stigma around seeking help — and how that judgment can isolate women during one of the most demanding seasons of their lives.

In this episode:
✨ Why “intentions” create healthier expectations for birth
✨ The emotional crash of early postpartum
✨ How identity shifts during matrescence
✨ Why asking for help is essential, not optional
✨ The truth about postpartum as a one-year transition
✨ What women really need to feel supported

Lisa lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two children.

Listen in for a conversation that is honest, grounding, and so needed.

#postpartum #matrescence #motherhood #birthstory #fourthtrimester #postpartumjourney #mom #momlife #motherhoodjourney #pregnancyjourney #pregnancy

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

Why is the United States — one of the wealthiest nations in the world — still facing rising rates of maternal and infant deaths? And why are Black mothers impacted the most?

In this powerful and solutions-focused episode of Golden Hour, host Dr. O sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Cherot, a nationally recognized OB-GYN with over 20 years of experience in maternal and infant health. Dr. Cherot is the former President & CEO of March of Dimes, and now serves as President of Lucina, a leading maternal analytics company, as well as Chief Medical Officer at Unified Women’s Health.

Together, we break down the biggest issues facing mothers and babies today — and what it will actually take to save lives.

✨ If you care about maternal health, reproductive justice, or the future of birth in America, this is a must-listen episode.

🔍 We cover:

• Why Black maternal mortality remains unacceptably high
• The preventable causes behind most pregnancy-related deaths
• How midwives and doulas can close massive gaps in care
• Why the U.S. is facing a dangerous OB-GYN shortage
• The role of data and analytics in predicting and preventing complications
• What better prenatal and postpartum care could look like — today
• Policy changes and structural reforms that would actually move the needle

👩‍⚕️ About Dr. Elizabeth Cherot:

Dr. Cherot is a board-certified OB-GYN and national advocate for maternal and infant health. She earned her MD from the University of Rochester and her Executive MBA from Johns Hopkins. She has dedicated her career to improving outcomes across the full journey of pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

#maternalhealth #maternalmortality #pregnancy #pregnancyjourney #pregnancycare #infant #obstetrics #obgyn #midwife #midwifery #doula #reproductivehealth #highriskpregnancy #prenatalcare #postpartumcare #childbirthpreparation #childbirthstory #preeclampsia #maternalmortality #healthcaredisparities #publichealth #podcast #healthpolicy #ushealthcare #ushealth #patientadvocacy

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

What happens when the doctor becomes the patient?

In this intimate and powerful conversation, Dr. Meron Haile—a board-certified ophthalmologist, new mom, and lifelong San Franciscan—shares her deeply personal journey through endometriosis, IVF, type 1 diabetes, and a high-risk pregnancy that tested every part of her resilience.

Dr. Haile opens up about navigating the medical system from the other side, balancing the demands of medicine with the emotional toll of infertility and postpartum recovery, and redefining what it means to be both a doctor and a mother.

We talk about:

• Living with endometriosis and pursuing IVF
• Managing a high-risk pregnancy with type 1 diabetes
• The emotional aftermath of a complicated delivery
• The identity shift of early motherhood while practicing medicine

This is an honest and deeply human look at what happens when expertise meets vulnerability—and how strength can coexist with struggle.

#MaternalHealth #IVFJourney #Endometriosis #WomenInMedicine #Type1Diabetes #FertilityStory #Motherhood #WorkingMom #PhysicianMoms

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 the Season 2 premiere of the Golden Hour, Dr. O sits down with OB-GYN and friend Dr. Nazaneen Homaifar to unpack her powerful birth stories — from a high-risk twin pregnancy to an unexpected, triumphant VBAC. Together, they explore what it really means to hold hope and flexibility in birth, rebuild trust between patients and providers, and navigate the emotional spectrum of postpartum recovery.

This conversation is about advocacy, healing, and the many ways women find strength in uncertainty — in medicine, motherhood, and beyond.

Dr. Nazaneen Homaifar, a board-certified OB-GYN originally from North Carolina, now practicing in the D.C. area. She completed her medical degree at Duke University and her OB-GYN residency at the University of California, San Francisco, where she also served on faculty for nearly four years before moving back east. She’s the System Division Head of Routine Obstetrics at Inova Health System.. Nazaneen also holds an MBA from Harvard—so yes, she’s equally fluent in pelvic exams and pivot tables. She’s passionate about health equity, digital innovation in women’s health, and empowering patients through better education. When she’s not catching babies, operating, or leading systemwide initiatives, she’s home with her husband, twin daughters, and brand-new baby boy.

#podcast #postpartum #mom #motherhood #momlife #mother #motherhoodjourney #postpartumjourney #obgyn #vbac #twinpregnancy #obgyn #doctor

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