Birth rarely follows a script, and when the ground drops out—hemorrhage, magnesium fog, sky-high blood pressure, and a baby in the NICU—the moments that matter most are often quiet, stubborn, and human. We walk through that storm together: the nurse who trusted her gut when “gushes” were waved off, the choice to validate fear instead of minimizing it, and the push to wheel a shaky new mom to finally meet her baby. That single act becomes a hinge in the story, turning dread toward attachment and grief toward meaning.

We open up the raw reality of postpartum trauma—palpitations, doom feelings, trembling hands—and name what culture too often erases. No “at least.” No gold stars for staying silent. You’ll hear the “emo talk” every NICU parent deserves: this is loss, and loss needs time, language, and permission. From there, we ground into what helps. Practical advocacy when something feels wrong. Magnesium side effects decoded. How to navigate NICU rules without losing your voice. Why early bonding isn’t a luxury but the neurological foundation of trust, especially for boys who may lag in emotional development. We challenge the “don’t spoil the baby” myth with attachment science and lived experience.

You’ll also get a simple blueprint for support: assign real partner jobs, create a post-birth boundary script, and choose affirmations that feel true enough to hold—my body will heal, I can ask for help, this bond grows daily. Whether your NICU stay was three weeks or three months, pain doesn’t grade on a curve; your story stands on its own. If you’re navigating those first days—the hardest days—this conversation offers steadiness, language, and light. If it resonates, subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more parents find their footing.

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Birth isn’t the ending; it’s the opening act of a new life you have to learn in real time. We sit down with postpartum and transition nurse Lindsay Coultas, RN, BSN, RNC-MNN to unpack what happens after the delivery room—where expectations meet reality, consent matters, and emotional support can be as vital as any monitor. Lindsay’s journey winds through pediatrics, psych, occupational health, "med‑surg", and teaching before landing in the moment postpartum “clicked” for her: sitting with a mother after an emergency C‑section, naming the grief, and giving permission to feel it.

Together we break down what a postpartum nurse actually does, why a dedicated transition nurse is at every birth, and how hospital culture mixes strict protocols with surprising superstitions meant to “ward off” worst‑case scenarios. We talk straight about birth plans and why flexibility protects you when things change fast. You’ll hear candid stories about consent, episiotomies, and the quiet ways care can fail when mothers say something is wrong and are told they’re fine. We balance that with practical advocacy: choose providers who listen, write intentions instead of scripts, and trust your intuition when symptoms don’t sit right.

This conversation is grounded in real‑world recovery. We cover C‑section ambulation, managing clots and bleeding, and the overlooked power of rest. We spotlight cultural models where families feed, shield, and tend to new mothers for weeks—and ask what it would look like to build that support here. Expect concrete tips: make visitors earn baby cuddles with chores, align with your partner as a team, and invite women who’ve walked this path to stand near you. The goal is simple and radical: readiness, reverence, and listening to mothers the first time they speak.

If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review telling us the one thing you wish you’d known about postpartum. Your story could help someone else feel seen.

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We speak frankly about collective exhaustion, unexpected weaning, and the pressure to perform through pregnancy and postpartum. The talk turns to meaning, hope, and the small acts that keep us going when the world feels heavy.

• giving up breastfeeding sooner than planned and finding relief in formula
• navigating reflux, diet changes, and goat’s milk trials
• naming the mental load, sleep loss, and work expectations
• redefining enough as belonging more, not having more
• the cost of childcare and the missing village
• comparison during pregnancy and the myth of doing it all
• choosing hope, practicing small kindness, and finding meaning
• building community as the antidote to burnout

Thanks so much for listening and we hope that you feel heard and seen after listening to this episode.

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What if the kindest thing you did for your family was to slow down? We pressed pause on the weekly grind, and it opened a deeper conversation about postpartum: the messy middle between birth and “back to normal” that no one prepares you for. As therapists and moms, we compare notes on what actually helps—logistics that lower mental load, support that shows up, and simple habits that bring your nervous system back online.

We walk through concrete tools: how to use Aeroflow to secure an insurance-covered breast pump and replacement parts, why regular pump part swaps can improve output, and how a quick blood pressure check can catch rising postpartum preeclampsia. We demystify lactation support—request the hospital’s IBCLC, try Lactation Network for covered visits, and remember that your feeding plan should serve your mental health, not the other way around. For C‑section recovery, we swear by shower chairs, pillow bracing for coughs and laughs, slow movement, and even chewing gum to ease trapped gas.

Then we get honest about postpartum mental health. PMADs are common, intrusive thoughts can be egodystonic, and safety is the north star: put the baby down, breathe, step outside, and return when regulated. Social support is the strongest protective factor, so we share how to tap Postpartum Support International’s free online groups and their Connect PSI app, including options for dads, LGBTQ+, and Spanish speakers. We also talk sleep realities—yes, many families co‑sleep—and how to make the safest choices you can sustain without drowning in shame or exhaustion.

If you’re craving fewer rules and more relief, this episode is your permission slip. Expect clear steps, warm validation, and a reminder that small changes—opening a window, taking a walk, prepping freezer burritos—can shift an entire day.

We’re moving to a biweekly cadence to bring you more thoughtful conversations, plus upcoming guests and a series on the many paths to motherhood. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s in the thick of it, and leave a review to help more parents find these tools. Your village starts here.

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We follow the Hermit card into a timely look at solitude, nervous system states, and the courage to slow down when overwhelm is loud. Polls, personal tools, and card imagery help us find the next small step toward peace without outsourcing our intuition.

• listener poll insights on solitude, overwhelm, and rest
• Deb Dana’s ladder framing overwhelm and shutdown
• Hermit imagery as a lantern for the next step
• alone vs loneliness and the intention behind solitude
• right to rest and pushing back on productivity culture
• designing friction to reduce phone compulsion
• loss of third places and real-world connection
• overconsumption vs insight and trusting intuition
• creative embodiment for turning down mental noise
• practical boundaries to reclaim peace

If you’d like to grab your spot for our January 4th vision board workshop at the Wellness Farm in Bluffdale, please head over to 1111therapyco.com to reserve your spot

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We map the real reasons holidays feel heavy—expectation, people-pleasing, money pressure, and old roles—and show how to choose connection without abandoning yourself. From elf anxiety to budget boundaries, we share scripts and steady practices that protect your peace.

• acknowledging holiday stress and why it spikes
• story poll insights on overwhelm and guilt
• kids’ anxiety around elves and Santa reframed
• choosing experiences over panic-buying gifts
• unspoken expectations and adult roles at home
• asking for support without mind reading
• estrangement as self-protection and grief
• boundaries that protect time, money, and energy
• simple scripts to say no and repeat limits
• holding duality of joy and grief with care

Just a reminder about our workshop coming up on January 4th. If you want to sign up, you can find the link on our Instagram or it’s also on eleveneleventherapyco.com. Also, if this episode resonated with you, send it to somebody that you know who could also benefit! Thanks for listening!

If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every Wednesday.

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We explore the Strength card as a practice of compassionate courage, moving from force to relationship with our inner lion. Through myth, psychology, and simple tools, we show how presence turns fear into a guide and courage into something renewable.

• key symbols in the Strength card and what they signal
• why strength grows slowly through cycles, not single acts
• inner lion as instinct, passion, and protection seeking contact
• IFS lens on exiles, managers, and integration
• presence practices that ground the body and quiet panic
• self-compassion skills from Kristen Neff and touch cues
• graded exposure to fear, including mirror work when safe
• the initiatory threshold and crossing from avoidance to contact
• hero’s journey vs heroine’s journey and Inanna’s descent
• reparenting without abandonment or attack of the self
• equation for renewable courage: compassion, courage, slow growth, self-trust

Thank you so much for listening to our podcast today. If you have any thoughts, questions, feedback, anything you want to share with us, there is a Google form linked in our Instagram bio. You can leave a message for us there, send us a message on Instagram, however you like to share that with us.

If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every Wednesday.

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We lay out a gentler path for the new year by trading resolutions for intentions and using vision boards as a steady, visual reminder. We unpack the brain science, the relief of externalizing mental load, and why community makes creative rituals feel safe and fun.

• how a single word guides daily choices
• what a vision board is and is not
• imagery, emotion, and the brain’s RAS filter
• easing the mental load with external tools
• ritual ideas including tarot and placement
• community sharing for clarity and belonging
• support for social anxiety in group settings
• progress over perfection as a practice
• event details coming soon and rough headcount

Thank you so much for listening to our episode today. If you have any thoughts, questions, comments, feedback, things you'd love to share with us, we have a Google form linked in our Instagram bio. Or you can just send us a message. Later this week we will be posting info about the event on our instagram!

If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review so other listeners can find Heart on the Table. New episodes land every Wednesday.

Join the conversation on Instagram @heartonthetablepod