Learn how to reduce birth anxiety and feel calmer, more grounded, and in control during birth using simple, practical tools. Erin Acharya, a certified clinical hypnotherapist and hypnobirthing instructor, shares how to work with your mind and nervous system so you can approach birth with real confidence. Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodcast.com Connect with Erin Acharya birthevolved.com | In The Wash Podcast Code: FOURTHTRIMESTER for 10% OFF on courses at birthevolved.com Learn more Birth Center vs Hospital Birth - What Parents Should Know Before Choosing | Prepare your Vagina for Birth | How to Prepare for Hospital Birth (and Avoid Unnecessary Interventions) with HeHe Stewart | The Best Hospitals For Labor And Delivery - Ratings App ‘Irth’ Created By Kimberly Seals Allers | The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Resources FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Birth Plan | FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Fourth Trimester Plan | Postpartum Soups and Stews Collection Connect with Fourth Trimester Facebook | Instagram If this episode helped you feel calmer or more prepared for birth, it would mean so much if you left a quick review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or wherever you listen. Your review helps more parents find this information when they need it most. And if you know someone who’s feeling anxious about birth, consider sharing this episode with them. It could make a real difference in how they experience it.
Prepare for Life After Baby with the Right Postpartum Support
2026/04/04 | 43 mins.
Preparing for birth is only part of the journey. What happens after baby arrives matters just as much. This is about how to have a well-resourced fourth trimester so that you know what actions you can take in the first weeks, months and year with your newborn. In this episode, Esther and I explore postpartum support and how to prepare for life after baby so you don’t feel alone. Our guest, Claudia Penate, birth and postpartum doula and educator, shares how to: • build your support system before baby arrives • align with your partner on expectations • navigate the first six weeks with more confidence • prioritize self-care without guilt Support is not optional in the fourth trimester. It shapes recovery, mental health, and how your family begins. Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodcast.com Connect with Claudia Penate claudiapenate.com | Instagram Mindfulness Birth Prep & Parenting Courses Natural Resources | Mindful Birthing Learn more Improve Birth Recovery: Three Recommendations From An OBGYN | The Birth Doula’s Guide to Navigating New Motherhood with Carson Meyer | The Top 10 Baby Sleep Questions Every Parent Asks | Evidence Based Care for Improving Postpartum Recovery with Dr Rebecca Dekker | Postpartum Recovery Support Through Honoring the Sacred Window With Christine Eck Resources HelloGaia Parenting Copilot | FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Birth Plan | FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Fourth Trimester Plan | Postpartum Soups and Stews Collection Connect with Fourth Trimester Facebook | Instagram If this episode helped you feel more prepared or supported, we’d really appreciate it if you left a review and rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listened to this episode. Your feedback helps other parents find this show and access the kind of support that can make a meaningful difference in the early weeks with a new baby.
Postpartum Recovery Support Through the Sacred Window
2026/03/21 | 39 mins.
We are covering fourth trimester fundamentals with this conversation and talking about what is needed in the first few weeks and months after birth. We're looking at postpartum recovery support through the lens of Ayurvedic practices and introducing the concept of the "sacred window". Most parents prepare for birth, but far fewer are prepared for what comes after. The early postpartum period is often when families feel the most depleted and unsupported. In this episode, we explore postpartum recovery support through honoring the sacred window, an Ayurvedic framework that centers rest, nourishment, and long-term healing. Christine Eck, founder of the Center for Sacred Window Studies, shares how her own postpartum experience led her to this work and what modern families can learn from these time-tested practices. In this conversation, you’ll hear: why the first 42 days postpartum matter for long-term health simple ways to support recovery through food, rest, and daily rhythms how to create better support systems for yourself or your postpartum clients
This episode offers practical, accessible ways to feel more supported during one of life’s biggest transitions. Enjoy! Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodast.com Connect with Christine Eck sacredwindowstudies.com | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube Christine's Center for Sacred Window Studies Conscious Postpartum Care Training The Sacred Window Podcast Apple | Spotify Learn more A Parent’s Guide To Building Self-Trust (And Why It Matters) | The Birth Doula’s Guide to Navigating New Motherhood with Carson Meyer | The Top 10 Baby Sleep Questions Every Parent Asks Resources FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Birth Plan | FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Fourth Trimester Plan | Postpartum Soups and Stews Collection Connect with Fourth Trimester Facebook | Instagram If this episode helped you think differently about postpartum recovery, I’d really appreciate it if you took a moment to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your review helps more parents and professionals find this information and feel supported during the fourth trimester. Thank you!
Birth Center vs Hospital Birth - Which Is Right for You
2026/03/14 | 36 mins.
In this episode, we explore birth center vs hospital birth, and what parents should know before deciding where to welcome their baby. Our guests are Certified Nurse Midwife Nancy Myrick, co-founder of the San Francisco Birth Center, and Monica Levine, Board Member of the San Francisco Birth Center Foundation. Nancy brings more than three decades of experience supporting births across home, hospital, and birth center settings. We discuss what birth center care actually looks like, how midwife-led care differs from hospital birth, and what research says about outcomes for low-risk pregnancies. For this episode, we are participating in Podcasthon, a global initiative highlighting nonprofits making a meaningful impact, and we’re honored to spotlight the work of the San Francisco Birth Center Foundation. Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodcast.com Connect with Nancy Myrick sfbirthcenter.com | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn SF Birth Center Links SF Birth Center Info Sessions | SF Birth Center Foundation | Donate Here! Find a Birth Center and/or Midwife near you American Association of Birth Centers | Birth Center Equity | American College of Nurse-Midwives Learn more Birth Center Research on Outcomes | Embrace Empowerment: The Transformative Benefits of Birth Center Birthing | Home Birth As An Alternative To The Hospital | Why And How To Bond With Your Newborn - Dr Joanna Parga-Belinkie Birth Place Lab facilitates multi-disciplinary and community-based participatory research on high quality maternity health care across birth settings Resources FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Birth Plan | FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Fourth Trimester Plan | Postpartum Soups and Stews Collection | Book: First Forty Days Connect with Fourth Trimester Facebook | Instagram
Transition to Grandparenthood with Confidence
2026/03/07 | 58 mins.
In this episode, perinatal psychologist Dr. Shosh shares how becoming a grandparent may reactivate old experiences, including anxiety from early parenthood. We explore healthy boundaries, communication, and how families can navigate this stage with confidence, clarity and care. This episode is so informative, and it also works beautifully as a conversation kickstarter between the new parents and new grandparents. Communication is key. Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodcast.com Connect with Dr Shoshana Bennett drshosh.com | Dr Shosh Radio Show | Dark Side Of The Full Moon Dr Shoshana's books Children of the Depressed: Healing the Childhood Wounds That Come from Growing Up with a Depressed Parent | Postpartum Depression For Dummies | Pregnant on Prozac: The Essential Guide To Making The Best Decision For You And Your Baby | Beyond the Blues: Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression & Anxiety Learn more Generational Parenting, featuring PSI Founder Jane Honikman | The Recipe for Being a Cool Grandpa with Greg Payne | When Perimenopause And Postpartum Overlap with Dr. Shosh Bennett | Intimacy After Baby in a Way That Feels Right for You with Dr Shosh | The Myths Of Motherhood | postpartum.net Resources FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Birth Plan | FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Fourth Trimester Plan | Postpartum Soups and Stews Collection Connect with Fourth Trimester Facebook | Instagram If this episode helped you better understand the transition to grandparenthood, please leave a review. Your feedback helps other families find grounded, evidence-based support during the fourth trimester and beyond.
About Fourth Trimester: The First Months and Beyond | Parenting | Newborn Baby | Postpartum | Doula
My name is Sarah Trott. I started this show when I became a new mama to a vivacious baby girl and this podcast is all about postpartum care for the few months following birth, the time period also known as the Fourth Trimester. My postpartum doula, Esther Gallagher, is my co-host. She’s a mother, grandmother, perinatal educator, birth and postpartum care provider. I've benefitted hugely from her support. All parents can benefit from the wisdom and support that a postpartum Doula provides. Fourth trimester care is about the practical, emotional and social support parents and baby require, and importantly, helps set the tone for the lifelong journey of parenting. This podcast provides resources for new parents and examines the socio-cultural influences on parenting.
When I first became pregnant, I had never heard of postpartum Doulas, let alone knew what they did. So much of the training and preparation that expecting parents do is focused on the birth and newborn care. Once baby is born, often the first interaction parents have with medical or child professionals, other than the first pediatrician visits, is the six-week checkup with the OB/GYN. What about caring for mama and family between the birth and the six week doctor visit? What are the strategies for taking care of the partner and the rest of the family while looking after your newborn?
Our podcasts contain expert interviews with specialists from many fields to cover topics including postpartum doula practices, prenatal care, prenatal and postnatal yoga, parenting, breastfeeding, physical recovery from birth, nutrition, newborn care, midwifery, negotiating family visitation, and many more.
First-hand experience is shared through lots of stories from both new and seasoned parents. Hear what other parents are asking and what they have done in their own lives.
We reference other podcasts, internet resources and real-life experts who can help you on your own parenting journey. Visit our site at https://fourthtrimesterpodcast.com/
We hope you have a well-resourced and enjoyable experience as new parents.
Sarah Trott & Esther Gallagher xo
Listen to Fourth Trimester: The First Months and Beyond | Parenting | Newborn Baby | Postpartum | Doula, The Jefferson Fisher Podcast and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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