The Mindful Womb Podcast

Trying to figure out maternity leave in Massachusetts can feel way more confusing than it should.

In this episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, I’m breaking down what pregnant and postpartum families actually need to know about Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) — including the difference between medical leave and bonding leave, how much time birthing people and partners may qualify for, how pay works, when leave can ...

Perinatal mental health is one of the most misunderstood parts of pregnancy and early parenthood. Many new parents quietly struggle with anxiety, intrusive thoughts, medication fears, or resurfacing trauma — believing they’re alone or “failing.”

They’re not.

In this episode, I talk with Lauren Collier (she/her), a psychiatric provider specializing in perinatal mental health, about what’s actually happening in the brains and bodies of...

This episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast is one of those conversations that lingers. It’s intimate. It’s educational. It’s honest about the parts of birth and postpartum we don’t always name out loud.

In this episode, I sit down with Ariella Silverstein-Tapp (she/her) — former school principal, lifelong educator, new mother, and now full-spectrum doula — to unpack her 50-hour unmedicated birth and the identity shift that followed.

Th...

If you’ve been feeling waves of anxiety while following the news — especially around immigration, civil rights, political instability, or the recent escalation of ICE enforcement across the U.S. — you are not alone. Many pregnant people and parents are feeling the emotional weight of this moment. With so much happening, it’s completely normal to feel a deep urge to take action and an equally strong need to protect your mental and e...

In this episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, Clara is joined by pediatrician and integrative medicine practitioner Dr. Joel Gator Warsh for a calm, evidence-based conversation about routine newborn interventions and how families can navigate them with clarity rather than fear.

Together, they explore the why behind common recommendations — without oversimplification or pressure — so parents can feel informed, grounded, and confident ...

Birth is inherently uncertain — and that uncertainty is not something to fear. It’s where flexibility, trust, and empowerment live.

In this episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, Clara is joined by Bec Conant (she/her) — a doula, prenatal and postnatal yoga teacher, and hypnobirthing educator with over 25 years of experience — for a reassuring conversation about releasing the myth of the “perfect birth” and learning how to work with w...

Birth is one of the most profound rites of passage a birthing person can experience — yet in modern culture, it is often shaped by fear, urgency, and medicalization rather than trust, presence, and reverence.

In this deeply grounding episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, Clara is joined by midwife and mentor Anna Lundqvist of Sacred Birth International for a rich conversation about reclaiming birth as a physiological, sacred, and tra...

The first trimester is often treated like a waiting room — something to “get through” before the real pregnancy begins. But what if these early weeks are actually the foundation for everything that follows?

In this grounding, heart-opening episode, Clara reframes the first trimester as a sacred beginning — a season of nervous system imprinting, emotional awakening, identity shift, and deep internal transformation. Whether you’re pre...

Pregnancy is one of the body’s most profound transformations—beautiful, powerful, and sometimes uncomfortable. In this episode, Clara sits down with Dr. Emily Loughery (she/her), a perinatal and pediatric chiropractor, to explore how gentle chiropractic care can support the body (and nervous system) through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery.

You’ll learn how alignment affects not only comfort but also pelvic balance, fetal p...

The ARRIVE Trial and the Term Breech Trial reshaped modern birth practices in ways researchers never intended. From skyrocketing inductions to the loss of vaginal breech training, these studies reveal how even “gold-standard” science can miss the human side of birth.

Clara invites you to take a mindful pause: to look beyond the data, question how evidence gets translated into policy, get curious about how the research was designed, ...

We’re exploring a topic that often sparks curiosity (and sometimes a little skepticism): placenta encapsulation. Our guest, Adwapa Asensio—doula, mother, and founder of DouDouKare—joins Clara to unpack the science, culture, and spirit behind this centuries-old practice. Adwapa describes birth as both sacred and messy, and her journey into placenta encapsulation grew from a deep desire to honor the body’s innate wisdom.

Together, we ...

Birth isn’t something to be controlled—it’s something to be surrendered to. Through real stories, gentle wisdom, and practical reflection, we explore why control can actually hinder the birthing process—and how cultivating trust, presence, and self-compassion can open the door to a more empowered experience.

You’ll learn:

• Why “doing everything right” doesn’t guarantee a smooth birth
• How the myth of control creates tension and...

Welcoming a baby is never just about the birth itself—it’s about preparing, learning, adapting, and building a strong foundation as partners. In this conversation, Clara sits down with Kim and Will Kneeland, parents to 14-month-old Lily, to explore how intentional preparation and community support shaped their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey.

Whether you’re planning your first birth or supporting someone who is, Kim and Wil...

Uncertainty is one of life’s only constants. Whether you’re awaiting labor, navigating a breakup, or supporting a loved one through illness, not knowing what comes next can feel like freefall.

In this intimate solo episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, I open up about the seasons of my own life that shook me to the core:

• the unraveling of my marriage,
• a complete career pivot, and
• my mother’s breast-cancer diagnosis.

These experi...

In this tender, deeply affirming episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, I sit down with Sam Byington—former private chef turned postpartum doula and certified lactation counselor—for a conversation every parent deserves to hear.

We go beyond diaper tips and freezer meals to talk about the real postpartum: the identity shifts, the relationship changes, the raw beauty, and the quiet grief no one warns you about. Sam shares her personal ...

Okay — let’s talk about sex. Yes, sex during pregnancy.
This is one of those topics that so many people wonder about, but few feel safe or comfortable asking out loud. In this episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, we’re breaking the silence and diving into the truth about intimacy, safety, and desire during pregnancy.

You’ll learn:

• What kinds of sex are generally safe during pregnancy
• When to check in with your provider before ...

In this powerful episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, I sit down with Farida Graham—educator, leader, and proud parent to 14-month-old Tammy—for an unfiltered, heartfelt conversation about navigating a high-risk pregnancy, confronting systemic bias, and fiercely advocating for herself as a Black birthing person.

We cover:

• The unexpected shift to “high-risk” at 20 weeks and what that really felt like
• How Farida made the courageous ...

Have “get the epidural” circled on your birth plan? Or maybe you’re curious but not sure if it’s for you? In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on what epidurals really are, how they work, what they don’t do—and why preparation still matters deeply, even if you’re planning on pain meds.

We’ll explore:

• What epidurals actually do (and don’t do)
• How they’re administered, and what it feels like
• Common misconceptions that leav...

In this powerful episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, I sit down with pelvic floor physical therapist Mitali Mohanan (she/her) to explore one of the most overlooked pieces of reproductive health: the pelvic floor. Often dismissed until postpartum, this essential group of muscles plays a foundational role in fertility, hormone regulation, emotional well-being, and more.

From her own journey after birth trauma to becoming a passionate...