[POSTPARTUM POWER REPLAY] Recognizing When You Need Mental Health Support

About this episode

This episode discusses perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and how to recognize when mental health support is needed.

This is a special rebroadcast of one of my most essential postpartum episodes — a clear, compassionate conversation about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) and how to recognize when you need support. This episode will help you clearly know what’s “normal,” what’s not, or when to consider treatment. I’m joined by Dr. Stephanie Waggle — psychiatrist, perinatal mental health–certified physician, cancer survivor, marathon runner, and passionate advocate for improving maternal mental health care. With over 17 years of experience, she brings a rare mix of clinical expertise, research knowledge, and deep empathy for the mental health challenges people face during pregnancy and postpartum. Together, we break down what PMADs truly look like, why they’re much more than “postpartum depression,” and how to make informed decisions about medication and therapy — including what to do if you were taking medication before pregnancy or are considering restarting postpartum. This conversation is especially powerful if you’ve ever had intrusive thoughts, felt overwhelmed by anxiety, or been unsure whether what you’re experiencing is simply “new mom adjustment” or something more. What…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Nicole C. Rankins

Guest: Dr. Stephanie Waggle

Topics covered

• postpartum mental health
• perinatal mood and anxiety disorders
• recognizing mental health support
• baby blues vs clinical depression
• maternal mental health care

Keywords

• PMADs
• postpartum depression
• mental health
• anxiety
• treatment options
• intrusive thoughts
• new mom adjustment

More episodes of Birth With Power

• [POSTPARTUM POWER REPLAY] Thriving After the NICU Journey · December 23, 2025 · 45 min
• [POSTPARTUM POWER REPLAY] Healing After A Traumatic Birth · December 16, 2025 · 55 min
• Holiday Boundaries, Big Milestones & What I’m Carrying Into 2026 · December 11, 2025 · 15 min
• Ep 312: Why This OB-GYN Walked Away From the System with Dr. Nathan Riley · December 9, 2025 · 1h 0m
• Ep 311: 11-Pound Baby, 3-Hour Labor: Leah’s Powerful Home Birth Story · December 2, 2025 · 56 min
• Ep 310: What I'm Thankful For After 20+ Years as an OB-GYN · November 25, 2025 · 17 min