The Science of Motherhood

In today's episode, Dr Renee White discusses why so many women step into postpartum depleted of multiple micronutrients!Tune in to here about:- Postnatal depletion + Dr Oscar Serrallach work- What micronutrients you will need to replete your body and mind in postpartum-  Food and quick + easy recipes to stock your fridge, freezer and pantry to help sleep-deprived and busy newborn mothers. Things we mentioned:- Dr Oscar Serrallach - The Postnatal Depletion Cure- InstantPot- Cannings Butchers- Get our Recipes to Kick Postnatal Depletion to the CurbLearn more about Dr Renee White and Fill Your Cup Postpartum Doulas:Want to be nurtured and nourished after the birth of your baby, have a peek at our doula offerings.If you want to gobble up our famous Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies, look no further.

Somewhere between announcing baby number two or three and the baby actually arriving, there's a question nearly every mother asks, how do you stop your toddler from resenting the baby. Underneath it sits a quieter fear, that loving a second child might mean taking something away from the first.Decades of research on sibling adjustment paint a far gentler picture than we once assumed. This transition responds beautifully to preparation, the same way baby's arrival does.In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White unpacks how to prepare your toddler for a new sibling, from the first conversation to the everyday job that makes the shift feel like theirs. She covers the play-based science behind emotional regulation, a ritual for protecting your quiet moments, and two ways to ask for support.You'll Hear About:Why toddler sibling transitions rarely become a crisisWhen to start talking about the new babyHow giving your toddler a real job helpsWhy play does more work than you'd thinkTwo ways to ask your village for helpYour toddler can move through this gently, with the groundwork you lay now. Every small job, every basket, every hand from your village adds up to a softer landing for both your children.Share this episode with a friend expecting baby number two or three, she'll want this before the due date. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.Resources & LinksConnect with Dr Renee White📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies🎧 Catch up on the power of play with Tina Payne Bryson in Episode 236A few books worth having on hand before baby arrives:Waiting for Baby by Rachel FullerI'm a Big Sister / I'm a Big Brother by Joanna ColeI'm Going to Be a Big Sister / Big Brother by Brenda BercoviciThe New Baby by Mercer MayerPeter's Chair by Ezra Jack KeatsThis episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

You're sent home with a breast pump after birth and left to work out the rest of your pumping and breastfeeding journey on your own. No one mentions flange size, settings or the fact you might not need to sterilise a single part.Pumping comes with more variables than most mums are ever told about, and working them out alone in the middle of exhausted, hormonal days makes everything harder than it needs to be. Understanding what actually matters can take a lot of that pressure off.In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White chats with Fotini Gniel, founder of Nurturing Flow and breast pump and flange fitting specialist, to work through everything mums are rarely taught about pumping, from flange sizing and settings to choosing the right pump and caring for exclusive pumpers. Together they bust some of the most common myths mums are told in hospital and beyond.You'll Hear AboutWhy flange sizing changes your whole pumping experienceWhat pump settings actually support comfortWhy sterilising pump parts isn't strictly neededHow to choose the right pump for youWhat exclusive pumpers need and rarely getWith the right information, pumping can feel manageable, straightforward and genuinely doable.If this conversation changed how you think about pumping, share it with a mama figuring hers out alone. Subscribe to The Science of Motherhood to keep these conversations coming to your feed.Resources & LinksConnect with Dr Renee White 📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_ 📲 Connect with Renee on LinkedIn: Renee White 🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services 🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookiesConnect with Fotini Gniel 📲 Connect with Fotini on Instagram: @nurturing.flow 🌐 Learn more about Fotini’s work: www.nurturingflow.com.auThis episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

You might wonder what a doula actually does, or whether having one is worth it when you've already got a partner and a midwife by your side. There's a lot of noise out there about what the role really involves, and most of it doesn't reflect what a doula is actually there to do. A doula's real job is to be a steady, judgement-free presence, there for exactly what you need and out of the way for the rest.There's a lot to untangle about where a doula fits, what they actually do in the room, and how that support changes depending on how your birth unfolds.In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White chats with Amanda Down, Fill Your Cup's longest-standing birth doula, to unpack what doulas actually do and how they fit alongside midwives and partners. Amanda draws on years of supporting mamas through pregnancy, birth and postpartum to explain how doulas build trust, advocate in the birth space and adapt to whatever a family needs on the day.This is Part 6, the final instalment, of our Pregnancy and Birth series.You'll Hear About:What a birth doula does day to dayHow doulas differ from midwives in your careWhy prenatal sessions focus on trust firstHow doulas support partners through labourWhat the BRAIN tool helps you decideWherever you land on the spectrum of support you want, you get to decide what your birth looks like and who stands beside you for it. Amanda's approach is a reminder that you don't need permission to trust yourself, only the right people in your corner.Share this with a friend who's weighing up whether a doula is right for her birth team. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.Resources & LinksConnect with Dr Renee White📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_📲 Connect with Renee on LinkedIn: Renee White🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookiesThis episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

Someone in your life has probably already told you what pregnancy is "supposed" to feel like, whether you asked or not. When what you're going through doesn't line up with that, it's easy to wonder what's wrong with you instead of questioning where that advice even came from.These are the myths mums are told to accept without question, pulled apart to show what happens to your confidence when you stop challenging them.In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Dr Emma Black, Clinical and Perinatal Psychologist, to bust some of pregnancy's most persistent myths. Together they unpack where these beliefs come from, why they stick around for generations, and how mums can start trusting their own judgement instead.This is part 5 of 6 in our Pregnancy and Birth series.You'll Hear AboutWhy the nesting instinct myth doesn't hold upWhat the 12 week rule was really protectingHow to respond when unsolicited advice keeps comingWhy gender disappointment is often grief in disguiseHow to build confidence to do pregnancy differentlyYou're allowed to question the rules you were handed and keep only the ones that actually serve you. Trust builds when you start choosing what fits your family instead of what's expected of you.If this conversation helped you see one of these myths differently, share it with a mama who needs permission to let it go too. Subscribe to The Science of Motherhood so new episodes land in your feed each week.Resources & LinksConnect with Dr Renee White 📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_ 📲 Connect with Renee on LinkedIn: Renee White 🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services 🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookiesConnect with Dr Emma Black Learn more about Emma and her work: 🌐 motherhoodmyths.com.au 🌐 townsvillepsychologist.com.au 📲 Follow Emma on instagram: @emmablackpsych 📲 Follow Emma on Facebook: emmablackpsych 📖 The Pregnancy Myths Guide now available in bookstores or online✨ This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Central Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.