Motherhood & Mental Health with Maranda Bower
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Episode Summary:
Anna Rapp, Founder of the Heart Centered Entrepreneur Podcast started this movement to provide training and resources for ambitious female entrepreneurs who want to create complete financial stability and their version of a happy, boring dream life.
Anna interviews women from around the globe to inspire and educate her audience. In this week’s episode, she sits down with Maranda Bower, the CEO and Founder of Postpartum University® which is dedicated to redefining maternal well-being through her expertise in biology, nutrition, and perinatal mental health.
As a bestselling author and founder of the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Program, her work supports professionals worldwide in transforming postpartum care.
Maranda couples her passion and brilliant expertise in biology and nutrition with her dedication to redefining maternal well-being. Tune in for a conversation all about navigating the balance of entrepreneurship with motherhood!
Topics:
The biggest lessons Maranda has learned about balancing the demands of entrepreneurship while navigating postpartum and mental health challenges
The key moments and perspective shifts that helped her create the life she always wanted
The one piece of advice she would give to someone who is currently facing postpartum or mental health challenges while trying to build their business
Why it can feel supportive to make smaller goals and how it can help to simplify your focus, especially after having kids
Connect with Miranda:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Stitcher
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Anna (00:06):
Welcome to the Heart-Centered Entrepreneur podcast. I want you to be rich. Yes, I want abundant financial success for your business, but I don't just care about your business making money. I care about you too. I want you to be rich and happiness in the impact you make in your relationships, and in how you give back. I'm Anna. I built my six figure business as a side hustle while I was pregnant with my daughter in 2016. Now I've helped dozens of women do the same. I'm here to help you build a profitable, heart-centered, fully book business with the latest tips on sales and visibility with proven mindset hacks and sneak peeks behind the scenes with what's working right now in the online space and in my business, ready to make more money with heart. Let's go friends. I am beyond excited. You are tuning into the first ever in-person episode of Heart Centered Entrepreneur podcast.
Miranda (00:57):
I can't believe it. I love it so much.
Anna (01:01):
Not only that, but my guess is flying in all the way from
Miranda (01:05):
Alaska. Yeah.
Anna (01:07):
From literally How many planes did you take to get
Miranda (01:10):
Here? Just two. Just two. But still
Anna (01:13):
Amazing. Okay, let me do the intro. So Miranda Bower is a CEO and founder of Postpartum University dedicated to redefining maternal wellbeing through her expertise in biology, nutrition, and perinatal mental health. As a bestselling author and founder of Postpartum Nutrition Certification program, her work supports professionals worldwide in transforming postpartum care. She also has an amazing podcast that I'm sure will link introduce yourself to us, Miranda.
Miranda (01:42):
Oh wow. That was, that was very thorough
Anna (01:46):
As it should be. You heard that?
Miranda (01:47):
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's been, you know, I've been in this field for 15 years now. Wow. And I was just sitting with that the other day, like how far I've come, you know, when you're like, you're looking at all of the year goals and like, what do I wanna accomplish this year and what do I wanna bring to, you know, this next year ahead? And I was like, wait a second. Like, I need to step back for a second and look at how long I've been doing this and what all the different iterations of not only my business, but also myself. And it was just very beautiful to, to watch and witness and to just like step back in that. 'cause you know, as entrepreneurs you were always like, go, go, go, go. What's the next thing? Yeah, I accomplished that. Move into the next, right. And you're like, I, I literally spent like a good solid two to three weeks of my December sitting with Whoa.
Anna (02:44):
Wow. I love that so much is so true. I was talking to a client yesterday and she was like, oh my God, I realize I've been a therapist for like, you know, 15 years or something like that. And I think like, at our age, like, it's just interesting to see like, wow, we have a beautiful opportunity to be able to reflect on like, you know, we've accomplished a lot already. And like you said, as ambitious women, we always see where we have yet to go. So I love that you said that so much. Yeah.
Miranda (03:11):
Yeah. It's very interesting, like just the, the, the push and pull of like, wanting to do more. And I find as I'm getting older, I'm gonna be 40 this year. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Like I am, it's not like the goals of like, I'm gonna run a marathon and, you know, those big weighty goals. It's like, I'm going into this, this era, so to speak, of simplified living. Like, how can I not be overwhelmed by the dishes, like <laugh>, you know what I mean? Like little things like that that are going to make a bigger difference in my day to day. Like, you know, how I'm gonna wake up in the morning and just like these little slow living kind kinds of things that just gonna make life a lot more beautiful.
Anna (04:02):
Uh, I love that so much. Okay, let's dive in there. I have a thousand questions for you all about your expertise, but you know, many my audiences, female entrepreneurs, ambitious women, and I was listening to one of your more recent podcast episodes on New Year's, and you talked about that. And you know, instead of adding more like what can we take away and slowing down? And if you look at your resume, you're someone that has, like, you'd be shocked to hear you saying
Miranda (04:26):
That, right? I know. 'cause you've done so much
Anna (04:28):
In written so much. And so maybe let's just start there and talk about how do you balance the duality of ambition and accomplishing what's on your heart in your business, but also at home as a mom and having some like, light goals around that while also being mindful and present.
Miranda (04:46):
You know, that's a really big question. And first and foremost, maybe I should share with your audience. I have four kids.
Anna (04:53):
Yeah. Give us the context, give us
Miranda (04:54):
An intro. My, my youngest is five, and then I have an 8-year-old, 11-year-old, and a 15-year-old. And I also have a homestead in the middle of nowhere, Alaska on 40 acres. So I really do like live this dream. And there's a lot of work, right? Like, I don't think everybody's like, oh, living the acreage, just gimme an acre, you know, a plot of land, like live, you know, have you seen those memes going around? I just want chickens. And I think
Anna (05:22):
That's your Instagram feed. I don't think that's on my Instagram's
Miranda (05:24):
Discover page. Okay. <laugh> all the time. Yeah. Maybe that, that could be it, right? And I'm like, okay, I've got, I've got this dream life that has really developed, but I, I don't think a lot of people understand like the work being behind, right? Like yes, that goes into that. And so I think over the years between, you know, having a healthy marriage and having this homestead and having four kids, um, there was periods of time where I was going back to school and also, you know, running a successful business on top of it. Like how do you manage it all? And the thing that I love to tell people is like, I don't, first
Anna (06:02):
Off, yes,
Miranda (06:03):
I don't, you know, and, and there are times that I drop the ball and more often than not, I have support systems in place that help me immensely. Right? And so without those support people in my life, for example, my husband, he's the one who takes the kids to school every morning. He drops them off and he picks them up afterwards and he does the running around to drop the kids off at their sports at the, you know, after school. And then he's picking up, you know, groceries and running the errands. And so he's got that managed, that's like his superpower. And like that's what he does. And that relieves so much of my time and my ability to be able to work at home, clean the home. Like some, there's been times in my life where I've hired somebody else to come clean my home because that was just not something that I could do.
Miranda (06:51):
You know? And of course in my business, I have a multiple people who are supporting me so that I can focus on my zone of genius. And if they weren't there, then I wouldn't have the business that I would have, you know? And so I think over the years it's been looking at, okay, not only how do I simplify my life and how do I, how do I feel good throughout my days and how do I accomplish what I wanna accomplish, but also how can I set myself up for success so that it feels good and that I'm not burnt out and that I still have a, a happy marriage and that my kids will be thriving? You know? And for me, that's always been who am I going to have on my team?
Anna (07:32):
Hmm. I am so glad you said that. 'cause I think there's something that happens in the online space where like we see successful women and we see women like they're so happy with their kids in present and they're like making a ton of money and, you know, but it's like not the conversation of like, who's helping them behind the scenes. Like I'm the same way I have like, you know, I'm a single mom, but I have like an amazing nanny who's like in some ways functions as, as a partner in like teams with homework stuff and like all of that, you know? And I just think like that is so much of the ability to simplify and the ability to pull back is like having those resources, right? Yeah.
Miranda (08:06):
And the very beginning though, I will say like, I grew up and very poor, right? My family was home to home for a long time. There were times where I didn't know if I'm gonna have food on the table. Like I grew up in that space and or in my early twenties it was very much, I was a single mom for several years. And so I know what it means to have nothing at the end of the month, right? Like 20 bucks was like all I had multiple times. I remember counting pennies in the checkout line, you know, for food. So I know what it means to not be able to have like the additional support systems or be able to afford that, but it's possible to like get yourself in a place. And it does take a little bit of hustle, right? Like we all know in the very beginning, like I was working nap time. Yes. I was working when my kids went to bed, and I was doing the things that I knew that were going to bring me the income that I needed to hire the people that I needed. And I paid them first before I paid myself for years, for years. But that's how I built what I've built. And that's been a beautiful blessing.
Anna (09:09):
I love that distinction too, because I think like there's this message of the online space, like never hustle, and then there's this message of like, always hustle. And so it kind of gets confusing. But I think the distinction you said, which is so important, is like hustle, obviously not to the point of burning yourself out, right? But hustle with intention of getting yourself out of the hustle, right? Like hustle for yourself for a short period of time so that you can get to a, a a period of spaciousness.
Miranda (09:35):
Yeah. I think there was a time in the online space where it was easy not to hustle.
Anna (09:40):
Yes.
Miranda (09:40):
And I don't think that time is now <laugh>. Yeah,
Anna (09:43):
Totally.
Miranda (09:43):
Unfortunately. Right? Yeah. And I don't know if it'll ever go back to that. It's just, that's just not the market. And so I think there's a time where we are going to have to hustle. And I, and we have to recognize that like in order to be successful, you have to work hard at that. And that's okay. Like many people who are in that space and who are entrepreneurs, they're fine with working hard. That's, yeah. It's, the problem is not working hard is the problem, is not working hard. Yes.
Anna (10:09):
I love that. Tell me how that ties into, like, I love this, I wrote a question for you, like, as you balance right now, the demands of entrepreneurship and the demands of your own home, but even thinking about like my mama listeners who maybe are postpartum right, or are pregnant or are really navigating, and several of my clients too, like are quite postpartum, but still navigating mental health challenges regarding to postpartum. I mean, I don't know, maybe I'll even ask you like, how long do you consider postpartum and how does that, you know, moms of kids zero through six or zero through 12, like, and they're navigating that balance. Like, maybe just talk to that a little.
Miranda (10:49):
Hmm. I love this question. 'cause clearly I love everything postpartum. This is actually how I got started was because of my own postpartum adventures, we'll say. But I struggled deeply with postpartum depression and anxiety. I had postpartum rage. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, uh, with after my second, my third, I had postpartum bipolar. I've had the gamut of anything and everything that you can be diagnosed with, including hypothyroidism, like, you know, you name it, I've had it. And I've also gone on to have like the most beautiful, most luscious like literally floating on clouds postpartum experiences. And a lot of those were very distinct moments in my life where I was also running a business and my business was running me into the ground because I was so heavily focused on getting X, y, z done while also trying to navigate bonding with my baby, breastfeeding, doing all of the things, not sleeping at night.
Miranda (11:55):
You know, why is my baby crying? Like, trying to understand all of these things because, you know, you might be a mom to, to one or 10 and everybody knows, like, it doesn't matter. It's always a learning experience no matter how many you have a learning experience. Yeah. It's always learning. Every baby's different, right? And to answer your question, you know, we, we know that science says six years is postpartum. So it takes us an average of six years before we feel like we're back into a state of normal within our own bodies. And that's two plus years of brain changes that occur, hormone balancing, then getting, getting our hormones back to its pre-pregnancy state. Um, our joints and ligaments don't even return to their pre-pregnancy state until nine to 12 months after having a baby. So there's so many changes that are occurring in our body, and we have to really give ourselves some space to just navigate all of that and just to be in that.
Miranda (12:55):
And I will tell you, my best postpartum experience was, and, and my best business experience and, you know, life is so intertwined. Yeah, right? Was when I took a moment to step back and say, this is not what I'm going to do. I'm not gonna engage in my business right now. I had, I was at the point where I was able to hire some support to come in and just like manage social media, and I'm gonna tell you it wasn't good. Like, I look back at it and I was like, that was no, like, this is not how I would've done it. This was not how I would've been okay with it. But you know what? I made more during that time than I ever did in the previous times. Why? Because I was taking a step back and honoring myself and my body and just going into my postpartum experience just with the intention of deep connection and deep healing.
Miranda (13:49):
And there's an energy about that. And that energy I feel is really what connected me back into, you know, my clients paid attention. People were paying attention to that. Right? People. And it's not just because I'm in the postpartum field. It was really an energy that has, that I was able to express. And I think that's the, the core message is like how you care for yourself and how what happens in your personal life is deeply going to affect you in your business. And if you don't have a hold of that, or if you feel like it's slipping or you know, things are jumbled and, and feeling really difficult, then oftentimes it's gonna show up in your business and it's gonna show up on your, you know, profit and loss. And yeah. It's gonna show up in, in other areas as well. And so there has to be this healthy balance. It doesn't mean that everything is like always in balance and all the plates are always spinning perfectly. You know, that's, that's hogwash too. But, you know, I, nothing feels devastating. Nothing feels exceptionally difficult. I'm not crying, overdoing the, the dishes, right. I'm not hiding in my closet in tears because I don't know how to be a parent. Like, these are all experiences Yes. That I've had as a mother and, and so many more, you know, and from that place, be able to support myself much more deeply.
Anna (15:06):
Such, such powerful words. I so agree. It reminds me of too, I think even for my clients that aren't mamas, like I've seen them do that. Like whether it's, you know, they have like a hobby or a passion or travel, right? Like just giving themselves permission to like go off and do the thing that's calling them in their life and then coming back feeling stronger. Right? And I even see this on the micro with me. Like when I am able to truly like, unplug for the weekend, delete Instagram off my phone, like fully go away and bring energy back to my business, because I think, like my mentor Lacey sites talks about this a lot, but like, we expect our business to always like, give us energy and make us happy. Which sometimes it does. But I think also, like we can bring energy to our business. We can bring, especially like as we scale our business, sometimes there's problems in our business. Sometimes there's, you know, it's not always fun. And so giving yourself that time to be a fully restored, happy, vibrant woman and human, I think bringing that to business, bringing that to the challenges we have in motherhood is so useful too.
Miranda (16:06):
Yeah. Yeah. First off, I love Lacey. She's the best, incredible. The best. Absolutely incredible. And I was actually talking with Natalie Ellis and James Wedmore recently about this very thing. Mm. And we were talking about how, you know, as you get older in your business and you've been around for some time, like I used to derive, and I actually had like a, a moment of crisis. And this was very recently in my business where I was like, wait a second. Like, I used to be so fired up, I was obsessed about my business and now I'm not. Mm-hmm. Like, is that normal? Is that okay, what am I doing? Is something wrong? Like, because I'm finding passion in like other things in my life. I wanna go quilt, I wanna go like <laugh>. I know that's my thing, right?
Anna (16:55):
So follow 'em Right. On Instagram
Miranda (16:56):
Or the, if you want quilting tutorials, uh, I love doing that kind and like house decor and like, I'm getting into all of these other things that bring me so much joy, right? Yes. And, and, and James was like, well, congratulations first off, because you've built a life that has allowed you to go explore and do other things. And he was like, I'm not obsessed about my business like that. And, you know, love my business, show up for my business all the time now, but now it's just a thing that I get to do. And I was like, oh my gosh, yes. That is exactly it. You know? And so we can get into that space of like, yeah. In the very beginning, right? It's like almost like that hustle, the obsession, the excitement. But then we get to step back and just be like, this is just something I get to do on the side of raising four kids and having a family and doing the things that I love.
Anna (17:54):
Yeah. And I think it is like, it's normal in the beginning for our business to be that. 'cause in some ways, like our business is our hobby, our business is our passion. Is it? Right? But I actually think like when we're able to switch, switch to it not being, it becomes like healthier because then it's not so emotion driven. Right. And I even think like for, you know, my clients or the people we serve or the people we write for create content for, they want us to be showing up like that. Not as like this emotional high, but like, this is something that I'm mindfully showing up and doing and serving, but that I'm gonna go, it's almost like that, uh, detached, stabilized energy, right? Like being just very mindful about our work.
Miranda (18:33):
Yeah. Yeah. It's such a good energy. And you know what, I think the big difference too, that I've seen, and I noticed in me, I remember the shift that happened was when I was like so obsessed about it. Like I wanted all the clients, right? It almost becomes like a needy energy behind
Anna (18:49):
It. Yes, yes, yes. You know? Yes.
Miranda (18:51):
And then to shift into like, nah, this is cool. Like, I just get to sit and chill and like, if you're gonna show up and be in this space, I'm gonna like give you everything. 'cause I love it so much. Yes. But if you don't, that's totally cool, you know? And then people are like, wait a second, I don't want that yet. Yes, yes.
Anna (19:05):
It's
Miranda (19:06):
Like a whole different energy. It's
Anna (19:07):
A it's a vibe. Yeah. It reminds me of anything like when it comes to like motherhood or partnership, like obviously my kids bring me happiness, right? But I want them to know that like, whether they're having a good or bad day, I'm still gonna be okay as a woman and a mom. You know? Like there's something about that that feels very safe, I think. And so it's just useful to have a conversation.
Miranda (19:29):
I love that. That's beautiful.
Anna (19:32):
Okay. Over to your expertise. So for someone currently facing postpartum or mental health challenges, trying to build their business, what's one piece of advice you wish you received when you were in their shoes?
Miranda (19:45):
Take it slow. Take time off. Because you know what? Your body is so much more important than your business. Your, your body, your mind, everything that is you is what builds your business. And if that foundation is not, your rock is not a rock is not solid, it doesn't feel good. If it feels mentally and emotionally unbalanced, if it, you feel like you've got symptoms showing up that just don't feel good and you're, you're constantly exhausted and fatigued and you are not sleeping at night and it just feel awful, you're not going to build a solid foundation in your business either. And it's gonna c it's gonna crumble just as your body is gonna crumble. And so it's, it's really difficult. Unless you're able to have support systems in place to manage everything, you're not gonna be able to manage everything unless you have those support systems in place.
Miranda (20:40):
And if you don't, the first and foremost, the most important thing ever is focusing on you. Because if you don't heal, you'll never have a business. 'cause your business is going to be always on that back burner. 'cause you're always gonna be too sick. You are not gonna be able to show up. You're gonna have to go to, you know, your own doctor's appointments. You're gonna crash, right? Because if we don't take care of ourselves and the very beginning, you know, we can run as long as we want, but eventually our bodies are gonna be like, mm-hmm I'm not running anymore. I'm gonna fall. I'm gonna crash and you're gonna have to deal with it. And I wish somebody would've told me that because I was trying so hard to build these two worlds simultaneously. And I, for a while, I actually believed that if I built a business here, I'll, I'll actually say building a business helped me get out of postpartum depression with my first, because I was able to find a passion.
Miranda (21:35):
I was able to find something that was really exciting to me. And then as it was blooming and it was growing and, and, and life was happening, and then I met my husband, and then we had another child and I was like, oh, this is great. And I, I know how to do everything. And I was going for it. And then I was operating my business and then this crash hit, and then my business became the burden. It was no longer the place where I was finding joy in the moment. And I had to step back and focus on me. And that was one of the best decisions that I've ever made. And a lot came from that. That was a really hard time where I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. I had to really rework my entire life around, okay, how did I get here?
Miranda (22:21):
And why am I in this place? I literally, I, and I had to set up play places in my bathroom and breastfeeding spots in my bathroom, like, you know, all the diapers and wipes for my baby. And also toddler play stuff for my son so that I can have my colitis experiences on the toilet and sheer pain and be able to even pass out on the floor next to 'em knowing that my kids would be safe next to me. So I had to really hone in on how do I get well and my body before I can even move? 'cause I could, I could have taken all the medications and probably walked away fine, but that wasn't the life that I wanted to live. And I had to get really clear with myself about that, and then move forward from that. And it took a lot of time and effort, but I came out so much stronger.
Miranda (23:14):
And because of it, I was able to build such a solid foundation. Actually, the very things that I experienced in my postpartum are the very things that I used to support my clients. That knowledge that I developed during that time of trial and error was so essential for my business and the way I operate. And it's interwoven into my frameworks. And that is, maybe I, yeah, I'm, 'cause I work in postpartum and so it's easy to draw those lines, but I see that often too with people who run businesses in general, right? Because there's a mindset shift that has to occur during those times. So carrying forth your experiences and what you've learned through those really dark times can really help you help others even more, you know, people in health in like all industries across, you can use that knowledge when you have gone through something really challenging no matter what it is, you know, childbirth, uh, depression and anxiety, mental health challenges, autoimmune diseases, divorce, whatever challenge it is that could be going on for you.
Miranda (24:19):
And there's so many that we can name, right? That can be a blessing in disguise because that is just a lesson. There's lesson after lesson after lesson that's there for you. And I know that's really hard. Like I, it took me a long time to recognize that for myself. Like, these are blessings in disguise, right? But when you're in it, when you're in the depths and you can't get outta bed or you, you know, you're passing out next to the toilet, like this is the last thing it feels like. But there is always hope at the end of the tunnel. And those are the things that have helped me, helped others so beautifully. And that's why people come to me because they're like, oh, Miranda, Miranda knows exactly what to do.
Anna (25:02):
That's so good. It's so true. Like, I think those are the type of lessons that like, you know, are even more valuable than what we paid to go to school to get, to get right is like the things that we learned the hard way, the wrong way through mistakes, through whatever. Right? And I think we want this life that doesn't have any road bumps, but when I look back, like all the road bumps are the things that cause me to like seismic seismically shift and quantum leaf in my life the most.
Miranda (25:30):
It's so true. It's so true. Do you ever follow human design a little bit?
Anna (25:35):
Yeah.
Miranda (25:35):
So I'm a three five projector.
Anna (25:37):
Okay. I don't <laugh> I don't know the three five part. I know the projector
Miranda (25:40):
Part. Okay. The three and the five, basically the three is like trial and error, I think. Oh, I think, right. So that's how I go to through life is just trial and error <laugh>. Yeah. Which is like such a good summary of my life. Like, did this work? No, this is, and then I take all of the things that I have learned, and this is I guess a five part, and then I share that information and I could be totally off. I could be like, just way oversimplifying this. No, no, it doesn't matter. That's
Anna (26:08):
What we're taking from it. This
Miranda (26:09):
Is what I think it's, and what I'm interpret it, you get to interpret it. Okay. Yeah. So I love
Anna (26:16):
That. Uh, I recently did like a, an improv class with my kids, like a drama theater club thing. And I loved that the instructor just kept emphasizing like, 'cause you know, improv is about like really like not thinking and really like doing Right? And like even before you can cognitively think like starting to act and perform and, you know, she really emphasized like there's no such thing as mistakes literally. And it's just an interesting world to see like my kids doing that so easily and quickly, like of course. Right? And I think as adults we forget and we see, like I always tell my clients like, it's normal to have micro failures on the way to your success, right? Like, the faster you're moving and the more you're succeeding, the more failures tiny you're gonna be facing. And so I think like, especially like people coming from a world where perfection was, was encouraged or maybe the corporate world, right? Where you're not, where maybe you're like a big fish in a small pond and then when you start taking risks in life, you're this small fish in this big pond, right? And, um, just think it's interesting dynamic.
Miranda (27:16):
Yeah. It's so true. It's so true. And you know what, some of my littlest failures, like, I look back now and I was like, oh, that was, that was cute. That was she rude? Yeah. So in the moment
Anna (27:26):
You're like crying in the shower.
Miranda (27:27):
Yeah. I was like, that's the worst thing in the world. My life is over. So nobody, you know, and it's just like everybody knows and it's so awful, you know? And it's like, no,
Anna (27:36):
Nobody cares.
Miranda (27:37):
Nobody cared. Nobody, nobody saw nobody was paying attention. And really it wasn't awful. You know, I see this often with like webinars and stuff where people are like, nobody showed up. What do you mean nobody showed up? Oh, well I had 10 people. <laugh>. Okay, well that was, that's fabulous. No, it's not. I wasn't, I wanted a hundred, you know, and it's like, well, what were your conversions? And they're like, two, two outta 10, you know? It's like, no, you gotta do, do it over, do it again. You know, they're like, whatcha talking about? I feel awful. It's like, no, that was the best thing in the whole world. You nailed it.
Anna (28:10):
And we're not able to see those micro wins on the way. And so then we're like going back to the drawing board and doing a different conversion event. Like a cha. It's like, no, just keep going. Right? Yeah. And I think we see everyone else's like end game and we wanna hop there and we forget that everyone that has had an end game has had the stair steps to get there.
Miranda (28:27):
Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Absolutely. And they just didn't see that. Mm-hmm
Anna (28:31):
<affirmative>. Yes. Oh,
Miranda (28:33):
Go ahead. No, I was gonna say like, unless you've been following me for 15 years, like you're not gonna see all the junk that happened before. It's actually funny because somebody recently said, you know, Miranda, I've been following you for five years now. And they're like, it's so fun watching you change over the years, <laugh>. I was like, you shoulda seen, you're like trying 50 far. You should have seen what was going on. You know, like no, it's, it's so, it's so interesting how we all do, we do change and we do shift and we do grow and people do pay attention to some of that, you know? But those are also the people who love us the most and who are there for us supporting us.
Anna (29:09):
Yes.
Miranda (29:11):
Going
Anna (29:12):
Back to like maternal mental health and nutrition, one of the things I love so much about following you on Instagram, which if you don't follow her, go do that right now. Um, is how data backed research back. Like you just like spit facts everywhere. And I think like as women, we need to give ourself more permission to, like, whenever I'm like me a client advice, I always try to like go back and look and be like, okay, well what does the research say? You know, like, I think this comes from like, you know, my mental health background too. And really seeing like, okay, what is, what is research showing us so that what we are saying doesn't just feel good, but it's actually
Miranda (29:43):
Accurate.
Anna (29:44):
I was just gonna ask you like, to someone that's brand new to understanding like the biology, nutrition, like some of the research behind what science has to say right now about maternal mental health. Like maybe give us your favorite stats and or 1 0 1 research around it.
Miranda (30:02):
There's so much I could say to this first time, you're like, how
Anna (30:04):
Long
Miranda (30:04):
Do you have? Yes, yes, yes. Um, so, so many women enter it into the postpartum period completely depleted of key nutrients. About 80% of women do. And many of those nutrients are related to postpartum depression and anxiety. And we don't recognize that. It's not something that we, uh, our, our medical world and our society really knows. Um, but, but is is mentioned in study after study is done in study and we have so much evidence to show that when we are depleted of vitamin d omega threes, um, when we are depleted of protein, even just, there's so many different ones that are out there that if you're depleted, you, those, those depletion symptoms mimic depression and anxiety. And so what we have in postpartum is a recipe for feeling not of ourselves, not in our bodies, especially when it comes to our mental health because it takes so much of us to grow a baby. We're growing a
Anna (31:11):
Human. Oh my goodness. It's, it's wild. It's really wild.
Miranda (31:14):
Miraculous feet. Is that like it is, it is so mind boggling to wrap my head around that still to this day that we actually grow babies and it takes so much of our, our bodies to do that. And so we require a lot of nutrients and then those nutrients are what grows our baby, but also sustains us and our hormones. The sad thing is, is that a lot of those tests, you know, the R RDAs recommended daily allowances, right? And you can see that in the back of the box of your food or whatever, and it tells you, oh, vitamin A, you're gonna get 60% of your vitamin A intake from this, this product or whatever. Right? All of those numbers are derived by studies done on men. And so when we look at what a woman needs in the postpartum period, for one, we have to step back and recognize there's no studies done on what a woman needs in postpartum.
Miranda (32:11):
And there's very few studies done on what women need, period in regard to nutrients, because those studies were derived by study. Those were done on men. And then it was a bunch of men who came together in a panel. I think that there was actually 11 people, to which of which were women who came and said, okay, we're gonna reduce the RDAs for a smaller human being. IEA female and this is what her daily requirements are going to be. And then we're gonna add in just a tiny extra itty bit, you know, we say 300 to 500 calories for breastfeeding and growing a baby, and we're gonna call that good thumbs up. No studies done on this. And so it's very frustrating and very sad that so many of us go to our providers, we go to our doctors and we get the tests and they're like, oh, you're fine. Right? Everything's normal. And you're like, this is not normal. Right? And so I think so many of us, um, need to recognize first this is science is far behind. It is nowhere near where it needs to be. There's more studies done on cows and lactating cows, postpartum cows than there ever has been on postpartum women.
Anna (33:31):
Wow. <laugh>. I did not know that.
Miranda (33:34):
Oh, it's, it's astronomically different. A hundred plus times more. Like it's,
Anna (33:39):
I mean, it makes sense. That's where the money is. Yes. Right? Like that's where the money is, like the dairy and everything versus like, what's the benefit of like helping women out?
Miranda (33:46):
So the funny thing is you say, where's where's the money? Right? So now there's this whole, there's, there's a whole market for this, right? And I'm so grateful to be a witness to this, but postpartum itself has now become a market because women are standing up. They're saying, I don't feel good in my body and this is not okay. And I'm no longer going to go with the, the flow of that this is normal, that this is okay because it's not, and I wanna feel better. And so we're seeing pharmaceutical companies come out with all of these new pill pills, all of these new gadgets, watches to tell you whether or not you have depression. You know, just like the craziest things that you could ever imagine o often, many times just completely disconnecting us from our bodies even more. Mm-hmm. And clearly never getting to the root of
Anna (34:39):
It. Yeah. Yeah.
Miranda (34:40):
But what we also have is a market shift where there is now a postpartum supplement market that has come on scene and is supposed to reach billions by 2030. Why? Because women are starting to recognize the significance of postpartum nutrition, and they're asking for more care and they're asking for more support. And so what's the easy quick fix that we go to? Supplements, right? Mm-hmm <affirmative>. And the pill, uh, pills are, are where a lot, you know, pharmaceutical pills and for everything, right? Not just in postpartum. That's where our healthcare goes. And I think the market is going to be shifting and supplements are going to be the new pill of the future, which is still sad, right? We, we might be making a slight progress, but we still need to get back to Whole Foods. We need to get back to things that are going to support us.
Miranda (35:35):
And I tell women all the time, especially in postpartum, it's not just about how much you're taking in, it's also are those vitamins and nutrients going to be able to be digested in your body? Are you able to absorb that? And in pill form you're not, especially in postpartum because of all the physiological gut changes that take place. So we need healthy whole foods that are easy to digest. Soups, stews, broths, conges. Like those are things that our body's gonna crave and need and be able to, uh, digest and use and absorb without expending more energy, without making us feel gassy and bloated and constipated and, you know, then comes along all of the other symptoms that we called normal in postpartum, you know? And so yeah, it, this, this conversation could go on forever. Yeah. So yeah.
Anna (36:28):
No, no, no, it's great. It's, it's just such an interesting conversation because it reminded me too, uh, which thank you by the way, for your wealth of knowledge. 'cause I learned so much, even just in you saying that. And so I know listeners here are like, oh my God, like take notes, right? And like, maybe even little intro into your work and into your writing and into your courses. Right? But what came up for me is I just think it's interesting how as our world modernizes and improves, right? Like, uh, like I even think about, you know, two of my best friends who you who live where I used to live in reading, we still vox like every week all the time and we chat. And I really enjoy that. But it's so interesting because it's like, okay, but what are the downsides to that?
Anna (37:06):
Like maybe I'm not reaching out to mom friends locally as much, right? Or like, I think about like, you know, maybe people aren't getting as much sunshine so they have like artifact, right? So it's just so interesting to see where the artificial things are. They're not bad, but it's like they're not as good as the source, the core thing. And so I just think like, as our world grows in technology and it's just interesting to see the cons that are coming with the pros and then the replacements that are having to come in because of that. It's just interesting.
Miranda (37:38):
We are so interested in biohacking our way to health. Yeah,
Anna (37:42):
Exactly. Rather than
Miranda (37:44):
Just being healthy. It's that. Yeah.
Anna (37:47):
It's, you know, I'm like, wait a second. Like we don't have to hack it. You
Miranda (37:51):
Don't, you don't need a gadget, you don't need a pill, you don't need like, all of these little things. So
Anna (37:56):
Many gadgets. I know. I'm like the only one in my fitness class that doesn't have a Apple watch, you know? And I'm like, whenever everyone's like, set your Apple watches, I kind of just like tap mine, you know, <laugh>, which there's nothing wrong with an Apple watch. I think they're great, but it's just interesting to see that trend, right? Yeah.
Miranda (38:13):
I mean, I love my things too, right?
Anna (38:14):
Yes, of course, of course.
Miranda (38:15):
Yeah. It's just some things are like, I have a sunlight on my desk. I live in Alaska.
Anna (38:20):
You live, live in Alaska, you need the lamp bio packs
Miranda (38:22):
We're gonna need, you need it, you need it. We, the everybody has that. Yeah, everybody has that. But I tell you what, life is so much easier if you just live healthy rather than trying to back biohack your way through
Anna (38:33):
It. It just is. And again, I, I don't think there's anything wrong with biohacks. I use biohacks, right? But it's just like interesting to see like that we have, I especially because there's marketing behind the people that are selling the biohacking, that it's just interesting to think through does the biohack serve me or does the original source serve me? But we forget to even ask ourself that question.
Miranda (38:54):
The biohack will never be as good as the original source. Mm. The original source is the, everything that connects us with Mother Nature. Mm. God, our, our land. Everything. That is the source. That is source.
Anna (39:06):
Yeah. Right? Yes, yes, yes. We're
Miranda (39:09):
Always going to be deeply connected to that. If we just return to that, we're gonna be so much more healthier if we return to that. We're gonna be so much wiser. We're gonna be able to, you know, figure out problems that we've never been able to figure out before because we're connected. Yeah. We're gonna be able to connect with one another in ways that we would never be able to before, you know? Mm-hmm. It's the wisdom of the, especially the female body.
Anna (39:34):
Yes,
Miranda (39:35):
Yes. Reside and the wisdom of Mother Earth,
Anna (39:37):
You know? Yes.
Miranda (39:38):
And so we are never going to experience the, the level of health through biohacking then we would if we would just got back with nature, which again, coming from Alaska is extremely hard. Yes. I don't get to spend my time out in nature very often. Yeah. In the winter times, you know, I have my very select times and you know, like I have to biohack my way through those kinds of things. And for everybody's listening. I have a husband who's in love with Alaska, and I love Alaska too, but I also get away often. Like here I'm just like, okay, sure, sign me up San Diego Sun. You know? So I, I do get away and that's, that's my hack is I just return to source in other places. Yeah.
Anna (40:23):
And I think that's such a great conversation too, of like, how can we take advantage of like what's around us, right? Like versus for me it's the opposite. I do have the sunlight, I do have, you know, the ocean and the sand, but I don't have, like, I don't live on homestead, right? And like my backyard is considered huge for compared to my neighbors. But like look at that, look at that. It's tiny for you. Right? So I just think it's just like, it's just an individual decision and conversation. Right?
Miranda (40:50):
Yeah. It so is right. We're so different and we have to recognize that. And one thing is gonna work for some people and it's not gonna work for others. And that's okay.
Anna (40:59):
It's beautiful. Okay. I could talk to you all day, but let's wrap this up. Maybe tell us for people that are just meeting you for the first time, how can they continue on their journey with you? Like maybe tell us a little bit about all of your things, <laugh>, all of you tell it. Maybe give us like a tiny little preview on all your things and how people can start with you. So
Miranda (41:16):
First off, I work with providers, so I think I wanna say that first and foremost. So doctors, um, midwives, lactation, consultants, doulas, anybody who's in the field working with women in the years after postpartum. So when you come to me, that's the, that's the stuff that I'm gonna give. But I have so many mamas who follow that as well because they wanna get information
Anna (41:39):
They want send at the source. They want the source not at the source. Yeah. They, they don't wanna go right to it. They're like, gimme the expert, gimme the people who are teaching the people. Exactly.
Miranda (41:47):
And so we do have a lot of women who follow us. We have a podcast, postpartum university. You can go to our website, postpartum u, the letter u.com, um, and you can find all of our information there. We're on Instagram podcast, you can download some amazing things and come check it out, learn some stuff.
Anna (42:05):
I love that. So I enjoy following your work. I enjoy your tips. And I love too how one of my favorite things about you is you're just very, again, I love that you are research backed very data, but you're also very honest, very authentic, very approachable, just sharing your journey and what works. And I just think it's so useful to like be connected to women that are, that
Miranda (42:27):
Can I tell you a really funny story?
Anna (42:28):
All the stories you want.
Miranda (42:29):
Okay. I love the facts. I'm my, I'm biology background, right? Yes. <laugh> and very much into the facts and the science and the data. Like I live there, I love it. I thrive in it, but I created a business around those things to validate that I'm worthy of being followed. And I'm not a doctor. Yes. I'm not a provider. Yes. Here I am training doctors and providers.
Anna (42:57):
Yes.
Miranda (42:58):
And so for the longest time I thought those facts and that data and that research were so necessary for me to grow a business. And I'm so thrilled that I get to like step back from that and recognize that and like start being like start showing, you know, more of my woo side, like the little, yeah. It's mother earth and the source and the connection, you know, and like, you know, our biological rhythms, like I'm still saying it in a as that's just who I am. But to like blend the both worlds I think is just such a beautiful thing. But, um, there's so many, so many out there who need to hear that. So we,
Anna (43:32):
We need that. And I think our modern world is like starting to embrace more as we're seeing like kind of the backlash of like, everyone has to go to college and like all these things. You know? I just think it's interesting to see this, I even remember like my midwife, like one of the things I appreciated most about her was like she worked in a hospital, you know, but she like just seeing these dualities. I think women are stepping more into dualities of like embracing the, you know, I think, you know, 30 years ago, like to be taken seriously, we had to be professional, right? But I do think there's a shift of like, it's embraced that doctors have this Instagram account and they're showing their dog, right? Like, and I like that, like I like that we can both have professional and serious, but also have approachable and spiritual. I think it's an evolution.
Miranda (44:22):
I love that you just said the duality of it. I just literally spent some time the other day writing my newsletter on the, that very topic of like duality and motherhood, duality and the work that we do. I love that. Yes. I
Anna (44:38):
Love that. Okay, I'll make sure to link all of your places. Feel free to tag us on Instagram if you have had any insights, uh, or aha moments or questions, any final words for our listeners? Oh, we
Miranda (44:51):
Can keep going, but <laugh>, you're like, actually no, this has been amazing. I'm so thrilled to do this with you. Thank you. Thank you
Anna (44:59):
So much Miranda. Thanks for hanging out today. Please hit that subscribe button so you can make sure to stay updated anytime a new episode drops. And I would love for you to join me in my free Facebook community. It's called The Heart-Centered Entrepreneur. We discuss the podcast episodes. I regularly go live and do free trainings, and you may even meet your newest biz bestie, so you can join at https://heartcenteredcommunity.com/. It's absolutely free, and I cannot wait to see you in there.
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