716. The Postpartum Lies We’ve Been Told—And What to Do Instead with Maranda Bower

I need to tell you something you might not hear enough: Postpartum is about YOU just as much as it’s about your baby. And yet, we live in a culture that’s more focused on swaddles and sleep schedules than the well-being of the person who just created a whole human.

I recently sat down with Maranda Bower from Postpartum University, and let me tell you—she dropped some serious truth bombs about what’s missing in postpartum care and how we can change the game. Maranda’s journey started when she had her first baby and realized she was completely unprepared for what came next. She is an expert in child development, a science-loving go-getter who thought she had everything figured out… until postpartum knocked her flat.

Sound familiar? Maybe you felt that overwhelming exhaustion, the anxiety, the body that didn’t quite feel like your own anymore. Maybe you were told, “Oh, that’s just mom life. Welcome to the club.” But Maranda’s work proves something powerful: Postpartum struggles aren’t just something to tough out—they’re signs that your body needs nourishment, care, and support.

The Truth About Postpartum That No One Talks About

👉 Science is just catching up to what women have always known: postpartum recovery takes longer than six weeks, and it affects everything from your hormones to your nervous system to your gut health.

👉 There are more studies on postpartum cows than postpartum women (yep, you read that right). Why? Because dairy sales matter more than maternal health. Let’s change that.

👉 Your postpartum experience literally shapes your baby’s brain. Research shows that a mother’s health has a profound impact on childhood development, yet the support for moms? Almost nonexistent.

And don’t even get me started on the whole “bounce back” culture. If you’ve been complimented on your weight loss while secretly feeling like a hollowed-out shell of yourself, you’re not alone. Maranda and I talked about how real postpartum recovery is about nourishment, rest, and support—not about how fast you can fit into your pre-baby jeans.

So What Can We Do?

✨ Shift the focus: Prioritize your recovery just as much as your baby’s needs. You both deserve it.

✨ Seek real postpartum support: Functional nutrition, hormone balancing, nervous system care—these aren’t luxuries; they’re necessities.

✨ Ditch the shame: You’re not “just tired” or “being dramatic.” If something feels off, trust yourself. Your body is speaking to you.

Maranda’s work at Postpartum University is all about giving moms and professionals the tools to make postpartum a time of healing, not just survival. If you’re in the thick of it (or know someone who is), consider this your permission slip to take your postpartum care seriously.

You are not alone, and you deserve to feel whole again.

Find Maranda: 

Website: https://postpartumu.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/postpartumuniversity/

Free Postpartum Nutrition Toolkit for Providers: https://postpartumu.com/handouts

Postpartum Nutrition Certification: https://postpartumu.com/certification