
Fourth Trimester: The First Months and Beyond | Parenting | Newborn Baby | Postpartum | Doula
My name is Sarah Trott. I'm a new mama to a vivacious baby girl and this podcast is all about postpartum care for the few months following birth, the time period also known as the Fourth Trimester. My postpartum doula, Esther Gallagher, is my co-host. She’s a mother, grandmother, perinatal educator, birth and postpartum care provider. I've benefitted hugely from her support. All parents can benefit from the wisdom and support that a postpartum Doula provides. Fourth trimester care is about the practical, emotional and social support parents and baby require, and importantly, helps set the tone for the lifelong journey of parenting. This podcast provides resources for new parents and examines the socio-cultural influences on parenting.
When I first became pregnant, I had never heard of postpartum Doulas, let alone knew what they did. So much of the training and preparation that expecting parents do is focused on the birth and newborn care. Once baby is born, often the first interaction parents have with medical or child professionals, other than the first pediatrician visits, is the six-week checkup with the OB/GYN. What about caring for mama and family between the birth and the six week doctor visit? What are the strategies for taking care of the partner and the rest of the family while looking after your newborn?
Our podcasts contain expert interviews with specialists from many fields to cover topics including postpartum doula practices, prenatal care, prenatal and postnatal yoga, parenting, breastfeeding, physical recovery from birth, nutrition, newborn care, midwifery, negotiating family visitation, and many more.
First-hand experience is shared through lots of stories from both new and seasoned parents. Hear what other parents are asking and what they have done in their own lives.
We reference other podcasts, internet resources and real-life experts who can help you on your own parenting journey. Visit our site at https://fourthtrimesterpodcast.com/
We hope you have a well-resourced and enjoyable experience as new parents.
Sarah Trott & Esther Gallagher xo
Latest episodes

Dec 21, 2024 • 42min
Data-Driven Parenting With Dr Amanda P Williams
This episode featuring Dr Amanda P Williams is dedicated to how data can be a tool for informed decision-making, creating positive outcomes for both parents and their children.With 35% of U.S. counties classified as Maternity Care Deserts—lacking essential maternal care resources—data and technology are critical in bridging gaps in access and information. Tools like virtual visits, online data platforms such as Peristats, and virtual parenting assistants like HelloGaia empower parents and caregivers with the resources they need. This approach combines in-person care, virtual care, and technology-based support to create a "best of the best" layered experience.Data-driven parenting using evidence-backed information in combination with the very important practice of self-trust and gut-instinct is increasingly the way forward for many parents and caregivers.Learn how to find and use evidence-based information that empowers parents.Full show notes fourthtrimesterpodcast.comConnect with Dr Amanda P Williams LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | Stanford MedicineMarch of Dimes marchofdimes.org | Peristats | State Report Cards | Maternity Care Deserts ReportLearn more Irth App Hospital Reviews | HelloGaia Parenting Copilot | California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC) | US News Top Obstetrics Hospitals Rankings | American Academy of Pediatrics | American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists | Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine | The State of Postpartum Maternal Health with Dr Amanda P WilliamsAdditional ResourcesFREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Birth PlanFREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Fourth Trimester PlanFREE DOWNLOAD Birth Team Overview – Who’s Who At The Hospital

Dec 14, 2024 • 34min
Future-Ready: Boost Your Kid's Success With These Positive Mindset Practices
In this episode, Jesse Bennett, an author and advocate for positive thinking among children, guides us on helping kids boost their success by developing a positive mindset through kindness, self-talk, and mindfulness practices. She emphasizes that kindness begins within oneself. By teaching children to love and believe in themselves and encouraging them to recognize their inner light, they can extend this kindness to others.Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodcast.comConnect with Jesse Bennett jessebennett.co | InstagramLearn more Wire Your Baby for Success Through Optimal Newborn Brain Development | Preparing For Your Second Baby - The Second Child Transition | Encourage Infant Speech Learning, Security & Confidence Through Communication and Play | Mom Group Guide: How To Find, Join Or Facilitate Your Own Mom GroupAdditional ResourcesHelloGaia Parenting CopilotFREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Birth PlanFREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Fourth Trimester PlanFREE DOWNLOAD Birth Team Overview – Who’s Who At The Hospital

Nov 30, 2024 • 48min
Meet Your Parenting Copilot: HelloGaia Makes Raising Kids Easier
In this episode, hosted by Didi D'Errico as a special edition, we focus on ACTIONABLE ways you can build more reliable, more accessible and more timely support as a new parent. We know there are enough barriers to support for new parents as it is, as highlighted by March of Dimes in their recent report on Maternity Care Deserts - THANK YOU for providing insights and data!We talk you through specific steps you can take to have a better-resourced fourth trimester and beyond. We highlight FREE planning templates and tools that every new and expecting parent needs to know about, including a service we are very excited about called HelloGaia. HelloGaia is a FREE AI-driven search-based chat tool that is designed to help families find fast, trustworthy, always-available answers to questions that will arise during pregnancy, postnatally and as their child grows. Get started with HelloGaia here.Full show notes fourthtrimesterpodcast.comLinks to HelloGaia hellogaia.ai | Use Cases & Quotes (Listen to the bonus track at the end of this episode to hear a full review from Esther Gallagher, postpartum doula)Resources mentioned FREE Birth Plan Template | FREE Fourth Trimester Plan TemplateLearn more What To Expect From A Doula | March of Dimes Report on Maternal Care Deserts

Nov 16, 2024 • 1h 8min
The Top 10 Toddler Sleep Questions Every Parent Asks with Dr Angelique Millette
In this episode, Sarah Trott talks with pediatric sleep consultant Dr. Angelique Millette to answer the top 10 TODDLER sleep questions every parent has. (Go to the BABY episode if you want help with baby sleep! Link below.)Dr. Millette shares her expertise on the challenges of toddler sleep, providing practical solutions for common issues like bedtime resistance, night wakings, early morning risings, and more. She also covers how to recognize signs of sleep readiness, establish effective bedtime routines, and create an environment that supports restful sleep.Listen to learn strategies tailored to meet a toddler’s specific needs, fostering smoother nights for the whole family.Full show notes fourthtrimesterpodcast.com (FREE Birth plan download here)Connect with Dr Angelique Millette angeliquemillette.com | Facebook | YouTubeResources mentioned Safe Sleep Guide for Room Sharing and Bed Sharing Angelique's other sleep episodes Dr Angelique Millette on Sleep Training | The No-low Cry Sleep Method | Help Your Little One Prepare For Sleeping In Their Own Room | The Top 10 Baby Sleep Questions Every Parent AsksLearn more Wire Your Baby for Success Through Optimal Newborn Brain Development | A Parent’s Guide To Building Self-Trust (And Why It Matters) With First Forty Days Author Marisa Belger Connect with Fourth Trimester Facebook | Instagram | About & ContactAdditional ResourcesFREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Fourth Trimester PlanFREE DOWNLOAD Birth Team Overview – Who’s Who At The HospitalHelloGaia Parenting Copilot

Nov 2, 2024 • 43min
Optimizing Your Mental Health with Dr Ida Eden, Reproductive Psychiatrist
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Ida Eden, a reproductive psychiatrist and faculty member at Weill Cornell Medicine, to explore how you can optimize your emotional and psychological well-being during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.Whether you're dealing with anxiety, depression, or simply navigating the transition into parenthood, Dr. Eden will provide insights and practical tools to help you feel empowered and supported. Find out what to do BEFORE baby arrives, and how you can start optimizing if you ALREADY have your baby (or older child!) in arms.Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodcast.comConnect with Dr Ida Eden idaedenmd.com | Weill Cornell MedicineLearn more Birth Doula 101: What to Expect From A Birth Doula with Esther Gallagher | Mom Group Guide: How To Find, Join Or Facilitate Your Own Mom Group | MGH Center for Women's Mental Health | Mother to Baby Factsheets (Check which drugs are okay to use while pregnant or breastfeeding) | Postpartum Support International

Oct 19, 2024 • 53min
Baby Travel Tips - Stay Calm And Mother Up with Kacie McDonnell Hosmer & Gianna DeMedio Simon
On this episode of the Fourth Trimester Podcast, we're bringing you the ultimate travel guide for parents.Our special guests, Mother Up creators Kacie McDonnell Hosmer, former host of FOX Nation and Mansion Global, and Gianna DeMedio Simon, host of the podcast So Sorry for Your Loss, share their tried-and-true tips for traveling with little ones. Between them, they’ve wrangled three children under four while navigating air and car travel, and their advice will help you make your next trip as stress-free as possible. Whether you’re planning a flight or a road trip, Kacie and Gianna will walk you through everything from packing essentials to managing those inevitable meltdowns.Tune in for practical advice, personal stories, and the confidence to travel like a pro with your kids. P.S. Don't forget to chat with your pediatrician for advice on how early you can travel with your newborn - every situation is unique!Full Show Notes (all links on fourthtrimesterpodcast.com)Connect with Kacie McDonnell Hosmer & Gianna DeMedio Simon motheruppod.com | Instagram Kacie | Instagram GiannaLearn more Simple Way To Adjust Baby To Time Change (Schedule Template) | Evidence Based Care for Improving Postpartum Recovery - Advice From Dr Rebecca Dekker | Preparing For Your Second Baby - The Second Child TransitionTravel Items Mentioned Recommended Travel Essentials | Mother Up Amazon StorefrontConnect with Fourth Trimester InstagramThanks in advance for taking a moment to please rate Fourth Trimester Podcast on Pocket Casts - this helps other people discover our program and supports the work that we do!https://pocketcasts.com/ratings

Oct 5, 2024 • 42min
Morning Sickness Causes and Cures: Hyperemesis Genetic Link Discovered by USC Geneticist Dr Marlena Fejzo
Rather amazingly, there hasn't been much research into the causes and potential cures for the nausea that around 70% of people experience during pregnancy. Until now.Thankfully, Dr Marlena Fejzo is dedicating her life's work to finding ways to alleviate the full spectrum of mild cases of "morning sickness" to severe nausea to, on the extreme end, hyperemesis. She herself experienced hyperemesis. She knows firsthand the debilitating effects of the disease. Already she has clearly identified one gene (GDF15) linked to the cause and she is working on finding more.Listen to the full episode to learn what Dr Fejzo recommends for alleviating symptoms of morning sickness and treating true hyperemesis. There are ways to find some relief now, even ahead of the groundbreaking new therapies that are on the horizon.Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodcast.com (all links below can also be found here)Connect with Dr Marlena Fejzo USC Profile & Contact | USC Marlena Fejzo Research FundLearn more Time Women Of The Year 2024 | Harmonia Healthcare Clinics for Nausea & Hyperemesis Treatment | HER Foundation RESOURCES | 23andMeConnect with Fourth Trimester Facebook | Instagram | About & Contact

Sep 21, 2024 • 44min
Budgeting for Baby: Three Essential Steps for A Successful Family Budget
In this episode of Fourth Trimester Podcast, we are joined by an experienced financial advisor, Laura Davis CFP. This episode centers on how families can create a budget that sets the family up for financial success, including: what a budget is, how to create one, considerations before having a baby, what to budget for during pregnancy, postpartum and longer term (kids education, your own retirement etc.)We also have a great conversation around helping raise children to be financially independent.Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodcast.comConnect with Laura Davis financiallab.usLearn more (all on fourthtrimesterpodcast.com)Family Financial Wellness: Three Finance Must-dos for Families How a Friend or Family Member Can Help You if You Don’t Have a Doula (What is a Doula?) Mindfulness Childbirth and Parenting Courses FREE Download - Birth Plan Template

Sep 7, 2024 • 49min
Evidence Based Care for Improving Postpartum Recovery - Dr Rebecca Dekker
Dr Rebecca Dekker of Evidence Based Birth provides clear, plain-language guidance on postpartum recovery, including the very immediate period after birth from delivering the placenta and then through the extended fourth trimester. Learn what the evidence points to so that you can make informed decisions and enhance your recovery period.Full show notes fourthtrimesterpodcast.comResources Skin to Skin After A Cesarean Evidence on Pitocin During the Third Stage of Labor Why Postpartum Midwifery is Vital to Healing With Serena Saeed-Winn FREE DOWNLOAD Birth Plan Template (a.k.a. Birth Intentions Document) Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) The Best Hospitals For Labor And Delivery - Ratings App ‘Irth’ Created By Kimberly Seals Allers The State of Postpartum Maternal Health with Dr Amanda P Williams

Aug 24, 2024 • 1h 5min
Breastfeeding Essentials Part 2: Manage Milk Supply, Proper Breast Pump Usage, Feeding On Demand
In this episode of the Fourth Trimester Podcast, we asked a panel of breastfeeding educators and practitioners to help us put together a 2-part guide on breastfeeding. Importantly, this is a NO JUDGMENT guide. Just the facts and plain language explanations that help you on your journey.Part 2 covers a wide range of topics including: managing milk supply, breast pump usage, feeding schedules and more.Full show notes: fourthtrimesterpodcast.comLinks and resources mentioned on the show: Lactation Resources Find a Lactation Consultant | Mahogany Milk Support Group | Drugs That Are Safe While Breastfeeding - Medications Fact Sheets | NC A&T Outpatient Clinic | Kelly Mom Breastfeeding Articles | Donate Extra Breastmilk | Ready Set Baby | Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine | Fourth Trimester ProjectLearn more The Real Story Behind Breastfeeding | Wire Your Baby for Success Through Optimal Newborn Brain Development | FREE DOWNLOAD The Ultimate Birth Plan Template You Can Customize | mothertobaby.org | infantrisk.com | believeipe.org | Gold Lactation Conference
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