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The Science of Motherhood

The Science of Motherhood

Dr Renee White 227 Episodes Jun 30, 2026

Knowledge is power and we are all about empowering the mothers of the world! In each episode we will unravel and interpret the latest research and evidence-based practices for pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood.

Episodes

Ep 233. Navigating Grandparents Without Losing Your Mind Jun 30, 2026 26:47 Your parents or your in-laws are going to tell you they did things differently and you turned out fine, right in the middle of a conversation about sleep safety or feeding choices, and you can feel the eye roll building before they've even finished the sentence. Their love is real, and you don't have to brace for it each time they visit.In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White
Ep 232. Anxious, Overwhelmed, Numb: The Mental Health Reality of IVF Jun 23, 2026 55:04 The mental and emotional weight of trying to conceive doesn't disappear once you're pregnant, or once the baby arrives. For many women, it quietly shapes everything that comes after.Sometimes the hardest part isn't the fertility treatment itself. It's carrying the aftermath of it into motherhood without anyone acknowledging that you went through something significant to get there.In this episode o
Ep 231. Trying to Conceive: What to Expect Emotionally and Physically Jun 16, 2026 34:33 The emotional side of a fertility journey is real, and it's the part that often goes unspoken. You can walk into treatment prepared with every medical question imaginable and still feel blindsided by the weight of the waiting, the uncertainty, and the grief that can come when things don't go to plan.That gap deserves more airtime than it gets.In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee
Ep 230. IVF, IUI, and Egg Freezing: A Guide to Trying to Conceive Jun 9, 2026 40:42 If you've been trying to conceive for a while, you've probably found yourself down a research rabbit hole at some point, reading forum threads at midnight and trying to decode acronyms you barely know. IVF, IUI, FSH, ICSI. The information is out there, but it doesn't always feel like it was written for you.Understanding the difference between your options, and knowing the right questions to ask, c
Ep 229. Does Stress Affect Fertility? The Science Behind Your Hormones Jun 2, 2026 22:34 You've probably been told to "just relax" at some point on your fertility journey. Maybe by a friend, a family member, or even a health professional. And if you're anything like most people trying to conceive, you probably wanted to throw something at them.That advice isn't just unhelpful. It's both slightly right and completely missing the point.In this episode, Dr Renee White unpacks the real sc
Ep 228. What Should You Actually Do Before Trying to Conceive? May 26, 2026 49:36 Most of us weren't taught that what happens before conception matters. You were told to take a folate supplement, book in when you got a positive test, and go from there. But there's a window of time before you even start trying that can shape not just your pregnancy, but your child's long-term health.The science on preconception care has moved significantly, and most people still aren't hearing a
Ep 227. Fertility Preparation: What to Do Before You Try To Conceive May 19, 2026 56:44 Fertility preparation begins months, sometimes years, before you start trying to conceive. Knowing what to look for, and when, could change the entire shape of your conception journey.If you've ever wondered whether your body is actually ready for pregnancy, or whether there's something your results aren't telling you, this conversation will change how you think about your health.In this episode,
Ep 226. Why Hyperemesis Gravidarum Is Genetic, Not Psychological May 12, 2026 19:58 Have you ever been so sick in pregnancy that you couldn't keep water down, lost weight, or ended up in hospital wondering how your body was supposed to sustain a baby when it couldn't sustain itself? If that's your story, or the story of someone you love, you've probably also been told at some point that it was stress, anxiety, or something you just needed to push through.It wasn't. And the scienc
Ep 225. Could Holistic Care Improve Fertility and Prevent PTSD? May 5, 2026 01:06:29 ⚠️ Content note: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, suicide, and depression.If you've been through fertility treatment, you already know it's more than a medical process. It's months, sometimes years, of appointments and numbers and waiting, with very little space given to how you're actually doing.There's research showing that nearly 50% of people in fertility treatment develop
Ep 224. Why Your Joints Feel Loose and Unstable Postpartum Apr 28, 2026 09:48 Does it feel like your body hasn't quite come back together yet after you've had your baby? That clicking, that instability, that sense that your hips or knees might give way. It's not in your head, and it's not a sign that something is wrong.So many mums are told that by six weeks, things should be settling. But if you're still breastfeeding and still feeling like your body doesn't quite belong t
Ep 223. How OTs are helping Neurodivergent Mothers Navigate the System Apr 21, 2026 54:51 If you're neurodivergent, the maternity system wasn't built with your brain in mind. The appointments, the environments, the cognitive load of it all. Nobody tells you that's why it feels harder than it should. They just hand you the same pamphlet and send you on your way.That gap matters even more when you're navigating pregnancy, birth and early parenting. It's not just your body being stretched
Ep 222. Being an Autistic Mother: Pregnancy, Birth and the Postpartum Period Apr 14, 2026 01:10:03 Nobody tells you that the struggles so many neurodivergent women experience during pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood might be connected to how their brain is wired. Because so often, nobody knows. Not the healthcare providers, and not the mothers themselves.That missing language doesn't just delay a diagnosis. It delays understanding, support, and the ability to make sense of your own experie

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