Healthy As A Mother

Detoxing before pregnancy is one of the most misunderstood topics in the health space. In this episode, we break down what detox actually means in the body, why it matters for fertility, and how to approach it safely without creating more harm than good.

You’ll learn how toxins impact hormones, ovulation, and pregnancy, and why your body’s ability to eliminate toxins matters more than simply “detoxing.”

We also walk through the most important systems involved in detoxification including the liver, lymphatic system, and organs of elimination, plus the biggest mistakes people make when trying to detox while actively trying to conceive.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you should detox before pregnancy, this episode gives you a clear, realistic framework.

0:00 Trailer & Introduction
2:44 What Is a Toxin? Internal vs. External Explained
6:27 Endocrine Disruptors & Their Impact on Fertility
7:55 The Overflowing Sink Analogy 8:51 Why Some People Can "Get Away With" Anything (Genetics & Drain)
11:43 Epigenetics — Why You & Your Grandma Are Different
13:29 The 3-Part Detox Framework: Faucet, Drain & Liver 13:58 The Knife Factory Analogy (How Your Liver Works)
14:52 The Poop Train & Pee Train Explained
17:44 Critical Rule: No Active Detox During Your Two-Week Wait
21:51 Ideal Timeline: 3–6 Months Before Trying to Conceive
24:12 Step 1 — Getting Your Organs of Elimination Working (Poop, Pee, Sweat)
26:31 Sauna & Sweating: When It's Safe & When to Stop
29:17 The Sperm Factor — Why Men Need to Stop Sauna 3 Months Early
30:41 The Lymph System — Trash in New York City Analogy
31:46 Dry Brushing, Rebounders & Vibration Plates
36:35 Breast Massage & Electrolymphatic Drainage
38:27 The Liver Deep Dive: Phase 1 vs. Phase 2 Detox
41:13 Cruciferous Vegetables, DIM & Food-Based Liver Support
42:37 Key Herbs: Dandelion, Burdock, Milk Thistle, Artichoke
47:18 What Liver Enzymes on Blood Work Actually Tell You (And What They Don't)
48:52 Bile, Gallbladder Health & Bitter Herbs
53:20 Castor Oil Packs — How, When & Where
56:57 The Nervous System as a Detox Organ
58:55 Social Media, News & EMFs as "Energetic Toxins"
60:51 Protecting Yourself From Information Overload During TTC
62:59 The Energetic Sink: Why Some People Spiral & Others Don't
70:29 Boundaries With News & Social Media in the Preconception Window
74:05 How to Go Deeper: Courses, Membership & Working with a Practitioner

Resources From This Episode:
Dr. Leah's Womanhood Wellness Membership
Liver Sauce
The Toxin Solution by Dr. Joe Pizzorno
Healthy As A Mother Episode #161 - Boundaries In Motherhood
Healthy As A Mother Episode #22 - Detoxing Before Pregnancy

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Find more from Dr. Leah:
Dr. Leah Gordon | Instagram
Dr. Leah Gordon | Website
Womanhood Wellness | Website

Find more from Dr. Morgan:
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Instagram
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Website

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What if the tension you feel in motherhood isn’t about your decisions… but about your boundaries?

In this episode, we break down one of the most overlooked skills women need to navigate pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood: setting boundaries with family, friends, and outside opinions.

From pressure around home birth to unsolicited advice from parents and in-laws, this conversation unpacks why boundaries feel so hard, what they actually are (and aren’t), and how to confidently take your power back without damaging your relationships.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by opinions, pressure, or expectations around motherhood… this episode will shift how you see it.

00:00 Trailer & Introduction
01:33 Why Boundaries in Motherhood Feel So Hard
02:54 What a Boundary Actually Is (and What It’s Not)
06:42 Why Most Women Misunderstand Boundaries
07:38 The Power of Controlling Your Response (Not Others)
09:22 Real-Life Example of Healthy Boundaries
11:07 Why Boundaries Protect Relationships (Not Damage Them)
13:37 Should You Communicate Boundaries Ahead of Time?
16:29 Handling Strong Disagreements (Vaccines, Parenting Choices)
18:24 Why Parents Struggle to Let Go of Control
21:16 What Happens When You Set Boundaries for the First Time
22:36 Why Consistency Is Everything
24:48 Becoming a “New Version” of Yourself in Relationships
28:40 Communication Frameworks That Actually Work
30:10 Birth Choices and Family Pressure Explained
33:26 Real Story: Shifting Beliefs Around Home Birth
34:51 How to Respond to Extreme Pushback
37:43 Who Gets to Be at Your Birth (and Who Doesn’t)
41:30 How to Communicate Firm Boundaries Clearly
44:46 Why Waiting for Birth Can Create Stress
48:37 Postpartum Boundaries and Baby Handling
51:38 Scripts for Setting Boundaries Respectfully
53:18 Why Women Struggle with Boundaries More Than Men
56:30 The Deeper Root: Fear of Rejection and Losing Connection
57:37 The Role of Intuition and Safety (Gift of Fear Insight)
01:00:00 Final Thoughts: Boundaries as Empowerment

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships
Home Birth Stats
The Gift of Fear: And Other Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence
Dr. Morgan's Pregnancy Call Lessons

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Find more from Dr. Leah:
Dr. Leah Gordon | Instagram
Dr. Leah Gordon | Website
Womanhood Wellness | Website

Find more from Dr. Morgan:
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Instagram
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Website

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In this episode of Healthy As A Mother, we’re pulling back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood parts of IVF: embryo selection.

Because here’s the truth most people don’t realize…

Even today, many IVF labs still rely on visual grading methods developed over 50 years ago to choose which embryo becomes your baby. And that could be the reason so many “perfect-looking” embryos fail.

Today, Dr. Leah sits down with Cara Wells, PhD, a reproductive physiologist and founder of a groundbreaking fertility technology that uses non-invasive video analysis to assess embryo health in real time.

Instead of just looking at embryos… Her technology measures how they behave.
And what they’ve discovered could completely change IVF outcomes.

0:00 Trailer + Intro
0:55 Meet Cara Wells, PhD + Her Background
2:15 The Problem with IVF Embryo Grading
6:25 Why IVF Feels Like a “Black Box”
10:47 The Technology That Inspired a Breakthrough
13:04 How Embryo Video Analysis Works
18:15 Why This Technology Matters for IVF Patients
20:49 Can We Improve Egg + Sperm Quality?
22:20 Why “Perfect” Embryos Still Fail
24:36 What Animal Research Reveals About Fertility
29:15 Why Animal Health Research Matters for Humans
32:12 What This Tech Reveals About Sperm Quality
40:25 How This Impacts Endangered Species
47:35 The Rhino Fertility Discovery
53:02 What Animals Reveal About Human Conditions
59:35 PGT Testing vs Non-Invasive Embryo Testing
1:03:25 How to Learn More + Closing Thoughts

Resources From This Episode:
Dr. Leah's Womanhood Wellness Membership
Emgenisys Website
Cara Well's LinkedIn

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Find more from Dr. Leah:
Dr. Leah Gordon | Instagram
Dr. Leah Gordon | Website
Womanhood Wellness | Website

Find more from Dr. Morgan:
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Instagram
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Website

Use code HAAM and save 10% at Fond
Use code HEALTHYMOTHER and save 15% at Redmond
For 20% off your first order at Needed, use code HEALTHYMOTHER
Save $260 at Lumebox, use code HEALTHYASAMOTHER

Mental health is often treated like a guessing game, but what if we could actually see what’s happening in the brain?

In this episode, Dr. Steve Rondeau, founder of Axon EEG Solutions and author of Think Like a Brain, breaks down how brain-based data is changing the way we understand mental health, postpartum struggles, and behavior in both women and children.

We dive into why traditional diagnoses often miss the root cause, how brain patterns shape your personality and responses, and why your environment plays a bigger role than you think. This conversation also explores a newly released study on hormonal birth control and antidepressant response, the concept of the “overwhelmed brain,” and how small shifts in your daily life can dramatically change your mental resilience.

If you’ve ever felt like something is off but can’t explain why, or wondered why one season of life feels manageable while another feels overwhelming, this episode will completely reframe how you think about your brain, your behavior, and your capacity.

00:00 Intro
01:52 Why mental health is still a guessing game
03:40 The misdiagnosis that exposes a broken system
06:10 Can brain scans predict personality
09:30 Why people experience life differently
13:15 Birth control and antidepressant study
16:47 Why one-size-fits-all treatment fails
18:40 Why postpartum experiences vary
22:40 Your brain isn’t broken your environment is
24:21 When symptoms don’t match the diagnosis
26:40 The case that changed everything
29:10 Why root causes get missed
32:10 Are brain patterns genetic or learned
34:40 The 3 areas that shape mental health
37:40 Why you can’t just push through
39:10 The overwhelmed brain pattern
42:10 The habit that regulates your nervous system
43:46 Why coping mechanisms make sense
46:40 Why normal brains don’t exist
49:10 Parenting and relationships through this lens
53:10 What’s normal behavior for kids
55:10 The parenting mistake most people make
58:10 Are screens rewiring our brains
61:10 How to find brain scan providers
73:31 Outro

Resources From This Episode:
Dr. Rondeau's Website - https://axoneegsolutions.com/
Dr. Rondeau's Book: Think Like Brain Treating Manual - https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Brain-Treating-Manual-ebook/dp/B0GFXQK1DV
Follow Dr. Steve Rondeau on Socials:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/Dr-Steve-Rondeau/100068808602146/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-steven-rondeau-148aa421/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dr_rondeau_qeeg/
Dr. Morgan's Pregnancy Call Lessons - https://milkmedicine.com/lessonsonly/

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Find more from Dr. Leah:
Dr. Leah Gordon | Instagram
Dr. Leah Gordon | Website
Womanhood Wellness | Website

Find more from Dr. Morgan:
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Instagram
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Website

Use code HAAM and save 10% at Fond
Use code HEALTHYMOTHER and save 15% at Redmond
For 20% off your first order at Needed, use code HEALTHYMOTHER
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Epidurals are one of the most common, and most misunderstood, parts of modern birth.

In this episode, we break down everything you actually need to know: what’s in an epidural, how it works, when it helps, and when it can create more complications than expected.

We also get honest about the parts most people don’t talk about, including side effects, the cascade of interventions, and why so many women feel blindsided after the fact.
This isn’t about telling you what to do.

It’s about giving you the clarity to make the right decision for your birth.

00:00 — Trailer & Intro
01:33 — Why This Conversation Matters
03:33 — Epidural vs Spinal: What’s the Difference
06:03 — “Do No Harm” Framework for Birth Decisions
08:03 — The History of Pain Management in Birth
11:33 — What’s Actually In an Epidural
15:33 — What It Feels Like to Get One
19:33 — When You Can (and Can’t) Get an Epidural
23:33 — The Timing Mistake Most Women Make
26:33 — When an Epidural is Actually Helpful
30:33 — Guilt, Shame & Birth Expectations
35:33 — Common Side Effects Explained
41:33 — The Cascade of Interventions
45:33 — What Happens When It Doesn’t Work
49:33 — Effects on Baby (Myths vs Reality)
53:33 — Why Women Feel Misinformed
57:33 — Epidurals & Postpartum/Bonding
01:00:33 — How to Decide What’s Right for You

Resources From This Episode:
The Vital Importance of Baby's Position During Birth with Ann Gilligan, RN, LNC, RYPT | #32
5 Things That Ruin Breastfeeding | #146
Dr. Morgan's Pregnancy Call Lessons

Healthy As A Mother Podcast | YouTube
Healthy As A Mother Podcast | Instagram
Healthy As A Mother Podcast | TikTok
Healthy As A Mother Podcast | Merch Store

Find more from Dr. Leah:
Dr. Leah Gordon | Instagram
Dr. Leah Gordon | Website
Womanhood Wellness | Website

Find more from Dr. Morgan:
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Instagram
Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Website

Use code HAAM and save 10% at Fond
Use code HEALTHYMOTHER and save 15% at Redmond
For 20% off your first order at Needed, use code HEALTHYMOTHER
Save $260 at Lumebox, use code HEALTHYASAMOTHER