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Episode 70: How Society Has Turned It’s Back on Mothers & Their Mental Health with Dr. Pooja Lakshmin
On today’s episode, I talk with Dr. Pooja. Dr. Pooja and I discuss women’s mental health issues during postpartum, weaning off breastfeeding, how society lacks the support women need and so much more. Whether or not you believe that women need critical help during this time after birth, it is important to recognize their needs as a mother and a person to give themselves and their families everything they can.
Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, MD is the Founder and CEO of Gemma, the first digital education platform dedicated exclusively to women’s mental health, centering impact + equity. She is a board-certified psychiatrist and author specializing in women’s mental health with a focus on how broken social systems impact women’s emotional lives. Dr. Lakshmin is a frequent contributor to The New York Times, a medical advisor to Peloton, and the author of the forthcoming book from Penguin Life, in which she discusses the tyranny of self-care and offers a 4-part novel framework for women to build authentic and sustainable well-being in the face of systemic stressors.
Dr. Lakshmin is a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the George Washington University School of Medicine, where she is a clinical supervisor in the Five Trimesters perinatal psychiatry clinic. She maintains a private practice where she applies an integrative approach to taking care of women suffering from maternal mental health conditions. She is active in advocacy and community building through online platforms, including her Instagram page @womensmentalhealthdoc.
In this episode we discuss:
- Mental health during weaning of breastfeeding
- Why Dr. Pooja created Gemma
- Burnout vs. betrayal
- Where is the extra support and resources that women need after giving birth
- Common issues Dr Pooja sees in the perinatal or postpartum period
Resources:
Use code LYNZY for 30% off Navy Hair Care:
Connect with : Dr Pooja
Connect with Lynzy:
- Join the Motherhood Meets Medicine community at patreon.com/motherhoodmeetsmedicine
- Instagram: @motherhoodmeetsmedicine
- Sign up for the weekly newsletter here
Questions
- How did you begin the creation of Gemma?
- What is the difference between burnout and betrayal?
- What are some things that women experience while weaning?
- How can you advocate for yourself?
- How does paternity leave affect moms?
- What are some of the systemic issues in the United States surrounding women’s mental health?
- How has society turned its back on women?
