Most conversations about maternal mental health start in the same place: the one in five women who experience postnatal depression or anxiety. But what about the other four in five? What are we doing to help them thrive?

It is a question that stops you in your tracks, because most of us have never thought to ask it.

In this episode Dr Renee White sits down with Lesley Pascuzzi, an Applied Psychologist and PhD candidate at Curtin University whose research focuses on optimising the mental health and emotional wellbeing of women on their journey to parenthood, to explore what it actually means to feel emotionally well, not just the absence of illness, but something richer and more personal than that. Together, they unpack why so many women struggle to define their own wellbeing, and what it would look like to change that.

It turns out that when women are given the space to think about it, they know what they need. The challenge is creating the conditions for them to hear themselves.

You'll hear about:

Why emotional wellbeing is so hard to define
What perspectives on wellbeing can teach us about inner knowing
How social media falls short for maternal mental health
Why midwifery-led care is key to helping women thrive
How to start trusting your instincts with yourself

You already have more answers about what you need than you might realise. This conversation is an invitation to slow down, get quiet, and start listening for them.

Resources & Links

📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_

🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services

🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies

🔗 Connect with Lesley Pascuzzi on LinkedIn

Research mentioned in this episode

Lesley Pascuzzi's research paper: Exploring emotional wellbeing in the perinatal period: A qualitative study in Australia

Best Beginnings study — Hannah Dahlen and Hazel Keedle, Western Sydney University: linked here

This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village.

If this episode resonated, share it with someone who might need permission to think about their own wellbeing for a change. And subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.

Disclaimer The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.