In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited, I answer thoughtful and candid questions submitted by midwifery students, our next generation of birth workers.

I dive into what questions they have around brain changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period, what this means for perinatal mental health, what mechanisms may be involved, and more.

This episode offers insight for both students and anyone curious about brain changes in pregnancy and the postpartum period. ---

If you would like to learn more about the parental brain and perinatal mental health, check out my workshop and training offers at www.jodipawluski.com

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited, Dr Tim Oberlander and I briefly discuss SSRI use in pregnancy and the importance of focusing on maternal mental health in this area of research.

Our conversation centers on our perspective, Potential risks and benefits of prenatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications for maternal mental health and child development published in Nature Mental Health.

We emphasize the complexity of separating medication effects from underlying maternal depression and the importance of comprehensive approaches, including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments.

For more on current treatment guidelines for perinatal mental health see:

https://www.canmat.org/2025/02/12/available-now-canmat-2024-guidelines-for-perinatal-mood-anxiety-and-related-disorders-and-accompanying-patient-and-family-guide/

Dr. Tim Oberlander has over 3 decades of research on maternal mental health, SSRIs and child development. He is a Developmental Pediatrician, Clinician-Scientist and Professor of Pediatrics in the School of Population Public Health, University of British Columbia and BC Children’s Hospital.

Our publication: Pawluski, J., Oberlander, T.F. Potential risksand benefits of prenatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications for maternal mental health and child development. Nat. Mental Health 3,1304–1310 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00480-w

For more on your host see www.jodipawluski.com or follow Jodi on Instagram or LinkedIn.

In this episode, I sit down with Danielle S. Stolzenberg, Ph.D. , Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, whose work explores the neuroscience of care.

Dr. Stolzenberg shares insights from her emerging research on psychedelic compounds in the postpartum period, examining how substances like psilocybin may influence maternal stress, bonding, and brain plasticity.

Whether you’re interested in neuroscience, maternal health, or the rapidly evolving field of psychedelic science, this conversation provides a grounded and thought-provoking look at what we know—and what we still need to learn—about psychedelics postpartum.

Dr Stolzenberg's Lab : https://stolzenberg.wixsite.com/laboratory

Paper we discuss: Hatzipantelis, C.J., Liu, M., Love, A. et al. Psilocybin during the postpartum period induces long-lasting adverse effects in both mothers and offspring. Nat Commun 16, 8630 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64371-5

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64371-5

Music: Luna Wave via Soundstripe

Editing with the help of Descript!