317: Navigating Postpartum Mental Health and “Mommy Brain” with Dr. Nikki Pensak
Conversations with Cam
Dear Media
4.7 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 6 August 2025
⏱️ 66 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Nikki Pensak, clinical psychologist and author of "Rattled", to discuss postpartum mental health and the challenges of new motherhood. Dr. Nikki shares her professional insights and personal experiences to help new mothers understand and navigate the complexities of the postpartum period. We dive into the different aspects of postpartum struggles, coping strategies for intrusive thoughts, and the realities of baby bonding. We also discuss the crucial importance of maternal sleep, changes in intimacy after having a baby, and how to deal with overstimulation as a new mom.
Key Takeaway / Points:
- The different aspects of postpartum mental health (anxiety, depression, and OCD)
- Dr. Nikki’s personal experience with postpartum mental health struggles
- The importance of proactive postpartum mental health care
- Navigating intrusive thoughts and overstimulation as a new mom
- The concept of "mommy brain" and the difference between “baby blues” and depression
- How to navigate feelings of guilt and disconnection in early motherhood
- Strategies for maintaining intimacy in relationships after having children
- The transformative nature of motherhood
- How to set up a postpartum support system
- Practical tips for managing overstimulation
- The importance of self-care and positive experiences for new moms
This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.
Sponsors:
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Follow Dr. Nikki Pensak:
Instagram: @drnikkipensak
Website: drnicoleamoyalpensak.com
Order Dr. Nikki Pensak's book "Rattled" here
Follow me:
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Youtube: Cameron Rogers
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The following podcast is a dear media production. |
| 0:04.1 | I already know that you guys are going to love this episode so much because when I was going |
| 0:08.6 | through and editing it and like pulling clips for social, every single paragraph, I was like, |
| 0:15.2 | oh this, oh, we need to post this. Oh, this needs to be a graphic. Oh, this needs to be pulled. |
| 0:19.2 | Like there is just so much |
| 0:20.8 | in this episode. And it's something that I know many of you are navigating. Many of you feel, |
| 0:27.0 | many of you have talked with or to me about. So I really think this will hit home for a lot of us. |
| 0:34.9 | Today we are joined by Dr. Nikki Pensac. She is a clinical psychologist, |
| 0:39.0 | mom of two, author, and researcher. And she recently wrote the book Rattled, which provides a |
| 0:43.9 | science-backed roadmap for mothers navigating early parenthood, drawing from cutting-edge research |
| 0:49.0 | on metrescence, maternal brain plasticity, and postpartum mental health, mom guilt, mom shame, and more. It is a raw, |
| 0:56.6 | brutally honest, and humor-filled narrative that brings information mothers really need to light. |
| 1:01.4 | This episode, we chat all about her experience with motherhood and postpartum, her experience |
| 1:06.6 | as a clinical psychologist helping women through these phases and what the actual F happens to our brains |
| 1:13.4 | because we use the term mommy brain all the time, but what is actually happening? How do we |
| 1:18.9 | combat the hard parts of it and how do we lean in to the incredible changes? And it goes in so many |
| 1:25.8 | amazing directions and there's just so much tangible advice and information |
| 1:33.9 | and really just so many nuggets of knowledge in this episode. So I hope you enjoy as always. |
| 1:41.1 | Please feel free to share with a friend to share on social, text your group chat. |
| 1:46.6 | Like, if you're in a mom chat, send this episode because I really think many people can benefit. |
| 1:51.4 | As always, please rate, review, subscribe, do all of the things. |
| 1:54.3 | Follow us on social at Conversations with Cam. |
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