Postpartum or Perimenopause? Why So Many Moms Are Caught in the Middle
Welcome to Navigating Postpartum Wellness — the podcast created for moms who feel like they’re doing it all but still wonder if they’re doing enough.
This show is your reminder that your wellness matters too. Hosted by Jaree Williams [https://navigatingpostpartumwellness.com/about-jaree-williams/], a writer, speaker, and homeschooling mom of two, every episode offers honest reflections, practical wellness strategies, and faith-rooted encouragement for the mother who’s tired of the hustle and ready to align with peace, presence, and purpose.
We talk about the parts of motherhood people don’t post about — the hard moments, the identity shifts, the guilt, the healing, and the wins worth celebrating.
Whether you’re folding laundry, hiding in the bathroom for a break, or driving in silence after drop-off, this space is for you. You’re not too much. You’re just set apart.
In this episode of the Navigating Postpartum Wellness Podcast, Jaree Williams of NPW Media sits down with Lauren Tetenbaum, licensed clinical therapist and author of Millennial Menopause, to unpack a conversation many women are having quietly—but rarely out loud: the overlap between the perinatal period and perimenopause.
As more women are having children in their late 30s and 40s, postpartum recovery is increasingly intersecting with perimenopausal hormone shifts. Lauren explains how fluctuating estrogen and progesterone can intensify symptoms like mood changes, sleep disruption, anxiety, weight changes, hair loss, and emotional overwhelm—making it difficult to tell what’s postpartum, what’s perimenopause, or both.
Together, Jaree and Lauren discuss:
* Why perimenopause is often missed or dismissed in postpartum care
* How societal pressure, delayed motherhood, and reproductive technology have changed maternal health timelines
* The shared vulnerability of postpartum and perimenopause
* Why symptom tracking and informed providers matter—and how hard they can be to find
* Treatment options including hormone therapy and birth control
* Sustainable self-care that adapts day by day
* Radical acceptance, self-compassion, and releasing the pressure to “do it all”
* The power of “good enough mothering” during hormonally intense seasons
Lauren also shares practical encouragement for mothers who feel overwhelmed, reminding listeners that they aren’t failing—and that support, language, and validation can change everything.
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
* Millennial Menopause by Lauren Tetenbaum
* Lauren Tetenbaum’s practice: https://thecounselaur.com [https://thecounselaur.com/]
* Book link: https://thecounselaur.com/millennialmenopausebook/ [https://thecounselaur.com/millennialmenopausebook/]
* Postpartum Support International (PSI) for finding trained perinatal mental health providers
This episode is a must-listen for postpartum mothers, older first-time moms, and anyone navigating hormonal changes while caring for themselves and their families.
Resources:
* Read articles [https://navigatingpostpartumwellness.com/postpartumwellnessblogsformoms/] on Navigating Postpartum Wellness Media
* Join The Aligned Mama Collective [https://navigatingpostpartumwellness.com/the-aligned-mama-collective/]
* Subscribe to the newsletter [https://navigatingpostpartumwellness.com/subscribe-here/] & get your Balanced Mama Wellness Guide + weekly Countdown to 6 encouragement
