Welcome Back: So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs Season 2

How Do I Support My Partner When a New Baby Arrives?

Raising a child takes a village and affects the health and wellbeing of everyone involved. Most resources for new parents, understandably, focus on moms, often leaving out fathers, grandparents, friends, and other caregivers who may need support, too. Dr. Ruta and Allie sit down with Dr. Sheehan Fisher, PhD—Associate Professor and perinatal clinical psychologist at Northwestern University—to talk about how to support a partner after a new baby arrives, when caregivers themselves may need help, and how open, proactive communication can strengthen the wellbeing of the entire family. No matter what your family looks like or how you divide caregiving responsibilities, this episode is for you. Children and families thrive when all caregivers are supported. Resources: * Paternal Mental Health Factsheet [https://www.mmhla.org/paternal-mental-health-fact-sheet?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9KGyAfe30rP6fTVSrL9hkTt1ADqN-Wthw27DOoAcZDnfttMJt1L4HSszngbz0BkN-1AK9VKuqXCuktI3JIgtoaSXuDjw&_hsmi=424072768] prepared by MMHLA, Dr. Fisher, and Daniel B. Singley, Ph.D., ABPP, PMH-C. * Read more from Dr. Ruta Nonacs (womensmentalhealth.org [https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/postpartum-depression-in-fathers-lived-experience/]) and Dr. Sheehan Fisher (New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/well/postpartum-depression-men-fathers.html]) about how postpartum depression shows up in dads. * Postpartum Support International support groups and other resources for fathers [https://postpartum.net/get-help/help-for-dads/], single parents [https://postpartum.net/group/single-perinatal-parent-support/], and queer and trans families [https://postpartum.net/get-help/queer-parents/]. * Learn about Fathers’ UpLift [https://www.fathersuplift.org/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_9I3XxkNY6Dq9SUbAW9gS-XpveJ_yQUQCZlYnLbPAGNle3sA9PtG32CCpBsNWNutd6smzEDwoAMIFNeVkwHl_N2HnEDg&_hsmi=424072768]. Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical care. The views, thoughts, and opinions shared today are the speakers’ own. **Trigger Warning** Depression, anxiety, trauma, stroke  Like What You Heard? * Subscribe so you never miss an episode * Leave us a review to share your feedback * Learn more at sogladyouasked.org [https://sogladyouasked.org/] * Sign up for our newsletter [http://eepurl.com/jjw8ts] and follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sogladyouaskedpodcast/] for show updates and bonus clips So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs is brought to you by the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health [https://womensmentalhealth.org/] and the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation [https://www.jwasmarriottfoundation.org/].

What Should I Know About My Mental Health During Pregnancy?

Mental health during pregnancy plays a critical role in postpartum well-being, yet many people aren’t sure what’s safe or where to start. If you’ve ever wondered how to get help or how to support someone you love, you’re not alone. It’s important that pregnant people have access to safe, effective mental health care. That’s why reproductive psychiatrists and OB-GYNs often work together to provide the best support. In this episode, Dr. Ruta and Allie are joined by reproductive psychiatrist Dr. Marlene Freeman, MD, and OB-GYN Dr. Jessica Vernon, MD, PMH-C, to talk through what to look for, how to ask for help, and how to decide what treatment is right for you. Whether you’re planning for pregnancy, navigating new symptoms, supporting someone you love, caring for a patient, or looking for evidence-based guidance on medication safety, Drs. Nonacs, Freeman, and Vernon walk you through your next steps. Resources: * Learn about pregnancy and breastfeeding medication safety [https://mothertobaby.org/pregnancy-breastfeeding-exposures/] from MotherToBaby. Listen to their podcast  [https://mothertobaby.org/podcast/]to hear more about everything from sushi to the RSV vaccine. * Read more on psychiatric medications safety in pregnancy [https://womensmentalhealth.org/specialty-clinics/pregnancy-medications/] from the MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health. * For more information on research about psychiatric medication use during pregnancy visit the National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications [https://womensmentalhealth.org/research/pregnancyregistry/] website. Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical care. The views, thoughts, and opinions shared today are the speakers’ own. **Trigger Warning** Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation  Like What You Heard? * Subscribe so you never miss an episode * Leave us a review to share your feedback * Learn more at sogladyouasked.org [https://sogladyouasked.org/] * Sign up for our newsletter [http://eepurl.com/jjw8ts] and follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sogladyouaskedpodcast/] for show updates and bonus clips So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs is brought to you by the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health [https://womensmentalhealth.org/] and the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation [https://www.jwasmarriottfoundation.org/].

Why Does Miscarriage Feel so Isolating?

Stigma is, unfortunately, a common thread across So Glad You Asked. In this episode, we explore the silence, stigma, and shame that can surround miscarriage. Even though 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage, much of the grief and recovery still happens in private. Dr. Jessica Zucker, a Los Angeles–based psychologist specializing in reproductive health and author of the award-winning books NORMALIZE IT: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame That Shape Women’s Lives and I HAD A MISCARRIAGE: A Memoir, a Movement, joins Dr. Ruta and Allie for a thoughtful and deeply important conversation about bringing miscarriage into the open. Dr. Zucker shares the story behind her viral #IHadaMiscarriage campaign, offers guidance on what to say—and what not to say—and discusses ways to cope with anxiety in future pregnancies. We hope this conversation helps break some of the silence and reminds you that you’re not alone. Resources: * NORMALIZE IT: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame That Shape Women’s Lives [https://www.drjessicazucker.com/normalize-it] * I HAD A MISCARRIAGE: A Memoir, a Movement [https://www.drjessicazucker.com/i-had-a-miscarriage] * Saying it Loudly: I Had a Miscarriage - The New York Times [https://archive.nytimes.com/parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/15/saying-it-loudly-i-had-a-miscarriage/]  * Loss and Grief in Pregnancy & Postpartum - Postpartum Support International [https://postpartum.net/get-help/loss-grief-in-pregnancy-postpartum/] * More from Dr. Ruta on womensmentalhealth.org [https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/tag/miscarriage/] Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical care. The views, thoughts, and opinions shared today are the speakers’ own. **Trigger Warning** Miscarriage, depression, anxiety, trauma  Like What You Heard? * Subscribe so you never miss an episode * Leave us a review to share your feedback * Learn more at sogladyouasked.org [https://sogladyouasked.org/] * Sign up for our newsletter [http://eepurl.com/jjw8ts] and follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sogladyouaskedpodcast/] for show updates and bonus clips So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs is brought to you by the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health [https://womensmentalhealth.org/] and the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation [https://www.jwasmarriottfoundation.org/].

What Happens When Pregnancy Doesn’t Go as Planned?

50% of pregnancies involve some type of complication, yet we often don’t know why they happen or how to prevent them. Pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting come with so much uncertainty, and that can be incredibly hard to navigate. Our expert guest today is someone who, like Dr. Ruta, has dedicated her career to helping people understand what the data actually says. Dr. Emily Oster, PhD—Professor of Economics at Brown University, and founder and CEO of ParentData—joins Dr. Ruta and Allie for a conversation about navigating the complex decisions of parenthood. Together, they discuss how common pregnancy complications really are, how to sift through endless information, and how to make decisions when there’s no perfect solution. The Bottom Line:  * Recognize you will have to live with some uncertainty, and there is no getting around that. * Structure your decisions so they force you to make choices that are hard. * Remember that this is hard, and give yourself a break. Resources: * Read The Unexpected: Navigating Pregnancy During and After Complications [https://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Navigating-Pregnancy-Complications-ParentData/dp/0593652770] by Emily Oster and Nathan Fox * Reach out to a Postpartum Support International Specialized Coordinator [https://postpartum.net/get-help/specialized-support-resources/] * Learn more about pregnancy complications [https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24442-pregnancy-complications] Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical care. The views, thoughts, and opinions shared today are the speakers’ own. **Trigger Warning** Pregnancy complications, pregnancy loss, trauma  Like What You Heard? * Subscribe so you never miss an episode * Leave us a review to share your feedback * Learn more at sogladyouasked.org [https://sogladyouasked.org/] * Sign up for our newsletter [http://eepurl.com/jjw8ts] and follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sogladyouaskedpodcast/] for show updates and bonus clips So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs is brought to you by the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health [https://womensmentalhealth.org/] and the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation [https://www.jwasmarriottfoundation.org/].

When Does Normal Worry Become Postpartum Anxiety?

Welcome back to So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs and Allie Hales! We’re starting off this season with such an important episode. We talk all the time about postpartum depression but what about postpartum anxiety? In this advice-packed episode, Dr. Ruta and Allie sit down with Nicole Amoyal Pensak, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, and Author of the book RATTLED, How to Calm New Mom Anxiety with the Power of the Postpartum Brain. They discuss how the new mom's brain changes and what that means for mental health. Plus, Dr. Ruta shares tips for distinguishing normal worry from postpartum anxiety. If you’re preparing for the postpartum, have a history of anxiety, are caring for a loved one with postpartum anxiety, or just looking to learn about matrescence, this episode is for you. Recommended Resources: * Rattled [https://www.amazon.com/Rattled-Anxiety-Power-Postpartum-Brain/dp/1682688305]by Nicole Pensak * Postpartum Support International [https://postpartum.net/] * Learn more on our Resource Hub [https://womensmentalhealth.org/resource-hub-postpartum-anxiety/] Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical care. The views, thoughts, and opinions shared today are the speakers’ own. **Trigger Warning** postpartum depression, anxiety, and OCD.  Like What You Heard? * Subscribe so you never miss an episode * Leave us a review to share your feedback * Learn more at sogladyouasked.org [https://sogladyouasked.org/] * Sign up for our newsletter [http://eepurl.com/jjw8ts] and follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sogladyouaskedpodcast/] for show updates and bonus clips So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs is brought to you by the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health [https://womensmentalhealth.org/] and the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation [https://www.jwasmarriottfoundation.org/].