Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies and the Battle for Sleep
Doula Talk is a podcast for parents navigating the real, often messy middle of postpartum and early parenthood.
Hosted by Doula Deb, a birth, postpartum, and sleep doula with over 15 years of experience, this show offers compassionate guidance, honest conversation, and practical support for the first year and beyond. We talk about postpartum recovery, newborn care, sleep, nervous system regulation, and the emotional load that so many parents carry quietly.
This isn’t about quick fixes or perfect routines. It’s about understanding what’s happening beneath the surface and building steady, supportive foundations that help both parents and babies feel more regulated over time.
Through solo episodes and thoughtful conversations with trusted experts, Doula Talk helps you make sense of sleep struggles, feeding questions, recovery, and the constant mental load of early parenthood, without shame, pressure, or panic.
If you’re pregnant, newly postpartum, or deep in the exhaustion of caring for a baby, this is a place to slow down, feel less alone, and remember that you’re not doing this wrong.
Episodes
58 episodes
56 - Hot Mess, Big Heart, No Sleep: Why Self-Care Isn’t Optional
Whether you're knee-deep in diapers or wondering if your toddler will ever nap again, one thing’s for sure: you’ve probably put yourself dead last on the priority list. In this episode, I’m sharing real-talk strategies to help you make space fo...
55 - The Taboo Conversation: Cannabis, Women’s Health, and Making Informed Choices (Dr. Amanda Reiman, Founder Personal Plants)
In this episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb sits down with public health researcher Dr. Amanda Reiman to explore a topic that many parents are already navigating quietly, but rarely feel safe talkin...
54 - What Actually Helps When Feeding Is Hard (And What Quietly Makes It Worse)
If feeding feels harder than it should right now, this episode offers a grounded, practical shift in perspective.Deb, a birth, postpartum, and sleep doula, explains why most feeding advice isn’t wrong, it’s just often given out of order....
53 - When Feeding Feels Hard: Why It’s Not Just About the Bottle
If feeding your baby feels stressful, emotional, or overwhelming, this episode is for you.Many parents are told that feeding struggles mean something is wrong with the bottle, the formula, the schedule, or their technique. But in practic...
52 - Navigating the Fourth Trimester: Adjusting to Life with a Newborn
What if nothing is wrong… but everything still feels hard?In this episode of Doula Talk, Deb gently explores the often-overlooked reality of the fourth trimester. Those first three months after birth can be beautiful, but...
51 - When Patterns Shift: Growth Spurts, Illness, and Big Changes in the Newborn Phase
Many families reach a moment in early postpartum when things finally start to feel familiar, and then suddenly shift again. Sleep looks different. Feeding feels harder. The rhythm they were beginning to understand feels less clear.In thi...
50 - Finding the Rhythm: Sleep, Feeding, and Wake Windows in the First Weeks
In this conversation, Deb discusses the complexities of the newborn phase, emphasizing the unpredictability of sleep and feeding patterns. She encourages parents to focus on understanding their baby's rhythms rather than adhering to strict sche...
49 - Before the Release: What Parents Need to Know Before Saying Yes (Carissa Guiley)
Ever wondered whether a tongue tie release is really the fix everyone says it is — or why some babies seem to struggle even after the procedure? In this week’s episode of Doula Talk, Deb is joined by Carissa Guiley, a speech-lan...
48 - Is This Just Normal… or Is It Time to Get Sleep Support?
In this heartfelt and insightful episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb speaks directly to exhausted, overwhelmed parents caught in the cycle of sleep deprivation. With warmth, honesty, and just the ri...
47 - Real Emergency or Newborn Glitch? How to Know When to Head to the ER (and When to Breathe Instead) with Dr. Kailey Buller
Ever wondered if your baby’s weird noises, twitchy movements, or late-night fussing are totally normal—or something to panic about? In this week’s episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb is joined by
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46 - From Maiden to Mother: The Identity Shift No One Prepares You For (Guest: Anna Lundqvist)
In this deeply soulful and eye-opening episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb sits down with former midwife and The Natural Birth Podcast host Anna Lundqvist to explore one of the most ...
Welcome to Season 2: Stability Over Perfection — A Gentle Reset for Parents
Welcome back to Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep!In this Season 2 opener, Deb invites you into a calmer, more compassionate approach to postpartum life. Instead of chasing perfect sleep, perfect feeding, ...
45 - Why You Can’t Relax After Birth (and What Your Nervous System Has to Do With It) with Dr. Avery Champagne
In this episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb sits down with holistic family chiropractor and author Dr. Avery Champagne to uncover what’s really happening in a mother’s body when she feels anxious, w...
44 - The Realities of Traveling with a Baby
If you are planning a road trip, flying to see family, or even braving a day-long outing, this episode gives you the exact tools to prepare well, keep your baby regulated, and protect your peace. Hit play, pack with confidence, and travel like ...
43 - Navigating the Holidays as a New Family: Finding Joy, Setting Boundaries & Ditching the Guilt
In this validating and heart-centered episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, postpartum and sleep doula Deb dives into one of the most emotionally loaded topics for new families: how to survive the holi...
42 - Beyond the Latch: How Tongue Ties Shape Airway, Sleep, and Development (Guest: Brittany Hageman)
In this episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb sits down with returning guest Brittany Hageman, a myofunctional speech therapist specializing in oral facial development, infant feeding, and airw...
41 - When Worry Won’t Stop: Postpartum Anxiety & OCD Explained (Guests: Dr. Angie Maxwell, PT, DPT, WCS & Laura Meader, LICSW)
In this episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb brings back two powerhouse guests, Dr. Angie Maxwell, pelvic floor physical therapist, and Laura M...
40 - Back to Work: Easing the Transition After Maternity Leave
In this powerful episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb peels back the curtain on one of the most under-prepared-for moments of early parenthood: going back to work after maternity leave. Spoile...
39 - Lactation Support Without the Shame: A Conversation with Emily Ager LM, IBCLC
In this episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb sits down with licensed midwife and IBCLC, Emily Ager, for the kind of raw, no-guilt, reality-check conversation every parent needs about feeding their ba...
38 - Postpartum Must-Haves: What to Buy for You (Not Just the Baby) After Birth
In this no-nonsense episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb pulls back the curtain on what birthing parents really need for postpartum recovery—an...
37 - Why Is My Newborn Crying?! Soothe with Intuition (Not Guilt)
If you’ve ever stared at your crying newborn and thought, “I’ve tried everything… why are they still upset?”—this episode is your permission slip to exhale and regroup.In this heartfelt and practical episode, Doula Deb—a seasone...
36 - From Bump to Baby: How Chiropractic Supports Pregnancy, Postpartum, Infants & Children (Guest: Dr. Emma Swartling from Lumos Chiropractic)
In this can’t-miss episode of Doula Talk: Postpartum, Babies, and the Battle for Sleep, Deb sits down with Dr. Emma Swartling of Lumos Chiropractic for a deep (and surprisingly fun!) dive into what chiropractic care actually i...
35 - Movement, Mindset, and Magic—The Body Ready Birth Workshop (Guest: Adrianne Buyer)
In this episode, Doula Deb sits down with the wonderful Adrianne Buyer—a birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, placenta encapsulator, and Reiki practitioner in Tacoma—to dive deep into all things Body Ready Birth Workshop. Adr...
34 - Trust Your Gut, Not Just the Books: Tapping Into Parental Intuition Around Sleep
If you’ve ever felt like the sleep advice out there just doesn’t fit your family, this episode is for you. Join Doula Deb as she dives into why trusting your gut is the key to getting rest without compromising your parenting style....
33 - The Hierarchy of Soothing: A Gentle Guide for Sleep-Deprived Parents
In this heartfelt and empowering episode of Doula Talk, Deb Jimenez unpacks a question she hears almost daily from tired parents: “How do I help my baby sleep without sleep training?” If you’ve found yourself contact-napping a...
