The Science of Motherhood

Most conversations about maternal mental health start in the same place: the one in five women who experience postnatal depression or anxiety. But what about the other four in five? What are we doing to help them thrive?
It is a question that stops you in your tracks, because most of us have never thought to ask it.
In this episode Dr Renee White sits down with Lesley Pascuzzi, an Applied Psychologist and PhD candidate at Curtin University whose research focuses on optimising the mental health and emotional wellbeing of women on their journey to parenthood, to explore what it actually means to feel emotionally well, not just the absence of illness, but something richer and more personal than that. Together, they unpack why so many women struggle to define their own wellbeing, and what it would look like to change that.
It turns out that when women are given the space to think about it, they know what they need. The challenge is creating the conditions for them to hear themselves.
You'll hear about:
Why emotional wellbeing is so hard to define
What perspectives on wellbeing can teach us about inner knowing
How social media falls short for maternal mental health
Why midwifery-led care is key to helping women thrive
How to start trusting your instincts with yourself

You already have more answers about what you need than you might realise. This conversation is an invitation to slow down, get quiet, and start listening for them.
Resources & Links
📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_
🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services
🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies
🔗 Connect with Lesley Pascuzzi on LinkedIn
Research mentioned in this episode
Lesley Pascuzzi's research paper: Exploring emotional wellbeing in the perinatal period: A qualitative study in Australia
Best Beginnings study — Hannah Dahlen and Hazel Keedle, Western Sydney University: linked here
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village.
If this episode resonated, share it with someone who might need permission to think about their own wellbeing for a change. And subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Disclaimer The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

If you've just had your baby and your milk hasn't arrived yet, the first thing to know is that your body is not failing you. It's actually doing something remarkably complex behind the scenes, and most people, including most healthcare providers, never take the time to explain what that actually looks like.
This episode is for every mum who has found herself Googling this question at 2am, wondering if something has gone wrong. It hasn't. But understanding the biology of what's happening can make all the difference in how you feel about it.
This is the first episode of our brand new series, The Science Behind, where Dr Renee White takes your real questions and unpacks the science in a way that actually makes sense in real life.
You'll Hear About:
Why your milk supply started months before your baby arrived
What progesterone, prolactin and oxytocin are actually doing to establish your supply
Why stress has a measurable impact on your letdown reflex
How the demand and supply loop works, and what it means for those early feeds
When a delay beyond day five is worth a conversation with your midwife or GP

What your body is doing right now is extraordinary. Coordinating multiple hormonal systems, responding to your baby's cues, producing something completely new, all while recovering from one of the most physically demanding experiences a human body goes through. The timing of your milk coming in is biology, not a measure of how well you're doing.
If you found this episode helpful, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Resources & Links
📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_
🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services
🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this podcast by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

Have you been to your six-week checkup and walked out with only a script for the pill? Or found yourself wondering what your actual options are now that you've had a baby?
This week, Dr Renee White sits down with Dr Natasha Vavrek, women's health GP and clinical director at The Bubble, to break down all the contraceptive options available after birth. Not just the pill. Everything.
This conversation started from a real question from a listener who felt her options weren't fully discussed at her six-week check. So Natasha walks through what's actually available, how breastfeeding affects your choices, when timing matters and what you need to know to have an informed conversation with your GP.
You'll hear about:
The full range of contraceptive options available after birth
How breastfeeding affects different contraceptives and milk supply
The differences between Mirena, Kyleena and copper IUDs
What to expect with side effects, costs and return to fertility
Why vasectomy should be part of the conversation

Whether you're heading into your six-week checkup, feeling unsure about what you're using or just wanting to understand your options, this episode gives you what you need to make informed choices that work for your body and your life.
Resources & Links
📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_
🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services
🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies
📲 Connect with Dr Natasha Vavrek and The Bubble on Instagram: @thebubbletasmania
🌐 Learn more about The Bubble and women's health services in Tasmania
🎧 If this episode helped you understand your options better, share it with a friend who might need it too. And if you haven't already, hit subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

Have you ever wondered why some Australian families travel overseas for surrogacy? Or been confused by headlines about proposed payments for surrogates and whether that crosses a line?
Australia's surrogacy laws have been called "confusing, restrictive, and not fit for purpose." Now there's talk of reform, including monthly payments to surrogates. But it raises questions about whether we're finally acknowledging the labour involved, or creating new problems.
In this episode, Dr Renee White explores Australia's proposed surrogacy law reforms and sits with some uncomfortable questions that don't have simple answers. Like whether it's more exploitative to pay someone for nine months of physical and emotional labour, or to expect them to do it for free while the doctors, lawyers and agencies all get paid.
This isn't about having all the answers. It's about creating space to think about what fair support and real protection actually look like.
You'll hear about:
Why 369 families a year go offshore for surrogacy and whether our current laws are protecting anyone
The thinking behind altruistic surrogacy and why surrogates are the only ones not compensated
What the proposed reforms actually include and why people are so divided
Whether we can put a price on pregnancy and who gets to decide what counts as exploitation
How this connects to bigger questions about valuing reproductive labour and care work

Whether you've considered surrogacy, know someone who has, or you're just trying to understand this complex issue, this episode offers space to think critically about what we owe to surrogates, children and families navigating this path.
Resources & Links
📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_
🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services
🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies
✨ This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village.
If this episode sparked something for you, share it with someone who'd value the conversation. And don't forget to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.
Disclaimer
The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

You've heard breastfeeding protects against allergies and asthma. But have you ever wondered what's actually happening inside your baby's body to make that possible?
It's one of those things people say all the time, but rarely explain. And when you're in the thick of feeding, you deserve more than soundbites.
In this episode, Dr Renee White sits down with Dr Toby Mansell, a researcher from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute here in Australia. His team studied nearly 900 babies from pregnancy through childhood, and what they found is genuinely fascinating.
Together they talk about what happens at the molecular level when babies breastfeed, why certain fats in breast milk seem to reduce inflammation, and what this might mean for immune health down the track.
It's science, yes. But it's also context. And hopefully, it helps things make a bit more sense.
You'll hear about:
How the Barwon Infant Study tracked 900 babies to understand what influences health from early life
Plasmalogens, lipids abundant in breast milk but absent in formula, and why they reduce inflammation
What chronic inflammation in infancy means for allergies, asthma, and metabolic health later
How breastfeeding changes infant metabolism at the cellular level
What this could mean for formula composition and supplements for all babies

Whether you're breastfeeding, formula feeding, or somewhere in between, this episode helps you understand what's happening biologically. It's research-based clarity without pressure or judgment.
Resources & Links:
📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_
🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services
🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies
🔗 Connect with Dr Toby Mansell: Murdoch Children's Research Institute - Inflammatory Origins Group
🌐 Resources mentioned:
Barwon Infant Study
Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne

This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village.
If this episode helped you feel more informed or less alone, share it with a mum who needs a steadier perspective. And don't forget to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Disclaimer
The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.