After nearly 50 hours of failed induction and a C-section, Kate Kate Harris came into the postpartum period with two dreams: holding her baby right away and breastfeeding. Neither went as planned.
In Part 2, Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp picks up the postpartum story with her daughter Elena. She walks through a recovery that was far harder than anyone around her acknowledged -- physically, cognitively, and emotionally -- and the complications that kept compounding in the weeks and years that followed.
Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp's youngest daughter Elena -- an occupational therapist -- turns the tables and interviews her own mother about the birth that almost went catastrophically wrong. Part 1 covers the full birth story. Part 2 takes on the postpartum recovery.
At 29 weeks pregnant, Rachel Kaufman noticed her baby had stopped kicking. Trusting her gut, she called her doctor and headed to the hospital, where fetal monitoring revealed her son was in serious distress.
In this episode, Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp is joined by her niece Gabriela, who opens up about her unexpectedly intense postpartum journey.
Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp sits down with Swathi Raman, a pediatrician who learned firsthand just how broken postpartum care can be, even for those who work inside the medical system.
In this episode of The Postpartum Years, Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp sits down with Leah to share an honest, deeply personal look at postpartum recovery across three very different births. From diastasis recti and chronic back pain to mastitis, oversupply, tongue ties, and abrupt weaning, Leah reflects on how each postpartum chapter brought new challenges, and new lessons.
In the final part of the series, Mary Ellen and Vanessa examine the current research on diastasis recti and exercise. They break down studies evaluating abdominal training, pelvic floor strengthening, and postpartum programming — and what the data actually shows.
In part two, Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp and Pilates educator Vanessa Pinkham shift the focus from diagnosis to rebuilding. They discuss why many postpartum women struggle with exercise, how progressive strength training supports connective tissue health, and why fear-based messaging around core work often does more harm than good.
In part one of this three-part series, Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp is joined by Pilates educator Vanessa Pinkham to break down what diastasis recti actually is — and what it isn’t.
Lynn Schulte and Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp are back for part two of their deep dive on diastasis recti, and this episode gets into territory that most postpartum exercise programs completely ignore. They talk about how the breasts, rib cage, and thoracic posture all affect the abdominal wall, why some women are walking around in what Lynn calls "the pregnancy posture" long after birth, and what it actually takes to get those muscles firing again.
In this episode, Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp sits down with pelvic health physical therapist and educator Lynn Schulte to dig into one of the most misunderstood postpartum conditions: diastasis recti. They break down what actually happens to the abdominal wall during pregnancy, why the research has been measuring the wrong things, and what really matters for healing.
In the final part of the series, the focus shifts to what happens after a tongue tie diagnosis — whether or not a release is performed. Mary Ellen and Cat explore bodywork, positioning, and alternative feeding strategies that can improve function and reduce stress for both baby and parent.
In part two, the conversation goes deeper into diagnosis and treatment. Mary Ellen and Cat discuss how tongue ties are assessed, why opinions vary so widely across providers, and what families should know before pursuing a release. They unpack common misconceptions, talk through real clinical outcomes, and explain how timing, provider skill, and follow-up care can dramatically affect results.
n part one of this three-part series, Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp is joined by lactation expert Cat Halek to lay the foundation for understanding tongue ties. They explain what tongue ties are (and aren’t), how they affect an infant’s ability to feed, and why symptoms often show up in both baby and the postpartum parent.
Dr. Mary Ellen Kramp and internationally board certified lactation consultant Catherine Halek explore the many paths of weaning. Whether weaning is your choice, your baby’s choice, or a medical necessity, this episode offers practical guidance and reassurance that there is more than one right way to end a breastfeeding journey.
Breastfeeding can be painful. Sometimes that pain can be caused by a yeast infection.
Antibiotics are not all bad, but they are not all good either.
Mastitis is common and it is more than just plugged ducts.
Trauma can be a problem for a lot of people. There can be a major incident (“big T” trauma) or lots of small, chronic situations (“little t” trauma) that cause a person’s nervous system to respond in fight or flight mode. Pregnancy, childbirth, and the changes in hormones and to the body postpartum can bring up old traumas or create new ones. Lauren Mansell, DPT and trauma educator discusses what trauma is, how the body responds, and what to look out for.
Let’s discuss the issue of not having enough milk. What does it mean? Is it real or just perceived?
Many women have an oversupply of milk. This is a problem that can lead to mastitis and feeding difficulties in the baby. We discuss how to identify this problem and multiple ways to address it.
Pain with breastfeeding is problematic for many women. Sometimes it is a problem with the way the baby is latching. Other times it can be an issue with the breast itself. Raynaud Syndrome is one of those causes.
