7 Domains of the Fourth Trimester
7 Domains of Women's Health with Dr. Kirtly Jones and Dr. Katie Ward
Redefining Postpartum Recovery
The fourth trimester鈥攖he 12 weeks following childbirth鈥攊s a critical yet often overlooked phase of postpartum recovery. While the baby is being welcomed into the world, the birthing parent is undergoing a profound transformation that deserves equal attention and care.
7 Domains of the Fourth Trimester explores this life-changing period through seven essential aspects of well-being: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, financial, environmental, and spiritual health. Each of the seven episodes takes on one domain at a time, combining expert insight with lived experience to unpack what real recovery looks like鈥攂eyond diapers and doctor visits. From healing bodies to shifting identities, this series offers compassionate, multidimensional guidance for navigating life after giving birth.
Join us for this seven-episode journey鈥攏ew conversations release weekly. wherever you get your podcasts to follow the full series.
The Financial Domain of the Fourth Trimester releases Friday, August 8th, 2025.
The Episodes
E87: The Physical Domain of the Fourth Trimester
In the physical domain of the fourth trimester, and Dr. Katie Ward explore the physiologic changes that occur after childbirth. From shifting hormones to healing tissues and resetting body systems, they discuss what truly happens in the months following delivery鈥攁nd why some changes may be lifelong. The fourth trimester reframes recovery as a vital part of the pregnancy timeline, not a footnote to it.
E88: The Emotional Domain of the Fourth Trimester
Perinatal mental health expert Dr. Lauren Gimbel joins and Dr. Katie Ward in the emotional domain of the fourth trimester to explore how hormones, neurobiology, and human evolution shape early parenting. The conversation delves into maternal-newborn bonding, postpartum mood disorders, and why identifying emotional distress in new mothers is critical for the health of the entire family.
E89: The Social Domain of the Fourth Trimester
鈥攁 certified nurse midwife and perinatal mental health researcher鈥攋oins Dr. Katie Ward in the social domain of the fourth trimester to explore how social connection shapes postpartum recovery. From family and peer support to community care and digital interventions, they examine how a person's social environment can either buffer or intensify the emotional demands of new parenthood.
E90: The Intellectual Domain of the Fourth Trimester
In the intellectual domain of the fourth trimester, and Dr. Katie Ward explore how new parents cognitively adapt after childbirth. Perinatal mental health specialist Jamie Hales joins the conversation to unpack the neurological and intellectual shifts that shape early parenthood. From navigating the cognitive overload of caregiving to reshaping personal identity, the discussion offers insight into how people make meaning of their birth experiences and mentally transition into their new roles.
7 DOMAINS OF STUFF with Kirtly Jones
LISTEN TO THE SERIES
