Fourth Trimester Podcast Episode 171: Resilient Parenting Helps You Handle the Early Months After Baby
Resilience in early parenthood is not about holding it all together. In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Kate Lund, a licensed clinical psychologist, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, podcast host, and mom, to talk about what resilient parenting can look like during the early months after baby, and why it matters for both parents and babies.
We talk about why the fourth trimester can raise the baseline stress level for parents, how small daily practices can help you feel steadier, and how that steadiness can support your baby. When parents have ways to pause, recover, ask for help, and repair after hard moments, babies benefit from a caregiving environment with more connection and consistency.
You will also hear how children begin learning resilience by watching the adults around them respond to stress. This does not mean being perfectly calm all the time. It means showing your child, from the very beginning, that difficult moments can be met with support, flexibility, and repair. This conversation is especially helpful if you are pregnant, newly postpartum, supporting a new parent, or working with families during the transition into parenthood.
“When we modulate our nervous system, we’re able to show up more fully and respond instead of react. Our babies really do pick up on that.”
— Dr. Kate Lund
Dr. Kate Lund, licensed clinical psychologist, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, podcast host, and mom
Full Show Notes
- Resilient parenting and raising a resilient child [00:00]
- Meet Dr. Kate Lund [01:09]
- What resilience really means [03:39]
- Why resilient parenting starts with the parent [04:50]
- The relaxation response [06:34]
- Resilience in the fourth trimester [09:22]
- Social support and parent groups [12:05]
- Changing expectations after baby [14:51]
- How parent stress affects babies [17:33]
- Asking for concrete help [19:20]
- Resilient parenting during hard moments [22:25]
- Small wins and self-talk [22:40]
- Tiny moments of joy [24:07]
- Movement, fresh air, and getting outside [25:05]
- Possibility on the other side of challenges [28:01]
- Connect with Dr. Kate Lund [28:24]
Selected links
Partners Natural Resources | GutPersonal Prenatal Vitamins | Every Mother
Connect with Dr. Kate Lund katelundspeaks.com | Resilient Parenting with Dr. Kate | TEDx Talk
Dr. Kate’s books Step Away: The Keys to Resilient Parenting | Bounce: Help Your Child Build Resilience and Thrive In School, Sports and Life | Putter and the Red Car: A Cross-Country Family Adventure
Learn more Perfect Parenting and Other Myths to Replace With Self-Trust | A Parent’s Guide To Building Self-Trust (And Why It Matters) | How to Prepare for Postpartum Support So You Feel Less Alone After Baby
Resources HelloGaia Parenting Copilot | FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Birth Plan | FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Fourth Trimester Plan | Postpartum Soups and Stews Collection
Connect with Fourth Trimester Facebook | Instagram
The content provided in this article(s) is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or other professional advice. Neither Sarah Trott nor Fourth Trimester Media Group LLC are liable for claims arising from the use of or reliance on information contained in this article.