S1E18 'Pregnancy Brain' x Stress with Parijat Deshpande

Have you ever been six months pregnant, doing your very best to hold your pee, crying hysterically, and been told to “CALM DOWN!!!?”That advice — to “just relax” — is not helpful, especially when you’re pregnant, your body’s going through changes, and you’re worried the stress will impact your baby. And maybe even less so when you’re pregnant after a pregnancy loss or complication.In this episode, Parijat Deshpande explains how the “body keeps the score” in pregnancy and what we can do about it.Links + Resources* 🆓 Stress Solutions Quiz* 🌈 Follow Parijat @theruvelle on Instagram* 💻 Ruvelle — revolutionizing your high-risk pregnancy* ✍🏻 The Body Language Journal* 📘 The Pregnancy Brain bookThe Guest ExpertParijat Deshpande is the founder of Ruvelle, the only truly trauma-informed company specifically dedicated to improving high-risk pregnancy outcomes, reducing preterm birth, and supporting parents to pass on generational health.On a mission to end the high-risk pregnancy crisis, she has served and supported thousands of clients through her live events, virtual courses, one-on-one consulting, her bestselling book, Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy, and the Body Language Journal.Learn more here.Key Takeaways1. Stress isn’t just in your head—it’s in your whole body.Pregnancy stress affects your brain, nervous system, hormones, and immune system. It’s not something you can just “think away.” That’s why advice like “just relax” doesn’t work, and can even make you feel worse.2. Your past pregnancy experiences may linger within body, and healing is possible.If you’ve had a loss, traumatic birth, etc., your body might still be holding onto that stress. You’re not broken, and you didn’t do anything wrong. Somatic healing (body-based work) can help you process it and support your body before, during, or after pregnancy.Time Stamps* 7:58: The gaps in care for pregnant people dealing with trauma and chronic stress.* 17:07: Why 'just relax' doesn’t work for pregnant people under stress* 23:36: How chronic stress affects pregnancy via the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems* 29:18: Somatic memories* 34:20: Completing ‘stress cycles’* 49:17: How the body and brain change during pregnancy and postpartumP.S. It’s National Library Week this week — I made you this silly quiz to find out which feminist banned book you are 🙃Which Banned Feminist Book Are You? Get full access to Modern Hysteria at micahlarsen.substack.com/subscribe