In this episode, I’m joined by Julie Fisher, social worker, mom of two, and founder of Gathered in Motherhood, for an honest conversation about the transition into motherhood and why support matters so much.

We talk about the identity shift that comes with becoming a mother, why motherhood can feel isolating even when you’re surrounded by people, the pressure to do it “right,” and the importance of finding your village and asking for help.

Julie brings both her professional perspective and her own experience as a mother to this conversation, reminding us that you don’t need to have motherhood all figured out. You need connection, honesty, support, and people you can walk through it with.

Connect with Julie:
Instagram: @gatheredinmotherhood
Website: www.gatheredinmotherhood.ca

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

100 episodes.

I thought reaching this milestone might make me want to look back at everything that has happened since starting this podcast. Instead, I find myself looking forward — because I genuinely feel like I’m standing in one of the most pivotal seasons of my life.

I’m three months postpartum, learning how to be Harlan’s mom, slowly returning to work, rethinking what I want my business to look like, and questioning some of the decisions and identities I’ve held onto for years.

In this episode, I’m talking openly about why I’ve struggled to niche down, why I’m stepping away from trying to help everyone, and why FERN Rising is moving back toward the work that started so much of this in the first place: helping women who are missing their periods, coming off birth control, and trying to understand and trust their bodies again.

I also share a realization I’ve been coming back to again and again: I don’t need another certification. I don’t need another set of letters behind my name. I need to trust that I already have something valuable to teach.

And behind all of that is an even bigger question happening in our house right now: What do Derrek and I actually want our life to look like?

Motherhood has changed our perspective on work, time, family, creativity and what we’re willing to build our lives around.

So this isn’t a perfectly packaged “100 episodes!” celebration.

It’s a real-time conversation from the middle of a transition — about motherhood, business, identity, trusting yourself, changing direction and having the courage to ask:

What do I actually want from this next season of my life?

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

We hear it all the time: eat more fiber.

And for many people, that is great advice. But what happens when you are postpartum, healing from a perineal tear, dealing with pelvic floor tension, scar tissue, or trying to get an anal fissure to finally heal?

In this episode of the FERN Rising Podcast, I’m sharing a lesson I learned firsthand during my own postpartum recovery: stool softness and stool size are not the same thing.

My stools weren’t hard. I wasn’t constipated. I was going every day. But they were simply too large for tissues that were still healing, and the repeated mechanical stress was contributing to ongoing bleeding and irritation.

We talk about why postpartum anatomy changes the conversation around fiber, including healing perineal tissue, scar tissue, low estrogen while breastfeeding, and a pelvic floor that may be tight and guarded rather than simply “weak.”

In this episode, I cover:

• The difference between stool consistency and diameter
• Soluble versus insoluble fiber and why both can have very different effects on stool
• Why more fiber isn’t always better during certain stages of healing
• How scar tissue and pelvic floor hypertonicity can make larger bowel movements more traumatic
• The high-fiber foods I temporarily reduced during my own recovery
• How I’m preparing vegetables, fruit and carbohydrates differently while healing
• Protein and nutrient-dense foods that can support postpartum tissue repair without creating excessive structural bulk
• Bathroom positioning, breathing and pelvic floor relaxation strategies
• Why this is a temporary healing strategy, not an argument against fiber

The takeaway is not that fiber is bad. It’s that fiber recommendations need to match your tissue, your symptoms and the season your body is in.

Sometimes the healthiest choice isn’t adding more. Sometimes it’s reducing mechanical stress long enough to give injured tissue the opportunity to heal.

Because in postpartum recovery, our goal isn’t simply to have a bowel movement. Our goal is to have a bowel movement that allows our tissues to heal.

If this episode resonates with you, share it with another postpartum woman who may be quietly struggling with the same thing.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

In this episode, I’m diving into a part of postpartum recovery that affects so many women, yet is rarely explained in enough detail: perineal tearing and tissue healing after birth.

After delivering my son, Harlan, I was told I had sustained a deep second-degree tear. Even as a healthcare practitioner, I quickly realized there was so much I hadn’t fully appreciated about what was happening beneath the surface.

What actually tears during birth? Which muscles are involved? Why can everything look healed externally while still feeling weak, heavy, tight, numb, or uncomfortable? And what does being “cleared” at six weeks really mean?

In this episode, we explore:

• The anatomy of the perineum and pelvic floor
• The differences between first-, second-, third-, and fourth-degree tears
• The muscles and connective tissues involved in a second-degree tear
• The inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases of healing
• Why stitches can heal long before the tissue regains its strength
• Scar tissue formation and collagen remodeling
• Tingling, itching, burning, numbness, and other signs of nerve healing
• How low estrogen and breastfeeding hormones can affect postpartum tissues
• Why standing, walking, lifting, and pressure can feel different after birth
• The importance of breathing, pressure management, and gradual rehabilitation
• Why postpartum recovery continues for many months beyond the six-week checkup

I also share parts of my own recovery, including the heaviness I experienced while standing and the lesson that healing cannot always be measured by what we see on the outside.

This episode is not intended to create fear around birth or perineal tearing. It is about understanding the remarkable anatomy of the female body, respecting the time required for tissue repair, and giving postpartum women more realistic expectations for recovery.

Six weeks does not mean fully healed. Your body may continue rebuilding collagen, restoring muscle function, reorganizing scar tissue, and improving coordination for many months after birth.

Your body is not failing you. It is still healing.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fern_dr.ashleyburton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshleyBurton
Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/ashley-burton-9797/about
Book a Session: https://drashleyburton.janeapp.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Nt5HaW2CpdIixH8bGjTl9

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

Why does one magnesium help you sleep while another helps you poop?

If you've ever stood in the supplement aisle wondering why there are so many different forms of magnesium, this episode is for you.

In today's conversation, I'm breaking down the science behind the most common types of magnesium, including bisglycinate, citrate, oxide, and hydroxide, and explaining why they each have very different jobs in the body.

I'll also share my own postpartum experience navigating hemorrhoids, pelvic floor healing, and the importance of avoiding straining after birth. We'll talk about why constipation is so common during the postpartum period, how fibre and stool bulk aren't always the same thing, and why choosing the right magnesium can make all the difference.

Whether you're postpartum, struggling with occasional constipation, or simply trying to understand which magnesium supplement is right for you, this episode will help you make sense of the confusion with practical, evidence-based information.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why not all magnesium supplements work the same way

• Magnesium bisglycinate vs. citrate vs. oxide vs. hydroxide

• How magnesium supports bowel movements

• The role of magnesium during postpartum recovery

• Common myths about constipation and stool softeners

• Other gentle options for constipation support

• When constipation is a sign to seek medical care

As always, my goal is to help you better understand your body so you can make informed decisions and build your health from the roots up.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fern_dr.ashleyburton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshleyBurton
Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/ashley-burton-9797/about
Book a Session: https://drashleyburton.janeapp.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Nt5HaW2CpdIixH8bGjTl9

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

Most patients are well prepared for surgery; but not for what happens after.

In this episode, Dr. Ashley Burton breaks down a common gap in post-surgical care: the lack of support around scar tissue, biomechanics, and long-term movement patterns.

Whether you’ve had a mastectomy, C-section, knee replacement, or cosmetic surgery after weight loss, healing doesn’t end when the incision closes. Many patients experience ongoing tension, pain, or dysfunction months or even years later without realizing it may be connected to how their body adapted after surgery.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How scar tissue affects tissue glide and movement
• Why pain and tightness can show up long after surgery
• The role of the nervous system in post-surgical recovery
• How chiropractic care can support mobility, function, and recovery

This episode is for anyone who feels like their body hasn’t fully recovered after surgery, even if they’ve been told everything has “healed.”

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fern_dr.ashleyburton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshleyBurton
Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/ashley-burton-9797/about
Book a Session: https://drashleyburton.janeapp.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Nt5HaW2CpdIixH8bGjTl9

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

In this episode, I sit down with Talia Snitchuk for a beautiful conversation about yoga, meditation, spirituality, self-awareness, and what it means to intentionally create a life that feels authentic to you.

Talia shares how living with anxiety and panic attacks led her to begin a daily meditation practice, ultimately changing the direction of her life. That practice opened the door to yoga, not simply as physical movement, but as a way to understand herself, reconnect with her body, and move through the world with greater intention.

We talk about Talia’s transition from working with plants in the cannabis industry to becoming a certified Hatha and Kundalini yoga teacher, as well as her journey toward becoming a birth and postpartum doula. Talia also shares how growing up in a religious environment shaped her early understanding of spirituality and why exploring yoga and meditation helped her develop greater trust in her own inner wisdom.

We explore the connection between yoga and doula work, the power of mindfulness and breath, and how returning to the body can help us uncover our passions, purpose, and what genuinely lights us up.

This conversation is a beautiful reminder that you have more agency than you may realize. When you become curious about yourself, get clear about what you want, and begin taking intentional steps toward it, possibilities can open that you may never have imagined.

Connect with Talia:

Instagram: @yogawithtal

Personalized one-on-one yoga sessions are available in the comfort of your own home.

Email: taliafsnitchuk@gmail.com

Talia also teaches at Return to Form: returntoform.ca

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

Grace Parce is back on the podcast for another honest and heartfelt conversation about pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and everything that comes next.

In this episode, Grace and I catch up on where life has taken us since our last conversation. We reflect on her pregnancy journey, revisit my birth experience, and talk about the physical and emotional transition into motherhood. We also explore what this new season has taught us, how our perspectives have changed, and what we are looking forward to next.

Of course, baby Harlan joins us as our very special co-host.

This is a warm, real-life conversation between friends about growth, change, motherhood, and learning to meet ourselves where we are.

Find Grace At: Ovafreak on Ig

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fern_dr.ashleyburton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshleyBurton
Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/ashley-burton-9797/about
Book a Session: https://drashleyburton.janeapp.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Nt5HaW2CpdIixH8bGjTl9

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.