Postpartum

March 3, 2026

#124: Postpartum Recovery Beyond the Physical: Trauma, Identity, and Support with Jessica Brousseau

Postpartum recovery isn’t just physical. It’s emotional, mental, and deeply personal. In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Brousseau to talk about the stark contrast between two very different postpartum experiences: one marked by trauma, isolation, and silent struggle, and another supported by comprehensive care, openness, and healing. We discuss the weight of postpartum mental health screenings, the pressure many mothers feel to “be fine,” and the critical role providers play in recognizing and supporting maternal mental health. This conversation is about resilience, accepting help, and learning to embrace the new version of yourself that motherhood brings.

About this episode

What You'll Learn:

  • How birth trauma can impact postpartum mental and emotional health
  • Why many mothers minimize or hide their struggles on mental health screenings
  • The powerful difference supportive providers can make in recovery
  • How internal work and self-awareness shape the postpartum experience
  • The importance of accepting help and building a strong support system
  • Why finding a therapeutic outlet can be transformational in healing
  • How to begin embracing your “new self” in motherhood rather than grieving who you were
  • About Jessica Brousseau: 

    Jessica Brousseau (Brew-sew) is a mom of two littles, a 1 year old and a 3 year old. She loves being a mother and finds fulfillment in connecting with other mothers. Jessica is most recently a debut author of a clean historical romance novel called A Siege on Her Heart. Her passion for writing started early, when her sixth-grade teacher read her first attempt at historical fiction and told her she should become an author someday. She received her bachelor’s in English literature and creative writing. After living in South America for 2 years, Jessica fell in love with the Spanish language and the history of foreign countries, which helped inspire her first novel. Jessica loves anything by Jane Austen. Jessica loves crafting, baking, going on walks, playing with her kids, and eating anything that has cream cheese frosting. She lives a real-life love story with her husband, who gives her plenty of inspiration for her stories. Together they are building their happily-ever-after as Utah-born, Midwestern “transplants” in Wisconsin.

    Shownotes

    Save your seat inside The Confident Mama Masterclass → Join the Workshop here

    Grab my best-selling cookbook filled with healthy lactation recipes → Purchase your copy of The Milk Mama

    A Siege of Her Heart is available in ebook and paperback on Amazon → Get your copy on Amazon here

    *Get a free sneak peek of her novel in an exclusive first chapter (not included in the book) by signing up for her newsletter at www.authorjessicabrousseau.com

    You can follow Jessica's updates on her writing and her motherhood journey on Instagram at @author.jessicabrousseau

    Transcript