Postpartum Sleep Deprivation: How It Affects Mental Health With Mariana Yancik — Ask the Doulas Podcast

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Sleep deprivation, postpartum mental health, and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are often dismissed as a normal part of new parenthood, but chronic exhaustion can affect the brain and body in ways that go well beyond tiredness.

In this episode of Ask the Doulas, we're joined by Mariana Yancik of Gold Coast Doulas to explore the connection between sleep deprivation and PMADs, and how this affects parents during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

We dive into:

How sleep deprivation can contribute to postpartum depression, anxiety, overwhelm, and burnout
What chronic exhaustion actually does to the brain and body in the perinatal period
How to tell the difference between normal fatigue and something more serious
Common misconceptions about infant sleep and realistic parental sleep expectations
How support systems and personalised sleep guidance can protect mental health

Whether you're expecting, newly postpartum, or supporting families professionally, this episode offers compassionate, evidence-informed insight into one of the biggest challenges of early parenthood.

🎧 Perfect for expecting parents, new parents, and birth professionals supporting families through postpartum mental health challenges.

This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth. Use the code GOLDCOAST to receive a discount of up to 20 percent off.

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