Healing After Birth: Reimagining Your Body & Brain Through Parenthood

How We Can Heal

What if the transformation into parenthood isn't just about survival, but offers a unique window of opportunity for profound growth? In this illuminating conversation, classical singer and Alexander Technique practitioner Madison Smith challenges the harmful notion that we should "bounce back" after childbirth, offering instead a revolutionary perspective on the neurological shifts that occur during this major life transition.
"Your body's not coming back, and I don't say that negatively," Madison explains. "Your body has moved beyond what was available prior." Drawing from her extensive background in voice, movement, and somatics, Madison explores how our brains physically change during parenthood — creating not deficits, but heightened neuroplasticity and learning capacity. This shift rewires us to respond intuitively to our children while simultaneously opening doors to accelerated growth in other areas of our lives.
The discussion delves into the problematic landscape of postpartum fitness, where anatomically incorrect cues like "belly button to spine" prioritize aesthetics over function, sometimes causing lasting injury. Madison shares her own journey of postpartum back pain and how proper understanding of core engagement through expansion rather than contraction ultimately led to healing. She offers practical guidance on breathing techniques that support true core stability while regulating the nervous system, demonstrating how rest and respiratory awareness can be powerful yet underrated tools for recovery.
Perhaps most compelling is Madison's reframing of major life transitions not as setbacks but as opportunities for transformation. Whether you're navigating parenthood, menopause, illness, or any significant change, this conversation invites you to release your grip on who you were and explore the expanded possibilities of who you're becoming. Connect with your body as a source of wisdom, release the pressure to "do it all," and discover what's true for you now — not what was true before or what others expect of you.

If you're in the San Francisco area, look for Madison's in-person workshops for mothers and teens. Find her online at madisoprano.com or on social media @madisoprano.

Chapters

1. Introduction to Madison Smith (00:00:00)

2. Gaps in Postpartum Support (00:03:54)

3. Brain Changes in Parenthood (00:08:09)

4. Postpartum Fitness Misconceptions (00:12:05)

5. Movement, Breath, and Body Awareness (00:19:22)

6. Healing as a Nonlinear Journey (00:29:12)

7. Trauma-Informed Approaches to Healing (00:37:58)

8. Embracing Parenthood as Opportunity (00:45:21)

9. Rest, Breathing, and Final Thoughts (00:52:05)