Post-Partum Depression: How a Solid Food Feeding Schedule Helped New Mom Carissa Rose

Ezpz (0s):

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Carissa Rose (1m 34s):

Tell someone talk about it like even if you have the smallest inkling that something might be off, don't keep that to yourself. Do you have so many things on your plate to worry about when it comes to being a first time mom or taking care of a baby like you also need to take care of yourself?

Katie Ferraro (1m 52s):

Hey there, I'm Katie Ferraro, registered dietitian, college nutrition professor and mom of seven specializing in Baby-Led Weaning. Here on the BBaby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro podcast. I help you strip out all of the noise and nonsense about feeding, giving you the confidence and knowledge you need to give you baby a safe start to solid foods using Baby-Led Weaning. Hello and welcome back. Today's episode is an important one because we are going to talk about something that is not often discussed in conversations about starting solid foods and that is postpartum depression. Now I'm a registered dietitian, I'm a mom of seven.

Katie Ferraro (2m 32s):

I talk almost exclusively about feeding babies and nutrition And I do not pretend to have all the answers when it comes to maternal mental health. But what I do know is that the postpartum period is an incredibly vulnerable one and while there's a lot of focus on the baby, the mom's wellbeing is just as important. Postpartum depression affects about one in 10 women in the United States according to the CDC. But because of stigma or fear or just being in pure survival mode, a lot of parents don't talk about it or even recognize it in themselves until things get really dark. And I think we're all as moms grateful to live in an era where it's increasingly becoming okay to talk about it. It's funny 'cause I'm recording this in 2025, I recently, I went down this like Brook Shields rabbit hole recently And I read her most recent book, it's called Brook Shield, is not allowed to get Old and other cultural truths that women have learned to live with.

Katie Ferraro (3m 24s):

And in that book she recounts how in 2005, so 20 years ago she wrote another book called Down came the Reign, my Journey through Postpartum Depression. And she was really one of the first public speakers to talk openly about postpartum depression. And if you remember it, that's like then when Tom Cruise went on the Today Show with Matt Lauer and started criticizing her publicly and for because she had used antidepressants and he was saying that Oh she should have relied on vitamins and diet and exercise instead. And then she wrote this like scathing letter to the op-ed and New York Times, which is like fabulous. So I went back to the New York Times and read that op-ed And I was like, anyway, deep in like wow just 20 years ago like it was such a big deal that an actress talked about postpartum depression and postpartum depression of course still is a very big deal.

Katie Ferraro (4m 10s):

And today I'm very fortunate to be joined by a good friend of mine, Carissa Rose. She is a mom of two. She actually came on the podcast years ago, right when I launched the podcast in 2020 in episode 32 and she talked about postpartum depression and at that time she had one child, she has since gone on to have another baby. She's done Baby-Led Weaning with both of her babies. And I wanted to do an update with Carissa just to hear about her journey because she is a mom who I got to know in person, she lives in my town. She connected with me because she was originally doing my 100 First Foods program with her oldest son Ollie who's now six. And we got together in person and we're meeting And I was, you know, we were talking about Baby-Led Weaning stuff.

Katie Ferraro (4m 52s):

Turns out she's a photographer by trade. We got connected, she's been my photographer for six years as well. So we do a lot of work stuff together. But we're also friends. She had a number of miscarriages, she's dealt with health problems herself. Her second baby, Ezra recently finished the 100 First Foods program.

Katie Ferraro (31m 10s):

And so I wanted to just have a chat with her because she was the first mom for whom I realized, wow, having a plan and knowing exactly which food to offer your baby in what order and how to prep it, that was something that really helped her through some of her darkest days with postpartum depression. And I remember her telling me when we met in person one of the times when Ali was just finishing up the program, her older son, that she said that doing this approach to starting solid foods was the first time that she ever felt like a successful mom. And that kind of really resonated with me and opened up some larger discussions about postpartum depression. And if you have struggled with postpartum depression or it's something that you have friends maybe who have, and you, I myself have never struggled with this but I, I didn't until I talked to Carissa know how to talk to my friends that were going through it. So she really helped me learn a lot about how to broach these topics. I am not a mental health professional. Carissa is not a mental health professional, but this is a discussion about her experience and her journey as a new mom and now as a mom of two children and how she struggled a lot with breastfeeding, how she came to accept formula feeding. So there's a lot of kind of maybe emotionally wrought concepts in this conversation, but I think you'll really enjoy it if you are not feeling particularly rosy about your lot in life. As a mom, Carissa is going to share her experience and how having a plan when she went to start solid foods really helped her with her postpartum depression. So with no further ado, I want to introduce you to Carissa Rose who will be talking about her experience with postpartum depression and starting solid foods with both of her babies.

Carissa Rose (6m 43s):

Thanks for having me.

Katie Ferraro (6m 44s):

So looking back, what do you wish that you had known about postpartum depression before you had your first baby?

Carissa Rose (6m 50s):

Before I had my first baby, I wish that I did more research in general but like just knowing that it's more common than we think. You know, I think there's just like a stigma around postpartum depression where moms don't really want to talk about it or they don't wanna like admit it because they have fear of like being judged as a bad mom or that even like these bad consequences could happen for speaking out about how they're feeling. Like I know in the back of my mind I was always like, is somebody gonna come and like take my kids away? You know like the second that I say that I'm having these like sad thoughts but that's not at all like the case.

Carissa Rose (7m 31s):

And so I wish that I knew that before

Katie Ferraro (7m 33s):

But it's like, it's so funny 'cause where would a new mom learn that? It's like when you have babies in the nicu. I remember when my quads were in the nicu I was like oh my gosh, I wish I'd like known more about this but like you're not gonna research. Like what if my quadruples end up in the nicu? What if I have postpartum depression?

Carissa Rose (7m 49s):

Yeah, exactly. And so like that And also just that it can like last longer than you think. Like you know there's like baby blues but there's also like postpartum depression or like postpartum anxiety, stuff like that. Like it lasts longer and it's like something that you have to really stay on top of and like recognize. So like with research like you said, I like am a big, big advocate on people's spouses or husbands or partners like researching postpartum depression even if they don't think like nobody thinks that they're gonna get it but just like knowing some little signs I feel like could save a lot of women, you know like down the road if it so happens to them.

Katie Ferraro (8m 33s):

Now when we first met, you had recently had your first, who is now your oldest because we'll talk about your your other beautiful baby. But when Baby Ollie was starting solid foods, that's how we got connected 'cause we live relatively close to each other. I think you found me on Instagram we connected, I found out you were a photographer, we met in person and then kinda the rest is history. I know you did the whole 100 First Foods program with Ollie. We've been working together on photography and video projects for a while now. But I remember back then your story really resonated with me because I really struggled with breastfeeding with my oldest And I, I admit this all the time, I felt like an abject failure because like I know how important breastfeeding is. I really wanted it to work. I did everything I physically could.

Katie Ferraro (9m 12s):

But you also have shared that breastfeeding did not work out the way that you had hoped. And I'm curious that as a new mom, how did that impact you? Because the first six months of your baby's life not being able to breastfeed and dealing with postpartum pre depression, I can imagine that that was a really dark time for you.

Carissa Rose (9m 31s):

Oh definitely. Like you said, I felt like a failure as a mom and as like a human being almost like my body wasn't doing the thing that it was like meant to do, you know? 'Cause I just couldn't produce. Like I tried pumping, I tried all these things and Ollie just like would not latch. Like we had times in the hospital where he was just screaming bloody murder. Like while we were trying to get him to latch, we tried every possible configuration and stuff. And so that really just like impacted me mentally just like why can't I do this thing that my body is supposed to do to take care of my newborn baby? Like I had done all my research, I had prepped what I thought I needed to prep, I got the pump, I got like all this stuff and it's just like, oh just kidding.

Carissa Rose (10m 20s):

Like you can't actually do that. And then it was just, I think that was kind of like what tipped me like so to speak like week that just not being able to provide for my baby in that way And like you know you see it all over social media like breastfeeding, like that's the way to go and stuff like that. And just like seeing that like while scrolling, while like not being able to do it is just terrible for your mental health. You know.

Katie Ferraro (10m 50s):

Hey, we're gonna take a quick break, but I'll be right back.

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Katie Ferraro (12m 35s):

When you started solid foods, I remember I kind of got connected with you after Ollie had already tried a couple of foods And I remember at that point, 'cause I think Ollie's about three years younger than my quad. So my program was only about two years old at that point and it was just, yeah really starting to pick up steam then. And I think you were the first mom that like I always try to meet with the moms that are in the program and connect with them but because we were physically in the same area and we met in person, I remember being like, oh my gosh, like having a plan and knowing which foods to feed your baby next, like that really is something that a lot of parents are looking for. So can you Yes. Take us back to when you started solid foods with Ollie. You told me, I remember this like it was yesterday you said that this is the first time that I finally feel like I'm a successful mom.

Katie Ferraro (13m 17s):

Yes. What was it about like that second six months of infancy because the first six were pretty hard And I don't know if you're, you know, if you had been seeking help for the postpartum depression at that point, like how did the starting solid foods, having the planned kind of align with where you were in your mental health journey at that time? With Ollie too, right.

Carissa Rose (13m 35s):

So within those like first six months of his life I was getting help mentally. I was like put on medications, I was talking to a therapist, all these good things. And then he turned six months old and you know, pediatricians are like solid foods. Actually our PE anyway, our pediatrician said four months. But I was like no I know it's six months and stuff. So it was just like okay I have to find something that I know that I can not only do but also succeed in. And so my friend had connected me to your like Instagram and stuff And I was like a hundred foods, like that's so like straight and to the point.

Carissa Rose (14m 16s):

Like each day you break it down like I know what I can do and that like I was talking to my husband and we were really like thinking back and that's kind of what Motivat motivated me every day to get up and like take care of Ollie and like do things with him because yes he's six months old now but I was still feeling the depression, I was still feeling the anxiety and that's something that can happen. And so just like having something that I can finally like have control over and like do and execute and see him like you know, engage in and stuff was just like, oh my goodness, this is amazing.

Carissa Rose (14m 59s):

Like I'm watching my son try all these new foods every single day and like as a foodie I'm like this is so cool, this is so awesome.

Katie Ferraro (15m 7s):

But did you love cooking before? Because sometimes parents would tell me like, oh a 100 First Foods is too extreme, that's too much food, it's too much food prep. And I'm like, it's one new food a day, five days a week. Yeah. Like I think of it like you do like hey this is a very simple plan and steps for me to follow so that I can help my baby also love food. Like I love food. Where were you coming at this approach from like with regards to your own ability to food prep or meal plan or cook?

Carissa Rose (15m 30s):

Oh yeah, I love cooking. My husband loves cooking as well so we are constantly, you know, making meals and stuff like that. So it wasn't anything new to me so to speak. And the thing is like when you're first starting Baby-Led Weaning, I mean I'm not the expert you are, but like things in the beginning are very like steam this like make sure it's soft enough for them to be able to like pinch between your fingers and stuff like that. Like it wasn't anything extreme or hard. So I was like I can take 10 minutes to like steam this sweet potato for him, you know? And just like make sure that it's safe, make sure it's soft enough, cool, good, let's do it. And so that's really what kind of got things into gear because those first, you know, couple weeks you're both learning, you're both doing things for the first time and it was just easy prep and so I was like oh gaining confidence each time like oh I could do this, I could do this.

Carissa Rose (16m 24s):

And then you know, as things get a little bit more complex and stuff you're like oh I've got this. Like I've already, you know, done this part before I can just add another step. So,

Katie Ferraro (16m 33s):

And you're also seeing your baby start to eat more complex food, multi texture foods. He started finally exactly participating in the meals that you were eating. I remember again like it was yesterday Ollie's hundredth first food celebration 'cause you did bacon for him, which I love. That was like kind of like during like peak bacon era of Instagram. And it's funny 'cause I, I always, we share all the pictures of all the babies doing 100 First Foods and you were like really one of the earlier ones. And I love that you had a picture of you, your husband and Ollie and it was like just to see the smiles on your face when he is like picking up that big old piece of bacon and eating it. Obviously bacon's not an ideal first food and we don't do, you know, salted and cured foods all the time and high salt foods, but it's like a celebratory sometimes food and you guys just looked so joyous because you had gotten to this milestone with your baby And I could just see that you were at that point really enjoying motherhood and to me I I know you had lots of other things in your life making your life better and wonderful.

Katie Ferraro (17m 24s):

But like having that plan and having finished that, that for me was really eye-opening. Like wow, this is an approach that can really help parents feel like they're achieving success. Not just feel like it, like actually achieve something successful with with their babies

Carissa Rose (17m 37s):

As you're checking things off the list, you know, and you're like, that's another vegetable down, that's another fruit down. And you're like, oh my goodness, this is so cool. Like this is amazing. And so yeah, it's, it's really awesome.

Katie Ferraro (17m 49s):

Ollie I know is a very thriving school age child now, but he's also a big brother after a lot of trials and tribulations. I know you had multiple miscarriages, you are the friend that I was always hoping would have another baby but never saying anything because I knew what you were going through. You would tell me from time to time. But I just remember when we met for lunch after you had, you said you were pregnant with your second baby and then when Ezra was born we went to lunch. Remember we went to Yanis? Yes. And I was like so excited. He was so tiny and you just seemed like so much more confident as a new mom. And I'm curious, did you have the same struggles with nursing with Ezra as you did with Ollie?

Carissa Rose (18m 28s):

So with that I just went straight into formula with Ezra like at, we were at Sharp Mary Birch and from my research and what I've been told, they're like a, they they like are big advocates for breastfeeding.

Katie Ferraro (18m 40s):

Yeah. They were breastfeeding from they have since you had your first baby, they got the baby friendly hospital designation there 'cause I had all my babies there too.

Carissa Rose (18m 46s):

Yes, exactly. And that means that they like push breastfeeding. But they asked me, I don't know if it was on my chart or something, but they asked me, are you doing formula for him? And I said yes and no questions asked. They brought out formula and we just started that from the get go and like sir I probably like will get some hate for that but like that saved me I think like I think that did a lot for me just knowing that he was going to be able to be fed from the start and not struggle with like trying to produce or trying to get him to latch and stuff like that. It just took this big weight off my shoulders like immediately

Katie Ferraro (19m 23s):

And I could tell that you were just so much less stressed. And again, I'm a huge breastfeeding advocate but as someone I was never able to successfully breastfeed. It's not for everyone. There's lots of reasons why moms can't or choose not to. And if that's what helped you get through, I think it's wonderful that you can stand up and say that because I think sharing that helps a lot of other moms in your same situation know, hey it's totally fine to feed formula to my baby too. Now let's fast forward to when I remember you came over, we met with Ezra when he was a little bit before six months. He wasn't sitting independently right then you came back two weeks later when he was six months plus one week he was sitting up on his own. Take yourself back to when Ezra was starting solid foods. Were you like gung-ho on Baby-Led Weaning? Were you like, I'm gonna do 100 First Foods again, I'm just gonna be super like cool and chill and let him eat whatever.

Katie Ferraro (20m 7s):

Like what were your thoughts going into the second six months of life for your second baby?

Carissa Rose (20m 11s):

Oh, I was counting on the days to when he was turning six months old and could sit up. 'Cause those should go in hand in hand. But I was just like, we're doing this, we're doing a 100 First Foods, it works so well with Ollie. I know the program, I know what to look for. I know like the regimen or whatever. And so I was like, let's do this like no questions asked.

Katie Ferraro (20m 31s):

And I have to say I was intimately involved in Ezra was a 100 First Foods because we were doing a lot of photography and video projects together. I was, we had recently released our 100 First Foods Daily Meal Plan. So just like for historical context, back in the day my original 100 First Foods approach was like you have the 100 First Foods list, you pick which five foods mom you want to feed the baby each week. And after a couple of years, like enough parents were like, Katie that's great, but like I don't wanna pick the foods. Can you just tell me in what order to feed what food? And I never wanted the program to feel prescriptive because to be honest, it does not matter if you feed fish before shellfish or beans before brussel sprouts. Like that doesn't matter. And parents are like, okay, I get it, but still can you put the whole meal plan together? So we had recently launched our 100 First Foods Daily Meal Plan And I personally make all the recipes.

Katie Ferraro (21m 15s):

There's over 300 recipes in the Baby-Led Weaning amazing program. I make them all myself, I try them all. I would literally drive to Issa's House, drop a cooler bag on her doorstep for the week of the five new foods from the meal plan. And so you really helped us really kind of iron out the kinks in that meal plan. Like, hey, you know, this particular fruit or recipe falls apart or this one I just, I don't think he's ready for it yet. So I appreciate all of the help that you gave to make that program because now that part of the program is actually the most downloaded and access part of our program. We have more parents doing the 100 First Foods Daily Meal Plan than kind of the choose your own adventure one. And I credit that to you because that's so cool. You really, really helped us kind of get that program on point. How was your experience doing Baby-Led Weaning with Ezra your second different than doing it with Ollie, your first, if there were any differences?

Carissa Rose (22m 3s):

Just knowing what to expect, knowing what signs to look for with like allergies or reaction or even with gagging, like I'm like, I know what gagging is, I know what it looks like. I know what it is. Versus choking, like don't freak out. You know, like I think so many times like a parent will see their kid gag and then they're just done Like, they're like, I quit. I can't do this. Like this isn't for me. But you know, I was just like, oh I've seen that so many times before. He's fine. He's all good. And it was just so easy to do. Partially like you said, because you were prepping the foods this time.

Katie Ferraro (22m 38s):

Heck yeah I was, everyone else was like, could you please come to my house with a freezer bag and drop the food off? And I was like, I would love to be able to do that, but the next best thing I can do is show you exactly which food to make every day. Do you mind sharing about your postpartum experience with your second baby? Did you have postpartum depression? I know you know, just from basic research that it is much more frequent with your first pregnancy, but did you have any of those same feelings, that same diagnosis with your second baby?

Carissa Rose (23m 5s):

I think honestly since Ollie I've just had depression. Like I think my postpartum like kind of segued into depression. Like nor normal like quote unquote depression. Whether that's from like, you know, my, my like home, like personal life or whatever. 'Cause I've gone through a lot of trauma recently that you know of and stuff. And so I think with Ezra, everybody was just kind, everybody in my immediate circle was just kind of on high alert. Like my in-laws, they were, they're amazing. Like I wish everybody had my in-laws, but they moved us into their house the day we came home from the hospital and they kept us there for two months, almost three months I think.

Carissa Rose (23m 49s):

So that, you know, they could help around the clock with Ezra and Ollie, they, and because Ollie or Ezra was on formula, he was taking bottles and so they would be like, you guys go sleep for the night, we'll take this night shift. And that was huge. Like the fact that I was able to get some rest and stuff that just really helped me like heal so to speak. And so just knowing what was coming I think and having everybody kind of just prep for that, even if it didn't come was huge. Like they were just like, we're not taking any chances, you know? And so I'm super grateful for that.

Katie Ferraro (24m 30s):

And I know you've been, you know, very close with your in-laws and I'm just curious about their interpretation or their take on Baby-Led Weaning. What was their reaction to doing this approach? Because I know by the time Ezra your second started solid foods, you guys were in your own house and Right. You were doing a lot of content with us at that point. So I could tell it was like you kind of by yourself, but like if, you know, you had a lot of medical medical issues as well. You had to go to the hospital or doctor's office and they were feeding Ezra. Were they on board with finger foods and Baby-Led Weaning or were they wanting to do purees? Did their opinion of this approach change the second time around? Like what was that experience like?

Carissa Rose (25m 7s):

Yeah, I think it changed also like when Ollie was a baby and was actually like starting to eat, you know, and they're like, oh, I mean this works. And so with Ezra and you know, they knew that I was gonna do this again. They were all for it. They had seen the success, they had seen, you know, our working together and your Instagram and videos and all this stuff. And so they were super onboard, which is like more than helps

Katie Ferraro (25m 32s):

Anybody, it makes it easier, right? Like to have someone in your corner tell me how do your kids eat now? And not to brag on them if they do a good job or not to feel bad if they're picky because picky eating is developmentally appropriate for toddlers, right? And it's not a problem to be fixed. But like all in all, if you go out and you compare, even though we should never compare our baby to other people, but like you're friends with babies the same age or kids the same age, how do you think your kids eat all in all? And how is that related to your decision to do Baby-Led Weaning?

Carissa Rose (25m 58s):

I think they eat well. Ollie definitely went through a picky, a picky phase and Ezra is kind of in the thick of it right now, but you know, they will eat broccoli and people are like, what? And you know, they eat seaweed and like all these, you know, Asian type foods, I'm Korean and stuff like that. And just seeing them not turn away from things like is like game changing for me. And I, I have gotten comments from friends and stuff being like, what did you do? Like, how come they eat so well? Or like, you're not afraid to have them try this or that. And it's just like I exposed them to a lot of different textures, flavors, types of food, different colors, different things, you know, when they were little.

Carissa Rose (26m 46s):

So it's not anything like scary or like new to them.

Katie Ferraro (26m 48s):

Hey, we're gonna take a quick break, but I'll be right back.

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Katie Ferraro (27m 15s):

And I know a lot of parents, especially parents, like you're very active on social media and as much as we all know, like, you know, the dangers of it, we're all there for parents who feel this pressure to, you know, do things quote unquote perfectly with feeding beyond the breastfeeding stuff when they're starting solid foods and they see, you know, all these videos like Ezra's always in our videos. And, and the reality is you gotta show the clips of that baby picking up that piece of rib and bringing it to his mouth. Like that's, people are only paying attention for 0.6 seconds anymore. And sometimes I feel bad doing that. I mean, we do do lots of videos of babies not eating to make parents realize like, oh my gosh, it's so slow at the beginning, but like, what about those moms who see Ezra picking up the meat and chomping on it and they think, oh my gosh, he maybe did that for his first bites and, you know, you know, it took him 3, 4, 5 months to get to that point.

Katie Ferraro (27m 55s):

What do you say to those moms who are feeling discouraged, particularly in the early days of Baby-Led Weaning because their baby's not eating as much as they might see your baby eating?

Carissa Rose (28m 5s):

Right? My big thing is kind of just like stay in your own lane. Like, not in like a rude like mean way, but just like focus on what you are doing with your kid and where your kid is at. Like, it's so easy, like you're saying to compare yourself to social media because people only post the highlights, you know? And so people get so stuck into that and like sucked into it that like, my baby should be doing x, y, z by now and I've fallen victim to that, but it's kind of like to me, like take it one feeding session at a time, like 1, 15, 20 minute session at a time. Like, not even a whole day, but just like one session at a time.

Carissa Rose (28m 47s):

Celebrate the small victories. Like my baby touched the food. Like yep. Not even's a huge one. Bringing it to their mouth. Yeah.

Katie Ferraro (28m 53s):

And celebrate yourself. You went to the effort to make your baby the new food. And that might be on a day where you're not feeling great or you're not feeling like you want to do this, but those baby steps, they add up and 20 weeks later your baby's eating a hundred foods.

Carissa Rose (29m 8s):

People don't take the time to celebrate those small things. And they, when it comes to feeding and Baby-Led Weaning, like they want to see their baby swallowing. Like, I've gotten so many messages, like, my baby's not chewing, my baby's not swallowing, but it's like even just touching the food, smelling the food, like putting it in their mouth and spinning it back out is still exposure. It's still something to be celebrated. Like it's still something. So go with it.

Katie Ferraro (29m 35s):

So Carissa, I know you've been so open talking about postpartum depression, it's, it's very inspiring that, you know, you are willing to talk about this too. Lots of people that you don't even know, you've always shared with me, okay, this is what I'm going through. Like what advice do you wanna give to parents who think that they might be struggling but they're not exactly sure what to do next? Especially for those first time moms who were in the same position where you were with Ollie six years ago.

Carissa Rose (30m 1s):

Right? Oh, six years ago. She, I would say like, tell someone talk about it. Like even if you have the smallest inkling that something might be off, like don't keep that to yourself. You know, do you have so many things on your plate to worry about when it comes to being a first time mom or taking care of a baby? Like, you also need to take care of yourself. And so it was hard for me at first to kind of let go of the reins and be like, okay, I need to pass Ollie off to somebody because I can't handle this right now. But that's so important. Like, be okay with accepting the help and like just asking for it in the first place.

Carissa Rose (30m 45s):

Like, don't be afraid to mention something because you don't know where that might take you in the long run for like your, your own benefit. You know, like, yeah, that's what I would say. Like, don't worry, don't stress about it, just talk to somebody and like try to get help even if you don't think that you need it right then.

Katie Ferraro (31m 5s):

So Carissa, as an experienced mom of two kids now, you've done Baby-Led Weaning a 100 First Foods with each of your children. What does a successful day of food or meal look like for you as a mom today? Like when you go to bed at night, when you look back, like, what's a good day.

Carissa Rose (31m 23s):

Sitting down together eating a meal that we're all eating at least some parts of like, you know, I try to offer a safe food on each of their plates that I know that they'll eat alongside with something new. But just, you know, having, having like a meal together, whether that's something that I've cooked or, you know, takeout, that's totally fine. And just knowing that they're fed, their stomachs are full, they're happy, they're growing, they're nourished. Like that's more than I could ask for, honestly.

Katie Ferraro (31m 56s):

Well, Carissa, I have a huge smile on my face. Like, it's so wonderful to see you in such a happy place with regards to your kids. I think you, you're doing an amazing job. I know you've been dealing with a lot of stuff as all parents out there are. And so I hope that those of you listening are inspired by Carissa's story, who's overcome a lot, who's succeeded, who's still learning, who's a fabulous, a fabulous photographer. If you're in the San Diego area, I gotta shout out your professional work. I love working with you. Thank you so much, and thank you again for coming on and chatting about this topic that not everyone's willing to talk about, but that a lot of moms are experiencing and need to hear about. So thank you, Carissa.

Carissa Rose (32m 32s):

Yes, thank you. And like, I just think it's important, so I'm grateful that, you know, you reached out to me to talk about this because more people need to be talking about it.

Katie Ferraro (32m 41s):

Well, I hope you enjoyed that conversation with Carissa Rose. I, I love how openly she shares about her experience. I, I was so, I like tears in my eyes when she was talking about how knowing what food to make for her baby every day motivated her every day to get out of bed and to take care of her baby. And just thinking of how many of the moms around us suffer with postpartum depression and maybe don't have the support network, especially with the in-laws that Carissa did, or know that there's help out there for them. So I appreciate that Carissa took the time to share her story. I hope it helped you in some way. If you are struggling with things that are similar or if you're just not feeling particularly rosy about your situation as a mom or a new mom, I'm going to put all of the resources that Carissa mentioned in the show notes for today's episode, which you can find at blwpodcast.com/32, and a special thank you to our partners at AirWave Media.

Katie Ferraro (33m 34s):

If you like podcasts that feature food and science in using your brain, check out some of the podcasts from AirWave Media. We're online at blwpodcast.com. Thank you so much for listening and I'll see you next time.

America's Test Kitchen (33m 53s):

Hey everyone, it's Dan Souza from America's Test Kitchen. I'm super excited to let you all know that we're launching a new video podcast that takes you behind the scenes into the messy, imperfect, but riveting day-to-day life right here in our test kitchen. Not only do I get to talk to my colleagues about the latest taste test they attended, I just came from a tasting of salted caramel waffle pie bars and then roasted garlic, so I apologize, Or about a recipe they're developing. The thing about this recipe is it's a secret. The restaurateur refuses to tell people what her secret ingredients are. We also chat with amazing guests from the culinary world and beyond the lamest joke I've ever said, no, it's, And I sent to Marie Ma. That's a great, it's the, it's definitely great joke. Thanks. Make sure to subscribe to In the Test Kitchen so you don't miss an episode. You can watch in the test kitchen on YouTube and Spotify and listen to it wherever you get your podcasts. Can't wait to see you in the test kitchen.