Iron Levels, Broken PP Laws & Conversations That Matter

In Today's Issue:

🩸 Iron Deficiency or Depression?

🏛️ When Policy Fails Mothers

🔦 Spotlight: The Change-Maker We’re Shouting Out

🎙️ 3 Powerful Conversations You Don’t Want to Miss

🏕️ One Month to Summer… and I’m Kinda Panicking

🩸 Iron Deficiency or Depression?

Fatigue, brain fog, and "depression"?

It Might Be Anemia.

She walks into your care exhausted. She’s weepy. Her thoughts are scattered. She says she’s not herself.

You’ve seen this before—maybe a thousand times.
But what if it’s not just “postpartum”? And what if it’s not a mental health diagnosis at all?

Iron deficiency is one of the most underrecognized root causes of mood shifts, fatigue, and cognitive symptoms in postpartum women. It’s so common that up to 30% of mothers are still anemic 6–12 weeks after giving birth, and even higher for those reporting depressive symptoms.

And yet, most aren’t tested beyond a CBC.
And most are never told what’s really going on.

👉 In this week’s episode, we unpack why anemia gets missed, the key markers that matter (hint: ferritin, B12, and folate), and the kind of support that actually moves the needle.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here

A few of my go-to iron tools:

• The Iron Fish – simmer it in soups or tea for a clinical boost

• Floradix – liquid, gentle, and effective (especially if sensitive)

• Desiccated organ meat capsules – no prep, all the nutrient density

• Nutrient pairing strategies – think iron + C, not iron + coffee ☕️

There’s so much more to uncover when we look past the surface and connect the dots. Keep in mind that iron is also very toxic in many forms and it's important to know the numbers and use the right methods of support!

🏛️ When Policy Fails Mothers

Two weeks ago, Arkansas lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would have extended postpartum Medicaid coverage beyond 60 days.

Let that sink in: in a time when maternal health crises are escalating, a bill that could have protected vulnerable mothers was shut down in Senate committee.

Yes, we are making incredible strides in postpartum care. Yes, the work we’re doing is creating real change. But let’s be honest—we’re still building on a broken system. A system with deep cracks in its foundation. And until those cracks are filled, the weight will continue to fall on mothers… and on us.

This is your reminder:
📣 We must keep pushing.
⚖️ We must show up.
🗳️ We must be in the rooms where decisions are made.

Whether it’s showing up at your state capitol, writing to your representatives, or joining local health advisory boards, your voice matters. Be the provider who doesn't just shift care in the clinic, but helps change it in legislation, too.

🔦 Spotlight: HeHe Stewart, Founder of The Birth Lounge

Every week, we shine our Provider Press Spotlight on someone in our community who’s quietly (or not-so-quietly) changing the game. These are the people who are making birth, postpartum, and maternal health better—not by shouting louder, but by showing up, day after day, to empower and uplift others.

This week, we’re thrilled to highlight HeHe Stewart, the incredible founder of The Birth Lounge and the voice behind @tranquilitybyhehe on Instagram.

HeHe is a fierce advocate for autonomy in birth and postpartum. Through her programs and online presence, she’s creating a new generation of informed, confident mothers—and we’re here for it. One of our providers recently shared that several of their clients have gone through The Birth Lounge, and the shift is undeniable: “These women show up more grounded, more aware of their rights, and more at peace with their birth experience. That ripple carries right into postpartum.”

✨ That’s the kind of transformation that changes communities.

👉 Go follow @tranquilitybyhehe, share her work, leave a kind word, and let her know this community sees her.

Want to see someone you admire featured here?

Nominate a provider, advocate, or change-maker you love. We’re here to lift each other up—and that includes sharing the spotlight.

📣 Fill out the form: Spotlight Nomination Form

Let’s celebrate our people. Let’s show the world what real support looks like.

🎙️ Heard Around the Web: 3 Powerful Conversations You Don’t Want to Miss

I had the honor of joining three incredible podcasts recently to talk about the real truths of postpartum—what’s broken, what’s possible, and how we’re changing the game. These conversations were raw, honest, and full of tools you can actually use.

👉 Postpartum Lies & What to Do Instead with Dr. Beth Westie
Listen Here »

👉 Postpartum as a Biological Shift with Dr. Hilary Claire
Listen Here »

👉 Postpartum Health for Business Moms with Dana of Boss Mom
Listen Here »

If you're craving conversations that go beyond the basics, grab your earbuds. These are for you.

🏕️ One Month to Summer… and I’m Kinda Panicking

Real talk for a second?

I have one month left before school’s out—and I have no idea how I’m going to make it all work.

My kids are 15, 11, 9, and almost 6. Last year, we decided to skip childcare because they were “old enough.” But between my competitive gymnast (20 hours a week at the gym, year-round) and my barrel racer (horses, rodeos, travel, horse care... you get it), we were drowning. My husband has a flexible schedule, and we still couldn’t keep up. Summer in Alaska is sacred—we soak up every sunbeam—but last year? We barely kept the wheels on.

So now here I am. Business to run. Book to write. Kids to juggle. One beautiful, chaotic Alaskan summer ahead—and a looming deadline to somehow figure it all out.

And I’m sharing this with you because I want you to know something:

Even here, even now, I don’t have it all figured out. I don’t pretend to. Sometimes I’m winging it. Sometimes it all falls apart. But we keep at it. We stay committed. And we always find a way.

This season might look messy. But we’re in it together. 💛

Stay fierce, stay rooted,
Maranda Bower
CEO & Founder of Postpartum University®
www.PostpartumU.com

Current Ways You Can Work With Postpartum University®
🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist
🎒FREE Provider's Postpartum Nutrition Toolkit
🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training

🌟 New! Nominate a Postpartum Pro for the Spotlight

💌 Know someone who gets it?
This newsletter is basically a secret handshake for providers who are done with surface-level postpartum care and want something deeper, realer, and rooted in truth. Forward this to your people—the ones who need to be in on these conversations.

👉 They can join us here: www.postpartumu.com/newsletter