EPISODE 4
What I Wish I Had Known About the 4th Trimester - Postpartum Recovery for Me & Baby
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he postpartum period is an emotionally exhausting time, full of joy… and apprehension. In this episode, Shazi talks to Sara Haines, co-host of The View, about her struggles with postpartum depression and anxiety. She also speaks with Heng Ou, bestselling author of the First Forty Days and founder of Motherbees, about how cultures outside of the U.S. handle a mother’s postnatal recovery – treating it as a sacred time for the mother to heal and rest. We also hear from women’s health expert and OBGYN Dr. Jessica Shepherd about the hormonal shifts new moms undergo, what to do if you or someone you love is experiencing postpartum depression, and what a future – where babies and mothers get the support they need during this critical time – might look like.


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Sara Haines

Sara Haines is a co-host of ABC’s Emmy® Award-winning daytime talk show “The View” and the host of ABC’s primetime game show “The Chase.” Haines returned to “The View” panel in 2020 for season 24, having been a co-host in 2016-2018 for seasons 20-21. Haines previously co-hosted ABC News’ “GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke.”

Prior to her association with ABC News in 2013, Haines was part of the fourth hour of NBC’s “Today,” alongside Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, a position she held from 2009 to 2013. In 2008, she began online reporting as host of the program’s entertainment video blog, “Backstage Pass,” interviewing countless celebrity entertainers, actors and musicians.

Haines came aboard “Today” in 2002 as a production coordinator. Prior to joining NBC News, she was a member of NBC’s page program.

Haines graduated from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in government. She is a native of Newton, Iowa. She currently resides in New Jersey with her husband, Max, and three young children, Alec, Sandra and Caleb.

Heng Ou

Heng Ou is the best-selling author of The First Forty Days, Awakening Fertility, and Nine Golden Months (2022) and the founder of MotherBees, a food and wellness-care company dedicated to nourishing women through conception, pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.

MotherBees was conceived after Heng delivered her third child. During her recovery, she practiced zuo yuezi, a Chinese traditional approach to postpartum care that was handed down to her by a beloved Aunt. Heng was so moved by the restorative power of this practice that she felt called to make this ritual accessible on a broader scale. And with some practical, modern updates to zuo yuezi, Heng launched MotherBees, a meal-delivery service in Los Angeles for mindful mamas.

Driven by her belief that nourishment goes far beyond the foods we eat, Heng’s idea of care nourishes your soul, your wellbeing, and your heart. MotherBees food and beverage offerings are handcrafted by blending traditional Eastern and Western ingredients to fortify and strengthen a body after pregnancy and birth, encourage lactation, and calm ping-ponging hormones. Since conception, MotherBees has grown into a global hive of connection and inspiration for women and their families, and now offers national shipping options in addition to local delivery.

Heng is a graduate of The Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Dr. Jessica Shepherd

Dr. Jessica Shepherd is a board certified OB/GYN, women's health expert and minimally invasive surgeon. She is the Chief Medical Officer of Verywell Health and also the founder and CEO of Sanctum Med + Wellness, a wellness concierge practice in Dallas, TX

Her passion for women’s health, from minority health disparities to reproductive justice issues, has allowed her to be an advocate for women and she has been a speaker at various health and wellness events such as Blog Her, Well Summit and Chronicon

Her involvement with various foundations as a board member has allowed her to actively make decisions in the women's health realm. She serves on the board of the Ross University Medical School Alumni Council as President, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Board, AAGL Diversity and Inclusion Committee and also the Texas Women's Foundation. She lives in Dallas, TX with her husband and two sons.