The Postpartum Period Deserves More Than a Six‑Week Checkup.
Functional Fourth Trimester is the podcast co-hosted by occupational therapists Lauren Zatezalo and Melissa O'Neal, OTR/L, helping new parents figure out how daily life actually works after a baby arrives.
Sleep. Feeding. Getting through a day. Feeling like yourself again. None of those things get addressed in a postpartum appointment. This show does.
You Know What OT Is in Theory. Here Is What It Does for You Right Now.
Occupational therapy helps people do the things that matter to them: the daily activities that make someone a person, not just a patient. Getting dressed. Cooking a meal. Going for a walk. Maintaining a friendship. Feeling like yourself enough to make it to tomorrow.
After a baby arrives, every single one of those activities changes. The routines that kept you functional vanish overnight. The identity that gave your days structure gets quietly replaced by a new one you did not ask for and were not prepared to inhabit. Sleeping, moving, eating, connecting with other people. All of it requires renegotiation, and there is no appointment for that.
That is what occupational therapy is equipped to address. Not just physical recovery. Not just mental health support. The functional daily living work, the rebuilding that happens in the weeks and months after birth that the healthcare system does not see and most parenting content does not know how to talk about. This podcast is that conversation.
Recent Episodes
Three recent conversations, each built to give you something specific you can actually use.
Exclusively Pumping: The Reality, the Challenges, and the Wins
Cassidy
25 min
Exclusively pumping is more than just a feeding choice, it is a full time commitment that often presents unexpected challenges. In this episode, occupational therapist and mom Cassidy shares her personal journey, from navigating triple feeds to committing to exclusive pumping, along with the tools, logistics, and systems that helped her along the way. Whether you are in the thick of it or simply want to understand the reality behind the schedule, this conversation offers honest insight, practical tips, and encouragement for every stage of the journey.
Listen NowPostpartum and Beyond: The Hormonal Link to Longevity and Future Wellness
Laura Rowan
25 min
In this episode we talk with guest speaker Laura about how hormonal changes during pregnancy and postpartum are closely connected to perimenopause, highlighting that these phases are part of a continuous hormonal journey rather than isolated events. We discuss how hormone drops after birth can mirror perimenopause symptoms, and early experiences, such as high blood pressure, may predict future health patterns. By understanding these connections, individuals can take a proactive approach through lifestyle choices, body awareness, and early care to support long term wellness.
Listen NowMovement Over Exercise: Small, Daily Shifts for Postpartum Mental Wellness
Abigail Waisner
23 min
On this episode, we talk with guest speaker Abigail about the video resource she created for her capstone project. We discuss the benefits of movement postpartum on your mental health, how the term movement is different from exercise, and ways you can start getting back to movement safely after birth to promote your mental wellbeing.
Listen NowWhat Listeners Are Saying
Listener reviews coming soon. Check back after launch for real listener testimonials from Apple Podcasts.
Meet the Co-Hosts
Lauren Zatezalo
OT student and co-host
Lauren is completing her occupational therapy degree through her Capstone placement under Melissa O'Neal. She brings the learner's perspective to every episode, asking the questions that new parents are already asking and translating the OT framework into language that does not require a clinical background to understand. Her investment in postpartum care is personal as much as academic. She started this podcast because new parents deserve more support, education, and resources than they are currently getting. The fourth trimester is hard enough without having to struggle to find help during it.
Melissa O'Neal, OTR/L
Licensed Occupational Therapist | Founder, The Postpartum OT
Melissa is a licensed occupational therapist with extensive clinical experience in postpartum care. She is the founder of The Postpartum OT and the clinical anchor for everything Lauren and Melissa discuss on this show. When Melissa says something, there is a decade of practice behind it.
- How to build a daily routine that holds when you are running on no sleep.
- What OT knows about the functional reality of feeding, moving, and recovering that does not make it into your postpartum appointment.
- The framework for returning to the activities that make you feel like yourself, at a pace that is actually sustainable.
The Fourth Trimester Functional Living Guide
What an occupational therapist wants every new parent to know about the first three months. Free.
Educational content only. Not a substitute for professional care.