Our culture and systems have failed many women who want to be mothers, not through malice, but through neglect, misalignment, and outdated priorities. In this episode, we explore how education, feminism, medicine, and career culture shaped a generation of women who were never truly prepared for motherhood. This is a nuanced, honest conversation about how our culture and systems have failed many women who want to be mothers. We want to say this clearly up front: this conversation reflects our lived experiences and what we see in our work. It is not meant to invalidate women who had supportive, empowering paths to motherhood, nor does it represent every experience across different socioeconomic or cultural backgrounds. What we explore here is a pattern. For decades, women were encouraged to prioritize education, career, and productivity, often with little to no preparation for health, fertility, or motherhood. Feminism brought women freedom, opportunity, and choice, and we honor that deeply. But like all cultural movements, there were unintended consequences that many women are only now grappling with. In this conversation, we discuss: • Why motherhood was treated as an afterthought rather than a life path • How feminism empowered women — and where systems failed to evolve alongside it • The lack of reproductive and health education for young women • How birth control often masked dysfunction instead of addressing root causes • Why so many women feel blindsided by fertility struggles in their 30s • The cost of prioritizing weddings, careers, and productivity over preparation for motherhood • Maternal burnout, postpartum strain, and the lack of systemic support • What a more integrative, honest, and compassionate approach could look like This is not about blame. It’s about awareness because we can’t change what we don’t acknowledge. Our hope is that by having these conversations openly, we can support women now and create better systems for future generations. If this episode resonated with you, please consider subscribing, sharing, or leaving a review. These conversations matter. 00:00 — Why We’re Having This Conversation 02:45 — This Isn’t Everyone’s Experience But It’s a Real Pattern 05:30 — Feminism Gave Women Choice... And Then the Pendulum Swung 09:45 — When Motherhood Became an Afterthought 13:20 — Career First, Motherhood “On the Side” 17:40 — The Lie We Were Sold About Fertility & Birth Control 22:10 — Why So Many Women Are Struggling to Conceive in Their 30s 27:15 — “Our Society Is Not Set Up for Women to Become Mothers” 31:00 — We Prepare for College & Sports — But Not Health 34:30 — Imagine a World Where Girls Are Taught About Their Bodies 38:20 — The Cost of Ignoring Motherhood (Burnout, Infertility, Trauma) 42:45 — Weddings, Nurseries & Misplaced Priorities 47:30 — What the Medical System Gets Wrong About Fertility 52:10 — How This Could Change for the Next Generation 56:00 — This Isn’t About Blame, It’s About What’s Broken 59:00 — Final Thoughts, Hope & Why These Conversations Matter Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Join Womanhood Wellness Social Studies Docuseries The Time Machine Movie Healthy As A Mother Podcast | YouTube Healthy As A Mother Podcast | Instagram Healthy As A Mother Podcast | TikTok Healthy As A Mother Podcast | Merch Store Find more from Dr. Leah: Dr. Leah Gordon | Website Womanhood Wellness | Website Find more from Dr. Morgan: Dr. Morgan MacDermott | Website Use code HAAM and save 10% at Fond Use code HEALTHYMOTHER and save 15% at Redmond For 20% off your first order at Needed, use code HEALTHYMOTHER Save $260 at Lumebox, use code HEALTHYASAMOTHER