Author Ruthie Ackerman joins Stacy for an honest conversation about the messy overlap between postpartum, perimenopause, and pandemic-era mental health. They unpack how COVID blurred the lines between hormonal and emotional change—and why self-advocacy is essential for women’s healthcare today. Together, Stacy and Ruthie discuss how the isolation and emotional toll of lockdown amplified symptoms that were already difficult to parse, the importance of self-advocacy in women’s health, and the ongoing “COVID hangover” still affecting collective well-being. Ruthie Ackerman is the author of The Mother Code and the founder of the Ignite Writers Collective. Her writing has been published in Vogue, Glamour, TIME, and Oprah Daily, not to mention her Modern Love essay in the NYT. She lives in Brooklyn with her family. Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. This episode is sponsored by Always Discreet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices