In this December 2017 episode of the Best of Both Worlds podcast, hosts Laura Vanderkam and Sarah Hart-Unger meet with Lauren Smith Brody, author of The Fifth Trimester, to discuss common issues surrounding maternity leave.

In medical terms, pregnancy has three trimesters.

The fourth trimester – the time immediately after birth when postpartum mothers attempt to recreate the womb for their newborns – is becoming more widely talked about.

But what about the fifth trimester?

Lauren Smith Brody, former executive editor of Glamour magazine and author of The Fifth Trimester, sees this period – from 12 weeks postpartum – as roughly the end of most standard maternity leaves, marked by an uptick in energy levels and a return to the office.

In this December 2017 episode of the Best of Both Worlds podcast, Smith Brody discusses the ins and outs of resuming work life after childbirth with hosts Laura Vanderkam and Sarah Hart-Unger.