An ADHD meltdown can leave moms feeling ashamed, especially when they’re navigating postpartum changes or supporting a child with ADHD. In Episode 5 of the ADHD in Women series, Dr. Jolene Brighten and two guests discuss pregnancy and postpartum medication conversations, executive function, the mental load of motherhood, and practical ways to support ADHD families.
Episodes 1–4 of the ADHD in Women series
Episode 1: ADHD in Women Symptoms: Why Success Can Hide the Signs
Episode 2: ADHD and Hormones in Women: Why Symptoms Change Across Your Cycle and in Perimenopause
This Episode Is Brought to You By
Dr. Brighten Essentials Radiant Mind
Want a science-backed formula created to support women’s brain health through every stage of life. If you’ve ever felt the brain fog of perimenopause or noticed how ADHD can amplify challenges with focus, memory, mood, or sleep, you’re not alone. Radiant Mind combines clinically studied saffron extract, Bacognize® Bacopa, Cognizin® Citicoline, and zinc to help nourish your brain chemistry and support clarity, calm, and resilience.
Exclusive for podcast listeners: use the code POD15 for 15% off your order
Natural Cycles
The first, and currently the only FDA-cleared birth control app. It’s completely hormone-free, science-backed, and designed to make tracking your cycle and fertility simple and stress-free.
Using a certified algorithm, the app analyzes hormone-driven changes in your body temperature to learn your unique cycle pattern and confirm your daily fertility status. This helps remove much of the guesswork and human error that can come with traditional fertility awareness methods.
Whether you’re looking to prevent pregnancy or plan for one, Natural Cycles offers a personalized, non-invasive approach to understanding your body.
Use code DrBrighten to get 15% off an annual subscription plus a free Bluetooth thermometer.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- Questions to bring to your clinician about ADHD medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- How postpartum changes, sleep disruption, and caring for a newborn can affect daily functioning.
- Why motherhood can place a heavy executive-function load on an ADHD brain.
- Ways to reduce that load, including simplifying routines, using visual cues, sharing tasks, and easing up on unnecessary standards.
- Supporting a child with ADHD through co-regulation, mirroring, and repairing after a parent loses their temper.
- Making school mornings more manageable when several family members have ADHD.
🎙️ Meet the guests
- Dr. Agnes Kwon Simone — Board-certified psychiatrist with general psychiatry and women’s midlife health practices. Website: https://www.simonepsych.com/
- Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart — Pediatric psychologist, board-certified in clinical child and adolescent psychology. Website: https://drannlouiselockhart.com/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.annlouise.lockhart/
👩⚕️ Your host
Dr. Jolene Brighten is a naturopathic physician board-certified in naturopathic endocrinology, a nutrition scientist, and the author of ADHD and Women.
- 📚 ADHD and Women: https://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen
- 🌐 Website: https://drbrighten.com
- 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten/
- 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoleneBrighten
- 🎧 The Dr. Brighten Show: https://drbrighten.com/podcast/
📚 Resources mentioned
- 💊 MotherToBaby fact sheets: https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/
- 🧠 MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health: https://womensmentalhealth.org/
⚠️ Medical note: This episode is for educational purposes and is not individualized medical advice. Medication decisions during pregnancy or breastfeeding should be discussed with the clinician managing your care. Don’t start, stop, or change medication based on a video.