Jessie Inchauspé has spent years helping millions understand their bodies through science, clarity, and simple habits that actually help people feel better. But when she became pregnant and later entered postpartum, even the biochemist behind the Glucose Goddess movement found herself surprised by the emotional waves, the physical intensity, and the total transformation that early motherhood brings. In a candid conversation on The Motherly Podcast, she opens up about miscarriage, identity shifts, sleep deprivation, and the humility of realizing that even deep scientific knowledge cannot fully prepare you for the lived experience of becoming a parent.

Meet the expert

Jessie Inchauspé is a French biochemist, global bestselling author, and the creator of the widely popular Glucose Goddess platform. Through her research-backed education and accessible storytelling, she helps people understand the science of blood sugar and how small daily habits can improve energy, cravings, mood, and long-term health. Before launching her health education work, Jessie studied biochemistry at Georgetown University and worked in the field of genetics at 23andMe. She is also a new mom to a baby boy, which has brought even deeper insight into how profoundly pregnancy and postpartum shift the body, brain, and daily life.

Liz Tenety: I am sure when you became a mom, you were probably more aware of all things body and health than most of us. Was there anything about pregnancy or postpartum that still surprised you?

Jessie Inchauspé: Oh my gosh, everything! I mean, for starters, I was pregnant twice my first pregnancy. I went through a silent miscarriage at three months. I was not prepared. I did not think miscarriages could happen to just people. I had that in my consciousness, so that was a big reality check that was hardcore.

There is the theory and then there is the practice. So I was surprised at every stage. I was surprised at the emotional rollercoaster, at how different I felt after eating my usual meals, how tired I was, how emotional I was.

And then postpartum. I thought the pregnancy was gonna be the hard bit, but postpartum hit me like a truck. I did not realize how much time I was gonna be spending putting my baby to sleep. I was like, okay, so like 50 percent of my time now is gonna be rocking him to sleep and holding him while he is napping. I did not know that.

The first few months were very, very, very difficult. Now he is five months, and it is much easier and I am really enjoying it now.

Related article: Can your pregnancy diet affect how your baby benefits from breastfeeding? Scientists think so.

Liz Tenety: Given the work you do, there is a mindset of control and optimization. How did motherhood shift that?

Jessie Inchauspé: Everything I do in my work and in my life was highly organized, optimized, objective, and everything changed with my son. It showed me that the way I was living was almost in this fantasy of control. Taking care of a baby was, for me, the most humbling, disorienting experience that required of me that I let go of all control.

Liz Tenety: How are you grounding yourself in this transition, and what helps you feel present?

Jessie Inchauspé: Most evenings as I put him to sleep, as I am on the exercise ball rocking him and he is falling asleep in my arms, That is really the moment where I get to ground a little bit and be like, okay, yes, I am exhausted. Yes, it is hard, but I am so grateful that I have my baby. I try to remind myself that in a year or two years, I am gonna miss this moment so much of being able to hold him and him being so small and tiny.

Related article: 15 tasty toddler snacks that actually meet nutrition goals

Liz Tenety: How did you become the Glucose Goddess, and what led you to this work?

Jessie Inchauspé: The health journey started when I was 19 years old. I was on vacation with friend,s and I had the very bad idea of jumping off a waterfall for fun to prove I was cool. I jump off the waterfall, I hit the water in a slightly bad angle, and one of my vertebraes explodes into 13 pieces.

My psyche started to break down. I was experiencing panic attacks, depersonalization, intense brain fog, bouts of depression. I realized nothing matters more than my health.

I had the opportunity to try on a glucose monitor for the first time. I put on the glucose monitor, and I realize that my episodes of depersonalization could be correlated and triggered to big glucose spikes. I began researching the crap out of this. For me, it was a whole new life, and in the span of a few months, I had completely transformed my relationship to my body.

Liz Tenety: For listeners who are new to your work, what do we need to know about glucose and how it affects us?

Jessie Inchauspé: Glucose is your body’s favorite source of energy. Giving a little bit of glucose to our body is perfectly fine and great. The issue arises when we give our body too much of it.

When you give too much glucose to your body too quickly, that is called a glucose spike. Every glucose spike increases inflammation. Every glucose spike also accelerates a process called glycation. Most people who experience glucose spikes will feel one of several things: They will feel tired, they may feel cravings, and you could even have mental health disturbances like I had.

Related: 14 first-trimester snacks you can actually stomach, according to a nutritionist

Liz Tenety: Pregnancy motivates a lot of people to care more about their health. What should pregnant or postpartum women know about glucose?

Jessie Inchauspé: When you are pregnant, your baseline glucose will be lower. On average people will drop 10 to 15 points. Every time you eat, your body is not gonna put away the excess glucose as quickly as it used to, so the excess glucose is gonna stay in your blood for longer, creating bigger and longer glucose spikes. Pregnancy is a time where we need to learn how to manage these spikes more than ever.

Liz Tenety: Postpartum can be exhausting, and feeding yourself well feels hard. What practical advice helped you?

Jessie Inchauspé: The first few months postpartum, I do not expect anybody to do the glucose hacks perfectly. I certainly did not. If you do not know what to eat, the best thing to eat is a piece of protein. A hard boiled egg, Greek yogurt, a tablespoon of peanut butter without sugar, any animal foods, any dairy, any tofu, or tempe. If you cannot think about anything else, think about protein.

Liz Tenety: How do you think about sharing health information responsibly in today’s online environment?

Jessie Inchauspé: Be careful online. Anytime you see something extreme, I would not trust that. I always look for people who bring nuance to the table.

Try to find the original study. With AI you can copy and paste the paper URL and ask for a balanced summary. It is a jungle out there. It is tough.

Related: Celeb nutritionist Kelly LeVeque spills her mom must-haves

Liz Tenety: What about glucose monitors. Should people wear one?

Jessie Inchauspé: I love glucose monitors. Recently there is a new brand called Stello. They were the first to offer an affordable glucose monitor without a prescription. It is the first time I am actually recommending a glucose monitor. If you do not have access, you can keep a little diary. After you eat, record if you have cravings, an energy dip, or how quickly after you eat you feel hungry again.

Liz Tenety: At Motherly, we believe motherhood brings out superpowers. What do you see as yours right now?

Jessie Inchauspé: Honestly, efficiency. I have become very efficient at doing the stuff I need to do. I feel more efficient than I ever have.

Related: 5 ways to add protein to your pregnancy diet