Confessions
Parenthood has its ups and downs, and though it’s the hardest thing we’ve ever done, it’s also the most rewarding.
Here are the stream of consciousness posts, personal reflections, and the thoughts that so many of us share.
Reflections on My First Year as a Mom
I’ll always remember how I felt when we decided to get pregnant. I had been in French Polynesia and was leading a full month of whale swim tours. Humpbacks come to the islands to birth their young and to mate, and I was in the water with them every day for 30 days straight. It…
What I Wish I’d Done Differently Postpartum
I don’t know about you, but I had my fourth trimester all dreamed up in my mind. It would be nourishing, I’d feel totally supported, and since my pregnancy had been easy and lovely, I hoped postpartum would be, too. Instead I got my world rocked. Don’t get me wrong. There were still wonderful moments…
The Child Decision – Should You Have Kids?
Around this time last year, I was in the final stretch of my pregnancy, about to have my first child at 36. I’d had a wonderful, fulfilling life up until then. I was one of those people for whom the child decision was not easy. I could have happily gone either way, though I felt,…
Going from One to Two Kids: 25 Honest Reflections
When we learned we would be having a second child, I expected our life to shift. I couldn’t wait for our son to have a sibling, and I was excited to raise my children as close comrades. Even so, there were so many changes I never anticipated between parenting one and two kids. As I…
What If I Didn’t Enjoy the Early Days Enough?
My baby turns eight months old tomorrow. Eight months, how did that happen? I’d heard it said that the days are long but the months (and years) are short and now that we’re here I feel it to my core. I was lucky with an easy pregnancy. I enjoyed it all the way up until…
Why I Quit My Job to Become a Stay-at-Home Mom
Women are doing amazing things in this world. They’re founding booming businesses, running countries, and making medical breakthroughs. Remarkable women are improving the world around them and setting inspiring examples for girls everywhere. Despite the female success stories that surround us, our culture is one in which women often have to put in extra work…
When Postpartum Depression Hit, I Didn’t Recognize Myself
When I first became pregnant, I was excited, but another feeling crept in that I didn’t recognize – constant worry. I counted down the days of my first trimester, Googling each week how much less likely it was that I would miscarry. Extremely healthy behavior, I know. Eventually I sought therapy for those first months,…
Six Months In – This Parenthood Journey Has Been Wild
Today marks six months since my due date. It’s so crazy to write that, and almost seems like it can’t be true. Like someone else’s baby is that old but mine is still tiny, even though honestly, he’s measuring the size of a kid twice his age. It’s true what they say – the days…
My Complicated, Difficult Breastfeeding Experience
What makes breastfeeding so hard? This is what I wondered when I, pregnant and scrolling, was bombarded on social media with scary breastfeeding stories. I’d swipe away as quickly as possible. What could be so hard about something so natural? Apply baby to breast, baby eats. It should be that simple. I’m the kind of…