Motherhood changes us. Celebrate the ups and downs with these honest, insightful essays about becoming—and being—a mom.
"I feel punished for having to be the 'good guy.' I have to send my 3.5yo child away. I won't get to visit her. I won't get to hug her. I won't get to tuck her in at night. We have FaceTime, and that's it. For up to a month, or who knows how long...and many of my coworkers have had to do the same."
We're growing our babies during a monumental time in our world's history.
We miss you a lot, and we're SO glad we can stay connected this way.
"I packed a bag at one point so I could run away in the middle of the night. I told myself that they would be OK. He could find a wife that wasn’t such a burden and didn’t cry all the time. My daughter could have a mom that didn’t get angry at every little thing."
My boss called and asked if I could come into the office for a quick meeting. My stomach sank. I knew what was coming
"What was postpartum depression? No one told me this could happen. No one told me I wasn't a failure if I experienced it. No one told me they were there for me if I was struggling or there were steps I could take to heal."
I'm learning to accept that likes, loves and share reactions don't define my parenting or who I am as a person.
I see a growing love for our daughter that is the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed in our decade together.
Mothering Black girls, for me, can be fraught with the responsibility of teaching them Black women's stories while clearing space for them to write their own.
Kids are not robots and we can't control their every move—no matter how much we prepare.
If prioritizing your marriage doesn't look like dates out on the town, you're okay. Your marriage isn't doomed.
She must have sensed my neediness, because she invited me, a fragile stranger, into her apartment. It was cozy and inviting, strewn with kid stuff and safely baby-proofed. I lay my little one on a blanket on the floor and took a deep breath in, relaxing for the first time in ages.
I could handle motherhood—I could handle this.
He won't eat new things—but I was like that, too.
Did you share your pregnancy early or did you wait?
Observing him has taught me a lot about human nature. Namely, how did he learn how to make this sound?
Even when it seems like it would just be easier not to. It is always, always worth it.
I’ve never understood depression. I’ve never understood the stigma. Or the severity, until the day I did.
You are not wrong for wanting to protect your baby.