essays

Kate on getting her life back after postpartum psychosis

"We need to look after each other and strive for the best care for families in the vulnerable perinatal period."

To the mama who is surviving not thriving—it won’t be like this forever

We promise.

This is what motherhood looks like when no one’s watching

This is trying so hard with every bone in my body to do my very best day in and day out, to give my babies all they need

I learned about exclusively pumping after my preemie was born

I wish I had known sooner that I had this choice because it was the best one for us.

Dear daughter: What I want you to know as you head back to school

I failed to see your fear. I failed to see your anxiety. I failed to see all the signs that you needed me desperately.

This mama’s gut-wrenching story of her son almost drowning has gone viral

"The reason I'm sharing? This happened in a pool full of people. A pool full of ADULTS," shares Leeson.

I didn’t fall in love with motherhood at first

One day, after weeks and weeks of having a fussy baby, that little bundle of joy is going to crack their first smile, and your heart is going to absolutely burst with happiness as you quickly grab your phone to capture a picture.

This is what it’s really like to be the spouse of a first responder

It's a sinking feeling of dread you just can't shake when you haven't gotten a text back in a few hours.

Recovering from my C-section was harder than I imagined

Why was I in so much pain? Am I weaker than all of these other women? How did they make it through this? Why is this so difficult for me?

It’s the last day I will ever breastfeed my baby—and my emotions are all over the place

Why is this so hard to accept?

Purging my child’s toys saved my motherhood

The problem was that my children received so many presents the gift-giving itself began to lose meaning. Every time a family member came by the house, my 3-year-old expected a treat.

This is why I share the story of my son almost drowning

Never in my life have I felt so much fear as I jumped in and pulled him out. He immediately started crying, thank God. I held him close to me and didn't want to let him go.

A simple note for a brand new mama

Oh mama, tonight is a very special night.

Dear mama-to-be, I envy you

This life is wonderful. So wonderful in fact that I would go back and live it again and again, which is why it is with bittersweet envy that I celebrate expecting moms and the amazing moments ahead of them.

When I tell you I have postpartum depression, here’s what I want you to know

It doesn't always look how you might think.

I’m done breastfeeding my children—forever

And out of nowhere, it hit me. Hard.

Dear teachers: You are my hero

You are relentless. You are inspiring. You are shaping an empathetic, open-minded and diverse generation. You make our lives as parents so much better.

Motherhood is: Never seeing your friends but feeling closer than ever

These friendships are built on a level of trust and vulnerability that I didn't even know I could give or receive until motherhood exposed the rawest moments of my life.

I took CBD and it made me a more present, less anxious mom

In some ways, I'm an unlikely person to be jumping on the CBD bandwagon. I don't even drink alcohol anymore. But (like a lot of moms) I do deal with anxiety and have a lot of difficulty falling and staying asleep.

How I found myself through my son’s autism

I am forever grateful for my boy, who trusted and believed enough to let me fight for him, and for helping me find a voice to help others.