"I took on the identity of a strong person, who, despite having had an unstable childhood, was well-adjusted and thriving. I knew everyone had their own painful experiences and dysfunctional families. I wasn’t going to drown myself in mine."
What I want to say when people ask, "What's it like to be a new mom?"
Slowly but surely with time, everything will change.
Hello. I’m Hannah. I’m many things–a mum, a wife, a daughter, a sister, an HR professional. I have recently become the owner of a tech start-up. I have a degree in psychology. I’m a friend to so many beautiful people. I also have Bipolar Disorder.
I can handle some hair loss because, in a way, it gave me my children. I can handle some hair loss because it will grow back. I can handle some hair loss because, in the grand scheme of things, it is a very small issue.
"How does a 30-year old mom of two with no previous history of mental illness get admitted to the psych ward? This is where my memory fails me, but the diagnosis: Postpartum Psychosis."
This scar represents my own grit. My own tenacity. My own stubbornness. Things I now pass down to my daughter.
After my son was born, all I wanted was sleep. But I was scared of closing my eyes for fear of something happening to him during that time. I couldn’t shut my mind off from all the irrational thoughts running through it.
"I see it as sort of a gift to whatever future partner he may have that he knows how to clean a bathroom and that he appreciates how to do his laundry and he knows how to cook. It's just very important to me because he does have a lot of help with things," Faris explains.
After my son was born, all I wanted was sleep. But I was scared of closing my eyes for fear of something happening to him during that time. I couldn’t shut my mind off from all the irrational thoughts running through it.
Your motherhood is not measured by breast or pump, by output and ounces, by formula or bottle.
7. Say yes less for more time to do things you love with people you love.
I may never know what comes next as a parent, but one thing I do: You will always be there to catch her.
There is no clocking in or clocking out. No holidays or sick days or breaks.
I'm so proud of you, and I'm proud of what we're building together every day.
In many ways, this playground has been just as effective a measure of my children's growth as any scale.
We're going to get through this. Promise.
You are both such special, key characters in our story.