motherhood emotions

I tell my kids it’s okay to fail—so I need to start telling myself, too

Maybe if we actually believed the things we say, the entire structures of our lives, vocations, and relationships would feel less tenuous. We'd believe that even if they got knocked down, we could put them back up just the same as before but with the weaker areas reinforced, stronger in the long run.

You know your baby better than Google, mama

My daughter's failure to acquiesce to so-called expert advice heralded the beginning of a new way of living, for both of us. One that strives to work with her needs, rather than struggle against them.

Motherhood is: Wondering ‘When will I feel like myself again?’

The truth is, your definition of "myself" will change during this time.

Motherhood changed for me with these 6 words

Wise men and women have been telling us for centuries that the present moment is all there is. We don't have yesterday anymore, and tomorrow is not yet here. This second is literally all we have.

I planned everything about becoming a mom—and then I actually became one

Just weeks prior, I had everything planned so precisely. Things that pertained not just to the infancy stage I was so freshly experiencing now, but things that I had no right to plan, as I wouldn't truly understand them for months and some even years.

To the woman who doesn’t know what #momlife will be like

You didn't know how much the living room clock would be your closest companion, watching it always and praying for it to be the right time: the time when you can finally feed your baby again, because you don't know how else to stop her from crying.

9 ways to manage your fear + anxiety—and become a more peaceful parent

3. Dive headfirst into empathy.

When motherhood feels heavy, mama—know that you are not alone

I am with you—in the heaviness and the lightness. I just want you to know that. You're not alone, and I know I'm not either. And sometimes, that's what we need to know most of all.

Gisele Bündchen opens up about new motherhood: ‘I kind of lost myself’

"All I ever wanted was to be a mom, but when you're actually experiencing that, it's a shock," shares Bündchen.

Can I be honest? Sometimes, I envy other moms

An open letter from both sides.

At every stage of motherhood, I feel my mom’s absence all over again

Losing a parent so young is the antithesis of the gift that keeps on giving. Every special occasion, every achievement, every milestone in my life is a reminder that she's not here.

Motherhood is: Having mixed emotions about your baby starting kindergarten

You'd think I wouldn't need to blink an eye about today, but you're wrong.

I want to cherish the hard moments of motherhood, too

I am going to look for the light, even when it seems like its mostly darkness because, as I've learned, its never "easy" to be a mother—no matter the stage.

My baby: I know you’ll leave one day, but can you promise to always need me (just a little)?

Before we know it, you'll be the hero you need, not me.

Why didn’t anyone tell me how great motherhood would be?

I heard a lot about how hard it is, but not as much about how wonderful it could be.

I am sad to end our breastfeeding journey—but so ready, too

Starting to wean my last child from breastfeeding feels like the end of an era.

Motherhood is: Raising them to be independent no matter how hard it will be to let go

I will count it as a success of motherhood when you are able to leave me and find your own path—without my hand to hold. (Though it will always, always be here if you need it.)

Everyone told me my second child would be so much harder than my first, but they were wrong

Birth order stereotypes aren't always true.

Going back to work from maternity leave was so hard, I put it off

I was pretty sure my son would be okay, but I was a whole lot less sure that I would.

Motherhood is: Continuing to give, even when it feels like you have nothing left

This stage of motherhood is overwhelming and chaotic and wild. It takes every ounce of you and then more. Even when you feel you have no more to give.