Family

Out of Love...

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I have never felt more gratitude and warmth than helping families on their journey to parenthood. It's not just about the (adorable) babies - it's about being a witness to the immense amount of strength and love that people share with one another. 

And sometimes, you get sent these little reminders of just how much you mean to a family, and how much they mean to you. 

 

This photograph was posted with permission.
 

The Truth About Motherhood

 

 

Whether as a young adult, or during pregnancy, most women hear the stories of how their friends "instantly became mothers" the moment their child was born. We are taught to believe that there is an immediate connection and understanding between mother and baby. No one, or at least very few, discuss the feeling of a 'lose of self' that new parents might face, during pregnancy or after birth, out of fear they will be viewed as 'bad parents.'

While giving birth is natural, motherhood or 'becoming a mother' doesn't always appear magically. It is a learning process - discovering who your new baby is, her personality, figuring out how to navigate shifting relationships with your partner, and learning how to find the balance between your independent, autonomous self, and being the constant for your child.  

So, what do you do? How to you manage the transformations and, what resources are available?  You may think about hiring a postpartum doula who can provide physical, emotional and informational support for both you and your partner through the transitions into parenthood. Journaling is another great way for putting together your thoughts in a safe place.  Perhaps most importantly, I encourage new moms to share their birth and postpartum experiences with friends, family, and doula's, for I promise you are not alone. 

Here are some resources additional resources that I recommend:

Books 

Misconceptions: Truth, Lies and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood by Naomi Wolf 
Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Kaper 
Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson
Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year by Anne Lamott
The Year After Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger

Websites
The Longest Shortest Time: The Truth About Early Motherhood
Motherhood Uncensored

Groups
NYC Doula Collective (Birth and Postpartum Doulas)
Brooklyn New Mom Support Group




If you would like information on a topic or reach out to me and I will share the knowledge. Or, if you have any resources that you liked, please share them with us!