“Secondary Infertility: It's haunting. It's purposeful. It was full of wisdom and learnings. And pain. Plus, it took energy away from my firstborn son.”

“My plans for a natural birth dissolved into a whirlwind C-section, followed by a rare case of postpartum preeclampsia that kept me in the hospital for nearly ten days. I expected an overwhelming rush of love and joy; instead, I felt disappointment, guilt, and a deep sense of failure.”

“Trust your gut and do what feels right—your mama intuition knows. It’s there for a reason. Whether it’s a parenting decision, a business move, or just how you spend your time, that inner knowing is powerful. The more you listen to it, the stronger it gets.”

“I was working 70-hour weeks, surrounded by the evidence of my biggest dream in the form of baby gifts and an empty crib, and completely unsure how both versions of me were supposed to coexist.”

“It was like a switch flipped. I didn’t feel the way I thought I would. The joy, the overwhelming love—I felt none of it. Instead, terrifying thoughts crept in, and I felt totally detached. I didn’t know it at the time, but postpartum depression had arrived.”

“The doctors diagnosed me with Raynaud’s Syndrome—offering nothing but a printout and a sympathetic shrug. I felt broken. Like I had already failed at something I was supposed to be made to do.“

“Even with tons of support—my mom stayed with us for 3 months, postpartum doulas, all the "right" resources—I still struggled with PPD and PPA. I felt so embarrassed and ashamed. How could someone who "did everything right" still end up here?”

“Looking back, I realize that a lot of my sense of self, belonging, and accomplishment was tied to my work and professional reputation.”

“Motherhood isn’t always soft lighting and sleepy baby snuggles. Sometimes it’s hospital gowns, heartbreak, & hip harnesses.“

When Expectations Don’t Meet Reality

“We don’t need to bounce back. We need to redefine what strong really means.”