Discover the emotional and spiritual transformation from maiden to mother in this guide to preparing for postpartum, finding your village, and embracing your motherhood identity with confidence and compassion.

If you’re pregnant or newly postpartum and already wondering, “Why can’t I just calm down?”, you’re not alone.

So many new moms tell me that even when the baby finally sleeps, their bodies stay tense, their hearts race, and their minds won’t stop spinning. You’re exhausted, but you can’t rest. You’re grateful, but you feel on edge. Sound familiar?

If you have ever imagined traveling with your baby as a serene, postcard moment, quiet car naps, giggles on the beach, perfectly packed bag, you are not alone. And also, welcome to real life. Traveling with a baby is part improv comedy, part logistics, and a whole lot of nervous system work for both of you.

The holidays are often portrayed as magical, cozy, and full of joy. But for new parents, they can feel more like a stress test than a celebration. If you’re preparing for postpartum or navigating your first holiday season as a parent, you might be wondering:

How do we balance everyone’s expectations without losing our minds (or our sleep)?

Let me reassure you right now. You are allowed to do things differently. In fact, your well-being and your baby’s peace depend on it.

When you’re pregnant or in the early postpartum days, you’re already juggling so much — from feeding schedules and diaper blowouts to that endless question of, “Why won’t my baby sleep?” And then someone mentions a tongue tie, and suddenly you’re down a Google rabbit hole wondering if this tiny piece of tissue under your baby’s tongue could be the root cause of everything.

You’ve got the nursery organized, the baby clothes washed, and your hospital bag packed. You’ve probably read a million posts about the “baby blues” and postpartum depression. But let me ask you this: has anyone warned you about postpartum anxiety or postpartum OCD?

So, you’re pregnant—and already thinking ahead about what it’s going to look like when you return to work after maternity leave?

First of all, let’s just pause and give you credit for that kind of forethought. Because friend, this is exactly how you set yourself up for a more supported, more intentional postpartum experience. And the truth is? Most people don’t talk enough about what that transition really looks like.