10/07/2026
Being a mom is exhaustingā¦mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Postpartum is so much more than recovering from birth. Itās learning how to care for a whole new person while trying to recognize yourself again. Itās sleepless nights, constant worrying, feeding, changing diapers, soothing cries, cleaning, trying to eat, trying to shower, and somehow still feeling like thereās always something else that needs to be done.
I love my baby more than I could ever explain, but that doesnāt mean motherhood isnāt hard.
Some days I feel strong and capable. Other days I feel completely drained before the day even starts. There are moments when I just want a few minutes where nobody needs anything from me, and then I feel guilty for even thinking that.
And now, as going back to work gets closer, I feel another kind of anxiety creeping in.
I know I have to go back. I know I have responsibilities, a career, and a life outside of being a mom. But the thought of leaving my baby for hours makes my heart feel so heavy. I worry about whether heāll be okay without me, whether heāll cry for me, whether whoever is watching him will notice the little things I notice, and whether Iāll be able to focus at work when all Iāll be thinking about is him.
I also worry about how Iām going to handle everythingā¦working, being tired, coming home and still being a mom, trying to keep up with the house, breastfeeding, and somehow finding time to take care of myself too.
People tell you that becoming a mother is beautiful, and it absolutely is. But they donāt always talk about how overwhelming the transition can feel. Youāre expected to heal, adjust, function, and eventually go back to ānormal,ā even though nothing about your life feels the same anymore.
Iām grateful for my baby. I love being his mom. But Iām also tired, anxious, overwhelmed, and still figuring everything out one day at a time.
Motherhood can be beautiful and exhausting at the same time.
You can love your baby with your whole heart and still miss sleep, freedom, quiet, your old routine, or even the person you used to be.
And you can be excited to return to parts of your old life while also feeling terrified to leave your baby.
Both can be true. š¤
To every mom in this season: sometimes simply making it through the day is already enough.
