06/15/2026
Last month, I spoke with a newer mom about how she was doing in the postpartum period.
We started by talking about the baby: eating, sleeping, little personality traits, all the things you naturally share about a four-month-old.
And then I asked, "How about you?"
She was incredibly honest with me, which was a really beautiful and human experience in and of itself, but eventually she shared:
"I'm really struggling with my body, even though I try to stay positive, because I know I just grew and birthed a baby. My partner is really supportive and has never once made me feel bad, but it's still hard."
As we kept talking, I realized it wasn't only about how she looked. It was also about how unfamiliar her world felt.
Her body had changed so much, so quickly, that she hadn't really had time to catch up. She understood why she looked different. She had a baby. But sometimes, even when the logical thinking is there, what we see is not REALLY what we see. We see a different body, a different rhythm, a different sense of self, and sometimes, even though it's 40 weeks in, it happens overnight. Most of the pregnancy is spent thinking about the baby. What does the baby need? What is birth like? How can I prepare? But, rarely, do we prepare for the postpartum change. The change you can't see.
It's a universal experience that many postpartum conversations stop at "love your body" or "give yourself grace." While those things matter, they can sometimes overlook the reality that change, even beautiful, meaningful change, can still feel disorienting. Postpartum is physical, yes. But it is also deeply emotional. It's learning your baby while relearning yourself at the exact same time and having to make peace with someone you may not recognize.
So if you've ever felt disconnected from your reflection, unfamiliar in your own skin, or caught somewhere between gratitude and grief for the version of yourself you used to know, you are not alone, and there is space for the hard feelings alongside the beautiful newness of birth. 💛
