The Peaceful Sleeper

I used to think that because I was a therapist, I should know how to handle postpartum depression on my own.

I literally thought, “I shouldn’t be able to get depressed. I know better than this.”

But after my first baby, I was overwhelmed, anxious, having intrusive thoughts, and feeling like I was failing - not only as a mom, but as a therapist, too.

The first time I was prescribed medication, I filled the prescription and never took it.

I was SO stuck on the idea that I should be able to “fight through it” on my own.

And eventually I realized something really important:

Just because I COULD fight through it didn’t mean I HAD to. 🤍

I didn’t want to spend all of my energy just trying to feel okay. I wanted that energy for my kids, my husband, my career, and myself.

For me, medication became one of the tools that helped me feel like me again.

And I want other moms to know this too: you do not get extra points for suffering through motherhood alone.

Getting support doesn’t make you weak. Medication doesn’t make you less of a mom. And struggling with your mental health does NOT mean you’re doing motherhood wrong.

Medication isn’t going to be the right choice for everyone, and everyone’s experience is different. But you deserve to find the support that works for YOU. ✨

Comment MENTALHEALTH and I’ll send you the full post about my experience with maternal mental health & medication.

I cannot stop thinking about this.

Not because I think an Instagram post can explain the Lindsay Clancy case. It can’t. And I’m not interested in turning an unimaginable tragedy into internet debate.

But I am interested in what happens next.

Because I have been a therapist for 17 years, and I have watched women enter motherhood completely unprepared for what can happen to their mental health.

We prepare women for birth.

We prepare them to feed a baby.

We teach them how to install the car seat.

And then somehow we expect them to navigate sleep deprivation, hormonal shifts, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, depression, identity changes, relationship changes, overwhelm, and the enormous mental load of motherhood with a pamphlet and a “see you in six weeks.”

That is not enough.

We created The Peaceful Mama because I want mothers to have practical, accessible mental health education before they are desperate for it.

We’re getting these resources into hospitals, clinics, and communities. We’re researching the impact. And I am SO proud of that work.

But today I want to reach the moms who aren’t walking through one of those hospitals.

So we’re giving the Peaceful Mama course away for FREE right now.

Because every mom deserves access to tools that can help her understand what she’s experiencing, care for her mental health, strengthen her relationships, and know when she needs more support.

We cannot keep waiting for motherhood to magically become better supported.

We have to take care of each other.

Comment MOMSMATTER and I’ll send you the code to get the course free.

And tag/send this to a mama who needs to know she doesn’t have to figure all of this out alone. ❤️

I think about this splash pad analogy often. We all have a bucket, and every stressor is a little more water pouring in.

Lack of sleep. Feeding a baby. Hormones. Recovering from birth. Trying to meet everyone’s needs. Going back to work. Relationship stress. A messy house. A toddler melting down while the baby is crying. The mental load. The pressure to be grateful because “you wanted this.”

And sometimes we don’t realize how full our bucket has gotten until it tips over.

The goal isn’t to somehow create a life where no water ever gets poured into our bucket. That’s not realistic - especially in postpartum and motherhood.

We need drains.

Sleep. Support. Therapy. Medication. Food. Movement. Getting outside. Asking someone to hold the baby. Saying no. Lowering the expectations. Calling a friend. Having 20 minutes where no one is touching you.

We have to stop waiting until a mom’s bucket is overflowing before we decide she deserves help.

In light of the Lindsay Clancy case and the conversations surrounding it, I’ve been thinking a lot about how seriously we take maternal mental health - and how often we still expect moms to keep functioning while quietly drowning.

Maternal mental health deserves to be taken seriously always - not only when someone reaches a breaking point.

Not only when symptoms become impossible to ignore.

Not only when a tragedy forces us to talk about it.

Before.

In the upcoming weeks, I’m going to dive deeper into postpartum anxiety, depression, OCD, psychosis, intrusive thoughts, sleep deprivation, what warning signs can look like, and, most importantly, how we can better support moms before their buckets overflow.

Because “just push through it” is not a maternal mental health plan.

You FINALLY get your baby on a nap schedule that works and then… BAM. 💥 Suddenly they’re fighting naps, bedtime is a mess, or those lovely early morning wake-ups are back. 😵‍💫

Welcome to baby sleep, my friend. 😂 Just when you think you’ve figured it out, they go and change on you!

Dropping naps is a totally normal part of the baby + toddler years, but knowing when to make the change (and when to hold your ground!) can be tricky. Age matters, but so does what your baby is actually telling you with their sleep. And FYI: a few wonky naps do NOT automatically mean it’s time to drop one! 👀

The good news? Nap transitions can come with some hiccups, but they won’t last forever. And with the right schedule + a little tweaking, you can get sleep back on track. 💤

Want all the details on when to drop a nap, how to do it, and how much sleep your baby needs by age?

Comment NAPDROPPING and I’ll send you the full blog post! ⬇️

Sleep training isn’t about ignoring your baby’s needs—it’s about helping them build a skill while staying responsive, connected, and tuned in. 🤍

And when your baby is ready? A little predictability can go a long way toward better sleep for the whole family.

Comment TPSAPP and I’ll send you the link to download our app, for the full 4–24 Month Course where this quote came from! 🌙✨