Navigating You: Friendships in New Motherhood

Deciding to have a baby didn't just change my life, it changed my friendships. Not all of them survived it. If you're navigating that quiet shift in yourself right now, this one's for you babe.

Something we don’t plan for is the friend area in your new season of motherhood. You kind of just expect them all to support you and be there for you because that’s how it’s always been, right?

Unfortunately, you can be wrong.

You both have now entered a new season of life where your priorities and interests have shifted, your time, your energy and they’ve either stayed where they are or have joined you as you became a mom.

In this time, the mom guilt tends to kick in when you can’t show up the way you used to and it just becomes an entirely internal emotional mess. Your mind is a mess. Do they hate me? did i say something wrong? i’m so tired, i want to go but my baby didn’t sleep last night. I need someone to talk to but i don’t want to bother anyone right now. Her tone shifted, i swear. That was.. out of character for her. Being in your head can definitely be a killer. Try to remember to bring yourself back down to earth in times like this. Most of the time it is them dealing with some things. Not you. Sometimes you just need to have those hard conversations with them and speak your truth in hopes they ARE able to show up for you the way you need. Those true friendships are the ones where both sides can find a happy medium in any season and move forward.

However, then there’s also meeting new friends! You meet new people gradually in all types of ways. Some work out for the long haul, some don’t. The ones that do become those life friends. You may meet women in the same season as you, trying for their own baby, or even women who don’t want children but end up loving yours unconditionally. And that is okay! Women supporting women in this new season of life are absolutely people you want to keep around.

It’s hard when these huge shifts sweep you out from under your feet. These are things we honestly don’t plan for. Having those hard conversations or just moving authentically will keep you in a place that can manage these relationships while trying to be the best mom you can be ♡