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Marin graduated from law school seven months pregnant and gave birth to her first child in July. She expected the shift from student to stay-at-home mom to be a transition, but she didn't expect the mental adjustment it would require.
After years building confidence through educational accomplishment, Marin found her self-esteem crumbling as she struggled with things that seemed to be a breeze for other women. How much she knew about law was completely irrelevant when it came to breastfeeding.
Marin describes motherhood by saying it "rocked my world." The lifestyle change was so immediate and so dramatic, she had no choice but to hang on for the ride and build a new life for herself.
Marin decided to apply the problem-solving and multitasking skills she used in her education into her new role as a mother. Rather than accept loneliness and feeling drained, she began to gather information and do a little bit of research.
Marin said she wasn't shy about picking up the phone and calling family whenever she needed help.
"Advice from other women was always really important to me, not because I couldn't have gotten by without it, but just because a lot of experiences are the same, and it's just nice to share common things," she said. "It's definitely reassuring.
By sleeping when her son slept and giving up keeping a day planner Marin was able to more easily adjust to life with a new baby.
"Not scheduling out my time was unsual for me, but it works," she said.
One of the most difficult aspects of switching from student to mother was the lack of mental engagement Marin could get. In school, she was used to being fed new information all the time, but at home, she had to be proactive about getting it. She joined a book club, started taking trips to the library, became a volunteer teacher at an elementary school and began blogging to keep her mind busy.
Although the transition from law school to motherhood was a very difficult period of adjustment, Marin has found that seeing everything through the experience of her son, Charlie, has made her life richer.
If you're feeling the need for something a little more enthralling than the latest Baby Einstein, try joining Good Reads, on online book club where you can chat, track and discover books.
Debra Gilbert Rosenberg has gone three rounds with new mom mania, which is why her book, the New Mom's Companion: Care for Yourself While You Care for Your Newborn, comes straight from the heart and speaks right to the minds of the recently blessed.
Shortly after her son was born, Kristen made a big move to a big city—and she's loving every minute of it.
Kristen said her initial concerns about loneliness came from hearing so many stories about new moms getting depressed just after giving birth.
One major adjustment Kristen had to make was living in a small space.
"Since we're in a studio, he's always right next to me," she said. On the one hand, she said, living in a small space has limited her son in ways that other babies might not be, such as not having a lot of toys and extra things.
On the other hand, Kristen's found she doesn't have to do the same kind of baby-proofing that's necessary in a house. She put in protectors for the plugs, and latches, and locks for the cabinets, but said she hasn't had to do much more than that.
Check out these links to hear how other mommies make it work.
The best how-to-resources for your baby's homemade lifestyle! This site has tips, tutorials, articles and instructions for everything from how to make your own nursery bedding to making handmade baby toys.
When Vanessa found out she was pregnant, it triggered a roller coaster of emotions for her.
The ride began on New Years Day. After taking a pregnancy test she said to her husband, "Happy New Year. Guess what's going to be happening this year?" He was floored and very nervous as he started going through the list of "Can we afford this?" and "Should we be doing that?" As the idea grew on him, though, the fears and uncertainty turned to excitement.
Vanessa was looking forward to being pregnant and having a baby as well, but from time to time she would feel a real sense of anxiety over whether or not she was ready to become a mom.
"I was in denail about the whole giving birth thing," she said.
Five days past her due date, Vanessa's doctors decided it was time to induce. They gave her a planned epidural and killed time playing games and watching TV with her husband and best friend.
Vanessa considers herself to be a little bit of a Type-A organized person and worried that that she was going to try and have everything be rigid, but said it actually ended up being kind of natural for her to just go with the flow.
Take a second to check out these 10 tips to help you adjust to becoming a new mom or these other resources if you're on a journey from pregnant to parent. Good luck!
You're pediatrician has all the answers your co-pay can get you, but if you're looking for some free peace of mind, ask an expert from the Pampers Parenting Institute.
At Pregnancy.org, get reassurance and information to make the next nine months a walk in the park.
Sip on the little moments with Kristen, mom to two and the rising queen of hilarious. With handmade accessories.