Summer was in full-and-glorious bloom when last I wrote here. So was my belly, nearly 40 weeks full of my darling daughter. Nine days later, I gave birth. I settled into a self-imposed hiatus from writing, and suddenly it’s winter. Or so the calendar says. Most of North
Read more →As I ventured through my first pregnancy, everything was new, including the way people talked to me. Strangers, family and friends sometimes let their opinions fly, no matter how insensitive. I recently shared this with a nurse in my OB-GYN’s office, a woman with extended experience caring
Read more →The day we deliver our first child, we deliver a new self, as well. In an instant, our identity expands to include motherhood, from the mundane, everyday tasks to the long-term planning needed to raise another human being. But it will take us a lifetime to grow
Read more →Last week I toured the suburban Chicago hospital where my daughter will be born. It would be a breeze, I thought, approaching the tour as if I were on a fact-finding mission. First, examine the layouts of the labor and delivery and recovery areas, and then ask
Read more →Working as a press secretary means life in the fast lane, long days and being accessible at all hours. Add motherhood to that, and suddenly there’s not enough time in a day to get everything done, says Jennifer, my friend and colleague. Juggling two young girls, a
Read more →For the past 13 years, my cousin Laura has been a stay-at-home mom. As her four children have grown, the emotional hurdles of motherhood have changed, she says. But the biggest challenge continues to be her relationship with her husband. Here are more of her thoughts about
Read more →Laura, one of my oldest friends from college, left her job as a high-powered corporate attorney when her son was born nearly seven years ago. She launched a new career, as a full-time stay-at-home mom, and now celebrates two radiant children–a few years after her son was
Read more →My sister-in-law Barb, a K-12 teacher, is one of the most successful women I know–both on the career and parenting fronts. She is the mother of two thriving boys, with whom she stayed at home for four years before returning to the workplace. She recently agreed to
Read more →There’s a new book out that examines the struggles of modern-day motherhood, particularly those tied to our careers. TORN: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern Motherhood is an anthology of essays edited by Samantha Parent Walravens. I’ve not yet read the book, but
Read more →In a few days I’ll cross the third-trimester threshold, and my emotions are mixed. Part of me is eager for my daughter to arrive–a precious bundle of mini-me–so I can see what she looks like, so I can watch my husband and son embrace our new girl.
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