Series: Mothers Day isn’t enough (What I wish I knew)
I care because I want other moms to access the same resources I did | 3 min read
I love being a mom.
But when I became one, I was shocked by how little moms talked about what that first year was actually like.
So I’m doing what I wish more moms did for me: Being honest about it.
I spent so much time prepping for baby–the nursery, registry, and packing the ‘go bag.’
And not nearly enough time for what mattered. Here’s what I wish I focused on sooner:
- Understanding matrascence: Motherhood is a full identity shift, so it should be treated like one.
- Making a postpartum plan: Not just for baby, but for what I needed too.
- Knowing my rights: Don’t leave any benefits on the table, especially paid leave.
- Building my village early: Don’t wait until you’re already overwhelmed.
And here's what motherhood taught me:
- Trying to control everything made my anxiety worse: As someone who loves a plan, I quickly learned motherhood does NOT follow a schedule.
- No one has it all figured out: Even though it looks like they do online.
- Hard doesn’t mean I’m failing: It meant getting good at self-compassion.
- Asking for (and accepting) help is critical: Motherhood isn’t meant to be done alone.
- Becoming a mom changes everything: Identity, priorities, and relationships. All of it deserves attention.
My first year as a mom really pushed me. But it was by far the biggest period of growth in my life.
So I started documenting everything I learned and what actually helped–because I didn’t want other moms to be caught off guard.
2 months after my first Mother’s Day, I launched www.nancygohkelly.com to help new moms.
Here’s the post that showed me others cared about new moms too.
For the moms who are in the thick of it right now:
You’re not doing anything wrong. You’re just learning something completely new–with way less support than you deserve.
