# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Over 90 percent of new mothers will have scary, intrusive thoughts about their baby and themselves. What if I drop him? What if I snap and hurt my baby? Mothering is so hard. I don't know if I really want to do this anymore. Gosh, I'm so terrible for thinking that! Yet for too many mothers, those thoughts remain secret, hidden away in shame that make you feel even worse. But here's the good news: you CAN feel better!This Isn't What I Expected
Author Karen Kleiman, coauthor of the seminal book and founder of the acclaimed Postpartum Stress Center, comes to the aid of new mothers everywhere with a groundbreaking new source of hope, compassion, and expert help. Good Mothers Have Scary Thoughts is packed with world-class guidance, simple exercises, and nearly 50 stigma-busting cartoons from the viral #speakthesecret campaign that help new moms validate their feelings, share their fears, and start feeling better. Lighthearted yet serious, warm yet not sugary, and perfectly portioned for busy moms with full plates, Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts is the go-to resource for moms, partners, and families everywhere who need help with this difficult period.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts: A Healing Guide to the Secret Fears of New Mothers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts: A Healing Guide to the Secret Fears of New Mothers [Kleiman, Karen, McIntyre, Molly] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts: A Healing Guide to the Secret Fears of New Mothers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What About Us?: A New Parents Guide to Safeguarding You...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read 10 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. The demands of a new baby can test a couple's relationship like nothing else! When we facto...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Join a weekly online support group from your smartphone or computer. Share your story and connect with others.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Delco Perinatal Collective- Referral List (1) (1) 2

# data[].attributes.headline
Best Beginnings - Pediatric Physical Therapy, pre/postnatal Yoga, and Education for Parents

# data[].attributes.subject
Best Beginnings - Pediatric Physical Therapy, pre/postnatal Yoga, and Education for Parents

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
best beginnings wellness & yoga for mamas and babies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
best beginnings wellness provides prenatal yoga, postnatal yoga, & women-focused yoga, yoga-baby developmental play groups, wellness workshops for pregnancy, postpartum moms, infant-toddler, women’s health & mindful parenting, and pediatric therapy services to families on the Main Line, Mont

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Providing Reproductive Healthcare in The Greater Philadelphia Area

At Lifecycle, we believe deeply that the highest quality of care and the best health outcomes are achieved when trusted partnerships are fostered between clients and care providers. Our team of Certified Nurse Midwives, Nurse Practitioners, and Registered Nurses provide high-quality, inclusive, reproductive care that spans a lifetime, from adolescence through the post-menopausal years. We invite you to learn about our comprehensive services and programs.

Learn More About Us

"The super midwives at Lifecycle are nothing short of miracle workers. They are the true MVPs!"

"I cannot say enough great things about Lifecycle and hope to be back again in the future!"

"I'm eternally grateful to the staff of Lifecycle and would recommend their care to every pregnant person who desires to be respected and supported."

Learn about our Services

Prenatal Care & Resources

Offering A Variety of Prenatal Care & Resources in Bryn Mawr & Radnor, PA

For expectant parents in Bryn Mawr and Radnor, our care center provides comprehensive prenatal care tailored to each individual's needs. Our certified nurse-midwives are skilled professionals, dedicated to ensuring the health and well-being of both mother and child. If you're keen on preparing for the birth journey, consider our pregnancy classes near Philadelphia.

Radnor and Bryn Mawr are fortunate to have access to such a rich resource for prenatal care. With a passionate team of midwives and a warm, welcoming environment, Lifecycle is committed to supporting you every step of the way. We also offer a wealth of resources, from expert lactation consultation to helpful workshops, including our sought-after gynecological care and lactation consultant services near Philadelphia.

Leading Birth Center In The Area Since 1978

Leading Birth Center In The Area Since 1978

Since 1978, Lifecycle has been a preferred birth center in the Greater Philadelphia area. Our birthing center near Chester County stands as a testament to our dedication, offering a tranquil environment where parents can welcome their babies into the world under the expert care of our midwives.

Our birthing centers have been sanctuaries for countless families for nearly half a century. Our certified nurse-midwives ensure the safety and comfort of both parent and baby. As pioneers in birthing center practices in the region, our legacy is built on trust, expertise, and an unyielding commitment to reproductive health.

Gynecological Care

Do You Need Gynecological Care? Our Certified Nurse-Midwives Can Help

Gynecological care goes beyond annual check-ups. It's about understanding and nurturing the complexities of reproductive health. At Lifecycle in Delaware County, our certified nurse-midwives provide thorough and compassionate care, ensuring you feel comfortable and understood.

Our services are deeply rooted in understanding the individual needs of each client. Whether it's STI/STD testing near Philadelphia or guidance on reproductive health choices, our nurse-midwives in Delaware County ensure you receive holistic care.

At Lifecycle, we are honored to accompany you on this journey, providing midwifery-based care that respects your individuality. For those in the Greater Philadelphia area, our care center is a sanctuary where trusting relationships form the core of our approach. Embracing both modern science and time-honored wisdom, we ensure our clients feel heard, informed, and empowered.

If you are looking for an OBGYN care center in Philadelphia, consider partnering with our nurse practitioners and midwives. We are a hub of reproductive health expertise, dedicated to delivering top-notch care in an environment that cherishes the bond between our midwives and clients. From early reproductive health decisions to menopause management, Lifecycle stands by your side.

Why Trust LifeCycle for Gynecology?

Why Trust LifeCycle for Gynecology in Delaware County?

At the heart of Lifecycle is our unwavering commitment to reproductive health in Delaware County.

Our history speaks volumes: Established in 1978, we have decades of experience and expertise in the field of midwifery and gynecology.

Every member of our team, from our certified nurse-midwife to our administrative staff, is dedicated to providing exceptional care and creating a trusting environment.

As a leading provider in Delaware County, our range of services spans from prenatal care to gynecology services near Wayne, PA

We believe in empowering our clients, and ensuring they make informed decisions about their health.

When you choose Lifecycle, you're choosing a legacy of trust, respect, and unwavering dedication to reproductive health in the region.

OBGYN Care in The Philadelphia Area

Seek Out Our Nurse Practitioners & Midwives For Your OBGYN Care in Philadelphia

When you think of OBGYN needs in Philadelphia, think of Lifecycle. Our long-standing history and commitment to reproductive health make us more than just a care center. We're a community that nurtures and supports its members, offering care that respects and understands every patient's individual needs. With nurse practitioners and midwives providing leading OBGYN care near South Jersey, we ensure you have access to our trusted care.

Our legacy in Philadelphia, PA is built upon the foundation of trust, expertise, and the heartfelt care provided by our team. Whether you're from South Philly, Northeast Philadelphia, or any corner of the region, know that Lifecycle is here to stand by you. Reach out to us today to begin your journey with Lifecycle - your partner in every phase of your reproductive health journey.

By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and you consent to our placement of cookies on your device. x

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lifecycle WomanCare | Birth Center & Reproductive Healthcare | Bryn Mawr

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lifecycle delivers empowering, midwifery-based gynecologic & birth-oriented healthcare to clients in a trusting, caring, & respectful environment. If you're in need of prenatal care or resources in Bryn Mawr, Radnor, or Philadelphia, reach out to us today!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Karen Kleiman, MSW, LCSW, founder of The Postpartum Stress Center, LLC (postpartumstress.com), The Karen Kleiman Training Center, LLC, and well-known, international expert on the topic of postpartum depression and anxiety, has been treating pregnant and postpartum women and their families for over 36 years.

A native of Saint Louis, MO., Karen has lived in the Philadelphia area since 1982. In 1988 she founded The Postpartum Stress Center, the premier treatment and professional training center for prenatal and postpartum depression & anxiety.

In addition to her clinical practice, Karen provides advanced post-graduate training programs based on The Art of Holding Perinatal Women in Distress™ developed by Karen as an essential intervention for prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety. She also provides in-services for healthcare professionals as well as consultation and mentoring for therapists.

Follow The Postpartum Stress Center on IG @postpartumstress

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
This Isn't What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This Isn't What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression [Kleiman, Karen R., Raskin MD, Valerie Davis] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. This Isn't What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
A new way to think about the transition to motherhood | Alexandra Sacks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A new way to think about the transition to motherhood | Alexandra Sacks

# data[].attributes.headline
Tiny Transitions Sleep Coach - Ashlynn Wittman

# data[].attributes.subject
Tiny Transitions Sleep Coach - Ashlynn Wittman

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Hi, I'm Ashlynn! I'm based in Philadelphia, PA, where I live with my husband and preschool-age daughter. Before becoming a Certified Sleep Coach and Postpartum Doula, I spent over a decade working as a social worker specializing in maternal and child health.

My journey into sleep coaching began with my own struggles as a new mom. Like many parents, I vividly remember the early days of sleep deprivation-rocking my baby to sleep endlessly and feeling utterly exhausted. One day, while pumping and unable to pick up my fussing daughter, something unexpected happened: she fell asleep on her own. That moment was transformative for me. I realized that with the right tools and strategies-like age-appropriate wake windows and fostering independent sleep-things could get better. These changes improved not only my daughter's sleep but also my mental health and overall postpartum experience.

As a social worker, I've spent years supporting families during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives. Now, as a Certified Sleep Coach and Postpartum Doula, I bring that same gentle and holistic approach to helping parents navigate the challenges of early parenthood. I understand the exhaustion, overwhelm, and emotions that come with those first months (and years).

My goal is to empower families with the tools they need to set their children up for healthy sleep habits that will give them the gift of sleep for a lifetime. Whether you're a new parent struggling with sleepless nights or looking to create a foundation for better sleep & not-a-peep from that nursery, I'm here to guide and support you every step of the way. Together, we'll make your parenting journey a little easier-and a lot more restful! Let's Connect!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ashlynn Wittmann | Baby & Toddler Sleep Coach | Philadelphia, PA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Looking for a baby & toddler sleep consultant near you in Philadelphia, PA? Tiny Transitions is one of the most experienced companies, with over 200 5-star Google reviews. Learn More.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
pregnancy, postpartum, infants, providers in Philadelphia

# data[].attributes.body
Classes and Play Space!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Harmony Kids Playhouse is a musical and sensory family experience for young children, offering interactive play and engaging activities that foster creativity and development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Discussing the mental health challenges of the postpartum period has become far more accepted in recent years. But something we talk about a lot less is the holistic way in which new parents can change in the months-and years-following their babies' births. The word for this transition, first coined in the 1970s, is matrescence. Ahead, read about how understanding the term can help you embrace this period of transformation.

A term originally coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael in the mid-1970s, matrescence is essentially the process of becoming a mother. Aurélie Athan, PhD, a clinical psychologist and faculty member at Teachers College, Columbia University, revived the term for the modern era.

"I called for a developmental model of motherhood to normalize rather than pathologize the psychological transition women were experiencing, to ease suffering and finally shift the paradigm," Athan writes on her website. Since then, matrescence has spread from academia to the general public.

New parents can change in countless ways during the period of matrescence, and there are many individual differences in the way people experience it.

"The seismic shift happens in every slice of the human pie, biologically, psychologically, socially, economically, existentially, ecologically and spiritually," says Athan. At the same time that a mom's body might be undergoing postpartum hormonal changes, she might be questioning where she belongs socially. "You feel a lot like the first time you sat down in the cafeteria in high school and [you're] wondering, who are your people?" says Athan. Your relationships with your family and partner might also undergo a shift. At the same time, you might start to question your values and belief systems.

"It's much like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly," Athan says. "It undergoes a 'gooey' period in which there's a sense of a breakdown, just like in adolescence"-and you might come out a completely different person.

When Athan works with her clients, she says she often observes their shoulders drop in relief when they finally "get" the term. She says that just knowing about it can help new parents feel more understood. "I think because it's a process-oriented term, they understand it; we've all been through adolescence, and they understand that," she says. (And, yes, in many ways, matrescence is similar to the all-encompassing, transformative nature of adolescence.)

The simple truth is that giving a word to this often tumultuous and chaotic process can help new parents make sense of it, says Athan. "Words create worlds," she says. "They really do." While the concept is still relatively new, Athan says she'd love to see more pediatricians and ob-gyn clinics have in-house social workers or counselors to speak with new parents about the transition to motherhood.

The first step to successfully navigating matrescence is giving it a name, reiterates Athan, adding that being aware of the term helps her clients better express their feelings. "First and foremost, I experience the reduction of shame and stigma over how challenging [parenting] feels-and I don't think anybody can really know how challenging parenting is until they experience it," she says.

Matrescence coaching

If you need to reach out for maternal mental health support, matrescence coaching could be the right option for you.

Chelsea Robinson, MSW, LCSW, a clinical social worker and trauma therapist, conducts matrescence coaching, and says that clients in the first five years of parenthood often face major life transitions like returning to work or deciding whether to have another child. They feel burned out from doing it all, and might be experiencing mom guilt and general overwhelm, or they could be looking to find fulfillment in identities outside of being a mom.

"Matrescence coaching is not clinical therapy and is meant for top-level support," Robinson says. "It's actionable, solution-focused sessions intended to uplift, nurture and encourage any woman dedicated to processing her identity since she became a mother."

Athan says that matrescence is "lifelong in the sense that once you become a parent, you always forever will be," even as you go through different stages of parenthood and life.

"Just like any relationship, you grow and evolve and change, and then you have to-as a result-grow into a new shape together," Athan says. Robinson notes that for many new parents, acknowledging that matrescence is lifelong helps relieve some of the pressure. "They're able to acknowledge that their postpartum experience is part of something so much bigger, and that, indeed, this is only a season," she explains.

During the period of matrescence, a new parent might start asking big life questions and begin rethinking some of their previous choices and long-held beliefs. It's a fresh chapter that could lead you in a new life direction.

No matter what changes you go through, matrescence can feel like a completely new beginning and an opportunity to grow in profound ways. And the conversation around it is just getting started.

"When I started, there wasn't anything in the space other than taking your prenatal vitamin, thinking about how to set yourself off on the right developmental foot," Athan says. "This is just the beginning. I hope that the word can sort of just turn the light on."
Plus, more from The Bump:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is Matrescence? Definition, History

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is matrescence? How long does matrescence last? Do you need matrescence coaching? Learn what happens during matrescence, how to navigate it and more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
The Birth Trauma Mama - Talking all things birth trauma, babies and postpartum mental health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Talking all things birth trauma, babies and postpartum mental health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Motherhood is incredible. It's also incredibly challenging, especially with the high pressured, fast paced world we live in today. The Motherkind Podcast hosted by Motherkind founder and coach Zoe Blaskey, is on a mission to bring you some of the best wellbeing teachers in the world to help you find your calm, happy place in the madness of modern mum life. Each episode features a different teacher from the world of self-development and wellbeing or a mum on a path of self-enquiry. We cover everything from how to stay calm in a toddler meltdown, to dealing with anxiety, to self care and simple tools to help you have a better day.

Motherhood is incredible. It's also incredibly challenging, especially with the high pressured, fast paced world we live in today. The Motherkind Podcast hosted by Motherkind founder and coach Zoe Blaskey, is on a mission to bring you some of the best wellbeing teachers in the world to help you find your calm, happy place in the madness of modern mum life. Each episode features a different teacher from the world of self-development and wellbeing or a mum on a path of self-enquiry. We cover everything from how to stay calm in a toddler meltdown, to dealing with anxiety, to self care and simple tools to help you have a better day.

Great podcast

Zoe is really relatable, reassuring and has loads of great tips, love listening to this podcast! Becca

Love this Podcast

I listen to this podcast while I run it makes me feel so heard and much more confident in my motherhood journey. Zoe is amazing.

So helpful for mums!

This show is just brilliant. It helps me so much day to day when I'm feeling like I'm not doing enough as a mum. It helps me to realise I'm not alone and so much incredible advice!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
‎The Motherkind Podcast on Apple Podcasts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Motherhood is incredible. It's also incredibly challenging, especially with the high pressured, fast paced world we live in today. The Motherkind Podcast hosted by Motherkind founder and coach Zoe Blaskey, is on a mission to bring you some of the best wellbeing teachers in the world to help you find...

# data[].attributes.body
USE CODE - PHILLY and it's free!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Pacify app provides on-demand access to a nationwide network of maternal and pediatric experts, available for consultation 24/7 through video and audio visits.

Our providers hold the highest degrees in their fields and are there to help new parents on a wide range of issues at the touch of a button - no appointments, no waiting. Access is unlimited - we encourage you to connect with our experts as often as you need, anytime, anywhere. Our specialists provide consultations in English, Spanish, and French.

During pregnancy and beyond, Pacify experts help new parents with all of their questions:
Breastfeeding
Pumping
Sore nipples
Fevers
Rashes
Crying/colic
Gas
Teething
Sleeping
Earaches
Picky eating
Spit up
Even poop!

When it comes to a baby's health, parents need fast answers they can trust. Sign up now and connect instantly to top experts in pediatrics!

Pacify memberships are available for free through many employer family benefits, health plans, and public health programs across the country - ask your human resources manager, health advisor, or local WIC clinic if you qualify for a free Pacify membership!

*Pacify Health is committed to protecting your privacy. Provider consultations are always private, secure, and HIPAA compliant.

In addition to bug fixes and performance optimization, this release introduces:
* Eligible users will now have access to our Postpartum Doula Network, providing 24/7 on-demand support for new parents.
* Users will have the ability to opt-in or out of receiving text message updates from Pacify.

14 month success

Pacify is the best thing we could've done for our daughter. My husband and I are both nurses, but wanted to give up breastfeeding so many times. Each and every time we felt that way we reached out to the lactation consultants with this app and ended each call feeling reinvigorated to keep going. I am happy to say we made it 14 months on our breastfeeding journey and have a happy, healthy baby girl! Thank you to all the consultants and to the designers of this app- it worked every time without fail and gave us the opportunity to have the needed healthcare we normally do not have access to living in rural America.

Incredible LC support

As a first time mom navigating the challenges of breastfeeding, the pacify app has been one of my greatest resources. The ability to quickly speak to a lactation consultant is invaluable. In order to connect with someone through my hospital or doctors office or LC group, the process is always such a pain, but pacify allows you to have someone virtually on call anytime you need help. I've been able to quickly ask about latch issues, get advice for pumping, and just talk though changes in breastfeeding.

so worth it

This app is amazing and absolutely worth it! Ask your insurance company if they cover it but if they don't, rest assured that this is worth the money! The FaceTime hasn't been glitchy at all and the guidance and advice given has been so reassuring, and you need that as a new mommy sometimes! All babies are different. My first had none of these issues, so to experience issues now as a second time mom can be so nerve racking!! This app is a life saver in times of despair! Lol really tho

The developer, Pacify Health, indicated that the app's privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy.

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
‎The Pacify app provides on-demand access to a nationwide network of maternal and pediatric experts, available for consultation 24/7 through video and audio visits. Our providers hold the highest degrees in their fields and are there to help new parents on a wide range of issues at the touch of a b...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"If you've ever felt like you're the only one struggling with motherhood, this book is for you." -Eve Rodsky, New York Times bestselling author of Fair Play
From a maternal mental health specialist comes an empowering guide to help reshape your internalized expectations and beliefs around motherhood.
Every mom wants to be a good parent-but if you've found yourself burned out and overwhelmed trying to be "the perfect mom," you're not alone. "We get handed a rulebook of motherhood without realizing it," says Erica Djossa. "That rulebook comes with an invisible load-a world of mental and physical tasks that keeps us pushing toward perfection while barely being able to breathe." With Releasing the Mother Load, this renowned parenting specialist shares a guide to help you break free from the crushing burden of unrealistic expectations and reclaim the joy of motherhood while staying true to your own values.

As a therapist and the founder of the Momwell community, Erica has learned how many mothers from all backgrounds and walks of life feel trapped by modern motherhood. Here she dispels the falsehoods our culture has built around what it means to be a mom and shares practical, proven guidance for a more empowered approach to parenting, including:

* What is the Mother Load? Where our expectations come from and why they don't serve us or our children
* Making the Mother Load visible-the true emotional and physical cost of the many jobs, habits, and beliefs we carry
* Sharing the load-tools to establish strong boundaries, express your needs, and build a support system
* Practical techniques and scripts to help you create a healthy, balanced, and enriching approach to motherhood

"You can chart your own journey in a way that is freeing, feels right to you, and reignites passions and dreams that you thought had died when you began to put everyone else's needs first," says Erica Djossa. Here is a life-changing guide for developing a new vision of motherhood that lets you parent more freely and with greater fulfillment-so you can finally release the Mother Load.

Product Details

ISBN-13:

9781649632258

Publisher:

Sounds True, Incorporated

Publication date:

04/09/2024

Pages:

328

Sales rank:

160,010

Product dimensions:

6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Erica Djossa is the CEO and founder of Momwell, and a registered psychotherapist specializing in maternal mental health with over a decade of experience. She founded Momwell to set a standard of care for providers and ensure mom-centered, specialized mental health support at any stage of motherhood. She's been featured in Time magazine, USA Today, the Toronto Star, Cityline, Scary Mommy, PopSugar, and Romper. Her graphics have been shared by celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Ashley Graham, Hilaria Baldwin, and Christy Turlington. For more, visit momwell.com.

Editorial Reviews

If you've ever felt like you're the only one struggling with motherhood, this book is for you. Erica Djossa approaches the weight that modem moms feel with compassion, understanding, and a proactive method to breaking out from under it. You're not alone. You're not failing. And you don't have to carry the weight by yourself!" - Eve Rodsky, New York Times bestselling author of Fair Play

" Releasing the Mother Load highlights the way that parenting, and specifically mothering, has changed in recent decades and, even more drastically, since the pandemic. Erica Djossa shines the light on the invisible load and how big of an impact it has on maternal mental health. She also provides practical strategies for how to release that load and protect our self-esteem and well-being." - Becky Kennedy, PhD, clinical psychologist, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Good Inside, and CEO and founder of Good Inside

"Erica Djossa does an incredible job unveiling hard truths about mental labor in Releasing the Mother Load. Her ability to share impactful research, meaningful stories, and practical tools will leave the reader feeling validated and equipped to take off the backpack that gets handed to us when we become mothers, as she puts it. This book is for the mother who is trying to conceive, the pregnant mom, the first-time mom, veteran mom, or anyone impacted by the mental tasks fighting for space where there is no more to spare." - Ashurina Ream, PsyD, CEO and founder of Psyched Mommy

"Motherhood can be exhausting and overwhelming-but it doesn't have to be that way. Releasing the Mother Load is a practical tool that helps moms identify why they're struggling and let go of the things that hold them back." - Libby Ward, digital creator and maternal wellness advocate at @diaryofanhonestmom

"Erica Djossa offers a refreshing and much-needed take in Releasing the Mother Load, helping women and mothers understand the deep cultural origins of their burnout, how change starts inside, and what actionable steps they can take to nurture, not lose, themselves in motherhood." - Jill Koziol, cofounder and CEO of Motherly

"So much of motherhood self-help relies on check lists of self-care items that end up just being one more thing we as mothers feel guilty for not getting to. With Releasing the Mother Load, Erica Djossa does a masterful job at making mothers from all walks of life feel seen and paints a practical path forward that is compassionate and reachable. I recommend it for any mother or mother-to-be." - KC Davis, LPC, USA Today bestselling author of How to Keep House While Drowning

"Erica Djossa's new book is a thoughtful and straightforward guide to helping moms everywhere find their inner GPS-because Releasing the Mother Load is as much about letting go of unrealistic external expectations as it is about learning who you are and where your values come from." - Catherine Birndorf, MD, cofounder and CEO, The Motherhood Center of New York

From the Publisher

Customer Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Releasing the Mother Load: How to Carry Less and Enjoy Motherhood More|Hardcover

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"If you've ever felt like you're the only one struggling with motherhood, this book is for you." -Eve Rodsky, New York Times bestselling author of Fair PlayFrom a maternal mental health specialist comes an empowering guide to help...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Listen to Katayune Kaeni, Psy.D., PMH-C’s Mom and Mind podcast on Apple Podcasts.

# data[].attributes.body
Doula Services, Classes, PArent Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
BLOSSOMING BELLIES WHOLISTIC BIRTH SERVICES

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Blossoming Bellies | Just Tell Me What To Do

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This is your concise guide to what classes to take, what order to take them in, and how to best utilize Blossoming Bellies support in pregnancy and beyond.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
One of Forbes Best Books of 2020 - Real Simple 's Best Books of Fall -Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global Juliet's School of Possibilities-Alexis Jemal, JD, LCSW, assistant professor, Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College

"A hands-on strategy to divide tasks and achieve household harmony." - Publishers Weekly

"[An] impressive debut...Couples searching for ways to better manage their families and achieve a balance of domestic work will benefit from Rodsky's actionable strategy." Fair Play ] offers the right combination of venting and commiserating balanced by practical solutions and manageable approaches to tough conversations...poised to become a book-club favorite." - Booklist

"Rodsky's system, which uses task cards divided between partners, is potentially revolutionary and [ - BookPage - PopSugar

"Watch out for Eve Rodsky. Reese Witherspoon's media company, Hello Sunshine, has annointed her as the Marie Kondo of relationships, and we think they might be on to something." " Fair Play is a game-changing guide to reclaiming more time in our lives by dividing domestic work in a deceptively simple new way. As Eve Rodsky explains, the key is for each partner to take on the entirety of each task on their to-do list-from conception to planning to execution-to avoid the mental load falling on women and the conflicts that typically arise in a relationship. The Fair Play

"A must read for every busy woman out there." system of dealing virtual 'cards' to share the work it takes to run a household is revolutionary and can help you succeed and truly thrive in all aspects of your life!" Fair Play
, where Eve Rodsky makes the existing system visible and provides a clear path to build a new one that enables readers to focus on what their family values most."
"I'm so impressed with the Fair Play handbook. Not only did Eve break down every task that a couple is responsible for, but she managed to create a system where dividing those tasks is fun, insightful and gratifying. Her approach is filled with love, humor, wisdom and the idea that if we can work together and acknowledge each other's strengths and weaknesses, we can build better, stronger, and longer lasting relationships." -Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism "If your family is struggling to achieve a happy division of household labor, read this book. Fair Play offers practical tools for maximizing peace and minimizing resentment-while freeing up all parties to pursue their best lives." -Laura Vanderkam, author of I Know How She Does It and Fair Play
is what every busy parent needs to shed resentment, move beyond blame, and reconnect with each other. By easing the home burdens and working collaboratively, parents will find the key to a happier marriage and more family joy."
"There are three 'people' in every busy relationship: Person A, Person B, and the system that governs them. When things feel overwhelming, most people point at themselves or their partner to explain it, but more often than not the system itself is the problem. This is brilliantly illustrated in -Tovah Klein, PhD, director of the Barnard Center for Toddler Development and author of How Toddlers Thrive -Darby Saxbe, PhD, associate professor of psychology, University of Southern California -Sheryl Ziegler, MD, author of Mommy Burnout " Fair Play gives us permission to create our own values that introduce equity into our households, creating an equitable shift in domestic workload, and setting examples for our children: that is the revolution. Imagine what could be different about you, your relationships and the world, if we collectively decided to play fair." "I just want to thank Eve Rodsky, brave woman, for taking on the mental load...of solving the mental load. Fair Play isn't just a great idea...it's going to change cultural norms so that women can have equity at home and equality in the workplace. Yes, better division of laundry can help solve the pay gap!" -Lauren Brody, author of The Fifth Trimester

"Being a parent is hard; maintaining a happy marriage when children are young is even harder. Rodsky comes to the rescue for these rocky years!

"Eve Rodsky tackles the division of housework - a major source of conflict within many marriages-with a refreshingly clear, workable set of solutions that both partners can embrace."

"Eve Rodsky has created a new language and fresh conversation around the topic of doing it all, stressing out and losing ourselves and relationships in the process. Every page of this book has a take-away, a new idea of approaching a topic that has plagued parents for decades and has needed a plan."

Eve Rodsky received her BA from the University of Michigan, and her JD from Harvard Law School. After working in foundation management at J.P. Morgan, she founded the Philanthropy Advisory Group to advise families and charitable foundations on best practices. In her work with hundreds of families over a decade, she realized that her expertise in family mediation, strategy, and organizational management could be applied to a problem closer to home--a system for couples seeking balance, efficiency, and peace in their home. Rodsky was raised by a single mom in New York City and now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their three children. Fair Play is her first book.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live) (Reese's Book Club)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live) (Reese's Book Club) [Rodsky, Eve] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Marriage and parenthood are both incredibly rewarding but also incredibly difficult. What happens when it doesn't work out? When you take the path that's been set up as what you're "supposed to" and it doesn't end up as a fairytale, or even sustainable? Nobody told you about that possibility? Us either.
We're here to shed some light on the undiscussed business that is life after divorce. We will be discussing and dissecting the ins and outs of blending families with our combined: 5 marriages, 12 children and 80+ years of life experience.
If you find yourself: marking divorced as your marital status, navigating the world of dating as a parent, attempting to build a relationship or trying to figure out step-parenting roles with your partner's children, confused or even ashamed about feelings that show up for you in any of these spaces; this is the podcast for you.

Marriage and parenthood are both incredibly rewarding but also incredibly difficult. What happens when it doesn't work out? When you take the path that's been set up as what you're "supposed to" and it doesn't end up as a fairytale, or even sustainable? Nobody told you about that possibility? Us either.
We're here to shed some light on the undiscussed business that is life after divorce. We will be discussing and dissecting the ins and outs of blending families with our combined: 5 marriages, 12 children and 80+ years of life experience.
If you find yourself: marking divorced as your marital status, navigating the world of dating as a parent, attempting to build a relationship or trying to figure out step-parenting roles with your partner's children, confused or even ashamed about feelings that show up for you in any of these spaces; this is the podcast for you.

A treasure!

A rare and vulnerable insight into the journey of motherhood in a blended family. A validating listen and powerful tool in bridging gaps and building empathy. I've shared with a few non-divorced friends to help them see me and it's been wonderful! Thanks for creating a beautiful space ladies!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Marriage and parenthood are both incredibly rewarding but also incredibly difficult. What happens when it doesn't work out? When you take the path that's been set up as what you're "supposed to" and it doesn't end up as a fairytale, or even sustainable? Nobody told you about that possibility? Us eit...

# data[].attributes.headline
Confident Parenting - Education and Coaching

# data[].attributes.subject
Confident Parenting - Education and Coaching

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Confident Parenting consists of a team of award-winning sleep, potty-training and behavior consultants as well as a comprehensive network of experts and resources for all your parenting needs. Born in 2011, our mission is to be your village of support as you navigate your parenting journey.

Our sleep, potty-training, mealtime, behavior , & transition services are available virtually for families in any location.

"[I] contacted her to help me with my daughter, who was pee pee potty trained for almost a year but putting on a pull-up to poop and for bedtime. After one phone call she helped us solve both issues."

"Within days of implementing Erica's suggestions, our son was putting himself to sleep in his crib and sleeping through the night."

"Within 72 hours of implementing your strategies to help her poop on the potty she was over her fears and the whole family could laugh about the term "poop door."

"Our son would normally scream for about 20 minutes each night in his crib before he fell asleep...within two nights he fell asleep with less than 5 min of crying - AMAZING!!"

To make life easier for you, Confident Parenting has gathered a network of partner resources providing virtual and in-person education and support for the challenges growing families face. Whether you are a first time parent or veteran, a traditional or alternative family, it takes a village and you can build yours here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Confident Parenting | Sleep | Potty Training | Behavior Support

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Confident Parenting offers sleep training, potty training, behavior support, and picky eating support. Virtual and in-office services available.

# data[].attributes.body
Individual and group therapy & trainings for therapists that work with perinatal clients!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Our Center | The Postpartum Stress Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Postpartum Stress Center now offers exclusively virtual counseling services to men, women and couples in addition to our expertise in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
FAIR PLAY makes the invisible care work historically held by women visible, inspiring a more balanced future for all.

For anyone who has ever thought, "I have no time for myself" or "This isn't the career and marriage combo deal I thought I'd have" -Eve Rodsky has been there.

In the film, inspired by Rodsky's New York Times best-selling book Fair Play, Eve takes us on her journey to change the unfair work dynamic in her own home and in society at large. By following three families on their own journeys to find balance at home, we see how even the smallest fights around dirty dishes are actually linked to systemic issues affecting millions of families across the globe.

Written, produced, and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom ( Miss Representation, The Mask You Live In) and in partnership with Hello Sunshine, FAIR PLAY features experts including Melinda French Gates and the US Representative from California's 45th district, Katie Porter. FAIR PLAY demonstrates how private lives are public issues. By making the invisible care work historically held by women visible, FAIR PLAY inspires a more equitable and intentionally balanced future.

Available on digital platforms in the U.S.

Available on digital platforms in the U.S.

Fair Play Newsletter

Sign up for exclusive essays from Eve, access to the cards, giveaways and more!

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

** Please check your 'Promotions' tab or spam folder if you don't receive your welcome email from us

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
FAIR PLAY makes the invisible care work historically held by women visible, inspiring a more balanced future for all. For anyone who has ever thought, "I have no time for myself" or "This isn't the career and marriage combo deal I thought I'd have" -Eve Rodsky has been there.

# data[].attributes.body
Brianna Dawson, MSN, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Brianna Dawson, an American Credentialing Center board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner, is the owner of Behavioral Wellness for Women. Our mission is to offer compassionate, holistic mental health care to women during and after the perinatal period.

With over eight years of experience in various mental health settings, Brianna earned her Master of Science in Nursing from DeSales University in 2021. She has taught nursing students at multiple universities in the Philadelphia area and values an integrative, personalized approach to care, considering each individual's background and life experience.

Brianna believes in providing individualized care that addresses biological, psychological, and environmental factors, emphasizing collaboration between patient and provider for the best outcomes. She stays current on integrative approaches and enjoys self-development through books, spending time with her cat Shawna, and exercising at the barre studio. Brianna is dedicated to supporting you on your path to wellness!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Postpartum Mental Health Care | Behavioral Wellness for Women - Behavioral Wellness for Women

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore compassionate postpartum mental health care at Behavioral Wellness for Women.

# data[].attributes.headline
Restore Physical Therapy / Pelvic Health / Doula Services / Birth Education

# data[].attributes.subject
Restore Physical Therapy / Pelvic Health / Doula Services / Birth Education

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.alternative_text
Restore Physical Therapy / Pelvic Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Restore Physical Therapy and Pelvic Health was created with the intent to provide true individualized one on one services to Philadelphia, Main Line, and surrounding suburbs. Whether it is pelvic floor physical therapy, pregnancy and postpartum preparation, or orthopedic injury rehab, all sessions are to be "all about you" and without having to share your visit with multiple other patients. Time is of the essence and it is vital to take care of your health and well-being so you can pour 100% into your family, job, and activities that you love.

​

Looking to receive these services from the safety of your home?
Check out our At-Home Treatment options!

ROOT REBALANCE RESTORE

For pelvic floor dysfunction or orthopedic and pregnancy pain, we use our three step framework to address your individual needs so you can return to your every day activities, exercises, and hobbies with confidence!

Getting to the ROOT cause

We understand that pelvic floor dysfunction and orthopedic pain is difficult to live with. No condition is too small or insignificant. If it means something to you, it is worth being evaluated! We are premier pelvic health, perinatal, and orthopedic rehab providers in Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties and treat conditions not limited to:

Orthopedic Conditions Involving Tissues and Joints Of:

Pelvic Floor Related Conditions:

Have concerns? Please do not hesitate to tell us!

Bottom line: we want you to feel safe and supported during every visit. If there is anything we can do to make your environment and experience more comfortable on an individual basis, we are happy to hear your concerns and accommodate you the best that we can.

See below for contact information.

"Victoria was kind, thoughtful, and personable when it came to my one on one care. She made me feel comfortable with my pelvic floor examination and explained why I am having back pain in a way that I could easily understand. I always brushed my back pain off, so it was a breath of fresh air to know how I can address it with the exercises she showed me and the therapy she can provide for me in the future. I highly recommend Restore Physical Therapy and Pelvic Health because it is an investment in myself to become pain-free with the best quality of care!"

-Kari P.

"I decided to contact Dr. Clement to do some preventative work because I plan to lift heavier weights in the gym soon and I've heard that some athletes have trouble controlling their bladders when lifting. I know that I don't want that problem! After having me do some simple movements and stances, she talked me through some easy measures that I can practice. In the process, she also eased some low back and shoulder pain.

​

Dr. Clement was so professional and helpful during the session and thoughtfully provided me with a full evaluation and next steps to practice on my own. I highly recommend her whether you're hoping to solve or prevent an issue."

-Christine D.

GIVE THE GIFT OF HEALTH

Gift Cards

Have a loved one who's in need of Physical Therapy, yet hesitant to seek better health?

Gift them a visit, maybe even three, and let them see the benefits of Restoring their floor and more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy | Restore Physical Therapy and Pelvic Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Restore Physical Therapy and Pelvic Health provides a blend of orthopedic and pelvic floor physical therapy in the form of mobile concierge services at your own home. These specialty services are optimal in regard to treating prenatal and postpartum individuals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Here is the english version of my now famous "Fallait demander" ; now available as a book with other stories : Orders available here or here or here ^_^ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mental-Load-Feminist-Comic/dp/1609809181/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529672809&sr=8-1&keywords=the+mental+load Thanks Una from unadtranslation.com for the translation :)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Connect with women who are at a similar stage in life-from fertility, pregnancy and motherhood through to menopause.

Peanut provides access to a community who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice.

Fertility

Pregnancy

Motherhood

Menopause

Community

We envision a world where no woman has to navigate life alone. Where they have a safe space to find friendship and be vulnerable.

Meet

Discover women nearby who are at a similar stage in life.

Groups

Join groups and find communities with common interests.

Share

Ask questions, get advice and share stories across meaningful topics.

Pods

Join live audio conversations hosted by experts.

Peanut means a network, it means meeting new women who are going through your same experiences, it means supporting one another through this wonderful adventure!
Alice P.

It's so easy to navigate and before I knew it, I was messaging one of my neighbors and planning a big meetup.
Emily M.

I love the Peanut app! I met my best friend who lives directly across the street. I would never have met her if it weren't for this app!
Kristen P.

I wish I knew about Peanut sooner, as it's so important to surround yourself with women who understand during those overwhelming moments of womanhood.
Lydia M.

I mean, seriously, genius, and so fun! I've been using the app for a few weeks and have already been able to connect with several awesome women that are within a local distance from me.
Madison H.

While a number of online groups already exist-Peanut is far more customized.

Peanut is a welcome sign that change is afoot, and the internet is finally growing up.

A space where women can seek advice and support from those on similar journeys.

Want to meet women like you?

Download Peanut to connect with women at a similar stage in life.

Scan the QR code
and join the app

Trusted by 3M+ women

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you're navigating fertility, pregnancy, motherhood or menopause, Peanut is a safe space to ask questions, find support and connect with other women.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
T here is a reason we mothers like to talk. And talk and talk and laugh and connect and share and unburden. It's a common source of light-hearted teasing that us females are chatterboxes and it's completely true. We do this in cafes, in the supermarket, on the phone, on Facebook, in coffee groups, to strangers in baby clothing stores. There is a deeply ingrained, biological reason we talk so much and this reason is behind why mothers often feel so unsure, lack confidence and crave human, adult contact: we have a deep primal need to be around a bunch of other women and chat, share, learn, cry, lean, sympathise, assist, love, be loved. We don't get nearly enough chances to do that these days.

Biologically (and physiologically) we are exactly the same as our ancestors were 30,000 years ago. Society has changed, cultural values and expectations have changed - very drastically. But our hard-wired function as women and as mothers remains the same. In this new world, we have socially out-evolved our biology.

Or, to put it simply, our brains think we're still living in caves.

Up until the last hundred or so years, women have always lived in extended family groups - at the very least you'd have had one set of parents living with you, not to mention being very community orientated; close with your neighbours, church group, women's guild. These women were kin, they formed the village. We are meant to group together - it's the nature of our species and especially our gender. We are meant to parent together, with other mums, with elders and sisters and aunts and cousins who pass on wisdom and help us every day, through everything. We are meant to have been there with these other women, watching, assisting, from a young age as they first had their children - this is how we learnt. We are not, ever, supposed to have done this alone.

But unfortunately this sense of community, this "village" we instinctively crave is just not fashionable these days. We have somehow socially evolved far beyond our biological mainframe and we now isolate ourselves as women and as mothers. We live in tiny family units instead of clans, where we are often the only adult female - we are matriarch and novice all in one. We are usually the prime caregiver, outnumbered by several children who, historically, would have been raised communally by the other women around us. To exacerbate matters, we choose to (or need to) also work away from the home, then feel guilty for having to do so. We are full time mums and full time workers, chefs, cleaners, problem solvers, babysitters, negotiators. We try and do the work of a village on our own, feeling a sense of failure and setting standards for ourselves that are unattainable in this modern paradigm.

In the village we didn't need to read endless parenting books; we had the on-hand guidance of generations of experts. In the village we never had to face challenging situations on our own; we were backed by a league of our kin who knew just what to do. In the village, we were cared for postpartum and when we were sick and if we were tired the kids would be scooped away by a sister or an aunt so that we could rest. We understood each other's needs, as women, as mothers, and in the village we responded.
In the village, our children were taught traditions and culture by the large group of mother-figures around them. They were nurtured, physically and emotionally, in a comprehensive support network. There was always someone to care for them, even if Mum needed some time out. Children in this village were recipients of a rich, multi-generational heritage on a much larger scale than the fragmented family units we find ourselves in these days.

So, in the aftermath of the village, in this modern world of motherhood that has somehow snuck up on us, this is what we're left with:

1. Parenting in isolation, without the continuous support of generations of experts around us. No wonder this has lead to -

2. Higher rates of postnatal depression and an increase in the use of associated medication, which of course leaves us mums with -

3. Overwhelming feelings of loneliness, confusion and a sense of failure. We have ongoing -

4. Quests for knowledge, but don't know where to look or what advice to trust. And so we feel -

5. Guilt, fear and anxiety at our own ability as mothers. Above all, is sheer -

6. Exhaustion.

We have replaced the village with a single entity: Ourselves. We have replaced the women around us with an empty room. We were never ready for this loss, for this quite sudden and devastating shift towards "modern parenting".

In the aftermath of the village, like any apocalyptic event, there is a whole new normal we have to adapt to.
How do we know where to start?

Let us be your village.

Because we've made one, here.

__________
Bibliography
Best Practice Journal: Postnatal depression

Small, M. F (1998). Our Babies, Ourselves: how biology and culture shape the way we parent. Random House: Anchor Books.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Finding the village: being a mother in this isolated world

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are meant to group together as women - it's the nature of our species and especially our gender. We are not, ever, supposed to have done this alone.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In our case, our village grew when my sister moved nearby. In addition to being adored by our daughter, I trust her completely - two essential characteristics for anyone in your village. Suddenly, we could enjoy the occasional date night and life was transformed. In time, we found a few friends and settled into our new community.

In fact, my husband and I did eventually get a weekend away by ourselves. About a year and a half into parenthood, I coordinated the trip with my mom's visit from out of state.

Not having a village taught me a few things. I got firsthand knowledge about how lonely motherhood could be. I learned that I couldn't be friends with just any mom I met, but that I needed to make a new friend who just happened to be a mom (much harder to do). By contrast, I also learned the real value in being able to get away when you have the kind of support every mom needs. Time away is replenishing.

Ultimately, I learned that when you don't have a big family, you have to venture out with your baby on your own. In doing so, perhaps we village-lacking moms can find one another and be there in the ways we'd like to have someone be there for us.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's true, it takes a village-but not all of us have one

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There are 3 am moments in the darkness dancing with your baby.
You have never felt lonelier.
There are moments when your child throws themselves onto the floor of the grocery store full of emotion and you sit down with them as the world stares.
You feel like an anomaly.
There are instances surrounded by other mothers discussing how they left their babies to cry to sleep.
You wonder where in the world you fit anymore.
We have lost our village

The world has never been smaller, and it has never been easier to connect with people online, in an instant or a moment.

We send messages to family and friends far away as quickly as we can blink.

Yet mothers today have never felt so distant from one another. We live in an age and society where the village that was once a staple in our communities has all but disintegrated.

We are a generation of parents who have the world at our fingertips, and the freedom to choose and change when the tide calls us.

But, we are also a generation of parents adrift from the support we so vitally need to raise our children. For anyone with kids, it doesn't take long to understand why they say it takes a village to raise a child.

Yet we look around at our empty streets, our locked doors, our lonely nights, and wonder where that village has gone.

We live in a time where individualism is prized over collectivism, in a society that puts profits before people. We are individually drowning in to-do lists, each too overwhelmed or overscheduled to help our neighbours or families with theirs.

The work of raising children has become ours to carry alone, as nuclear families now often live many miles or timezones from the support of the community that once shared the enormity of child-rearing. Grandparents are working longer and longer, robbing them of their freedom to support the raising of their grandchildren.

Parents find themselves trying to be 'the village' - but it is not a sustainable role for one or two people alone.

It takes a village to raise a child

We know that when a community of supportive adults provides care for our children it helps them build a strong social and emotional support system. While a strong attachment to the primary caregiver is what sets our children up to flourish, the more accustomed our children become to healthy connections around them, the more self-confidence and trust they have in the world. They naturally grow up more empathetic and resilient, reducing many other risk factors, such as depression & anxiety, etc.

When we look back through human history we see that children have always been raised cooperatively, and in some cultures they still are, but this is no longer the norm in the west.

Darcia Narvaez PhD, Professor of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame and founder of the Evolved Nest outreach programme tells us "during the period of rapid brain development that is the first years of life, babies and young children need rapid attention to their needs for comfort, affection and play. It's too much for one person, so our species evolved a village of care"

Children didn't have just their main caregivers taking care of their every need, they used to have many alloparents, all of whom had a pivotal role in the care and upbringing of the children in the community. We have come so far away from this in the west. Dr Narvaez advocates for the return to allomothering as one of her nine components to "re-nest" our children and restore the kinship we so vitally need for ourselves and our children.

In times gone by, extended families were integral to the raising of children; the holding, minding, and even feeding of babies as well as the care and support of the new parents. Until relatively recent times, we lived close to parents, grandparents, and siblings who were the support we needed to raise our children.

This has drastically changed in recent years and so many families are raising their children alone with only one or two parents, and very little other support. We don't even need to discuss the plight of those new parents who were isolated through a worldwide pandemic to understand how incredibly hard it is to raise small children alone.

This is not the way we evolved to be parents

Our brains and biology are no different from our ancestors who roamed the plains years ago. Women of the tribe were then the community that raised everyone's children. Our society has changed at lightning speed, and our values and expectations have socially out-evolved our biology.

Historically we learned how to mother through the guidance of our village. We were guided and held generation by generation by those who had come before us.

Wisdom was passed from grandmother to mother to daughter. We grew up in societies where we witnessed babies and children being cared for from a young age; this watching and witnessing became our imprint when the time came for us to bear our own children.

Nowadays it is rare to have any experience of a baby until we have one ourselves.

Women were naturally cared for in the postpartum period by a nurturing network of mother figures around them, until a time they fully recovered. If we were sick or needed to rest there were people on hand to care for our children.

Nowadays mothers more often than not have to carry on and pick themselves up. Bounce back. Lose the baby weight. Get back to "normal". Mothers now so often feel they are failing their children and themselves by not being able to juggle it all and do it all.

We were never meant to do this alone

It seems almost intuitive that a pinnacle study from the 1980s by researchers at the University of Washington concluded what we are all now experiencing: "Mothers without strong support from a community had higher levels of stress, and mothers with higher levels of stress were more worn down and pessimistic about parenting." On the flip side, they found that "mothers with strong support from their communities had lower levels of stress and were more content about parenting." So why have we come so far from what we need?

Societal structure has changed enormously even from our own parents' generation. It used to be enough that one parent could work to support the family yet now in the west it seems we have no choice but for both parents to be earning money just to get by.

"We need to get back to a communal ethic... Women now have to play an equivalent economic role in society, but no one has stepped up to share the emotional responsibility in motherhood. Since the Second World War, this is the hardest time to be a mother. With the increasing neo-liberalisation of the economy and rising inequality, people have increased pressures that make it very difficult to be a parent."

The age of retirement has increased meaning our parents are at their 9-5 rather than around to help us raise our children. Social media has pushed us online and out of touch with our communities on the ground.

We live in one of the safest times in history to raise kids as Lenore Skenazy, author of Free Range Kids says "It's a healthy and lovely time for children to be alive and for parents to revel in that, and instead we're more afraid than ever". Yet, with the rise of 24-hour access to news and information, we've become more suspicious, and more afraid to let our children play freely in our neighbourhoods. It only takes walking around a suburban street to witness the disappearance of children playing together outside.

"The problem with a society devoted to zero risk is that kids grow up overprotected and under-socialised. They miss out on the thrilling experience of fending for themselves, crucial in forging confidence. They miss out on learning to assess risk and dealing with minimal danger without constantly deferring to an authority."

Lenore Skenazy

We're letting our differences divide us

Not only do we find ourselves adrift geographically we're also becoming more adrift from one another as parents. With the rise of the internet we live in an information age, which can be a blessing and a curse; the sheer amount of information and the level of contradiction can create and amplify a divide between parents.

For those parents who have chosen a more natural and nurturing path in a bid to return to how we're evolutionarily designed to parent, the mass of information on behavioural-based sleep training and traditional punishment techniques can leave you feeling lost, ungrounded, and unsure of your place in the world.

It can feel confronting when friends who were in your community before having children choose to parent with the grain as you choose to go against it. You can find yourself isolated in your choices, unsure where to turn to share the ups and downs of parenthood.

It is common for mothers who breastfeed through the night, co-sleep, and choose more nurturing practices to be at the end of constant questions as to when they might cease these practices or field suggestions that they are creating 'a rod for their own back'.

Visits to the community support we do have such as, Maternal Child Health Nurses or GPs can turn into a discussion on how your baby is sleeping as the barometer of how you and they are thriving in this new parent/child relationship. It is now common practice for paediatricians to push sleep training and independent sleeping before many mothers and fathers are ready, and definitely, before our infants are biologically ready. This can lead you to isolate yourself more, to hide what you're doing as a family, and to stop asking for help when the only answer you get is to sleep train your child.

Ironically, we no longer value individual choice in this individualised society unless that choice is the same as everyone else's, supports the system, and gives more power to institutions. We no longer seem to be able to support other parents unless they choose to parent exactly like us. Social media and news algorithms are creating a myopic, unrealistic, tunnel-vision view of our world. We're fed what the algorithm believes we want to see to keep us scrolling, to keep us clicking. Cancel culture fuels the fear of disagreement and we're in danger of losing the ability for healthy debate, the sign of a functioning society.

Where has this led us?

Parenting without our village has led us to constantly try to fix the child so the parent can continue to do it all, alone. Sleep training and traditional discipline techniques are inadequate (and inappropriate) answers to the lack of support. We have increasing rates of postpartum mental health issues driven by the lack of rest, the lack of choice, and the lack of support.

We seek our information from so-called online "experts" as we lack guidance from a multigenerational support network, which used to show us how to trust our intuition. We are drowning in guilt, fear and anxiety about our abilities as parents, as few of us have had the opportunity to spend any time with young infants until we become parents ourselves.

We are becoming more isolated than ever, we look outside of ourselves, and we try to fix our children more than ever before. We have transitioned so quickly to this modern state of parenthood that we are still reeling from finding ourselves here alone and unable to find our way back to the village we long for.

What is the answer?

How do we create a village when there is no longer a village?

How do we find a community, a place where we can share openly and honestly about the highs and the lows of parenthood, a place free from judgement?

How can we mind our well-being while also raising children without our village?

How can we stop blaming ourselves and overcome the struggles of modern parenthood, caused by a societal structure that no longer allows the village to exist?
There is no denying that there needs to be a massive cultural shift in how motherhood and parenthood are valued in our society, and this shift feels as though it is on its way, but in the meantime what do we do and how do we become part of this shift?
1. Remember, you didn't create this

Remind yourself that you have not created this situation, it is no fault of your own that you are caring for your children without support. This is a much wider societal and generational issue. You are doing the absolute best you can with what you have.

2. Care for yourself

We cannot show up as the parent our children need, nor can we shift this paradigm of parents carrying it all if we martyr ourselves. We absolutely must take the time and moments to do things that fill us up. This can be as simple as going for a walk in the forest with your child. Having a cup of tea alone in the garden before your baby awakes. Taking care of ourselves doesn't have to be grand gestures but to change the narrative we must start by making small changes ourselves. What small things can you do for yourself today?

3. Ask for help

We are all as busy as one another, yet we all in our hearts want to help and support others. With the constant posting of the highlights reel of our lives to social media, people can be mistaken in thinking that we are doing just fine. We need to start asking for the support we need, from partners, friends, from our community. We must open ourselves to others, inviting them in to help where we need and be unafraid to ask for support. Most people would love to help, most people just do not know how. Here's a blog post I wrote about that very topic: Here's How to Help a New Mother (Especially When She Doesn't Ask)

4. Get involved in your community

Cultivate connections in your local community, join a book club, or a homeschooling community, and find a community that shares your values. Find a place you can take your children along to. If this doesn't exist in your community is there some way you can be the first to begin?

5. Simplify your life

Start by cutting out all that isn't important. Don't overcommit, slow down in this parenting season. Where can you shift priorities to take on less? Can you make simple dinners, and order takeout once a week? Do your children need to do activities every day of the week, can you carve out time just at home doing less? I've written many blog posts about this topic as I believe simplicity is the secret sauce you need to be a conscious parent. Start with this post and then this one.

Community is coming
Change is on its way.
As women, mothers, and parents, we were never meant to do this alone.

We were meant to be supporting each other, laughing with one another, crying with each other, and holding one another up, the way it has been done for millennia.

We're supposed to be supported and nurtured during and after pregnancy.
When we become mothers we're meant to be held by those who have gone before us.
We need to start asking for the support we deserve and may need get creative about how we find our village in the absence of the familial village we once knew. It might now look like paying for help; a doula, a babysitter, a cleaner, or sharing childcare and playdates with a trusted friend. We can create it ourselves if we think outside of the box.

You will find your people, you will find yourself in motherhood once the intensity of babyhood transitions into childhood. There are places to find a like-minded community that will hear and support you through the choices you make as a parent.

And coming in early 2023, the Raised Good membership community is being created for just that. A place for you to feel seen and heard. A resting place for natural parents to find their tribe, their village, and their friends. Click here to learn more and join the waitlist to be the first to find out more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
It Takes a Village to Raise a Mother - Raised Good

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It takes a village to raise a child...and also a mother. We've lost the village. It's time to recreate it. Here's how to get started.

# data[].attributes.headline
How to do Laundry When you are Depressed

# data[].attributes.subject
How to do Laundry When you are Depressed

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to do laundry when you're depressed | KC Davis | TEDxMileHigh

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Mothers aren't supposed to be angry. Still, Minna Dubin was an angry mom: exhausted by the grueling, thankless work of full-time parenting and feeling her career slip away, she would find herself screaming at her child or exploding at her husband.

When Dubin pushed past her shame and talked with other mothers about how she was feeling, she realized that she was far from alone. Mom Rage is Dubin's groundbreaking work of reportage about an unspoken crisis of anger sweeping the country-and the world. She finds that while a specific instance of rage might be triggered by something as simple as a child who won't tie her shoes, the roots of the anger go far deeper, from the unequal burden of childcare shouldered by moms to the flattening of women's identities once they have kids. Drawing on insights from moms across the spectrum of race, sexual orientation, and class, she offers practical tools to help readers disarm their rage in the moment, while never losing sight of the broader social change we need to stop raging for good.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mom Rage: The Everyday Crisis of Modern Motherhood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mom Rage: The Everyday Crisis of Modern Motherhood [Dubin, Minna] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Mom Rage: The Everyday Crisis of Modern Motherhood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Momwell Podcast (formerly known as Happy as a Mother) is hosted by Erica Djossa, MA. We tackle the biggest issues moms face, including the mental load of motherhood, Mom Rage, postpartum mental health, and more. Listen now!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hear from motherhood experts, doctors, therapists, pediatricians, lactation consultants, and more as we focus on putting moms back on the priority list.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
‎Mindful Mamas is an all-encompassing mental wellness app designed to address the unique challenges of motherhood. Created by a mom with expertise as a licensed family psychologist, Mindful Mamas includes self-directed emotional wellness tools such as mindfulness, meditation and self-care support. Ma…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Insight Timer - #1 Free Meditation App for Sleep, Relax & More

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The best meditation app with the world’s largest FREE library of more than 190k guided meditations, 17k teachers & the world’s most loved meditation Timer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Main Line Family Education provides evidence-based education, support, and community for parents-to-be, young families, and anyone interested in learning life-saving CPR skills.

We are based 15 miles outside Philadelphia, in Devon, Pennsylvania. Classes are offered in-person in our Devon studio, virtually via Zoom, or on-demand via our website at a time that's convenient for you. Our team of experts are specialized in the various class topics that they teach, and each live class is kept small to provide a more personalized educational experience.

At MLFEd we recognize that every pregnancy, birth, and family is unique. We offer small group classes, private classes at your location or ours, one-on-one new parent support and the opportunity to connect with other families. It truly does "take a village" and we'd love to be a part of yours!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pregnancy, Parenthood, and CPR Classes - Main Line Family Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We offer personalized education for pregnancy, parenthood, and CPR. Join us in-person in Devon, PA or virtually.

# data[].attributes.headline
Main Line Health Women's Emotional Wellness Center

# data[].attributes.subject
Main Line Health Women's Emotional Wellness Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Week-by week newsletters, expert advice and inspiring ideas to help you rock that #momlife.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Our community

get access to a supportive community, events online and in-person, discount codes and giveaways.

Supporting moms

(online + in-person) so they can thrive.

WHY Does vgmc exist?

Recent brain research indicates that birth to age fiveare the most important years in a child's development. However, mothers frequently report feeling their worst during those early parenting years! Between the sleep deprivation, identity changes, hormonal shifts, isolation, marital struggles, work challenges, and the mental load of starting a family, our society does not set up mothers to thrive. Very Good Mothers Club exists to solve this problem. We are here to help mothers feel their best while they do so much for everyone else.

Listen

Very Good Enough Podcast

Very Good is a moving target, but we think you can be a very good (enough) parent if you love your kid, try hard and do your best to repair your mistakes. Join mother of three Jess Hover and preschool teacher Layne Deyling Cherland as we swap stories of toddler penis pride and backward diapers, celebrate the days in between celebrations and answers listener questions every week.

"I love this sweatshirt so much. The quality is amazing and I get compliments every time I wear it!"
- Jodi D.

VGMC College Crewneck

"I love that VGMC has something for the whole family. My husband loved this Dad Club tee"
- Emma A.

Dad Club Tee

Group Coaching during pregnancy

Our group coaching program is designed to help you feel confident, connected, and secure as your baby arrives.

Happier Mother Coaching Call

With Jessica Hover

If you are in need of more personalized support and would like to book a 60 minute coaching call with Jessica Hover, we would love to help.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Very Good Mothers Club is a community and business for parents, babies and kids. Started by mom-and-nanny-BFF-duo, Jessica Hover and Becca Prins. Gift boxes for pregnant women and women and parents who are postpartum.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "This book is a gift! I've been practicing their strategies, and it's a total game-changer."-Brené Brown, PhD, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Dare to Lead NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BOOKRIOT Burnout

This groundbreaking book explains why women experience burnout differently than men-and provides a simple, science-based plan to help women minimize stress, manage emotions, and live a more joyful life.
Burnout. Many women in America have experienced it. What's expected of women and what it's really like to be a woman in today's world are two very different things-and women exhaust themselves trying to close the gap between them. How can you "love your body" when every magazine cover has ten diet tips for becoming "your best self"? How do you "lean in" at work when you're already operating at 110 percent and aren't recognized for it? How can you live happily and healthily in a sexist world that is constantly telling you you're too fat, too needy, too noisy, and too selfish?

Sisters Emily Nagoski, PhD, and Amelia Nagoski, DMA, are here to help end the cycle of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Instead of asking us to ignore the very real obstacles and societal pressures that stand between women and well-being, they explain with compassion and optimism what we're up against-and show us how to fight back. In these pages you'll learn

* what you can do to complete the biological stress cycle-and return your body to a state of relaxation
* how to manage the "monitor" in your brain that regulates the emotion of frustration
* how the Bikini Industrial Complex makes it difficult for women to love their bodies-and how to defend yourself against it
* why rest, human connection, and befriending your inner critic are keys to recovering and preventing burnout

With the help of eye-opening science, prescriptive advice, and helpful worksheets and exercises, all women will find something transformative in these pages-and will be empowered to create positive change. Emily and Amelia aren't here to preach the broad platitudes of expensive self-care or insist that we strive for the impossible goal of "having it all." Instead, they tell us that we are enough, just as we are-and that wellness, true wellness, is within our reach.

is the gold standard of self-help books, delivering cutting-edge science with energy, empathy, and wit. The authors know exactly what's going on inside your frazzled brain and body, and exactly what you can do to fix it. . . . Truly life-changing." -Sarah Knight, New York Times bestselling author of Calm the F*ck Down

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle [Nagoski PhD, Emily, Nagoski DMA, Amelia] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Perinatal Mental Services | Counseling and Therapy | Reading, PA 19608

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Everlasting Wellness LLC provides client centered counseling in Reading, Pennsylvania. Call today for Anxiety, Postpartum, OCD & more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Postpartum Support Group

Every new parent deserves to feel seen, heard and supported. Whether you are a client of KOPD or a memeber of the wider community, you are welcome to join us for postpartum support.

While we new topics each week, we also value helping you through open forum discussion opportunities. Come to the group to bond with others in a similar phase of life, while being supported by professional doulas.

We meet In-Person every Tuesday night at 6:00 in our office and virtually every Monday via ZOOM from 10:00am - 11:00am.

There is no time limit on your postpartum journey. If you have had a baby and feel you would benefit from support or if you have support to offer others, please join us. Feel free to share this link with your friends and community. We can't wait to see you there!

Enter your email below to receive the ZOOM link.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Join our Support Groups - King of Prussia Doulas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Every new parent deserves to feel seen, heard and supported. Whether you are a client of KOPD or a memeber of the wider community, you are welcome to join us for postpartum support. While we new topics each week, we also value helping you through open forum discussion opportunities.

# data[].attributes.body
How to support your partner at home and divide the mental load.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tips for Husbands: Transforming House Chores into Team Work #chores #divisionoflabor

# data[].attributes.headline
Main Line Health - After Baby Connections

# data[].attributes.subject
Main Line Health - After Baby Connections

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Support and Connections for New Moms at MLFEd

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Is your new role as a mom a lot more challenging than you expected? Meet other new moms who “get it” in this interactive class led by Dr. Beth Krause.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mom’s Discussion Group - Support Group in Media, PA, 19063 | Nora Rose Anger

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mom’s Discussion Group - Support Group hosted by Nora Rose Anger in Media, PA, 19063, (610) 364-5743, Join other moms experiencing the same season as you in a group therapy setting. We will cover topics such as mom guilt, comparison thinking, realistic self care, anxiety and boundaries. This group is 4 weeks long and helps build connection among moms so you don’t feel alone on your motherhood journey.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Grown Up Dad explores what it means to be a good dad today.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
My name is Scott. I enjoy sports, reading, movies and TV shows. Most of my spare time is dedicated to my family, which includes two young boys. I am also a fan of pro wrestling (old and new).

When I became a father it was a game changer for me that brought joy that is hard to put into words. However, because of the challenges I experienced, I love helping men adjust in their role as a dad. Some of those issues include finding where they belong in the family now and how to function on less sleep and more irritability.

They often feel like they're failing when communicating more or trying to be more involved as a father. These new dads may struggle with their needs being less important within the family. They understand why, but it doesn't feel good. Sometimes this leads to depression, anxiety, anger, and substance abuse.

That all said, I have found that people often may even delay becoming a parent. The delay often comes from fearing failure while wanting to be perfect (not in a healthy way). So if you are worried about the prospects of becoming a parent then you are not alone.

Many years in supporting those with severe mental illness, addiction, and painful memories have shown me how difficult it is for people to make changes in their lives. I have learned that change occurs in gradual steps.

Looking at my background, Kutztown University is where I earned a Bachelor's degree (Psychology). From there, I obtained my Master's degree at Immaculata University (Counseling Psychology). I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with certifications as an addictions counselor (CAADC) along with trauma therapy (CCTP) as well. I am a member of Postpartum Support International (PSI), which is an organization that provides education, supports, and services that benefits new parents.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
My name is Scott. I enjoy sports, reading, movies and TV shows. Most of my spare time is dedicated to my family, which includes two young boys. I am also a fan of pro wrestling (old and new).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Hey there, buddy! So, let's talk about becoming a dad, shall we? It's a game-changer, no doubt about it. Suddenly, your whole adult life takes a wild turn. Now, here's the thing: most of us aren't exactly experts when we jump into fatherhood. It's like going on this crazy adventure that stretches us in all sorts of unexpected ways. We're trying to juggle the demands of our partners, kids, and jobs, and it can get pretty complex.

But here's the kicker: sometimes, our own experiences and needs get overlooked. Those friendships we relied on before? Yeah, they can start feeling distant or even out of reach. And the emotional support we used to get from our partners? Well, that can go out the window when there's a baby in the picture. It's like we're left feeling all alone right when we need the most help. Tough, huh?

But fear not! We've got your back. With a little courage and some good support, we can totally tackle these challenges head-on. That's where this group comes in. We're here to help you navigate the early stages of fatherhood. You'll get support from both your fellow dads and an expert who knows his stuff. Together we can grow into mature fathers and leaders. How cool is that?

So, if you're ready to step up your dad game and face those challenges with a little help from your friends, join our group. We've got your back, my friend. Let's do this!

If you're interested in joining this group, fill out this form and we'll be in touch soon: https://forms.gle/DsssnfbDve84ZZ1v9

When

The group will meet weekly from September 13-November 8, 2023 on Wednesdays from 6:30-8 p.m. There is no group meeting on October 4.

Cost

The cost for attending this 8-session group is $520.

Who Can Join?

The group will include 5 to 8 men and the leader. It is open to all men who are becoming fathers. You're welcome if: you are trying to decide whether or not you want kids, you're in the process of trying to have a child, your partner is pregnant, and even if you have a child in the early years of life.

Group members should have a willingness to examine their interpersonal behaviors, share parts of their private lives, and give and receive supportive feedback from a small supportive group.

How to Join?

If you're interested in joining this group, please complete this form >>

Outline

Week 1 - Becoming a Dad

All of us enter fatherhood carrying a set of assumptions, hopes, and expectations. Some of us enter fatherhood begrudgingly, fearing the loss of our independence. Others of us want to correct the ways our own fathers raised us for the sake of our children. And others of us feel excited about building our own family.

Whatever your hopes and expectations, we'll spend this session discussing what it means for each of us to become a father.

Week 2 - A Changing Partnership

Before having a child, men often fear the loss of their relationships, the loss of attention from their partners, and often the potential loss of sex. After having a child, the disorientation makes it hard to even make sense of these questions.

This week we talk about our fears and hopes around how our marriages/partnerships will change after the birth of a child and the reality of how they are changing.

Week 3 - Friendship and Isolation

It's often not just that life is busier after having a child, but old friends have moved away, responsibilities at work have increased, and in our free time we often want to sleep or just be alone in our man caves. While it seems women quickly group up into moms' groups and yoga classes, men often find themselves increasingly isolated at the exact moment when deeper friendships matter the most.

This week we'll talk about isolation in fatherhood and the importance of sustaining meaningful friendships with other men.

Week 4 - Changes in Health and Body and Caring for Yourself

The birth of a first child often occurs at the same time as other bodily changes for men. We can begin to develop a "dad bod." Changes in metabolism mean lower energy levels and weight gain. We can be more fatigued and don't feel as attractive as we once were. Sexual desire and function also change as we age.

This week we'll talk about ways that each of us finds to care for ourselves amidst the challenges of fatherhood.

Week 5 - Parenting Style and the Role of the Father

Parenting styles vary widely between cultures and family backgrounds. Traditional stereotypes often have mothers nurturing and protecting their children, while fathers help kids leave the nest and become independent.

What is your parenting style, why do you have it, and what does that mean for you, your partner, and your kids?

Week 6 - Responsibility, Self-Sacrifice, Frustration Tolerance, and How to Get Your Own Needs Met

Taking on the responsibility of becoming a parent involves a tremendous amount of self-sacrifice. This sacrifice is not simply not getting enough sleep or not having enough time to yourself, it is a willingness to let go of what you want and need, to tolerate frustration for the sake of others in your life, particularly your children. And different from other sacrifices, it just doesn't seem to end.

This week, we'll focus on how to get your own needs met and how to manage things when others' needs are more important than your own.

Week 7 - Your Family in the Center: Managing Family Boundaries and In-laws

This week focuses on boundaries. While you undoubtedly have already had conflicts with your in-laws (or your partner has, with your parents), the birth of a child creates a new necessity for rethinking boundaries. One developmental task of a new family is how to establish a membrane around you and your family that is permeable to some relatives but not others.

Week 8 - Being a father

This is our last session. We will reflect together on the topics covered during the last 7 weeks and what remains to be explored.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hey there, buddy! So, let's talk about becoming a dad, shall we? It's a game-changer, no doubt about it. Suddenly, your whole adult life takes a wild turn. Now, here's the thing: most of us aren't exactly experts when we jump into fatherhood.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Searching for that parenthood balance so when our kids are old they look back and say, "yeah, my dad (or mom) was awesome," however we get there. And while we love our kids unconditionally, that doesn't mean we're wimpy pushover dads who have lost every shred of dignity and respect in the home. Let's find that balance together. We are Max Valverde and Matt Naylor. We are MILKLESS.

Searching for that parenthood balance so when our kids are old they look back and say, "yeah, my dad (or mom) was awesome," however we get there. And while we love our kids unconditionally, that doesn't mean we're wimpy pushover dads who have lost every shred of dignity and respect in the home. Let's find that balance together. We are Max Valverde and Matt Naylor. We are MILKLESS.

I want to hang out with these guys

This podcast is my new favorite thing. As a dad who tries hard to be a good parent, but also gets annoyed with his kids, and also likes to swear, this podcast feels like coming home. It's so fun, and I wish we could hang out in person and share stories about fatherhood. Must listen!

Favorite thing to listen to

The only podcast that makes me laugh out loud!

Real. Funny. Full of heart.

Matt and Max make you feel like you're part of the conversation. They care about the work and the thought and intention necessary to be a parent. They're curious and open to being wrong. Getting to hear them share ideas, learnings, failures and successes with each other is something all parents (especially dad's) need more of these days. Keep 'em coming guys!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Searching for that parenthood balance so when our kids are old they look back and say, "yeah, my dad (or mom) was awesome," however we get there. And while we love our kids unconditionally, that doesn't mean we're wimpy pushover dads who have lost every shred of dignity and respect in the home.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Monday - Thursday:
9:00am- 5:00pm

Friday:
9am - 7:00pm * BYOB & pizza night starts at 4pm on Fridays (Please check our calendar or give us a call for up to date open play hours as we occasionally use Friday evenings for reschedule parties.

Saturday & Sunday: Private Parties
Hours Vary. Please check out our our social media IG/ Facebook @luluscasita or give us a call for specific hours on each day.

6 Cricket Avenue
Ardmore, PA 19003

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Daily Admission ● $12 - first child / $10 each additional child / $1 extra adult one adult included with paying child walk-ins are welcome * SOCKS are REQUIRED for ADULTS to enter play area * MembershipsMonthly Membership$80 per month Unlimited play for all children in family Expires 30 days after first visitPriority registration for Events Six-month Membership $70 per month/6 months Unlimited play for all children in family Priority registration for events 10% off all base birthday packages Complimentary ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pricing for Special events - these vary from $15-35 for the first child’s online reservation. Prices vary depending on what is included (character visits, food, drinks, special themes with crafts or favors.) Siblings of the same household are $10 at the door and ALL adults are $5 at the door effective March 4th 2023 for all special events.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A 75 minute class suitable for those who are experienced or new to yoga and at any stage of pregnancy. Our prenatal yoga classes aim to contribute to a more comfortable pregnancy and to prepare the body for birth and motherhood. Yoga is a great way to practice listening to intuition, using breath to bring steadiness, and learning about yourself. We will explore all of those things, but of course the best part of prenatal yoga is being able to spend time with other mamas, sharing resources, and lending support.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A 75 minute class suitable for those who are experienced or new to yoga and at any stage of pregnancy. Our prenatal yoga classes aim to contribute to a more comfortable pregnancy and to prepare the body for birth and motherhood.

# data[].attributes.body
Local music class for infants - toddler aged kiddos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Zumbini With Tai

Media, PA

ZUMBINI INSTRUCTOR SINCE:

August, 2019

LICENSED TO TEACH

Zumbini
Zumbini for Schools

ABOUT ME

Hello, I'm Miss Tai, and I invite you to join me on a musical adventure that began three years ago when I created a special class for my eldest son. Singing has been my passion since the age of 5, and music has played an undeniable role in shaping my life. Seeking something unique to kindle my son's musical curiosity, I underwent training with @zumbiniofficial, little knowing that this program would evolve into something truly extraordinary!

This past summer, a remarkable 82 families were part of my program, and the overwhelming love for the class has profoundly humbled me! My ultimate goal is to establish a music program where your child can not only nurture their musical skills but also build confidence and thrive. Drawing from years of experience teaching art therapy programs, group classes, and individual lessons across various age groups, I've personally witnessed how music can transform children's personalities and positively impact their developmental skills.

I'm eagerly anticipating the opportunity for you and your child to be part of the enriching experience of fun, education, and joy that my program brings to families. Join me in 2024 and discover the transformative power of music for you and your child. I am genuinely excited to meet you! 🎶✨

CONTACT INFO

+4844413880
[email protected]

UPCOMING CLASSES

No Upcoming classes posted.&nbsp Contact Zumbini &nbspto be notified when they post a new class

UPCOMING/SINGLE DEMO CLASSES

Cafe Sphere
25 East State St, Media, PA, US

Cafe Sphere
25 East State St, Media, PA, US

Cafe Sphere
25 East State St, Media, PA, US

Cafe Sphere
25 East State St, Media, PA, US

Cafe Sphere
25 East State St, Media, PA, US

ZUMBINI INSTRUCTOR SINCE:

August, 2019

LICENSED TO TEACH

Zumbini
Zumbini for Schools

ABOUT ME

Hello, I'm Miss Tai, and I invite you to join me on a musical adventure that began three years ago when I created a special class for my eldest son. Singing has been my passion since the age of 5, and music has played an undeniable role in shaping my life. Seeking something unique to kindle my son's musical curiosity, I underwent training with @zumbiniofficial, little knowing that this program would evolve into something truly extraordinary!

This past summer, a remarkable 82 families were part of my program, and the overwhelming love for the class has profoundly humbled me! My ultimate goal is to establish a music program where your child can not only nurture their musical skills but also build confidence and thrive. Drawing from years of experience teaching art therapy programs, group classes, and individual lessons across various age groups, I've personally witnessed how music can transform children's personalities and positively impact their developmental skills.

I'm eagerly anticipating the opportunity for you and your child to be part of the enriching experience of fun, education, and joy that my program brings to families. Join me in 2024 and discover the transformative power of music for you and your child. I am genuinely excited to meet you! 🎶✨

CONTACT INFO

+4844413880
[email protected]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
August, 2019 Zumbini Zumbini for Schools Hello, I'm Miss Tai, and I invite you to join me on a musical adventure that began three years ago when I created a special class for my eldest son. Singing has been my passion since the age of 5, and music has played an undeniable role in shaping my life.

# data[].attributes.body
Lovely coffee shop with an awesome little play area for toddlers :)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to Cafesphere, your new destination in Media, PA for peace, love, and coffee! As you step inside, you'll enjoy the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, instantly wrapping you in a cozy embrace. The soft lighting and good vibes create a relaxing ambiance, perfect for both solitude and socializing.

When you arrive, our friendly baristas are ready to welcome you with a smile. Trained in the art of Italian coffee, they are eager to prepare your perfect cup with beans sourced from local roaster Ox Coffee. Not a coffee drinker? Choose from our menu of fair trade and organic looseleaf teas. Whether you prefer a classic espresso or a matcha latte, our baristas offer a delightful and personalized coffee experience.

The interior of Cafesphere exudes modern European charm. Cozy nooks and comfortable seating arrangements are scattered throughout the bi-level coffeeshop, providing ample space to relax, work, or engage in lively conversation. Large windows and skylights bathe the space in natural light, adding a touch of openness and tranquility. Our walls are adorned with work from local artists, creating a vibrant atmosphere that showcases the talents of the community. The couches by the fireplace offer a snug spot on colder days, while the roof deck patio beckons you to enjoy the views of bustling State Street. There is even space for the little ones to play "coffeeshop" in the "Minisphere" located on the mezzanine.

At Cafesphere, we take pride in our commitment to sustainability. From the eco-friendly cups and utensils to the ethically sourced beans, every aspect of the coffee shop reflects a dedication to minimizing our environmental footprint. We believe in supporting local farmers, bakers, and artisans, incorporating organic and locally sourced ingredients into our selection of pastries and snacks.

Whether you're seeking a peaceful refuge for solitary contemplation, a vibrant hub for social interaction, or simply a place to savor a delicious cup of coffee, Cafesphere is where comfort and camaraderie converge. We look forward to serving you!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to Cafesphere, your new destination in Media, PA for peace, love, and coffee! As you step inside, you'll enjoy the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, instantly wrapping you in a cozy embrace. The soft lighting and good vibes create a relaxing ambiance, perfect for both solitude and socializing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Locations - Moms Fitness Groups - FIT4MOM® Upper Main Line

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find the FIT4MOM fitness group closest to you, and sign up for your first fitness class today!

# data[].attributes.body
Outdoor Play Group

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Muddy Buddies of Media. 182 likes · 61 talking about this. A nature based stay and play group for caregivers and their young children in Media, PA.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Fierce, timely, unflinching." - New York Times Book Review

"If this book feels like it's sounding the alarm on the state of American motherhood, well, that's because it is." - San Francisco Chronicle

"Journalist Grose weaves together history, memoir and interviews with hundreds of women to persuasively propose a saner future for all." - People

"In the all-too-timely Screaming on the Inside , Jessica Grose is direct and bracing in her assessment of how horrifically the United States serves its mothers and, in turn, its children. Enraging and elucidating, it's also a pleasure to read." - Rebecca Traister, author of Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger and writer-at-large for New York Magazine and The Cut

"Like every mom, I, too, have screamed on the inside (and sometimes on the outside) while raising my four kids. I just want to do a good job-but that can feel like the impossible dream at times. Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood helps us understand how mothers got to this place of outsized expectations from society and from ourselves. Jessica Grose has spent a career talking with experts and parents and has now mined her wealth of knowledge to write a book that is long overdue." - Soledad O'Brien

"Eminently readable...It takes a succinct and accessible book to open a conversation with people who may not otherwise read a book 'about motherhood'.... Vindicates the frustration of American mothers, but is as crucial a read for those who have never changed a diaper in their lives." - Boston Globe

"This is the rare book that is both important for how we think about policy solutions to serious social problems, and also incredibly relatable and hard to put down." - Emily Oster, author of Expecting Better , Cribsheet and The Family Firm

"This is the book I've been waiting for on contemporary motherhood: historically rooted, incisive, empathic, furious, while always asking how we actually move forward. If you think Screaming on the Inside is just a book for moms, you're very wrong." - Anne Helen Petersen, author of Out of the Office and Can't Even and writer of Culture Study

"Grose's fiery compassion is matched by her profoundly complex understanding of the material and her trenchant, witty prose.... A deeply researched and highly relatable analysis of American motherhood, past and present."
- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Stirring. ...Mothers struggling to keep their heads above water will find camaraderie in this empathetic outing." - Publishers Weekly

"It's hard to imagine a mother (or other) who won't feel seen somewhere in Grose's accessible, empathetic, data-driven report." - Booklist

"Melding personal narrative with clear-eyes reportage from the front lines, [Grose] works to redefine what exactly a 'mother' is, or should be, in a society that demands so much more from its childbearing women than it has to offer." - Los Angeles Times

"[Grose] breaks down all the expectations and leaves behind an analysis that will surely free any mother of the burden of doing it all." - Shondaland

"Compelling, razor-sharp, and deeply personal." - Christian Science Monitor

Jessica Grose is an opinion writer at The New York Times who writes a popular newsletter on parenting . Jess was the founding editor of Lenny, the email newsletter and website. She also writes about women's health, culture, politics and grizzly bears. She was named one of LinkedIn's Next Wave top professionals 35 and under in 2016 and a Glamour "Game Changer" in 2020 for her coverage of parenting in the pandemic. She is the author of the novels Soulmates and Sad Desk Salad. She was formerly a senior editor at Slate, and an editor at Jezebel. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, New York, the Washington Post, Businessweek, Elle, Cosmopolitan , and many other publications. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughters.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood [Grose, Jessica] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
feel connected and supported with our new parent resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our community offerings & new parent resources will help you feel supported through the shared experience of parenting. It does take a village!

# data[].attributes.headline
A Body Full of Stars - Female Rage and My Passage into Motherhood

# data[].attributes.subject
A Body Full of Stars - Female Rage and My Passage into Motherhood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"If you or someone you love is experiencing postpartum depression, pick up this book. The isolation the author felt after the birth of her child made her realize how little acknowledgement society gives to the mental burdens placed on new moms." -Kaitlyn Pirie, Good Housekeeping Real Simple , a Best Book of the Year

"In this honest memoir, May recounts how she came to feel connected with her body again. It's a moving work for new moms about a subject that is often overlooked in conversations about postpartum depression." - Business of Being Born

"What a beautiful, heart-filled, and honest account of motherhood and womanhood overall. We need more brave voices like Molly Caro May's." -Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake, creators of The and authors of Your Best Birth PureWow The Rumpus

"Her brutally honest account is both deeply personal and comfortingly universal. She doesn't shy away from the pain-emotional, physical, cultural, generational-of what she calls her 'passage into motherhood' . . . Her best, clearest, most lyrical writing practically dances off the page when she's describing her love for her daughter." - Bustle

"Oh, you thought motherhood was all sweetness and light? Then this book is here, finally, to set you straight . . . I have never read anything so honest about the transition into motherhood before . . . Everyone who reads this book will also benefit from a generous, accurate, and hopeful story that ends not with a happily ever after but with honesty, dignity, and strength in the face of life's ongoing challenges, whether we are mothering our children, or just ourselves." - Book Riot

"Grapples with questions of love, grief, and healing as she undergoes several unexpected health issues after the birth of her first child." -Kerri Jarema, Kirkus Reviews

"May's writing is intensely, beautifully visceral and she brings a new perspective to the postpartum period." - Pregnancy & Newborn

"In this raw and lyrical book, the author holds nothing back. From the blinding rages to the blackest emotional abysses, she records all with an eloquence that is both powerful and restorative . . . A searingly eloquent memoir." - Mama Glow

"Her healing memoir unabashedly begins a long-neglected conversation about postpartum rage and the power of reconnecting with your body that many a mom will appreciate." - Poor Your Soul

"If there was ever a person who could express through her tender use of language, the pain, upset and rage that so many new mothers feel in the dark, it's Molly Caro-May." - New York Times

"Radiant. Bursting with wisdom and wit, raw with honesty, full of the truth. This book is nothing short of remarkable, life affirming, and breathtaking." -Mira Ptacin, author of bestselling author of This Is Not The Story You Think It Is...

"This book is an ancient call from our first mothers to connect to our bodies-for our own good and for the good of humanity. Through sharing her fierce and shattering story, Molly May goes straight to the pelvis of female rage and echoes the legacy of the sacred feminine. It is healing, illuminated." -Laura Munson, Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters: How the Quest for Perfection Harms Young Women

"This is the biggest story of humanity that is rarely told-the way in which birth isn't just the passage for our existence on the planet, but how it breaks, transforms, and emboldens women worldwide. Molly May's unflinching telling of her own rage and reconstitution after birth is beyond brave. It's paradigm-shifting." -Courtney E. Martin, author of

A rallying cry for women who want both to understand the complex mental and physical transformations mothers often undergo after giving birth, and to reclaim their connection to their postpartum bodies

10-15% of mothers will experience postpartum depression, anxiety, and anger, and more online/social media support groups, blogs, and essays are bringing these important issues into mainstream conversation; May's personal experience will resonate in these communities and build empathy for and understanding around these issues of women's health

The perfect memoir pairing for book clubs and women's groups reading Tami Lynn Kent's Wild Feminine: Finding Power, Spirit & Joy in the Female Body (9781582702841)

Recommended for support groups dedicated to postpartum depression, anxiety and rage, as well as postpartum physical rehabilitation and pelvic health and healing

$15,000 marketing and publicity budget

Printed ARCs, as well as digital ARCs available on Edelweiss

Giveaways on major mom blogs, Facebook groups, and Goodreads

"Body Full of Stars" t-shirts and "New Mom kits"

Exploring promotions with women's health organizations, postpartum depression awareness organizations, and parenting sites

Events throughout Montana (Bozeman, Livingston, Missoula), Portland (ME), New York City, Chicago, San Francisco

Possible appearances at BinderCon, Los Angeles Times Book Festival

Seeking coverage in national long-lead magazines such as Elle, O, Marie Claire and Glamour; psychology/science publications (New York Magazine's "The Cut," Psychology Today), wellness + health publications (Women's Health, Spirituality & Health), feminist publications and podcasts (Bitch, Bust, Ms.; Call Your Girlfriend, BinderCast), parenting publications (Parents, Parenting, Fit Pregnancy), top parenting blogs (Babble, Scary Mommy, Mother) and parenting podcasts (The Longest Shortest Time)

Coverage throughout Montana (NPR's The Write Question, Montana Magazine, Montana Parent)

Original essay placement on the anger (not just sadness) following postpartum women in New York Times (Motherlode), parenting magazines (Parents), women's online forums (Jezebel, Goop, Lenny Letter)

National network morning television programming, including ABC's Good Morning America and NBC's TODAY

National broadcast radio and podcast coverage (Fresh Air, Weekend Edition, Morning Edition, The Takeaway, To the Best of Our Knowledge, The Write Question)

Widespread outreach to librarians and book clubs (especially those targeted to new parents)

Author is on Facebook at Molly May; author is on Instagram at mollycaromay; promotion through author website at www.mollycaromay.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Body Full of Stars: Female Rage and My Passage into Motherhood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Amazon.com: Body Full of Stars: Female Rage and My Passage into Motherhood: 9781619024892: May, Molly Caro: Books

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It was a familiar scene in my office, where I practice as a clinical psychiatrist. The well-dressed woman sat across from me with a worried furrow between her brows.

"Doctor, my husband and children say I get too angry," she said. "I have trouble controlling my temper. Do you think I have bipolar disorder?"

After a thorough evaluation, I concluded that my patient's verbal outbursts and tendency to throw dishes didn't stem from a severe mood disorder, but from uncontrollable anxiety. My patient was surprised. Perhaps you are, too.

Anxiety since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with at least 40 million U.S. adults currently affected by at least one anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. As such, it's more important than ever to recognize possible consequences of these issues, and the possible causes behind them. One of the most misunderstood relationships is between anxiety and angry outbursts .

Anxiety disorders come in different shapes and sizes. Nonetheless, all of the examples below can produce enough fear and angst to interfere with the sufferer's daily quality of life.

But while fear and anger can be closely related, they are not the same emotion. Although anger can sometimes lead to anxiety, our focus here is on the opposite, where fear is the underlying emotion and aggression is the behavior.

Research backs up the claim that anxiety can lead to anger. Jesse Cougle, a professor of psychology at Florida State University, and his team the frequency of aggression across several different anxiety disorders, according to research published in the journal Depression and Anxiety. The researchers found elevated anger levels across all anxiety disorders.

There are several possible reasons for this link. For one, the very experience of anxiety is a type of emotional arousal that can be distressing. In other words, people with anxiety might have a tendency to overreact in general.

"When someone cuts them off in traffic or when there's a perceived slight or an inconvenience - these can lead to anger because they're already in a distressed and aroused state," says Cougle.

Another possible cause might include the temptation to push aside the anxious feelings. "When you avoid feelings you don't deal with them so well. Just avoiding anxiety - not acknowledging it because it's too scary - can result in the anger building up until it's uncontrollable and it explodes," says Schneier.

One first line of defense is to be aware of negative emotions. It's important for the "anxry" sufferer to be aware of their thoughts - particularly spiraling, catastrophic thoughts. This is where cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) comes in. The therapist can help the patient view thoughts differently and adjust their behavior.

"CBT approaches are useful for self-monitoring of anxious and angry thoughts and impulses," says Schneier. "[It's about] using the anger as information to either address the underlying conflict or calm oneself so it doesn't get out of hand."

Because people with "anxry" are more likely to drop out of treatment than those with anxiety alone, in some cases treatment should target both halves of the equation.

"We have treatments that are not focused on a single diagnosis. [...] They are trying to reduce things like 'negative affectivity,' a broad construct that both anger and anxiety have in common," adds Cougle.

Of course anger is associated with many other disorders including depression, bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder, to name a few. Teasing out underlying anxiety can be difficult - both for the sufferer caught in the heat of the moment, and for their loved ones. The consequences of "anxry" are often frightening, so seeking professional diagnosis and treatment can bring much needed relief.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Happens When Anxiety Turns to Anger

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's tempting to think of anxiety and anger as entirely separate emotions, but the strong link between them might surprise you.

# data[].attributes.headline
I'll Show Myself Out - Humorous and relatable book about motherhood

# data[].attributes.subject
I'll Show Myself Out - Humorous and relatable book about motherhood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"A laugh-out-loud book of essays. . . . strikes gold. . . . Klein's comedic sensibilities and abundant care for women make her the ideal writer to square off against the obligations and judgments placed on mothers. . . . an instant classic." - Glamour

"Jessi Klein is back with an unflinchingly honest and hilarious memoir about navigating the absurdly high expectations of being both a mom and a woman. . . . I'll Show Myself Out will not only make you laugh but also, and most importantly, think, 'Hmm, so it's not just me.'" - Shondaland

"Jessi Klein has yet again 'delivered' (and yes I'm using that in the messy motherhood-pun way-I'm not the writer) a collection of the most relatable, achingly raw, and stunningly human essays I have read about the mess of motherhood and this chapter of life since her last collection. And... they are of course hilarious. THANK YOU JESSI for this gift. Please read it, mothers. It is nourishment." - Kathryn Hahn

"Jessi Klein's essay collection spoke to the deepest part of my soul and being. Her framing of motherhood as a 'hero's journey' made me weep from feeling seen. I also howled with laughter so many times I was politely asked to leave a restaurant. It's a perfect book."
- Casey Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of The Wreckage of My Presence

" I'll Show Myself Out is so pee-in-the-pants funny, I made sure to wear period underwear while reading it. Insanely smart and wildly relatable, Jessi Klein's highly anticipated second book is the most entertaining thing I've read in a long time." Ali Wong, New York Times
- bestselling author of Dear Girls

"Jessi Klein has once again arrived with a collection of essays so familiar to me, it's like she has been directly inside my brain. Smart, bold, and uproariously funny. It's a 10/10 from me." - Kate Baer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Kind of Woman and I Hope This Finds You Well

"[Klein] is gifted at turning the day-to-day minutiae into comedy gold, while simultaneously pulling back to lend commentary (often searing commentary) on the larger picture. A lot of her writing reminds me of David Sedaris, the way you find yourself laughing your ass off as you read along, and then suddenly you're like why is my heart in my throat ?" - Jenny Rosenstrach, New York Times bestselling author of The Weekday Vegetarians and Dinner: A Love Story

"Klein isn't here to make motherhood look pretty, but she ends up making it look pretty great in the truest sense of the word, mixing laughs with poignancy and treating heavy topics with a brightening kind of honesty." - Booklist

Praise for You'll Grow Out of It: "A book like Jessi Klein's YOU'LL GROW OUT OF IT comes along to remind us just what an artful confessional essay can do." - New York Times

"Is it really a surprise that comedian Jessi Klein, head writer and executive producer for Inside Amy Schumer , would write a book of personal essays brimming with sharp observations and insights and poignant recollections but that above all is very, very funny? ...We guarantee that this book will quickly become one of your summer favorites." - Entertainment Weekly

"[Jessi Klein's] astute, hilarious essays about the perilous path to modern womanhood will have you wincing in recognition." - People

"Klein shares her eccentric path to adulthood, from her tomboyish girlhood to sidesplitting dating tales and beyond in this uproarious, relatable, and irresistible memoir." - Harper's Bazaar

"Never afraid to share insights and reveal the raw truth behind her own stories, Klein makes readers laugh while inspiring them, a feat that calls to mind the work of the late Nora Ephron. This uplifting and uproarious collection of personal essays will be repeatedly shared among friends." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Reading [Jessi Klein's] book is like watching her--doubtless superb--stand-up act." - Booklist (starred review)

"A gifted comedian turns the anxieties, obsessions, insecurities, and impossible-to-meet expectations that make up human nature into laughter." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
I'll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and Motherhood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I'll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and Motherhood [Klein, Jessi] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. I'll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and Motherhood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Gottman Parenting Introducing New Teen Products! Empower your teen to thrive with our latest offerings designed to cultivate purpose, understanding, and connection. Gottman Parenting is an inclusive platform that supports [...]

# data[].attributes.body
Virtual Couples support group @ Everlasting Wellness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The resources listed on this page provide fathers and postpartum partners informed support and connection at no charge.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
MEET ABBY & AMY

We dreamed of creating a podcast that went just a little bit further than the ones we were hearing.

We tackle ALL things motherhood, marriage, and self-improvement. We've had over 2,000,000 downloads - sometimes we just really have to pinch ourselves that we're lucky enough to lead this community.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
MEET ABBY & AMY We tackle ALL things motherhood, marriage, and self-improvement. We've had over 2,000,000 downloads - sometimes we just really have to pinch ourselves that we're lucky enough to lead this community.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Let’s Celebrate | Book Your Little’s Birthday Party at Parker’s Place

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Celebrating your little one’s special day should be easy. At Parker’s Place, we take care of every detail, so you can relax and enjoy the special day with your little one.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hart Play Lab | Main Line Philadelphia Play Groups

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A traveling playgroup serving the Main Line (Gladwyne, Bryn Mawr, Penn Valley, Villanova areas). Hart Play Lab focuses on developmental and cognitive growth for children. Custom curated by local Main Line mom and Occupational Therapist, Marisa Hart. Classes are sensory play based activities that wil

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
1.5M views · 204K reactions | But actually tho don’t look at clocks anymore | Dillon White | dillonmichaelwhite · Original audio

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
But actually tho don’t look at clocks anymore. dillonmichaelwhite · Original audio

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CURIOUSLY CREATIVE!
The Creative Living Room is a nonprofit community arts education organization that inspires creative curiosity in kids and families. Founded in 2008 by four enterprising women in the arts, TCLR has become a space to try on something new. Our themed classes, camps and workshops

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Delaware County Libraries Event Calendar - LibCal - Delaware County Library System

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We lessen your load so you have time for the more important things.

Save time with our same-day & next-day laundry services without ever leaving the comfort of your home!

Do My Laundry

Home Laundry
Services

We offer a variety of in-home laundry Services. Pick-up, drop-off/delivery, and various other combinations to help your family tackle the laundry process.

Laundry Services

Home Organization
Services

We organize a lot! From bathrooms to kitchens to re-folding and organizing drawers and/or closets using our specialty method inspired by Marie Kondo. We do it all!

Organization Information

Created by Moms, For Moms

Welcome to lessen the loads ®

Welcome to Lessen the Loads! We are your one-stop shop for all your laundry and home organization needs in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Northern Delaware.

We are a group of moms who understand that life can get stressful and overwhelming at times, and keeping up with mundane household tasks like laundry can feel like a never-ending cycle! We are here to help. Our professional and reliable laundry service takes the burden off your shoulders, providing pickup and delivery convenience right at your doorstep. We handle everything from sorting and washing to carefully folding your clothes, returning them fresh and ready to wear. We are a group of moms helping moms!

Lessen the Loads also offers a range of home organization services to help you reclaim your home and create a space that is easier to maintain. From decluttering and purging unwanted items to organizing drawers, closets, pantries, and even entire rooms, our skilled organizers will help you create a system that works for your lifestyle.

Whether you need help with laundry or just some extra hands to tackle your home organization goals, Lessen the Loads is here to help you reclaim your time and energy, so you can focus on what truly matters. Contact us today to learn more about our laundry and home organization services and how they can help you maximize your time and ditch the overwhelm!

Our business model is simple, but our impact is mighty: we are moms who help moms live a life without laundry. Call to book with Lessen the Loads today.

Learn More About Us Get in Touch with Us

Lessen YOUR Load

Our Home Laundry Services

Below is a quick snapshot of our laundry service packages. Please click the button below each service plan to learn more about that service plan.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Local Laundry Pickup & Delivery Services - Lessen the Loads

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our business model is simple, but our impact is mighty: we are moms who help moms live a life without laundry. Call to book with Lessen the Loads today.

# data[].attributes.body
How Neuroscience Is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mother Brain: How Neuroscience Is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mother Brain: How Neuroscience Is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood [Conaboy, Chelsea] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Mother Brain: How Neuroscience Is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Prenatal Classes & Workshops in Philadelphia | Pregnancy Informational Seminars in Philadelphia | Lifecycle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Looking for prenatal classes in Philadelphia? Our instructors provide comprehensive & supportive prenatal education to prepare you for the journey ahead. From labor to postpartum, join our classes to gain valuable knowledge & connect with other expecting parents. Register today!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Led by trained peer facilitators, this group is for any birthing person who has experienced trauma (mental and/or physical) during childbirth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"I was broken after the birth of my son. My journey to healing started after finding the BTA. It was the first time I felt hope that I would get better, and that I wasn't alone."

- BTA Facebook group member, 2023

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BTA is the only charity in the UK solely dedicated to supporting women and families who have experienced traumatic birth. We work to support parents and families, improve parents' experience of birth, and engage with health professionals and research.