Becoming a parent changes everything—but so much of that change goes unspoken. While we spend months preparing for labor, baby gear, and nursery colors, few parents are prepared for the emotional, relational, and identity shifts that come with bringing home a baby.
In this episode, author Katie O'Toole joins us to explore the honest realities of new parenthood inspired by her book Mayday on the Mothership. Together, we discuss the invisible challenges many parents experience—from the lack of parental leave and shifting family dynamics to the emotional weight of becoming someone's everything overnight. Rather than offering quick fixes, this conversation is about recognition, solidarity, and reminding parents that they are not alone.
Key Takeaways for Listeners:
- The transition into parenthood is about more than caring for a baby—it's also about becoming a new version of yourself.
- It's possible to deeply love your child while grieving the life you had before becoming a parent.
- Strong families need strong support systems, including partners, workplaces, communities, and policies that recognize the realities of raising children.
- Preparing for parenthood means preparing emotionally, relationally, and practically—not just buying baby gear.
- There is strength in sharing our stories honestly. Acknowledging the challenges of parenthood reminds us that we are not alone.
This Week’s UNrattled Challenge: Say the Thing Nobody Says
So much of this episode comes back to the things parents experience but hesitate to say out loud—the loneliness, resentment, exhaustion, guilt, fear, grief, or even missing who you used to be.
This week, make one parenting conversation a little more honest.
If you're in the thick of it, tell someone you trust one thing about parenthood you've been afraid to admit.
And if you know a new or expecting parent, skip “How's the baby?” just once and ask:
“How are YOU doing—really?”
You don't have to fix whatever comes next. Listen. Make room for the answer. Because, as this conversation reminds us, talking honestly may not make parenthood easier—but it can make it a lot less lonely.
