Motherhood Understood

Motherly acquired Motherhood Understood, continuing our mission of providing a woman-centered and supportive community for mothers. We are leaning into telling personal essays from mothers as a way that we learn, connect and feel less alone. Centered on the perspectives of maternal mental health, these stories are intended to help moms feel validated and seen.

Motherhood Understood

Lisa on feeling less depressed after returning to work and sending her kids to nursery

"Now there were people in my life appreciating me for my brain and my hard work and not because I was the lady with access to the fruit snacks and the TV remote."

Motherhood Understood

Brittney on getting help and support for prenatal and postpartum depression

Prenatal depression is real. Postpartum depression is real.

Motherhood Understood

Mamaita on postpartum depression and the medication that saved her life

"I would go to empty out the dishwasher and by the time I'd reach the cabinet with the clean plate, I'd be bawling."

Motherhood Understood

Sarah on clawing her way out of the postpartum depression darkness

"I’m not free from anxiety and depression yet."

Motherhood Understood

Jeanette on getting help for postpartum depression, anxiety and intrusive thoughts

"My husband did the majority of the childcare and while it killed me to see the exhaustion and worry in his eyes, I just didn’t care enough to help."

Motherhood Understood

Olivia on taking care of a baby while dealing with her husband’s postpartum depression

"I had to do all of these things because shortly after the birth, my husband vanished."

Motherhood Understood

Erica on being afraid to be left alone to take care of her baby

"I stopped eating. I cried. I had a constant pit of anxiety that sat in my stomach. The only time it would go away was when I was asleep."

Motherhood Understood

Karina on postpartum depression and struggling to find joy in motherhood

"I love my baby…I think... I don’t have all this motherhood stuff figured out yet..."

Motherhood Understood

Nicole on having PTSD, postpartum depression and anxiety after giving birth

"I went to my room and looked at my empty bed, and the empty bassinet and realized this was the first time I had been alone since my delivery. This isn’t how it was supposed to be, and so the first breakdown happened."