I was born a worrier. The intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, and anxiety started at a very young age and never really subsided. As the years passed, I learned how to cope with this internal war in different ways. Some healthy, like prescribed medication, therapy, and meditation- and some not so healthy (hello binge-drinking college years). But at the end of

I am a COVID-era mom. I had both my children during the pandemic, which pretty much means I avoided social interactions with other moms for the better part of two years. As an introvert with a touch of social anxiety, this might not have been the best thing for me. It was just the excuse I needed to not put

I am a COVID-era mom. I had both my children during the pandemic, which pretty much means I avoided social interactions with other moms for the better part of two years. As an introvert with a touch of social anxiety, this might not have been the best thing for me. It was just the excuse I needed to not put

When I was newly pregnant with my first child, a colleague of mine had just returned to work from maternity leave. I got an email from her requesting that I cover the last 30 minutes of one of her classes that coincided with my planning period for the remainder of the school year so that she could go to the

I start most days feeling like I have a clean slate and am armed with a plan for what the “perfect” day will look like for me as a parent. I am confident, calm, and ready for what the day brings. And then inevitably things don’t go to plan. I react to situations in less than perfect ways, as my

When I was newly pregnant with my first child, a colleague of mine had just returned to work from maternity leave. I got an email from her requesting that I cover the last 30 minutes of one of her classes that coincided with my planning period for the remainder of the school year so that she could go to the

I start most days feeling like I have a clean slate and am armed with a plan for what the “perfect” day will look like for me as a parent. I am confident, calm, and ready for what the day brings. And then inevitably things don’t go to plan. I react to situations in less than perfect ways, as my

I am a “make lists, stick to the routine, and read a million parenting books” type of mom. I have a plan for everything. As the primary caregiver of our kids, I am used to having control (and I like being in control). This unfortunately has turned me into the parent who thinks I have all the answers, or at

I am a COVID-era mom. I had both my children during the pandemic, which pretty much means I avoided social interactions with other moms for the better part of two years. As an introvert with a touch of social anxiety, this might not have been the best thing for me. It was just the excuse I needed to not put

I am a COVID-era mom. I had both my children during the pandemic, which pretty much means I avoided social interactions with other moms for the better part of two years. As an introvert with a touch of social anxiety, this might not have been the best thing for me. It was just the excuse I needed to not put

I am a “make lists, stick to the routine, and read a million parenting books” type of mom. I have a plan for everything. As the primary caregiver of our kids, I am used to having control (and I like being in control). This unfortunately has turned me into the parent who thinks I have all the answers, or at

Join business owner and #momboss of five Melissa Wirt as she shares interviews and tips on how to get the best out of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and motherhood. Laugh and learn with us as we tackle the unexpected road of parenting.

When I was newly pregnant with my first child, a colleague of mine had just returned to work from maternity leave. I got an email from her requesting that I cover the last 30 minutes of one of her classes that coincided with my planning period for the remainder of the school year so that she could go to the

I am a “make lists, stick to the routine, and read a million parenting books” type of mom. I have a plan for everything. As the primary caregiver of our kids, I am used to having control (and I like being in control). This unfortunately has turned me into the parent who thinks I have all the answers, or at

I start most days feeling like I have a clean slate and am armed with a plan for what the “perfect” day will look like for me as a parent. I am confident, calm, and ready for what the day brings. And then inevitably things don’t go to plan. I react to situations in less than perfect ways, as my

I am a “make lists, stick to the routine, and read a million parenting books” type of mom. I have a plan for everything. As the primary caregiver of our kids, I am used to having control (and I like being in control). This unfortunately has turned me into the parent who thinks I have all the answers, or at

I am a “make lists, stick to the routine, and read a million parenting books” type of mom. I have a plan for everything. As the primary caregiver of our kids, I am used to having control (and I like being in control). This unfortunately has turned me into the parent who thinks I have all the answers, or at

I am a “make lists, stick to the routine, and read a million parenting books” type of mom. I have a plan for everything. As the primary caregiver of our kids, I am used to having control (and I like being in control). This unfortunately has turned me into the parent who thinks I have all the answers, or at

Join business owner and #momboss of five Melissa Wirt as she shares interviews and tips on how to get the best out of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and motherhood. Laugh and learn with us as we tackle the unexpected road of parenting.

Join business owner and #momboss of five Melissa Wirt as she shares interviews and tips on how to get the best out of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and motherhood. Laugh and learn with us as we tackle the unexpected road of parenting.

The word vacation has taken on a whole different meaning since my children entered this world several years ago. What used to mean long afternoons relaxing poolside, exotic meals at posh restaurants, and endless hours exploring new cities has turned into something very different. I have since traded in my simple overnight bag for a carload of baby gear and

The word vacation has taken on a whole different meaning since my children entered this world several years ago. What used to mean long afternoons relaxing poolside, exotic meals at posh restaurants, and endless hours exploring new cities has turned into something very different. I have since traded in my simple overnight bag for a carload of baby gear and

When my pregnancy test turned positive, I had a moment of absolute excitement and joy quickly followed by the realization that I was going to have to birth a baby. I wasn’t even that worried about how to actually parent (which I should have been) but rather was much more consumed with the daunting process of getting this little person

The word vacation has taken on a whole different meaning since my children entered this world several years ago. What used to mean long afternoons relaxing poolside, exotic meals at posh restaurants, and endless hours exploring new cities has turned into something very different. I have since traded in my simple overnight bag for a carload of baby gear and

When my pregnancy test turned positive, I had a moment of absolute excitement and joy quickly followed by the realization that I was going to have to birth a baby. I wasn’t even that worried about how to actually parent (which I should have been) but rather was much more consumed with the daunting process of getting this little person

I was born a worrier. The intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, and anxiety started at a very young age and never really subsided. As the years passed, I learned how to cope with this internal war in different ways. Some healthy, like prescribed medication, therapy, and meditation- and some not so healthy (hello binge-drinking college years). But at the end of

I am not my child’s preferred parent. And I don’t just mean I am not her preferred parent right now or this month. I mean I have not been her preferred parent since she was about 14 months old (she is now two and a half). She wants daddy to do everything when he is around. She wants him to

A few months ago, while I was scrolling through work emails on my phone, I looked over to see my toddler walking in circles around our kitchen counter while yammering away on her plastic cell phone. She then sent a few texts to Elmo and checked her emails because she was in the “tree business” and had a lot of

I am not my child’s preferred parent. And I don’t just mean I am not her preferred parent right now or this month. I mean I have not been her preferred parent since she was about 14 months old (she is now two and a half). She wants daddy to do everything when he is around. She wants him to

“So, when’s the next one coming?” a loving and well-intentioned family member eagerly asked a freshly-postpartum and extremely flustered me. I hesitantly looked down at my three-week-old baby, still squishy and bald, arching her back to ease the pain of her reflux as she insatiably nursed at my breast. “The next one?” I thought to myself. “My uterus still hasn’t

Many parents begin with the question “how do I homeschool?” when starting their homeschool journey. There is no wrong answer, and there are many ways to homeschool your children. The key is choosing the right homeschool style and curriculum for your family. Thankfully, all states have homeschool laws that are easy to follow. There are even groups to join to

I am not my child’s preferred parent. And I don’t just mean I am not her preferred parent right now or this month. I mean I have not been her preferred parent since she was about 14 months old (she is now two and a half). She wants daddy to do everything when he is around. She wants him to

As a mom doing all the things, it seems like there’s never enough time during the day to get everything done–cleaning, cooking, food prep, putting away toys, and laundry. There’s always something that needs to be addressed and seemingly not enough time to do it. When my daughter was first born, I’d use her nap time to feel accomplished, hoping

I am not my child’s preferred parent. And I don’t just mean I am not her preferred parent right now or this month. I mean I have not been her preferred parent since she was about 14 months old (she is now two and a half). She wants daddy to do everything when he is around. She wants him to

Whenever I told someone I hired a doula to be there with me for the birth of my son, a lot of the time it was followed up with: “What’s a doula exactly?” The dictionary definition is: “a woman, typically without formal obstetric training, who is employed to provide guidance and support to a pregnant woman during pregnancy, labor, and

“I think it went really well!” I told my husband excitedly as I wiggled out of my blazer, which was now definitely too snug on my third-trimester body. “Did they say when to expect a call back?” he asked, with noticeable caution in his voice. We had been having this conversation for months already. It would start with me excitedly

I am not my child’s preferred parent. And I don’t just mean I am not her preferred parent right now or this month. I mean I have not been her preferred parent since she was about 14 months old (she is now two and a half). She wants daddy to do everything when he is around. She wants him to

Some people might be under the impression that a birth plan is something like a script. A preconceived plot that must be followed indefinitely with sound, lighting, and main characters already established. In reality, however, a birth plan isn’t a script- and it also isn’t just about selecting your music and lighting (although for some mamas, it can be!) Rather,

As we head into a new year, it likely means you’re thinking about family trips to be planned. Enjoy this blast from my past of toddler trip planning! STEP ONE: THE IDEA “Let’s go to that ginger festival this year,” I said, diving into my pasta as my husband Patrick and I settled down at the dinner table, toddler safely

That first week postpartum I had never felt less “human” in my life. Everything was a haze of exhaustion, coupled with feeling like I had been in a physical fight and lost big time. I had anticipated the challenge of not sleeping, feeling exhausted, and coming to terms with a physical body I did not recognize, but the complete discomfort

The word vacation has taken on a whole different meaning since my children entered this world several years ago. What used to mean long afternoons relaxing poolside, exotic meals at posh restaurants, and endless hours exploring new cities has turned into something very different. I have since traded in my simple overnight bag for a carload of baby gear and

I knew my life would change when I walked into the hospital to give birth to my daughter. I expected that my world would never be the same and my daily schedule would look completely different. But I don’t think I fully grasped that I would walk out a changed person. As I took on the role of “mom” I

I am not my child’s preferred parent. And I don’t just mean I am not her preferred parent right now or this month. I mean I have not been her preferred parent since she was about 14 months old (she is now two and a half). She wants daddy to do everything when he is around. She wants him to

As a mom doing all the things, it seems like there’s never enough time during the day to get everything done–cleaning, cooking, food prep, putting away toys, and laundry. There’s always something that needs to be addressed and seemingly not enough time to do it. When my daughter was first born, I’d use her nap time to feel accomplished, hoping

Little could have prepared me for the loneliness of new motherhood. Even if someone told me, I’m not sure I would have been prepared for the isolation you feel at 2 am and you’re alone trying to get a tiny baby to latch. At that moment, the world feels very far away and out of reach. During this time, especially

The moment my second child was born and placed in my arms, I recognized that familiar full tidal wave of all-encompassing love washing over me. There was that same exhilarating moment of this brand new life being placed in my arms. There he was: that face I had spent 9 long months dreaming of. The feeling that I could spend

I know no one can care for my son like I can. My husband’s a close second, I guess. My mom and mother-in-law are up there, too. I also know that part of my calling in life is to work outside of the home. This required us to look for childcare. We were fortunate because after holding their grandbaby for

Little could have prepared me for the loneliness of new motherhood. Even if someone told me, I’m not sure I would have been prepared for the isolation you feel at 2 am and you’re alone trying to get a tiny baby to latch. At that moment, the world feels very far away and out of reach. During this time, especially

I knew my life would change when I walked into the hospital to give birth to my daughter. I expected that my world would never be the same and my daily schedule would look completely different. But I don’t think I fully grasped that I would walk out a changed person. As I took on the role of “mom” I