Why Are Friendships After Becoming a Mom So Hard To Make and Maintain?

Have you felt yourself drift from your friends pre-motherhood? Or have you found making new and meaningful friendships hard after becoming a mom? I welcome Danielle Bayard Jackson, a relational health educator who has made a career out of studying what the research has to say about creating quality platonic relationships. She also has a new book coming out called, Fighting for Our Friendships: The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women's Relationships (paid link). She joins me to discuss:  The three reasons why friendships after motherhood are so hard to make and maintain Why having meaningful and strong female connections is important for our mental health  How to handle “passive” friendships Practical ways to find meaningful connections with peers amidst the mental load and business of our lives Connect with Danielle on Instagram @daniellebayardjackson. Check out her book! Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices