Finding Her After Baby

Some people don’t just take up space in your life, they take your energy, your peace, your confidence, and your emotional capacity. In this episode, we’re talking about how to recognize when the people around you are making your healing journey harder instead of supporting it.We’ll discuss the difference between someone having a hard season and someone who consistently drains you, how to set boundaries without becoming cold, how to ask for change in healthy relationships, and when it’s time to accept that not everyone is meant to come with you into your next chapter.Because protecting your peace isn’t selfish. It’s necessary.

For a long time, I thought surviving was enough.I was still showing up for work, taking care of my children, managing responsibilities, and doing everything that needed to be done. From the outside, I looked functional. But internally, I was exhausted, disconnected from myself, and living in a constant state of survival mode.In today’s episode, I’m sharing my journey of rebuilding myself after emotional abuse, toxic dynamics, and the painful realization that some of the things I experienced were not okay.We’re talking about:• What emotional abuse and survival mode can actually look like• How motherhood complicates the healing process• Hypervigilance, people-pleasing, overexplaining, and other survival responses• The grief that comes with realizing you’ve lost parts of yourself• Learning to stop making excuses for the people who hurt you• The heartbreak of discovering who was truly in your corner and who wasn’t• Therapy, journaling, and the tools helping me heal• Writing my book and using storytelling as a form of healing• Unlearning survival tactics that no longer serve me• Building boundaries, self-trust, and emotional safety• Becoming a healthier, stronger, and more independent version of myselfThis episode isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being honest about the work it takes to heal and reminding you that even after years of surviving, it is possible to find yourself again.If you’ve ever questioned your own reality, felt like you’ve lost yourself in survival mode, or struggled to heal while still carrying the weight of motherhood, this conversation is for you.You are allowed to tell the truth about what hurt you.You are allowed to stop minimizing your pain.And you are allowed to become someone entirely new after surviving it.Connect with me:TikTok: @ourbluebirdnationPodcast: Finding Her After BabyIf this episode resonated with you, please leave a review, share it with a friend, and follow the show so you never miss an episode.

This week, we’re getting real.No polished ending. No perfectly packaged life lesson. Just an honest conversation about what it looks like to keep choosing yourself when life feels heavy.In this episode, I’m sharing the realities of a difficult season-from the emotional weight of being a stepmom, to sleep deprivation and motherhood, communication struggles in marriage, and the challenges of stepping into a new role at work while feeling completely out of your comfort zone.We’re talking about the parts of healing that don’t make it onto social media. The moments where you’re showing up for therapy, taking your medication, moving your body, and doing the work… while simultaneously feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, uncertain, and stretched thin.Because healing isn’t linear.You can be growing and grieving.You can be healing and hurting.You can be becoming her while still having really hard days.If you’ve been feeling like you’re failing because your journey doesn’t look perfect right now, this episode is for you.Grab your emotional support caffeine, settle in, and let’s talk about the messy middle of becoming.In this episode:• The emotional complexity of being a stepmom• Why sleep deprivation impacts more than just your energy• Navigating communication gaps in marriage• The discomfort of being new and not having your footing at work• Why high achievers often tie their worth to productivity• Continuing to choose yourself even when life feels overwhelming• What healing actually looks like in real lifeRemember: You don’t have to have it all figured out to keep moving forward.Sometimes FINDING her simply means refusing to abandon yourself on the hard days.

There’s a difference between helping… and carrying shared responsibility.In this episode of Finding Her After Baby, we’re having an honest conversation about the invisible labor mothers carry every single day and why so many women are silently drowning under the weight of being the default parent, household manager, emotional regulator, scheduler, cleaner, and caretaker all at once.We’re talking about:* Why “he helps me” language needs to shift* The mental load that comes with motherhood* Why kids should contribute to the household as they grow* The emotional resentment that builds when one person carries everything* Shared equity in marriage and parenting* Why motherhood was never meant to equal martyrdom* How unequal household dynamics impact women’s mental healthWhether you’re a stay-at-home mom, a working mom, postpartum, overwhelmed, or simply exhausted from feeling like the only one who notices what needs to be done this episode is for you.Because partnership isn’t babysitting your own kids.And contributing to your own home isn’t “helping.”It’s shared responsibility.Grab your emotional support caffeine, and let’s talk about it.

In this raw, car-recorded Mother’s Day episode of Finding Her After Baby, I’m opening up about something so many moms quietly carry but rarely say out loud: what happens when you spend so much time taking care of everyone else… that you stop recognizing yourself.We’re talking about:* Why motherhood doesn’t just change your schedule- it changes your identity* The invisible mental load moms carry every single day* How survival mode can quietly become your personality* Why going back to work after baby hit differently this time* The guilt of needing alone time, boundaries, and support* Learning to stop chasing the “old you” and start building the woman you’re becoming now* Why asking for help, moving your body, therapy, and setting boundaries aren’t selfish-they’re necessaryThis episode is your reminder that you are more than what you do for everyone else. The woman you were before motherhood isn’t gone… but maybe she’s not who you’re meant to become either.We’re not looking back.We’re building forward.

What if the degree was never really the goal?In the very first episode of Finding Her After Baby, I’m sharing the story behind earning my bachelor’s degree while working full-time, raising a family, navigating postpartum depression, facing legal battles, and pushing through seasons that honestly felt impossible.This isn’t just a story about education. It’s a conversation about what happens when a mother decides to stop abandoning herself.We’re talking about:✨ Mom guilt and why growth can feel uncomfortable✨ Investing in yourself without feeling selfish✨ Balancing motherhood, ambition, healing, and real life✨ What our children learn when they watch us refuse to quit✨ Why motherhood doesn’t have to mean losing yourselfIf you’ve ever felt like your dreams got put on hold the moment you became a mom… this episode is for you.Because motherhood didn’t disqualify you.It may be the very reason you rise.If this episode resonated with you, share it with another mom who’s been pouring into everyone else and forgetting herself. Follow Finding Her After Baby so you never miss an episode.Motherhood, Postpartum Depression, Working Mom, Mom Guilt, Women’s Empowerment, Personal Growth, Career Moms, Mental Health, Self Development, Parenting

Motherhood doesn’t get calmer because life gets quieter.It gets calmer when you learn how to regulate your energy—especially when you’re parenting intense, high-needs, or ADHD children.In this episode, I’m sharing my personal journey as a mom parenting a high-conflict ADHD child and the tools that have helped me move from constant overwhelm to a more regulated, grounded version of myself.This is not about being a perfect parent.It’s about understanding your nervous system, learning how to pause before reacting, and giving yourself permission to grow alongside your children.In this episode, we talk about: • What “calm” actually means (and what it doesn’t) • Why calm starts in the body, not the mind • Parenting a high-conflict ADHD child without burning out • How to regulate your energy instead of trying to control your kids • Positive affirmations that actually work • Progressive muscle relaxation for overstimulated moms • How therapy supports emotional regulation in motherhood • Journaling as a nervous-system tool (without pressure) • Self-care rituals that create safety—not escape • Additional regulation tools to bring into 2026 • Why repair matters more than perfectionWhether you’re listening during nap time, in the car, or in the middle of a hard season—this episode is here to remind you that you’re not failing. You’re learning.Take a deep breath.You don’t need to become a different mother.You just need support in becoming a calmer one.

Motherhood is often painted as joyful, fulfilling, and full of connection — but for so many women, it’s also incredibly lonely.In this episode, we’re having an honest Internet Big Sister conversation about the isolation that can show up during pregnancy, postpartum, and long after the baby stage. I share my own experience navigating most of my motherhood journey without a support system, feeling alone even while raising my kids, and learning how to survive — and eventually grow — without a traditional village.We talk about: • Why pregnancy can feel isolating even before the baby arrives • The quiet loneliness of postpartum that no one prepares you for • Feeling invisible, overwhelmed, and emotionally disconnected — even when you love your kids deeply • Why loneliness doesn’t disappear as your children get older, it just changes • How to “be the village” when family isn’t around • Practical ways to build community, connection, and support from scratch • Giving yourself grace while navigating motherhood without backupIf you’ve ever wondered why motherhood feels so heavy, quiet, or isolating — this episode is for you. You’re not broken. You’re not doing it wrong. And you’re definitely not alone.✨ Share this episode with a mom who might be carrying more than she lets on.🎧 Follow Sip Happens for more honest conversations on motherhood, mental load, identity, and learning how to protect your peace.

The holidays look different when you’re co-parenting — and no one warns you how emotional this season can be. In today’s episode, Terri gets real about the tug-of-war between joy and heartbreak, the pressure to create “perfect” memories, and the quiet grief of missing your kids when it’s not your day.Whether this is your first holiday season sharing your kids or your tenth, this episode is a soft place to land. We talk about:✨ Why co-parenting during the holidays feels so heavy✨ Letting go of the picture-perfect expectations✨ Creating meaningful traditions that don’t depend on the date✨ Coping with the sadness when the kids aren’t with you✨ Communication strategies for blended families✨ Boundaries that protect your peace✨ Releasing the guilt and remembering you’re still an amazing momThis is your permission to feel what you feel, to grieve what’s hard, and to celebrate what’s beautiful — even if it looks different than you imagined.You’re not alone. Your kids still need you. And holiday magic can happen on any day of the month.If today’s episode gave you comfort or clarity, share it with another mama who’s navigating co-parenting this season. And come hang out on TikTok @OurBluebirdNation for daily Internet Big Sister Chats and real mom life moments. 💛

In today’s episode of Sip Happens: Internet Big Sister Chats, Terri dives into the messy, emotional, beautiful chaos of being a working mom. After returning from maternity leave, she opens up about the identity shift, the guilt, the exhaustion, and the pressure of juggling work, motherhood, and basic human self-care.If you’ve ever felt torn between being a great employee and a great mom — or like you’re failing at both — this episode is your permission slip to breathe, let go, and give yourself grace.What We Talk About: • The emotional rollercoaster of going back to work after maternity leave • Mom guilt vs. work guilt — why BOTH hit so hard • What “balance” really looks like and why it’s not 50/50 • How to take care of yourself in the middle of the chaos • Realistic self-care for exhausted, overstretched moms • How to shift from survival mode to a new “normal” • Building micro-routines that actually fit a working mom’s life • Protecting your identity outside of motherhood • Tips for transitions, time management, and mental resets • The reminder all moms need: You are not failing — your workload is unrealisticWho This Episode Is For:✔ Working moms✔ Moms just returning from maternity leave✔ Stay-at-home moms preparing to return to work soon✔ Any mom struggling to feel like herself again✔ Anyone navigating guilt, burnout, and self-neglectMom Reminder:You deserve rest.You deserve help.You deserve to take care of yourself WITHOUT guilt.Let’s Connect:📲 TikTok: @OurBluebirdNation💬 Send in a question or topic request anytime!If you loved this episode, go ahead and screenshot & share it — and don’t forget to leave a review. It helps more moms find the show. 💛

Welcome to the first official episode of Sip Happens: Internet Big Sister Chats — your safe corner of the internet where motherhood is honest, funny, chaotic, emotional, and completely judgment-free.In this episode, Terri dives into: • The real meaning of being the default parent • What the mental load actually looks like • Raising 7 kids, including a couple who are “neurospicy” • Why kids aren’t annoying — we’re just overstimulated • Snapping, apologizing, and breaking generational cycles • Mom guilt, burnout, and the pressure to “be everything” • Big sister advice you actually need • The reminder that you’re not failing — you’re humanGrab your coffee, take a breath, and let this episode feel like the warm, honest talk you get when you’re sitting across from your big sister who gets it.New episodes weekly.Follow for more Internet Big Sis chats, true crime over coffee, and relatable mom life.