176. Why Being A Mom Is So Hard: Postpartum Anxiety & New Mom Overwhelm W/ Brittany Olson

Are you drowning in motherhood while everyone else seems to have it figured out? Brittany Olson from Becoming a Mother podcast breaks down why becoming a mom hits so differently than anyone warns you about.

We dive into matrescence (the scientific term for becoming a mother) and why it's not just the sleepless nights that knock you sideways. Brittany shares how she went from dreaming about motherhood her whole life to completely crashing when her son was born - and what she wishes someone had told her about the identity shift, hormone chaos, and that voice in your head saying "choose between sleeping, showering, or eating today."

In this episode, we learn about:

What matrescence actually is and why it matters (spoiler: it can last way longer than you think)
How your brain literally changes when you become a mom - like, physically restructures itself
Why getting outside isn't just nice advice - it's actually backed by science for mental health
How to start small with scheduling time for yourself (yes, even scheduling a shower counts)
The grief that comes with losing your old self, even when you wanted to be a mom
Why feeling excited about time away from your kid doesn't make you a terrible mother

👭 Register for a workshop with Sam:

Permission Slips for Ambitious Women hosted at Meraki Beauty in Batavia, NY. In this 90-min strategic journaling workshop, you'll go from daily overwhelm & doing everything for everyone else to peacefully pursuing your true desires (guilt & people-pleasing officially evicted) — without adding more to your already full plate. Guided meditation + strategic journaling + real-time breakthroughs + mimosas!🥂 12 spots only Register here: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/permissionslipsworkshop