There I was, just two months into motherhood, swaying in an overly plush glider a bit too briskly, my fussy baby nestled in my arms, and another wave of anxiety crashing over me. New motherhood feels like a wild ride through a maze of swirling hormones, unfamiliar fears, and relentless self-doubt. I keep misplacing my keys and am weighed down by all the new gear: baby, diaper bag, wipes, pacifier, and a heavy dose of postpartum anxiety.
I pull out my new phone to send another familiar message to my husband, who’s outside grilling and entertaining guests. “She won’t sleep,” I type with one thumb. “I’m at my wit’s end. She’s too fussy to stay awake, but won’t eat. I’m so exhausted, and I don’t know how to manage her screaming while trying to socialize.”
The response? “Who is this?”
In the whirlwind of new parenthood, I hadn’t even updated my contacts, so I just texted a stranger. I couldn’t even recall my husband’s number.
“Oops! Wrong number—trying to text my husband!” As I hurriedly draft a message for him, my phone dings again.
“Wow, you must be really tired. New baby?”
“Yep! She turns 8 weeks tomorrow!”
Then came a message that changed everything: “I just want you to know, it gets easier. I have three kids, and right now, I’m sipping wine on my porch while they read and chat, enjoying a beautiful sunset. It truly gets easier. Hang in there.”
Tears of gratitude filled my eyes.
Looking back on that unexpected exchange, I still feel a wave of emotion. This kind stranger didn’t have to respond, but her words were exactly what my frazzled heart needed to hear.
As a new parent, exhaustion is your constant companion (not exactly breaking news, right?). You’re so depleted that your body feels like it’s staging a rebellion. I once mistakenly poured a bottle of fresh breast milk down the drain because I was that tired. I remember being so fatigued that I struggled for minutes trying to lift my baby off the bed, only to realize I was clutching the bedsheets while my baby peacefully slept in her bassinet.
That level of exhaustion made me dread nights alone when my husband traveled. With overwhelming postpartum anxiety, I felt utterly unprepared to care for a newborn solo. It’s this kind of fatigue that makes it hard to brush off advice or comments. Nowadays, if someone offers unsolicited parenting advice, I can smile and respond confidently (or at least politely). But as a new mom? I lacked that confidence and clarity; I found myself fixating on comments like, “If you’re calm, your baby will be calm,” or “Just wait until she starts crawling!” It seems the unsolicited advice starts flowing the moment your baby bump becomes public.
That’s why I cherish the kind words from that wrong-number stranger. She didn’t belittle my struggles with platitudes like “sleep when the baby sleeps,” or “you think this is hard? Just wait until teething!” Instead, she offered genuine encouragement and a clear perspective: it gets easier.
Hey, fellow tired moms! You can text me anytime with your worries. I get it—he won’t sleep, she despises the car seat, and newborns are an uphill battle. You feel lost and like you’d trade anything for a solid four hours of sleep.
If you reach out, here’s what I’ll tell you: It gets easier. It gets better. You’ll start to notice the first smile, then the laugh, the words, and eventually, those first steps. Every month, they grow a little stronger, a bit more confident, and slightly less dependent. You will too. It gets easier.
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In summary, while new motherhood can be overwhelming and exhausting, remember that it does get easier. With every milestone, both you and your baby will grow stronger and more confident.