The Raw Truth: What No One Tells You About Parenthood

We spend so much time preparing for labour and birth - reading, taking classes, writing birth plans - that it’s easy to forget there’s an even bigger transition waiting just on the other side. The moment you become a new parent, everything shifts: your hormones, your relationship, your identity, your sleep (or lack thereof). And despite how universal this experience is, many families still walk into postpartum feeling blindsided.

That’s why conversations like the one between Dr. Alicia and Dr. Pip matter so deeply. Both physicians, both mothers, and both fiercely committed to helping new families feel seen and supported. And their message is clear: postpartum is beautiful, but it is also hard—and you deserve to be prepared for both. Listen to today's episode, or read below to learn more!

The Shock of Newborn Sleep (and Why It’s Not Your Fault)

One of the biggest surprises for new parents is just how fragmented newborn sleep truly is. Babies are biologically wired to wake frequently, day and night, and no amount of “good habits” or “routine” can change that in the early weeks. Too often, parents expect long stretches of sleep a newborn simply isn’t developmentally ready for. When reality looks different, they blame themselves.

You aren’t doing anything wrong. Your baby isn’t broken. This is how newborns work.

But the exhaustion is real - and it affects everything: mood, patience, confidence, and even your sense of self. This is why Dr. Pip emphasizes preparing not to “fix” newborn sleep, but to survive it: sharing night duties, accepting help, and protecting rest where possible are the key.

The Emotional Rollercoaster No One Warns You About

The early postpartum period is a swirl of hormonal shifts, adrenaline crashes, and brand-new responsibility. Day three to five often brings engorgement, tears over things you didn’t know you cared about, and overwhelming waves of emotion. This is normal - and temporary.

What’s less talked about is the quiet isolation many mothers experience. Society makes space for joy but rarely for struggle, leaving parents afraid to voice thoughts like: “I don’t feel bonded yet,” or “This is harder than I expected.” These confessions are whispered as if they’re rare - but they’re incredibly common.

Bonding takes time. Confidence takes time. Maternal instincts grow from experience, not magic. Feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re failing - it means you’re adjusting.

What Actually Helps (and How to Prepare Before Baby Arrives)

Every seasoned parent says the same thing: honest conversations make a world of difference. Talking to other mothers about their real experiences - what surprised them, what felt hard, what supported them - breaks down the isolation and normalizes the messy parts of postpartum.

From there, preparation becomes much more grounded:

• Lower your expectations - significantly:
  In the early weeks, your only jobs are to rest, feed your baby, and allow others to care for you. Everything else can wait.

• Build a support plan:
  Arrange meals, accept offers of help, and think ahead about who can step in when you’re depleted.

• Prepare for newborn sleep, not to fix it, but to navigate it:
  Protect each other’s rest, consider overnight help if available, and drop the pressure to “get it right.”

Postpartum isn’t something to tough out - it’s something to be held through. With preparation, community, and compassion for yourself, those early weeks become far less overwhelming… and far more full of unexpected joy! You've got this!

*This episode is a re-release. Original release date: June 9, 2021.