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[00:00:00] There's nothing like that moment in motherhood when you realize I'm not doing okay and I don't know what to do next. I've been there and so has the guest in today's episode. She thought she had all of the tools, but becoming a mom still brought her to her knees. This conversation is about what happened after that and how she found her footing again, slowly imperfectly, and with so much honesty, I'm Krissy Bold.

I am a stay home mom to two young boys, and this is Mom's Guide to Finding Herself.

There's this quiet moment in early motherhood. Maybe you felt it, where you're standing in your kitchen holding a baby, maybe crying a little, maybe just numb, and you think, I know how to take care of this baby, but who's taking care of me?

That's the space this conversation lives in. Allegra Gast has been there. She is a mom of four now, including twins, and somehow after all of it, she feels more like herself than she did with one. [00:01:00] Allegra is a functional registered dietician and an international board certified lactation consultant. She leads a team of five offering virtual support to families all over the world through her practice

aloha Nutrition, which she founded while living in Hawaii. These days, she's raising her family, juggling the snacks, nursing sessions, and her team meetings.

But what I love most about her isn't her credentials. It's how deeply she gets it. This isn't a story about bouncing back or getting it right, it's about slowly remembering who you are and letting that be enough. So if you're feeling depleted or wondering when it's your turn to feel human again, I want you to hear this.

Krissy: Allegra, thank you so much for being here with me today.

Allegra Gast: Yeah. Thank you so much. I'm excited to be here.

Krissy: I'm excited to have you with me. You have such a really fantastic, like easygoing perspective on parenthood. I love following your account and I wanna hear about your journey. You are so open in your social media and it's, it's refreshing to [00:02:00] see like you share. The good times, the bad times, the hard times. I wanna know more about where that all started, where that all came from. So let's start with talking about who you were before you became a mom.

Allegra Gast: Yeah, so I was a lactation consultant and I-B-C-L-C and a registered dietician working at wic. I worked at wic, women, infant and children back in Hawaii where we lived. Me. And I, you know, saw a lot of moms were around. I was around breastfeeding, was helping families with their breastfeeding journeys.

And then I got pregnant with my first and I was like, okay, well I know everything. I know all about breastfeeding. All you have to do is just laugh your baby and things are great. But no, my first was very challenging. First of all, like my labor and delivery didn't really go as I had planned. You know, I think we all think that we have this dream sheet, this birth plan, and sometimes it doesn't go the way we had hoped.

[00:03:00] So I went to 41 weeks and four days, and so I was induced and I did all the natural inducing things that you can think of. But nope, she wanted to stay inside. She's a diva. And so I was induced and I think just with the induction, the Pitocin, it was a lot on her little body and she had, um. Drop in her heart rate and I tore, and she came out and was under distress and so they had to take her to the nicu.

And she wasn't like breathing well. She had to have this oxygen mask around her, and thankfully she was only there for about five hours. So I actually advocated to do skin to skin in the nicu and the nurses were like, well, we don't typically do that. You know, she's got all these cords around her. And I was like, that's okay.

I would like to do skin to skin. She needs her mama. So thankfully they were able to do skin to skin even with all the cords on her. And I would say within like 45 minutes, her blood sugar improved, her temperature improved. Like it was [00:04:00] just amazing. And that was kind of the first wake up that. To me, like, okay, she needs me, like she needs her mama.

And so thankfully she was discharged about five hours after delivery and we went to the, our recovery room and tried breastfeeding. And I knew about positioning, you know, kind of what I teach parents. As a lactation consultant, but she had a very tight latch. It was very, very painful. And I was like, wow, would mom say it's painful?

This is what they mean. Like it is very painful. And she was just a very tense baby. And I had learned about like body work and seeing a pediatric chiropractor and you know, just releasing that tension. And so and I had built a network of. Like other birth workers in my community. And so I did take her when she was about four days old to a pediatric chiropractor and who does like web, she's Webster certified.

I was working with her when I was pregnant. She does cranial sacral therapy and that helped. [00:05:00] So much with her tension, but still she was like clamping and biting. I had the cracked nipples. I had vasospasm, which is when your nipples turned white, and just anything that touched my breasts hurt so bad. And I remember telling my husband like, I can't do this. Like I wanna throw in the towel. Like I can't, like it's just too painful. It's just easier to pump. And so at least on one side, I was primarily pumping 'cause it was just too, too painful. Like I had the toe curling pain and my husband was like, no, you could do this.

And like. I learned that you need a cheerleader. Like you need someone who is on the same page as you because it is so easy to just say like, no, I can't do this. And obviously every case is different and you do need to take into consideration like mental health and their environment and their support system.

So that's definitely what I do with my clients. But yeah, my husband was very supportive and, anyway, she had a tongue tie and I was trying to work through [00:06:00] that, doing suck training. But by two months, like things just were not improving. And of course I had a great milk supply, so she was gaining weight and everyone, you know, the pediatricians were like, she's gaining weight, everything's fine.

And I was like, no, everything's not fine. I should not have cracked nipples and they should not be bleeding and you know, I should not be in this much pain. And so we got her tongue tie release around two and a half months. And that really just. Saved and helped our breastfeeding journey and we continued nursing to three and a half months, or sorry, three and a half years.

And so you know, breastfeeding definitely improved and I think it really made me a better lactation consultant 'cause I could really empathize with families and just kind of advocate and say like, no, something is going on. And just, you know, really work on that suck training and releasing tension and, just encouraging moms, like it can get better. So like I said, every case is different and I also, you know, as a dietician knew about taking care of yourself, but it's [00:07:00] so hard when you actually have a baby. And my husband was deployed when I was about three months postpartum, and I was not really eating breakfast.

I mean, I was not focusing on protein, I was not focusing on myself, and I was. So tired, and I only had one baby.

Krissy: Yeah.

Allegra Gast: right now I have twins. I have four babies. Four kids. But you know, when it's your first, you just, you have to really prioritize yourself. Yeah. And so I learned like I should not be feeling this way, like I.

And, you know, just having a struggle. And of course I didn't have my husband with me, so I didn't have that support. But I just really knew that I needed to make a change with myself. And so I started like making sure I was eating breakfast, even if that was holding her.

Krissy: Yeah,

Allegra Gast: maybe I would baby wear her while I would eat.

I started pro focusing on protein and electrolytes and it was like night and day difference, and I.

Krissy: Wow.

Allegra Gast: See so many of my clients and my followers on Instagram just starting to [00:08:00] prioritize protein, prioritize themselves, prioritize electrolytes and minerals, and that's a lot of what I advocate now on my platform.

So I started off primarily focusing on prenatal nutrition, but now I do a lot of postpartum nutrition because that is just. So important. Like you should enjoy motherhood and have the energy to run around with your kids. Like, especially if you're in your twenties, thirties, forties, like you should feel good even with lack of sleep.

And so, yeah.

Krissy: big to hear. Yeah.

Allegra Gast: So yeah, I definitely learned a lot from that first experience. 

You know, everything Allegra's saying reminds me why I created the Mom Identity Starter Kit in the first place because so many of us hit that moment where we think, I don't even know what I want anymore. I don't have time. And honestly, I don't even know where I'd start if I did. The Starter Kit is three mini workshops designed for moms like us who are deep in the thick of it and just need a place to begin.

Whether you want to rediscover a passion, carve out a little guilt-free [00:09:00] time, or finally follow through on something that's yours. It gives you the tools to do it in just 15 minutes a day. You can listen to a podcast style, read it in PDF form, or watch it in little video lessons, whatever fits your life.

You can grab the full bundle for $17 at mom identity project.com/starter kit. Now let's get back into the episode.

Krissy: It sounds like it. Now, I'm curious what made you become an I-B-C-L-C before you had kids? Because I know

Allegra Gast: Mm-hmm.

Krissy: after they have a breastfeeding journey and they've learned through it, they find like, wow, this is fascinating. I wanna help other people. What, how led you there before you had kids is

Allegra Gast: Yeah, so I was working at wic, like just seeing the other lactation consultants help 'em. I just had this huge curiosity and just interest in nutrition and nutrition from the start. Like nutrition really starts with breastfeeding, you know, with. Babies and their health, and of course like that prenatal, you know, mom's health as well.

And so I was a dietician. I was, you know, talking about nutrition, but it was really working [00:10:00] at WIC and being in the environment of breastfeeding, supporting families and their breastfeeding postpartum journeys and seeing the other lactation consultants there. It just seems. So rewarding.

Krissy: Yeah.

Allegra Gast: we would see moms work with the LCS at WIC and you know, they would work on positioning and all of a sudden mom was like, wow, that feels so much better.

And I just kind of wanted that too. Like I wanted to help and I. Thankfully with the military there was a scholarship that they were doing and for my husband's rank. And so I took advantage of that scholarship and put it towards my education to become an I-B-C-L-C. And then I studied for the exam and, so I was A-I-B-C-L-C for probably two years before I had my first baby. And I would just use like other people's testimonials. So I know a lot of people are like, well, how could you do that job if you didn't have kids yourself? And I'm like, well, how do male obs do their job when they're clearly never gonna have a kid?

So you can do the job like. So I [00:11:00] was, I feel like I was a great lc even before kids 'cause I would use my education as well as the experiences of other moms and kind of just shared, well this mom would do this and this helped, or whatever. But then definitely when I had my first, I was like just able to empathize a little more.

And then I started showing it off on Instagram. 'cause a lot of times Instagram or just motherhood looks like it's off. Great and easy, and I really want to show the rawness, and especially with my twins that I just had, they just turned a gear at the time of this recording. So I really want to show how hard motherhood is and just how important it is to take care of yourself.

So, you know, I've been in the thick of it and just. Prioritizing my needs too. 'cause you can't pour from an empty cup and it's not putting your babies on the back burner. Like you're still obviously taking care of them, but you're also taking care of yourself. So it's saying like, me too, instead of me first necessarily.

Hmm.

Krissy: That's a great mindset [00:12:00] shift and like a great language shift too, of saying Me too. I love that. Now, when you were working at WIC and you had your baby, did you continue working after?

Allegra Gast: So, no, I actually left wic for, and I left there probably a year before I had my baby. And did private practice. So I left WIC and I started my private practice, Aloha Nutrition,

Krissy: Wow.

Allegra Gast: then my husband, he's in the military. We left probably after a year of me having started my private practice. We were supposed to stay an extra a year, but the military, you know, if anyone's a military spouse, you know and so I we left wic, we left Hawaii and we moved to Florida and that's where I had my baby.

Krissy: Wow.

Allegra Gast: in private practice before.

Krissy: Before you had your

Allegra Gast: Mm-hmm.

Krissy: So that gave you some kind of flexibility then for adjusting to being a new mom, to adjusting [00:13:00] to a deployment during that, rather than having to figure out

Allegra Gast: Yes.

Krissy: What was that like for you?

Allegra Gast: Yeah, no, it was a huge blessing in disguise. So yeah, it, I feel like everything kind of worked out. And

Krissy: Mm-hmm.

Allegra Gast: we had moved to Florida, I was actually applying to different jobs. And because I worked at wic, I didn't have any hospital experience on my resume. And so all the positions that were hiring, dieticians weren't taking me 'cause I didn't have that hospital experience. And then a lot of the hospitals only want registered nurses who are IB CLCs and I'm a registered dietician. And so, you know, it was hard finding a job and then we had just moved there. So my private practice, you know, it's hard to get established.

Krissy: Yeah.

Allegra Gast: but they all ended up being a blessing in disguise that you know, I was. Not actively working. And

Krissy: Mm-hmm.

Allegra Gast: I was able to stay home with my baby. And then just once you get more established, you build connections. And so I started doing more private practice work and I did have a babysitter who [00:14:00] could help me kind of here and there to help her.

And then my husband, he would work two days on, two days off, two days on, two days off. And so I just kind of coordinated my schedule around his schedule.

Krissy: Wow. So

Family near you?

Allegra Gast: No, no, my family's in the East Coast, so that's another hardship about military life. And that's also, I've had to learn just over the years and have more kids that you have to find your village, you know, get involved with your local community.

I know with the twins, I ended up calling the neighbor one day 'cause I was just like, I need help. Like my older two are acting out, my husband's not here. I have the twins. Like I just need another set of hands.

Krissy: yeah.

Allegra Gast: thankfully my neighbor came over. And that's a something I encourage all families do because it's not as common here in America to live near your family.

You know, so many of us are away from family and so trying to find a village, I know it can be hard, but it's. It's important. It's important to reach out for [00:15:00] help to speak up. I mean, I've had to ask in mom Facebook groups like, Hey, is anyone available to babysit? And then, you know, you interview them, you ask questions.

Or even like a meal delivery service or a house cleaner here and there, you know, just to help offload some of that stress. So you know, it's okay to ask for help. We should ask help. And I did not ask for a lot of help with my first, and I feel like it, I definitely went through more mental, like mood swings and just like just having a harder time.

Whereas with my second, I hired a postpartum doula even for two days until my husband was able to take paternity leave and just those two days were like a game changer. So I think a lot of times moms feel like the help that they're asking for is forever, but it can very much be just. For a week here and there, or

Krissy: Right.

Allegra Gast: just for a month, you know, a meal delivery service, just while you have a newborn and you're recovering from a C-section or you know, a hard delivery, or even if you didn't have a hard [00:16:00] delivery, you know, just kind of offloading some of that stress.

So I would say don't be afraid to ask for help, even if it's just very much short term,

Krissy: Those are

Allegra Gast: so,

Krissy: powerful tips because I know that's something I struggle with is asking for that help because people aren't always going to offer it,

They, many times they're willing or they're, maybe they're just waiting in the wings to see what you need, but they don't wanna step on your toes or impose or impose themselves on you.

But

Allegra Gast: Yeah. If they say, let me know how I can help you say, yeah, I've got a whole list.

Krissy: Right. Let them know. But like reaching out to your neighbor, reaching out to Facebook. Like that help people want to be there for other

Allegra Gast: people 

Krissy: and, asking, I mean, they can say no if it's not gonna work, or you're not a burden, you're not. Over, you're not overstepping, you're not putting yourself out there being, needing somebody isn't being needy, and, and that's so powerful.

Let's talk more about how your transition to having two kids was different than having just one.

Allegra Gast: Mm-hmm. [00:17:00] So when I had my second baby, my first was about two and a half years old, and she was. Such a great big sister. She was so helpful, but and she was still breastfeeding, so I tandem fed 'em and that was a whole learning curve in itself. Like once my milk came in and she saw her baby brother nursing, she wanted to nurse, and so she was like eating eight times a day and I was like, okay, I am getting touched out.

Like, no, we cannot do this. And I learned that you need to put boundaries up, you know, protect your peace. And I was starting to resent her and I really wanted to tandem feed. I just feel like there's something so beautiful about holding both of your babies, and I know you tandem fed too, and it's just kind of gives you a nice excuse to just both sit down, you're calm, both of your kids are calm.

But I definitely felt. Out, so we cut it back to only being in the bed. So only like at nap times or in her room, we would nurse if we were out and about and baby needed to nurse, like I would feed the baby but not [00:18:00] her. And that was fine. She definitely, I. You know, had some big feelings. You know, she wasn't the only child anymore.

Definitely had to take care of her brother too. Or I had to just tell her like, hold on, mommy needs to change your brother first, or, you know, do this or that. And I think it's important to know that as babies, they really just need that physical need, like they need to be. They need to be fed, they need to be close to mom.

But your toddler needs that emotional connection, like you need to fill their cup. So I tried to find activities with her that I could like baby wear my son, or during his nap times, I would really just spend time with her and fill her cup up and know that like, you know, I still love her. She's still there.

And so, you know, and especially depending on what kind of delivery had, if you are bed bound or you just can't move around a lot, like get some books or some coloring books or even magnet tiles or something like that where you can just sit and like. Still play with 'em. So [00:19:00] we, I did a lot of that, but you know, that was still a challenge too.

So every season is definitely a challenge. And now looking back, I'm like, that was so easy. You know, I only had two kids, now I have four. So,

Krissy: four?

Allegra Gast: know,

Krissy: Let's talk

Allegra Gast: so.

Krissy: the twins. This is huge, like you had two babies. What's and what's the age gap between your youngest and the twins?

Allegra Gast: Yeah, so when the twins were born he was two, so I had three under

Krissy: Oh,

Allegra Gast: three. And that was very challenging. Lots of big feelings. I mean, we had just potty trained him and he was great. But then as soon as the twins were born, he regressed, he was pooping in his pants and there was. You know, a lot, you know, my husband would care for one baby as I had the other baby, and I would hear my my, the big sister, she was five.

When the twins were born, she had just turned five. She would like get a snack for her ba for her brother, for Eli, who was. Too. And you know, she kind of like had to just step up and it makes me feel bad, [00:20:00] but like, there's nothing I could do. Like the babies are crying and my husband's trying to get 'em calm.

And so it was definitely challenging. I mean, we did have some help that first month, but that first month the babies slept so well. And so by like. Five weeks. That's really when things took a turn. They developed like their witching hour, which from five to 9:00 PM they were just hysterically crying, nothing you could do.

I would walk outside like baby, wearing both of them and then my husband would be inside with the two kids and it was a struggle. I mean, and I shared a lot about that on Instagram. Like it's hard,

Krissy: right.

Allegra Gast: to two kids are def or two. Twins are definitely a lot. And you know, just you're waking up.

Krissy: Yeah.

Allegra Gast: Twice at night, or I guess double the time at night. But everyone, a lot of twin families always tell you to put your twins on a schedule. But those early weeks, [00:21:00] it was actually helpful that they weren't on a schedule because then I could just take care of one baby at a time as opposed to taking care of two newborns with wobbly heads.

And you're still trying to figure out like breastfeeding with each baby. So it was kind of actually a blessing that they weren't exactly on the same schedule. Like yes, it was a lot. I felt like I always had someone to take care of. Like it was still easier to take care of one baby than two babies at the same time.

And they naturally put themselves on the similar schedule by around two months, three months. So if you have twins and you're listening to this, like don't feel like you need to get them on the schedule, just like every. Facebook group tells you,

Krissy: just do what you can survive.

Allegra Gast: yeah. Mm-hmm.

Krissy: babies are crying, when one baby's crying, but nevermind. Two all at the same time. Your toddlers are gonna get worked up too, and that's going to lead you to overstimulation real fast. How was your mental health through all of this?

Allegra Gast: Yeah, I mean when the babies wouldn't soothe you had your toddler with their big emotions. I was crying [00:22:00] too. Like physically I felt really good and I still prioritized eating. I was doubling my portions 'cause I'm feeding two babies and actually I. Funny 'cause I was still also nursing my toddler. So I had three that I was feeding nursing and we weaned him when he was three years old.

It took a long time and I had a hard time weaning him because he was having so many big emotions and I felt like that was the one way I could connect and really comfort him. So we continued nursing him and then so yeah, I like prioritize eating. Taking my electrolytes, taking a good prenatal vitamin, trying to get outside, really working on my circadian rhythm, like, you know, controlling the controllables.

And so there were some times when I was baby, wearing a baby while trying to eat, or my husband and I would like tag team, or I would let the babies cry for like a minute while I quickly made a PB and j or I grabbed a beef jerky. Or if I knew I was gonna be knack trapped, I would quickly grab granola bars or something, you know?

So I was okay with letting them. Fuss for a little bit while [00:23:00] I fueled myself, because if I don't, I get irritable. I get more tired, I get more snappy, and I did not wanna be snappy, especially to my older kids who are already having a hard time.

Krissy: Yep.

Allegra Gast: So, you know, definitely that had to be a non-negotiable.

Like, I have to make sure I'm drinking, I have to make sure I'm eating. And so. Definitely my mental health was more from the overwhelm of just balancing everything and I think it would've been a lot harder if I wasn't focusing on my nutrition. 'cause then not only am I living in fight or flight, but now I'm also not eating and fueling myself.

So I'm really grateful that I did that And I made a ton of freezer meals during pregnancy and so that lasted us between that and our meal trains. It did last us about two months. So I'm eternally grateful to myself for making freezer meals. But yeah, that overwhelm was hard. And when both babies are crying and my toddler's crying, you really do eeny, mey, miny mo, like which one is fussier?

Which one needs to be helped more, you know? [00:24:00] But yeah, I recommend getting like headphones and just kind of blocking off that. Intense scream. Like you can still hear them crying, you can still hear what's going around, but it helps take the edge off.

Krissy: Yep.

Allegra Gast: was super helpful. So we used headphones. My husband and I thankfully my husband had three months of paternity leave, so he was really there to help.

And

Krissy: Wow, that's

Allegra Gast: some family come and go, but it was, I mean, it was a dark time. It was really hard.

Krissy: I can imagine. Now, how did your relationship do through that? I.

Allegra Gast: We were definitely like roommates at the time but we kept reminding ourselves like, Hey, we're on the same team. We're on the same team. And you know, with the lack of sleep and just the overwhelm, you do get a little more snappy. And so I had to remind myself like, don't take this personally, like. He's overwhelmed.

I'm overwhelmed. But we did try to always connect at the end of the day and just like, you know, when everyone was asleep, just spend like 30 minutes at that. 'cause obviously [00:25:00] we're exhausted, we wanna go to bed, but just like 30 minutes to just connect. Hugs were so important too. Just something about like a good 32nd hug was really helpful.

So sometimes in the middle of the chaos I mean once everyone was somewhat calm. We would just give each other a hug. And I felt like that really helped reconnect us and even just calm you. Like there's actually studies and even with skin to skin with babies, like just that connection helps calm you down.

So we would just throughout the day give like even a ten second hug if it was possible. But I mean, it's definitely hard, you know, you kind of are in that season where you are kind of just roommates or partners where you're just. Team members, teammates and you kind of lose some of that. Like what's it like spark, I guess, or like romantic part of that.

Krissy: Mm-hmm.

Allegra Gast: but you know, we do try to like prioritize it and we had done marriage counseling beforehand. To us that's really important, just like [00:26:00] building that strong foundation. And so, you know, there's also nothing wrong with marriage counseling and relationship counseling. People need that.

Krissy: yep.

Allegra Gast: Just to give you tools, you know, we learned a lot of tools that we could use during this stressful season.

But yeah.

Krissy: huge. Yeah. That's such a gift to both of you to do that and then to get through the survival mode and just know you're, because you cannot connect with somebody else. You

Allegra Gast: Yeah,

Krissy: with yourself on a

Allegra Gast: yeah.

Krissy: while you're going through that. So while we wrap up this part of the conversation, tell me how are things for your family now?

Allegra Gast: Yeah, so we're year postpartum at the time of this recording. We're gonna be moving PCSing with the military again in three weeks. So

Krissy: gosh.

Allegra Gast: little overwhelming, but, yeah, I mean the twins are a lot better. I mean, we don't have the witching hour, but now we have the tantrums and because they can't vocalize what they want, it's just kind of like guessing, okay, what do you want?

What do you want? And you know, [00:27:00] because there's two babies, it always feels like someone is crying, like nonstop. But really it's just like. One is now content and the other one is starting to get fussy. And then once that fussy baby is content, the other one starts to get a little fussy. So that's kind of probably always gonna be a challenge, but they're definitely a lot more enjoyable.

The older two love them. They're playing together, they're doing more independent play. And so really fostering independent play is huge. And they're playing together. They're also fighting more.

Krissy: yeah.

Allegra Gast: so sometimes they'll be crying 'cause they're just fighting over a toy.

Krissy: Yeah.

Allegra Gast: So, but it's definitely better.

That first year is definitely hard, but

Krissy: Yeah, it, I bet I, my, I don't have twins, but they're 18 months apart, and when they started wrestling with each other, I felt like a big sigh of relief because like now they're helping each other get grounded. They're helping each other with that sensory input that they need and, and getting that through.

So [00:28:00] the fighting, I feel like is obnoxious, but it turns into. Something really helpful eventually. I don't know, with my boys. We'll see. It's still really annoying. Let's not be, let's not sugarcoat it too much. 

So tell us where can we find more information from you?

Allegra Gast: Yeah, so you can follow me on Instagram, Aloha Nutrition. We offer nutrition as well as breastfeeding consults worldwide. We offer them virtually. And then of course, my website, aloha nutrition.com.

Krissy: Allegra,

Allegra Gast: Yeah.

Krissy: much for sharing your raw, real, honest experience with parenthood and I hope that you'll come back for the next episode to share with us more about your insights on nutrition, because we all need more of that.

Allegra Gast: Mm-hmm. Yes, we do. Absolutely. 

In the next episode, Allegra's coming back to get even more practical. We're diving into the real talk on postpartum nutrition, what your body actually needs. Why grabbing whatever your toddler didn't finish isn't cutting it, and small doable ways to start taking [00:29:00] care of yourself again.

 You're not going to wanna miss it. 

If Allegra's story has made you feel seen, do me a favor and share it with a friend who needs to hear it too. Follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. And if you're listening on Apple, scroll down and leave a quick review. It really helps new moms find this space. And come Find me on Instagram at Mom Identity Project for more honest conversations like this one. Until then, take a moment for yourself, whether that's a quiet breath in the bathroom, or finally eating a snack while it's still warm. And remember, you are an amazing mom just as you are.