Today we talk to Kate Rope, award-winning freelance journalist, and author of Strong as a Mother: How to Stay Happy, Healthy, and (Most Importantly) Sane From Pregnancy to Parenthood. Kate's work has been featured in multiple major publications such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, and CNN. She is currently working on an Audible original, co-written and produced with  actor Alan Alda, about the untold story of medical research doctors drafted during the Vietnam War.

We talk about Kate's early experience with motherhood and how she felt underprepared for what to expect and how talking to others who shared the same sentiment led her to wanting to write her book. We talk about the myths of motherhood that Kate covers in her book.

We discuss unsolicited advice during pregnancy and how to deal with it. Kate gives some replies to give when somebody comments on your pregnancy in order to maintain boundaries. We mention that it is better to stay away from the google if you are anxious about your pregnancy to avoid misinformation that heightens the anxiety.

We then talk about Kate's definition of "self-care" and how it's important to figure out what it means to you personally. We discuss how to allow yourself space for self-care without feeling guilty for taking the time.

We discuss what "co-parenting" means and how to make the parenting load feel equal between partners. We talk about figuring out how to reclaim your own identity after becoming a mother.

Finally we talk about how to recognize if you are suffering from a perinatal mood disorder, and that having scary thoughts about your baby is usually normal. We brush on postpartum psychosis, how uncommon it is, and how to get help if you need it.

To learn more, visit https://katerope.com/