On today’s episode, Stephanie shares about her daughter’s premature birth at 32 weeks via emergency C-section, challenges they faced with feeding & acid reflux, transitioning back to work after maternity leave, and ultimately deciding to leave her career when her daughter was 18 months old.

“I always felt like I wasn’t doing enough at work, I wasn’t doing enough at home, and I was just failing at both” (21:42)

Stephanie lives in Minneapolis with her husband, daughter Clara and dog, Lucy. Her first year as a mother came with struggles she never imagined, but ultimately they made her realize what was most important to her.

Main points:

Stephanie’s Birth Story (1:25)

Aftermath: Special Care Nursery for 5 Weeks (3:01)

Transition: Bringing Clara Home (6:34)

Feeding Struggles (7:11)

Acid Reflux and Eating Habits (10:05)

Clara’s Sleep Cycles (12:41)

Going Back to Work (16:25)

Frequent Sickness and Guilt (22:48)

Leaving Work (27:06)

Tips, Advice and Resources (30:16)

Resources:

Taking Cara Babies: Online Sleep Classes and Resources for Newborn to Two-Year Olds

Follow on Instagram @takingcarababies

Be sure to subscribe to The Sleep Sessions wherever you listen to podcasts and follow along on Instagram at @thesleepsessions.