Irini Orihuela is an Editor at Love What Matters. She graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in journalism. In her free time, she enjoys photography and hikes.

woman holding her child and smiling down at them

I Miss The Person I Was Before I Had Kids

“I used to bristle at the idea of being a stay-at-home mom living in the suburbs. After college I set up a life in the mountains, relishing my freedom as my friends began to be ‘tied down’ by kids. And yet here I am – a work from home, stay at home mom living in the suburbs.”

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‘A coworker smiled. ‘Just look at that belly!’ Then an intrusive voice in my mind said, ‘Your belly stopped growing a week ago.’: Woman discovers stillbirth after trusting gut instincts

“The blood drained from my face. I excused myself, went back to my desk, and cried. I decided at that moment, I needed help managing these thoughts. I didn’t just need assurance that everything was fine; it was not fine, these thoughts were not fine. And I needed them to go away.”

mom with her baby on her chest and breastfeeding the child

4 Ways To Prioritize YOU During Postpartum

“I won’t be curling my hair, putting on a lot of makeup, showering every day, or having clothes without breastmilk spilled all over them. But I also won’t be beating myself up for missing some unrealistic expectation of having it all together in those first few days.”

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