THE GREATEST CHALLENGE

“[The greatest challenge of motherhood] is the mom guilt that I put upon myself when I have to go work.”

My Biggest Worry

"That my kid gets hurt— physically or emotionally. My mom always said she is as happy as her least happy kid, and that is so real. When your kid is suffering, you are suffering. They are your heart walking around outside of your body."

Preparing For A Sibling

“We aren’t sure if he understands what is happening yet. We point to my belly and he says, 'Baby!' Sometimes he even says 'baby brother' or the name of the baby. He is so sweet and gentle with his friends that we are not too worried about how he will react with the baby.”

On Parenting With Husband Daryl

“We communicate about every single thing and we always make sure we are on each other’s team. We are always looking out for each other. If I am really tired from a long day of work, he will put Riley to bed for me or if I see that he is struggling, I will let him go meditate while I spend time with the boy. We visualize the airplane oxygen method where you put the oxygen mask on yourself first and then you put it on your kid. We have to make sure we are OK so that we can take the best care of our children.”

The Name Game

“We always loved the name Riley and we never knew anyone with that name. We liked the idea of not naming him after anyone. This time around, it is quite the opposite. He will be named after a few people we love and even a cartoon character in a movie.”

On Learning She Was Expecting Baby Number Two

“I was trying for a while so I was overjoyed! There is a TikTok video of the moment I found out. You can watch exactly how I was feeling."

Her Second Pregnancy

"I had a lot of bleeding in the beginning to the point that I didn’t think that I was pregnant. I thought I was having my period. Turns out that implantation bleeding really got me this time. I also experienced all of the first trimester symptoms this time that I did not have with Riley. I was nauseous, weak, and cold all the time! I walked around with heated blankets for a long time. In my first pregnancy, I also had gestational diabetes and this time I don’t, which is amazing!"

The Fourth Trimester

“Living with my family really helped. I always had a babysitter on hand. Having Daryl saved me. He literally changed my diapers and the baby's diapers when I couldn’t. Due to my C-section, I couldn’t even go down and pull up my pants and Daryl helped me with everything. Also, living in a one story house with no stairs was helpful. I’m a little worried for the climb to my bedroom in this new house. Lastly, the moms of YouTube and TikTok really helped me to feel less alone, which is why I wanted to write the book— Dear Future Mama!"

What She Would Tell Her New Mom Self

"Talk to a therapist about all the nights you cried yourself to sleep. It could be a sign of PTSD. Also, ask for help. I didn’t really get into that until Riley was one year old. Don’t stress about breastfeeding. Pumping is just as good and you are doing the best that you can."

The Most Surprising Part Of Pregnancy And Birth

“It may be because I never did a pregnancy class since I was pregnant during COVID, but I had no clue when you start pumping and the process of how your milk comes. I was rattled when they pulled me out of surgery and told me to start pumping. I was told by a lactation specialist that my nipples were too small; I did not know that was even a factor. I also wish that somebody told me to play music during my C-section so that I didn’t hear all of the noises!”

On Mom Guilt

"My first job back to work was a TV show with long filming days, so I missed a bunch of Riley’s 3-month-old life. But I was lucky enough to have him there with me during my lunch breaks, in the mornings, and after work, so I made sure to make the most of my moments with him. Being as present as possible in the moments that we do have together is the most helpful thing for me."

The Advice She Would Give Her Kids

"Dream big! I never thought I could do any of this in my wildest dreams and I want them to know that the sky is the limit."