On May 31, 2026, I was blessed to welcome my first son into the world. Being a mom has been one of the hardest and most humbling things that I have ever done. But it has also been the greatest blessing the Lord has ever given me in addition to my husband. During this postpartum season, I have learned several things that may be applicable to you as practice members, though they can be applied in different manners:
Lesson #1: Boundaries are needed and are not a bad thing. This has been something I have often struggled with. At the end of the day, my priority is to the Lord and to my family. Things that don’t benefit, profit, protect, or benefit them are not worth my peace or my energy.
Lesson #2: Peace with slowing down. My husband and I were people who moved 150 miles per hour all the time-multiple evening activities after work and having a booked calendar on weekends. My maternity leave forced me to slow down in a way that I never had before, and I found the greatest sense of peace and stillness when I was able to sit quietly at home and not feel guilty when doing so.
Lesson #3: Being present is important. Those first few weeks of maternity leave were some of my favorites, as I was able to sit and hold my son, memorizing his features while he slept or nursed. Watching his personality develop and putting all other things aside to truly be in the moment is something I will never take for granted, as each day is a day I will never get back.
Lesson #4: Parenting strengthens and stretches your marriage. Postpartum is hard in so many ways, and affects mom and dad in different ways. There were so many times when my husband would ask how I was doing, and I felt as if I could never fully describe what I was feeling or what I needed. We had to learn different ways to communicate, connect, and prioritize each other despite having a new life to take care of. And I had to really focus on creating realistic expectations as to how we would parent together without compromising our relationship.
Lesson #5: Healing is a process and healing takes time. How many times have you heard one of the doctors say this? (hint…it’s a lot.) My birth plan was to have my son in the comfort of my own home. However the Lord had other plans, and I wound up in the hospital with a C-section following 31 hours of labor. My body struggled for weeks to do the things that I had so easily taken for granted-walking up the stairs, bending down, getting into and out of bed, and walking more than a quarter mile. I was so hard on myself because I could not do the things I needed to provide for my family, and I expected to heal faster because that is what I wanted to happen. It ultimately wasn’t up to me, and it was a humbling experience to go through.
Lesson #6: Taking care of myself is a gift to my son. Parents often sacrifice so much of themselves for their kids in ways that can cause more harm than benefit. I am still finding ways to take moments for myself so I can show up as my best self.
Lesson #7: Listening to my body is required in order to parent well. This means that I have to eat, rest, and move when my body needs it. It also means that I need to trust that my body is doing what it needs to in order to succeed.
Lesson #8: Staying true to my morals, beliefs, and principles makes me a better parent. How my husband and I choose to raise our son should never be based on cultural trends, mainstream media, or what everyone else is doing. If I have to go against the grain to give my son the best life, it will always be worth it.
In all of these lessons, I have understood more than ever before the love that the Lord has for all of us. I am grateful every day to get to be my son’s mom, and I’m excited to see where each season of motherhood takes me. Hopefully this next season brings new lessons for you all too.
Blessings,
Dr. Kaytlynn
