Motherhood

You can have a good life and still feel deeply unhappy. You can have a partner, a child, a stable job, a comfortable home, an international life, and still have this strange feeling that something is missing. Not missing in the dramatic sense. Not necessarily: I need to leave everything and start again. More like: Why does this not feel the way I thought it would?

Returning to work after maternity leave is not a simple continuation. It is a transition. And like most real transitions, it is slower, more complex, and more layered than what we tend to prepare for.

Becoming a mother is a major life transition — biologically, emotionally, socially, and psychologically. It’s common to think we know what to expect when we talk about parenthood: there will be diapers, sleepless nights, feedings around the clock, and new rhythms we’ve never known. What’s less talked about — and less prepared for — are the changes to identity, especially for women after their first child. The sense of self we carried into motherhood can feel shaken, rearrange

Balancing work and motherhood is often presented as a manageable challenge, something modern women can master with the right routine, mindset, or productivity system. The reality is far more complex. Most mothers quickly discover that after giving birth, returning to work is not a neat transition. It is an identity shift, a physical and mental strain, and an emotional balancing act that demands more than most people can see.

Becoming a parent is one of life’s most profound transitions. It’s beautiful, messy, overwhelming, and—let’s be honest—sometimes downright weird. One day you’re debating which Netflix series to binge, and the next you’re Googling “is green poop normal?” at 3 a.m. Everyone has advice. Your neighbor, your mother-in-law, the cashier at the organic store. And while some of it might be helpful, a lot of it can feel like noise. That’s where coaching comes in—not to add more opinion