Since I Became a Mother

Episode Summary
I thought what I was experiencing was just motherhood.
In this solo episode of Since I Became a Mother, Taylor shares the raw story of her experience with postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety, what it actually felt like from inside her own head, the symptoms she didn’t recognize at first, and how easily anxiety, hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, sleep deprivation, breastfeeding, hormonal changes, and identity loss became tangled up with what she assumed was simply the reality of being a new mother.
This episode puts the mother at the center of the postpartum mental-health conversation. Taylor shares when she began realizing something wasn’t right, what finally led her to seek help, what treatment and recovery have looked like, and what she wishes she had understood before becoming a mother.
This episode includes discussion of postpartum depression, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts. It reflects personal experience and is not a substitute for professional mental-health care.
In This Episode
What postpartum depression and anxiety actually felt like for me
Hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and never being able to fully switch off
The impact of severe sleep deprivation on my mental health
Breastfeeding, hormones, and the physical postpartum transition
The moment I realized I needed more support
Therapy, medication, and getting help
What recovery has actually looked like
Resources Mentioned
Bottle Service Podcast Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ppd-unfiltered-real-talk-for-maternal-mental-health-month/id1594639891?i=1000729406925
Postpartum Support International (PSI): https://www.postpartum.net/
Postpartum Support International HelpLine: 1-800-944-4773
ACOG — Perinatal Mental Health: https://www.acog.org/programs/perinatal-mental-health
Ferrari AJ, et al. Lancet Psychiatry. 2026. DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(26)00085-4
Feldman N, et al. Lancet Psychiatry. 2025. DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(25)00197-X
Dennis C-L, et al. Br J Psychiatry. 2017;210(5):315–323. DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.116.187179
Connect With Taylor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorraeroman/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorraeroman
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorRaeRoman
ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/taylorraeroman
Amazon Storefront: https://a.co/d/0cNsmkdY
Join the Community
STRONG (As a Mother) Run Club: https://taylorraeroman.com/run-club
Work With Taylor
Partnerships, speaking & inquiries: https://taylorraeroman.com
Disclaimer
The information shared on Since I Became a Mother is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider about questions related to you or your child.
Credits
Host: Taylor Rae Roman
Podcast: Since I Became a Mother
Artwork: WK Creative Studio
Photography: Ambe J. Williams
© 2026 Since I Became a Mother. All rights reserved.

Episode Summary
Going back to work after having a baby can feel like an impossible equation: childcare, feeding, schedules, career expectations, guilt, ambition, and a completely different version of yourself all competing for attention at once.
In this episode of Since I Became a Mother, Taylor sits down with return-to-work doula Jessica Martin and working mom, content creator, and brand strategist Taara Sajnani Das to talk about what returning to work actually feels like — and what can make the transition easier.
In This Episode
What returning to work after maternity leave really feels like
How to prepare before your first day back
Why ambition can change after becoming a mother
Mom guilt and the pressure to “do both”
The mental load of working motherhood
How partners can share responsibility more effectively
Creating systems that actually help
Practical ways to make the transition back to work feel less overwhelming
Jessica Martin
Jessica Martin is a New York City–based birth, postpartum, and return-to-work doula and the founder of Next Adventure Births. She is a Certified Body Ready Method® Pro and Certified Birth & Postpartum Doula through Manhattan Birth, with training in lactation, newborn development, postpartum recovery, nutrition, hospital communication, and supporting inductions and cesarean births.
Website: https://nextadventurebirths.com/
Taara Sajnani Das
Taara Sajnani Das is a New York City–based working mother, content creator, brand strategist, and founder of Sajnani Brand Management. Her content explores motherhood, career, style, and identity, and she brings a firsthand perspective on how ambition, priorities, and the way we work can change after becoming a mother.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taarasajnani/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taarasajnani
Products Mentioned: HealthyBaby Diapers & Wipes — This episode is sponsored by HealthyBaby. HealthyBaby is a paid partner of Since I Became a Mother, and all opinions and experiences shared are my own.
Connect With Taylor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorraeroman/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorraeroman
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorRaeRoman
ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/taylorraeroman
Amazon Storefront: https://a.co/d/0cNsmkdY
STRONG (As a Mother) Run Club: https://taylorraeroman.com/run-club
Disclaimer
The information shared on Since I Became a Mother is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider about questions related to you or your child.
© 2026 Since I Became a Mother. All rights reserved.

Episode Summary
Baby sleep can quickly take over your entire mental load. In this episode, Taylor talks with pediatric sleep specialist Ella Grace Hanover about infant sleep, night wakings, sleep training, contact naps, feeding to sleep, and what’s actually normal. They also discuss how sleep deprivation affects mothers, when sleep becomes unsustainable for a family, and how to make changes without feeling like you’re failing your baby. This episode definitely leans into sleep training, so if that's not your vibe, skip this one!
In This Episode
What normal infant sleep looks like
Why babies wake at night
When sleep becomes unsustainable
What sleep training really means
Crying, attachment & sleep-training guilt
Feeding to sleep & contact naps
Sleep deprivation & maternal mental health
The mental load of wake windows and schedules
This Week’s Guest
Ella Grace Hanover is a NYC-based pediatric sleep specialist, certified sleep consultant, postpartum doula, newborn care specialist, and integrative feeding and lactation specialist. She is the founder of Ella Grace Sleep Solutions.
Website: https://www.ellagracesleepsolutions.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellagracesleepsolutions/
Resources Mentioned
Precious Little Sleep: The Complete Baby Sleep Guide for Modern Parents by Alexis Dubief
Hiscock H, Wake M. Randomised controlled trial of behavioural infant sleep intervention to improve infant sleep and maternal mood. BMJ. 2002. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.324.7345.1062
Hall WA, Hutton E, Brant RF, et al. A randomized controlled trial of an intervention for infants’ behavioral sleep problems. BMC Pediatrics. 2015. DOI: 10.1186/s12887-015-0492-7
Park J, Kim SY, Lee K, et al. Effectiveness of behavioral sleep interventions on children’s and mothers’ sleep quality and maternal depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports. 2022. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07762-8
Connect With Taylor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorraeroman/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorraeroman
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorRaeRoman
ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/taylorraeroman
Amazon Storefront: https://a.co/d/0cNsmkdY
Join the Community
STRONG (As a Mother) Run Club: https://taylorraeroman.com/run-club
Work With Taylor
Partnerships, speaking & inquiries: https://taylorraeroman.com
Disclaimer
The information shared on Since I Became a Mother is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider about questions related to you or your child.
Credits
Host: Taylor Rae Roman
Podcast: Since I Became a Mother
Artwork: WK Creative Studio
Photography: Ambe J. Williams
© 2026 Since I Became a Mother. All rights reserved.

Episode Summary
Newborns are weird — they grunt, strain, spit up, cry for seemingly no reason, and somehow make every new parent wonder: “Is this normal?”
In this episode of Since I Became a Mother, Taylor sits down with triple board-certified pediatrician Dr. Nilay Donmez to talk through the newborn behaviors that worry parents most. They discuss crying, gas, reflux, witching hour, feeding, hydration, and how to tell the difference between normal newborn behavior and something that actually needs medical attention.
In This Episode
What normal newborn behavior actually looks like
Why babies cry and what witching hour really is
Gas, grunting, straining, and digestive discomfort
Infant reflux and when it becomes a concern
How to know when to call the pediatrician
Newborn red flags parents should never ignore
How to manage the anxiety of constantly wondering whether something is wrong
Guest
Dr. Nilay Donmez is a triple board-certified pediatrician in general pediatrics, pediatric nephrology, and obesity medicine and the founder of First Steps Pediatrics in Tribeca. Her practice focuses on personalized, relationship-based pediatric care, with a particular emphasis on newborns, early childhood, prevention, and the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. She also shares practical pediatric education with parents through her @doctorforkids platform.
Website: https://www.firststepspediatricsnyc.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorforkids/
Resources Mentioned
What to Expect the First Year by Heidi Murkoff
Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby’s First Year by Scott W. Cohen, MD
Connect With Taylor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorraeroman/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorraeroman
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorRaeRoman
ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/taylorraeroman
Amazon Storefront: https://a.co/d/0cNsmkdY
Join the Community
STRONG (As a Mother) Run Club: https://taylorraeroman.com/run-club
Work With Taylor
Partnerships, speaking & inquiries: https://taylorraeroman.com
Disclaimer
The information shared on Since I Became a Mother is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider about questions related to you or your child.
Credits
Host: Taylor Rae Roman
Podcast: Since I Became a Mother
Artwork: WK Creative Studio
Photography: Ambe J. Williams
© 2026 Since I Became a Mother. All rights reserved.

Episode Summary
Breastfeeding is often called “natural,” but that doesn’t mean it’s simple.
Taylor sits down with Dr. Linda Dahl, board-certified ENT and breastfeeding medicine expert, to explain what is actually happening biologically and mechanically when a baby breastfeeds. They discuss milk supply, latch and milk transfer, tongue ties, lactation support, and why breastfeeding works best when mother and baby are understood as a team.
They also explore the mental-health toll of difficult breastfeeding and why new moms deserve better education, clearer answers, and less shame.
In This Episode
How breastfeeding actually works
Milk supply and milk transfer
The mother-baby dyad
Latch and oral mechanics
Tongue ties and feeding
The role of lactation consultants
Why breastfeeding advice can conflict
The mental-health toll of difficult feeding
What Dr. Dahl wishes every new mom knew
Guest
Dr. Linda Dahl is a board-certified otolaryngologist and head-and-neck surgeon specializing in breastfeeding and infant feeding. She is the author of Better Breastfeeding and Clinician’s Guide to Breastfeeding, and her work focuses on anatomy, physiology, milk supply, oral mechanics, and the mother-baby feeding relationship.
Website: https://www.drlindadahl.com/Better Breastfeeding: https://www.betterbreastfeeding.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorlindadahl/?hl=en
Resources Mentioned
Better Breastfeeding: A Doctor’s Guide to Nursing Without Pain and Frustration
Clinician’s Guide to Breastfeeding: Evidence-Based Evaluation and Management
Connect With Taylor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorraeroman/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorraeroman
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorRaeRoman
ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/taylorraeroman
Amazon Storefront: https://a.co/d/0cNsmkdY
Join the Community
STRONG (As a Mother) Run Club: https://taylorraeroman.com/run-club
Work With Taylor
Partnerships, speaking & inquiries: https://taylorraeroman.com
Disclaimer
The information shared on Since I Became a Mother is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider about questions related to you or your child.
Credits
Host: Taylor Rae Roman
Podcast: Since I Became a Mother
Artwork: WK Creative Studio
Photography: Ambe J. Williams
© 2026 Since I Became a Mother. All rights reserved.