In short
Linz’s seven-weeks-postpartum update (part 1) on going from one child to two. She covers physical recovery (faster this time, worse uterine cramping from breastfeeding), mental overwhelm and self-judgment, breastfeeding/supply challenges tied to sleep/hydration, identity shift, and day-to-day logistics with her 3-year-old son Maverick. She also discusses avoiding Instagram to protect intuition, plus toddler nutrition and potty-training progress.
Guests
No guests. Solo episode by Linz (with mentions of her husband “Mav’s” father, her producer, and support staff like a night nurse and nanny, but not as interview guests).
Key claims
One-to-two is “no joke” and brings grief and overwhelm; breastfeeding can intensify postpartum cramping; night nurses, nutrition, hydration, therapy, and short mindfulness/movement help; maintaining one-on-one time prevents the toddler feeling second priority; potty training happened quickly once diaper-off started.
Notable examples
Water broke at 6 PM; she texts Krista “my water just broke.” Maverick’s big-sister bond is immediate and sweet; meltdowns increase when she can’t hand off. Potty training completed around the week she gave birth.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOStripped of Identity as a New Mom
0:00 to 0:46
Explore the emotional toll and self-judgment of becoming a mother.
“Each time you become a mom, you're kind of being stripped.”
The Journey from One Child to Two
1:54 to 5:48
Linz reflects on her experiences transitioning from one to two children.
“and over the next two episodes, two solo episodes that I share with you, I am going to be just giving you like a full update on life after having my second child.”
The Journey from One Child to Two
11:13 to 12:19
Linz reflects on her experiences transitioning from one to two children.
“Just in a season where I feel overwhelmed a lot of the time, but I've realized that it is less about fixing everything in those moments of overwhelm.”
Fast and Intense Birth Experience
12:35 to 14:01
Linz shares the rapid and surprising details of her recent birth experience.
“I'm going to share the birth story in more detail on my substack.”
Postpartum Recovery Experience
14:01 to 18:45
The speaker shares their physical and emotional recovery experience seven weeks postpartum.
“And I can't believe I'm talking to you about seven weeks postpartum.”
Navigating Grief and Guilt
18:46 to 20:08
Exploring the emotional challenges of shifting attention from the first child to the second.
“But man, one to two has rocked me in moments.”
Working Through Self-Judgment
20:09 to 21:45
Discussing the speaker's struggle with self-judgment and expectations in motherhood.
“We're just working on that because I feel very, yeah, I'm highly judgmental of myself in these moments where I'm like, I feel like I could have done better.”
Working Through Self-Judgment
21:58 to 23:00
Discussing the speaker's struggle with self-judgment and expectations in motherhood.
“I am currently breastfeeding and I have unlocked for me the key to producing enough milk.”
Emotional Challenges of Motherhood
23:17 to 28:00
Reflecting on the overwhelming feelings and the need for self-compassion in parenting.
“And what I believe is that each time you become a mom, you're kind of being stripped.”
Postpartum Reflections: Healing and Community
28:00 to 32:27
Explore the emotional and physical healing journey postpartum and the importance of community among mothers.
“Your body will be healing for a long time.”
Show all 17 chapters
Navigating Parenthood: From One to Two Children
34:01 to 42:00
Discuss the challenges and joys of transitioning from one child to two, focusing on family dynamics.
“I think the day I gave birth, I was like, boom, bye.”
Navigating Parenthood Challenges
42:00 to 43:40
Learn about the struggles and commitments of parenting two children.
“So I am just really committed to that with him going on little adventures, just us.”
Toddler Transitioning: Communication Strategies
45:15 to 50:41
Explore effective communication strategies for transitioning from one child to two.
“But one thing that I think I've been thinking about related to that, you know, I've heard from experts, you know, when you want to make sure you don't make the toddler feel like they are, you know, second fiddle.”
Reflections on Having a Daughter
50:41 to 56:00
Gain insights into the emotional journey of welcoming a daughter.
“I also wanted to talk about just this difference between a boy and a girl.”
Introduction to Upcoming Topics
56:00 to 56:11
Learn about the topics that will be covered in part two of the update.
“Lennox, Lenny, and I'll keep you posted on being a mom to a daughter.”
Reflections on Motherhood
56:11 to 56:51
Discover the emotional journey of transitioning to being a mother of two.
“Um, I want to talk about in that one, I want to talk about marriage, my relationship with my husband, how we're doing, what's happening, uh, from my perspective.”
Cherishing Fleeting Moments
56:51 to 57:51
Understand the importance of appreciating the present moments in parenting.
“I know a lot of you were like, oh, she disappeared from Instagram.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Each time you become a mom, you're kind of being stripped. You're being stripped of what you thought you are as a mom. And you're being stripped for a reason because you're actually not supposed to approach motherhood. I'm highly judgmental of myself in these moments where I'm like, I think I could have done better. I've described this to my husband and he's been so supportive and such a good listener. But he will truly understand. I am the one keeping her alive. I have to feed her all the time. She really is so dependent on me. The mental toll that took on me, whether it was Mav's reactions or my own reactions in moments, just made me so...
0:45Lindsey Simcik:Hello, everyone. How are we doing? It's Linz. I am back after having a baby. And I'm so happy to be sitting down with you all. this is going to be a two-part deep catch-up with your girl. When I'm recording this, I am seven weeks postpartum. I'm recording this a little bit sooner than I would have liked to, to be honest with you. But when we look at schedules and what we need to get done from a work perspective, this is what we got to do. And I think it'll be really nice for me to reflect on the last seven weeks. It feels like a blur from one perspective and also feels like it was the longest period of my life.
1:33Lindsey Simcik:So this is very unscripted. I have like points I want to hit, meaning like topics I want to cover, but I've written nothing down about how I want to talk about it and what I want to share with you all. So it'll be just very in the moment, very raw. and I appreciate you being here. This will be a two-parter. So this is part one and over the next two episodes, two solo episodes that I share with you, I am going to be just giving you like a full update on life after having my second child. So I want to talk about going from one to two and what it's really been like. I want to talk about my physical health, my body, my mental health, just how I've been taking care of myself.
2:24I want to talk about breastfeeding and how that's been going and what's been supportive there. I want to talk about child care and support. I want to talk about marriage, how we're doing there, how Mav's been
2:39Lindsey Simcik:doing with a baby sister, and just the shift in identity yet again. I was already a mom, but I actually didn't expect this feeling of, oh, okay, I think I'm new again. Like, I think I'm a new mom yet again. I was telling my producer here at Theora Studio in New York, I was like, I was pregnant the last time I was sitting in this chair. I think I was recording a few days before I gave birth. I was actually supposed to record with Krista the day I gave birth. And I kept saying to her and Isabella on our team, I was like, yes, so I just don't know if I'm going to make it to that recording. Like if I can, I will, but I just feel like I'm close.
3:30And for that last week before I gave birth, I felt like I was close. I'll tell you a little about how I felt because I think, you know, it's helpful to hear, I think, in hindsight for me and also for anyone who's pregnant, maybe you want to be looking out for maybe these more subtle signs. I was 38 weeks and two days when I gave birth. And for probably about a week and a half, almost two weeks prior, I just felt like a heaviness. I felt like she had dropped, my daughter had dropped lower. I just felt a general heaviness in my pelvic floor. So when I would sit down or get up, it just felt harder.
4:18Everything felt heavier. I also, in the days leading up and on the day of, just felt slow. The general movement from moment to moment and hour to hour, I just felt a little slower. Everything was moving in slow motion. Nothing alarming, but I was like, huh,
4:37Lindsey Simcik:okay, I feel different, right? And then I was also looking back during the night, overnight, I would wake up kind of half asleep, half awake, and kind of feel like I was having period cramps, but not full blown. It wasn't like a full on intense period cramp, so subtle, in fact, that like I didn't even clock it. I was like, I think that might be something, but I'm actually not sure. Whatever. I would go back to sleep. So looking back, I'm like, those two things were happening like the week, week and a half leading up. And it really felt like I was probably dilating a little bit. I was probably dilated when I went into labor on that day.
5:29And I just felt overall slower and heavier. So I just, I felt the drop. It felt different. Otherwise,
5:37Lindsey Simcik:you know, I had no idea that my water was going to break spontaneously at 6 PM on a Monday night. And that's what happened. I think I'm new again. Like I think I'm a new mom yet again. So we'll talk about all of it. And yeah, I'm excited. So I actually wanted to start, I do want to shout out a partner of our show. And I know some of you hear like this and you think, it's an ad, let me fast forward, but please don't. This is a brand that I think is really important, especially if you're someone who might move through postpartum one day, but also for anyone who is interested in learning more about their vaginal health.
6:26Yes, vaginal health, their vaginal microbiome. I recently, as of yesterday, took a test sent to me by Evie, E-V-E-Y. So Evie is an at-home vaginal microbiome test kit, and they make it super easy. This is also a clinical care platform. So not only are you going to be getting accurate results related to your vaginal microbiome, but you're also going to be getting a free one-on-one consultation. Why is this important? We don't talk enough about your vaginal microbiome. To be completely honest, I didn't know about it. Didn't know it was a thing before learning about Evie. And especially for me, postpartum, your vaginal microbiome goes through a lot of shifts, just like everything else, like your hormones, your body, everything, your life completely shifts.
7:20So I was really curious, like, okay, I'm six, seven weeks postpartum.
7:25Lindsey Simcik:I kind of want to check in, see how it's doing down there. You know, I just got the green light from my doctor to be able to get back to working out and get back to sexual activity. Woohoo. But I wanted to know more and I wanted to make sure that we were getting specific because I feel like anyone who's talked about any issues they've had down there, they've just talked about like a doctor prescribing them antibiotics and it's like done kind of just a clean sweep of whatever's happening, but not getting very specific. So that's what I love about Evie. It's really like filling this gap in a very unique and important way.
8:01As we know, here at Almost 30, women's health is under-researched. And so I'm really very excited about this platform and this brand and spreading the word about it. So here's quickly how it works. It's basically an at-home test. It's a swab. I did it in two
8:19Lindsey Simcik:seconds. I just inserted it, swabbed around for like 20 seconds, put it in a tube, sent it off in the mail. That was it. So easy, like no friction there. And they test for over 700 bacteria and fungi. So just for context at your OB's office, they're usually looking for maybe three to 10 organisms. But Evie is mapping your entire vaginal ecosystem. Not just like is something wrong, but they're actually mapping the good bacteria, the bad bacteria. It's incredibly, incredibly helpful and very thorough. And then shortly after you will get your test results back. You'll get it back in a very like easy digestible way.
9:02So I'm waiting on those. You don't have to have like someone translate it for you, but you can meet one-on-one with an EVI affiliated licensed clinician. So as someone who's postpartum right now, I am very excited to get my results back, learn more and understand just how I can support my vaginal microbiome. It's, I think, one of those things that is a little taboo, maybe something we don't want to talk about or look at. So please, please, please do this very easy test, the vaginal microbiome test from Evie. You deserve more than just like everything's fine down there. We want to get specific.
9:36So if this feels a little taboo, a little embarrassing to talk about, it's okay. You can keep it private. But Evie is a really beautiful thorough way to learn more to get clinical care to get a very precise and personalized plan for you and your vagina okay I feel like this is one of those things that would
9:58Lindsey Simcik:be shared on like a mom thread like where it's like a hack like a total secret but I'm gonna share it with you all here rebel r-e-b-e-l okay I have to tell you about this this is one of those things that you find and you're like, wait a second, this exists. Are you sure? It's a shopping find. Okay. You get real brand name products for up to 70 % off. Like I was like, wait, like, how is that possible? Just don't ask questions. It just is. And it's possible and rebel is it. So, um, you don't have to choose between the brand you actually want and the price you actually want. And the finds are constantly changing, which is kind of part of the fun.
10:34Lindsey Simcik:I like, like being perusing the website. You might find something from brand you already love or like stumble across a new product that you can try. Didn't know you needed until this moment. It kind of feels like catching a really good deal before everyone else catches it. There's like a fun in that too. So I would check out Rebel now before you pay full price for anything, especially for like home, baby, outdoor finds. Go to fromrebel.com. Top brands at home, baby and outdoor up to 70 % Sent off. So amazing. F-R-O-M-R-E-B-E-L.com. Go check it out before it's gone. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.
11:13Lindsey Simcik:Just in a season where I feel overwhelmed a lot of the time, but I've realized that it is less about fixing everything in those moments of overwhelm. And it's more about just being aware of the feeling, of being present to the feeling. And oftentimes that reduces feeling by quite a bit. I also know that having support is integral. I am in therapy. I've been in therapy for years and at BetterHelp, they have an incredible array of therapists to support you through any type of overwhelm you might be moving through. It is so easy. You just take a quick survey and they match you with a licensed therapist.
11:53Lindsey Simcik:They have thousands of therapists and millions of members in over 100 countries. And people are really changing their lives by really prioritizing their inner world, their inner life and wellbeing. And life can be overwhelming, but we don't have to be taken down by the overwhelm. So sign up and get 10 % off at betterhelp.com slash almost 30. It's awesome. Check it out for yourself. You can go to our show notes. We have a code and link and all of that. So check it out. Just wanted to shout out that partner at the top, something that I have actually done, and I'm excited to get those results back and meet with a clinician one-on-one.
12:34Okay,
12:35Lindsey Simcik:let's get into the solo episode. I'm going to share the birth story in more detail on my substack. If you're not subscribed to my substack, I would love it. It's called MomPlex. And my my intention with MomPlex is to really share kind of the behind the scenes of motherhood, of going from one to two, of toddlerhood, of infanthood, of marriage and identity shifts and really all of it. And it's all so complex. Therefore, the name MomPlex. So you can subscribe on Substack. I'm going to go deeper there into the birth story. But I will say, it was fast. It was very fast in a, in a shocking way, in a scary way.
13:24And also, you know, thankfully we made it to the hospital all is well and in a beautiful way. But it was funny because I literally texted Krista when my water broke and I said, my water just broke.
13:39Lindsey Simcik:And I think I was supposed to be at the studio. It was the next day. Yeah, That was the next day I was supposed to be at the studio to record with her. I was like, my water just broke. She's like, no way. We said a little text prayer and off I went to the hospital. So yeah, it happened fast. And I can't believe I'm talking to you about seven weeks postpartum. It feels like I've lived a lifetime and it feels like it was just yesterday. So the update on me and how I've been feeling, I think I'll start there. Physically, the recovery from birth I felt was so much quicker and so much better than the first.
14:25I had a decent recovery with Mav, but I did tear a little bit, so there was pain there. And I had really intense nipple trauma from breastfeeding in the hospital, him not latching properly. And it was just so painful. so recovery this time around was much better however I didn't know the cramping was going to be a lot worse the second time around apparently apparently it gets worse with every child basically what cramping is in this postpartum period is your uterus going back to its original shape and size and in order to do that you have to contract and basically it feels like really, really intense period cramps.
15:11Um, so that was, that was something that was happening after I, during breastfeeding because it's breastfeeding stimulates those contractions. So it was just so uncomfortable, but otherwise I would say physically I felt pretty strong and really good. And I think what really helps me postpartum is, and I'm going to be very honest about all the resources, the help I have, what I'm feeding myself, all the things, because I think it's important to just be transparent because I think it's easy to compare your experience to mine to other people who have had kids. So we had a night nurse right away. That is an investment that my husband and I make after having our children because one, we know how important it is for my healing and recovery immediately postpartum.
16:14So to be able to get just a little bit more rest overnight helps my milk production helps my physical recovery helps my mental health so he and I decided that this would be an investment that we would make so night one back at home we had the night nurse I'm still getting up every three hours feeding her but the night nurse helps to you know change the baby put her back to sleep so I get a little bit I probably get with each feed probably a half hour back. Um, so that's really, really integral. Um, I also made sure to have proper postpartum nourishment. So making sure I'm getting enough food. Um, I had people cook for me, like friends, family.
17:03I was also kind of cooking. I felt good enough to cook. Um, so I was making food for me, for my family, mainly warm foods, mainly high calorie nutrient dense foods. This is really, really important, not only for recovery, but also milk production. I can talk more deeply about that on my sub stack, like kind of what I was eating. But I find that to be incredibly helpful. Hydration, like you have to stay hydrated. So So I knew that from my first experience, that hydration had to be part of my job. And frankly, in the last couple weeks, actually, we went on vacation last week to Martha's Vineyard, and I was like full on with the kids.
17:55My hydration was not what it should be. My sleep was not what it should be. And my supply dropped. So I'm actually working right now to build my supply back. we're having a time but it's it's happening it's just slow to come back but that's why sleep proper nutrition and hydration is so incredibly important for that um so yeah i'm i'm supporting myself the minute i get back from the hospital what i didn't expect was um maybe i should have why didn't I expect this? I'm going from one to two kids and it's, it is, I heard more people say zero to one was harder because it just completely flips your life upside down.
18:45It's more of like a life change. But man, one to two has rocked me in moments. And I think what I didn't expect to happen, especially in those early weeks, was just this like grief, this grief of, oh it's not just Mav you know I can't give him all of my attention and now I am giving another child attention so there's less for Mav and also like I am the one keeping her alive you know like I have to feed her all the time you know she really is so dependent on me and Mav's gonna feel a type of way about that so what I will say and I'll go into you know what I've noticed in Mav's experience and all of that.
19:44But the mental toll that that took on me, you know, whether it was Mav's reactions or my own reactions in moments just made me so upset, so frustrated, disappointed in myself, like very hard on myself. And I didn't expect that to happen. So I've been working with my therapist. We're going strong. Six years, girl. We're just working on that because I feel very, yeah, I'm highly judgmental of myself in these moments where I'm like, I feel like I could have done better. Like, I feel like I could have, you know, held my center more, been more calm, less reactive, been a better mom, given him more time.
20:34And I just have to remind myself, like, I'm doing this for the first time. This is two kids for the first time and it is incredibly...
20:43Lindsey Simcik:Okay, I feel like we talk a lot about what supplements we take, but we're not really talking about are they actually being absorbed by our body? And I didn't really think about that at all. I was like, well, they're all just like supplements. Like what's the difference? But no, there is a huge difference. And there is a company, the absorption company, that is focused on making supplements that your body actually absorbs, which means they actually work. I've been using their magnesium now for a while and their whole approach again is just centered around absorption not just throwing up another supplement into the mix and their magnesium absorbs eight times better than standard magnesium and magnesium is super important for over 300 functions in the body.
21:27Lindsey Simcik:I notice better sleep, muscle recovery, digestion. I would say probably the number one supplement I recommend to almost everyone because you can't recommend everything to everyone, but this one I'm like, kind of can. It is phenomenal and so needed. We don't get enough magnesium. So start taking supplements your body can actually absorb. Go to absorbmore.com and enter code almost 30 at checkout and you'll get 35 % off your first order. That's a major discount. Go to absorbmore.com. Use the code almost 30 for 35%. Okay. I am currently breastfeeding and I have unlocked for me the key to producing enough milk.
22:04Lindsey Simcik:But this is not just for moms. This is for anyone actually. Life is busy. We don't drink enough water. But are we drinking electrolytes in our water? We're just drinking plain water. We're not getting what we need. I'm an electrolytes I have been for years and I found instant hydration everybody. It is the best. Not only for flavor but what's in it. So there's zero sugar. There is French gray sea salt. There's potassium and magnesium and there's Aquaman. So it's like a really rich mineral complex in there as well. I love the raspberry. I love the strawberry lemonade is one of my favorite flavors, but they have an array of flavors that are fantastic.
22:46Lindsey Simcik:Nothing artificial about it. They're so, so good. Do not drink plain water. Instant hydration is my favorite electrolyte mix. You need this everywhere you go, in your purse, in your backpack, in your desk at work, in your pantry at home. So for a better way to hydrate, go to instanthydration.com slash almost 30, and you are going to get 40 % off your first subscription order. So instanthydration.com slash almost 30, you will get 40 % off your first subscription order. Incredibly challenging. And what I believe is that each time you become a mom, you're kind of being stripped. You're being stripped of what you thought you are as a mom.
23:29And you're being stripped for a reason because you're actually not supposed to approach motherhood in the same way with two as you did with one. There is supposed to be a recalibration and a reprogramming, not only because this child is different than your first, but because there is a new capacity to embody and to meet. So, yeah, I've felt stripped. I've felt raw over the last seven weeks. And it's been really challenging for me to communicate that with anyone. because I think unless you're in it and experiencing it, it's just hard. It's hard to put into words. I've described this to my husband, and he's been so supportive and such a good listener, but he won't truly understand.
24:24So it only goes so far in helping me to cope with it. I really, I think so much of it is knowing that it won't last forever, this feeling, knowing that this experience, this really challenging experience is working on me. You know, it's working in a really positive way to build more resilience, to give me more confidence as a mom, to expand my capacity to love and care and attune to my kids. it's just really, really hard when it's happening. So to all y 'all that said zero to one was harder, I'm saying one to two is no joke. I hear two to three is just adding another on top of it and not as hard, but I'll let you know if that happens.
25:19So physically, I feel good. Mentally, have been challenged. Nothing alarming, nothing that I'm concerned about in an intense way. It's more just like, this is so challenging. I am feeling super hard on myself. I am feeling just in the thick of it. I am feeling overwhelmed. I think this feeling of overwhelm has been like something I've talked about a lot in the last few days. I had a therapy session. I had a couples therapy session. This feeling of overwhelm is all-encompassing for me, and it causes me to forget my own needs. It causes me to not think clearly, to not be able to trust myself, not be able to properly delegate, to express my needs, to express really anything coherent at all.
Read the full transcript
26:27So a few things that I've realized is I've totally lost like a mindfulness practice. And, you know, as you should, after you have a baby, it's hard to do anything besides take care of the baby. But I have to reincorporate it because I'm losing that sense of self, of what I know is true, of my calm, of my center. And so I'm really committing to, even if it's 5-10 minutes of meditation before bed, I'm committing to that because I think it's important. I have seen the positive effects of that in my day-to-day when I do do it. I'm also really excited to start moving my body again um it's hard for me not to move in the way that I'm used to so exercise I think is going to be really really important um and just like lastly giving myself so much grace you know I think the overwhelm for me is not only the actual things overwhelming me it's then my perfectionism and judgment layered on top of that, that really just like sends me down a spiral.
27:50So can I have a bit more grace for the fact that, hi, I'm seven weeks postpartum.
27:55Lindsey Simcik:Your child has only been out of your body for seven weeks. You've only been mom to two for seven weeks. Your body is still healing. Your body will be healing for a long time. Your hormones are still recalibrating and will be recalibrating for a long time can I just actually know that to be true and have more grace for myself and forgive myself in moments where I'm not doing it right I think that is a huge piece of how I can decrease the overwhelm because life's gonna life and it's gonna be chaotic and there's gonna be a lot of things happening all the time probably for a long time for me in my personal sphere.
28:36So can I forgive myself?
28:40Lindsey Simcik:Can I find more fun and levity in this craziness? Can I allow the mess? Can I allow the chaos to be what it is? Can I be okay with not knowing what to do next? Can I be okay with being in a hard moment and being present rather than trying to fix it? So yeah, the overwhelm is like a very complicated layered experience for me. And I'm really committed to knowing it better. I'm committed to moving through it better. And I know I'm not alone in this. So I know I'm saying this and I know a lot of you out there are nodding your heads. and I do feel so much comfort knowing that you know having your community especially if you are a mom of other moms is really helpful I think I described in a recent solo episode before I gave birth that you know I have a few friends that gave birth around the time that I did probably a handful and it's just been so nice to send texts to them or call them FaceTime them in the middle of the day and be like, yo, what's up?
29:54Last night was a bear. How are you? How are you surviving? What's working? What's not? Like just really connecting with moms in this period because you know, for better or worse, like, you know, those friends who are or have gone through it, there's just a very important way that you connect. You don't have to over-explain. You don't have to feel like you're being too much. You just feel understood. And I think that alone is just so comforting and so healing at a time where you could feel very isolated. You could feel very alone. So tap your mom friends. If you're feeling isolated and alone, tap them.
30:42And you can always DM me. I think I'm going to be back on Instagram soon.
30:45Lindsey Simcik:We'll see. That's another thing. Shall we pause and talk about that? Haven't been on Instagram in a minute. And it's been glorious. And not to say that I hate Instagram and that I think it's the devil at all. I think Instagram is amazing. but it's been really really important for my mental health and for my ability to be present to delete the app off my phone okay can we talk about picky eating for a second i have a toddler i'd like to say he eats a little bit more than other kids but he is still picky so if you have a kid who basically survives on the beige foods you know the struggle and with mav i just don't want every meal to turn into that negotiation.
31:33Lindsey Simcik:That's why I have been giving him Ella Ola. It's basically a completely tasteless, colorless vitamin powder. It's not a gummy. It's not a chewable. So into his water, I have electrolytes in there too, but I put it in his water or his milk. Sometimes he'll have yogurt. I'll throw it in there. His oatmeal, don't tell him. Smoothies, super easy. And he literally cannot tell it's in there. So it has 19 essential vitamins and minerals plus nutrients from 15 organic fruits and veggies, including B12, D, zinc, and it'll support his mood and brain development. It's a pediatrician and pediatric dietician developed.
32:10Lindsey Simcik:It has zero sugar. It's vegan, gluten-free, free of the top nine allergens, and has no artificial sweeteners, dyes, or additives. And honestly, for me, it's just one less thing to stress about at mealtime. Ella Ola is offering our listeners 20 % off your first purchase. Just go to ellaola.com slash almost 30. That's E-L-L-A-O-L-A.com slash almost 30. The discount is automatically applied at checkout, so you don't need a code. You can try it risk-free with Ella Ola's 45-day money back guarantee. So go to ellaola.com slash almost 30 for 20 % off your first purchase. So this was the second time that I was pregnant and I just love pregnancy because I get so attuned to like everything that I put in my body.
32:56Lindsey Simcik:And one of those things is my prenatal. A prenatal I recommend highly is from Ritual. The Ritual Essential Prenatal is a part of my routine and I really love it because it has just these essential nutrients that we need during pregnancy, especially like choline, like folate and omega-3. I also love it because when I'm taking it the sensory experience it doesn't smell weird it has like this little tab in there that keeps it really fresh like a citrusy taste and smells and I just found it to be gentler on my stomach first trimester I was so nauseous but over the course of my entire pregnancy and I still take prenatals postpartum it's really gentle on my stomach ritual selects bioavailable key nutrients designed for optimal absorption so that's really important your body actually absorbs these and all of their products are evidence-based.
33:47Lindsey Simcik:So don't settle for less than evidence-based support. Save 25 % on your first month at ritual.com slash almost 30. That's ritual.com slash almost 30 for 25 % off your first month. Because like many of you, I would just find myself on there. So I went off Instagram. I think the day I gave birth, I was like, boom, bye. I I didn't announce that I gave birth. You know, when I'm recording this, I haven't even announced it yet. So I've been off for about two months, and I never once went onto my phone and tried to open the app, which was really interesting to me. I was like, oh, wow, that was quick.
34:27I kind of like wiped that from my experience and my habit pattern really, really quick, which was nice. But the reason I stay off Instagram, especially in these early weeks and months, is because there's just so much information out there, really amazing information that I've learned a lot from, especially regarding being a mom and caring for children.
34:56And it can really quiet your own intuition. and my goal in getting off Instagram for this first period is to reconnect with my own intuition as a mom to just follow what feels right to me and what I feel like is right for my child instead of being fed you know 10 different answers by the algorithm you know should I pump should I not should I exclusively breastfeed should I also incorporate formula so I can build a supply with that thing. And then also, should I sleep train at this age? And then should we get on a schedule now? Or should we like so much information? And I'm someone who can kind of see things from so many different angles and sides and understand and see how both can be right or both could work.
35:49And so honestly, I just get confused. And then I'm walking around as like this weird, confused, chaotic mom. And I just don't want that. I want to be as best I can flowing from moment to moment, trusting myself, even if what I do doesn't work. Cause then I can just pivot and we go another way rather than being so dependent on the algorithm. Okay. Can you, can you tell me what I should do now? And who's the influencer who's talking about this? Let me find like too much happening. So for me personally, it's not helpful. I will go back on and I will have boundaries around it because I just don't want it to get too muddied here in my mommy world.
36:38I want to keep it really clean as far as where I go for information and also where I am dependent on information coming to me. I like my mom groups. I like my personal friendships with moms where I can ask questions. I like the books that I've like come to really lean on during this season. But other than that, I'm kind of uninterested in the algorithm telling me what to do. So it's worked for me. For some people, it makes you feel less alone. For some people, it's super helpful at 3 a.m. when you're trying to figure out, you know, is your child getting enough milk or like, are they gassy? Like for some people, it's extremely helpful.
37:32So trust yourself as always. I've always said this. I am not like prescribing a type of motherhood that you should subscribe to. It's more just I want you to own what works for you in motherhood and not feel like you need to do it just because everyone else is. Okay.
37:46Lindsey Simcik:I want to talk about going from one to two, more specifically just how it's changed the day-to-day logistics, how it has affected Maverick, my son, who is three years old.
38:03I want to talk about the fact that she's a girl and just like, does it feel different and just kind of how we move and yeah. So let's get into it. Um, one to two, as I said, I feel like is very challenging. Um, and I've been saying the highs are really high. The challenges are very challenging. The highs have been, you know, my son Maverick is the most precious big brother. I wouldn't say I'm surprised, but there has not been a moment yet where he has looked at her, turned to her, interacted with her in any other way than sweetness and love and just tenderness
38:50Lindsey Simcik:with her. He could be in a mood, having a moment. And I bring Lenny over. Her name is Lennox. Did I say that in the beginning? Her name is Lennox. We call her Lenny. And he will just light up. He'll smile immediately. He goes, hey, Lenny girl. How's Lenny? Oh, how you doing, Lenny girl? And I'll kiss her and I'll hug her and I'll play with her and I'll try to make her laugh. And he's just so precious. And I think there is something very special I'm seeing between a big brother and a little sister. I think it would be different if like it was another little brother or if it was, if it was a girl first and then a boy, I just think all of those dynamics have nuance and are different.
39:37Lindsey Simcik:And obviously it depends on your child and their personality and temperament, but it is so precious. So it just makes me so happy. Um, I see their bond. I actually see how she looks at him, which is kind of crazy this early on. It's very special. Um, but outside of those interactions with her, I've definitely seen, you know, some of the behavior, um, as like a reaction to the change. And it's totally normal. It's not surprising to me. I knew that there would be hard moments in response to another person joining our family. It's a huge, huge change, one that I can't even describe, one that I will never understand from his perspective, even though I went through it as an eldest child, but I don't remember.
40:32Lindsey Simcik:It's in my cells and my being. So, you know, the meltdowns are have been more frequent. If you know, he's having a moment and I'm holding Lenny. And, you know, he wants my attention. Those moments are hard, especially if I don't have any support in that moment, like another person to take her if I'm feeding her when he needs me, you know, sometimes he'll say she doesn't need milk, you know, so it's, he's definitely had really hard moments related to me giving her a lot of attention because she does need quite a bit of me. But what I've been doing and really committing to is making sure that he and I are having one-on-one time frequently.
41:23Every day at the very least, multiple times a day. It depends on the day, right? Weekends, we are full on. During the week, we do have our nanny and support. So making sure that I am filling his cup where he feels just the deep total love of mommy, my presence, everything, so that he feels full. He feels really good. Not half-assed, not sort of feeding Letty, not on my phone, not working, not cooking dinner, like really in his world. And I've noticed that that has made such a difference, you know? So I'm committed. I'm committed to that. It's just, it's hard. It's hard sometimes when, you know, we're in moments where we don't have the support to hand Lenny off or when, you know, the day gets away from you and you have to make dinner and you have to get to bedtime and all this stuff.
42:17So I am just really committed to that with him going on little adventures, just us. And daddy has also been doing that with him, having more time with Mav one-on-one, which has been really nice.
42:32Lindsey Simcik:I just took my son to the dentist for the first time. It was very cute. He did a great job. I was very nervous that he would just have a total meltdown and not let them look at his teeth, but did a great job. But I was thinking about my own dental health, postpartum, got to get back to the dentist. I was really excited to find this brand for us all. Okay. So it's called Lorene and this is a chewing gum. Okay. This is a chewing gum that is better for you, better for your teeth. It uses nano hydroxy appetite, and this is the mineral your teeth are actually made of. So this is going to support your enamel health.
43:08Lindsey Simcik:So if you're eating and drinking things that aren't necessarily good for your teeth, like let's replace it or at least follow it with some Lorene. They sent me some to try and I was like, wait, this is actually very good. The mint flavor is phenomenal. So that's my favorite. I'll usually chew it after meals or after I have my coffee in the morning and my mouth just feels very fresh, which is always a nice feeling. My husband loves it. So right now, Lorene Co. is offering our listeners up to 50 % off at buylorene.com slash almost 30. That's B-U-Y-L-A-R-I-N-E dot com slash almost 30 for up to 50 % off.
43:47Lindsey Simcik:Okay, Kristen and I have built this business and this brand over the last 10 years, not just by ourselves. We have had lots of support in many different ways. And Upwork was an essential part of our growth and our evolution at points. You can't do this alone. So you must outsource at points. That's why Upwork is just incredible in bringing very highly skilled freelance specialists for almost anything you need in building a business, whether it's marketing, design, AI implementation, business operations, but you don't have to commit to a full-time hire. So it's really kind of like this freelance vibe, but everyone is vetted and incredible, especially in this age of AI I feel like people are overwhelmed by the idea of incorporating AI into their business so Upwork has got you you can browse profiles you can see their past work you can even like get help scoping the role we have used Upwork for creating graphics for designing a campaign for a partnership and with business plus AI powered shortlisting can deliver a curated short list of top freelancers matched to your goals in under six hours.
45:02Lindsey Simcik:So visit Upwork.com and post your job for free. That is Upwork.com to connect with top talent ready to help your business grow. That is U-P-W-O-R-K.com. So yeah, we're doing our best. It's not perfect. But one thing that I think I've been thinking about related to that, you know, I've heard from experts, you know, when you want to make sure you don't make the toddler feel like they are, you know, second fiddle. So for example, if I'm feeding Lenny or I'm holding her saying to the toddler, you know, I'm holding your sister now, I'll pick you up in a little bit, isn't what you want to do because it's kind of reinforcing that they are, you know, second priority or they're not as important, which I'm not going to disagree with.
45:57But what I've been thinking about is how can I communicate to him in a way where one, he knows he is important. I see him. I prioritize him.
46:08Lindsey Simcik:But where he also understands, because he's three, there is like a comprehension of what's going on more than if he were two, where he also understands that, you know, baby sister does need me in this moment and that's okay and what we're going to do is I'm going to finish feeding her but then you and I get our special time so let's put on a timer it's going to be 10 minutes and when that timer goes off it's only Mavi and mommy like I don't want him to feel like every time he needs me and I have baby sis that he's going to get everything of what he wants maybe that's the non-gentle parenting way I don't know but I want him to understand that yes he has a sibling now, you know, and there are going to be times when I can't give him my full attention, but that we will always commit to making sure that does happen in the very near future, you know, in the next 10 minutes, in the next hour, whatever.
47:04Lindsey Simcik:So I've just been thinking about that because I don't want to like set him up to always expect, you know, me to drop everything for him, but I am mindful of my language. You know, I want to make sure that I'm not always saying like, baby sister needs me, baby sister needs me. It's like, um, I can't wait to hold you. I want, I want to snuggle with you, Mav. So give me five minutes and we're gonna, I'm going to put Lenny down or I'm going to give Lenny to daddy after she finishes feeding and we'll do this. What do you want to do? Tell me the plan. Like just getting him really engaged in the process and making sure that he knows I'm in it and I'm in and I'm engaged and I am committed.
47:46Lindsey Simcik:Um, that's been working. So we'll see how that goes, you know, moving forward. Um, but yeah, it's, it's complex. Cause I, I, I'm listening to these experts, but then I'm also having an experience where I'm like, I also think we need to kind of create a little bit of a re more realistic expectation for him. So, um, the other piece that I wanted to share that I thought was incredible and kind of shocking to me. Potty training. So Mav had no interest in potty training leading up to me having his sister. I was like, shoot, can we potty train before she comes? Like, that would be amazing. We have school starting in the fall.
48:32Lindsey Simcik:Like, I got to get this done. And then I just surrendered. I was like, you know what? He's not interested. Every time we put him on the potty, he would say, no, I don't want to be in the potty. No, I don't want to sit. I don't want to sit. I was like, fine. Okay, whatever. So our nanny, Nicole, who's incredible, she started just putting him on the potty when they were out. We have a foldable, you know, travel potty. He didn't like it, but then he started seeing his friends do it. And he's like, okay, this isn't like the worst thing. Fine. He wouldn't do it consistently. Then one day she's like, you know what?
49:05Lindsey Simcik:We're just going to take your diaper off. You're going to wear pants, but you're going to take your diaper off and I'm going to put the potty out. And if you have to go, you go. And he had a couple accidents, you know, a little practice, but so quickly he got it. He got it. He got it. He got it. I think the week I gave birth, Mav officially potty trained and knock on wood, it has been great ever since. So Maverick for me notoriously has never, has not been like easy when it comes to things like this, whether it's sleep or otherwise, but y 'all, this was easy and I'm going to take the W. So it's a win.
49:45I'm so proud of him.
49:47Lindsey Simcik:He is so proud of himself. He body trained himself. And I just like, I see him as such a big boy now, you know, he's potty trained. He has a little sister. He's going to school in the fall, which I think will be yet another change. So we'll see what kind of happens in the wake of that. But I also think it's going to be incredible for him. He is such a social boy. And I just, I see him thrive in new experiences like that. Um, once he feels like really safe and comfortable. So I don't know, I feel like it was yesterday that he was in my belly and I was giving birth to him. I was looking back at pictures and now he's three about to go to school and he has a little sister.
50:26Lindsey Simcik:So I'll probably feel the same when Lenny turns three and I'm like, where the heck did time go? So yeah, overall, Mav is doing phenomenally and I'm proud of our little family, you know, navigating such a huge, huge change. I also wanted to talk about just this difference between a boy and a girl. This is how I'm going to round out this part. part one of this catch up. So when we found out we were having a girl, I was shocked. I thought I was having a boy. I was convinced we're going to have another boy. I'm going to be a boy mom. This just is what it is. And I was excited. I love being a mom to Mav and just having that boy energy around me.
51:17It's sweet and it's crazy and energetic and just the best. So when we found out we were having a girl, I was like, whoa, what? Can I be a girl mom too? Like, what does that mean? But ironically, Sean and I, since we were dating, have had these names picked out, Mav and Lenny. We've always referred to them as such. Well, when Mav and Lenny are here, you know, what Mav and Lenny think, like what would they want? Always refer to them as Mav and Lenny before they even like came to earth. So it's wild they came in, in that order.
52:02So I was surprised, but I also wasn't surprised. She was like, I'm coming, I'm coming, mom. Like it's time. So it didn't hit me until I would say a week or two postpartum that I had a daughter, you know, even saying that out loud, like I have a daughter now, just hits different. And obviously I think because I am a woman, a daughter myself, I've done a lot of work around being a daughter and just my experience with my own mom who was an incredible mother like it just hits different and um I don't fully know like her temperament and personality yet she's only seven weeks old but there is just a sweetness and a tenderness to her spirit that But yeah, I'm so curious about there's also just a, I don't even know, like her expressions are crazy to me.
53:11She's here, like she's listening, she's feeling, she's attuning to the fam. And I don't know, I think she has a lot to gift us. I'm excited to find out what that is and how that manifests. But yeah, it's just hitting me. you know, that I have a daughter now. And so how I move in the world, I feel like is shifting, um, how I make decisions, how I treat myself, how I talk to myself, uh, what I tolerate boundaries. I make, um, my self-worth, um, the habits I have, you know, the Instagram thing was
53:51Lindsey Simcik:something that was also connected to, I have a daughter now and Lord knows I know, you know, Instagram might not be going anywhere and she might have one one day. And I'm just like, I want to just be thoughtful. I want to be more thoughtful, even more thoughtful about like how I move, you know, in the social media space and public realm and how I treat my body. Like just all these things that I know are very, very important when it comes to raising a daughter. So yeah, it does feel different. It absolutely feels different. And I'm excited to just kind of experience what that actually means at each stage in terms of like sleeping.
54:45Is she a better sleeper. Is she a better eater? You know, all those things. I can't really say yet. You know, she's still a newborn. Sleep is still like what is sleep. But she is, you know, according to her human design, she's a projector. She's a projector in a family of manifesting generators. So girl needs to sleep and rest and nap.
55:06Lindsey Simcik:So I'm excited about that. Because Matt was not a good sleeper, is not a great sleeper. So I'm excited for the potential that she might be. I was talking to our producer here, Dawn, a theorist. We were talking about the astrology. So she's Cancer, Sun, Cat, Moon, Sag, Rising. So pretty balanced. We have water, earth, fire. Mav and I are Virgo suns. So there's a little earth there and daddy is Pisces water. So we got in terms of sun signs, pretty balanced house, water and earth. So yeah, Alex did our family constellation and it was super fascinating how we all are working together, coming together, supporting each other in our like evolution.
55:56Lindsey Simcik:It's very cool. So yeah, my girl, my girl's amazing, Lennox, Lenny, and I'll keep you posted on being a mom to a daughter. Okay, so that concludes part one. I have a whole other part for you in a couple of weeks. Um, I want to talk about in that one, I want to talk about marriage, my relationship with my husband, how we're doing, what's happening, uh, from my perspective. And, um, I want to talk about help childcare, what that looks like, the realities of that. Um, and I want to talk about identity. You know, I want to talk about kind of the big changes, the rumblings of change I'm feeling and what that means and just how I'm moving through it and a few other things.
56:47So thanks for joining me for part one. I love you guys so much. Thank you for checking in on me.
56:53Lindsey Simcik:I know a lot of you were like, oh, she disappeared from Instagram. She must have had the baby. You're right. You know me too well. But all is well. and changing and really beautiful. And I have to remind myself every day that these truly are the days. I've had many a moment with random people who have older children look at me, you know, with Lenny on my chest, like in a baby carrier and just saying like, oh my gosh, like I would kill. I would kill to have those days back with my kids. They're in college now. They wanted them to do with me. Like I would kill. So I just, I really, I hear that deeply in those moments.
57:35I need to hear it because it can be so, so a lot. It can be so a lot right now. And I can forget just how precious and fleeting this is. So, all right. Love you guys. Thanks for being here. I will see you on the next one.
58:00you
From the publisher
Seven weeks postpartum, Lindsey is back with a deeply honest look at going from one child to two—and the emotional well-being, self-awareness, and personal growth that have come with becoming a mom all over again. She shares what no one prepared her for about this transition.
From physical recovery and breastfeeding to overwhelm, guilt, identity shifts, and learning to ask for help, Lindsey gets real about what this season has demanded of her. She also opens up about stepping away from Instagram to protect her intuition and make space for her own inner knowing.
Then there’s motherhood the second time around: watching Mav become a big brother, becoming a daughter-mom, and realizing how much her choices now shape the woman her daughter will grow into. It’s messy, beautiful, challenging, and a powerful lesson in letting go of perfection.
We also talk about:
What Lindsey’s birth experience was like + the subtle signs she noticed beforehand
How postpartum recovery compared to her first experience
The support, nourishment, rest, and childcare that have helped her recover
Why going from one child to two has felt unexpectedly emotional
The guilt + self-judgment that can come with splitting your attention between children
Rebuilding mindfulness, movement, and a sense of self in early motherhood
Why Lindsey deleted Instagram + how it helped her trust her intuition as a mom
Mav’s adjustment to becoming a big brother + making intentional one-on-one time with him
What becoming a mother to a daughter is bringing up around self-worth, boundaries, body image, and how she moves through the world
The identity shifts that can happen when your family, body, and priorities change all at once
Resources:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindseysimcik/
Substack: https://momplex.substack.com
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