Postpartum Depression, Daycare and Whether or Not to Be a Parent — Episode #051 With Kathleen Shannon

Should you be a parent?

What if you’re doing everything right—exercising, eating right, self-care and meditation—and you’re still not okay? After Kathleen Shannon gave birth to her son, Fox, she was doing all the things, using every strategy in the Emotional Resilience toolkit, and on the outside, she appeared to have it all together. But she just didn’t. Though she didn’t realize it at the time, Kathleen was suffering from postpartum depression.

After a visit to an insightful midwife, Kathleen learned that extreme sleep deprivation had her battery running dangerously low. And the fact that nothing else was working meant that something deeper was happening. The midwife prescribed anti-anxiety medication, and it saved Kathleen.

Postpartum Depression and Daycare

Today, Kathleen joins me to share her messy parenting journey, discussing her challenge in deciding whether to be a mom in the first place and her struggle with postpartum depression and anxiety. She offers insight around the beauty of daycare, explaining why she views it as an investment and how it has expanded her son’s capacity for love. I ask Kathleen about her work with Braid Creative and Being Boss, and she describes what branding is and when you should initiate the process. Listen in for Kathleen’s advice on managing mental health like a boss and learn how parenting influences her work—and vice versa.

The Startup Pregnant Podcast Episode #051

Some quotes from the episode

“From the outside, all of these things look impressive, but I’m losing it just like every other … parent out there.”
“As I was pregnant … I felt this kind of expansion and abundance in everything. My business was growing too, and it was becoming pretty clear that I love working.”
“People say things like, ‘It takes a village,’ but then whenever it comes down to it, I feel like we’re expected to be everything to our children.”
“It’s really easy to think of daycare as this anonymous, nameless, faceless institution. But the truth is that there are people at daycare who will love on your baby.”
“I feel like [daycare is] just expanding his capacity for love by being loved by more people than just me.”
“[Parenting is] complex and layered, and I can be happy and so full of love and gratitude—and also so angry at the same time.”
“The people closest to me thought that I had it together, and I just didn’t.”
“Whenever all the things that you should or could be doing to make yourself feel better—from exercise to eating right to self-care to meditation—whenever none of those things are working, it means that there’s something deeper happening.”
“I started taking the medicine, and I started to feel better. And it saved me.”
“What I’ve had to embrace is just this idea that I need to be fluid with my expectations in my business changing as my family changes.”
“Organizations and businesses and companies are starting to really understand the power of being integrated and bringing your whole self to your work, and I think that that can translate to your marketing and advertising as well.”
“Have the thing that you want to sell, sell it a few times, and THEN brand yourself.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT KATHLEEN SHANNON

Kathleen Shannon is the co-founder of Braid Creative and Consulting, a boutique branding agency that helps creative entrepreneurs position themselves as experts and blend more of who they are into the work they do. She is also the co-founder of Being Boss, a popular podcast and coaching resource for creative entrepreneurs, and co-author of the new book, Being Boss: Take Control of Your Work & Live Life on Your Own Terms.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Aeroflow Breastpumps. They are dedicated to making the hassle of getting your breast pump a little bit easier—actually, a lot easier! Head to www.aeroflowbreastpumps.com/startup to have them help you qualify for a free breast pump through insurance.

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: https://startupparent.com/sponsors.

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Mental Health Toolkit — Startup Pregnant Episode #064 - […] Kathleen Shannon on Startup Pregnant EP051 […]
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The Outrageous Expectations We Place On New Mothers - Startup Parent - […] 🎧 Listen to Kathleen Shannon talk about how much she loves daycare — Episode #51 […]