847. What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Parent

Almost 30

Krista Williams & Lindsey Simcik

Alternative Health, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness, Education

4.5 • 4K Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2026

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

No one tells you what becoming a parent actually feels like. Not the baby registry, not the birth plan—but the identity shift, the relationship changes, the loneliness, grief, and joy that cracks you open. In this solo, Lindsey shares what she genuinely wishes someone had told her before becoming a mom. From nervous system overload + sleep deprivation to partnership strain + matrescence (the emotional + psychological transformation of motherhood), Lindsey pulls back the curtain on early parenthood. This isn’t about fear—it’s about truth. The discomfort, the rewiring, the ego death, and the profound expansion that comes with raising a child. If you’re a new mom, thinking about becoming a parent, or deep in your own identity shift in your 30s, this episode will make you feel seen. It’s honest, grounding, and deeply reassuring: you’re not doing it wrong—it’s just that big of a transformation. We also talk about: Why motherhood expands your capacity for discomfort The nervous system rewiring that happens after having a baby Intrusive thoughts + heightened sensitivity in early motherhood Relationship changes after a baby (+ the Gottman research on partnership dips) Why you don’t “go back” to your old self—and why that’s freeing Matrescence + identity loss in your 30s Grieving your old life while loving your child How motherhood ruthlessly edits your priorities Perfectionism in parenting + attachment research truths Emotional availability vs. “doing it right” Loneliness in early motherhood + building your village Reparenting yourself while raising your child Resources: Instagram: @lindseysimcik Order our book, Almost 30: A Definitive Guide To A Life You Love For The Next Decade and Beyond, here: https://bit.ly/Almost30Book. Sponsors: Our Place | Visit https://www.fromourplace.com/ALMOST30 and use code ALMOST30 for 10% off sitewide. Fatty15 | Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to https://www.fatty15.com/ALMOST30 and use code ALMOST30 at checkout. Ka’Chava | Go to https://www.kachava.com and use code ALMOST30 for 15% off your next order. Ritual | Don’t settle for less than evidence-based support. My listeners get 25% off your first month at https://www.Ritual.com/ALMOST30. Hero Bread | Hero Bread is offering 10% off your order. Go to https://hero.co and use code ALMOST30 at checkout. Gaia | On https://www.gaia.com, you get access to over 8,000 original, ad-free series, documentaries, and classes — along with a global community of more than 800,000 people exploring deeper truth and human potential. Revolve | Shop at https://www.REVOLVE.com/ALMOST30 and use code ALMOST30 for 15% off your first order. #REVOLVEpartner BetterHelp | This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/almost30 and get on your way to being your best self with 10% off your first month. Chime | It just takes a few minutes to sign up. Head to https://www.Chime.com/ALMOST30. Paleovalley | Head to https://www.paleovalley.com/almost30 for 15% off your order! To advertise on this podcast please email: partnerships@almost30.com. Learn More: https://almost30.com/about https://almost30.com/morningmicrodose https://almost30.com/book Join our community: https://facebook.com/Almost30podcast/groups https://instagram.com/almost30podcast https://tiktok.com/@almost30podcast https://youtube.com/Almost30Podcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: almost30.com/disclaimer. Almost 30 is edited by Garett Symes and Isabella Vaccaro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, everyone. Welcome to the Almost 30 podcast. It's Lindsay. I am so, so glad you're here. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for subscribing to the pod.
0:22.2	It has been almost 10 years. Almost 10 years. We've been doing this thing. It's been the most
0:30.5	unexpected ride of our lives. It's been the most fulfilling. We've gotten to meet thousands of
0:37.2	you all over the world and just really
0:39.9	understand the impact of having very real, very honest, very curious conversations about life,
0:46.4	about the transitions in life, about the changes in life, and how we can support ourselves
0:50.9	the best way possible. So just a big thank you. And today's a solo episode.
0:56.6	If you know the pod and are in the flow with us, you know that we do interviews with
1:02.0	incredible guests, experts, teachers, you know, spiritual guides with, yeah, just some of the world's coolest people who are researching and
1:15.8	kind of leading the way on so many different topics. And then we have Krista and Lindsay solos
1:22.8	where we just go off on whatever we're feeling called to talk about.
1:28.8	And those are always fun.
1:30.2	Those happen on a monthly basis as well.
1:32.6	And then we have solos of Just Me or Just Krista.
1:37.8	And these go even deeper into what we personally are interested in moving through and feel like we are well equipped to
1:47.5	talk about here. So today's episode I'm very excited about. It's one that I think some of the
1:56.2	points might be a little controversial to some people and some might be comforting.
2:03.3	So, you know, take this as with anything. Whatever hits and lands for you, great.
2:10.0	Whatever doesn't leave it. And then also, like if anything, if anything feels like it's like rubbing up against a part of you because I've been there.
2:20.6	I've listened to different people speak, experts, psychologists, et cetera.
2:25.1	And sometimes they will share an inconvenient truth that, you know, makes me feel a type of way.
2:33.3	But knowing in my heart that it's true, I've had to really
	...

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