Scaling Your Family
Specialized Support for Second Time Moms
You have done this before and feel like you should be an expert, but you realize the math of motherhood doesn't quite add up. You aren't just adding a baby; you are restructuring your entire family’s ecosystem.
How can I give my toddler what they need while the baby is crying? Will I have enough love for both of my children? Why does my firstborn suddenly feel so big and loud? I feel like I'm failing both of them.
You wanted to build a bigger family, but that often brings a heavy question: How will I ever divide my heart and my time? As you navigate the demands of a newborn again, you find yourself unexpectedly triggered by your toddler’s developmentally appropriate, but explosive behaviors. Your anxiety spikes at trying to figure out how to return to work with two children to care for and have a career in the fast-paced society of Silicon Valley. If your first experience involved birth trauma, you are terrified of going through this pregnancy again, desperate not to repeat the past. This isn't just round two, but it is another identity earthquake that requires a new set of tools for a different landscape.
I help you bridge this transition by using somatic regulation to manage parental burnout, attachment therapy to not only build the attachment with your new baby, but also preserve the one with your older child, and emphasizing your parenting values, allowing you to show up and teach your children.
-
The shift from 1 to 2 is a logistical and emotional adjustment that can be hard for even the calmest of parents. I provide a dedicated space to process the unique struggles and issues of second-time moms, focusing on practical strategies for navigating divided attention. We look at the "invisible labor" of managing two distinct developmental schedules, the pressure to have it all figured out, and even navigating transitioning to work with twice the demands at home. As a mom of multiples, time is a precious commodity, and it is necessary to build a sustainable rhythm that makes sure your nervous system isn’t overtaxed alongside caregiving for your children.
-
When a toddler faces a new sibling, their world is fundamentally changed. As an expert in infant/early childhood mental health, I help provide insight into the "why" behind regressions, new tantrums, or sudden clinginess that are common when a toddler gets a new sibling. By viewing your older child’s behavior as a developmental language, we can shift from frustration to curiosity. We work to ensure your firstborn still feels secure in their love and connection with you while also building a strong sibling relationship with the baby, rather than rivalry.
-
A second child doesn't just change the demands on your time and energy; it changes the shape of your marriage and your household. We use this space to address the shifting roles and expectations within your family unit. Whether you are processing a previous birth trauma or navigating your guilt when you are being pulled between two children that need you, we focus on communication, somatic grounding, and reframing of intrusive or negative thoughts that can impact your motherhood experience. By prioritizing the health of the entire family system, we ensure that your home remains a secure base for everyone involved.
While you have more knowledge and experience this time, the shift from one child to two is a distinct shift that requires a new set of tools. You can acknowledge the range of feelings when juggling the needs of two children while still loving and caring for them deeply.
Scaling Your Family with Intentional Guidance
Even as an experienced mom, you know what to expect with a new baby, but you also know it will be different because you are now juggling two children, not just one. You wonder how you will handle the double meltdowns, your own physical recovery, and whether there will be enough of you to go around.
My approach is anchored isn’t just anchored in the mental health of the parent or the mental health of the child, but together as a system in relationship with each other. My certifications, PMH-C and IECHMHS, are specifically tailored for the complexities of a growing family. By integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to manage your intrusive thoughts, Somatic Therapy to help you find your body regulation, and the Attachment Therapy to help preserve your attachment with your oldest while building the attachment with your new baby. My work is fundamentally focused on building sustained and connected attachment, ensuring that we aren't just fixing a behavior, but deepening the connections that will last a lifetime.
