What is From Pumps to Pumps?
From Pumps to Pumps was born in September 2022 when I gave birth to my first son and to myself as a mother. After a traumatic labor, I disassociated during the delivery and eventually found myself in a lengthy bout of postpartum depression. Postpartum Depression is more or a less a private struggle and due to my nature, that is exactly how I treated it. Ever since I was a little girl, I never wanted to be a ‘nuisance’ for others, so I consistently internalized most of what I was feeling. Fast forward to adulthood, this absolutely held true. Just as I felt like I was getting a handle on newborn care and was in a better mental space, I fractured my right wrist on Christmas eve. I remember going to bed that night feeling extremely defeated. All the little things we tend to take for granted when we have full use of our hands became so challenging. Now add on changing and bathing a baby, putting pumps on, swaddling/unswaddling, let alone simply picking your baby up and not having your dominant hand to support it all. The depression unfortunately persisted for 9 months and because I was breastfeeding, I did not take anything to medically counter the symptoms. One day, I tried a specific breathing method and this (of all things) is what finally released me from the hold the depression had over me. It is this method and the many experiences leading up to it that informed From Pumps To Pumps.
Throughout this all, I had writers block. But just as my postpartum left my system, my inspiration for writing seemed to return. I shared an Instagram Post on my 30th birthday which was sort of like my “I’m back” notification and “here’s what happened while I was gone.” After I shared this, I started to crave writing again. So finally, here I am.
Ultimately, I hope this newsletter can become a space where you feel relief that someone is talking about the things that matter and topics seldomly discussed. I hope From Pumps to Pumps can be a conversation starter for you. And finally, I hope to provide comfort and hope for mothers going through PPD while giving perspective to their partners. I am okay (more than okay!) and you will be too.
What’s in the name?
Between the ages of 18-28, I was represented by modeling agencies in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, and Atlanta. Trying to “make it” in this industry tested my confidence (and somewhat temporarily eroded it). Modeling in New York was an equation I struggled to solve. As I had just finished grad school, my brain was freshly wired with the notion that deliberate effort resulted in success. The truth? “Making it” was entirely subjective and murky. So a windy road ensued but a road on which I explored the world and began to identify what mattered to me. It was a decade with many inflection points and there was only one thing that remained consistent. Writing. Writing poetry on my typewriter is what kept me grounded during those formative years surrounded by superficiality.
I wore my fair share of pumps during that time but traded them for breast pumps when I became a mom in 2022. If I allow it to be, writing will continue to be the air that I breathe out into this world and share with you all on From Pumps to Pumps. Writing in my youth and as a mom today has been a way for me to not only process my own experiences but to also connect with others on a deeper level.
From Pumps to Pumps is more than just a newsletter about becoming a mom. This is a space for you to hopefully gain strength from my vulnerability and personal experiences and apply it to your own life and healing. Helping others through my writing is my calling. This newsletter is a portal into my world of navigating motherhood, living an authentic life of meaning, and serve as a guide with vetted tips based on my personal experiences and taste.
Why subscribe?
This medium will likely have the most potential for the type of community that would benefit from what I have to share. Consider this newsletter as a little push to get off the algorithm.
Grow with me. These posts are all happening in real time. As I grow and adapt to the ebbs and flows of life, you will be along for the ride with me. I cannot predict what will be documented but I can attest that it will be genuine and raw.
As I navigate life with a toddler and another baby on the way, this newsletter will evolve and capture all those little and big inflection points. Despite a wide array of topics, the newsletter will follow a consistent structure which I hope will intrigue and comfort you like your morning coffee—
Simone’s Weekly Conversation Starter
Delving into a topic not typically discussed, weaving in personal essays, and sharing my research on things I find interesting and helpful.
Simone’s Six Things
Catching up
What’s in my cart
Toddler Tip
What I am watching
Photo of the week
Today I learned
To sum it up…
I am deep in my era of motherhood, learning more about myself, setting boundaries, and loving fiercely. If I have learned anything its that parenthood is indeed a cathartic and powerful evolution of self. A call to action. An ongoing lesson on patience (and test of it thereof!). A complete reprioritization. And the most selfless and enduring love. To me, there is nothing more rewarding and important.
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