Introduction. (Part I: How to really prepare for motherhood): The ideal mother -- The real mommy brain -- Prepare your postpartum mental health care plan -- Matrescence and the transition to motherhood -- Prep your marriage. (Part II: How to adjust to new mom experiences and emotions): Baby bonding and the first letdown -- The double-down method to manage mom guilt -- Soften on mom shame -- Embrace your new mom rage -- How to manage a maternal mental health crisis. (Part III: How to go from surviving to thriving in early motherhood): How to self-direct maternal neuroplasticity -- How to handle transitions: back to work -- Up the ante. Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Index

Trained at Yale and Harvard and certified in perinatal mental health, Dr. Pensak provides practical and emotional support, helping to relieve the anxiety and pressure for perfection in motherhood and paving the way for a better beginning for families and babies. She discusses mental health treatment and the upside of therapy during this changing time, and offers accessible scientific information, relatable anecdotes, and strategies for self-care. The result is a reassuring and practical handbook that new mothers and their families will refer to time and again