Moms Who Inspire: Amy Morrison

Amy Morrison, as she so elegantly puts it, is “the broad behind the bird” that is Pregnant Chicken.

After the birth of her two sons in 2006 and 2008, Amy decided she wanted to help pregnant women and new parents navigate this time in their lives by shedding some light on the subjects that haunted her throughout both of her pregnancies.

“I’m not a patient person by nature and there are very few jobs that challenge that more than motherhood. Kids have made me slow down, see the big picture and take shit less seriously.” – Amy Morrison

I personally consulted the Pregnant Chicken website throughout my own pregnancy and new motherhood journey so it’s safe to say that I was a slightly over-the-moon excited when I had the opportunity to interview Amy for Expectful’s Moms Who Inspire series.

It’s Amy’s contagious wit, straightforward down-to-earth style and passion for women everywhere that makes me so happy to share her thoughts with you below.

1. What’s your favorite part about being a mom?

“I love seeing these little creatures morph into fantastic people. It sounds so cliché but it’s a profound honor to nurture my kids and be their “world guide.” I also like that I get to use them as an excuse to eat scrambled eggs for dinner and go to bed at 9:30pm.”

2. What’s been the biggest challenge being a mom?

“Patience. I’m not a patient person by nature and there are very few jobs that challenge that more than motherhood. Kids have made me slow down, see the big picture and take shit less seriously.”

3. Why was starting Pregnant Chicken so important to you? What is the number one thing you want to see come out of it?

“I was so tired of all the patronizing, scary websites, books and magazines out there so I wanted to start a pregnancy website with the assumption that my readers aren’t stupid – they’re just pregnant. Nothing makes me happier than someone telling me that the site made them feel better about giving birth or having a newborn. It’s truly rewarding.”

4. You have two children and​ run your own business. How do you balance quality time for you and your husband? Do you have one piece of relationship advice you would give to new parents?

“Oh man, that’s a tough one. I guess my main piece of advice for new parents is do what feels right, good and happy. If you feel you guys want to get away for a elaborate date night, then go for it. If you’d rather stay home and eat pizza on the couch while watching the Great British Bake Off, then do that instead. Don’t let relatives or magazines tell you how to best connect with each other. The other piece of advice I’d give is go easy on each other while you’re in the trenches. I can almost guarantee that you’re going to want to murder each other about a gazillion times before your baby turns two so try not to make permanent decisions during a temporary situation.”

5. Self-care can be a challenge for moms. What advice do you have for moms who want to incorporate more self-care into their lives?

“Our society loves martyrdom and it’s bullshit. Take care of yourself. It gives your spouse a chance to shine. It gives your children more opportunity for independence. If you start feeling like a husk, ask yourself, “do I want my daughter to do this when she’s a mother?” “Do I want my son to expect this from his wife/partner/himself when he’s a parent?” Let the village help mould the people you are shaping and go get a damn massage. Everyone wins in the end. Really.”

6. What lesson do you most want to pass on to your child?

“Own your shit. Whether it’s a success or a mistake, you need to feel good about what decisions you made in your life so don’t let people talk you into things that you aren’t willing to stand by. That, and don’t be rude to waitstaff – it’s always a sure sign of douchery.”

Are you preparing to conceive, pregnant, or new to motherhood?

Expectful is guided meditation for hopeful, expectant and new moms. Each one of our guided programs is based on research that illustrates the benefits for your fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood journey.

Practice online, when you want, wherever you are, in just 10 minutes a day to improve your fertility and give your baby the best start in life.

Go to Expectful.com and sign up for your free trial.