How Are You Feeling, Momma? Book Review

How Are You Feeling, Momma?

Sometimes we are sent a person who we know didn’t come into our life by chance.

Sometimes we read a book or have a discussion that changes the way we think.

How Are You Feeling, Momma and its authors are exactly these things.

I became familiar with Lisa Leshaw and Shelby Spear through a writer’s network. We have written for some of the same online publications and I have followed their writings for years. And I have yet to find two women who are so differently perfect for one another in encouraging women and mothers.

(Please know that all opinions in this review are my own and I receive no compensation for this review or if you purchase this book. I recommend it from my heart because it touched my heart, and I believe it will touch yours too.)

What emotions and feelings have you felt today as a mother? Probably a range from happiness, to exhaustion, to overwhelm, to even anger. I think that many times, as moms, we feel these emotions and feel as if we are alone. Or we feel lonely in our parenting journey.

How Are You Feeling, Momma is proof that we are never alone in how we feel as parents. Not only do others feel the same, but Lisa and Shelby openly discuss how hard parenting can be. They provide support and love for those of us who are struggling.

Lisa and Shelby highlight many of the emotions of parenthood, including fear, loneliness, confusion, depression, guilt, patience, insecurity, jealousy, overwhelm, pride, sadness, thankfulness, exhaustion, motivation, and worry. They walk us through 31 different emotions of parenting, providing each writer’s individual feelings and reactions to each emotion. The authors discuss how they come from drastically different backgrounds and have a combined decades of parenting and grandparenting. They share stories, tears and laughter. They share their hearts and touched mine deeply. They are authentic, vulnerable, loving, and down-right hilarious at times. I loved reading through their stories of parenting, including so many I have experienced myself. They do not shy away from sharing the fun, the difficult, the messy, and the frustrating.

Particularly, on page 37 Shelby mentions that many people are given a gift of helping others, offering counsel, or sharing wisdom.

“God gave humans the wisdom to counsel, scientists the smarts to create healing elements, and angels on earth the ability to console and guide us. Accept these gifts. Be well. You have my heart.”

Shelby and Lisa and these angels on earth. They have been given the ability to express what we all feel as moms, and provide us with wisdom and support on our walk.

Not only does this book walk us through the many emotions of parenthood, especially for moms, but it validates so much of what we feel and what we experience. Through grace, wit, humor, and love Lisa and Shelby walk us through these feelings and let us know we are not alone. Never again do we need to feel isolated or alone in our parenting walk. Never again do we need to become overwhelmed with the feelings of insecurity, impatience, guilt, distress, or depression. We are not alone in our walks as mothers. We are all in this together.

My only criticism of this book is that it did not include a coupon for a coffee-chat with Lisa and Shelby!