Parenting

GMA Star Admits New Motherhood 'Messes With Your Mind A Little Bit'

by Ashley Austrew

Good Morning America star Ginger Zee opens up about the challenges of new motherhood

Before you have kids, you swear to yourself you’ll never be one of those moms who loses herself to motherhood, lets herself go, or has no hobbies outside of her babies. It seems a simple enough promise to make, but then nine months later you’re staring at the television mid-afternoon in milk-stained pajamas wondering what the hell happened to your life. We’ve all been there, and that’s why this Good Morning America anchor’s comments about new motherhood are so refreshing.

Ginger Zee gave birth to her son, Adrian, three months ago, and is starring on the current season of Dancing With The Stars. In a recent interview with People, she admitted how scared she was to take on that challenge, especially only two months post-baby, but says the show has done wonders for pulling her out of that new mom fog.

“Every woman who has been pregnant knows that it messes with your mind a little bit,” Zee says. “You are suddenly someone else: you are a mother, who is now responsible for another human being. That’s awesome, but it changes who you are. I was nervous coming out here as this new mom with no dance experience.”

Becoming a mom sometimes feels like you’re putting your whole identity on hold while you nurture someone else, and that can make it kind of challenging to put yourself out there. I remember the first time I took my daughter to a Gymboree class after spending months with her at home — I felt like I didn’t even know how to talk to the other parents. I just stood there staring at my kid, hoping no one noticed my crazy hair, and wondering if I should’ve waxed my mustache before we left the house.

It’s criminally easy to neglect yourself and forgot about your own interests when you have kids, but Zee says challenging herself to something new has helped pull her out of the funk. “Had I not just had a baby, this would still have been a challenge, but balancing life and figuring it all out is part of the journey,” she says. “I can feel it physically, but mentally is where I’m changing the most. I’m hoping to find myself again — and this experience will help me get there.”

We can’t all take a spin on Dancing With The Stars, but Zee’s honest comments about getting back in touch with herself post-baby are a good reminder that most moms feel a little out of it after having kids. The important thing is to not let yourself get lost in the fray. There’s no way to ever fully escape the weight of motherhood and the amount of energy and time that goes into being a parent, but branching out and rediscovering what makes you tick can make the transition easier.

Becoming a mom doesn’t mean you stop being a person, and that’s a reminder we could all use over and over again.