Mother Leader: Danielle Weisberg, Co-Founder & Co-Ceo of theSkimm

Danielle (She/Her) is the mother of one sweet baby boy. She is also co-founder and co-CEO of theSkimm, a membership company that makes it easier for millennial women to live smarter. Danielle and co-founder Carly Zakin launched theSkimm from their couch in 2012 and have built a brand that continues to be a trusted source for more than seven million daily subscribers. theSkimm’s first book, How to Skimm Your Life, was released in June 2019 and debuted at #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list. She sits on the board of theSkimm and is also a member of the Ad Council and Tufts University’s Marketing board. Danielle attended Tufts University, where she earned her BA in English in 2008 and started her career as a producer at NBC News. 

How postpartum are you? 

10 months – I can’t believe it!

How have you transformed since becoming a parent?

It has been the biggest shift in my life. It’s hard to overstate how much of an impact it has had on my priorities and relationships. 

With the little solo time you do get, what’s your favorite thing to do?

Sleep! I used to love sleeping in on the weekends. That has been the hardest thing to adjust to. 

If you could describe your postpartum experience in one word, what would it be and why?

Rollercoaster. In the beginning, my emotions would change hour to hour. I’d be totally depressed and then so in love with my little one. Now, it’s a rollercoaster of feeling ‘I’ve got this’ and then completely overwhelmed the next hour. I also go back and forth between being totally obsessed with my new role as a mom and other times longing for the freedom of my old life. 

What’s something that caught you off guard during the first 3 months of parenthood?

It can be really isolating. And it’s hard to put into words how you feel because it changes so frequently.

On a scale of 1-10, how supported did you feel as you navigated healing and learning how to take care of your baby? Why?

9 – I had a lot of support from my husband, my family, my friends, and a fantastic baby nurse. I also asked for additional support once postpartum anxiety set in from a postpartum coach Ariana Witkin and the Motherhood Center in New York. Even with all of this support, I still struggled those first few months. 

If you could dream up the perfect postpartum journey, what would it look like and feel like?

I don’t know if there is a perfect journey but I do know that it would not involve being a first time mom in the middle of a pandemic. 

What’s the #1 piece of advice you’d give a brand-new parent? 

Ask for help. Don’t wait.