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In this special re-release, we are officially introducing a past guest as our new co-host. Learn more about Zara's story in this episode, and tune in next week for part two of her story.

Why does parenting in America feel so much harder than it should? Today, we’re joined by Zara Hanawalt, a freelance journalist who has spent nearly a decade covering parenting, motherhood, women’s health, and culture for outlets like Vogue, Parents, Glamour, and The Everymom. But even after years of writing about reproductive health, she was completely unprepared for her own journey into motherhood.

Zara gets real about her struggles with infertility, the challenges of carrying twins, and the prenatal and postpartum realities that no one warns you about (like PUPPP, Post Preeclampsia and so much more). She also shares her perspective on why the system—not mothers—is setting parents up to fail, how American parenting culture has evolved in the past decade, and what we can do to push back against unrealistic expectations.

Learn more about Zara here > https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com/our-guests/zara

Episode Highlights:
[02:00] Zara’s infertility journey & how she conceived twins via IUI
[09:30] The complications of a high-risk twin pregnancy
[18:45] Why postpartum hit harder than she ever expected
[25:10] Feeling completely unprepared for the overstimulation of motherhood
[33:40] The broken “village” and why moms today have less support
[40:15] Why parenting in America feels uniquely hard & how we can change the conversation
[52:00] The unexpected joy of realizing she’s her kids’ safe space

Links & Resources:
📖 Read Zara’s work in Vogue, Parents, Glamour, The Everymom, and more
📢 Follow Zara on Instagram & TikTok for more conversations on modern motherhood
👶 Learn more about fertility & postpartum resources at www.postpartum.net

Support the show

Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthastorms

Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/