Finding life after PPD

In 2017 my goal was to recover from postpartum depression.

I quit my stressful job and moved out of my 700-square-foot apartment in NYC.  It had no washing machine or dishwasher, and with a one-year-old, I figured it was contributing to the problem.  It started slow and dreary but over time, and with the summer sun calling me to explore my new town with my daughter, I started to heal. It was also the help of a little app on my phone that brought me back to feeling good.

That app was Instagram.

For all of the negative things about social media, we sometimes forget about the amazing power it has to bring communities together and form meaningful, positive relationships in our lives.

I started an account called Jersey City Mamas hoping to connect with and uplift other stay-at-home caregivers like me. I genuinely missed regular positive feedback and wanted to give it to other parents too. You see, in parenting there isn’t a quarterly review process where you get a bonus or high five from your boss. There’s no whiteboard tracking diapers changed month to date or successful playdates. On the account, I featured pictures of real parents doing their thing as a pat on the back to say, hey, I see you doing this parenting thing and you’re crushing it. The likes and comments and connections were actually positive, reminding me that getting outside fully dressed with a toddler is a win worth celebrating.

Over time, I brought on other women to form a team creating content and engaging with our audience. Each individual of the team was empowered to bring their story, their real life, and I was amazed at what we could be when it became bigger than myself. With Jersey City Mamas, the tribe of positivity and real conversation lifted me up. We focused on positive, organic conversations, not numbers.

Yet we grew to over 4,000 in just 3 years. We hosted dozens of in-person meet-ups and events. We ran initiatives for charities, collected donations, and tackled tough issues facing our community. I can say with confidence I met some of my lifelong best friends, and helped bring together countless friendships for others.

In 2020, I handed over the account to the next generation of female leaders in the area. I am excited to see what the future holds for the parenting community of Jersey City, and I know Jersey City Mamas will lead the way.

And now I’m here, bringing my experience of navigating social media and nurturing audiences to small businesses. Ready to show up authentic.

Lindsay Donnelly is the founder of Authentic, organic marketing for small businesses with a soul. You can follow her on IG here.