I was also quite calm while I was expecting. Every pregnancy is different, but for me, I found I didn't care as much about certain things that used to hold much more weight for me. I was creating a whole human being, and that put things in perspective in a new waywhich was such a cool part of the process.
I didn't realize I was going to be learning so much about myself before my baby even got here.
When I became a mother in November, I felt like I knew myself on a deeper level than before , because suddenly I was imparting what I've learned and who I am to another human being. And so that's been really cool, too, finding ways to use my voice and share knowledge. I'm very hungry to get back to my acting work, but there's also other type of work that I need to do.
I also love that, through my role on the Netflix Family series A Little Bit Pregnant, I get to normalize some of the feelings around pregnancy and new motherhood. We look at what it's like to experience symptoms like foot swelling and fluctuating hormonesor how bizarre it is to feel like no one cares about you once the baby comes because it's suddenly all about them. That's just one of the normal emotions new moms can experience, and that's okay.
I feel like having a voice is a gift. I know how blessed I am to be in this position, and I don't take that for granted.
Actress Danielle Brooks gave birth to her daughter on November 16, 2019. Her series, A Little Bit Pregnant , is available via Netflix Family on YouTube.