Rebecca Shamblin

Rebecca Shamblin

Bio

Rebecca Shamblin is a full-time mama and small business owner.  She somehow managed to turn a personal passion for online fandom into an actual career analyzing social media. Nowadays when she isn't busy chasing a toddler, she designs custom photo books and slideshows for Life Remembered.

Rebecca Shamblin Articles

What It's Like To Have Open Heart Surgery

It’s amazing how easy it is to forget about one of the most intense experiences of my life. Sometimes when someone asks about my scar, I have to think for a moment before I can answer, “Oh, that! It’s from my open-heart surgery!”

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My Choice To Stay On Antidepressants During Pregnancy

Could I really risk being unmedicated after so many years? Could I face that abyss of depression again while dealing with the influx of hormones and stress brought on by pregnancy? My memories of the darkest days are clear, even 20 years later.

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Rebecca Shamblin

I'm Bisexual: 10 Q&As For Confused Family And Friends

There was never a lightbulb moment in which I realized, “Hey! I’m bisexual!” I actually spent several years with a growing sense that something about me wasn’t quite the norm.

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I gloried in the horizontal stripes and favored tops with cute little empire ties to emphasize my shape. I sought a “visible belly outline” everywhere I went. Image: Thinkstock.

How Pregnancy Gave Me A Positive Body Image

If I was lucky, I would find an outfit that properly hid my figure such that I looked pretty OK. It was always my body that failed the test, never the clothing. That day, I realized that pregnancy had changed something fundamental for me: I loved how I looked. I loved my bump, I loved what it signified, and I loved how people treated me.

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Taking an actual break while my husband parents feels somehow subversive, no matter how often I do it.

Why It Doesn't Bother Me That My Daughter Prefers Her Daddy

My toddler’s recent preference for her father has gone from sub-textual to textual. She has no compunction about loudly pushing me away and requesting her dad instead. I’ve been reprimanded for even speaking to her on occasion — “Don’t talk to me, Mom! Don’t talk!”

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When You Have To Lose Weight for a Baby, Not a Jean Size

I’ve wanted to be a mother my entire life, but always worried about my heart condition and whether I would be able to conceive. Finally, my chance was right in front of me. Finally, I had a real reason to lose weight. This wasn’t about the size label on my pants, or how I felt in a bathing suit. This was about the chance to create life.

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I'm Not The Mom I Thought I'd Be

I always secretly hoped that having a child would transform me into a more responsible person. I would be a mother! Mothers have excellent dental hygiene, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Sure, I sucked at all that stuff before, but once I had a baby, things would get on track. I would set a good example for my child.

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First-Time Mom

Dear First-Time Mom: You Will Still Be You

I still feel exactly like me. A more tired me, granted, but still me. I am not overwhelmed by a love for her I could never imagine (which I somehow feel guilty about at times, which is why you should read blogs with caution). I love her dearly and unconditionally – just as I imagined I would. But that is also how I love my husband, my mother, my sister, etc.

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How I Am Fostering Body Positivity For My Young Daughter

I’ve struggled with my weight and self-esteem my whole life, and I want better for my daughter. She’s only a year and a half right now, but I am already doing everything I can to help her feel good about her body.

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'Mom Friends' vs. 'Friends Who Are Moms'

“Definitely don’t be afraid to use a nipple shield,” I told a woman the other day. “Cracked nipples are the worst, let me tell you!”

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