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Kellie Gerardi

@kelliegerardi

il y a 3 jours

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Posted On: June 1st 2026, 03:40 pm

I’m just putting this out here now to protect my mind & heart from any “I could never…” ahead of an emotionally vulnerable (and hormonal) (and exciting!) week for me. 🫶

My heart truly goes out to women who feel compelled to return before they’re ready, but that’s not my experience. I’m grateful to have a career that I love and am passionate about, and to be in a position to *choose* to balance that ambition alongside the family I love more than anything (and yes, I know how lucky I am to have a husband and a mother to thank for making that balance possible in our family)

Of course I’m a hormonal mess about being away from my baby, but I’m also so freaking excited to reunite with my colleagues and science crew and use my brain and body again in the way that fulfills a deep part of my identity and helps make me the best mom I can be to my girls. And it’s OK to have complex, nuanced emotions about that. And it’s OK to reject commentary from anyone who solely wants to make you feel guilty for that.

#worklifebalance #returntowork #workingmom #postpartum

Comments (766)

The complications from this IVF & pregnancy / postpartum journey have left a lot of big, consequential question marks for both my long-term personal & professional life, but I’m taking things one step at a time. Right now, that first step is a microgravity research flight (here on Earth) coming up in about 6 weeks with my science team. To be honest, I can barely wrap my head around being away & back in such a dynamic environment, but I know that’s because I’m so freshly postpartum right now and in the newborn trenches. I trust I’ll feel differently in a few weeks. Given the timing of this research campaign, my goal going into labor was to have nothing more severe than a second degree tear, and that’s exactly what I had! The postpartum hemorrhage was a separate ordeal, but I’m on the other side of that and so grateful to be healing well and on track. Provided healing continues like this, I expect be cleared for my upcoming research campaigns here on Earth, and then later, will look forward to my next and likely final science spaceflight (since it’s not a long-duration spaceflight). Anything beyond that is a question mark, and I’m going to have to learn to be OK with that. Regardless of how anything else in life goes, I know I have my biggest dreams come true at home. 🤍🌈#ivfjourney #postpartum #postpartumjourney #maternityleave

To be half the mom that my mom is… Behind every stressful moment of my IVF journey & high risk pregnancy & postpartum complications was my mom, either researching protocols and questions for my doctors, or simply holding my hand (and eventually her granddaughter.) What a blessing. 💜#ivfjourney #motherhood #motherslove #motherdaughter

Field notes & a gratitude journal from the postpartum trenches. 🤍🌈#postpartum #newborn #postpartummentalhealth #postpartumjourney

Anything else you’d add or wish you’d known or considered for a birth plan? My induction is coming up more quickly than I think I’m mentally ready for and my biggest priorities are:1) safety for both me and baby (obviously and by far) 2) pain management 3) minimizing tearing 4) maximizing rest / recovery 5) proactive communication #induction #birthplan #pregnancyafterloss #rainbowbaby #thirdtrimester

It’s go time. 🚀🥹 I’ve had daily NST scans and BPP ultrasounds monitoring declining amniotic fluid levels this week, and in the last one, the fluids were low enough that I was told it was time. Instructions were to take an hour and get what I need from home and then go straight to L&D, where the process is to get hooked up for monitoring and wait under supervision until 24 hours has passed since my most recent blood thinner injection, which is the point at which I’m able to safely start the induction process (cytotec, epidural, pitocin, etc) or have an emergency c section if needed. A bit of a whirlwind and I’m so grateful to have had the heads up that it was an “any day now” situation for L&D check in because that allowed me some degree of both mental and logistical preparation (have had a hospital bag pretty much ready for the past 4 days now and was able to come to terms with the fact that we weren’t making it to my goal of 38 weeks or my original induction date.) But I’m here and I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be right now. An 8 year fertility journey ends in this room for me this weekend. And when I finally walk out of it, it’ll be with my baby. 🤍#ivfjourney #induction #rainbowbaby #ivf #pregnancyafterloss

I don’t want my memories of birth to get eclipsed by the memories of my re-admission for postpartum hemorrhage. I never got to share most of these, but these are the moments and memories I want to hold on to when I think of bringing our sweet Max Q into the world. 💜🌙

🇧🇷🩵brasil dump

🇺🇸saying goodbye to my beautiful country i love, with these pictures i took on some days off in May.

i’m in Europe already for 2 European summer tours: 41 shows and 2,5 months away from home, so i’m posting these beautiful memories i can go back to when i’m homesick 🥹💚💛
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🇧🇷Me despedindo do meu lindo país que amo, com essas fotos que tirei em alguns dias de folga em maio.

Já tô na Europa para duas turnês de verão: 41 shows e 2 meses e meio longe de casa, então tô postando essas lindas lembranças aqui para poder reviver tudo quando apertar a saudade de casa 🥹💚💛
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BREAKING NEWS: all the time I’ve invested in bed-rotting has finally paid off. swipe for proof. Thank you @real_simple & @hmuir for acknowledging my hard work.

Comment BED and I’ll send you the recipe https://liketk.it/6eR6C

Interior design by @meganhopp

The United States is reportedly planning a major restructuring of its diplomatic operations in Africa that could see the number of embassies and consulates processing visa applications reduced from 50 to 20.
According to reports, the move is aimed at consolidating visa services into 20 regional hubs across the continent. Nairobi, Kenya, is among the cities expected to remain a key visa processing center.
If implemented, applicants in countries without a designated processing hub may be required to travel to another country for visa interviews and related services, potentially increasing travel costs and processing times.

we all choose the bear 🐻

#reels #explorepage #comedy #reaction #trend

I’m living for the bucket packages 🪣 @kindersflavors

#RTN: Toronto’s live music scene hit a historic milestone on May 31 as the city’s four largest concert venues all hosted major headlining acts on the same night 🎤🔥

Thousands of fans packed venues across the city, creating one of the biggest nights for live entertainment Toronto has ever seen.

🎵 The Lineup:
• Bruno Mars — Rogers Stadium
• Diljit Dosanjh — Rogers Centre
• Martin Garrix — RBC Amphitheatre
• A$AP Rocky — Scotiabank Arena

Which show would you have chosen if you could only attend one? 🤔🎟️🎶

Kellie Gerardi

@kelliegerardi

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