Going from cheering on a pregnant friend to becoming the pregnant friend is a plot twist no one prepared me for. Nothing could’ve braced me for the emotional, physical, and mental shift that comes with it—not even Google. Life didn’t go as planned, but maybe it was never supposed to.

C-section recovery was nothing like I expected. Between the physical pain, hormone crashes, and trying to navigate a new family dynamic, Jose and I had to relearn how to communicate and show up for each other. Here’s what helped us—and what we’re still learning.