Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Becoming a parent is hard enough. Becoming a parent without anyone in your immediate circle who’s been there before? That’s next-level courage. For generations, women have quietly stepped into this role—the "first mom" in the friend group—and TikTok creator @thereal.becca is making sure they finally get the recognition they deserve.

In a heartfelt video that’s resonating with tens of thousands of viewers, Becca talks about what it’s like to navigate early motherhood without a playbook. Her baby is just six weeks old, but already, she’s become acutely aware of how tough it can be to go first—and how crucial that first-time parent can be for everyone else who follows.


"You are so impressive to me."

— @thereal.becca

A tough role with big rewards

Being the first to have a child in a social group comes with a unique set of challenges. There’s no ready-made group text with other moms. No one else is up at 3 a.m. worrying about feeding schedules, sleep regressions, or whether that diaper rash is normal. These first-time parents often turn to the internet, books, or trial and error to figure things out.

And then, something amazing happens: they become the expert.

Becca is giving love to the trail blazing moms in her life.the real becca

Becca shares that she’s lucky to have one of these pioneering moms in her life. Her friend, the first in their circle to have kids, has become a guiding light for Becca—a “spiritual and educational leader” who always seems to know what to do. Before reaching out to her pediatrician, Becca often asks her friend first—and more often than not, the advice lines up perfectly.

"She read all the books so we don’t have to."

— @thereal.becca

Turning isolation into leadership

These early mothers often describe the experience as lonely. Without peers who understand what they’re going through, they’re left to figure things out as they go. But that solitude, over time, becomes something powerful. Their lived experience becomes a lifeline for others.

As more friends enter the parenting stage, the first mom becomes the go-to source for questions, comfort, and camaraderie. She knows which pacifier actually works. She can tell you the difference between a growth spurt and a sleep regression. She might even have a spreadsheet of baby product reviews.

And while this wisdom is invaluable, the emotional impact of having someone who gets it—who gets you—is perhaps the most lasting gift of all.

"We wouldn’t survive without you."

— @thereal.becca

Building a new kind of village

Experts say building community is key, especially for parents who feel like they’re going it alone. Online groups, local meetups, parenting classes—these aren’t just about sharing advice, they’re about building solidarity. Even if you’re not the first, chances are you’ve leaned on someone who was. And if you were the trailblazer, it’s never too late to find a network of others who understand what that path was like.

So if someone you love was the first to take on this life-changing role, now’s a great time to say thank you. Send them a message. Drop off a coffee. Let them know their quiet heroism mattered, and still does.

Because the first mom isn’t just the one who had the baby first, she’s the one who made it easier for everyone else to follow.

More For You

Mom’s viral “Zoomies” meltdown method is saving parents from toddler chaos

Tantrums, a staple of the "terrible twos," are a well-known challenge for parents of toddlers aged 1 to 4. These emotional outbursts can be difficult to manage, especially when they happen frequently. While many strategies exist to deal with these meltdowns, Alivia Cromartie’s unique approach is making waves on social media.

Cromartie, a mother from Georgia, has adapted a behavior commonly seen in dogs known as "Zoomies." Zoomies, or Frenzy Random Activity Periods (FRAPs), are when dogs suddenly burst into energetic running. Cromartie applied this playful technique to calm her 18-month-old daughter, Icey, and it worked wonders.

Keep ReadingShow less
Three panels depicting a post on TikTok by Summer Pfleger.

Summer Pfleger caught the moment she met her husband on camera.

TikTok | @summerwa101

A simple dare led to forever for this unlikely couple

Love can bloom in the most unexpected ways, and for Summer Pfleger, it all started with a dare. The TikTok user, who goes by @summerwa101, shared a heartwarming video documenting how a playful challenge from her mother led her to the love of her life.

It all began when Pfleger noticed a handsome employee at the front desk of a Holiday Inn. Encouraged by her mom, she nervously picked up the phone and made a call that would change everything.

Keep ReadingShow less
Seth Rogen and wife Lauren Miller

Seth Rogen and wife Lauren Miller.

jdeeringdavis/Wikipedia

Seth Rogen doubles down on staying child-free despite criticism

Actor Seth Rogen and his wife Lauren Miller have been happily married since 2011. As their relationship has grown, one thing has not: their desire to have a family. Rogen came under fire following an appearance on the The Diary Of A CEO podcast in March 2024, where he explained to host Steven Bartlett that he and Miller have decided to be child-free. “There's a whole huge thing I'm not doing, which is raising children,” he shared in the interview.

Rogen explained to Bartlett that he and Miller had chosen a different path than a lot of their friends. “I mean, a lot of people have kids before they even think about it, from what I've seen, honestly,” he said. “You just are told, you go through life, you get married, you have kids—it’s what happens.”

Keep ReadingShow less
kimberly dowdell, reunion, down syndrome

Brothers Blake and Jack have an emotional reunion.

thekimberlydowdell/Instagram

Teen with Down syndrome makes emotional journey to reunite with brother

Going off to college is the break-free moment that most young adults long for. While the newfound freedom is an amazing change, it is also a time of transition--which can bring a lot of uncomfortable feelings with the adjustment. It can be overwhelming, scary, and unfamiliar. So when mom Kimberly DowDell (@thekimberlydowdell) received a message from her son Blake that he was feeling anxious and overwhelmed during his second semester at college, she knew exactly what to do. She loaded up the family, including her husband and Blake's brother Jack (who has Down syndrome), and got on the road to go see him. And the brothers had an emotional reunion that was shared on social media.

"Blake is in his second semester of college, and being away from home can be hard. When he told us he was feeling anxious and overwhelmed, we didn’t even think twice—we jumped in the car and drove 286 miles just to be there for him," she wrote in the post's Instagram caption. "To remind him he’s not alone. To give him words of encouragement. To wrap him in a hug that says, we see you, we love you, and we’re always here for you."

Keep ReadingShow less
Teacher’s viral fake baby assignment sparked total student panic
REDDIT

Teacher’s viral fake baby assignment sparked total student panic

Students at Chippewa Secondary School in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, are learning the trials of parenthood with fake babies. If you didn't do this kind of thing at your school, it's basically an attempt to terrify teenagers into never having a child.

As you can imagine, it's not going very well. Teacher Andrea Lefebvre took to Facebook to share some of the hilarious texts she'd received from students about the babies, ranging from teenagers asking if they can stash their baby in their bag, or if they can turn it off.

Keep ReadingShow less