Emotional reactivity and flooding

Robbins advises Sawyer to start working on her reactivity now instead of waiting until she becomes a parent.

“Do not wait until you are a parent to try to change this. Your everyday life right now provides the opportunity for you to become less reactive”

The Mel Robbins Podcast: My Daughter Got Brutally Honest About What I Got Wrong as a Mom (My Biggest Regrets) (Nov 2, 2026) · Listen from 13:47

Robbins argues that the first step to becoming less reactive is deciding you no longer want to be that way.

“When you make a decision that you no longer want to be this version of yourself, that's the first step to changing”

The Mel Robbins Podcast: My Daughter Got Brutally Honest About What I Got Wrong as a Mom (My Biggest Regrets) (Nov 2, 2026) · Listen from 13:20

Robbins says she believes a mother's state during pregnancy strongly affects the child's nervous system.

“the state of your mother when you were inside of her has an enormous impact on the way that your nervous system works”

The Mel Robbins Podcast: My Daughter Got Brutally Honest About What I Got Wrong as a Mom (My Biggest Regrets) (Nov 2, 2026) · Listen from 8:43

Sawyer recommends that family members ask for what they need up front instead of expecting others to guess during emotional moments.

“just asking right up front for what you need versus assuming that everyone knows what you need”

The Mel Robbins Podcast: My Daughter Got Brutally Honest About What I Got Wrong as a Mom (My Biggest Regrets) (Nov 2, 2026) · Listen from 46:06