‘Passenger Princess’ Unprepared for What She Has to Do After Becoming a Mom – ryan

For many moms, parenthood means having to give certain things up after having a baby.

Something new mom Holly Fischer was not prepared for? Giving up her “passenger princess” privileges.

In a reel on Instagram, Fischer (@hollykfischer_) captured what it’s like trading her front-seat freedom for a new role as “backseat babysitter”.

In the first clip, Fischer, 25, is lounging in the front seat of the car, watching Love is Blind without a care in the world. “I’m living my best road trip life. This perfectly captures what road trips used to look like for me before having a baby—pure relaxation,” she told Newsweek.

The next video is a different story. Fischer is hunched over the car seat, breastfeeding and rotating various toys and books in an effort to keep her son entertained.

“I’m in full-on survival mode, leaning over the car seat to feed my baby while he’s screaming, desperately cycling through every toy I packed just trying to keep him entertained. Let’s just say, it’s a very different kind of road trip now,” she said.

For Fischer, the shift from peaceful drives to chaotic ones was something she never saw coming.

“When I pictured life with a baby, I expected the sleepless nights and the chaotic moments at home. But no one really talks about how road trips—something that used to be so peaceful—become a whole new challenge. Long drives used to be relaxing, now they require strategic planning, endless distractions, and a lot of patience,” she said.

The footage, which has been viewed over 7 million times, resonated with other parents who understand the struggle all too well.

“So true. Took a road trip to Wyoming in the summer with my 2 kids and husband and I was handing them EVERYTHING I felt like an (octopus),” one mom commented.

“Leaning over and nursing is very accurate,” another added.

“I drive a lot more now,” a third laughed.

Fischer also reported receiving many “just wait until you have more than one!” warnings. “It’s been fun hearing everyone’s tips and tricks and knowing I’m not alone in this road trip struggle,” she added.

When asked which one of the two roles she prefers, it was a no brainer for Fischer. “Oh, passenger princess all the way! I absolutely love being a mom, but let’s be real, keeping a fussy baby happy in a moving car is not one of the glamorous parts of motherhood.”