You are not alone, and EVERYTHING you’re feeling makes sense.
I help new and expecting moms reeling from the realities of pregnancy and motherhood.
Some of my patients were over the moon to find out they were pregnant, only to be sideswiped by anxiety and panic attacks.
Others experience a traumatic birth. For some, the supposedly “joyful” experience of motherhood has turned into tears, exhaustion, and a sense of guilt. Why can’t I enjoy my beautiful baby??!
And still others, having experienced earlier trauma — whether sexual abuse or assault, or even family of origin trauma — struggle in their relationship to their bodies. Touch, breast-feeding…none of it feels right.
You might have doubts about therapy.
Yeah, I’m definitely about to admit I had an urge to drop my baby last night.
Normal. Terrifying, yes. But normal.
How is it possible straight women ever have more than one baby? The idea of sex with my husband sounds gross/exhausting/terrifying.
Also normal.
WHO IS GOING TO TEACH ME HOW TO DO THIS??!!! I had to get a bachelor’s degree/master’s degree/license/pass the bar for my job, but the hospital just handed this human being to me and expects me to know what to do???!!
Normal, normal, normal.
And…
…you can feel better. You CAN navigate this, and you can even enrich and deepen your heart and life in the process.
You deserve to have days where you spend most of your time enjoying your kid.
You deserve to feel connected to your baby’s dad or other mom.