By Erika Krumbeck. I wish someone had told me to stop feeling guilty. That it wasn’t due to any “wrong” choice in pregnancy or pre-pregnancy. That it wasn’t because I’m not strong enough or healthy enough or smart enough or wealthy enough.
An Unexpected Path: Focus
I’m sure all moms can relate (at least I hope you can) to feeling that you’ve changed immensely since becoming a mom. In my five and a half years of parenting, I certainly have. There are the quite obvious physical changes, but also subtler personality changes too. I quite frequently reflect on my pre-kid days and wonder what the heck did I do with all that free TIME or oh how I miss sleeping. Mostly though I wish I could be that focused again. For the last six years I’ve been in a thick fog that I just can’t shake.
I Hate My Baby: A Postpartum Story
All I feel after a 22 hour labor (six of which I were in the transition phase), is relief that it is over. I don't feel joy or love.
This is Love
By Melissa Bangs. The agony of missing my daughter was accompanied by the shame of abandoning her.
When Motherhood And Mental Illness Collide
It was only when I let go of my self-blame that I learned postpartum depression is a sly beast.
Sharing To Heal Myself
All I can do is keep pushing through and hope that by choosing to finally talk candidly about my struggles, I will help at least one other woman to not feel as alone as I did.
Mommy Can Run
Finding time to take care of myself isn’t easy. Yet I know I have to make the time.
Seventy Percent
I have considered both how much my husband’s life has been altered by our daughter and what, if anything, I would include on a list to encourage further change in his life.
Is Love All You Really Need? Surviving Postpartum Depression
I’m a family therapist. And here I was—drowning and struggling in life, in marriage, in motherhood, in mental health—and couldn’t find a way to dig myself out.
But I Didn’t Want To Hurt My Baby
But I didn’t want to hurt myself or my baby. So, it couldn’t be postpartum depression.