Motherhood

"I just don't feel like myself..."

Women are more at risk for depression and anxiety during their pregnancies and for an entire year after giving birth to their babies. We call these Perinatal Mental Health Conditions (PMHCs).

You may feel sad, overwhelmed, disconnected from your baby, irritable, or like nothing seems fun anymore. You may feel hopeless and can’t shake the thought that you are a bad mom.

Maybe you feel like you are worrying all the time, cannot sleep even if the baby is sleeping or being cared for by someone you trust, your thoughts are racing, or you have physical symptoms like nausea, chest tightness, or rapid heartbeat. You may feel like you cannot leave the baby or something bad will happen.

When it comes down to it, you don’t feel like yourself and wonder if you ever will again.

Here's what you need to know - These are symptoms, they are not who you are. They are temporary and treatable.

You can love your baby dearly and still feel these things.

You can have symptoms and still be a great mom.

Why am I having these thoughts? What’s wrong with me? 

Sometimes mothers have scary, unwanted thoughts about harm coming to their babies. They can come seemingly out of nowhere and just won’t leave you alone. You feel horrified and guilty about these thoughts and may not tell anyone for fear of what they will think. You may even feel like you are going crazy, but you’re not!

If you have thoughts about harm coming to your baby that scare you, this is a sign the thoughts are driven by anxiety.  Nothing dark or sinister about you.

I know what these thoughts are and they don't scare me.  Talking about these thoughts in a supportive place can bring relief.

I lost my baby and I’m devastated.

Losing your baby, whether it is miscarriage, stillbirth, or after he or she is born, is devastating. You are grieving the loss of your sweet baby, as well as the loss of your dreams for them, your family, and future. Loved ones may try to help, but you still feel alone and just so sad. You may not know how or when this pain will end. I can walk alongside you as you grieve, cope, and heal.