Having a baby is one of the most magical moments one can really experience in life, and this is pushed into the minds of women everywhere, no matter what. Even though it's a magical milestone, one in five women suffer from feelings of depression or anxiety before and/or after birth. According to Dr. Natasha Sriraman with CHKD, perinatal, and anxiety disorders are the most common issues after having a baby.
Even though May is the designated Mental Illness Awareness month, maternal mental health should really be discussed year-round. Society has put this huge stigma on mother's talking about their feelings, and that everything should always constantly be about the baby. While having a child is a huge blessing, another blessing is taking care of yourself.
As a mother who dealt with postpartum depression early on after childbirth, I know how incredibly scary and upsetting it can be admitting how you feel after having a baby. Admitting that you are feeling emotions such as depression can feel almost shameful, but it's important to keep in mind that being the best mom you can be, involves taking care of yourself as well.
It's not always feelings of regretting having a child, it can just be feeling blue like myself, and it's very hard to shake the feeling. Everyone experiences different emotions depending on their body, but the important thing is to get help before it gets worse. Mental illness, any sort, is a hungry monster that feeds on your vulnerabilities until one decides to reach out to others for help to defeat the monster.
It's important to know that you'll always be your child's hero no matter what. No kid wants a perfect mom, they need a happy one. So it's important to take time out for yourself, get "me time," talk to your friends or family about how your feeling, and know that you're not alone. Many women go through what you are going through. It's important to know your options and resources that are available to you, whether that be support groups, medication, or therapy. We are all unique and different things work for different people, it's just important to not give up so we can be the best moms possible.
