Life after a baby is complex. Maybe you had a thorough understanding of what was to come, or thought you did. The truth is, it is not something you can truly prepare for. You can have all the items off your baby registry, but you have no idea how this baby is going to sleep, eat, cry, and the list goes on. Some parts of newborn life may be smooth while others are bumpy. Or maybe the baby is the easy part, but all the changes around you are difficult. Being a new parent (and I don’t just mean after the first baby) is hard.

Did you know that pregnancy is one of the top stressors? The Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory includes 43 of the top stressors. Pregnancy is #12 on that list. And what about the items on the list that are impacted by pregnancy? Those may include, but are not limited to: marriage, gaining a new family member, sexual difficulties, major changes in social activities, major change in sleeping, major change in responsibilities, major change in finances… I could go on, but I’ll let you look for yourself.

https://www.stress.org/holmes-rahe-stress-inventory

And let’s not forget struggles not included on the list - body image, comparison, identity, hormones... I think you get the point. This bundle of joy comes with a bundle of other experiences, as well. Although we can fully recognize that your baby is 100% worth the stress and your love for him/her is not compromised, it can still be challenging. Thankfully, there are many (and growing) resources to learn how to navigate parenting and post-partum life, from blogs, to mommy groups, to counseling. If this is something that you are struggling with, there is no shame and you are not alone.