It will get better. That first year is such an identity adjustment that nobody really warns you about. Helpful things: carve out some time for yourself any way you can, get enough sleep, and don’t be afraid to let baby play alone from time to time (with you in the same room just watching.) Babies do need lots of interaction but as he turns into a toddler you will find it very helpful if he can focus on a toy for 10-20 minutes occasionally–and it will be a good skill for him to develop too.

Same here. I am 2 months in and feel exactly as you’re describing. No advice but wanted to say you aren’t alone.

I went thru ppd ( and feel completely back to me )…..I felt soo overwhelmed, like the most simple things required so much effort it paralyzed me with anxiety. Talking about it will help, mainly with fellow women, and I promise you WILL start to feel back to yourself bit by bit.

I call nursing anxiety/depression. Now on my third child I have finally realized that I feel this same way the whole time I am nursing. A few months after nursing I realize that I am back to me. Even though I like nursing my children. I think I might stop nursing sooner then other two. I have also realized that I have to take a ton more time for myself and I have to just make myself doing things. I am still struggling but it is way better with my third now that I know that it goes away eventually.

I talked to a few trusted friends who I knew had been through the same thing. Then I talked to my OB. Then I talked to a psychiatrist.

This was after several months of feeling a little “off.” I felt weird during my pregnancy too. SUPER anxious. So anxious I would get heart palpitations, and I would check on my 2 older kids multiple times a night. Every time I left them with a babysitter I would worry about them the whole time I was gone. (I never had this with my other pregnancies or newborns.)

Mood swings. These were terrible and sudden. I was so awful to my kids and husband a few times. Not to the baby–he was the only one I wanted to be around! Some mornings I would stay in bed with the baby for over an hour while my kids got into mischief without my supervision–and I didn’t even care.

My 2 friends I talked with, and my husband too, encouraged me to see my OB. He was wonderful. He encouraged me to see a psychiatrist and said I might need to go on medication for a while, or have talk therapy, and most of all that I needed to get out–with my husband, with my sister, with friends–and do something fun that would make me smile and laugh and enjoy life. The thing he said that made the biggest impression though (my OB) was, “This is the time of life you should be cherishing. This is the best time of life, one you will always remember and you don’t want to regret wasting it. You shouldn’t be wallowing in bed, you should be getting out, going to the park and the zoo and having fun with your kids.” He was SO right.

It is normal to feel anxiety, depression, mood swings, even guilt. Normal but it doesn’t have to stay that way, and it won’t, especially if you get exercise, talk to trusted friends or professionals, maybe even take medication for a while if it’s that bad and you feel right about it–oh and prayer helps too! :)

I fully understand how you are feeling. With three kids the world has alway revolved around them. My husband is one of the reasons I got through my postpardom time. I say talk about what is going on with your feeling and things alway seem better. As for doing things I love like sewing and shopping I just changed my perspective and made it about the kids. I sew for them I shop for them and I know it sounds crazy but I love it! Now I am 5 years out from my last one and you still can not get me to call someone new or do anything out of my confort zone but I have had a big change in my life from the person I was 9 years ago and looking back it is all for the better and worth it!