“When I went back to work after my daughter was born, I listened to everyone tell me that it was normal to struggle at first but I would adjust in time. Instead I spiraled into what I discovered was postpartum anxiety triggered by my return to work. Who knew it could happen six months after she was born? When my son was born two and a half years later, I again felt that same postpartum anxiety taking over when I returned to work, magnified by the stress of starting a new job I was not happy with. I left before the kids were awake most mornings and spent the hour or so before bedtimes too stressed to enjoy the little time I had with them. It was devastating to me. When my youngest was 6 months old, 4 months into my new job, I pulled both my kids out of daycare and became a stay-at-home parent… and I have zero regrets. Despite my initial fears that people would think I was throwing away all the time and money I spent working towards my master’s degree, I’ve realized that I’m gaining a lot from both experiences and one does not negate the other. Plus my degree comes in handy quite a bit now that I’m home with the kids! I still get comments about how my kids are too attached to me, but you know what, I take it as a compliment. I hope my very young children do feel attached to me with that sense of security I never had growing up. I was also nervous I was going to be judged for not being enough of a feminist by choosing to give up my career to be a stay-at-home mom. But I’ve always felt that the freedom to choose my path without judgment is what true feminism is.”
Thanks Cassie Long for sharing your#NoShameParenting story. I don’t think enough people talk about postpartum anxiety (or depression, for that matter), when so many people experience it and could be helped a lot by hearing people’s stories.