Parenting With Anxiety

So it’s been a while since I posted and I could lie and I could lie and say I’ve just been having a wonderful time with my baby and I’ve been enjoying motherhood. However I’ll spare you from that. The truth is, I’ve been struggling to write this because it comes from a dark place. For the last month I’ve been navigating through symptoms of depression and intense anxiety. I’ve always experienced anxiety and I suppose you could just say I was “high functioning”. Now, however, it is debilitating. 

Parenting with anxiety is exhausting. My baby is what some may refer to as “high intensity”. Some days her cries feel like the stings of a hot cattle iron on my brain. I know she’s not intentionally doing this but as someone that absolutely needs quiet time to recharge, it is sometimes too much to cope with. I love her. I love her so much it consumes all of me. So dealing with the frustration I feel and the absolute admiration for her is confusing at times. 

Along with intensifying anxiety, I’ve also noticed some depression creeping in. Recently, I haven’t wanted to leave the house. I’m angry 90% of the time. I no longer enjoy my favorite pastimes. With a background in psychology, these red flags are obviously alarming. The realization that I’m probably dealing with postpartum depression hit me like a wave. I remember the panic I felt as I called my mom to vent the issues I had been facing. She worries for me now and I don’t blame her. I’m very isolated because I live 600+ miles away from any family. 

I suppose I’m coping a little better now. I’ve been trying at least. The main reason I’m sharing this now is because of some slim hope that it may help someone else. If someone is feeling this way, I want them to know they aren’t a horrible person. It’s entirely possible to love your baby and still feel these things. I see you. You can feel better. Please practice some self love when you can. Take that walk alone. Paint your nails. Enjoy that coffee. You deserve it and so does your little one. 

Taking a Moment to Brag on My Husband

I would like to precede the following post with the motive behind it. I find myself complaining about my husband on a daily basis and I just feel that I need to recognize the positivity he brings to my life and try to recognize it on a more regular basis. 

Ordinarily, I’m ranting about my husband not helping with the baby, leaving messes, ignoring me to play video games, neglecting yard work, etc. See, there I go again. I do feel like I carry the weight of the household most days, but I need to recognize that he does leave the house everyday and work at one of the most stressful jobs in the world (air traffic controller). He provides for us and would do absolutely anything to make us happy. 

I’m reminded of his kind heart on special days. My birthday was just a few days ago and he rewarded me by taking me out to buy a nice camera. I’ve been begging for one so I could take baby pictures without shelling out the cash for professional pictures every other month. He also took the time to take us hiking all afternoon so I could play with my new toy and enjoy some quality time together as a family. I can’t even express how much that day meant to me. As a somewhat peculiar female, I do not enjoy shopping sprees, fancy dinners, or trips to the spa. That day was exactly what I needed to feel special and only he could do that for me. 

I suppose I should summarize the point behind this long-winded brag session. Husbands may frustrate us to no end, but at the end of the day maybe we need to put ourselves in their shoes. I can honestly say my husband has no clue what he’s doing as a parent, but I don’t either. He’s learning right along with me. He doesn’t have the advantage of staying home with her every single day and I need to recognize the learning curve and help bring him up to speed, not belittle him for his inexperience.