"You must be so excited!" Feels like the only thing you're allowed to feel when you're pregnant or just had a baby.
And scared, overwhelmed, sad. And don't forget feeling guilty that you're not feeling pure excitement and awe. If this is you, please know you're not alone or broken.
These complex emotions are especially difficult for people who have: experienced pregnancy loss, had difficulty conceiving, have learned difficult news about their pregnancy, had always envisioned themselves as mothers, have been very sick, have a strained relationship with or lost a parent or loved one, hadn't planned on this pregnancy, were hoping to make partner or get a promotion soon, whose relationship is not the most stable or healthy, have never experienced mental health concerns before, had been in remission and feeling greater stability in their mental health… and now these feelings, these unexpected and unwelcome extra emotions are here intruding on "what's supposed to be" the joyful party.