𝐼 𝓅𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒾𝓈𝑒⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If I could do it again, I would not read the baby books written by experts. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I would read journal pages written by mothers about their postpartum journey. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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About the blood, the ache, the tears. The depression, the anger, the fear, the loneliness, the grief, the moment when she looks in the mirror unable to recognize herself. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I felt so lonely back then. So lost. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The moment a woman gives birth, she simultaneously gains everything and loses everything. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Her life, her identity come undone. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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And piece by piece, with her bare hands she needs to put it back together while caring for her baby. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Why did no one tell me this? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The identity crisis postpartum is more real than anything I know. I had to face my biggest fear: the fear of losing myself.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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When you're no longer who you were but not yet who you're meant to become, who are you? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I had to surrender my self-image, my control, my resistance. (I was also too tired to do anything else.) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I had to learn to trust. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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That everything will be okay. That this, too, shall pass. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you’re in the thick of motherhood too. I want to extend my hand to hold your hand. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It’s okay for your baby to cry. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s okay for you to cry too.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It will get easier. You will get stronger. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You will feel like yourself again. A different self, but also a truer, more beautiful self will emerge. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I promise. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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𝒥𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝒶 #𝓃𝑒𝓌𝒷𝑜𝓇𝓃𝓂𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇
