It's very normal to feel overwhelmed by the fact that your life will never be the same again. Becoming a parent is arguably the largest transition in life.  I'm convinced that getting support as a new parent is one of the best things you can do for your children.

can't do it all?

You've always been able to manage a lot of stress, and you had a strong intuition that you would be a good mom, but it's still not what you expected.

If you feel like you're under a pile of responsibilities, you're not alone.  Most of my clients feel like their career and their parenthood aren't lining up well.  The combination of hormone adjustment and increased stress makes pregnancy and the transition to parenthood a very fragile time.  

intense feelings

You've never felt this level of anything.  Everything is different and in the most amazing way but also in the most terrifying way.  You might not feel like yourself, and you're not sure you ever will again.  Perinatal mood disorders are very common. PPAD does not discriminate.  You can grow up in a loving family, have a successful career, and good self-esteem and still feel plagued by postpartum struggles.   I have additional training from ©Postpartum Support International, including a certificate of completion in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.   Postpartum Depression (PPD) is common.  According to the Centers for Disease Control, 11% to 20% of women who give birth each year have postpartum depression symptoms. If you settled on an average of 15% of four million live births in the US annually, this would mean approximately 600,000 women get PPD each year in the United States alone. . Postpartum depression is estimated to affect 1% to 26% of new fathers. 

relationship not the same?

Parenting is a major strain on a partnership. The recalibration of responsibility that happens when a child is added into the equation is bound to create some bumps in the ride.  

If you are mad at your spouse, or worried about the health of your marriage, you're not alone.  Some couples come to being parents after a battle with infertility while others have unexpected pregnancies; these are additional factors that can intensify the transition.

pregnancy

Most women diagnosed with Postpartum Anxiety and Depression actually started experiencing their episode during pregnancy.  Symptoms can start anytime during pregnancy or the first year postpartum.  I also have experience with depression during pregnancy and pregnancy complications including Hypermesis Gravidarum (HG).