How Postpartum Anxiety Took Me by Surprise—And How Finding My Village Saved Me

I thought I had prepared. I read the books. I bought the swaddles. I went to prenatal classes. But nothing prepared me for the wave of anxiety that hit me after my first baby was born.

In the beginning, it didn’t feel like the glowing “new mom” phase I’d been promised. Instead, it felt like I couldn’t breathe unless I knew exactly when she had last fed, how many ounces she'd eaten, how many minutes she had napped, whether she was too hot or too cold, if her cry meant something serious or not. My mind raced 24/7. I was exhausted but wired, scared but silent.

I didn't recognize it at first, I just thought I was being a “good mum.” But underneath, I was unraveling. It wasn’t until I finally opened up in a Mommy Connections group that I heard the words “postpartum anxiety” out loud. A few brave women shared their stories in our final week where we opened up about birth stories and were able to share with the group. I teared up, and not because I was sad, but because I finally felt seen. Understood. Less alone.

From there, everything changed.

I found my village of other moms who weren’t trying to be perfect, just present. We texted each other during those isolating middle-of-the-night feeds. We shared baby items like SlumberPods, Tushbaby carriers and Baby Brezzas. We talked about the hard stuff and held space for one another without judgment.

Now, with my second baby, I can feel that anxiety creeping back, eight months postpartum. He’s not a great sleeper, and I feel that anxious edge starting to show up again. I crave getting out of the house more. I miss my close girlfriends I don’t get to see as often as I'd like. I long for the connection, the shared understanding, the deep exhale that only comes from being around people who get it.

That’s why I’m leaning even harder into my village - the one I’ve worked so hard to build. And it’s why showing up forThe Guided Mama community means so much to me. Every time I share, support, or simply connect with another mom, it helps. One day, one moment at a time.

If you're in the thick of it, I want you to know: you are not failing. You are not broken. And you are definitely not alone.

In a recent collaboration call, we spoke about how to get meaningful content in front of moms, before they're moms. To create a proactive approach to preparing for the changes that come with motherhood. I wish I had known about so many things before welcoming my daughter into the world, so I could have been more proactive and less reactive, even though my path would be unique, being informed and led down my personal path without judgment was exactly what I needed. Motherhood is hard—but it becomes lighter when we carry it together.

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