My Story Shared on Motherhood Understood

My postpartum story was shared by Motherhood Understood yesterday. When I got the notification, I felt so excited and honored and humbled. But when I clicked the link and saw the headline, the reality of what I was sharing sank in. I’ve been sharing my experiences and feelings for awhile now through Joey for Roo, but this felt different and big and scary. Would people read this and think I’m a terrible mom? Or a terrible person?

But as the comments came in on the social media posts, I realized that sharing my story is so important because of those fears. 90% of moms experience intrusive thoughts and yet we still don’t talk about it because of that fear of what people will think. Which means moms and new parents suffer in silence, in shame, alone. So many moms shared how they have experienced these same feelings. Several women wrote “I could have written this” or “this is me.” Seeing that, as someone who felt so alone during that time... it makes me feel good but also so, so sad. We have to start normalizing these experiences so that not just other moms but everyone has a better understanding of these issues because they do affect all of us.

So do me a favor: follow me on Joey for Roo social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) and invite others to as well. Read my story here and then reach out to a mom or dad or parent or anyone you know and let them know you’re there for them; not just for the “shareable” stuff but for the scary stuff, too. And then challenge yourself to share your own scary story; even if it’s just with one other person. I'd be honored if you'd share it with me—contact me here. If there’s anything all of this has taught me, it’s that you’re never alone, even when you’re convinced you are.