It goes without saying that having kids is a transformative experience. No, it’s not just transitioning into being solely responsible for a teeny tiny human being with all your heart and might. There’s also a huge psychological factor and the idea that once you tread on that sort of ground, there’s essentially no going back.
However, sometimes, it does happen that folks do want to go back. And so it only furthers the problem. A problem where one parent might start despising the other for not being the parent they promised to be.
You can’t even begin to imagine just how hard parenting can be. And once it hits, you might want to “go back”
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Alas, sometimes it’s not an option, but this wife lowkey wants it to be and that only makes the hubby despise her
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Once a baby comes into a family, there is always a non-zero chance of things like postpartum depression
While it’s best left for the professionals to determine what it is that has befallen the mother. But, for context, postpartum is a long-lasting form of depression that, in severe cases, can entail intrusive thoughts of harming yourself and your child.
Among other symptoms are feelings of hopelessness, restlessness, thoughts of death, disinterest in things, inability to sleep, loss of appetite and withdrawal from family. Some of these might fit OP’s case.
There’s also a more severe version of this called postpartum psychosis which even involves hallucinations and actual danger to yourself.
Whatever the case, while lighter forms of this are normal, if it goes beyond two weeks, gets worse and makes it hard to care for the baby and yourself, it is strongly recommended to seek professional help.
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Folks in the comments shared their takes on what’s going on and how to tackle it
The dad considered the comments and soon provided an update addressing common questions
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Another update of his talked about how the Mrs. took a break and left, all the while answering a few more questions
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Image credits: Correct-Fault-4669
In the end, the wife simply vanished and has been maintaining very limited contact for a few days now
Image credits: cottonbro studio/Pexels (not the actual photo)
The story goes that a couple wanted to have kids, with the Mrs expressing more enthusiasm in the beginning, but the now father came on board once the little one was born. However, the mother’s outlook changed, leaving the husband more or less stuck with most of the parenting. She wasn’t absent altogether, but very distant.
Once the dad brought the story to Reddit, he understood that this might be a sign of postpartum depression. In an update, he started off by approaching her and asking if she wants a break. She did and moved out for a couple of days. But there is a hunch now that she might not come back.
Folks had a lot to say—a lot of heavy things. Some thought the woman flat out hates her daughter. Others told the dad to focus on the daughter and to take care of himself along the way. Yet others speculated that the little one asking after her mom might end up fostering a feeling of guilt that she was the one who pushed her mother away.
So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Share your takes and stories in the comment section below.