You’re exhausted.

You are exhausted to a point that your entire body is relying on muscle memory to make it through the day. You’re not even sure what day it is. You feel like you’re dream walking because the events of each day just blur together. You feel frustrated, annoyed, and stressed with just about everyone and everything, every. single. day. Even on nights when the baby doesn’t wake up five times, and you actually get to sleep longer than four hours at a time, you still wake up feeling completely drained before your feet even touch the ground.

This is burnout.

You love your baby to the moon and back, but you find it difficult to enjoy them. Or maybe you have other children. And since you’ve brought another baby home, it’s hard to remember what it was like to enjoy spending time with your older children. Even their most basic needs feel burdensome on your shoulders. Can you remember the last time you just sat down and enjoyed playing blocks with your precious little one – without thinking about your never ending to-do list or worrying about those bills you still haven’t paid?

This is burnout.

Maybe you just had a rough week juggling the kids, work, housework, homework, friendships, relationships, and playdates. Speaking of dates, when is the last time you and your partner had a kid free date? Single parents, when is the last time you left the house alone for some time to yourself? It’s one thing to wake up on the wrong side of the bed every once in a while, but when days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months… You feel disengaged, exhausted, and a lack of movtivation.

This is burnout.

You feel alone, weary, stressed to the max, overwhelmed, defeated, and drained. You feel this every day, but you know it’s not like you. Is it postpartum depression? Is it anxiety? Maybe, but you know this isn’t you. It’s a rut that you are stuck in and can’t seem to pull yourself out of. You know in your head that this is just a phase. You just had a baby! It has to be the lack of sleep and hormones that are just coming together to drive you just a little mad. Right? All the while, your heart is pulling you down so hard you just want a good cry and to binge watch Netflix so you can move past the overwhelming feelings and get some sleep.

This is burnout.

What now?

Ask for help.

Some turn to family and friends; allowing you a bit of time to be surrounded by other adults and to bring joy and companionship into your day. Some turn to a therapist; finding someone who can navigate your feelings and circumstances can often help get you on the track to healing and balance. They can also evaluate whether there is an underlying postpartum mood disorder or if this is a temporary issue that can be rectified by some lifestyle changes.

Others even turn to Postpartum Doulas to help implement those changes. They are experts in providing non-judgmental support, helping you transition into parenthood, recognizing exhaustion and burnout, and helping you find balance – your new normal. This includes learning how to care for yourself so you can care for others well. Self-care isn’t only the concept of just taking time for yourself (even if it is, you’re not selfish for doing it!). Self-care also means taking care of yourself so you can better take care those around you.

Finding the help you need can give you those moments to rest, recharge, and refocus your energy.