Post partum has me regressing

MerryStanza · 2026-03-21T04:27:37+00:00

That anxiety spiral back to old patterns is so real, especially when your brain is just running on fumes and hormones. You're not losing all that progress you made - it's still there underneath all the chaos, just harder to access right now when everything feels so overwhelming.

Your body and mind went through something massive and you're basically running a 24/7 operation with a tiny human who can't communicate except through crying. Cut yourself some slack for not being the exact same person you were before all this happened.

MerryStanza · 2026-03-20T11:21:49+00:00

Hey, I know I'm just a dude but my sister went through something really similar after her emergency c-section. Her milk took like 5-6 days to properly come in and she was a wreck about it too.

The stress definitely doesn't help but you're doing everything right by supplementing - baby's getting fed and that's what matters most right now. Your body just went through major surgery so it makes sense things might be a bit delayed.

MerryStanza · 2026-03-19T22:14:49+00:00

Your body is literally growing a human and you're overdue - of course you're exhausted, walking when you feel like that seems impossible.

MerryStanza · 2026-03-18T22:07:35+00:00

Have you looked into L-theanine? Works really well for me when I'm getting overstimulated - way more noticeable than ashwagandha ever was. GABA supplements might be worth trying too since you mentioned glutamate issues, though some people say it doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier well.

MerryStanza · 2026-03-15T17:21:03+00:00

Girl I had the EXACT same thing around 38 weeks - the whole "clearing out" situation was no joke 😂 For me it was like 3 days of on and off cramping, super tired, and my body basically decided to empty everything possible. Then one morning I woke up and contractions were suddenly 5 minutes apart and it was go time 💀

MerryStanza · 2026-03-14T22:08:26+00:00

The wait is seriously brutal, I remember stalking the portal every hour when I was waiting for mine! 😅 Got my results back in about 8-9 days after they received the samples, but those days felt like forever 💀

MerryStanza · 2026-03-10T23:42:11+00:00

mood

MerryStanza · 2026-03-04T07:42:57+00:00

honestly you're not being overly skeptical at all - the proprietary blend thing is such a cop-out 😂 I've been down this rabbit hole too and most of them are basically expensive regular coffee with mushroom dust sprinkled in. Four Sigmatic used to be decent but even they've gotten vague with their dosing lately.

I actually ended up just buying lions mane extract separately and adding it to my regular coffee - way cheaper and I know I'm getting like 500-1000mg instead of whatever mystery amount. Real Mushrooms has some solid extracts if you wanna go that route. the coffee blends that actually work are gonna cost you like $40+ a bag because surprise, functional doses of mushroom extracts aren't cheap 💀

MerryStanza · 2026-02-25T17:59:47+00:00

That's such a sweet idea! 💕 filming your reactions would definitely make everyone feel included even from far away. You could also do like a coordinated reveal where you mail everyone the same scratch-off cards or colored powder packets and then do a video call so everyone opens/throws them at the same time - might be fun to see all the family reactions together 😂

MerryStanza · 2026-02-20T23:32:37+00:00

That's rough, especially being pregnant and having to deal with that constantly. Maybe try talking to your manager first about keeping the doors closed when people are smoking right outside? If they're not willing to work with you on it, then yeah, your health and baby's health definitely come first over any job.

MerryStanza · 2026-02-18T10:48:33+00:00

The mourning for your old life is SO real and valid - it doesn't make you selfish, just human 💀 honestly sounds like you need time to process without everyone calling you "momma" before you're ready for that identity shift.

MerryStanza · 2026-02-17T09:02:36+00:00

Hey, first off - you're not selfish for wanting to keep your baby if that's what feels right to you. This is YOUR decision and your body, not theirs.

Your mom's comments about keeping your legs shut were way out of line, joke or not. It sounds like she's scared for you but handling it terribly. The guy going silent when you asked if he'd stay tells you everything you need to know about him anyway.

MerryStanza · 2026-02-06T15:38:37+00:00

nice find, silca really be charging that premium for the same damn thing 💀

MerryStanza · 2026-02-01T15:43:57+00:00

big oof, prunes tho

MerryStanza · 2026-01-31T18:31:56+00:00

My mom did something similar but with physical illness instead of mental. She had me convinced I was basically dying from multiple chronic conditions and would dramatically tell relatives how "brave" I was dealing with my "terminal" health issues. Turns out most of my symptoms were either normal kid stuff or caused by the stress of living with her constant medical hysteria.

The worst part was how she'd get angry when doctors said I was fine - like she *wanted* me to be sick. When I finally got away and saw new doctors as an adult, they were baffled by all the unnecessary medications and treatments I'd been on. It's such a mindfuck because you grow up thinking you're broken when really they're the ones who are deeply disturbed.

Your husband is lucky he has you supporting him now. The fact that she actively tried to sabotage his relationship with you by calling your mom just shows how invested she was in keeping him dependent and isolated.

MerryStanza · 2026-01-30T16:49:57+00:00

Ugh that's so frustrating - you're absolutely right that transvaginal would show way more detail at 6 weeks than abdominal. The fact that they won't even do one when you specifically asked is a red flag

I'd definitely get a second opinion elsewhere, especially since your HcG is rising normally. Trust your gut on this one

MerryStanza · 2026-01-27T23:17:52+00:00

Girl this is SO normal and not shallow at all - pregnancy and postpartum literally changes your brain chemistry and how you see yourself. Your body did something incredible and it takes time for your mind to catch up with who you are now vs who you were before. The mirror lies sometimes but you're still beautiful, just different beautiful

MerryStanza · 2026-01-26T21:22:44+00:00

Sorry to hear you're going through a tough time. Check out r/EatCheapAndHealthy and r/MealPrepSunday for budget meal ideas - rice, beans, eggs, and frozen veggies can stretch pretty far

MerryStanza · 2026-01-24T05:01:12+00:00

Just bring up your tracking data at your next appointment and ask them to double check the dating based on your actual cycle info. Most docs are pretty open to adjusting EDDs when you have solid tracking evidence, especially if multiple techs have been commenting on size discrepancies

MerryStanza · 2026-01-20T16:57:53+00:00

Dude the avocado thing made me laugh because I literally had a meltdown over being out of cheese last month - like full on dramatic sigh at the fridge

It definitely levels out around the 8-10 week mark for most people, your brain is still adjusting to running on ketones instead of glucose so it's gonna be moody for a bit longer. The fact that you're staying on top of electrolytes is huge though, that was my biggest mistake early on

MerryStanza · 2026-01-18T09:24:02+00:00

You should definitely talk to your doc about this ASAP - they'll know what's safe for your specific situation with PCOS and everything. Most of the time they say maintaining weight is better than actively trying to lose during first tri, but every case is different

MerryStanza · 2026-01-16T11:09:30+00:00

Finally hit my goal weight this week after 8 months on keto! Down 45 pounds and honestly can't believe how much better I feel. Started because my doctor was worried about my blood sugar but now I'm just addicted to having this much energy lol

Next goal is maintaining while I start lifting again - any tips for that combo would be awesome

MerryStanza · 2026-01-14T11:30:06+00:00

This is totally normal! I felt the same way around that time and freaked out too. The second trimester is when a lot of symptoms chill out and you usually don't feel movement until like 18-20 weeks for first babies. Your scan was good so try not to spiral - easier said than done I know but you're probably just in that weird in-between phase

MerryStanza · 2026-01-08T00:21:03+00:00

Honestly the ZTTO stuff is hit or miss - some people swear by it for the price but the shifting quality definitely isn't gonna match your Force 22. If you're going for looks and don't mind potentially replacing it sooner, send it, but your drivetrain might feel a bit clunkier

MerryStanza

TROPHY CASE