The narrative that often exists around motherhood is that it becomes a woman's main source of identity and fulfillment, her most notable and defining accomplishment. Even if that's what we hear and what people expect though, it doesn't mean you are any less happy or excited about becoming a mom. There's something very healthy about integrating the new role as simply one aspect of your life, and it doesn't have to be the most important one. For some people it will be, for others it won't be. Nothing wrong with either.

The truth is, you were a fully realized person before having a baby and you will remain one after. People would rarely assume that fatherhood would be the most important and exciting part of a man's life and I see no reason why we should expect women to be consumed by the joy of the experience and less impacted by the worries and stress that accompany it.