They asked me once

 They asked me once

In a hallway
On a clipboard
With boxes to check

Was I sad
Was I overwhelmed
Did I feel disconnected
Was I sleeping

I wasn’t sure how to answer
I hadn’t slept
I cried daily
I felt like I was underwater
But I smiled and said I was okay

Because that’s what moms do, right
We’re tired
We’re hormonal
It’s “normal”
It’s “just baby blues”

No one asked again
No one checked in later
When the weight got heavier
When the days blurred
When the crying didn’t stop… mine, not the baby’s

I kept showing up
Feeding
Rocking
Holding
Numbing

All while quietly unraveling

Postpartum depression doesn’t always scream
Sometimes it whispers
You’re failing
You’re alone
You should be grateful
You’re not enough

If you’re in this place
This quiet, heavy place
I need you to know something

You are not broken
You are not weak
You are not alone

You deserve support
You deserve to be seen
You deserve to feel like yourself again

Not just once
Not just at six weeks
Not just when someone remembers to ask

You deserve to be checked on
Every day if needed
Until the light feels real again