Parenting Triggers: How Parenthood Brings Up Past Trauma and Unexpected Emotions

Parenting triggers everything.

As a woman in her mid-30s, I entered parenthood feeling confident that I had it all figured out. I had a thriving career, financial stability, and I felt mentally prepared for this new chapter. After all, I’m a mental health professional with all the tools and education to support a well-adjusted pregnancy.

Or so I thought. My journey through perinatal depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was a stark reminder that parenting has a way of uncovering layers of emotion I never anticipated.