I gave birth to my daughter six months ago, and since then, things have not been very pleasant. Initially, it was my personal life that felt chaotic. It became clear that my in-laws had wanted a boy, and they were deeply disappointed when I gave birth to a girl. They did not offer any support during the first three months. It was my mother and husband who helped me take care of my child. My mom stayed with us for a month, but my in-laws were distant toward her and never truly considered her part of the family. Seeing my parents being subtly disrespected hurt me deeply.
Three months after my daughter's birth, my sister-in-law also had a baby girl. Unlike with my daughter, my in-laws were excited about her arrival. I tried to reason that this was because she had complications during her pregnancy, and they were just relieved that everything went well. But that still doesn’t justify the fact that my daughter had to go through a tough first three months due to someone else's preferences. She didn’t get to celebrate any of her milestones because of the negativity and unhappy environment.
Now that my maternity leave has ended, I returned to work excited to reconnect with my team. I was a team lead, managing three teams before I went on leave. But when I came back, management told me that the team was doing well in my absence and that they wanted to reassign me to another project. It was painful to hear. I had built that team from the ground up, and now, I was being sidelined. The new project they want me to take on doesn’t even exist yet, which makes me fear for my job security. I also don’t know if I will be leading a team or working under someone else. I have been a lead for so long that the idea of reporting to someone again is unsettling. My professional life feels like a mess, and I don’t know if I can handle this new role. I feel like I’m hanging by a thread, unsure of what to do next.
I wanted to go to my mother’s place so she could help take care of my daughter while I focus on work, but my in-laws are against it. Managing both work and my baby has become overwhelming. I feel lost and exhausted. I constantly feel like crying, and at times, I have even lost the will to live. I often think about ending everything just to find some peace. I don’t know where my life is headed, and my future feels bleak. I don't like feeling this way. I just want to be happy.
