Regretful Parents: "Motherhood Has Been Hell For My Anxiety” | Reddit Stories
Dinky27 Marras

Regretful Parents: "Motherhood Has Been Hell For My Anxiety” | Reddit Stories

Welcome back to our Regretful Parents series. In this episode, Kristen and Erika react to a Reddit post titled “Motherhood Has Been Hell As An Anxious Person,” where an overwhelmed mom explains how becoming a parent completely destroyed her mental health, sleep, and sense of stability. This is one of the most honest Reddit parenting stories we’ve covered. Before having kids, the original poster felt her anxiety was under control. She had routines, sleep, self-care, time for exercise, friendships, and a stable lifestyle. But motherhood brought sleep deprivation, overstimulation, constant responsibility, and the loss of basic personal freedom. Her anxiety returned with a vengeance, leaving her controlling, exhausted, and unable to maintain her own mental or physical health.

We discuss:
• What happens when anxious people become parents
• Sleep deprivation and the mental health collapse it can cause
• The myth that motherhood is always fulfilling or “worth it”
• Why self-care is not selfish, especially for parents
• How societal pressure pushes people to have kids they aren’t prepared for
• The fear of being labeled selfish for prioritizing mental health
• Why so many parents feel regret but cannot say it out loud
• Neurodivergence, overstimulation, and sensory overload in parenting
• How childfree people often avoid these struggles by choice

If you’re exploring the childfree lifestyle, questioning parenthood, managing anxiety, or looking for honest conversations about modern parenting, this episode dives into the real challenges parents face—but aren’t allowed to talk about.

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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:17 Why anxiety and motherhood often collide
02:00 How sleep deprivation destroys mental health
05:00 The motherhood myth and societal pressure
07:00 Why parents don’t expect the loss of freedom
10:00 Self-care vs. “selfishness”
13:00 Neurodivergence and sensory overload
18:00 The fear of constant danger
20:00 Final thoughts

Keywords: motherhood anxiety, anxious mom, regretting motherhood, regretful parents, parenting burnout, sleep deprivation mom, overwhelmed mom, childfree by choice, should I have kids, mental health and parenting, Reddit stories, Dinky Pod, Kristen and Erika, parenting regret, motherhood expectations, anxious parents, overstimulation parenting

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

Jaksot(111)

Childfree Representation In Media (With Bestselling Author Andrea Bartz)

Childfree Representation In Media (With Bestselling Author Andrea Bartz)

Listeners, strap in for a thriller of an episode. We’re talking to New York Times bestselling author and childfree superstar Andrea Bartz. Andrea Bartz is a journalist and author of her hit novels like The Spare Room, The Lost Night, The Herd, and Reese’s Book Club pick We Were Never Here. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Vogue, and many other outlets, and she's held editorial positions at Glamour, Psychology Today, and Self, among other publications. Tune in to hear her thoughts on the intersection of being childfree by choice, writing childfree characters, coming out as queer during the podcast, and what it’s like to be trolled online for your lifestyle. Please take a moment to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!Wanna connect with Andrea Bartz? Find her on Instagram and buy The Spare Room here. Donate to support this show. Shop our merch.Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at @dinkypod. If you have a question or comment, email us at dinky@dinkypod.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

26 Joulu 20231h 9min

How To Set Boundaries With Your Family (With Codependency Coach Jo Westwood)

How To Set Boundaries With Your Family (With Codependency Coach Jo Westwood)

In this episode, we’re diving into the topic of codependency. You might be asking yourself, what does codependency have to do with being childfree? Well, with some estimates suggesting that over 90-percent of the American population demonstrates some form of codependent behavior — childfree folks are no exception. So today, we’ll be talking to codependency coach Jo Westood on overcoming people pleasing tendencies in your childfree life, setting boundaries, and most importantly: how to deal with the toxic garbage your family will spew during the holiday season — especially around your choice to not have kids. Please take a moment to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!Wanna connect with Jo Westwood? Find her on Instagram, her website, or sign up for her weekly email series Codependency Curious. Donate now to support this show. Shop our merch.Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at @dinkypod. If you have a question or comment, email us at dinky@dinkypod.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

12 Joulu 20231h 33min

Is Surrogacy Ethical?

Is Surrogacy Ethical?

Today, we’re going to be talking about the commodification of pregnancy. Specifically, we’re taking a deep dive into the complicated world of surrogacy: the process in which a person carries and delivers a child for a couple or individual. We’ll be learning about the different types of surrogacy, how surrogates are compensated (that is, if payment is even allowed in your state!) — and discuss if surrogacy overall is even ethical. It’s a heady one, but a good one. To learn more about surrogacy laws by state, visit THIS site. Donate now to support this show.Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at @dinkypod. If you have a question or comment, email us at dinky@dinkypod.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

28 Marras 20231h 6min

Childfree Intentional Communities 101

Childfree Intentional Communities 101

Is it just me, or do we all dream about shirking societal norms and living with our childfree besties in a shared, intentional community — something like the Golden Girls? In today’s episode, Erika and Kristen dive deep into why intentional communities might just be the answer to childfree living we’ve been looking for. We’ll be talking about the broad strokes of the topic: from types of intentional communities that exist, to the logistics around shared property, and more. To learn more about intentional communities, we recommend checking out the Foundation for Intentional Communities website.Donate now to support this show.Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at @dinkypod. If you have a question or comment, email us at dinky@dinkypod.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

14 Marras 202351min

Regretful Parents Part 2 (With Sociologist Orna Donath)

Regretful Parents Part 2 (With Sociologist Orna Donath)

Our first episode on regretful parents was such a hit, we wanted to dive even deeper. In this episode, we’re joined by Orna Donath, a sociologist who probably knows more about parental regret than anyone on the planet. She is the author of the book, ‘Regretting Motherhood’ — which covers her study of 23 women on their experiences with regret over their role as mothers. You can buy Orna’s book HERE to read it yourself.To find the article on orgs to support in Israel and Palestine, visit CharityWatch.Become a monthly subscriber to support this show. Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at @dinkypod. If you have a question or comment, email us at dinky@dinkypod.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

31 Loka 20231h 10min

Cultural Pressure To Have Kids (With Paranormal Expert Sapphire Sandalo)

Cultural Pressure To Have Kids (With Paranormal Expert Sapphire Sandalo)

To celebrate the launch of Season 4 and Halloween in one fell swoop, we’re joined by paranormal historian and expert Sapphire Sandalo. You might recognize her as a co-host on the Travel Channel TV shows like ‘Ghost Town Terror’ or ‘Paranormal Caught On Camera.’ She also has her own award-winning spooky podcast, 'Stories With Sapphire.' Additionally, October is Filipino American History Month, and as a Filipino-American, Sapphire shares her thoughts on the cultural pressures of being childfree as an Asian American.You can find Sapphire on TikTok and Instagram. Become a monthly subscriber to help support the show Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at @dinkypod. If you have a question or comment, email us at dinky@dinkypod.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

17 Loka 20231h 27min

Hot & Unbothered In Your 40s (With Childfree Style Icon Dominique Baker)

Hot & Unbothered In Your 40s (With Childfree Style Icon Dominique Baker)

The season three finale has arrived! To celebrate, we’re interviewing Dominique Baker, an award-winning skin and hair expert in her 40s who has been featured in WhoWhatWear, Style Canada, The Guardian and more. Plus, we catch up with Nick, one of the listeners we recently set up on a date via Instagram’s new app Threads, and it’s a WILD story. To shop Erika’s skincare routine: The Wayfair makeup organizer Olay Total Effects Revitalizing Foaming Face WashDr. Andrew Weil Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Treatment LotionGood Molecules Lightweight Daily Moisturizer Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid ExfoliantBlack Girl Sunscreen Broad SpectrumIlia C Beyond Triple Serum SPF 40Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair Youth To The People Peptides + C Energy Eye Concentrate with Vitamin C and CaffeineOrdinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Exfoliating Peeling SolutionPond's Cold Cream CleanserFarmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing BalmTo shop Kristen’s skincare routine: Vanicream Moisturizing Cream with Pumpderma e Vitamin C SerumColor Science Sunforgettable® Total Protection™ Face Shield Classic SPF 50Sunforgettable® Total Protection™ Brush-On Shield SPF 50The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%The Ordinary Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening CreamDermstore Deep Cleansing Oil CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser Midnight Recovery ConcentratePaula’s Choice BHA Supergoop! PLAY Everyday Lotion SPF 50 with Sunflower ExtractTo shop Dominique Baker’s recommendations: dermalogica powerbright dark spot serumLa Roche Posay Hyalu B5 Pure Hyaluronic Acid SerumEltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46Become a monthly subscriber to help this show stay ad-free: Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at @dinkypod. If you have a question or comment, email us at dinkypod@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support

15 Elo 20231h 25min

Answering Listener Questions ("How To Navigate Childfree Dating” + More!)

Answering Listener Questions ("How To Navigate Childfree Dating” + More!)

Listeners, today is all about YOU. This may be our third season, but it’s also our first season doing a mailbag episode! You all sent in a ton of great questions on Instagram — from how to deal with your childfree status in professional settings, to our best dating advice, to coping with in-laws, and so much more! Become a monthly subscriber to help this show stay ad-free. Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at @dinkypod. If you have a question or comment, email us at dinkypod@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dinky-podcast/support

1 Elo 20231h 18min

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