"Am I Doing This Right?" - The Self-Doubt Struggle

The moment they placed my baby in my arms, I expected to feel something magical—instant confidence, a deep knowing that I was meant for this. Instead, I felt like I had just been handed the most delicate, fragile, and mysterious creature on earth… and no instruction manual.

I spent the first few weeks second-guessing everything. Was I feeding him enough? Too much? Was he too warm? Too cold? Why was he sneezing? Oh no—was it something I did?!

Google quickly became both my best friend and my worst enemy. One search would reassure me that everything was normal. The next would convince me that I had somehow ruined my child forever. And don’t even get me started on all the conflicting advice—family, friends, random internet strangers, books, pediatricians. Everyone had an opinion, and none of them seemed to match.

The self-doubt was overwhelming. I felt like I was failing, like I wasn’t cut out for this, like maybe someone had made a mistake entrusting me with this tiny human.

And then, one day, something shifted. My baby laughed. A full, heart-melting, belly giggle that sent tears streaming down my face. And in that moment, I realized—he was happy. He was growing. He was thriving.

Maybe I didn’t have all the answers. Maybe I was still figuring things out as I went. But somehow, despite all my doubts, I was getting it right.

If you’re in that place of self-doubt, let me tell you what I wish someone had told me: You are enough. Your baby doesn’t need a perfect parent. They need you. Messy, tired, figuring-it-out-you. And that is more than enough.