Rattled: When New Parenthood Shakes You

What If I Don’t Feel a Bond With My Baby?

Listen Later

What if you don’t feel that immediate rush of love after your baby is born?

In this episode, Dr. Becky sits down with writer and mom Ruthie Ackerman to talk about something many parents experience—but almost no one says out loud: what if the bond doesn’t come right away?

Ruthie shares what those early weeks actually felt like for her—watching her husband connect easily with their baby while she wondered, Will I ever feel this? She opens up about the quiet fears, the self-doubt, and the stories she told herself about what it meant.

Together, they unpack:

  • Why bonding doesn’t always happen instantly (and why that’s more common than you think)
  • How anxiety and expectation can make it harder to feel what’s already there
  • The pressure of “natural” parenting—and what happens when things don’t feel natural at all
  • How connection can build slowly, in small, everyday moments

    • This conversation is a reminder that there is no single “right” way to become a parent—and no timeline your feelings have to follow.

    Ruthie Ackerman's book is called The Mother Code: My Story of Love, Loss, and the Myths That Shape Us.

    Learn more about Good Inside Baby. 

    Thank you to our partners for making this episode possible:

    • Pipette: Get 15% off Pipette’s line of SPF products with the code GOODINSIDESPF at pipettebaby.com
    • Airbnb: Host your home or book your next stay on Airbnb
    • Coterie: Get 20% off with the code GOODINSIDEBABY20
    • Once Upon a Farm: Use the code GOODINSIDE for 40% off your first subscription

      • Learn more about Good Inside.

      Follow Dr. Becky on Instagram.


      Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store
      Rattled: When New Parenthood Shakes YouBy Good Inside