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After Childbirth, My Husband Became a Stranger Each Night. When I Followed Him, I Finally Understood Why
I remember gripping my husband Ryan’s hand with everything I had. He kept whispering to me, telling me to stay with him, telling me he needed me. His voice was the one thing that kept me grounded as exhaustion and fear threatened to pull me under.
When I finally woke up hours later, the room felt strangely still. Ryan was there beside me, looking completely drained. His eyes were swollen, his hair disheveled, and he looked older somehow, as if the night had aged him years.
“She’s here,” he whispered. “She’s perfect.”
A Moment That Should Have Been Pure Joy
A nurse gently placed our daughter in my arms. Lily. Seven pounds of warmth and promise.
I asked Ryan if he wanted to hold her. He nodded and took her carefully, cradling her as though she were made of glass. But as he looked down at her face, something changed. The light drained from his expression, replaced by something distant and guarded.
