[donmatito]

May I ask you kindly, to the extend you want to share, why having a new child caused such high level of stress? I mean, having two daughters, I can totally relate to sleep deprivation and everyday chores. But unless there is a medical emergency or financial distress, I am under the impression that most parents find enough joy to compensate for the stress? It's like we're onto drugs :-) Again, that's true only if the baby is in good health, which I wish you from the bottom of my heart

[summarite]

Not OP, but my experience is that it's immensely fun but also immensely exhausting. Apart from sleep loss and new duties to fit into busy days there were also stressors, eg like many couples we moved houses when the second one was born. Timing was suboptimal as things got delayed and suddenly much too much had to happen at the same time.

Otherwise for me stressful was in particular to lose/reduce large parts of my social life (eg Toastmasters or going out to talks and discussions, theater, for beer with friends, ... Before children i was out 4-5 evenings a week, now maybe 2/month). Your life structure changes, which may or may not be easy for everyone to adapt to depending on the before & after. I have no regrets, but i do miss what used to be couple- or me-time and relaxing and simulating activities.