#12| Jealousy After Loss — When Pregnancy Announcements Hurt

Have you ever smiled at a pregnancy announcement while something sharp hit you inside? Do you feel guilty for not being able to feel “pure happiness” for someone else right now? Have you wondered, “What kind of person feels this?” Do pregnancy announcements, baby showers, or Mother’s Day posts feel like a wound getting touched? Today we’re talking about something so many women feel after loss… but almost no one says out loud: jealousy. That silent ache when someone else has what you wanted. The sting when a friend posts a sonogram. The way your body reacts before your brain can catch up ,heart racing, cheeks hot, phone flipped face down ,and then the second wave hits: “Why can’t I just be happy for her?” If you’ve ever judged yourself for feeling that, I want you to hear me: jealousy after loss doesn’t make you cruel. It doesn’t make you selfish. It means your heart is wounded ,and a pregnancy announcement becomes a mirror of what you expected, what you hoped for, and what you lost. We talk about why jealousy shows up (without shaming it), how it often arrives with guilt, and why naming it actually softens it. And I remind you of something that matters: You can love someone and still feel envy. You can root for them and still grieve for you. Both can be true. This episode is permission to stop beating yourself up and start meeting your emotions with compassion. Listen Next Episode 8: Why Valentine’s Day Can Hurt After Loss  Episode 5: What Healing After Loss Really Looks Like  Episode 4: Why Baby Loss Still Feels So Invisible    If this episode gave you language for something you’ve held quietly, share it with a grieving friend especially someone who’s been pretending they’re fine when pregnancy announcements hit. Sometimes sending an episode and saying, “This explains what I couldn’t say,” is the bridge. This podcast is for supportive and educational purposes only. I am not a licensed therapist. If you need professional mental health support, please reach out to a licensed therapist, grief counselor, or medical provider.