Worried I won’t love my child when it arrives

[BabyLola1066]

I’m 1 week overdue, my pregnancy was unplanned. I’m worried I won’t love my baby when it arrives in the next few days. I feel guilty, and have no one to confide in. I wish I could turn back time and not be pregnant. Why do I feel like this? I look at the scan picture and genuinely smile but still can’t help think I don’t want this baby!
I get excited for friends and family members who are expecting but yet can’t feel this excitement for myself. Will this feeling change? Has anyone ever felt like this before?

I was like this with my first DC OP. Honestly don't worry, it's a very known thing that a large fraction of new mums take longer to bond with their children than people openly talk about.
With my firsts baby I was stressed in general with my life and living situation and I think that didn't help. But the bond really did come by about 8 weeks old and I never would've wanted to turn back the clock after that time.
You'll be great don't worry :-)

I genuinely took two years to fully bond with my first. Every few months I’d think wow, I’m finally there I’ve got all the lovely feelings I’m supposed to have. Only when I truly got past it did I see how bad it was. No one knew from the outside and it didn’t affect my daughters development at all. If I could I’d definitely go back and seek help. Not to say that I didn’t have feelings of love towards her before that, but the genuine motherly love took its time.

Mine was borne from an irrational fear of losing her. I got pregnant too easily, pregnancy went well, I didn’t deserve her 😕 So much so that on the way to the hospital with a case of post birth jaundice I was convinced she was going to die.

I also had a moment in the shower when she was a week old and though what the fuck have I done, I’ve ruined our lives.

There are so many mixed emotions during and post pregnancy and it’s really not talked about enough.

Please do talk it through with your partner or midwife/health visitor. Even just talking about it can help.

Thank you both for taking the time to comment.

I’m going in to hospital at 3 pm today to start induction of Labour. I feel unprepared, not ready for it and I feel emotional.

I think things will get better hopefully this time tomorrow I’ll have a healthy newborn baby and feel an instant connection.

Talking to my friends, all but one of us said the love was instant and it grew over time.

The constant talk of the ‘rush of overwhelming love’ isn’t helpful because it’s simply not the case for a lot of people.

It doesn’t make it wrong or the live that develops any less special.

Sorry should say WASN’T instant.