How do I know if my grief after losing my child is normal or if I need help?

There's no timeline for this, and there's no 'normal' that looks the same twice. What I can tell you: grief after losing a child is not a problem to solve. It's a reorganization of your entire self. You might feel numb for months, then suddenly devastated by a song. You might laugh at something and feel guilty for laughing. You might feel angry at people who still have their children, or distant from friends who try to help. All of this is grief doing its work. What matters is whether you have *some* moments—even small ones—where you feel held. A person who listens without trying to fix it. A ritual that feels true to you. Your own words for what happened. If you're having thoughts of harming yourself, or if weeks pass where you can't eat or leave your bed, reach out to a therapist or your doctor. Grief is not weakness. Getting support is not giving up on your child's memory. It's the opposite—it's honoring that their life changed you so deeply that you need help carrying it forward.