How can I maintain my sense of self while being a full-time caregiver?

This is the quiet crisis nobody warns you about. You go from being a person with desires, rhythms, and a name to being 'mom' or 'dad'—and it happens so gradually you barely notice the erasure. Rabia chose her devotion; it was voluntary and transformative. But you didn't choose to lose yourself. There's a difference. You need both: the profound gift of caring for your child *and* the non-negotiable thread of your own aliveness. That thread might look small right now—fifteen minutes of coffee alone, one hobby you protect like oxygen, a friendship you actually invest in. These aren't luxuries. They're survival. Your baby doesn't need a martyr. They need a parent who remembers they're also a person. When you're depleted, you have nothing to give. When you have something—even something small—to call your own, you become more present with them. It's not selfish. It's the only way the math actually works.