Four Things a New Mother Should know
Life can be surprising, and with a whole lot of activities, actions, and ups and downs, life sure has a lot in stock. But no feeling of happiness comes close to being a parent. Not even the joy of having a new job, getting a dream car, earning those millions can ever replace the joy of motherhood. However, being a parent can be a little overwhelming than most people make it appear.
Becoming a mother for the very first time is one of those blessed, rare events that will forever change who you are–but just because it is most probably one of the greatest moments of your whole life doesn’t guarantee that it would be easy.
No doubt, there are a thousand and one things are new mom needs to know; nonetheless, I have managed to list the important things you should know being a mother myself. So, even though you may be anxious right now, calm down, take a deep breath, and go over these few tips that are guaranteed to enlighten you and help you.
1. Things May Take a Different Turn
Sadly, this can be pretty hard on new moms. You take all your time planning, mapping out thing, and possibly hanging long term ideas of how things would probably work with your little one, but as soon as you newborn comes around, boom! All your plans jump out through the door.
I would advise that you do your best with the plans, calm your nerves, and let nature take its cause. A good number of infant care classes suggest that every new parent who may have the need to create birth plans should do so with their medical team’s help. Nonetheless, just because you already made plans don’t guarantee it will work out that way.
2. Bonding with Baby May Take Time
Sure, we usually see pictures of mothers with their newborns, with both staring at each other with love. There is a little discrepancy to this knowledge. Don’t get me wrong, most times, new mothers get bathed in unconditional love after laying eyes on their babies; in other cases, this is not so.
Many new parents may not feel that immediate, heart-exploding connection for days, weeks, and sometimes months, but listen closely: THAT’S FINE! When your four-week-old has spent the last few hours crying loudly and at the top of his or her little lungs for no apparent reason, you may sometimes find it extremely hard to hold back your irritation. At times, you are bound to find yourself cursing that great-looking new mother on Instagram who apparently posted a fantastic selfie about how much she’s enjoying every moment of being a mom. And then, this guilt washes over you, and you might even begin to ask, “what’s wrong with me?”
The truth? Nothing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You do not have to worry; that overwhelming, tear-inducing, can’t-live-without-you-love for your newborn will come, trust me. You have nothing to panic over, and that’s the truth.
3. Breastfeeding isn’t as Great as it Appears.
Sure, you see a mother gushing over their babies while they feed–it, most of the time, are not really that wonderful. Trust me. I, for one, was a die-hard advocate of breastfeeding at least for up to six months. Still, with a severe case of mastitis (an infection in the breast tissue) and so many weeks of wincing through feedings and dreading breastfeeding, my supply was next to depleted. The more stressed I became, the less I was able to produce. After three and a half months, I was done and absolutely devastated.
4. Take Sometime Off
After the birth of your little one, you may immediately want to fly back into your normal lifestyle before giving birth. As excited and motivated as you may be feeling at this time, give yourself some time off. For most women, it takes about six months for your body and hormones to begin to normalize. If that is how long your system wants, give it to it.
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