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Pregnant mamas have a lot on their plate. Picking the baby’s name, shopping for baby clothes, attending prenatal classes, following up with doctor’s appointment, and getting ready for their maternity leave – all this leaves very little room to do anything else. Soon-to-be moms immerse themselves in all things baby that they forget with a new baby, a new mother is born too. Even if you spend hours meticulously planning every little detail to have a peaceful pregnancy and childbirth, the postpartum life can still come as a shock to new mums. So, it is a good idea to prepare yourself at least mentally for life as a new mom.
1. Living The Zombie Life
如果你认为怀孕是累人的,等你become a new mom. Being a new mother can be exciting, tough, and challenging, but it is also pretty exhausting. With barely any time to sleep, short naps will be your new best friend. Forget about getting 8 hours of sleep, your biggest fantasy would be getting 3 hours of uninterrupted shut-eye for the next few months.
2. Breastfeeding
You can watch all the breastfeeding videos, attend classes, and soak up all the knowledge about breastfeeding that you can. But it is still going to be challenging. Though you might dread the experience at first, just hang in there. It will get easier. There will be a time when you’ll love breastfeeding your baby and loving every second of the bonding time. And remember, there’s no shame in seeking help and support. You need it the most.
3. The Crazy Hormones
Yes, hormones are a b****. We are all familiar with the pregnancy hormones, but people often tend to forget how they can wreak havoc in our lives even after we have given birth. The baby blues might start to kick in a few days after delivery and it might take some time to feel like yourself again. If you feel that this phase is going on for far too long, seek help immediately.
4. The Newborn Monotony Of Life
Eat, poop, sleep, spit-up, repeat. Your life will also follow the same tedious repetition of cleaning up after your baby leaving very little time for oneself. And while it can be tiring and exhausting, most mamas miss the newborn stage once their baby grows up. So take a deep breath and know it’s not going to last forever.
5. Postpartum Body
You won’t spring back to your pre-pregnancy body unlike what the glossy magazines might have you believed. While celebrities might find it easy to rock their bikini bodies just a few months after birth, the reality can be much different. Try to embrace the imperfections with all the stretch marks and saggy skin because bringing a new life into this world will definitely leave a few scars.
6. When Everything Hurts
Whether you have had a normal delivery or C-section, you will experience some soreness. Even sitting down and peeing might hurt like never before and it can be a shock to new mums. The best thing you can do is be kind and give your body plenty of time to heal.
7. Unsolicited Advice
You are probably not new to this as you might have received a ton of advice from strangers and family alike during pregnancy. But you are likely to be greeted with more of those when you are a new parent. People are going to tell you how to raise your child and live your life as a new mother. It can be frustrating but the only thing you can do is not let it get to you.
8. Feeling Overwhelmed
No matter how much you prepare, you will always feel unprepared. And it’s okay to feel overwhelmed when your new baby is completely taking over your life. Give yourself a break and try to go with the flow. And if you feel overworked, get support from your friends. You can also talk to your partner and find ways how he can pitch in more to make your life a little less stressful.
Motherhood can be scary and overwhelming and a sleep-deprived mess. And no amount of preparation can make you feel ready. But with time, you will slowly learn to wing every curveball that your baby throws at you with a big smile on your face.
