Most women wish there was a manual for motherhood. Sadly, there’s not! Every mother needs help, which is why I’m sharing 10 things a new mom should know.
Let’s dive right in!
1. Your hormones will be all over the place. You don’t fully understand the words raging hormones until you have a child. At times you’ll feel like you’re on a roller coaster and you may feel more emotional than usual. Give yourself grace and keep in mind that it will take time for your hormones to adjust and level out (up to a year if you’re breastfeeding).
2. Don’t believe everything you hear. As soon as people find out you’re pregnant they become nostalgic and are whisked back to the days of their own pregnancies. For some that means horror stories of all the things that went wrong during their pregnancy and afterwards.
Take their horror stories with a grain of salt. Smile politely, say thank you and then try to unremember (is that even a word) their story. Trust me…you’ll be better off. Why? Because each and every life situation is different and the likelihood of that happening to you is very small. Most of the time childbirth and life with a new baby is not as bad as what you’ve been told.
3. “Nobody cares about me anymore.” I’ll be totally honest with you. This may be how you feel when friends and family come to visit you and your new baby. They’ll head straight for the baby and start talking to him like you’re not even there. Depending on your personality, this may bother you. (I’m an introvert so not having all of the attention was just fine with me.)
If you do start to feel like no one cares, remember that they do care about you! They are just so excited about the new member of your family that they are beside themselves.
4. There will be sleepless nights! I remember very well the first night that we “roomed in” with our son at the hospital. (He was in the NICU so we weren’t able to take him home right away.) Let’s suffice it to say that none of us got much sleep. And the sleepless nights didn’t stop when we got home…at least for a while.
Even when you think your baby is going to sleep for a few hours his sleep schedule will likely change. You will feel very sleep deprived especially in the first few months. If you’re going to follow one piece of advice that everyone gives you, follow this one – sleep, nap or rest when your baby rests! You’ll be so glad you did and your days will go much smoother.
5. “Why hasn’t my body gone back to normal?” Girlfriend, you just had a baby! Your body has been stretched in every direction possible and changed so much over the past 9 months. Your body is different now. It will take time for your body to start changing. So don’t beat yourself if the weight isn’t falling off like you dreamed it would.
Tip: When you pack your overnight bag for the hospital, the change of clothes you’ll take for yourself will need to be maternity clothes. I hate to burst your bubble, but if you had visions of waltzing out of the hospital with your pre-baby body it’s likely not going to happen!
6. Your financial priorities will change forever. I had left the baby at home with my husband and headed to the store to try to find a few pieces of clothing for myself. The only problem was that I found myself perusing the aisles of the baby department instead. The idea of spending money on myself wasn’t quite as exciting as shopping for my baby. This is just a tiny example of how your financial priorities will change. But if you need more cash, you can try earning some on games like Betsensation.
Don’t believe me? If your husband’s like mine, he’ll want to get a new life insurance policy so that the two of you will be taken care of should something happen to him. Or maybe you’ll put off saving for that extravagant car you’ve been dreaming of so that you can put money back for your child’s college fund.
It’s interesting how a baby puts life in perspective isn’t it?
7. Siblings may become needy. Life will change for everyone in your family. In an attempt to adjust to life with a new brother or sister, the other children in your family may become clingy and needy. It will take time for them to adjust. So give them extra hugs and love.
8. You may feel alone. Loneliness was definitely something that I experienced with our little boy. The truth of the matter is that I wasn’t alone at all. I was surrounded by people who desperately wanted to help and all I needed to do was ask. When I realized this, it was a game changer for me.
If you find yourself in a lonely season of motherhood, reach out to other moms. Ask your crazy questions or for advice that you’re desperately seeking. I have no doubt that fellow moms would love to come alongside you and help you on your journey of motherhood.
9. Life will be normal again. Bringing your baby home from the hospital is such a special time. But, soon after that reality sets in and the craziness ensues. The baby’s cries will likely start to frustrate you at times, the sleepless nights will wear on you and you’ll feel like you all hope is gone. You’ll wonder if you’ll survive or if life will ever be normal again. Well, there’s good news and there’s bad news, my friend.
Life as you knew it will never be the same again. That’s the bad news.
But, here’s the good news! The craziness that was once overwhelming will become bearable, you’ll get into a routine and your new normal will be born. Yes, you heard me right, life will be normal again! It may not feel like it in the first few weeks or even months, but it will come if you give it time.
10. You’ll learn a love you never knew existed. Becoming a parent really changes you. Your baby requires a lot of your attention and you become a selfless person. His needs will likely become more important than your own and your priorities will change. He will teach you things you never knew about yourself…both strengths and weaknesses.
You gain a desire to protect your child and would lay down your life for him in a heartbeat. You find simple pleasures in each new thing your baby accomplishes along with and a love and deep bond for your child that grows over the years.
What do you think a new mom should know?
This post is underwritten by COUNTRY Financial®. They want to make life a little easier for all new moms! With a 90 year history, COUNTRY Financial® offers a full suite of products that can help as you start your new family through all your future life stages.
COUNTRY Financial® has very strong values, are financially strong and highly rated by independent insurance rating agencies. To learn more about their products and services, visit their website here.
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