After nine months of carrying your child, they’ve finally arrived. You may have gotten used to life as a pregnant woman, but now you’ll have to adjust to life as a first-time parent.
As you dive into this new experience, you’ll learn that there are several adjustments you’ll have to make. But you’ll also see how the beautiful rewards will pan out now that your child has entered the world.
Let’s take a look at what you can expect for life after pregnancy.
1. Breastfeeding
One of the most incredible bonding experiences between a mother and her child happens through breastfeeding. The CDC recommends breastfeeding for at least the first six months of life.
However, many women experience issues with breastfeeding that require extra support. Schedule a lactation consultation with a professional if you end up experiencing any struggles, or if you want to prepare ahead of time before your baby arrives.
2. A New Found Respect For Moms
Becoming a mother for the first time is hard to wrap your head around until it happens. Once you experience the sleepless nights, you’ll probably start to have a different view. In fact, you will probably see how truly your own mother loves you, since they went through the same thing with you!
3. Physical and Emotional Changes
During your pregnancy, you experience many physical and emotional changes. But now, your body no longer has another human growing inside, so it has to regulate itself back to a normal state.
This can lead to several symptoms such as depression, anxiety, soreness, mild bleeding, or cramps, to name a few. Many of these will subside over time as your hormone levels return to normal.
If symptoms persist, make sure to consult with your doctor to rule out any other potential issues.
4. You’ll Run On a Different Schedule
Before you had a baby, life ran at your own speed. You only had to worry about yourself, which made getting to appointments or running errands a simple process. With a baby, you’ll be on a completely different schedule.
You’ll need to change them, feed them, collect their stuff along with your own, get them into the car seat, load up the stroller, and hope there is no major crying session that happens on the way. What used to take ten minutes could now take you thirty.
So be prepared to start prepping to leave the house earlier.
5. Leading By Example
Children are like sponges. They soak up everything they see and hear around them. As a new parent, old habits may need to be a thing of the past. Things like eating healthier or speaking kindly are a great way to lead by example.
If you constantly eat fast food or get frustrated with the line at the grocery store so you throw a few explicit words out there, your child may do the same thing. What’s better for you is also better for your child.
6. Make It A Team Effort
Once you bring your newborn home for the first time, you’ll start to see what little time you have for yourself. This can also show up in your relationship with your partner. There is less time for you to bond together or the lack of sleep could cause more arguments than usual.
Remember that your partner is just as important in this child-raising experience. Your partner is also shifting into a new role as a parent and if you work together, it can make the experience less challenging as well as provide more of a bonding experience for the both of you.
Summary
Life after giving birth is different for everyone. Children come into this world with different personalities and parents have varying thresholds for mental and physical exhaustion.
The most important thing is to find what works for you. Create a team of individuals like your doctor, therapist, close friends, and family who can help. The saying, “it takes a village to raise a child” exists for a reason.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
