It has been a long nine months and your baby has finally arrived! Whether you had a short labor or long labor, there are many emotions and feelings that you may experience afterwards. Not all women will experience roller-coaster emotions, but the majority do. Motherhood can be a time of unbleievable and unpredictable stress.
Many women feel like crying during the first week of their baby’s birth. You may feel sad that your pregnancy has come to an end. Sometimes, the lack of sleep that you are getting makes you teary-eyed and it may be hard for you to make simple decisions. This can be frustrating. If you feel like crying, that is okay. Perhaps you can get someone to help you with the baby while you take some time to yourself and regain control.
Mothers often doubt themselves after the birth of their baby. Some women wonder if they can take on the challenge of becoming a mother. Often times, mothers wonder if their baby is getting to eat or if she is sleeping enough. Women wonder if they will know what to do if something goes wrong. Women often feel frustrated that something so little can take so much time and energy. Caring for a newborn twenty four hours a day, seven days a week can be hard. Some mothers wonder when their “motherly instinct” will kick into place. It takes time to get to know your baby and bonding may be slower than you expected.
Anger is a common emotion in the first few weeks of motherhood. You might feel angry if you did not have the delivery that you planned on having. Perhaps you feel anger towards your husband. Many women feel that their partner is not as supportive and helpful as they envisioned them to be. If this is a problem for you, talk to your partner and tell him what is bothering you.
Often times, new mothers feel isolated and alone after the delivery of their baby. After the first few days, company has gone home and the newness wears off. If you do not have relatives or close friends living nearby, you might feel overwhelmed at times. Finding a support group, mothers group or hiring a mothers helper can alleviate some of the fear of being alone with your new baby.
Lack of uninterrupted sleep could be a factor in your roller-coaster feelings. Because your newborn has a very unpredictable sleep schedule, it may be hard for you to sleep for long stretches at a time. The lack of sleep will have some effect on your mood, health, behavior, and emotions. If you deprive yourself of too much sleep, you may suffer mental issues. Slow thinking, lapse of attention, forgetfullness, impaired memory and irritability can all occur if you cheat yourself of sleep. Accept help when it is offered and do not be afraid to ask for help so that you can rest.
Do not try to be a hero in the first few weeks after birth-housework can wait! Enjoy getting to know your new baby and rest when you can. Treat yourself to things you enjoy and ask for help if you need it! If your sadness and unpredictable emotions last longer than a few weeks after the baby’s birth, talk to your doctor. You might have some type of postpartum depression that needs medical advice or help.
