Every new mom knows how tough motherhood can be. But you can’t seem to say it out loud in fear of being judged by others- friends, relatives, family, and other new moms. You don’t want to seem ungrateful about it, so what do you do? You just zip it up and deal with everything on your own. Or at least you try to!
But bottling up all your emotions is never a good idea. You need to acknowledge how difficult it is to be a new mom. Only then will you be able to do justice to your role as a mum. Otherwise, you are going to be constantly frustrated and be an emotional mess. And don’t get me started about postpartum depression! So, here, we are sharing with you the hardest parts of being a new mom that every mom deals with but refuses to acknowledge.
1. It’s An Alien Territory
It doesn’t matter how much you read books, how many people you talked to, or how much you prepared yourself for embarking on this journey, it is going to be all new and unknown for you. No amount of preparation can prepare you for this moment. There are going to be moments when you freeze in the middle of the living room not sure what you are supposed to do. For some, it can be an exciting and whole new experience. But for others, it can be a bit nerve-wracking. But remember that things will get easier and soon you will find your feet.
2. Being Completely Tired
Now, this is something all moms go through. Once the baby arrives, there’s no time to sleep, eat, or poop. Your baby might be one of those who refuses to sleep. You might be functioning on very little sleep, and feel completely worn out. Your body is yet to heal, and you have a tiny human who is completely relying on you for their every need. But it’s not always going to be the same. Until then, don’t try to survive only on power naps. Remember that your body needs rest to fully recover. So try not to compromise on your sleep much.
3. Expectations From Others
If you thought that it’s going to stop after the arrival of the baby, you’re probably wrong. People are always going to have expectations from you on how to raise a baby and be a mom. Will you be going back to work? Are you breastfeeding? How long are you planning to breastfeed? Are you going to hit the gym soon? – and many more. People will have a tendency to project their expectations on you.
4. Self Expectations
More than other people’s expectations, sometimes it is your own expectations that will mess up your head. We often have an idea about how this journey would be or how we want things to work out. And it doesn’t always match how things turn out to be. And often times it will be much better than how we dreamt it would be.
5. Your Body Feels Weird
Your body isn’t the same anymore. It has gone through a lot to be where you are today. You might still have a baby pouch, loose skin, stretch marks, stitches and cuts, and also be in pain. You might be leaking from everywhere and your hormones might be all over the place. Everything might feel strange to you.
6. Missing Your Partner
He might be lying next to you every night, and you might be chatting during the day, but the dynamic of your relationship changes. Seeing him as a dad to your little one is going to melt your heart. Sometimes things will work in your favor, and other times you might not be able to spend much time with each other. But making your relationship a priority and finding time for each other is going to help both you and your partner.
7. Time Doesn’t Work In Your Favor
It would seem just like yesterday when you had been discharged from the hospital and you were carrying the baby in your arms. Before you know it, it’s your baby’s first birthday. You will have no clue how the time flew by. And then there are gonna be times when your baby refuses to sleep that you wish time went fast, but it seems to drag on forever. But as soon as those moments pass, you feel guilty about it, and wish it didn’t end.
While it may not sound as good, know that all this is going to pass, and you are going to be missing these moments. So live each day to the fullest and be kind to yourself. Did you find this article helpful? Do let us know in the comment section below.