Five things every expecting mother should know

Being an expecting mother is an exciting and rewarding experience, but there are plenty of things to know and remember during your pregnancy journey. The process is not always as positive and easy as we see in media, so preparing for a realistic experience will help you adjust to this new life and take on motherhood strongly.

It’s okay to be stressed and ask for help

Sometimes new mothers are expected to know everything about babies and childcare, but this is simply not possible. Even after researching and feeling that you are fully prepared, the moment stress strikes, you may feel discombobulated and not have the ability to recall what you’ve learned. If you feel overwhelmed with adjusting to motherly duties, or even if you’ve adjusted well and just need a break, be sure to have a support system that can help out. The most important thing, however, is to accept the fact that you may have to, and should, ask for help. You can also download social media apps for local mothers for advice, support, and mutual help from others who are in a similar situation.

You’ll receive more advice than you ask for

The first thing to remember is that you will most likely receive judgment from current mothers, past mothers, and even people who have never worked with babies in their life. Although most people mean well, that doesn’t excuse the treatment new mothers oftentimes have to go through when trying their best. Advice will be given whether it’s asked for or not, and sometimes it can be very helpful; if it seems mean or intrusive, do your best to ignore the comments and focus on caring for your new baby.

Things will most likely not go to plan

Planning way ahead of time can seem like the perfect solution to ensuring everything goes positively, but this isn’t how reality always works. Making plans are important for sure, but it’s also advised that you learn to stay calm and have backup plans in place to make the process easier. Sometimes it only takes minimal action to get things back on track, so being as calm as possible in the face of change makes things easier. You can, however, find plenty of resources online to help make you as prepared as possible before the birth of your child; with the rising popularity of natural and free births, you can easily find resources including an online birth course to keep you informed.

The first month after postpartum will be rough

We see plenty of happy, healthy mothers on social media that seem to have their life together, but oftentimes is rarely the whole truth. Postpartum depression is a real experience that requires the help of a trained healthcare professional, but for now, we are only talking about average stress and worry. During the first month of having a baby, or even the first year, there will be a lot of adjustments to your daily living. During this huge life change, it’s crucial to remember that feeling angry, upset, stressed, etc. is perfectly valid and you should not feel guilty about it.

You don’t have to give yourself up

Of course, your baby will be the most important thing in your life, but that doesn’t mean you only have to be a mother from now on. Although you may have to focus on this until you get things figured out, you should remember that the activities you enjoyed and goals you set for yourself before having a baby don’t have to be thrown out. Some goals may be extremely difficult to achieve while actively being a mother, but they are not impossible. Sometimes this fact is all you need to remember you always have a chance to be yourself even after going through a big life change such as motherhood. You still have opportunities to further your education, learn a new skill or hobby, hang out with friends, relax, land an awesome job, travel, and more. It may seem impossible, especially during your first year of being a mother; however, these tasks are possible, just more challenging with the company of a child.

There are many things expecting mothers should know, but these tips will help ensure a realistic expectation for your new life.