After Birth: The Challenges of Navigating Motherhood

Navigating motherhood is sort of like flying an airplane through a thick and foggy barrage of clouds.

Most people really don’t know which direction is up or down, right or left.

After giving birth to a precious little baby may seem like an obvious time to be beaming as a parent. And, you probably are beaming.

The truth, though, remains that it has proven to be one of the most difficult times for a new mother. And it’s usually difficult for many reasons that many people don’t really understand.

If you’re like most new moms, you can feel the difficulty, but it’s often hard to put words to it.

Here are a few ways you’ve perhaps seen where navigating motherhood can be a challenge.

Dealing with Unexpected Emotions About Parenthood

Like mentioned before, you’re most likely beaming as a new parent. You’re also worried, scared, unsure, and nervous about this new parenting endeavor.

All of these emotions are perfectly normal. The things about parenting, especially for the first time, is that it’s tough stuff. Even with all the available books, there is no perfect motherhood guide printed on any of those pages.

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to navigating motherhood is simply experiencing emotions that you didn’t expect. For instance, you might feel guilty that you miss your old identity or feel frustrated because of your baby’s acid reflux.

These are all normal feelings, but facing them might seem abnormal at the time.

Trying to Be Old Friends with a New Body

Accepting your post-pregnancy body can be difficult, too. For one, you still look pregnant directly after giving birth. Although the baby belly decreases quickly, it can still be a tough experience.

A big part of navigating motherhood is learning to navigate a brand new figure. While you know your body is you, it often doesn’t feel like you at all. You might even look in the mirror and not recognize yourself. Returning to your pre-pregnancy body or at least feeling like your old self can take an average of nine months and even up to a year or longer.

And further still, if you experienced vaginal tearing or a c-section, you’re likely sore for a while. Not only can this soreness feel awful, but dealing with the pain can weigh heavy on your emotions.

Coping with on Odd Chemical Concoction

As your body attempts to swing back to normalcy after giving birth, your hormones can spike and drop at a moment’s notice. What this means is that your moods can, too.

Navigating motherhood means dodging meltdowns. Or, embracing them wholeheartedly.

After you birth the placenta, your progesterone levels dramatically decrease. This creates a really odd kind of chemical concoction in your body. After previously being on a hormonal high during pregnancy, the low following birth can be almost like a letdown.

This letdown can lead to experiencing the baby blues or even postpartum depression. That’s why navigating motherhood can often mean trying to understand why you’re feeling low and doing your best to change your mood.

Missing the One Thing We Humans All Desperately Need

Experiencing motherhood for the first time can often feel like you’re stuck in a loop. More often than not, it’s a loop of exhaustion. Newborns require round the clock care, leaving you little time to get quality rest.

Before and after babies, when you’re children are older, the lack of sleep might seem laughable. But, in the middle of the battle, you’re probably not chuckling one bit.

Not only does sleep deprivation make you a walking zombie, but it can cause you to feel depressed, irritable, and even confused at times. During these moments of extreme exhaustion, it’s important to acknowledge how you feel and reach out for help.

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If you’re struggling with the challenges of navigating motherhood in your own life, please contact me. Together we can create a safe haven for you as you reach your goals for a happy and healthy life with your new treasure.