Impending motherhood can throw up many apparent problems, and these add to the already present concerns of mothers to be. Too often these problems are ones that can be overcome with ease – either by talking to experts or reading widely available literature – and many of them are fears that turn out to be entirely unfounded.
Rest assured the concerns that you may have as a new mother are those that have been experienced by many others – let’s have a look and sort out the myths from the truth.
How do I hold a baby?
A common concern for many new mothers is that they will not be able to correctly hold a baby – this is not true, and you will soon find it the most natural thing in the world.
Evolution has led to a natural method of holding and protecting a small child, and this is reflected in the way that the new mother very quickly gets the hang of picking up – safely and securely – a baby. This all has its roots in security and safety, and the reaction of holding a baby close and carefully is the natural reaction of any new mother – it is also what the baby needs and wants; don’t worry about how to hold a baby – it will come naturally.
Will I bond with baby?
Indeed you will and very quickly too. The process of bonding is one that is naturally begun the moment of birth, and the tradition of giving the mother the newborn baby to hold is more than simply a gesture. The significance is enhanced as, over the next few days, mother and baby draw closer together, forming the natural and lifelong bond that is present in every mother-child relationship. We are, after all, mammals and as such share our protective behaviour with others in that class; all animals have a duty to protect and teach their young until they are ready to leave the nest, and this is the same with mothers and babies in humans.
The first few days and weeks will lead to bonding – there is nothing particular you need to do that will not come naturally.
How will I understand what baby wants?
You just will! Babies communicate by crying as they have yet to be empowered with speech, and communication in this way is often misconstrued as being a sign of distress. Alternatively it can be a cry for food, for comfort or simply for attention, and believe me you will soon work out the slight differences in each instance.
You will fall into a routine with regard to when baby wants feeding or changing, or when it is simply looking for reassurance and comfort – all of these are signalled by the baby’s natural calling signal.
How will I know baby gets enough sleep?
Different children sleep for different lengths of time and in different patterns – just as we humans do. It may be that you sleep for eight solid hours while your partner sleeps in short stints – the same differences are apparent in babies, all of which can exhibit completely different sleep patterns.
The growth and development rate of a baby at this stage of life is quite meteoric and thus requires a great deal of energy. Expending such energy very quickly leads to tiredness hence babies will sleep little and often rather than sparsely and lengthily.
Introducing a routine into baby’s sleep patterns early in life can be a good idea, and gives the mother the knowledge that she will be able to get some sleep too.
Having a baby need not be a worry as it is the greatest change in any woman’s life; the concerns that attend to each mother are not unusual, just as worrying about a new job or moving to a new house is a concern – it is the unknown that is the worry. There is so much information available for new mothers – there are websites and books that abound and offer excellent information – and there are always people to talk to. Take note of all advice and you will find the experience much easier to handle.
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