What most women need to know about having a baby

Many women have stated that they were ill prepared for the rigors of being a new parent. New mothers frequently complain that they were not prepared by prenatal or childbirth classes for what was in store for them. Most women state that these classes focus primarily on labor and delivery while leaving out the physical and mental toll that having an infant can place on a woman or a couple.

Women were polled in a recent study to see where they had found their information they learned that concerned pregnancy and childbirth. Most stated that they got their information primarily from media sources, whether it be printed media, information on the internet or even television programs, many women stated that they were not prepared for the things that would be facing them.

Women do face many changes both physically and emotionally during a pregnancy and childbirth. The hormonal changes in themselves can be devastating for some women. Postpartum depression is a very real issue and many women have never even heard of the disorder, or have only vague knowledge of it.

Other women state that they never had any inkling of the physical demand that would be placed on them having a new infant in their home. The lack of sleep in itself can lead to fatigue issues. When you add women who breastfeed and are continuously caring for a newborn the demands on their bodies and minds can become overwhelming for some women.

Some things that could be done to better prepare new parents to face the challenges that they are going to have with their newborn and to be better able to pace themselves would be to include more information in prenatal classes on the demands on new parents and teach them how to organize themselves and their time so that they are able to handle the issues that they face.

Another solution would be to have experienced parents come in and talk with new parents to give them ideas that they have used to help give them breaks during the day or night. Simple solutions such as making meals ahead and freezing them for use after the baby is born could allow a new mom quite a bit of freedom. Also, allowing extended family to help out with meals and cleaning for the first two weeks will be very helpful to a new mom.

Parents of newborns need to realize that they are not super parents and cannot be available 24 hours a day. It is perfectly acceptable to allow family and friends to do things for you in order to allow you to really enjoy the bonding time you have with your newborn. That could be difficult if parents are stressed or so fatigued that they cannot appreciate the time they have with their child. So take the time to enjoy your child!

Parents should realize that they can allow some things in the house to wait. Dust bunnies will be there a week from now and will not take over the household if allowed to stay awhile. No new parent can do everything at once and no one expects them to. One thing for new parents to realize is that they need to set realistic goals for themselves and what they can accomplish in a days time. Naps will be needed due to being awake with the baby at night. Therefore some things will have to go. Dusting and vacuuming can be cut back to allow special time with your child. Those precious first hours and days with a child cannot be replaced! Remember that the operative word here is that this should be a joyous time for a family.

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October 25, 2008 | Filed Under Baby care