What do new moms really need to hear during those first months with their newborns?
When a baby is born, a mother is also born. Some people may not realize this because all they focus on is the baby.
We can’t blame them since babies are the epitome of joy. They symbolize hope, purity, faith, innocence, the future and all the gooey stuff in between. Their adorable little cheeks, tiny little fingers and toes can soften any heart. They have an entire life ahead of them, untainted by the realities of humanity.
However, at the same time, the woman who carried the cherub is also beginning a new journey called motherhood. And that can be daunting, exciting, scary, thrilling and emotional all at the same time.
As I’m writing this, I’m in postpartum recovery after giving birth to my second child. Having just done it all over again makes me self-reflect on what I would have loved to hear when I first became a mom.
So I came up with a list of empowering tips that hopefully new moms would find value in.
From one mother to another, please take my words to heart especially during the vulnerable first couple of months.
You won’t know everything. No new mom ever does.
However, you have the right to ask or refuse help, to cry as much or as little as you want, to take as long or as little as you need to heal, and to hold your baby as much or as little as you want.
And those who try to impose their own expectations for your baby without considering you first don’t have your best interests at heart.
Because the mother-baby bond doesn’t end when the umbilical cord is cut. Both of them are sharing a new adventure, learning and growing together.
