Motherhood
Motherhood, a challenge?
Motherhood is one of the most rewarding yet challenging phases in life. It comes with many suggestions, tried and true advice but ultimately we figure out what works for us and we become our own expert. Today, on motherโs day we celebrate mothers. But, we also want to acknowledge the struggles mothers face especially with perinatal mood and anxiety during pregnancy or within 12 months of giving birth. Having a little one is not easy, so letโs talk about itโฆ
Youโre excited to be pregnant or maybe your baby is already here. But this isnโt what you envisioned with waking up at 2 am with a screaming baby, and bouncing them in your arms day and night until they sleep. You are tired, and so is your partner. You lose sleep, canโt get to your chores, and cannot even think about socializing. And if youโre pregnant, you may be even more confused by all the difficult emotions youโre experiencing when you havenโt even had the baby yet.
When you start a family, you want to start this chapter off right, but sometimes youโre not sure why you are so anxious, or why youโre having those really scary thoughts. You wonder, isnโt this supposed to be IT, the happiest time of my life? This is what I wanted, right? Or you wonder if youโre ever going to be able to โdo thisโ. By saying these feelings are normal is an understatement. Motherhood is hard! We deal with so much emotionally and physically. Yet there is no time to reflect on how massive of transition motherhood truly is, and everyone expects you to get through it because thatโs what they have done or their mothers have done. But everyone is different, what is easy for some may not be for others and the same applies to being a mother. Often as mothers, we give our all without realizing our own needs. Motherhood is exhausting, inspiring, and purpose-giving. It makes you question everything, while also feeling like you know it all. Eventually, waking up at 2 am becomes a routine, and you start to figure out your new life one step at a time.
Motherhood is your journey and thatโs why at Shared Wellness we want to ensure you feel supported in exploring feelings of frustration, guilt, or sadness. We want to create a space where you feel welcome, unjudged, and can vent your thoughts, questions, or fears. If you need more support, please feel free to reach out, we'd love to hear from you.
Hereโs a few things that could help a new mother:
Be gentle with yourself and your feelings
Have open, honest conversations with others- tell your partner if youโre struggling or need some help with the baby
Carve out time for yourself even if itโs 30 minutes in a day. Do an activity you like such as making yourself a hot cup of tea, or catching up on your favorite TV show
Do what you can to get more rest - from enlisting the help of your partner or family members to catching naps when you can
Consider connecting with other mothers either online or in-person - here is a link to a wonderful site with many resources for mothers: https://www.meetup.com/topics/moms/ca/bc/vancouver/
How dads and other supports can help:
Encourage her to talk to you about how she feels
Help remind her that itโs not her fault and sheโs not a bad mother
Share in-home and child-care responsibilities
Accept help from friends and family
Take care of yourself. Find time out for yourself (other than at work), find someone to talk to, continue to follow some of your own interests, and be aware of your own needs
Source: Pacific Post Partum Support Society
