Being a mother is not an easy thing to do, especially if you are going to do it for the first time. There are many kinds of worries that will enter your mind. Of course, you will feel afraid or paranoid since you have no idea how to care for your unborn child. At the same time, it can also add some strain in your marriage once you start to show the negative symptoms of pregnancy. Things may even get worse in case you will suffer from post-partum depression. All these issues may be scary, but you have to keep calm because you can get everything under control.
In this article, we are going to provide you with some tips and tricks on how you can be the best first-time mother ever. Before anything else, it is imperative on your part to enjoy the journey to motherhood. Stop feeling the pressure from the people around you. Instead, focus on yourself and the well-being of your child. Give your attention to your family and everything will start to fall into its right place.
Moms who choose to stay home with their babies are often disparaged as “just staying home,” and moms who go back to work are often disparaged for not caring enough about their babies. — Sarah Noel, MS, LMHC
Be Informed
The first and crucial step that you must do is to keep yourself informed about raising a child. As much as possible, educate yourself about the feeding time and sleeping schedule for babies. Fortunately, there are already several classes available in different cities that can teach you how to do it the right way. It is best to enroll in these classes before you give birth so that you can already get an idea on what to do once your child is born.
While we need the mom friends who can carp, complain, and commiserate—in short, can keep it real—we also need the ones who drag us back to the light. — Vicki Botnick, MA, MS, MFTI
Ask For Support
If there is one thing that you must never forget to do, it is to ask for assistance or support from the people around you. It is time to convince yourself that there are several individuals out there who are willing to help and to assist you in your concerns. For example, if you need time to sleep, do not hesitate to ask your husband to watch over your child for the moment. If you also need to go on a date night with your spouse, feel free to ask a family member to look for your child while you do it.
Prepare Mentally
One of the best gifts that you can give to yourself after pregnancy is to remain cheerful and happy. As already mentioned above, do not let yourself fall victim to the expectations and pressure from other people. Stop comparing yourself to other parents or mothers. The ideal thing to do is to believe that you can do everything, as long as you are prepared for it. Train yourself to withstand the different challenges that will come your way. Find time to remain positive, despite all the struggles of being a mother. What is essential at this point is to enjoy every moment with your child. Consider each moment an opportunity to show everyone how amazing you are as a mom.
Mindfulness can be defined as deliberately paying attention to the present moment with kindness. — Shonda Moralis MSW, LCSW
You can do this!