Women find it exciting when they become pregnant especially for the first time. In reality, motherhood comes with several changes and learning experiences for all women regardless of how prepared they might be. For a new family expecting to receive your precious gift, you should understand the difference between the postpartum and postnatal periods. Postpartum refers to the mother's care after giving birth while postnatal refers to the care given to the baby after birth.

Expecting mothers might find themselves preoccupied with preparation on how they will take care of their newborn baby such that they forget about themselves. Such cases lead to a considerable amount of stress and disappointment because new mothers experience changes, they are not ready for. Below are some of the disappointments that new mothers are not prepared for.

Loneliness

When a woman discovers that she is pregnant, such an experience leads to a lot of anticipant and excitement. During pregnancy, an expectant woman will feel a lot of fun in preparing including picking out the baby's name and decorating the baby's nursery. However, it is only a few women consider that after they give birth, they will spend most of their time with their babies and not their friends. For most women, social activities and work will be on hold. Such issues can result in loneliness especially for women who are used to a lifestyle away from social events. While some expectant women are aware that their lives will change, some appear surprised at how life changes and how loneliness and isolation overwhelm them.

Feeling imperfect

Most women find it challenging to absorb the news on how they will nurse their babies after they give birth. Although several resources cover the psychological and physical aspects of caring for a child, in reality, no matter how prepared you can be, events cannot happen as described in seminars or pregnancy books. However, most mothers expect to be perfect in all aspects of caring for a newborn baby. When a new mother realizes that she is not the best at keeping or entertaining the baby, diaper changing, or at feeding the baby, she considers that as a failure. Therefore, new mothers should realize that they are human beings and no mother can be perfect in every aspect.

Leaving the baby for the first time

In most cases, mothers do struggle when they leave their baby for the first at a daycare, babysitter, or family member. People do argue that the baby will be okay, but a mother will be it hard to accept that someone can take care of their babies better than them. It is a fact that most new mothers admit that despite how they prepare themselves before giving birth, they become hesitant about leaving their baby with another person for the first time. Child experts have revealed that if a newborn baby sees their mother upset, tensed, or crying, they are likely to become upset and cry, thereby making it harder for new moms to leave their children with another person. In this case, pediatricians emphasize that moms should learn to overcome such a situation and realize that leaving their children is not the end of the world.

Having patience 

Take care of a newborn baby, requires a lot of patience. In particular, expectant mothers might not be ready to handle the crying fits, sleepless nights, and regular household chores. Most expectant moms believe that if they plan properly before they give birth, they will not have issues in handling such kinds of challenges. Surprisingly, new moms become overwhelmed with pre-planning due to fatigue. Arguably, every new mom experiences fatigue, and being tired contributes to reduced tolerance levels. The other issue is that most women do have their own goals which might not consider the unpredictability of having a baby. For instance, there are some cases, when a new mom will view their newborn baby as an enemy who is attempting to purposely annoy them. However, when a new mother receives some rest she learns how thoughtless they were.

Not liking the baby 

The bond between a child and a mother begins while one is expectant. During pregnancy, a mom will touch her belly, play music and talk to their unborn baby. Most women expect that such a bond will grow stronger after they give birth. When such a case, does not happen, they are not prepared to learn how it feels or ways of handling it. It is a fact that a newborn baby can misbehave, challenging to handle, anger, or embarrass a mother. Also, there are situations when a mother can feel like she does not love her baby. Moms who feel guilty that they do not like their children should understand that they will eventually overcome such a feeling.

Clinging baby

Newborns require to stay beside their mothers, and new moms will not stay away from their babies when they are breastfeeding. As the baby grows, one will find it intriguing when the baby becomes independent. In this case, most babies will play with a toy or other children for several minutes, but others will demand mothers' attention every time. In such a situation, the baby will cry when the mom leaves the room or puts him/her down. Such kind babies will always touch or try to grab the skin or clothes of their moms. In the end, even the most loving and patient mother can be crazy since she did not anticipate such a situation once she gives birth.

Sharing a baby

Naturally, a new mother will wish to stay beside her baby to ensures that they meet their needs. Babies do depend on most of the aspects of their mothers. However, some women might find it intoxicating when the baby needs them all the time. Such a case can become an issue when the father attempts to step in for help. Therefore, mothers who are not prepared to share the baby with their partners. Unfortunately, a new dad might not know how to feed the baby properly, fasten a diaper as required, or dress the baby with matching clothes. New moms should not become emotional or avoid sharing the baby over such issues. Sharing can be challenging, but every mom requires assistance.

Babies bring joy to families. However, it is a fact that they come with challenges and a few of the challenges can hard for an expectant woman to imagine until she gives birth. Fortunately, most women admit that even though they were not prepared to handle certain issues of caring for a newborn baby and in some days they became overwhelmed, they would not wish to miss the experience of being a new mom.

Meet Our KeaMommy Contributor: Avery K. When she isn’t looking after the many needs of her 2 kids, Avery enjoys taking walks in the park, enjoying nature, and getting her daily fix of caffeine.