5 Fears That New Parents Might Have
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As you begin the journey of parenthood, remember you grapple with fears around the newborn. You could have your heart pound at anything possible if you are not careful about handling your baby. In fact with the joy of having the new baby, you are also stoned with fear of caring for the child if you’ve had no prior experience. Here are the most common apprehensions new moms would carry:
1. Your baby will come in the way of you and your husband
Quite a handful of women think the baby might bring in some imbalance in the relationship for all the time and care that it needs to be showered with. Your baby is a permanent entry into your marriage, and it is something you cannot do away with! Then you are also concerned about the shape your body might assume once you have your baby. Modelesque by any chance? The image-obsession will follow post delivery. Then you will think about the huge milky breasts that now become the do-not-encroach zones of milk bags. But you never know and wouldn’t have imagined as to how your baby could bring your husband and you together – in the whole business of caring for your new addition. Go ask the ladies out there. You will find that they did manage to turn their husbands on even post delivery. How else did you think their second progeny arrived!
2. Fear of not being able to bond with your baby
Some women have confessed to not being able to connect with new borns at once. This is especially true of those who have had C-sections or where rooming-in didn’t happen at once. If a woman has had complications, placental abruption or preeclampsia, it’s likely that skin-to-skin soon after birth is held up. Some women end up getting into postpartum depression. But women with baby blues also have fear about thinking it’s a passing phase. The phase won’t pass. Instead, it comes to a vicious cycle of mood swings and it-too-will-pass phase. Most of the negativity is to be blamed on the hormonal changes coupled with new responsibilities and lack of sleep. So, catching up with sleep whenever possible helps addresses the issue because your mind starts getting calmer with subsequent naps.
3. Fear of not being able to breastfeed
It is one of the biggest fears and worries of women who have not had the nursing experience yet. Most women who have had a vaginal delivery do not have a problem with the milk supply, their breasts would simply well up. Feeding could be difficult for first-timers because they do not know the correct position to feed a baby. On the other hand, there are women who have gone through a C-section and have trouble generating milk. These mothers might have to initiate the baby on formula milk until they can milk amply well. In scenarios like these, there are lactation consultants to help you. You might as well seek the help of your husband or the nurse who was by you at the hospital to help you with nursing. It barely takes long for a mother to get started the right way. For those who have problems with lactation, there are supplements available that will improve your milk supply for the baby. The key is not to be shy about seeking help.
4. Fear of handling the baby wrong
Holding a new born the right way is an art which you must observe even before you handle your own. You must have already heard people nearly screaming if you were to hold a newborn and had no experience. If you noticed your friends or neighbors hold their newborns, the young ones are always held under their heads and neck supported by one hand and around the bottom by the other hand. Moreover a newborn must be held closely against your chest to make it feel secure and cared for. Holding a baby too high (close to your face) or too low (below your bosom level) is not the correct way to hold. As you hold the baby, make sure the head is held on your left hand side while the other end is held towards your right hand side. If you ask your nurse to train you, she will help you understand the different ways to hold – such as the cradle hold or holding the baby upright – but in any event, supporting the head and neck is mandatory.
5. Fear of accidentally hurting your baby
It’s natural to fear so. The worst is the fear of dropping the newborn. So long as he is held well, it’s fine. But your worries start building up once your baby has learnt to toss in the bed or crawl out of its cradle. This is the time when you must be all-ears and be watchful about your baby.
It’s valid to have these fears while caring for your baby. But it’s these fears that provide for the beauty of parenting.
