THE REALITIES OF BEING A NEW MUM

 

…OH THE HARSH REALITIES OF BEING A NEW MUM

ISN’T PREGNANCY A BEAUTIFUL TIME? IT’S PEACEFUL, QUIET. YES, YOU MAY BE SICK, A LITTLE TIRED AND SORE, BUT YOU’RE IN A PERIOD OF RELATIVE EASE.

YOU MAY BE A FIRST TIME MUM, OR YOU MAY BE EXPECTING YOUR SECOND, THIRD OR FOURTH CHILD. EITHER WAY, YOUR LIFE IS ABOUT TO BE TURNED ON ITS HEAD AGAIN. NO DOUBT YOU’LL BE GETTING ALL SORTS OF ADVICE FROM WELL-MEANING FRIENDS AND FAMILY; LABOUR DISASTER STORIES, SCREAMING NEWBORNS, THE LIST GOES ON.

LABOUR IS ONE DAY (USUALLY!). IT ENDS. WHATEVER HAPPENS, AND HOWEVER YOU PLAN TO DO IT, A BABY IS COMING OUT, SO TRY NOT TO STRESS OVER LABOUR, IT IS WHAT IT IS. YOUR EXPERIENCE WILL BE WHAT IT WILL BE, IT WILL BE LIKE NO ONE ELSE’S. YOU HAVE A MUCH BIGGER TASK AHEAD OF YOU.

 
 Here are some facts on the realities of the first few weeks…
 

1. You will get very little sleep. 

And I mean, very little. Those first few nights, if you are breastfeeding, will involve swapping bub from one side to the other, almost constantly. Things will calm down, keep persisting.
 

2. If you are trying to breastfeed, it will probably hurt. 

Your nipples will be so sore, cracked and may even bleed, that you might want to give up. This is normal, and it goes away in a week or two. While it is important you are trying to figure out that latch and get your supply under control, sometimes your nipples just need a couple of hours rest. I hand expressed every second or third feed and fed my son with a syringe in that first week, when I just couldn’t take the pain any more. 
 

3. Breastfeeding doesn’t always come naturally. 

There’s skin and material everywhere, milk spurts out of the wrong nipple, it’s constantly leaking and how in god’s name do you unclip that maternity bra with one hand?! Not to mention you’re learning to latch your bub It takes 6-12 weeks for your milk to regulate so don’t give up, everything will calm down. Use lanolin to lubricate the nipple, and soft compresses to heal the wounds. Don’t stress, within a couple of months you’ll be popping bubs on like a pro. 
 

4. There may not be much left to the imagination between you and your partner any more. 

He might need to check your stitches, if you require them, help you with bleeding, pads or any other number of bodily ailments. Consider it your next stage of your relationship 😉
 

5. There are any number of physical ailments you may not have been aware of. 

Hemorrhoids are completely normal and common. Anal fissures (a tear in your anus) are also normal and can cause bleeding when you relieve yourself. Go and see your doctor if this is the case. They will have to inspect the area, don’t be embarrassed, they see worse than that on a daily basis.
 

6. The baby blues are real. 

As pregnancy hormones are leaving your body at a rapid rate and you’re desperately over tired, you may experience the baby blues. You may feel weepy, anxious and overwhelmed. This is normal in the first week. If it remains for longer, please talk to your partner and doctor or maternal child health nurse. Try to communicate as well as possible to your partner regarding your needs at this time.
 

7. You will probably be sore.

Your muscles, joints and labour wounds will all cause you aches and pains. Labour is like running ten marathons in one day. If you delivered your baby vaginally, you will have sore muscles from pushing. Your muscles will be tired from all the work. I had extremely sore muscles from holding the handles of the bed while pushing. You will also experience what it is like to carry around a baby all day, every day. So get your prenatal workouts in, you can’t rest on your laurels as a mother!
 

8. You will need to learn to do everything with one hand.

It turns out, it is possible to prepare meals, vacuum (although I think you deserve a rest, make that partner of yours do the vacuuming at the moment!) and eat dinner all with one hand. I often tell my clients they’ll realise how much they rely on arm rests when standing up. You will be using your glutes and quads much more to stand up without using your hands. Even more reason to get those prenatal workouts in!
 

9. You will realise a level of love you never thought possible

Don’t be fooled into thinking everything is horrible and difficult when you have a baby. The love you will feel will outweigh any of the above points. You will hug that baby like your life depends on it. You will feel a fierce protection over your baby, like a lioness over her cubs, and you will cut anyone who dares put your baby at risk. BUT, and here’s one final but, sometimes there isn’t a kleenex moment when your baby is born, the love isn’t always instant. You’ve been through a lot, perhaps you’ve had a caesarean or you miss out on seeing your baby for a couple of hours. Give yourself time to recover and bond with your baby, it will happen.
 
Have you got any more realities to add for new mums?

About the author

Libby Nuttall is a women’s personal trainer in the Macedon Ranges. When she’s not hanging with her two sons, husband and Weimaraner (a.k.a; the boys), she is running high intensity fitness classes, volunteering as the president of the local playgroup, or working on her range of online, pre and post natal wellness programs, Miracle Months. Libby had her second son in December 2015 and is loving sharing the journey back to fitness and strength post baby with her social media following. This year she is looking forward to competing in a number of runs and obstacle races.

You can find her at Miracle Months