By: Elizabeth Strahle for Uterus1According to a recent study, preparation for first-time mothers’ lives after delivery is in higher demand. Having a baby is one of the most life-altering events and mothers are now looking for more postpartum preparation. While once preparation for life with a newborn was overlooked, research and resources are giving first-time mothers a chance to increase their readiness to handle experiences after their babies are born.
| Take Action |
Prepare and Educate Yourself:
Schedule yourself for Lamaze preparation classes.
Try to anticipate any changes specific to your postpartum life.
Talk to your doctor about ways to handle physical and emotional experiences after giving birth.
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The results of the study published in The Journal of Perinatal Education are compelling, yet not surprising. Results of the study revealed that 35 percent of first time mothers felt ill-equipped for the physical experiences after giving birth and 20 percent did not feel ready for the emotional experiences. A mother’s time and full attention are given to the newborn, leaving little room for the mother to focus on her own issues of life with a baby. For this reason, time to attempt to handle some of the postpartum experiences is spent by mothers before their babies are born. Physical and emotional differences faced by first-time mothers can vary greatly and can have diverse effects depending on the mother. These experiences range from physical pain while the uterus returns to its normal size and breast-feeding difficulties to emotional stress and postpartum depression. The important realization by mothers to prepare for these situations before the newborns arrive will help to ease the tension of handling their babies as well as their own postpartum lives.
Mothers are looking for lessons on preparation and fortunately there is an increasing awareness of this need. “Knowledge and support enhance parents’ confidence and ability to make informed decisions that meet their children’s needs as well as their own.” This Lamaze Philosophy from The Lamaze Magazine reflects the growing goal of preparation for new mothers. The concern is not only for the newborns, but for the new mothers as well. It is equally important to address issues of the babies as it is to address the best interests of the mothers.
With the study revealing a significant percentage of mothers dealing with physical and emotional experiences with little or no preparation for them, it is possible that many mothers with second or third newborns on the way are still in need of postpartum preparation. It is possible that without the proper preparation mothers may already be overwhelmed by physical and emotional effects of their postpartum lives. While the best way to prevent negative effects such as postpartum depression is preparation, there are still ways to learn about these life-altering experiences for future childbirths. There are also ways to deal with the existing effects to mothers due to the lack in preparation or not enough preparation for their postpartum lives. Whether a mother preparing for life with a newborn or is a first-time mother already, it is never too late to begin learning about the physical and emotional experiences that inevitably take place in postpartum life.
