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Last Updated on October 18, 2023 by Samantha Flores
To say pregnancy is a life-changing moment is the biggest understatement in the world. It completely alters the fabric of your life and changes your perspective on everything. You now carry the weight of responsibility for another human being on your shoulders – and it’ll be like this for a very long time, possibly your whole life! However, many new moms believe some common myths about life after pregnancy.
As a result, life after pregnancy (and beyond) will differ from life before pregnancy. There are many things you’re led to believe will happen after becoming a mother, and many of these ideas are simply untrue. Today, we’re debunking some of the most common myths about life after giving birth.
3 Myths About Life After Pregnancy
Discover common myths about life after pregnancy. Don’t be tricked into believing them.
Your natural instincts kick in and motherhood comes easily
There’s a really outdated viewpoint that all women will instantly know what to do when they have a child. Your maternal instincts will kick in, and being a mom suddenly comes naturally. This couldn’t be further from the truth if it tried.
Every person is different. Some of us take naturally to motherhood and don’t have any problems. However, a much larger percentage of women will struggle – especially with their first child. Nothing can prepare you for life after pregnancy, so don’t worry if you’re finding it hard. Like all things in life, motherhood takes time to perfect. You’re learning on the job, so don’t be afraid to ask for help – it won’t make you look weak at all.
If people tell you that being a mom comes naturally the moment you give birth, they’re either incredibly fortunate or lying. It will be a struggle, but it’s a worthwhile struggle.
Suffering from baby blues is rare
The baby blues are when your mental health takes a hit after pregnancy. You can fall into a depressive slump or might just experience a short period of lowness. Society tends to make us feel like this is rare. All mums should be happy after giving birth because they’ve created a new life, right?!
Wrong. Research shows that around 1 in 7 women can develop postpartum depression. Moreover, baby blues are even more common. Almost every single new mother will suffer from some type of mental health issue after giving birth. In fact, the rare thing is to be completely mentally fine!
If you’re feeling low, talk to someone about it. You are not alone and it is certainly not a rarity for mothers to have the baby blues. Every mom should take care of their mental health, so don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for support when you need it.
You should embrace the physical changes after pregnancy
The human body is a medical marvel and it goes through dramatic changes to allow you to push a baby out. Some of these changes may revert after giving birth, but a lot will remain. You may experience weight gain, excess skin, stretch marks, more wrinkles due to stress, and so on. One common myth is that we should just come to terms with these changes and embrace them. It sounds like a nice sentiment, but this line of thinking can be more damaging than helpful.
Of course, you can embrace the changes if you want to – there’s nothing wrong with this. But there’s also nothing wrong with wanting to change things. If your body no longer makes you happy, then you shouldn’t feel forced to just accept the way things are. After giving birth, some of you may feel like you look a lot older than before. You don’t like your appearance and it’s a source of many mental health problems. As such, it’s okay to go out and change things!
It’s perfectly fine to start a fitness journey and work out regularly to try and lose weight and tone up. Likewise, don’t feel as though it’s a weird or vain thing to get cosmetic surgery. Many modern facelift techniques can revive your appearance and make you feel younger again. Plus, a lot of moms suffer from extra skin after giving birth that never goes away. Cosmetic treatments can remove this, so you feel much better about the way you look.
Myths About Life After Pregnancy: Don’t Be Fooled
The bottom line is that it is your body and you can react to it how you want. If you wish to embrace the changes, then you can. If you want to change your body and don’t like how it looks after becoming a mother, then don’t feel ashamed for thinking this way.
Overall, pregnancy brings huge changes in your life and you should expect things to feel different. Everyone reacts differently to these changes, so don’t believe any of the myths out there. You’ll often find that talking to other mothers or medical professionals will help clear your head as you learn that many other moms are in the same boat as you!
