Baby's head position, mother's feeding posture, holding the baby for breastfeeding, the feeding position, feeding time, and number of feedings are all challenges of a new mom. Difficulties with getting your baby to latch, less milk supply, and sore nipples are just some of the hardships a new mom encounters.
Challenges of motherhood today involve postpartum depression that can severely impact a mother's mental health. Without various taboos revolving around postpartum depression, most mothers do not express their feelings or thoughts to people around them, which can prove to be harmful both for the baby and the mother.
Baby's Constant Cries
But sometimes, a new mother doubts her skills as a mother when she isn't able to decipher her baby's wails. Newborns and infants cry all the time and for various reasons: sleep, hunger, soiled diapers, over-stimulation, under-stimulation, etc. Moms, trust your instincts; you've got this!
Among these familiar challenges shared by many first-time parents are exhaustion, an adjustment in lifestyle, and personal health and/or relationship issues. While being aware of these struggles can be nerve-racking, it is something inevitable when a couple or an individual becomes a parent.
Most new moms experience postpartum "baby blues" after childbirth, which commonly include mood swings, crying spells, anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Baby blues usually begin within the first 2 to 3 days after delivery and may last for up to two weeks.
Prepare for the 5-5-5 rule: 5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days near the bed. This gives you a solid two weeks of focused intentional rest. It also helps to get your priorities in order when it comes to those eager visitors. They will get to see the baby, but they don't get to make the rules.
New mother syndrome is a term that describes the feeling of sadness, anxiety, or loss that new mothers experience after giving birth. It is also known as postpartum depression.
Many competing factors such as economic, social pressures, and family demands all present challenges in motherhood. Daily, many mothers are meeting these challenges. However, finding the right balance without compromising on their health is essential in meeting these challenges.
Motherhood is hard because of the challenges it brings into your relationships. You may have fought with your spouse before your kids, but if I had to guess, you fight a lot more now that you're parents. You might argue about kids and childcare more so than money, in-laws, and household tasks.
Common Stressors Mothers Deal With
Lack of alone time. Feeling a need to “get it at all done” Juggling work-life balance as a primary caretaker.
It's no wonder then that research finds that the hardest years of parenting are the tween, (or middle school if you're in the USA) years. They may be less physically exhausting than the early years, but emotionally they are so much more exhausting.
A woman's peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s. By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline happens faster once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely.
Often, just 10 minutes of talking with someone who listens well can ease the stress and protect the baby. The 10-foot rule: Place the baby in a safe spot and stay 10 feet away until you feel calm. The 10-minute break: Focus on something else for 10 minutes after leaving the baby safely in an empty crib.
According to the "411 Rule" (commonly recommended by doulas and midwives), you should go to the hospital when your contractions are coming regularly 4 minutes apart, each one lasts at least 1 minute, and they have been following this pattern for at least 1 hour.
This means contractions 3-4 min apart, lasting over a minute for one hour or more that you need to engage coping techniques for. Calling your midwife or OBGYN if you experience these no matter what your contraction pattern is, is recommended.
Some parents feel hopeless after exhausting all their options saying, “I've tried everything.” The feeling of failing as a parent is extremely common in new parents who are often misguided or not equipped in knowing what to do as a first-time parent.
New mothers are particularly susceptible to mom guilt. They constantly worry about making mistakes and try to get everything right. Mom guilt comes from an unrealistic ideal of a perfect mom. If you're experiencing mom guilt, the first thing you need to know is that it's completely normal.
They become quite independent as they reach 5-6 years of age, even wanting to help you with some of the chores! This is probably why most parents look at age 6 as the magical age when parenting gets easier.
Some common challenges families face in addition to managing chronic pain include things like moving house, separation or divorce, parenting issues, pressure at work or school, unemployment and financial problems, illness or disability of a family member, death of a family member, drug, alcohol, gambling addiction, and ...