Warnings for motherhood (and benefits too)

Aside from the obvious, having to give birth and potential complications if you’re really unlucky, having a baby can be really dangerous.  Motherhood is wonderful, and generally is full of positives.

The bonding with your child, even if you might have never seen yourself with children a few years before (my hand is up here!).

The friendships you make – it’s so much easier to make friends through your child’s activities and early years when on maternity leave. Many mum friendships last for years.

A feeling of completeness.

A feeling of pride and achievement. Because it’s a huge achievement to have a baby. It’s a bit mindblowing that a body can bring a baby into the world. And then if your child ends up a nice child, it’s a pretty good feeling that you’ve helped mould them into the child (or further down the line, adult) they are.

But there are some warnings to be had. It’s not all wonderful, and obviously everyone’s experience of having children is different. Thankfully mine so far has worked out quite well and been relatively trouble free. But there are downsides and things that need work.

Warnings for motherhood

• You’ll feel about 90 years old every time you try to get up from the floor, especially if you are picking up your baby.
• Especially if you’ve had a csection, you’ll end up with back ache as your core has been cut through and is no longer active. Bending over a bed to change a baby is painful if you keep doing it. Either knee down or change nappies sitting on the floor (take note of point 1 above)
• Opening formula milk tins can be a danger – I cut my fleshy part between thumb and fore finger yesterday opening the foil cover – ouch!
• You may lose weight instantly after giving birth, but if you have lots of mum friends, if you like cakes & biscuits, you’ll put on lots of weight again. They might say 9 months to birth and 9 months to lose the weight, but be prepared that it might be 9 years or longer!
• You’ll be exhausted, even once your child sleeps through. Mostly because you’ll still be waking up imagining you’re hearing the baby and your subconscious is waking in expectation that he or she will cry at certain times. Even once they’re sleeping through.
• People will look at you as though you’re insane as you’re singing and talking to, pulling faces etc walking round the supermarket or pushing the pushchair.
• Stranger danger – all manner of people will think it’s ok to peer in and touch your baby while they’re in the shopping trolley or pram.

Am sure there’s lots of other reasons, can you add yours?!