Nanny to Mommy

In older times, having children was not perceived as a burden but as a good in itself. Is motherhood a neutral event, which each age has positive or negative connotations? Of course not. Parenting, parenting, and childcare should be enjoyable in itself.

The behaviors that are essential for the survival of the individual or the species produce pleasure. Animals do not know that food contains nutrients necessary to live nor that sex is necessary to reproduce. They act motivated by pleasure. It is necessary to care for and feed children for years. No animal does it for as long as humans, so it is a complicated and lengthy process. We often bow down to the social norms of today without giving a second thought to our own mental health. Additionally, there appears to be an essential feedback mechanism that the more you care for a baby, the more you want to continue to care for it. You fall in love. 

Many maternity nurses have told me that the mother who has held her child in the same delivery room, not just for a few minutes but for a couple of hours of continuous contact, complains little. She feels safe to take care of her child, asks for a 24-hour leave, and has few breastfeeding problems. The mothers who have been separated from their children during the early hours seem to feel more insecure. Sometimes they feel overwhelmed and ask the nurse to take the baby away so they can rest. 

Get out as often as possible, either alone while your baby is home with dad or with the baby. Fresh air is vital, as is exercise after you give birth. It is recommended that parents go out for walks for the baby's sake too. Take a stroll around the park or to a local café and meet some friends. Take a walk to your parents' house. Be prepared with what you need, a good stroller, formula, and a minimalist diaper bag to keep things in order. 

Most women have the baby blues or feel sad or empty in the days following delivery. For many women, the baby blues go away in 3 to 5 days. If your baby blues won't go away or you feel sad, hopeless, or empty for more than two weeks, you may have postpartum depression. Feeling hopeless or empty after giving birth is not a standard or expected part of being a mother. Postpartum depression is a mental illness that involves the brain and affects the way that you behave. If you have depression, feelings of sadness, discouragement, or emptiness, do not go away and interfere with your daily life. You may not feel connected to your baby like you are not the mother, or that you don't love or care about your baby. These feelings can be mild to severe. Mothers can experience anxiety disorders during or after pregnancy. Please seek out assistance if you have feelings of helplessness. There is always help available.