“9 months on, 9 months off” as the saying goes. But that goes mainly to the physical aspect of it.
Research has shown that it can take 1,5 to 2 years before a woman has fully (physically and mentally) recovered after a pregnancy and delivery. That piece of information in itself says a lot about what a pregnancy does to a woman.
When talking about recovering after a pregnancy, people generally think about the physical stuff. But when you also take the adjustment to a new role and a new life into account. When you also add the responsibility of keeping a little creature – at the very least – alive, but preferably healthy, (properly) fed, clean, safe, loved and nurtured and this day after day, 24/7. When you add the perfectionistic tendency of our society and the well-intended, sometimes wanted and sometimes not, contradictory advice that you get every step of the way, advice which you then try to process and try to always make the best choice for your little creation.
Then it’s no wonder at all that bliss that people associate with a newborn is nowhere to be seen for a lot of mothers and fathers. Also no surprise that people feel “cheated” because “no-one told them” how it réally is when a baby joins the family.
Are you overcome by emotions and feel like you can’t see the big picture anymore?
Are you feeling down?
Do you think you’re not a good mother or father?
Or that you’re not doing right by your child(ren)?
Or do you have the feeling that because of all those emotions you cannot take care of your baby anymore?
Do you have questions about the practicalities of raising a baby and combining it with caring for yourself, your relationship, your house, etc.?
Or do you just want to get it off your chest?
Whatever it is, we’ll look into it and try to find a solution together.