The 7 biggest surprises after childbirth

No matter how many baby books you read or how prepared you feel, you will still get surprises from your baby after birth. These surprises will range from not having enough milk for breastfeeding to postpartum bleeding to unexplained cries from your baby. We will help you understand the confusing moments that can await a mother after the birth of her child.

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Surprise #1: Breastfeeding Isn't Always Easy

Mothers complain that no one prepared them for breastfeeding and they often experience sore nipples.

There are many potential frustrations for new moms – and they are all completely normal. But before you get frustrated and upset, make sure you read up on all the possible solutions to your breastfeeding problems. Then you may find that small changes in your daily routine are a real salvation. It is also important to understand that you are not alone. You can always consult a doctor and talk to other moms. The main thing is not to get a cold in your breasts, drink plenty of fluids, express any milk left in your breasts in a timely manner, and protect yourself from stress.

Surprise #2: Clothes for most newborns soon become useless

"The biggest surprise for me was that my son grew so quickly in the first couple of months. Unfortunately, we had a lot of baby clothes that were hardly used," writes one young mother.

Yes, indeed, children grow and gain weight quite quickly in the first months. Their height increases by about 1.5 - 2 cm every month, and their weight - by 450-600 grams. Therefore, most of the clothes that are bought in advance and for future use turn out to be useless. Here is a good tip: no matter how charming the outfits for newborns are, do not buy too many. A child only needs a lot of diapers and nappies - they justify themselves perfectly, because the mother will need them at least for the first six months.

Surprise #3: It turns out that newborns often soil their diapers

A child can soil diapers and nappies at any time: when you go to visit, when you are at a birthday party, when you did not plan to change them at all.

Be prepared for the fact that the child can ruin all your plans and stain his clothes (and mom's clothes at the same time) at any moment. At the same time, the baby can constantly cry as soon as his diapers are dirty. And this is also not the most pleasant moment. Therefore, always have spare clothes, spare diapers and spare pills "for the headache" with you when it starts to hurt.

Surprise #4: After giving birth, it is very difficult to do all the housework

When a woman was pregnant, she managed all the household chores: washing dishes, cooking dinner, cleaning, doing laundry. Now that the baby is born, mothers find that they don't have time for anything. What to do?

It is important to delegate authority: let mom and dad get up to the child at night in turns, so that mom gets at least a little sleep. In addition, if there are older children in the family, let them help mom wash the dishes and clean the house. Even a small contribution to the difficult housework of each family member will significantly relieve mom's responsibilities and leave her time for rest and sleep.

Surprise #5: Stronger love for the child appears after 2-3 months

"I didn't have much love for my baby for the first couple of months," many new mothers write. "And now, eight months later, I'm amazed at how much love I have for him."

It is completely normal if a mother's love for her child does not manifest itself immediately after birth, but matures gradually. This process - the growth of maternal love - occurs naturally, it takes time. The same applies to understanding what exactly the child needs. Give yourself a little break, and remember, your body goes through many hormonal changes after birth, which, eventually, will definitely pass.

Surprise #6: Bleeding after childbirth does not stop

"I was shocked by the size of the pad that I had to wear for a couple of weeks after giving birth. It was like both mother and child were wearing diapers," young mothers write

Yes, pads the size of a life preserver are not very pleasant. But the physiology of a woman is such that she may not stop bleeding for another week or even two after giving birth. For a normal healthy birth, this is not a very good situation. A woman after giving birth may observe bleeding for a maximum of several days. If the bleeding lasts longer, you should consult a gynecologist.

Surprise #7. A young mother does not always know what to do if her baby is crying.

Sometimes a young mother feels absolutely helpless when she hears her baby crying. She doesn't know what to do, especially if the baby's crying is not due to wet diapers, but to something else.

It is very frustrating and sometimes even an emotional breakdown when you feel like you have tried everything to calm your baby down – but nothing helps. Pay attention to how your baby cries. A low cry often means that he is hungry, and a high-pitched cry may indicate that something is wrong. If your baby’s cry is not very intense, weak, it may mean that he is tired. And if your baby is simply bored, his cry sounds like a whine.

A mother may not immediately begin to understand her child after birth. But there is no need to worry – this will soon pass. The more time a mother spends with her baby, the more understanding and affection there will be between them.