For our second story from Elpizo Connect Magazine we introduce to you, New Parenthood.
Do you know that ole saying, “It takes a village to raise a child” well it’s not just an idiom. For new parents, parenthood is a whole new life and they need all the help that they can get. As a new parent, there are several changes you may notice such as you becoming more emotional than usual, getting mommy memory, physical and mental alterations, and your social relationship being tested.
More Emotions
Once you welcome your newborn baby in the world, it’s almost as if nothing else matters. Your brain begins to work overtime on your emotions as you notice your over-zealousness of the safety and concern of your new child. Your body releases hormones like hypothalamus which bonds you with your newborn and dopamine which is that pleasurable feeling of you enjoying parenthood.
Mommy Memory
What’s that? You misplace the breast pump for the 100th time, well sounds like you’ve got mommy brain. Some may say this as an excuse for being forgetful but this condition is covered by science. Caring for a newborn baby that does not know if they want to sleep, poo, or eat combined with sleep deprivation will no doubt lead to long-term effects on the brain.
Physical and Mental Changes
Recovering after giving birth is quite a quest. You mean to tell me after 9 months of carrying this baby, I still cannot have a glass of wine just yet?! After giving birth you do not get your life back immediately. You may have weighed 20 pounds less before the baby or remarkably got rid of all the weight, every woman is different and you should not force yourself to bounce back. An entire human just vacated your body and your first thought is to run to the gym? Do not let social media or others cloud your judgment and lower your self-esteem on what a new mom should look like, enjoy your new baby. You should take your time and lose the weight, whichever is best for you.
Social Relationships
Everyone loves a new baby. They smell like baby powder and milk and they have the chubbiest feet ever! You will notice friends and family coming over with gifts and offering help in any way that they can. However, not everyone’s experience is the same. You may notice friends that all of a sudden have no time for you and your baby but were around 24/7 before. Not to mention, co-parents that made high promises of always being there for you and your child suddenly unable to fulfill those promises. It is very important to have a good support system when you welcome a new baby into the world. Newborns are not a walk in the park and need all the care they can get, that’s why it’s important to have a village.
You can read more about parenting and mental health in our first issue of Elpizo Connect Magazine.