52 August 2013 www.womanthismonth.com It’s time to bring the baby home and all you can see are countless pairs of judging eyes. Learn to battle unwanted stress and fears of inadequacy. While many women fret about their newborn baby in the first months of pregnancy, others don’t ‘feel the pressure’ until well after the child is born. Let’s burst your bubble right now – motherhood isn’t intuitive! The truth is, no matter how much you’ve researched and studied, you are prone to insecurities just like any other new mum. So it’s important to remind yourself just how great you are; we’ll tell you how. Learn to tune out You thought advice marathons in your teen years were bad? Wait until you’re a mother! The ‘cuchi coo’s and ‘aww’s only last a while. Then comes the rigmarole of free advice from family, friends, colleagues, and the best of them all, strangers! Some mothers find this annoying; others begin to doubt themselves. Now you can’t really turn off the shower of advice. So while it pours, just remember that they’re only trying to pass along their insights. It’s their way of helping (inexpensive as well!) The trick is to filter out the unwanted information and learn to spot wisdom from a rant. Don’t forget to smile politely and occasionally say, “I’ll think about it.” It’s not a contest The worst thing you could do is comparing yourself to every other mother you can find. It’s natural, however, to do so. It’s just not right to expect your two-month-old to roll over because your friend’s baby did. REPORT | parenting AreYou a New Mum?
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