Becoming a Mother

Becoming a mother is an emotional time. However you became a mother - after years of suffering from infertility, or right when you wanted to, or as a shock when you did not feel ready you will have relevant and related emotions about how the pregnancy is going to change your life and the lives of those closest to you.

The hormonal changes during pregnancy are real. If you have already given birth you need to know that the hormonal changes will continue for some time after having the baby. Breast feeding, any birth control methods, and any other children as well as level of sexual activity and the quality of that will effect you.

Quick tips for thos who have not yet given birth and are pregnant with the first child they plan to bring to term: you will need more sleep during the 1st and 3rd trimesters of the pregnancy. The phases seem mysteriously linked to the even division of the odd number of 9 months of gestation in most cases, although some arrive sooner and others take ten months to arrive. Aside from more sleep and massage and giving into any strong urges to drink the juice in the pickle jars in the middle of the night pregnancy is nothing to worry about.

Sleeping during pregnancy is difficult for many women during the second half of the pregnancy. The physical challenge of that ends right after birth but then segways into discovering that babies and young children often do not sleep through the entire night - often for years.

Starter Kits for Moms

Luckily, shopping for what you need as a mother does not need to be difficult. If you have plenty of friends and relatives around - just have a baby shower and they will buy most of what you will need. Try to plan in case they don't. If you have only a few friends or relatives do not handle it that way.

Here's a list: Maternity clothes, baby clothing and crib. Baby bottles, a changing bag and a few soothers are amongst what you will need. Believe it or not you may want a maternity bra. They have adjustments so that you can breast feed or just soak up extra breast milk.

If you are pregnant continue to exercise but avoid excessive stress to your back, and should restrict yourself to low impact activities for the sake of your baby.

The amount of weight it is reasonable to gain varies, but you may want to make a plan for how you are going to lose the excess baggage after you give birth. There are many ways to lose it. For some women it goes easily and smoothly - not effortlessly, but smoothly. For others losing the extra weight is challenging. In my own case, I gained a lot of weight while pregnant. I gave myself 9 months to lose it. It worked. It went smoothly. I really just went back to not eating very much and got exercise and eventually it came off. I did follow the medical advice of losing just 2 to 3 pounds (1.5Kg) per week. That pace makes it safer for the body and is easier for everyone to adjust to. Maintaining the new weight once the excess is shed depends on exercise and diet.