How do YOU feel about becoming a mother? Have you ever stopped to give this question much attention? Let’s face it, most little girls play with dolls and pretend to be a mother. But, how many consider what becoming a mother is actually like?
For a child it seems fun to push a stroller around with a doll, teddy bear or other toy inside it. A child might even strap a doll or teddy bear to herself just like adult mommies do when involved in baby-wearing. Bathing and dressing a doll is part of many little girls imaginative play. It seems like fun when one is a child but it’s quite a different story when one becomes an adult or when the situation of becoming a mother actually arises in our lives.
How many of us stop to ask the question: “How do I feel about becoming a mother?” It is actually a powerful and important question to ask and loaded with all kinds of possibilities. After all, a real live baby can not just be placed in her stroller and forgotten for hour or days. A baby requires constant care and attention. Of course there is no right or wrong answer, there is just what you feel. However, the answers can help to direct you in many ways and these insights are important. Let us take a look at this further.
What is the purpose of asking yourself how you feel about becoming a mother?
Asking this question helps you:
- To decide whether motherhood is suitable to you and whether you are suitable to motherhood.
- To identify and accept whether you are old enough to become a mother. I am not talking physically as that depends on when your cycle begins but rather emotionally and in terms of maturity, your stage in life and more. e.g. although some children have become mother’s, it is not the ideal age or stage of life to become a mother
- To identify any fears you might have. This enables you to work with the fears.
- To identify any problem areas that need to be addressed.
- If you are working on fertility, asking yourself this question might help to identify what might be blocking your becoming a mother
- To help you to transition through this process with greater ease, clarity and enjoyment
Can you think of any other benefits to asking this question?
Let us consider the question from another angle.
How can You Find the Answers?
If you take a look at the image at the top of the post for a moment, notice how many changes take place to the body of the woman. Think about the hormonal changes and consider how these might affect you. As a result of identifying your knowledge about your body, you will discover what you need to learn. If you have questions, then you can read up on what hormonal changes will take place. Or ask appropriate people such as your mother, doctor, biology teacher. This helps you to be better prepared when navigating the journey from discovering you are pregnant to holding that bundle of joy in your arms.
Take a look at the image in the middle. Are you ready for the responsibility of taking care of a new life? Do you know how to take care of a baby or how to guide someone through their life? Since becoming a mother necessitates taking care of a new born, it is important that you learn the skills that will enable you to do so most effectively. This will mean learning about baby development and how to handle a new born. Consequently you will be meeting the goal of becoming a happy mother.
Becoming a mother is really quite a responsibility. We do not receive a guide book of how to be an effective parent. However, the good news is that there are many tools and resources available today. By asking yourself how you really feel about becoming a mother you can prepare yourself for this process. You can identify where you might need some help and then set to work to find that assistance. Whether you need information, support or to find the right team to help you to have a positive birth experience, being honest with answering this question can help you to identify your areas of need.
In conclusion, you can identify what your needs are by asking yourself: “How do I feel about becoming a mother?”. This will enable you to plan accordingly. I would recommend writing down your answers and then setting them aside. After a few days or even weeks, revisit this question. Note any changes or developments in your thoughts and feelings. You can even do a mind-map or some brainstorming on the topic.
If you are in Israel, and having any difficulty in answering this question or in clarifying for yourself why asking this question is important, please do be in touch. The services offered through this website are set up to assist you to make this transition as smooth and joyous as possible.
What are your thoughts about becoming a mother? What are your feelings about becoming a mother? You are welcome to share in the comments below.
With blessings
