Preparing for parenthood is a process. For one, you’ll likely spend a good amount of time getting things ready for the baby. Preparing for parenthood also involves becoming familiar with the process of adjustment you go through in the weeks and months after the baby is born.(1-5)
A lot of women also find reading books about motherhood and parenting to be helpful. The books featured to the right are some of my top choices. More of my favorite parenting books are listed here.
Here are some other things you can do to prepare for parenthood.
1. Read, listen, and talk to other mothers about their adjustment experiences.
Doing this while you are still preparing for parenthood will help you get some good “what to expect” knowledge and perspective.(5-6) Even if the only other mothers you know had their babies a long time ago, they are still excellent resources.
Reading “momoirs” is another great way to get this kind of information and perspective about what you go will through as a new mom. My favourite motherhood narratives are listed here.
2. Be honest with yourself about your expectations and beliefs.
Try not to get caught up with idealistic notions about what “should be”. There is no such thing as a perfect mother, and no one loves parenting each and every day.
Having flexible expectations will make it more likely that your experience will be as positive as possible. It will also make the adjustment process much smoother.(5-6)
Also, do you have certain expectations or about how involved you want your partner/husband to be in the day-to-day aspects of parenting, child care and house care? If so, it’s a good idea to talk about these things beforethe baby is born. That way, you can be sure that you are both on the same page once the baby comes.
3. Preparing for parenthood effectively means taking good care of yourself now.
Once the baby comes you will be pretty exhausted, probably for a good long while. Getting lots of rest, finding ways to reduce the stress in your life, and starting to get more help NOW are all good strategies. Doing your best to stay healthy and rested while you are still a mom-to-be will do wonders to help manage the physical and emotional fatigue that you will inevitably experience once your baby is born.(5-6)
Sources
1. Mercer, R. 1995. Becoming a Mother: Research on Maternal Identity from Rubin to the Present. New York: Springer Publishing Company
2. Miller, T. 1995. Making Sense of Motherhood: A Narrative Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
3. Eagan, Andrea. 1985. The Newborn Mother: Stages of her Growth. Boston: Little Brown & Company.
4. Bergum, Valerie. 1997. A Child on her Mind: The Experience of Becoming a Mother. Westport, Connecticut: Bergin & Garvey Publishers.
5. Knaak, S. 2008. The Process of Postpartum Adjustment. Unpublished dissertation, University of Alberta.
6. Knaak, S. 2009. “Having a tough time: Towards an understanding of the psycho-social causes of postpartum emotional distress,” JARM 11(1): 80-94.
