Adjustment to Parenting

The adjustment to becoming a parent is a complex event that doesn’t happen overnight. While the baby might arrive in a day (or two!) this doesn’t mean that the adjustment to becoming mum or dad will happen immediately. There are many parts; including learning new skills, adjusting to your new role and renegotiating your other relationships. This all takes time, with possibly a few missteps along the way.

While parenting requires ongoing adjustments, let’s talk specifically about those first few weeks with baby. Many people consider those first few weeks (and even months) with a new baby to be some of the most stressful and overwhelming times they have had. It is common to feel sleep deprived and stressed about everything from feeding to pooing. Many new parents (and in fact some parents with older children) will have moments of self-doubt and could even be wondering if they’ve made the right choice. All these feelings and emotions are normal- even the negative ones. The challenges are also very common.