The New Mom Show – No one told me…….
Why this podcast?
Another new one today folks! This podcast is all about –
”Two new moms sharing our journey as we navigate motherhood and all of its beauty, struggles, and so many diapers!”
I loved the sound of that. New motherhood can be a lonely time as well as a time of self-doubt.
Are we doing a good job? Is this normal?
It can be helpful to listen to other mums out there who are in this too.
The hosts are Alexys, a first-time mum who loves good food, gardening and sport and Latoya, a mum, wellness instructor and writer. They are both lively, enthusiastic and funny!
As well as the podcast you can also find a blog, shop and freebies page.
Just go to The New Mom Show.
Why this episode?
Whilst I don’t want to focus solely on the not so positive aspects of life with a baby it is important that we do not walk into parenthood expecting life to be nothing but sunshine and daisies.
If we do and it isn’t, it’s so easy to think that it’s because we’re doing something wrong.
We’re not.
I wish I had known a lot of this stuff before my first baby arrived – it might have taken some of the pressure off.
The episode
I will say that this episode is pretty funny and based on Alexys and Latoya’s own experience. It’s not one I’m going to file under evidence-based information and not everyone will experience everything mentioned.
Deflated breasts
During pregnancy and breastfeeding your breasts generally get bigger. This may or may not be good news for you but either way, it could well be the case that after you stop breastfeeding your breasts will be smaller than before.
I really don’t think that is the case for everyone and it could be argued that it’s not a huge price to pay for having created a human and sustained said human but still, good to know, right?
Hair loss
This is one of those things that I did not know about. Around three months postpartum all that extra hair that grew and stayed in during your pregnancy will start to fall out. It’s fine and simply related to hormonal changes but it can be a bit of a shock if you’re not expecting it.
Friend loss
Ok, that’s a bit extreme but the freedom to just grab your coat and head out to meet friends for coffee will likely be gone. Your life will revolve around this tiny little person and getting out of the house will require a whole lot more time and organisation than it did before.
But! I really feel it is important, once you are ready, to get out for walks in the fresh air and if you don’t have mum-friends, make some!
Look up meet up groups in your area, check facebook for local mum and baby events……fellow mums will understand if you’re late and can’t seem to talk about a whole lot besides baby poop and sleep (or lack thereof…).
Your true friends will still be there but if they do not have babies you could just be on very different schedules for a while.
Money, money, money!
Yep, babies are small but they can make a big dent in your finances. Babies grow fast and the clothes that fit last month are suddenly way too small this month.
If you are buying bottles, formula and nappies on top of that the cost can really add up.
Breast milk is, of course, free and cloth diapering can save you a chunk.
If you have friends with babies consider having a toy and clothes sharing circle, this is great for the environment as well as your bank account and you can find some great second-hand stuff online.
To wrap up
Latoya and Alexys go into more detail about their experiences and also share some practical solutions that have helped them deal with each of these issues.
Oh, and there’s even a No one told me part 2 so check that out as well.
I’d love to hear what most surprised you about life with a new baby so please drop me a comment.
Until next time!
Emily Wills is a doula based in Stockholm. She believes that birth can be a beautiful and empowering experience and started this blog as a way of sharing some really great podcasts. She is also a mother of three and an enthusiastic runner.
