Realistic Expectations After Having a Baby

Bonding

• Bonding is the belief that there is a crucial period right after birth when mother and child should be in skin-to-skin contact. Some women tell emotional stories about the first time the baby was laid on her chest. Other moms didn̵7;t have any kind of an emotional experience. Realistically, not every mom swoons at the first sight of her baby. Some women need time to recover physically from childbirth. Some babies are fragile and must spend time in a NICU. AskDrSears.com reminds new mothers that bonding is a process, not a single point in time. Realistically, give yourself and your child time to create a strong bond.

Sleeping

• Every new parent has heard the story of the baby who came home from the hospital and slept 12 hours straight. That doesn̵7;t usually happen -- and it's not supposed to. KidsHealth.org reminds parents that newborn tummies aren̵7;t big enough to go that long without food. Instead, expect your newborn to sleep in two- to four-hour spurts around the clock. Most babies don̵7;t start sleeping for six to eight hours until they are around 3 months old. Expect to have some sleepless nights. To cope with the lack of sleep, lie down when the baby sleeps. Try to take naps during the day, if possible. In addition, don̵7;t be afraid to ask for help either from your partner or a trusted caregiver.

Baby Blues

• After birth, a woman̵7;s hormones change dramatically. When combining these hormonal shifts with a lack of sleep, some women can become sad or depressed. According to American Academy of Pediatrics, about one out of 10 women who've given birth experience some kind of postpartum depression. This can include crying, sleeplessness, withdrawing from friends and the inability to concentrate. Celebrities and news outlets cry the dangers of postpartum depression. From the stats on television, it may seem like every woman is despondent after giving birth. But that̵7;s not typical for postpartum depression. More serious symptoms such as rapid mood swings, obsessive thoughts about the baby and hallucinations are very rare. These are symptoms of postpartum psychosis, which only affects about one in 1,000 new mothers, according to the AAP.

Body Image

• Childbirth and pregnancy change every woman̵7;s body. For some women, these changes are frustrating and long-lasting. In a 2010 study from the journal "Women Health," Dr. Dwenda Gjerdingen found that nine months after the birth of their child, almost 20 percent of women were dissatisfied with their bodies. The most common reason for dissatisfaction was weight gain. The study also found that women who breastfed or who set aside regular time for exercise and self-care were less likely to have a negative body image.