One of the biggest things about preparing to have a baby is the fear that both parents feel. From the moment you decide to create a new little life, you both have so much to consider.
There are a lot of fears that come with parenting and it’s normal to feel worried about the world when you have a child. The thing is, hormones are going to exacerbate those fears, and you’re going to be lacking in sleep. The fact that you can now Google anything that worries you is not a helpful thing, and yet the good news is that the fears you have right now may be unfounded much of the time.
Parents often get stuck worrying before the baby even comes. You worry your pregnancy will be difficult. You worry something goes wrong in labor. You worry that something will happen to your infant. There may be essential survival tips for new parents out there in the world, but that doesn’t always cover how to feel the fear and get through it.
The key to getting through the fear you’re feeling is often in knowing what those fears are and how to combat them. Below, we’ve put together seven fears that are common for new parents.
*This is a collaborative post.
*This is a collaborative post.Illness
When you’re sick as an adult and you feel like you’ve been hit by a train, you cope with it because you don’t have a choice. You hunker down and sleep it out. However, when your baby feels sick, you’re not always going to understand what they’re feeling, which leads you to Dr. Google and terrifying yourselves. Having a pediatric First Aid certification can help you both to feel calm when something goes wrong because your baby will get sick at some stage.
The drop
Every single parent feels like they’re going to fumble and drop the baby. Babies can be dropped and it does happen (though, let’s avoid that, please!), and they’re not called bouncing babies for nothing. Babies need to be checked over if this happens, and most of the time it’ll hurt you more than it hurts them.
The lack of a bond
There are so many things that terrify new parents, but it’s being unable to bond with their child that’s the scariest. Some mothers and fathers don’t get that instant slap of love and that’s okay! It sometimes works as a slow burn for some, and that love hits a little later.
It doesn’t mean that you’re not a good parent, but it does mean that you might panic that you won’t manage to love your child. Postnatal depression is very real, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t bond with your baby.
SIDS
This is a very valid fear for most parents. It’s a terrifying thought that you will wake up one morning and find that your baby is not breathing, and while the risks of SIDS are minimal, you can do so much to ensure that you reduce them.
Keeping a safe sleep space is important, which means learning the safe sleep guidelines. It also means not smoking and trying not to fall asleep holding the baby.
Milestones
Every parent is worried that their baby will be the baby that doesn’t meet their milestones. There’s a lot that comes with parenting and that worry is something everyone panics over.
The thing is, you have to remember that while the books say that your baby will be doing xyz by xyz, it’s not always the case. Babies didn’t read those books and they will do things in their own time whether you like it or not.
That you’re doing it wrong
No one knows how to be a parent. It’s an instinctive thing and it happens over time. The best thing about being a parent is getting as much help as possible to parent correctly. You’ll learn how to feed and change, to understand the cries of your baby. It’ll all come in time and you should think about all of that when you are deciding to have a child.
Love
You might be afraid that your baby doesn’t like you – it’s not uncommon. Both parents, especially Dad, may be afraid that their baby doesn’t like them. It’s normal but with plenty of practice and contact, you can bet that you will be as in love with your baby as they are with you. Take the time to bond and have contact and you can bet that you will find this one easy.
*This is a collaborative post. This post has been pre-written.
