Any mother is likely to tell you that having kids is an adventure. You might think you know what to expect going into it, but no book, anecdote, or anything else will get you completely ready for what it will be like to hold your tiny newborn in your arms for the first time. They grew inside you, and now here they are, a living, breathing human being in miniature.
You probably will find that being a mom is just what you expected in some ways, but in others, it may be entirely different. Hopefully, the unexpected parts will be more joyful than sorrowful or stressful. Let’s go over a few unforeseen joys that some mothers report after they give birth and in the years that follow.
You Can Get to Know Your Baby’s Unique Personality
Unexpected things sometimes happen in life. You can injure yourself in a car crash and need to hire a lawyer, where moments before you didn’t have a care in the world. You can win the lottery, or some other monumental event can blindside you out of nowhere.
With a new baby, you’ve at least had nine months to mentally prepare yourself before they arrive. You can use that time to learn all about being a new mother that you possibly can.
When the baby does show up, one thing you may not necessarily anticipate is how much fun it will be to find out who they are as a person. Within the first weeks and months, you’ll begin to notice things about their personality. This will flesh them out as a human being.
You may find that your baby is fussy, or perhaps they very rarely cry, and they’re as easygoing as can be. Maybe they seem nonchalant, or perhaps they’re so amazed by the world that it leads you to notice your surroundings in a fresh way as well.
You Can Teach Them Your Values
When you have a child, they are also like a blank slate, a canvass upon which you can begin to imprint what you’d like a human being to be. Babies are like sponges. They immediately start to soak up the world, and that means what you choose to bring into it will make a massive difference regarding who the child becomes.
You can gradually begin to teach them about what you value. Everything you do can become a lesson for them, and while that might seem like a lot of pressure, it doesn’t have to be. Instead, you can simply be the best version of yourself.
You may find that having this child makes you wish to be a better person because you want to set the best example for them. If you’re raising this baby with a partner, you may discover positive changes in them as well.
You May Want to Improve Yourself
If there were aspects of your life that you wanted to change or improve, the new baby’s arrival might be the reason for that to happen. Maybe you tried to consume less alcohol or give up smoking. Perhaps you wanted to drop some weight or watch less TV.
You probably won’t be able to spend as much time playing on your smartphone as you could before. Maybe you have to reduce the time you spend in bars or partying with your friends.
Some mothers miss these things, but others feel like their new baby makes them reevaluate what matters to them in a positive way. If your child is the reason why you make sweeping changes in your life, that’s an unexpected benefit of which they might never be aware.
They Might Help You Feel Optimistic Again
It’s easy to feel down sometimes when you look at some of the world’s issues. A new mother might think about things like mass shootings, pollution, or political strife before they give birth to their first child.
These things won’t go away when your baby is here, but looking down into their eyes which are seeing the world for the first time might remind you of the world’s potential. Each new child carries hope and promise. They are not cynical or pessimistic, and your baby might become a great inventor or an individual who helps humanity in a lasting and significant way.
Your baby can kindle optimism in you. Again, they will not be consciously aware of doing it, but they’re helping you just as much as you are caring for them.
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