None of this narrative, not even a little bit, allows for real people and the messy facts of real life. The quirks of your body or your precious little human’s personality or (heaven forbid) the emotional fallout from such a monumental physical experience and emotional shift that comes so soon after.
The first few months of motherhood are tough and you’re never sure your instincts are right. You hope you are but there’s no certainty.
Nowadays, girls are taught that if they believe that if they work hard and are wholehearted, they can do anything they set their mind to. They can aspire to being an Olympic winning athlete, an astronaut or a field leading scientist. But even despite the effort, it’s still a leap of faith. There’s the bit where you put the work in, hoping it will pay off but never quite being sure you’re on the right path.
The first few months of motherhood are tough and you’re never sure your instincts are right. You hope you are but there’s no certainty. Yet you do it anyway. You might as well – after all, you can’t get off this wonderful, magical, challenging path.
Birth is the same. During pregnancy, you prepare, you practice, you plan, you hope for the best. And why not? You can’t know for certain the outcome of your birth experience and there can be no promises. But you don’t lose anything from trying, and feeling positive can make a huge difference; plus you might even being able to relax and enjoy your pregnancy and birth. It’s a leap of faith but one well worth taking.
You can afford to stop second guessing yourself and doubt and fear to take hold. You really don’t need it.
Hannah is a KG hypnobirthing teacher, mama, writer and nutrition geek. She’s passionate about women’s and children’s health, and runs hmhypnobirthing.co.uk, helping parents to be in south London plan for empowering, confident births. She can also be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
