You've Got This Mama

Nearly 90 percent of women will have a child. Yet for an event so common – and dramatically life-altering – it’s striking how rarely we discuss what happens to us. Forget nappies and dummies. We want to talk about how motherhood transforms our minds, our bodies and our health. (And why talking about it just might save our lives.) Welcome to the WH unfiltered reality guide

- Kelly Mickle

THE EARLY DAYS (0 TO 6 WEEKS)

MOM MILESTONE FINDING A BRA THAT FITS YOUR INFLATED BOOBS

Motherhood is magical. Really, that’s the only word that can describe the act of creating, delivering and raising a child. But there’s another sleight of hand at play, one that’s rarely discussed: the mysterious power to make the woman who endured nine months of pregnancy, hours of labour and birthing a baby the size of a small pumpkin (according to the foetus sizeas-produce chart) feel virtually invisible after birth.

Don’t get us wrong – few things in life are sweeter and more rewarding than a baby’s gummy smile. But while newborns are doted on, moms are often relegated to the background, with limited help or resources, as they navigate one of the most profound physical and psychological shifts a woman can experience. Indeed, nearly three-quarters of mothers say society doesn’t understand or support them, according to a recent survey.

One reason: there’s a myth that motherhood comes naturally and that we’re completely fulfilled just by taking care of our babies, says psychiatrist Dr Elizabeth Fitelson. So why would we need help or – gasp! – make ourselves a priority?

Let’s bust that misconception wide open. Yes, motherhood can be joyous. But, it can also be full of angst, sadness and confusion. Most often, it’s a shifting maelstrom of all those emotions and more. And, oh yes, physical and mental changes that last a lifetime – not just the six weeks after delivery (the clinical definition of the postpartum period).