Life changes when you become a parent. New parents may be prepared for the change in daily routine, changing expectations, and new responsibilities. However, adjusting to parenthood can also bring a flurry of new and complicated emotions. And that experience is something new parents may not expect or plan for. Therapy is one way to find support through this life change. Here’s how.
Be honest about personal feelings
As a new parent, you may feel like you’re expected to feel joy and love all the time. While parenthood is rewarding, it is still a huge life change! Many new parents may feel guilty about disliking being a mom or dad. They may feel resentful because their personal freedom has changed, or their “new life” as a parent has replaced their old life. Therapy can help new parents share these uncomfortable feelings so they can find their new normal and begin feeling better.
Reconnect with your partner
Both partners in a couple need support when they become new parents. And because new parents have so little free time for themselves, that may leave even less time to spend with each other. A new mother may feel like she’s lost control of herself and her body since she needs to provide for her baby. And her partner may feel replaced by their baby, and want to reconnect with Mom. Speaking with a counselor together can provide a safe space for couples to spend time understanding and reconnecting with one another. Couples can discuss unmet expectations, misunderstandings, changing roles, emotional and physical needs, and more. The baby may be a priority during the early days of parenthood, but it’s important to devote time towards each other, too.
Share your parenting fears and worries
There’s immense pressure to get parenting “right,” especially when new parents compare themselves to their friends or family members. There are endless debates on raising your baby the right way: to swaddle or not to swaddle? Breast milk or formula? Cry it out or soothe? And so on. With so many opinions available from loved ones, social media, and external sources, it’s easy to feel stressed or anxious with the information out there. Therapy can help new parents understand their fears, or learn mindfulness techniques to cope with the stress.
Therapy can help both parents feel less alone
As a new parent, you may feel isolated and lost. Family and friends may be excited to visit and help you out, but that can make you feel even more overwhelmed. You may even feel like you’re losing your sense of self since becoming a parent. That’s normal. A professional therapist can offer you emotional, non-judgmental support when you really need it.
Whether you want to reconnect with your partner, discuss your parenting fears, share honest thoughts about being a new parent, or simply have an objective person listen, therapy can help. Mind Balance Counseling specializes in individual and couples therapy services for new parents, including parenting skills and resolution, postpartum depression, communication skills, and more. Contact us now to see how Mind Balance Counseling can help you.