Mothering is the most important job on earth, but unfortunately kids don't come with instruction manuals. It's not unusual at times for mothers to feel a range of emotions, from boredom, exhaustion, or inadequacy to joy and ecstasy (EX-tuh-see). In addition to the care that you and your husband will be giving the child, the two of you will need to make a wide range of decisions, from whether to breast- or bottle-feed to who the baby's health-care provider should be. If you're a parent who's staying home with the child, you may at some time feel a sense of burnout. Be sure to allow yourself some quiet time when your child or children are in bed. It's also important to keep up adult communications, both with your spouse and others, especially other parents. There are parent support groups, as well as classes in which you can learn how to increase your parenting skills. Contact a healthcare professional to find out what's available.
©2006 Crossroads Mobile. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
