Beyond the Birth: What No One Ever Talks About

by Dawn Gruen

For nine months, you prepare for the birth of your child. As you plan, you dream of the cozy, warm beginnings together with a new baby. You know it will be work, but you know you're up to the challenge. How hard could it be to handle a newborn? After all, in the beginning all they do is eat and sleep. Being a parent is natural; people have been doing this for thousands of years. The room stands ready, your physical preparation for childbirth has been intense, and although you're frightened about the birth and change, you feel prepared and in control. Then, a beautiful little person comes into your life. What happens next catches many new mothers off guard. Welcome to the roller coaster of emotions that often follows having a baby. The love for your baby and the feeling of being needed by someone can be very intense. The sense of responsibility for the life of this new little person can suddenly seem enormous and overwhelming. What do we do now? Is this what it's going to be like from now on? Why didn't anyone ever tell us about this? The intention of this booklet is to shed light on what so many never tell you about being a new parent. It explores what happens after birth, including the transition to parenthood and postpartum mood disorders.

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003