So, what are the challenges of motherhood? Motherhood, often talked about as one of the most rewarding experiences in a woman’s life, is indeed a beautiful journey filled with love, joy, and a sense of fulfillment. However, it also comes with its own set of challenges that could be overwhelming at times.
From sleep deprivation to the constant worry about your child’s well-being, every mother, whether new or seasoned, has her own unique set of difficulties to navigate. Balancing work and family life, battling societal pressures, and dealing with emotional upheavals are just some of the hurdles that mothers worldwide face daily.
In this post, we will delve into the nitty-gritty of these challenges and shed light on 20 aspects of motherhood that every mother should be aware of. We aim to help mothers and those planning to embark on this journey to understand and prepare for these challenges. Remember, forewarned is forearmed. So, let’s dive right in and unravel the complexities of motherhood together.
Why Is Motherhood So Stressful?
One way you could describe motherhood is stressful. It brings many new challenges into your life, paired with the highs and lows of a new baby.
Motherhood tests everything you have ever known and forces you into a space where you will grow while equally exhausted.
• Sleep deprivation
• Change of priorities
• Balancing family and life and kids
• Changing relationships
Why Is Motherhood So Hard For Me?
Motherhood is hard for some people in different ways and for others in various ways.
If you are feeling like motherhood is challenging for you, you are not alone. Talk to someone you trust or look into therapy. Both of these options are a perfect way to start sorting out your thoughts relating to motherhood.
Posts like this are great for helping you realise you aren’t alone, so make sure to check out some of our other posts:
• Loss of identity in motherhood
• Why do I hate being a parent?
There are different challenges for working mothers and stay-at-home mothers. We want to briefly look at the differences in the challenges they might face.
Challenges Of Working Mothers
• Trying to balance a work life and an at-home life
• Balancing working and/or breastfeeding
• Balancing career goals and quality family time
• Dealing with mum guilt around the time you spend away from your babies
• Finding ways to have quality time out of “work brain” with your kids
Challenges Of Stay At Home Mothers
• Feeling trapped within the home
• Feel like their work, caring for their babies, housework, and running a household is overlooked and not valued
• Feel undervalued and exhausted, especially with social views like “Well, you just stay home all day and don’t work” when they are working nonstop with night wakes as well
• Lack of time to be a human as well as a mum
Managing The Challenges Of Motherhood
Managing the challenges of motherhood is possible. You need to know what challenges are the trickiest for you, and then you can look into ways to manage them on our blog posts and around other mum blogs!
Some mom blogs I recommend for advice around motherhood:
The 20 Challenges Of Motherhood
1: Sleep Deprivation
One of the first challenges new mothers face is sleep deprivation. Newborns have irregular sleep patterns and often wake up multiple times during the night for feeding or diaper changes.
Lack of sleep can leave mothers feeling exhausted and drained, affecting their physical health and mental well-being. The lack of sleep with a newborn baby who needs to be fed, changed, and cuddled throughout the night is a humbling experience.
2: Emotional Tap Out
Motherhood can bring about a whirlwind of emotions. From joy to anxiety, new mothers often experience a range of emotions that can be overwhelming at times.
Mothers need to acknowledge these feelings and seek support when needed. Emotional tap-out can be so familiar, yet not talked about. In the early days of a new baby, you might feel like everything you have is going into your baby.
3: Hormonal Changes
Pregnancy and childbirth cause significant hormonal changes in a woman’s body. These changes can affect a woman’s mood, energy, and well-being.
It’s important to understand these changes and manage them effectively to ensure a healthy postpartum recovery. Postpartum is a time when mummas need wraparound support and a little bit of grace as they adjust to motherhood.
4: Change in Priorities
With the arrival of a new baby, a woman’s priorities often shift. Many women find it challenging to juggle the demands of motherhood with their personal and professional aspirations. Time management and setting realistic expectations can help navigate this challenge.
The change in priorities for mothers can be challenging, especially for those who enjoy alone time. Adjusting to your baby’s needs, above all, can shock the system.
5: Learning Your Baby And The Basics Of Parenting
Every baby is unique, and understanding their needs and behaviour can be a daunting task for new mothers. From feeding to sleeping patterns, there’s a lot to learn in the initial months of motherhood.
When I first had my daughter, I read many blog posts to help me walk further into motherhood and learn a little more. I also talked to lots of my favourite mothers in my life. Learning is tiring, and by mixing it with sleep deprivation, life can be overwhelming as a new mother, even as a mother who is walking into new developmental challenges as they grow.
6: Guilt
Guilt is a common emotion experienced by many mothers. Whether it’s about not being able to breastfeed, not spending enough time with the baby, or feeling like you’re not doing enough, it’s important to remember that it’s okay not to be perfect.
You can feel guilt about so many different things; with motherhood comes an endless amount of responsibility and elements of feeling obligated to do things.
Priorities and motherhood go hand in hand, and when you have to prioritise certain things over each other, guilt can get added into the mix.
7: Finding Balance
Balancing the demands of motherhood with personal and professional responsibilities can be challenging. Mothers need to take time for themselves, but this isn’t always possible
Finding balance can take time, to master. Sometimes, it takes time to sit down and figure out your priorities and then create a plan of when you will prioritise those things.
8: Anxiety
Many new mothers experience anxiety about their baby’s health and well-being. It’s essential to seek professional help if these feelings overwhelm or interfere with daily life.
Anxiety can be supercharged by the beginning of motherhood. Human newborns are some of the most dependent creatures in the entire world. So, in the early days of motherhood, you can see everything seeming like a threat. It is normal!
If it is inhibiting your life, though and affecting your ability to exist, then make sure you chat with your doctor.
9: Breastfeeding Challenges
Breastfeeding can be challenging for many new mothers. From latching issues to low milk supply, mothers must seek help and support to overcome these challenges.
There is so much support around breastfeeding, so make sure to check with your midwife, doctor, or healthcare professionals to make sure you get any support you need.
Breastfeeding isn’t actually as ‘natural’ as you may think it is. It shocked me; I had to practice for SIX WEEKS actually to get the hang of breastfeeding. There are many challenges, but it is possible when you get the support.
Always remember, fed is best.
10: Feeling “Touched Out”
Many mothers, especially those with newborns, often feel “touched out” or overwhelmed by the constant physical contact. It’s essential to take breaks and have some alone time to recharge.
Talk to your closest friends and family. Especially those who love baby cuddles, they can come and take the touch off you for a little.
You may feel touched by your feelings, too, when you feel so many big feelings, from happiness to frustration, mixed with exhaustion. Feeling overwhelmed is normal; it is something that many mothers struggle with.
11: Relationship Changes
The arrival of a baby can bring about significant changes in a couple’s relationship. Communication and understanding are crucial to navigating these changes.
Knowledge. When you know better, you can do better. It is so important to remember that you have had your baby with someone because you love each other (if your circumstances are different, read on <3).
Your relationship needs to be a priority. Once your kiddies are all grown up, the only thing you will have is each other. Working on your relationship is one of the most important things because it teaches your kids healthy relationships.
12: Isolation
Many new mothers often feel isolated and lonely. It’s essential to stay connected with friends and family and seek support when needed.
Having a new baby drastically changes your priorities, and with that, many internal life changes come, too. It can be essential to realise that isolation is a normal feeling and that you can talk to someone about it.
Talking to those closest to you might help them to step up and support you, which can be so crucial in the early days of having a baby. Letting friends and family spend time with you and your baby, who is helpful and cheerful, can impact the early days of your baby’s life.
13: Loss Of Identity
Many women struggle with the loss of identity after becoming a mother. It’s essential to maintain hobbies and interests outside of motherhood to maintain a sense of self.
We have a whole post discussing loss of identity and how it can affect motherhood; loss of identity is average as you grow and change and move through life.
Check out how to get your identity back now…
14: Friendships Change
The dynamics of friendships often change after becoming a mother. It’s essential to nurture relationships and seek new friendships with those who understand the challenges of motherhood.
Not only will your relationship possibly change, but your friendships will most likely change as well. When suddenly, your baby comes first. It can be challenging for you to maintain your friendships.
It can also be challenging when you are in a season in life that your friends may not have been in before. Sometimes, this can make it more difficult for your friends to be understanding and supportive when your life changes, like when a baby enters the family chat.
15: Conflicting Opinions
New mothers often receive unsolicited advice and conflicting opinions from friends and family. It’s essential to trust your instincts and do what’s best for you and your baby.
Conflicting opinions can be one of the most significant stressors. You might get told one thing by your mother and a different thing by your mother-in-law! For people to have different opinions is normal.
Remember: You know your baby best… they are your baby, after all, and generally, we, as mothers, can get a good feel pretty quickly for what they need to do with their bubs.
16: Financial Stress
The cost of raising a child can put significant financial stress on families. It’s essential to plan and manage finances effectively.
Financial choices can be super important to discuss before having a baby, as things can be far more complex to discuss once you are sleep-deprived and managing a newborn in the house.
Planning when it comes to things doesn’t have to be a comprehensive plan about every single thing you will do. But simply, it can be a discussion around a plan of attack that will help you as you move through it or when things might go wrong.
17: Lack of Time for Self-Care
Many mothers often neglect their own needs to take care of their children. It’s essential to take time for self-care to ensure physical and mental well-being.
Self-care is surprisingly important. Simply having the time to shower is a basic need, but being able to take 10 minutes of quiet just to put some moisturizer on or go for a walk might be things you need.
Self-care for mums involves whatever fills your cup. Suppose it is a new bra, a long walk, or morning coffee in the quiet. Make sure you ask your support system around you for whatever you need. You can use an interface like Notion to organize a list of things you enjoy doing. You can refer to this when your cup feels empty.
18: Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is a severe condition and can have a wide range of symptoms. Some mothers might experience a few of these symptoms, while others might experience many. These can include:
• A persistent feeling of sadness or down mood
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Significant change in appetite or weight
• Insomnia or oversleeping
• Physical agitation or slowing
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
• Difficulty thinking or making decisions
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
It’s essential to seek professional help if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. Remember, postpartum depression is treatable, and you’re not alone. Many women experience postpartum depression, and help is available.
19: Dealing with Criticism
Motherhood often comes with unsolicited advice and criticism from others. It’s important to stand your ground and not let others’ opinions affect your confidence as a mother. When you are wondering what are the challenges of motherhood, this is definitely one.
Being a mother, especially a new one, often subjects you to unsolicited advice and criticism from others. This can come from well-meaning loved ones or even strangers. It’s crucial to remember that you know your child best, and what works for one family might not work for yours.
Stand your ground and do not let others’ opinions undermine your confidence as a mother. It’s alright to decline advice politely or to explain your parenting choices if you feel comfortable doing so. Always trust your instincts and remember that you are doing the best you can.
20: Body Image Issues
Many women struggle with body image issues after childbirth. It’s essential to embrace the changes and celebrate the amazing things your body has done.
These challenges are just some of the many that mothers face. It’s important to remember that it’s okay to ask for help and that you’re not alone in this journey.
What Are The Challenges Of Motherhood?
In conclusion, motherhood is a journey filled with immense joy and fulfilment, but not without its trials and tribulations. The challenges of motherhood are numerous and often complex, varying from physical and emotional shifts in priorities and relationships to societal pressures and self-doubt.
It’s important to remember that these challenges are a normal part of the motherhood journey and do not define your worth or competence as a mother. The key lies in acknowledging these difficulties, seeking help, and continually learning and adapting.
After all, every challenge faced and overcome is a testament to the strength and resilience that resides within every mother. Leaning on the people around you is essential. Knowing “what are the challenges of motherhood?” Can help you to manage them and feel like you aren’t alone.
