Motherhood is one of the embellished experiences in life. Everyone congratulates you and expects you to be happy all the time because motherhood is a blessing. And it truly is. But there is a dark side of childbirth that no one tells you.
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1. Post-partum depression
Giving birth can take a toll on your mental health. Post-partum depression affects millions of women all over the world. But sadly, few people understand it. Family and friends, and even spouses may see it as being ungrateful so many women have their feelings go unexpressed. It is an overwhelming feeling that many mothers have to suffer alone and it is unfortunate and unfair.
2. Her mind and body change
Giving birth has an undeniable effect on the female body. When the baby is born, she is left with the weight she gained during pregnancy and this could have harmful consequences for her self-esteem. Some wallow in the body shame while others punish themselves with restrictive diets. She may no longer see herself as the person she was and in many ways, she is not. Even her mind changes, it may function differently from how it did before she had her baby.
3. Societal expectations
Society has a lot of expectations from women after childbirth, and sadly, these expectations hardly ever benefit her. She will be expected to sacrifice her satisfaction, her dreams, her time and so much more. Failure to do so will attract disapproving eyes and words. The expectations are never the same for the father who usually ends up going about getting congratulated for doing almost nothing
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4. Her career suffers
Motherhood hinders the careers and professional development of mothers. Employers assume that mothers have so much on their hands that they will not be adept in the professional field. This is because of society’s s*xist view of childcare. Being a mother means having to constantly prove that motherhood does not come in the way of your efficiency at work and your efficiency at work doesn’t make you a bad mother.
5. Finances take a toll
The society operates under the assumption that men are the breadwinners. But this is untrue for many households. Women contribute a lot more money after childbirth but are not reaping the benefits ascribed to men as the ‘providers’. When women become mothers, they can notice a lapse in their appearances and their social activities. This is because the funds used to maintain those things are now being channeled towards childcare.
6. Increase in domestic labour
The workload at work does not reduce, but domestic labour increases. In most households, they charge women with childcare, cooking, and cleaning. Men hardly split the chores and responsibilities 50-50. This will lead to a lot of resentment as the labour increases with each child you have. Do you ever wonder why many mothers are frustrated? This is why.
You may want to consider all these things before deciding to pop out a baby. Society has made marriage and childbirth into something women should aspire to, but they turn a blind eye when women face challenges in both spheres. Make sure you are insulated or ready before you take on something so difficult and life-changing.
Best of luck to you.
If you liked this article, check out more health and lifestyle topics like how to deal with anxiety disorder.
