"The good: I am so much more relaxed in most things because there is always something more important (my kid). I had terrible anxiety speaking in front of other people. This morning, I held a presentation in front of 400 people and barely broke a sweat. I just don't care about others' opinions as much because I always have my family to fall back on..."
"The ugly: I never expected my body to change as much as it did during pregnancy and nursing. I never had an issue with gaining weight, even though I have never worked out much. Suddenly, I am not a thin person anymore. I always had a good memory, especially regarding numbers. Now my memory is terrible, and I cannot for the life of me remember four digits for longer than three seconds. It's scary and weird, and it messes with my identity."
Newborns produce extreme, CIA-style sleep deprivation that eases but leaves parents with long-term companionship rewards. Parenting reprioritizes daily concerns and reduces sensitivity to outsiders' opinions. Introverted caregivers often lose regular opportunities to recharge and face exhaustion from constant demands. Pregnancy and nursing can cause dramatic bodily changes including weight gain, memory decline, altered hair and skin, pelvic changes, and mild incontinence. Some parents face lasting medical complications such as persistent gestational diabetes and gallbladder disease that require hospitalization and permanent diet and lifestyle changes. Emotional identity and physical health commonly shift significantly after having children.
#sleep-deprivation #postpartum-physical-changes #parental-mental-health #gestational-diabetes--gallbladder-issues
Read at BuzzFeed
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]