The Crush Of Childbirth, When The Mother Sees Her Baby For The First Time
The magic of being a mother really begins with the love of childbirth. That beautiful moment comes when the baby is placed on his mother’s breast and she can feel his heartbeat, his crying and his warmth.
The months of pregnancy are summarized in that special moment. Feeling that beautiful creature that was formed in the womb has no price or connotation. We will stop to analyze those moments to know their relevance to the mother’s life.
Moments before the crush of labor
Pregnancy helps and prepares a woman to be a mother. It develops emotions, activates hormones – such as prolactin, responsible for breast milk – and changes moods.
In this period, there are many unforgettable activities. For example, preparing the nursery turns out to be a very relaxing activity; imagining that precious creation sleeping in its crib is an incredible feeling.
Obviously, the anxiety grows as the months go by. The pains warn that the awaited moment is yet to come; the body is filled with anguish and happiness.
Then, after so long, it happens: the baby arrives. The mother falls in love at the precise moment in which the crush of childbirth occurs. All her maternal instincts surface in that magical moment.
The connection is instantaneous: the baby calms down with the warmth of the mother and she, on the other hand, feels a need for protection that she did not know she had. It is a unique moment in life.
That moment is worth enjoying, since, if you have another child, you will also feel but in a different way. Just as intense and moving, but different from the previous one.
The crush of childbirth does not always happen
Feeling that instant attachment is usually wonderful, but that doesn’t always happen. There are mothers who, for various reasons, cannot feel that connection with their child.
One of the reasons that rejection occurs is hormones, specifically progesterone. Its exaggerated increase causes the mother to have rejection reactions towards her baby.
On the other hand, women who suffered a considerable increase in their corticoprine level – in charge of stress management – tend to suffer from postpartum depression. This creates radical mood swings and a myriad of strange emotions.
Likewise, the fact of having had a traumatic pregnancy or unpleasant experiences also usually generates these types of attitudes. Also having a bad relationship or facing a severe change in life can make the mother’s attachment to her baby be retained.
It is common for some mothers to experience rejection, especially new mothers. Recovering from this estrangement can take a few days, as mother and child adjust to each other.
As the days go by, the bonds between mother and child are strengthened. This is usually the best therapy to regain the longing and attachment that did not flourish with the love affair of childbirth.
Breastfeeding, in addition to feeding and nurturing the baby, helps to interweave the connection between mother and child. Thus, a powerful love system is opened, full of the pleasure of being united.
The moment the baby latches onto the nipple, both bodies fill with hormones: oxytocin, prolactin, and endorphins, in the mother’s case; These are the conducting channels of unconditional love.
Mother and child relationship after the crush of childbirth
Like any process, assimilating this new way of life takes time. The baby must adapt to a new world, in which their needs are not understood; for that reason, he cries.
For her part, the mother understands that now there is a new life in her charge: she must do her best to make her happy with lots of care and unconditional love.
How to help the birth crush to take place?
Most hospitals or birthing centers have the custom to place the baby on the mother’s breast or show it to her and then take it away, clean and dress it. The first hour is essential to strengthen the bond between the two; they both need each other.
It is advisable not to disturb them during that period of time, to allow them to quickly discover their indestructible connection for the rest of their lives. If the baby is separated from the mother immediately, the mother can become isolated or disconnected.
With this, a great demotivation is promoted to meet the needs of the baby. At worst, it can lead to sadness, guilt, or depression.
In short, it is of the utmost importance that this space between mother and child is respected. There begins the journey of their lives, the beginning of breastfeeding and the recognition of the protective warmth of the mother.
