Why Guidance and Support Is Important When You’re Pregnant
When you find out that you’re pregnant, you’ll likely tend to spend more time with other parents or soon-to-be moms than you will with your single or childless friends. This is because, on an instinctual level, we recognize the importance of having support and guidance through pregnancy and after the baby is born. Of course, many new moms have their partner to lean on but, even then, it’s not quite the same support that fellow moms can lend.
Modern moms might not have a literal village of close family and friends to help raise their child, but they do have one perk that our ancestors didn’t—the internet. Not only can you turn to Google with your most pressing parenting questions, but you can use the web as a tool to connect with other moms on sites like Truly Mama. There, you can get the support and guidance you need to move through pregnancy and beyond.
Learning How to Be a Mom
For first-time parents, the prospect of raising a baby can be as intimidating as it is exciting. After all, this life will be molded largely in your hands—as mom or dad, you’re uniquely responsible for how your child turns out. When you haven’t done this before, it can be even more overwhelming!
By connecting with your fellow parents, you’ll gather insight into how to be a mom. You won’t want to follow every suggestion that a fellow mom makes–and in some cases, you absolutely shouldn’t—but learning from other moms “how to mom” can ease your anxiety and help you prepare for this new chapter of your life.
Finding the Best Tips and Tools
Perhaps the greatest benefit of sites connecting modern moms is the ability to learn about new products and advice that can help you become a better parent. Maybe you’re searching for the perfect car seat to add to your registry.
With a few clicks and keystrokes, you can find recommendations and reviews from other parents who’ve used the options you’re considering. Then, you can use that information to make a more educated choice for yourself.
Insights from Those Who’ve Been There
As you move throughout pregnancy, your partner is often coming along for the ride. However, they aren’t the one who’s literally having your baby. They’re invested in the pregnancy and your child’s well-being, of course, but they don’t really know how it feels to grow another person inside of you.
Fellow birth-giving parents, though, have been there themselves and understand just what it feels like. Often, that extra support, empathy, and compassionate understanding can make all the difference in how you manage the ups and downs of these nine months.
Recognizing Warning Signs and False Alarms
When connecting with other moms and moms-to-be, you’ll inevitably meet those who’ve faced worst-case scenarios like miscarriage or infant loss. Conversely, you might find others who’ve had severe Braxton Hicks contractions confused with actual labor or who didn’t even realize they were pregnant until their baby made its debut.
Whatever their unique pregnancy experience, at least some of your fellow parents will have dealt with what exactly you’re going through at any given point in your pregnancy. With that unique insight, you’ll have a distinct advantage in knowing what to look for—and what to overlook—in your own pregnancy and labor, including understanding cesarean birth process.
With or without a partner, pregnancy can be an overwhelming time. Support from other parents and moms-to-be, though, can help make this bulk of the year easier. From personal insights into the rollercoaster that is pregnancy symptoms to the product recommendations you need as your due date approaches, your fellow parents will be an invaluable resource throughout your pregnancy and beyond.