"It Was Love at First Sight!"

A True Take on Motherhood

By Irina Rahman

Well, not really. Although we love our little one like crazy, and as the days pass we're more convinced he's the cutest baby ever created, when I gave birth I wasn't quite in that state of mind. I was sweaty, exhausted and extremely hungry. I felt joy, worry, confusion, giddiness and yes, love was in there too. I just gave birth to my first child. When I saw our son, I wasn't sure how to feel. I knew I loved him but he was still foreign to me. He was so small and helpless, not to mention wrinkly.

When we brought him home and as time went on, my love for him grew so much that I wasn't sure when it began. Giving birth is an overwhelming experience and especially unpredictable for new mothers. So expectant mothers, it may not be "love at first sight" when you first lay eyes on your precious baby, but it's perfectly normal and nothing to feel guilty about. We all say it and that's OK, too. The romance and sentiment outweigh the reality.

OK, not exactly. I always thought "bonding" meant getting to know each other and spending quality time together. So when I heard mothers say they bonded with their newborns right away, I wasn't sure what they meant. The first few times I held my son it was actually more awkward and scary than a bonding experience. That first week he was barely awake enough to even acknowledge me and I could barely get out of bed.

After those first couple of weeks the fear subsided, and we became more comfortable and in tune with one another. That's when I felt we truly bonded – changing diapers, nursing, singing and bathing. There's nothing like a soiled diaper to bring Mother and Son closer together. So after delivery don't expect too much in the bonding department until you and your baby can really appreciate your time together. Bonding comes naturally as you get to know and love your little one more everyday.

Want to see more?

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• Mommy's Day Out
• Back to Basics: Taking Care of Baby
• Talk about it!