When you’re a brand new mom, postpartum can feel extra challenging as you learn to navigate your new role. Your motherly intuition can help.
As a new mom, you’re simultaneously experiencing many new scenarios. You’re figuring out the parenting thing while also tackling societal expectations of the “best” way to raise children in our modern world.
Not to mention, you’re fighting a hormonal rollercoaster, navigating a healing body, adjusting to a new identity – all while running on little sleep. It’s a lot to navigate.
And to top it off, you probably have cultural opinions thrown at you, such as:
- “If you don’t sleep train your baby, your child will have bad sleeping habits.”
- “You shouldn’t nurse your baby to sleep.”
- “You should teach your baby how to take a bottle and use a pacifier to make your life easier.”
- “You shouldn’t bedshare because it’s not safe.”
- “Your baby should learn how to self-soothe.”
The list goes on and on and on, often with conflicting opinions and beliefs. Talk about overwhelm, right?!
Thankfully, when you quiet down the anxious thoughts, you can tune into your motherly intuition to help navigate the period of time after birth known as postpartum.
Thoughts on tapping into your motherly intuition
If I can offer you one piece of advice, I cannot emphasize enough how much more enjoyable postpartum will be for you if you mother in a way that feels intuitive. Work to disregard everything projected onto you by our culture and follow your heart.
You intuitively know how to be an amazing mama, and women have used this wisdom for millions of years. Now it’s your turn.
Meghan Van Metre
Our bodies are so smart and know what to do. You are naturally wired to nurture your baby, and your baby is naturally wired to want to be close to you.
When you pause and remember this, you might notice that what feels right to you might not align with societal beliefs about parenting. The best thing you can do for your own mental health during postpartum is to mother your child in your way, all while ensuring your baby is safe, fed, loved, and warm.
Take a deep breath. Do you feel relieved at the thought of doing things your way? If so, I hope you follow that internal guidance and act on it. It will create more peace of mind and establish a better bond with your baby.
The easiest way to let go of any pressure you’re putting on yourself is to remember that mothers worldwide do things differently, which varies by culture, religion, and geographic location. There is no right way to be a mama. There is only your way.
How to find your motherly intuition
You might be wondering how to tap into your intuition so that you mother in a way that feels natural. It might be a relief to hear that this process can be quite simple.
For many new mothers, societal expectations come from that loud voice in your head, while your intuition comes from that soft voice from your heart. You might find that it helps to rediscover your sense of self on this journey, as well.
Still can’t decipher between the two? Keep reading.
Acknowledging your ego
If a thought creates tightness or heaviness in your body, it’s coming from your head and – most likely – driven by your ego—the ego-driven type of thought conflicts with your true mothering instincts.
Tuning into your intuition
On the other hand, thoughts that feel light, expansive, and come with a sense of relief are aligned with your intuition.
So the next time you’re faced with a parenting decision, check in with your motherly intuition and ask yourself these questions:
- What does my heart say about this?
- How does that idea feel physically in my body?
You can use the answers you discover to decide what’s right for you and your family.
My story on uncovering my motherly intuition
I felt inspired to write about this topic and share it with you because, during the early weeks of postpartum, I found myself extremely stressed out about how my baby was sleeping and was feeling anxious every time I breastfed her to sleep.
I wondered why she would cry when I would try to put her down in her bassinet without me. I wasn’t enjoying those early weeks as much as I could’ve because I gave into certain ideas of how I should be a mom.
As soon as I tossed those ideas of what “should be” out the window, I felt so much better. I now sleep better, my baby rarely cries (which has to do with sheer luck, too), and we have such a strong bond. I might be going against the “norm,” but my intuitive choices feel so much better for my baby and me.
Ultimately, know that you have permission to do whatever feels right to you.
Every decision you make for you and your baby can be the right one if it truly comes from the heart and intuition. You deserve to love your journey and every moment of postpartum.
Don’t let any societal expectation or pushed agenda rob you of such a special chapter in your life. Do it your way, mama, and do it unapologetically.
Tools to strengthen your intuition
Aside from tuning into your own thoughts and body, if you are looking to strengthen your motherly intuition, some simple tools and exercises can help.
Check out the list below:
- 18 Ways to Strengthen Your Intuition
- Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza
- Breathwork to Increase Your Intuition
- Trust Within: Letting Intuition Lead by Molly Carroll
