The Truth About Maternal Instinct

For most new moms, feelings of joy and excitement accompany their pregnancy. The nesting instinct abounds and moms go out and buy all of the books, decorate the nursery, and pick out baby names. But often, hidden underneath those delightful feelings - linger a devastating fear: failure. The notion of self-doubt creeps through moms minds as you question whether or not that 'maternal instinct' will kick in. You may find yourself trying to answer tough questions: Will I be strong enough?Will I be understanding enough?Will I be able to love enough?Will I doeverything right? In essence: "Will I be a good mom?" These questions are especially pertinent when new moms are experiencing exhaustion, hormonal changes, and body-image issues. When will that so-called maternal instinct magically appear? And more importantly, "What will I do if it doesn't?"

Many new moms struggle in the beginning with just about everything. From breastfeeding to changing diapers non-stop, to round-the-clock feedings, to colic and sleep deprivation - it may seem as though nothing will go right and everything will go wrong. And when something does go wrong, your world ends. *Leslie remembers struggling to get her son to nurse. After a week of trying to breastfeed, she almost gave up and I cried constantly. Her thoughts at that moment were the same as thousands of new moms: Why won't he do this? Am I doing it right? I can'tdo this anymore! And those thoughts usually ended with: I must be a bad mom.