When does the nervousness pass?

Duckie28 · February 2010

I am totally loving being a mom, but I find myself so on edge and nervous all the time. I have these knots in my stomach, kind of like when you were a little kid and starting the first day of school. It's just an annoying feeling, I want to feel confident and like myself not all tense and scared! Please tell me it gets better

TIA

ACR · February 2010

Ah yes, I remember that well (though I can't say I was loving being a mom at that time). I would say after about 2 1/2 weeks I was feeling better about it all. My mom stayed with us for 3 weeks...and by the time she left, I felt more secure.

just_peachy · February 2010

hey we are neighbors! I live in the Bucks County area.

anyway, yes it definitely gets better. Give yourself time - everything that you are experiencing is perfectly normal. You are learning how to handle a brand new set of responsibilities for a most precious little life.

I would say I started to ease up a bit when he started interacting with me - first smile, etc. about 6 weeks.

Give yourself a hug, you are doing a great job!

ACR · February 2010

I just wanted to add that breastfeeding was one of the things that made me so anxious. It was more that I felt like I was constantly running against the clock from one feeding to the next...I had so much anxiety about being able to relax/get stuff done between feedings. After a few weeks, it got much easier to balance it all.

woolgathered · February 2010

It took me a few weeks! For the first week and a half, I couldn't even sleep. I had to have someone watch the baby while I slept because I was too paranoid to sleep when he slept. But it got better, and it will for you too. I still wake up in the middle of the night with a start, thinking, "OMG! WHERE IS HE?!"

But be assured that you are a good mom -- because good moms worry!!

Jule_Z · February 2010

My daughter's name is Lila, too.

I'm starting to feel better this week. I took her out by myself yesterday (we met DH for lunch at work) and I was ready to get out of the house and wasn't too nervous about it. The only other time she had been out, DH was with me and we were heading to the pediatrician. Today I had a dr's appointment and I went to Target afterward. She slept the whole time and I felt like I had conquered the world!

92405bride · February 2010

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one! I feel like I have a pit in my stomach constantly, mostly because I'm just never sure what she'll want next, or when... I'm really looking forward to the time when she is on more of a schedule, because right now it's just all over the place! I LOVE routines, so this is really really hard for me....

cassielynn09 · February 2010

hang in there, it does get better. DD is 8 weeks now and it is a HUGE differece from the first few weeks. the knots went away for me around week 6

GershiGirl · February 2010

I had really bad anxiety for the first two weeks after DS was born and I think it was partially related to the crazy hormones, because I was also insanely emotional and crying all the time. All of those things seemed to ease up and even out around the same time for me right around the two week mark. Of course there's still some anxiety that sticks around, which I think is probably just a normal part of being responsible for another human being, but it's not nearly as paralyzing or overwhelming now as it was in the beginning. Don't worry, it gets better!