Mother Instinct

Sadly, too often a new mother will feel inadequate as a parent. Instead of trusting her intuition and internal voice of wisdom, she will question her instincts because it’s strange and new to have these feelings. An important thing to remember is that your instincts are real. Every woman has intuition. As a mother, your intuitive instincts will grow even more. Here are a few points to help you as you learn to listen to your instincts.

Trust Yourself
What is your inner voice telling you? Be still and quiet and you will hear it. Let’s suppose your baby is crying and running fever but has no other symptoms. Your instincts tell you that she has an ear infection, even though you haven’t noticed her pulling at her ears. Do you trust yourself enough to take your baby to the doctor, or wait?

As an example, one Mom noticed that her newborn daughter had trouble breastfeeding in the evening hours. She would attempt to latch on and nurse, only to pull away and cry. After not knowing what to do for a few days, she decided to do some reading and sleep on the problem.

The next day it came to her: the baby was fatigued in the evening and was struggling to handle her Mom's engorged breasts. At the next feeding, Mom held her breast to take the weight off the baby's chin, supporting it with her hand. Her baby latched on easily and the problem was solved! As a result of overcoming this problem, she became much more trusting in herself as a Mom.

Don’t Second-Guess Yourself
All women are unique. You know your strengths and weaknesses. Are you naturally jumpy, or nervous? Do you overreact to minor situations? Do you rely on other people’s instincts or advice instead of following after what your own intuition tells you? Never second-guess yourself. If you think your baby needs medical attention, even though a “veteran” parent says that you’re overreacting, what would you do? You know your child best.

The world famous Dr. Robert Mendelsohn, author of "How to Raise a Healthy Child In Spite Of Your Doctor", often said that Mothers and Grandmothers are the best Doctors, because they know their children. When you're with your baby every day you are in the best position to know what she needs.

Know that You are Capable
One of the greatest fears of a new mother is that you will fail your child. Be assured that you know what is best for your child. You are able to provide for his needs. You are the best person for the job! Educate yourself, ask questions, learn from the wisdom of other Moms, but in the end, make the decision that is right for you and your family.