Sometimes we want to be left alone, sometimes we need to be left alone but when you haven’t chosen to be alone and you suddenly find yourself that way, you can start to feel lonely. This is relevant to people of all ages and stages of life including new mothers.
It goes a little like this… You’re pregnant, your bump begins to really show, your friends and family are so excited, put a hand on your bump, ask you if you’ve been feeling tired, if you’re eating well and resting, if you’ve chosen baby names, when your due date is, whether you know where you’ll have the baby, whether you’ll be breastfeeding or bottle feeding, co-sleeping or using a moses basket, offering advice on anything from nutrition to how much sleep you should be getting, how your life is going to change, how you really should make time for yourself and for you and your partner before the arrival of your baby… and the list goes on. Wow, so much attention, affection and kind thoughts, right?!
Then… Your little bundle arrives! Congratulations pour in from everywhere, cards arrive, flowers are delivered, well wishers arrive daily for cuddles, tea and cake. The love you receive feels like a warm hug in the days following such an emotional experience. Then the novelty of the new arrival passes, people get on with their day-to-day lives, partners return to work, relatives return home and suddenly you can feel a little lonely. If you’re reading this and are nodding thinking that’s how you felt, or are currently feeling, please reach out to your friends and family, organise something in your diary every week to look forward to and to get out of the house for. With 9 million people in the UK feeling lonely* and tomorrow, being “Time to Talk Day”, take a look online at the suggested ways you can get involved and/or simply share a cuppa with a friend or colleague and give them a hug! (* British Red Cross and Co-Op, 2016)
