Expectations

My friend suffers from depression. She is also a neat freak. Her therapist told her that she needs to let things go more which she has done and has halved her meds too.

Claudia_B - oh Claudia you have stumbled on my favourite humbug issue.

Women and what we subject ourselves to, and that we are meant to juggle a dozen balls, with perfect dyed roots, our nails recently manicured, our clothes fashionable, yet affordable, all while backwards in high heels.

Oh I can go on here forever.

I hope that forums likes this help new-moms and moms-to-be, that they can't do it all without having a nervous breakdown, and that they pick thier fights.

We allow society (of which we are members) to put so much pressure on moms to achieve and succeed, and forget the damage and the suffering we go through often in silence.

Exactly and we do it all in silence including cry.

I think that western society puts too much stain on new moms. I was visited by a friend over the weekend (who i havent seen in ages because she lives on a farm in the middle of nowhere). She is a dietician who was adament about breastfeeding and after 3 months swopped to bottled because of supply issues. She was finding that on days that she lay back and did nothing she had ample supply, but as soon as she had to drive the 2.5 hours to maritsburg or do any work her supply dropped, untill one day after a particularl stressful day in town she had no milk and she decided she couldnt do it anymore...
I think its great that women can now vote, have demanding jobs, be educated, etc but I really think that its come at a cost. No wonder so many people struggle with post partum depression, milk supply etc.. We are expected to be superhuman! In addition to raising healthy well balnced kids, we have to keep spotless houses, exercise to keep trim, preform at jobs and still get 8 hours sleep. Somewhere I think society has gone astray!