How To Prepare For Motherhood Before You’re Expecting
Photo by Yana Moroz from Pexels
If there’s one thing we all know to be true, it’s that motherhood is a challenge. It requires us to give our whole self to our child(ren), to be less selfish, to teach them right from wrong, to instill values in them that they hopefully hold for the rest of their lives.
Even those of us who’ve never been a mother can understand the demands of motherhood. But more often than not, we leave the “preparation” period for motherhood for the last minute — giving ourselves just a few months (that undoubtedly whirl by) to get prepared.
We’ve all seen the articles, books, and podcasts that explain what expectant mothers can expect, and how they can be preparing to welcome their child into the world and step into their role as the mother of a real, live human being. But knowing how challenging motherhood will be, why wouldn’t we start to prepare just a little bit earlier? Say, before we’re even expecting or going through the adoption process?
So how can we, well before we become mothers, start preparing for motherhood?
Read books on motherhood.
Motherhood books aren’t just for the women who are already moms! Get an early start and begin gleaning wisdom through the countless incredible, inspiring, helpful books written by mothers who’ve already been through it all and have loads of insight — you’ll inevitably feel that much more equipped to take on motherhood in the future.
Exercise regularly.
Now is the time — when you don’t yet have children who seem to always need something! — to make time to lay fitness foundations and invest in your physical health, especially if exercise hasn’t been a constant. By getting active on a regular basis, your body will be better equipped to handle any future pregnancies, as well as keep up with your toddlers and little kids as you chase them around department stores and play in the backyard.
Broaden your horizons.
Whether or not you choose to homeschool, it’s always wise to see yourself as a lifelong learner, a person whose education is never “done.” Use the spare time you have before the kids come along to keep on educating yourself on a wide variety of subjects, from foreign languages to art history to philosophy to biology to psychology. You want to be the well that your future children will always be able to draw from and learn something from.
Learn to cook.
It turns out that kids need to eat, constantly! Maybe you grew up in a home that taught you all kinds of family recipes and techniques in the kitchen, or maybe you grew up mostly eating frozen meals. If the latter sounds more like you, choose to begin your culinary journey now, when it’s still just you (and some willing friends!) eating your meals. Watch how-to’s on YouTube to learn how to dice an onion, look up simple yet healthy recipes, and gain confidence in the kitchen, so by the time you’re a mother, putting good meals together won’t be quite as stressful and daunting.
Hang out with moms you admire.
Not all of us grew up with a good, present, healthy mother figure. But that doesn’t have to stop you from being a good mother yourself. Seek out families and moms that display healthy, whole dynamics, that will offer you an image of what you hope your future family will look like. If you have an actual person to look to for inspiration and advice, healthy motherhood will feel more within your reach.