There is so much no ones tells expectant and new moms and dads about preparing for and getting through the 4th trimester.
Often, I see people process parenthood in one of two ways:
You may be white knuckling postpartum, too fearful to open yourself up to allowing the moments of joy and pride into your consciousness.
Or, you may be going the other way with this. Blissfully unaware of what's to come, and because of that, not properly setting your expectations and laying the groundwork for your upcoming reality.
No matter how you are anticipating or are coping with your 4th trimester, there is no shame in whatever feelings you're experiencing. But, there are steps you can take to properly set yourself up for success.
You've prepped for birth, but what about actually preparing to become a parent?
The 4th trimester can feel so mysterious!
This period can be hard and beautiful - both can be true at the same time.
The key is to find your own internal acceptance to allow youself to feel okay with both these truths existing simultaneously and creating an effective game plan so you know that no matter what happens, you have the tools to get through it.