Did anyone see Oprah yesterday?

[cathetapeaddict]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Sep-18-02 AT 09:18AM (Est)[/font][p]Hi Everyone,

Oprah had a wonderful topic on yesterday. It was about the "misconceptions of childbirth and motherhood." I thought the women were very candid and forthcoming throughout the entire show. They spoke about how you don't automatically just become a mother just because you have had a baby, how difficult and painful breastfeeding is, and just how rainbows and sunshine don't always follow the birth of a baby, etc. etc. - the list went on and on. The women also made it clear, however, that they deeply love their children and would never give them up, but it was good to see a realistic view of the whole deal. Finally, women were giving some "reality" talk about what motherhood was "REALLY" like. There was also an author on who actually wrote a book about the "Misconceptions."

Anyways, I was just curious if anyone else saw the show and what they thought about it??????

 

[amynicole]

I was in tears as I watched that show. I never watch oprah but yesterday my kids were watching a video at 4:00 and I happened to turn on the tv. As someone who had a serious case of the baby blues for weeks I could SO relate. I am feeling MUCH better now but those early weeks were in the words of Debra Roberts from the show "very dark days". Everyone expects you to be cheerful and sunny and all I wanted to do was cry and crawl back into bed under the covers and hide- but of course I could not because DH had to go to work and I was home alone with all 3 small kids with no help. I thought I was going nuts those early weeks! I have no family or friend support for my 3 year old 5 year old and new baby. I Love my children with all my heart but it is really hard sometimes. Oh and the whole breast feeding thing- I tried unsuccesfully to breastfeed my first and had the bleeding nipples etc. I bottlefed without guilt with numbers 2 and 3.

The good news though is that even though it is hard, you do eventually get into a routine. I would be lying if I said it was easy- it is not but at least I know I can handle it and give myself permission to get overwhelmed. It is ok to get overwhelmed because motherhood is an overwhelming job!! But a wonderful one also.

marci

 

[renae]

YES YES YES!!!!

Oh my goodness, I wish that show had been on 6 months ago, right after I had my daughter! Man, what they all said really hit home--the "dark side" of being a mother that no one talks about. It's so true, that no one tells you how rough those first few weeks are, how terrible you're going to feel emotionally and sometimes physically, how unbelievably difficult breastfeeding is....like one of the ladies said, it's almost as if other moms don't tell you this stuff because they don't want to scare you away from having kids or something! I totally related with the lady who said she felt like a complete failure because she had never heard of someone else going through these feelings, etc. so she thought it was just HER and that she couldn't hack it. And the woman who said it was nothing short of criminal that other women/doctors/whomever make women feel guilty for supplementing and/or choosing not to breastfeed is my new patron saint. I have felt that way since my unsuccessful (and completely guilt-ridden due to the comments of others) bout with breastfeeding my daughter.

That was a really great program, and I wished I could have taped it so I could show it to every new expectant mother I know! It's so sad that so many of us don't realize that going through those "very dark days" is completely normal. I went through them myself, and the more moms I talk to, the more I realize that most women *do* go through some pretty intense baby blues after that little one is born. I too remember thinking I just wanted to run away, that I couldn't handle it, and that I was just utterly, completely overwhelmed. And I had the most sensitive, compassionate, understanding, helpful husband imaginable--I couldn't imagine what it would be like with one who just didn't "get it".

 

[lwseymour]

I wish that I could have seen that Oprah show. For me, the infant and baby stages were okay even with a colicky baby. But each year has gotten harder and harder. My son is 6 years old now and for some reason I find life harder now than when he was very small. I can't even imagine adding another baby to the mix. Don't get me wrong, I love babies and in a way would love to have another, but it wouldn't be smart since I'm already overwhelmed. Has anyone else found that it gets harder as the child gets older? Boy, the teen years are gonna whip my butt!

My son does have an unidentified learning disability/severe delay, so maybe my situation is different. Motherhood is still the best thing that can happen to a woman, no doubt about that.

Maybe there is something on Oprah's website about that show? I'll check it out.
Lisa