New Mum Loneliness
The first year of motherhood can be a very lonely time according to a newspaper article* I read this week. Two thousand women took part in a survey that looked at modern motherhood and more than half of these women said that having a baby had left them “lonely and isolated.”* This has a lot to do with modern lifestyles according to the article, and the way that many of us do not tend to live in close-knit communities with family and friends close by.
The article described the huge physical and emotional adjustment that a newborn brings, often, the transition from a career outside of the home, as well as the challenge of an “adorable but demanding baby who frequently cries and rarely sleeps.”* In spite of all of these aspects, the survey showed that the hardest thing for these young mothers to cope with was a sense of isolation from family and their old life.
One of my dear friends has just had a baby and we were talking about this recently. The way that chronic sleep deprivation and other issues of new motherhood can mean that each day is entirely taken up simply by responding to the needs at hand and trying to catch bits of sleep whenever possible. Sometimes it’s a challenge to get to the shower in a day, let alone getting out of the house and keeping up with friends socially.
I was thinking about the opportunity here for us to practically show the love of God to any young mums that we know, who do not have family living close by and who may be really struggling with loneliness and a sense of being cut off. This is consistent with God’s heart and instruction to us which is for hospitality (1 Peter 4:9) and for visiting those in need (Matthew 25:36 and James 1:27). It would be so good to support young mums, to bring friendship, to help with housework, to babysit while they sleep for a couple hours, and also to pray together.
I just felt to say that as my friend and I were talking about being a new mum and these challenges that come up, none of it takes away with from the joy of being a mother, caring for a beautiful baby each day, and being entrusted with such a gift from God (Psalm 127:3).
*Reference: Dugan, E, ‘Modern motherhood leaves women ‘lonely,’’ The Independent, 19 October 2007
