Becoming a parent for the first time is unlike any other life experience, and can bring up a whole new world of emotions, quickly taking a toll on your physical and mental health. Speaking with a trained therapist can help both parents to work through some of the feelings and emotions that may be coming up, especially as hormones continue to change and as new milestones take place with the newborn. Whether you are suffering from a complete lack of sleep, parental guilt that you may not be the perfect parent, comparing yourself to other parents or are constantly getting conflicting advice for what is best for your child, or your own childhood trauma is being dredged up, making sure that you are putting your mental health first will ensure that you are able to be the best parent possible for your child. 

The type of parenting therapy that is best for you really depends on your needs and why you are seeking therapy for parenting. Some options of therapy for parents includes co-parenting counselling or divorce adjustment therapy for couples who have separated and are having issues with the changes in parenting that come with the new territory. 

Some parents will choose to get therapy if they grew up with abusive parents in which case they will likely receive cognitive behavioral therapy to ensure that intergenerational trauma can be stopped with them. It is also common for new parents, more specifically moms, to suffer from post-partum depression due to the influx of hormones and inability to properly balance self-care with caring for the newborn, in which case cognitive behavioral therapy is also recommended to manage the mental health of the parent and treat any depression or anxiety that may be getting in the way of healthy and positive parenting. Many couples will opt for relationship counselling as well to ensure that they are on the same page regarding the distribution of household labor and parental responsibilities.

The transition from being a child-free adult to a new parent is one of the biggest life changes we endure and it comes with many challenges. Firstly, it is a massive adjustment for lifestyle. Your sleep schedule will be completely inconsistent and change from week to week, making most first time parents suffer from sleep anxiety or regular exhaustion. This regular exhaustion can lead to a depletion of physical and mental health, and often leads to relationship issues as both parents are trying to cope with their new responsibilities and identity. 

There are many sacrifices that have to be made by both parents including lifestyle changes, scheduling changes, and career changes. The mother will be going through a wide range pf physical changes as well, caused by hormones and breastfeeding and the aftermath of pregnancy. It can start to feel impossible to balance all aspects of life such as maintaining a household, maintaining interpersonal relationships, prioritizing individuality and preserving mental health and hygiene. However, all of these difficulties are incredibly common for new parents and may just require some external support and counselling to ensure it is properly managed.

Every baby and child is different, requiring more or less from the parents at different stages in their development. That being said, most babies are considered to become a bit easier to manage once they are no longer newborns, when they are around 3 to 4 months in age. The transition from newborn to infant comes with a more predictable eating and sleeping schedule, with the sleeping typically taking place for longer stretches of time.  For more information, contact us today or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 9719 Northeast Parkway, Suite 100 Matthews NC 28105. We serve clients from Matthews NC, Charlotte NC, Mint Hill NC, Indian Trail NC, Pineville NC, and Stallings NC.