Will My Maternal Instincts Kick In When I Meet My Baby?

You have been thinking about your first meeting with your baby daily for the past nine months and likely dreaming about it too. There are few moments in life more momentous and your first meeting will be a memory you treasure. It may, however, not be exactly as imagined. You may be exhausted. You may also feel a bit disappointed if a wave of maternal feelings doesn’t side-swipe you as your eyes meet for the first time. Rest assured it does not mean that you lack maternal instinct. You may feel emotionally drained instead and that is normal. You have cared for and nurtured your baby for nine months, so you are already a good mother – albeit, perhaps, a tired one. The bond you dreamed of feeling is already happening, whether it is immediate or takes a little while to develop fully.