Mother’s Intuition: Real or Really Crazy?

I remember answering the phone one morning, and on the other end of the line was my sister, who had just given birth a few weeks prior.

“I think I am losing my mind. I keep envisioning horrible things like dropping my baby down the stairs as we are walking down, or accidentally cutting her when I am cutting fruit. I don’t know what to do” she sobbed to me.

It took me by surprise. You see, my sister is a very strong woman. She is also a midwife, So hearing her feel so distraught and at a loss was not something I expected. We took some deep breaths and talked a bit more about how she was feeling overall physically and emotionally. She felt fine, she loved the baby, was resting and eating well, and she felt supported. So what was happening to her?

She had discovered her Mother’s Intuition.

Am I crazy or is this real?

While we can’t link you to a study showing the statistics, or break down the how and why of mother’s intuition, we can confidently tell you that mother’s have an innate ability to foresee dangers and will choose safer options when presented. They often do it physically before their brains even process the logic behind it.

When does it start?

Mother’s Intuition is simply an extension of human intuition. We are born with intuition as a survival skill. Unfortunately in today’s age we drown out our intuition with technology and the advise of thousands of strangers. It’s not surprising then, to feel caught off guard when this intuition resurfaces in an intense way, and is directed at your baby.

Drowning out the voices

As a doula, we encourage moms to find a few simple resources and providers to rely on. Dr. Google and the mom forums are not the best way to calm your nerves as a new parent. It is a great way to end up in the ER at 2 am because your baby gagged on phlegm and 500 moms have convinced you that your baby is in mortal danger.

There are many ways to scale back the influx of technology and advise, and reconnect to your intuition.

Here are just a few:

Honor yourself: Recognize that you DO have intuition and you are NOT crazy.
Take a technology break: Anxiety and Intuition cannot abide in the same space. So declutter your mind and welcome a small time of peaceful quiet.
Sleep: We need sleep for our bodies to heal and regenerate. It’s a non-negotiable.
Keep your body hydrated: Hydration is vital to our brains and muscles working properly, especially if we are nursing a new little human.