Sometimes, a woman experiences a temporary holding back from the baby whose birth caused pain or emotional trauma. A new mother may have a feeling of distance-which in retrospect may seem like disinterest. Or she may feel a strong need to attend to herself, pain and exhaustion compete with interest in the baby. In retrospect, she may see herself as selfish. Because of this, many women say they feel guilty about their initial responses to their babies.
Many women speak of feeling outside of themselves after labor.
It is as though one's personal boundaries are hazy. This is to be expected. Most women say it takes days to come back into themselves. This is the natural rhythm of things. Something amazing is going on.