In 1998 a research project was undertaken in England to identify women's expectations of birth and the period following. That bonding is automatic Most mothers before birth felt that they would feel a surge of maternal feeling the moment they saw their babies. This is the exception rather than the rule. Most women get to know their babies and to fall in love with them, as they care for them and as each gets to know the other. Many mothers feel awkward in the first weeks caring for their babies.
Some mothers enjoy the new baby stage and other mothers enjoy the later stages more.
Each of us has a different personality and preference. Once the baby is born there are some mothers who feel that they do not want to breast-feed. Some babies are very easy to feed but very often in the beginning there are various hiccups until a routine gets established eg. These are temporary problems that can be solved with appropriate guidance from a breast-feeding counsellor. What is surprising is how emotional one feels about everything to do with the baby, including feeding, especially when there are important decisions to be taken, e.g. whether or not one should continue breast-feeding.