Motherhood

 I think the title of this blog post should explain why I haven't posted in so long haha! By the grace of the Almighty, I have been blessed with the the honour of motherhood this year- a massive silver lining in a year that has otherwise been filled with fear, anxiety, loss and grief. I'm only 3 months into this amazing journey but my God, it can only be described as the steepest learning curve I've ever experienced. I just wanted to share a few thoughts and tips (I am far from an expert) that I've picked up over the last few months.

1. DO NOT COMPARE YOUR EXPERIENCE TO ANYONE ELSE'S!

This is for all first time mums. I have to admit, it's a lot easier said than done, and I still find myself sometimes going down the self-deprecating road of, "but that person's child is sleeping 6 hours already...what am I doing wrong?". Don't get me wrong, it doesn't help when someone asks you how you're doing and you try to be honest, only to be faced with the followup of, "But is she a good sleeper? Does she feed well? Does she still cry a lot?". It's hard to ignore, but if you can...you will set yourself free. 

2. GET SOME GOOD READING MATERIAL

Other than Google, I mean. The number of times a day I type in, "is it normal when a baby..." is ridiculous. I've come to realise that reading a book or listening to a podcast or basically anything fruitful is way more calming and relaxing, especially when breastfeeding. Keep it ready in an easy to access place- fussy babies are a ticking time bomb to the ultimate meltdown, as we all know. 

3. TRUST YOUR GUT

This one, I am really, really passionate about. Far too often, a first time mum will get the "first time mum treatment" when she raises concerns about things she might notice and worry about. Or maybe it was just me. What I have come to realise in the last 3 months is that my instincts have not once let me down so far- so go with yours. Nobody knows your baby better than you, even if it is your first one, so be persistent if you have any concerns. 

4. LET LOOSE A LITTLE

Before I gave birth, I imagined myself to lose the baby weight, be going for serene daily walks with my little one, find time for some light exercise, cook as usual and still have a social life. I look back and wonder how much I must have paid for those drugs. Don't get me wrong, for some people it does pan out that way. For me and a lot of others, it doesn't. And that's just life. I used to think I must have been doing something terribly wrong or that there was something wrong with my daughter for me not to manage all the activities and lifestyle of my fellow mothers, but actually...it's just the hand I've been dealt. Have low expectations and you might be pleasantly surprised. 

That's all for now. There are lots more but...my newest boss needs me!