Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.” “Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life.” “The mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom.” “You don’t take a class; you’re thrown into motherhood and learn from experience.
I am NOT Supermom and That is OKAY
Becoming a mom changes your world in numerous ways. Growing a cape and gaining magical superpowers is not one of them. If we’re really honest about it, we didn’t even get an instruction manual! Us mothers have been put into a role that most of us know nothing about.
Motherhood is RAW and REAL
I know when I became a Mother, I was COMPLETELY lost. Motherhood is not like what you see in the movies or on TV. It is REAL and RAW. I compensated by trying to become SUPERMOM, and boy was that a disaster. I was tired, irritable and cranky, which does not make for a good recipe when raising a newborn/infant/child.
Do not overdo it!
I remember when my son slept (which wasn’t as often as a baby should) I would get up and clean the whole entire house, like CLEAN with bleach and anti-bacterial products. I would go over areas that were perfectly spotless because I was and still have a form of OCD when it comes to germs. I would also cook three full meals a day, do laundry and work from home full time(yes nurses can work from home). I did all of this while caring for an infant into his toddler years. Whew!
Give Yourself A Break
I was spreading myself thin, is an understatement, to say the least. My thought process was, well my mother and grandmothers did it, why can’t I? Well, guess what? I am not them. It takes a village to raise a child in my opinion and each of us does it in our own way.
Motherhood is a Learning Experience
In the two years since I had my J, I have learned so much. The most important being, take a breather and stop trying to do it all! We are real moms at the end of the day and as long as our children are healthy and happy, that’s really what is important. The dishes in the sink can wait a while, making the bed can take a backseat as well.
Making a Change
How have things changed? Well, the first thing I did after learning my son’s routine was come up with a schedule that would benefit both of us. I still managed to cook three meals a day by prepping things while he slept. I was lucky enough to have a boss who understood that I may have to take frequent breaks in between due to the baby. During my son’s first nap of the day, I would clean and make the bed because truthfully it irritated me not having it done. During his second nap, I would cook. The rest of the time was dedicated to working and watching him.
Create your HAPPY Space
Now that my son is a bit older I have adapted the schedule to fit his needs. He runs all over the place now so it’s a bit tougher but not impossible. I am lucky enough to have my mother within 2 hours of us, and yes I do call when I need her. Never be afraid to ask for help. Whether it is with cooking, cleaning, etc. My husband helps me on his days off, when I am exhausted we tend to order or he cooks(WIN). It is equally important to have a strong support system around you, I have no idea how I would have made it without the help of my husband and mother! So in the end mamas, realize you cannot do it all, but you can do enough to create peace and harmony in your home.
Happy Mothering and always remember you’ve got this MAMA!
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