Parenting is a tough job, people.
I love my new little man. The love is fierce. But man can it be tough.
Being a parent, and a mother is not for the faint-of-heart. The role requires much heart.
Every single website, blog, newsletter screaming at you what you *should* and *should not* do. It’s obnoxious.
Here’s a list of some things I’ve found to be invaluable as I begin this journey, because who wants to read a list of more crap they need to ignore!
For the Baby
- Throw out those frightening baby nail clippers
- Snuggle your baby
- Kiss your baby too much
- Don’t forget to eat
- Read parenting advice blogs and books, and then throw out the books and stop reading the blogs
- When you place your child on the bed, place them in the middle
- When you take them out of the bath, have your towel ready. They’re slippery little suckers.
- Invest in foam shoes or slippers. You’ll be sneaking around your house like a ninja.
- Oil anything in your house that squeaks
- When people offer to come over and see your baby, drop hints that you have no groceries so they show up with food. For the love of god people, mothers need foods to eat with one hand.
For the Mum
- Get help. Have people come over and snuggle/walk/bounce/whatever to your child (safely) so you can get a break/snooze/at a meal with two hands.
- Take some herbs for your adrenals (stress hormones are produced in the adrenals). Why? Because it’s exhausting making a person and raising one! Check out my blog for adrenal herbs if you’re interested. Some nice ones are Withania, Rhodiola, and Eleuthrococcus. There are herbs that are safe specifically for breastfeeding that I’ll discuss in another post.
- Drink water/wine/coffee and not necessarily in that order.
- Dietary fats (avocado, nuts, nut butters, fish oils). Super important. Eat them.
- Have showers or baths. They feel nice.
- Get outside and move your body.
- Do something every day that brings you joy.
- Talk/cry/vent to friends and loved ones.
- Do not attempt to put on your pre-pregnancy clothes.
- Don’t forget the changes to yourself are the biggest changes you have experienced to your self.
Be kind to yourself. You’ll find your way.
Next up on the blog: breastfeeding… it’s a B#*@h!
Aside — I just loved the blog Motherly over the last few months. New mothers — check it out!