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New Mothers Quotes To Support You Through This Life-Changing Experience

Jordan N. — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 19:13:31 +0000

New motherhood is full of surprises. Besides the good, there are also the bad and the ugly. But through it all, there’s one thing that every new mom needs: rock-solid support. So we’ve gathered some of our favorite new mothers quotes to help you get through those first few months (and beyond). From the hilarious to the relatable, these quotes capture everything about this fantastic—and crazy—journey. The journey is both beautiful and challenging. There are so many things to learn as a new mom and discover through every moment. It can sometimes feel daunting, but it is also an extraordinary time for you. And yes, becoming a new mother can be an overwhelming experience. And it is only natural for new moms to feel lost and unsure of what to do. Many new mothers worry that these feelings of uncertainty are signs that they are not doing the right thing. However, it is essential to remember that these times are part of the adjustment process, and all new mothers go through them. Please take a moment and take it all in slowly. Finding your feet as a new mom takes time; each day with your little one will bring discoveries and new challenges. Challenges provide unique learning opportunities – look at each as an opportunity to grow in confidence and discover more of what you can achieve. With every success, you will gain understanding and eventually conquer the mommy puzzle piece by piece! Here are some quotes for new mothers that may open up hidden feelings, give some needed laughs, and all in between. NEW MOTHERS QUOTES FOR YOU Birth “Birth is the epicenter of women’s power.” – Ani DiFranco “Birthing is the most profound initiation to spirituality a woman can have.” – Robin Lim “In giving birth to our babies, we may find that we give birth to new possibilities within ourselves.”– Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn “Birth matters. It brings us into being, on many levels.” – Ananda Lowe “Birth takes a woman’s deepest fears about herself and show her that she is stronger than them.” – Unknown “A miracle is really the only way to describe motherhood and giving birth. It’s unbelievable how God has made us women and babies to endure and be able to do so much. A miracle, indeed. Such an incredible blessing.” – Jennie Finch Recovery “Just as there is no warning for childbirth, there is no preparation for the sight of a first child. There should be a song for women to sing at this moment, or a prayer to recite. But perhaps there is none because there are no words strong enough to name that moment.” – Anita Diamant “There is nothing like a newborn baby to renew your spirit and to buttress your resolve to make the world a better place.” – Virginia Kelley “A new baby is like the beginning of all things-wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities.” —Eda J. Le Shan “I begin to love this little creature, and to anticipate his birth as a fresh twist to a know which I do not wish to unite.” – Mary Wollstonecraft “There will be so many times you feel like you’ve failed. But in the eyes, heart and mind of your child, you are super mom.” –Stephanie Precourt “Postpartum is a quest back to yourself. Alone in your body again. You will never be the same, you are stronger than you were.” –Amethyst Joy “When the baby is born, all that pain (that was endured) vanishes in an instant. Love for that tiny baby makes one forget the pain, the fear.” – Hope Bradford Emotions “A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s.” – Princess Diana “The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will find forgiveness.” – Honore de Balzac “Whether your pregnancy was meticulously planned, medically coaxed, or happened by surprise, one thing is certain – your life will never be the same.” – Catherine Jones “A mother’s joy begins when new life is stirring inside; when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone.” – Unknown “Nothing compares to becoming aware of the massive face of the universe hidden in a newborn’s stare.” – Curtis Tyrone Jones “A baby is something you carry inside you for nine months, in your arms for three years and in your heart till the day you die.” – Mary Mason Love “Love as powerful as your mother’s leaves its own mark…To have been loved so deeply… Will give us some protection forever.” – J.K. Rowling “We are born of love; love is our mother.” – Rumi “Before you were conceived, I wanted you. Before you were born, I loved you. Before you were here, I would die for you. This is the miracle of Mother’s love.” – Maureen Hawkins “Making the decision to have a child — it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” – Elizabeth Stone “A baby is born with a need to be loved—and never outgrows it.” — Frank A. Clark “I don’t remember who said this, but there really are places in the heart you don’t even know exist until you love a child.” – Anne Lamott “No one else will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all, you’re the only one who knows the sound of my heart from the inside.”- Kristen Proby “Loving a baby is a circular business, a kind of feedback loop. The more you give the more you get and the more you get the more you feel like giving.” – Penelope Leach Related Posts: 21 Most Inspiring Motherhood Quotes Every Mom Needs to Hear First-Time Mom? The Honest, Raw, and Obvious Truth Ways to Boost Your Confidence as a Mom in Nine Simple Actions Challenges “To all mothers in every circumstance, including those who struggle, I say, ‘Be peaceful. Believe in God and yourself. You are doing better than you think you are.'” – Jeffrey R. Holland “Being a mother is the highest paid job in the world. Since the payment is in pure love.” – Amina Sambo “The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children” – Jessica Lange “You’re always going to wonder if you’re doing things wrong, but that’s what it means to be a mom, to care so much about someone else that you just want to be as perfect as possible.” – Naya Rivera “There are hard days in motherhood, but looking at your baby sleeping reminds you why it’s all worth it.” – Kara Ferwerda “Having kids – the responsibility of rearing good, kind, ethical, responsible human beings – is the biggest job anyone can embark on.” – Maria Shriver “Whilst challenging, you will find caring for your baby one of the best experiences of your life.” – Gina Ford Strength “Sometimes the strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.” – Barbara Kingsolver “Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had, and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed.”- Linda Wooten “Becoming a mother makes you realize you can do almost anything one-handed.” – Unknown “I like to think of motherhood as a great big adventure. You set off on a journey, you don’t really know how to navigate things, and you don’t exactly know where you’re going or how you’re going to get there.” – Cynthia Rowley “In giving birth to our babies, we may find that we give birth to new possibilities within ourselves.”– Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn Lessons “When we encourage new parents to ‘treasure these moments because they don’t last forever,’ we need to remember to also reassure them that they will survive these moments because they don’t last forever.” – L.R. Knost “Tell the story of the mountain you climbed. Your words could become a page in someone else’s survival guide.” – Margan Harper Nichols “Everything has changed, and yet, I’m more me than I’ve ever been.” – Iain Thomas “Be patient with yourself. You and your baby are both learning new things each day.” – Unknown “You never understand life until it grows inside of you.” – Sandra C. Kassis “Don’t stand unmoving outside the door of a crying baby whose only desire is to touch you. Go to your baby. Go to your baby a million times. Demonstrate that people can be trusted, that the environment can be trusted, that we live in a benign universe.” – Peggy O’Mara “While we try to teach our children all about life, they teach us what life is all about.” – Angela Schwindt “Your most valuable parenting skill is learning to manage yourself first.” – Dr. Laura Markham Journey “To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.” – Maya Angelou “You’ll learn to lower your expectations about what you can accomplish in a day. Some days, it will be all you can do to keep a baby safe, warm, and fed, and that will be enough.” – Unknown “Everything grows rounder and wider and weirder, and I sit here in the middle of it all and wonder who in the world you will turn out to be.” – Carrie Fisher “A mother is always the beginning. She is how things begin.” – Amy Tan “Parenting is the easiest thing in the world to have an opinion about, but the hardest thing in the world to do.” – Matt Walsh “All those cliches, those things you hear about having a baby and motherhood –– all of them are true.” – Penelope Cruz Humor “Motherhood: The only place you can experience Heaven and Hell at the same time.” – Unknown “I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.” – Phyllis Diller “People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one.” – Leo J. Burke “Ah, babies! They’re more than just adorable little creatures on whom you can blame your farts.” – Tina Fey “I don’t want to sleep like a baby. I want to sleep like my husband.” – Nicole Fornabaio “Becoming a mom to me means you have accepted that for the next 16 years of your life, you will have a sticky purse.” – Nia Vardalos “Sleep is like the unicorn—it is rumored to exist, but I doubt I will see any.” – Unknown Beautiful Quotes for New Mothers New mothers have a particular time of adjusting to their new roles. Feeling clueless sometimes is normal, yet it also empowers you when overcoming a mom hurdle. As you embark on this motherhood journey, take a pocketful of quotes regarding new mothers. How you walk your path is unique to you alone. Growing and learning become your new way of life. Understandably, new mothers may feel out of their league when having a rough day. Learning new roles on the spot and managing new stress and anxiety levels can be challenging, especially when it seemingly doesn’t end. Knowing this is only temporary can provide new mothers with comfort as they bravely journey through motherhood. Although these rough days will undoubtedly test your limits, take heart in knowing that eventually, you’ll find new success and skill in each new challenge you face, growing stronger by the day. So if things seem too overwhelming today, remember to reach out for support, keep breathing and stay determined– things will get easier! We hope this post inspired, encouraged, and made you laugh and feel better. Please share this post or PIN it for later. Thank you.

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13 Simple Habits of a Happy Mom

Jordan N. — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 06:28:15 +0000

What if there’s one thing that you can do about being happy in your life? What is a happy mom, and how can simple habits help you feel happier? Anything can wear out a mom’s bandwidth. These days, it’s easier to get caught up with matters at home, work, and out in the community. Moms are stretched to the limits and barely surviving. You may be working during the pandemic and figuring out kids’ daycare/school needs. Or you’re navigating homeschooling for the first time or working from home with kids not yet able to attend school. Overstress is enough to get your emotional state at a crisis. So how can you give when your tank is almost empty? Are you frustrated to the point of wanting to burrow up beneath the sheets? Do you feel like piles of housework are engulfing you? You are not alone. Many moms who feel at the brink of exhaustion. No denying that they may surrender any small glimpse of joy for themselves can become burnout, weary, and even unhappy. You all must do what you know is best for your situation. However, you can adjust some aspects of your life to accommodate some that help brings you joy. It is time to think about what drove you at this point? What did you let go to make space for others? Everyone has their definition of happiness in life. We can’t argue that we see life through a different lens and mood. We might seek happiness in every milestone related to our personal, home, and work-life almost every day. It’s validating for us. It holds reality in check. Yet, you don’t have to wait until we meet these monumental moments to feel happy. Instead, you can create habits into your daily routine that help you feel happier, no matter what life throws at you. 13 Simple habits you can incorporate daily to be a Happy Mom Get enough sleep and make physical health a priority. I know, I know. So why do these have to be the first one on the list? Less sleep and decreased recovery mean you’re tired or become moody. What about your immune system and heart health? These two can become affected when your sleep schedule isn’t great. Invest in a calming bedtime routine after the kids have gone to bed. Select bedtime rituals that encourage your body to slow down and relax. A study suggests that sleep and happiness are linked. So why not create better schedule for sleep to happen, whenever possible. Trust that your body will get you through the day. Fuel your body with a balanced diet and moderate physical activity. You are more than capable of practicing habits that keep your body in a healthy state. If you’re battling a chronic health condition, it’s more critical to regularly see your doctor and make use of the individualized plan to manage your condition. When you’re sick, take care and don’t push yourself. As moms, we tend to continue the grind even when we’re sick. Let others help you. You need to rest and recuperate. Go outside. Even for just 30 minutes, a short walk around the neighborhood can reset your mind from the daily grind of motherhood. Even on your workdays, stepping out to get 10 minutes of air from outside can help you flourish. Set a calendar day to go hiking in nature and take in the fresh air and the calming benefits of nature sounds. Or visit a public garden and sit in silence under the trees. Spend time with the people you love. Your spouse may also crave some time alone. Let it be the norm to spend time together. If you both work outside the home, set aside time to communicate and connect. Plan a fun evening for the two of you and refrain from talking about the kids. Instead, refocus your attention on what makes you love the person you’re with. Spending one-on-one time with your kids can do wonders in their emotional development. They become the focus of your time, not a household chore, not errands. They see you cut out time to be with them and intentionally connect. Kids feel safe and loved when parents are mindful about reconnecting. RELATED POST: Intentional Motherhood: Mothering with Purpose Do things with purpose. Work with purpose. Being purposeful takes practice. We are all prone to auto-pilot. With that, you have your schedule of chores, appointments, and activities. However, there’s an opportunity to slow down. Take the time to indulge in the moment of what you’re doing. When we love our job at work, we don’t feel the drag. We feel passionate and motivated to do our best at work. Do your work with purpose. Answer the why; why you’re doing what you’re doing. Do you feel happy about your job? There’s a thin line between happiness at work and because you need to work. Search for your purpose when you aren’t feeling fulfilled in where you are right now. I don’t mean, quit at once. Instead, reset and rethink what benefits you and check your happiness gauge. Aim for simple, realistic self-care. Self-care is this and that. Everyone tells you what to do. Please take it as your guide for starting on self-care. However, what method you use or choose to take care of yourself – depends on what keeps your spirit up. You don’t want to be lifting three times a week when your heart isn’t in it. Or gardening on the weekends when you want to read or relax. Choose what makes you happy. Choose something that fuels your mind and body. Indulge in self-care that refuels you and your joy. Practice gratitude. Being practical doesn’t mean being dull. On the contrary, things and people in our lives bring us joy in moments. What sets gratitude apart is that it comes from within. Your inner voice tells you that “I’m grateful for small things, for the challenges that made me grow, for the supportive people in my life, and more.” It helps you see things in a different light, and you become grateful for what you have. Decrease media time. In a world full of instant access, media is helpful when you’re looking for information. But when you dwell on negative news every single day, it takes away your peace of mind when you take in what’s happening in the world. Take little at a time. Maybe listen to the morning news and shut it off afterward. Social media scrolling, if it triggers you – skip the ones that don’t serve you. Get home in order. I’m not referring to the type of HGTV home organization-level and simply illustrating getting clutter and chaos out of sight and creating a cleaning routine that fits your schedule and lifestyle. It can’t be something that forces you to do every single day. However, homemaking brings joy to those who do it with purpose. Getting overwhelmed with chores can become stressful enough that it disrupts your happiness. As a result, you become whiny, short-tempered, and even unhappy. Share the load. Everyone shares the homemaking load. Remember, it isn’t only you who use the space at home. You have the whole family. So let them pitch in with what they can appropriately do. The kids can do chores that can quickly be done and delegated. You can check out my post on the chore list by age. Sharing household management with your spouse or significant other can lighten up the load on you physically. However, taking into account how it can liberate your mental load when you know that some home care isn’t just your responsibility, but everyones’. Reach out when it’s all so overwhelming. RELATED POST: Declutter Before Organizing Positive mindset. Positivity in all the things you do can become taxing. I get it. You can’t just happily skip around town and stay positive. But intentionally reminding yourself of what matters and remaining positive can help you reframe your mind and feel happier. Talk it out with someone if you feel you can’t get past an event or are causing you undue emotions that aren’t dissipating. Release the negative thoughts. Seeing the brighter side of life takes patience and reminder. Acknowledge the not-so-good part and move forward with what you can do and control. You can decrease the mental load of motherhood when you focus on what makes you a happy mom and simple habits that you can change along the way. Keep a routine. Either doing an early morning routine, having a journaling schedule, or getting your kids’ routine down with them, it gets easier for you to navigate life. When you spend time doing personal rituals that make you happy or keep you motivated to stay happy, you’re more likely to keep them up. Setting up and implementing routine needs discipline and flexibility to adjust to anything. But, it doesn’t have to be done or anything. Seek out what you can do; joy becomes the focus, not perfection. Learn to manage your time. Don’t you have enough time to do everything at home and work even? Prioritize and have a plan for everything. As mentioned above, routines for kids can help you streamline the things that need to be done. They’re aware of what they expect to do at a given moment. And as your kids do their daily routine in the morning or evening, you have that window to do other things to help everyone get out the door or get ready for bed. You can’t be cleaning all day. Start creating a time block for your cleaning routine. You don’t have to multitask all the time. Permit yourself to do one thing at a time to give your brain a break from processing multiple information. Assign time limits if you can, so you are not stuck to one task for a long time. As a work-from-home mom, I do timer for my focused daily tasks. I already have a set schedule to homeschool, my kids. I can block out times for other priority tasks around those times. When I put time for my freelance health writing, I batch tasks in an hour or two, like researching or creating content. As for this blog, tasks needed to keep it running and writing blog posts draw priority. These are somehow a loose schedule for all work-related tasks. Nothing is written in stone. However, I value the time when I can focus on one task at a time and be flexible enough to adjust when I need to. Breaks are essential to keep you on track with your scheduled tasks. Set prayer as part of your day. Let it lead you to seek solace in times of trouble and sadness. Those challenging times draw that grace from prayers when you question your worth. Seek the strength from Him that gives life and perfect refuge. It isn’t temporary joy. When you give your all and lead a prayerful life, you open up your heart to find happiness in His love and mercy every single day. Final Words of Simple Habits to do as a Happy Mom Ultimately, being a mom is hard work yet comes with beautiful moments to treasure. So you tuck those moments somewhere and draw joy from remembering them. Making time on your daily habits as a mom will help you feel happy and fulfilled amid the chaos of mothering and managing the home. As moms, we draw our strength from within. We give love without expectations. Start small and add on what you can. Starting a habit doesn’t require you to completely overhaul your life. Instead, let these steps help you become a happier mom in the days to come. Take a small step to change and weave it into your day-to-day journey of becoming a happy mom. Liking this kind of post? Please leave a comment to let me know about what you do to stay a happy mom?

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Tips for a Struggling NICU Mom: Surviving the NICU Life

Jordan N. — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 00:20:46 +0000

It’s heartbreaking and harrowing having a premature baby in the NICU. But as reality hit me that my baby would stay in the hospital and not come home with me – I became a NICU mom. In this post, I will be sharing tips on how you can survive the NICU life as a struggling mom. I never expected the day our daughter was born; I would also become a member of the NICU parents club. I’d never thought I would be in this challenging situation. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) life from any parent’s perspective is frightening. Even though I am a nurse by calling, nothing could have prepared me for the long nights and terrifying months inside the NICU life. It was hard. It was nerve-wracking and painful seeing our daughter born 12 weeks early in an incubator with all the wires attached to her tiny body. Being a mama came first, and it was hard witnessing how our baby could have been growing still in my womb. It was a mixed emotion of disbelief, guilt, numbness, anxiety, and fear. Who wouldn’t? NICU moms’ different emotions appear in this trying time – NICU time is brutal to parents (new ones or not). The NICU nurses were encouraging and supportive – that my situation will ease up soon and for me to stay strong. I’m confident they were trying to help me feel a bit better and calm. The first six weeks were difficult for my husband, our six years old son, and me. I couldn’t bear to see our son cry, knowing he had lost a sister a year before and now his other sister might not come home. That memory breaks my heart a hundred million times. My husband had to balance NICU visits, our son, his work, and with me battling postpartum anxiety. Yet, through God’s grace – we all thrived in our new everyday – life with a baby in the NICU. Find your rhythm as a family in these life-changing weeks or even months. It will be hard and trying. Here are tips to survive the NICU life, even as a struggling mom. 1. Take care of your basic needs. Sleep isn’t even on any NICU moms’ radar, but try to get some rest and enough sleep as possible. Also, eat a well-balanced diet and hydrate well to nourish yourself, especially if you’re pumping breastmilk for your premature baby. You are recovering from birth and healing during this postpartum period as well. I know it’s hard not to take in too much, especially juggling home and NICU life. But, if you had a C-section, your C-section wound is still fresh, new, and possibly painful – take it easy. 2. Engage in self-care activities that help you recharge in and out of the NICU. Find time to nurture yourself, even just for a couple of hours. You could read a good book while you sit by the isolette. If you knit as a hobby, you can incorporate a cute hat or booties for your baby. Find something that makes you happy and boosts your spirit. Take a short walk around the hospital garden. Spend time with your spouse/significant other. 3. Familiarize yourself with the routine in the NICU. When they check on your baby, doctor rounds, healthcare team meetings, primary baby care, feeding times, and kangaroo care time, when possible, be an active caregiver of your baby. As simple as taking your baby’s temperature or helping change how they are positioned. 4. Ask questions from your nurses and doctors assigned to your baby. They can explain what you didn’t understand or know. Don’t hesitate to clarify before deciding on any medical plans and treatments. You get to decide what happens to your baby regarding procedures and other NICU care. However, in an emergency event, you may not have a long time to decide. Therefore, they will need an immediate answer from you. Your NICU team will do whatever they can to help your baby if you aren’t around or unable to reach you to decide on emergency care. You may also be asked ahead of time about your wishes when a life-threatening event happens. 5. Reach out for support: Family and friends Other NICU parents NICU community support – NICU Helping Hands; Hand To Hold or March of Dimes NICU Family Support Church support groups You can lean on them for moral and spiritual support. Also, relatives/trusted friends/sitters can keep your other children occupied if medical procedures are scheduled for your NICU baby. 6. Document your NICU stay. You can journal about anything, about your baby, milestones, parent-healthcare team conferences, or your thoughts/emotions. If allowed, you can take pictures of your baby or you with your baby (newborn care, skin-to-skin, or feeding times). 7. Spend time with your other children. Reconnect with them between the NICU and home. It can be difficult for children to navigate the NICU routine and see their baby sibling’s condition. Being with your children can strengthen you as well as them. Ask them about their school and other activities. Spending time with them in these confusing times can help ease their worries and anxieties. RELATED POST: Helping a Sibling of a NICU Baby Adjust 8. Do this together with your spouse/significant other. It can be challenging when a spouse is working outside the home. Likewise, it’s challenging when your schedules might not meet up. However, you can readjust your visiting times together and sometimes alone. Also, don’t forget to open up with each other; communication is essential to stay connected. Finally, lean on each other; you both are taking this NICU journey together. My husband would visit our daughter in the NICU around 9 pm, and I stayed at home with our son. Then I would stay in the NICU all day while our son was at school. Then, we would visit or schedule it when he was off when our son came home from school, and we all went together. Ultimately, do what works for your family. 9. If you are religious, prayer can strengthen you. Get encouraged through the words of God and His promise. Let this experience strengthen your faith. You may have doubts and may even feel angry about what’s happening. You have every right to feel what you are feeling throughout this trying time. Also, you know what you can handle. Take the promise of His refuge, His perfect love. 10. If you are having trouble coping beyond what you can handle. Talk to a licensed therapist. Your doctor can refer you to a healthcare provider who can assist you in addressing your mental health needs. Reach out for help; the NICU social worker can also help you with the resources you need. 11. Breast Milk is recommended nutrition for NICU babies (Premature/Sick Newborns). That also means a pumping schedule for you. Your milk as a Preemie Mom may not come right away. At first, it’ll be just a few drops or milliliters, but as NICU nurses said – any amount of mama milk is gold. So stay with your pumping routine. These routines will be every 2 hours a day and every 3 hours at night. Ask for help if you are having lactation issues from nurses/lactation consultants. Pumping milk was the only thing I could do to help my baby and contribute. It encouraged me more to do what I could. However, suppose you are breaking down and having difficulty coping with everything after exploring every lactation solution. Please know that it’s okay to choose not to struggle anymore. It’s okay to use donated breastmilk or even the unique formula for NICU/Premature babies. Please don’t blame yourself for this challenging experience and not pumping your milk. Regardless of how your NICU baby is fed, your baby needs to get the nourishment they need. 12. Do skin-to-skin (Kangaroo Care) with your premature baby. This method is proven to help with the baby’s development, stabilizes the baby’s heart rate and breathing, and more. For moms, it lowers stress, increases bonding, improves your milk supply, and more. Every kangaroo time is a blessing to every NICU mom and provides many benefits to the baby. These cuddles were most precious to me. It also allowed my husband to hold our daughter and comfort her. Our son was able to be around her during these skin-to-skin times as well. Those are the NICU life survival tips for a struggling NICU Mom. One day at a time, Mama. As you walk in your NICU journey, know that you are not alone. Help is available for you and your spouse. Then, finally, the day will arrive when you can welcome your sweet baby home with you. Are you a mom with a little one in the NICU? I’m hoping this post is helpful as you navigate NICU life. I’d also love to hear from other NICU moms who have been there. Do you have other helpful tips to add to help another struggling NICU mom? September is the National Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness Month

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Postpartum Anxiety and Tips for Moms Who Have It

Jordan N. — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 21:20:54 +0000

What is postpartum anxiety? Why does it happen? What can you do if you or anyone you know are experiencing anxiety after giving birth? Postpartum anxiety (PPA) is a mental disorder experienced by moms who have recently given birth or around the recovery period of 6 months to a year. Awareness of postpartum anxiety is not as full-blown as information on postnatal depression that moms get access to. Unfortunately, the discussion about this particular maternal mental disorder has less searchable information on the web either. According to Postpartum Support International on Anxiety During Pregnancy and Postpartum, “Approximately 6% of pregnant women and 10% of postpartum women develop anxiety. Sometimes they experience anxiety alone, and sometimes they experience it in addition to depression.” Another study by Lorraine Byrnes Ph.D., PMHNP-BC that 11-21% of US women are vulnerable in the perinatal and postpartum period to develop anxiety disorders. Many moms face this period of distress as they transition into their new role as mothers and even as mothers who have had more children. PPA doesn’t pick its host. It settles within whether you are ready or not. When can Postpartum Anxiety occur? How long does it last? It sets in anytime during your postpartum period; it can be as early as a few weeks and as late as a year or so after. But, when it shows itself, you may not realize that it has. It can crawl slowly unnoticed, or it can be as loudly stumping around you. Any mom can experience it once or more times in succeeding deliveries. I had it with all three of my babies, three distinct pregnancies, and experiences. If you had postnatal anxiety after your first baby, you might or might not experience it after the next child. Everyone is different, and each pregnancy/recovery is unique. An epidemiological study on women at Chaim Sheba Medical Center maternity ward indicates that approximately 40% of women postpartum experienced severe anxiety. Moms experiencing postnatal anxiety can last an extended time without proper treatment and support. The recovery from anxiety will depend on the severity of her status, when she reached out for help, whether she has a supportive circle, and her willingness to commit to helping herself get better. There are many circumstances that moms learn how to manage their anxiety in their day-to-day living, and it’s entirely possible to attain it with proper care and treatment. Why does it happen? Causes and Risk Factors for Moms When moms cross the threshold of birth, the hormones can shift significantly in the body. It can cause massive changes because hormones are decreasing abruptly, such as estrogen and progesterone. Additionally, other hormones are increasing after birth, like prolactin, oxytocin, and thyroid hormones. Also, the chance of experiencing postnatal anxiety increases with every delivery. In general, causes are unknown; however, risk factors can contribute to the PPA setting in. The risk factors that may increase your risk of experiencing Postnatal Anxiety: Anxiety (personal or family history) Previous experience with anxiety or depression Difficult pregnancy Trauma at birth/PTSD Sleeplessness/Sleep disruptions Thyroid imbalances Medical Problems (Baby or Mom) Other mental disorders Postpartum Obsessive-compulsive disorder (POCD) Pregnancy Loss/Stillbirth Even if you don’t fall into the categories above, you can still experience PPA during the first week to a year after birth. Therefore, it’s best to know PPA and continue to work closely with your doctor during postpartum recovery and postpartum visits. Signs and Symptoms of Postpartum Anxiety Symptoms of anxiety can be seen as usual around your recovery. However, when it interferes with your thoughts, emotions, and daily living, it can pose a threat to your wellbeing and even your newborn. Trouble sleeping Constant Excessive Worry Sleep and Eating Disturbance Increased Heart Rate, or Palpitations Increased Respirations, and Blood Pressure Dizziness, Headache, Being Flushed, Excessive Sweat Stomach Pain and Nausea Panic Attacks Racing Thoughts Feelings of impending doom or death Unable to relax and be still Irritable and sometimes anger Feelings of Overwhelm and Distress Inability to focus Memory Lapses RELATED POST: My Personal Story of Postpartum Anxiety Treatment and Help for Moms with Postnatal Anxiety Your healthcare provider will screen you for perinatal mental disorders, including postpartum anxiety using a standard screening. Some providers may screen you a few weeks before the due date to anticipate postnatal anxiety signs and symptoms, especially if you’re high risk. You may undergo a complete psychiatric evaluation by a licensed mental health professional to determine the cause of anxiety (whether caused by other factors). Although you can quickly look up symptoms online, be sure to visit a doctor for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. Knowing what your treatment options are and when to ask for help Reach out to your doctor when symptoms occur early on. It’s crucial to bring attention to what you’re experiencing to your doctor so interventions can begin. The treatment can start with a non-medication approach and therapeutic counseling. When symptoms become severe, you may be prescribed medications and other supportive supplements by your doctor. If you are worried about taking medications when breastfeeding, please talk with your doctor and pediatrician. They can give you the best advice on how to move forward with this treatment option. Your support system can also help you be alert; they’re the ones you encounter daily or sometime during your recovery and the vulnerable postpartum period. Other modalities can help moms with postnatal anxiety, such as guided meditations, cognitive behavior therapy, or essential oils. These alternative methods in managing anxiety for moms can get added to your primary treatment mentioned above. Joining a mom group can also help with belonging to a community that understands what you’re going through and can support moms experiencing PA. I was fortunate enough to find a support group when I was on the difficult journey of postpartum anxiety. For immediate help, call 911. Also, call the SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Please don’t hesitate to call. Can you also get perinatal anxiety? Yes, it can happen, especially to first-time moms—the fear of the unknown and fear of birth (voiced out or unspoken). When new moms encounter worries around labor and delivery, it can predispose them to have perinatal and postpartum anxiety or other perinatal mental disorders. Also, moms told that their babies might have abnormalities or die at birth or soon after. In addition, postnatal anxiety is seen among those already distressed pregnant moms. Even moms who already delivered other children, perinatal anxiety can set in. For Moms who had previous losses, it can increase their risks of perinatal anxiety occurring. Therefore, it’s essential to have strong support and follow-up. Sometimes, moms who work outside the home can also experience ongoing anxiety and go back to work after the baby’s birth. Any scenario involving moms can give way to stress and eventually develop into PA. Tips on New Moms with Postnatal Anxiety 1. Be aware of yourself (emotions, thoughts, and other changes) and your recovery. 2. Acknowledge your fears and worries (labor, delivery, and recovery). 3. Seek out help from your doctor and other healthcare professionals. 4. Have a solid supportive circle around pregnancy and postpartum. If you’re at high risk, your spouse can also be another eye to monitor signs and symptoms of PA. 5. Take it easy during your recovery period. (Easier said than acted on, but it’s achievable with help). 6. Remember to care for yourself and make time. (Self-Care for Moms). 7. Bonding with your baby may be delayed because of your condition; know that you aren’t failing your baby. 8. Write down your experience – labor, birth, recovery (only if it’s not triggering you). Write everything out to keep your mind out of it or talk it out with someone. 9. You can meditate and pray. Let your mind re-focused on the positive. Practice deep breathing every day. Pray for the strength you need and guidance to overcome this trial. 10. Give yourself love and take it one step at a time. Ways you can support someone with Anxiety after Birth Be ready to listen with no judgment. Encourage the mom to seek help and check in regularly. Ask what you can do to help her. Sometimes, the mom will decline your help. But, if there’s an opportunity to do something at home, do it. You may see her cry, rage, panic, or be apathetic. Try to understand her raw emotions. Show her that she is loved and supported. Pray for her and offer some encouraging words (Bible verses, other religious statements based on her affiliation preference). Words of Encouragement for Moms who has Postpartum Anxiety Mama, you are enough, beautiful, the mom your baby needs, and you are supported. You may not feel yourself at this moment. You may blame yourself for what’s happening. Know that it isn’t your fault or undoing. When you seek help, you are the bravest. You put yourself first and find what works. It may not come easy, but it will get better as time goes. Getting your anxiety under control and treated can help you heal and recover. In addition, working through your anxiety can improve the state of your life. Finally, enjoy your motherhood experience with your newborn. Disclaimer: Although The Motherly Heap strives to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult your doctor or healthcare professional. If you find this post on postpartum anxiety helpful, please Share It. In addition, you can also Subscribe to The Motherly Heap Newsletter. Thank you.

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Ways to Boost Your Confidence as a Mom in Nine Simple Actions

Jordan N. — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 03:30:36 +0000

Looking into how you parent and how you feel about yourself can be challenging. Are you looking for ways to boost and build up your confidence as a mom? Becoming a parent, no matter how you think you are prepared, there’ll be an impression of doubt within yourself in your parenting. You may even question yourself if you are equipped to face the challenges of being a new parent. There are ways you can incorporate in your life to gain confidence in being a mom and boost yourself as the ride begins. You can start by examining yourself on how you feel about your role as a mom. When the hard questions start to roll: How confident are you in becoming a mom? What are the pressing issues that you have as a mom? Are there any obstacles that you’ve overcome? What are the experiences that make you proud of yourself in parenting? How is your relationship with your child? In becoming a new parent, what were your emotions? These questions are simply a few of the many that moms have. However, doing some deep reflection of yourself and how you feel about your parenting will open up issues that may need to be addressed. When I became a mom for the first time, I wasn’t confident. I nearly question every single choice and put my parenting under a microscope. I didn’t slip into mothering naturally, to be honest. After almost 12 years of parenting under my belt, I’m more settled and confident in how I parent and how I feel about it. What others think of my parenting isn’t a focus of my mothering days anymore. Instead, I do what feels suitable for my kids and me. So here I am sharing and listing some tips to help build you up and become confident in your parenting. Here are Nine Ways to Boost your Confidence as a New Mom 1. Encourage yourself. Initially, believing that you can do it will help you gain new confidence through experience. Then, as a new parent, that trust will root in how you see and trust yourself to achieve the goals you’ve set as a mom. I know it’s easier said than done. Drawbacks can arise, and it’s not going to derail you in your quest to build confidence. Whenever you feel like a total failure on some days – don’t beat yourself up. Brush yourself off this time and learn from any parenting obstacle. Setting up realistic expectations as a mom will allow you to be flexible and practical with your mothering skills. Life can get tough as you continue to grow into motherhood and, more so, even adjust when your nest becomes empty. Every mom learns along the way; there isn’t one answer to all the questions that occupy her mind every day. So every move and each choice you make in parenting – focus on what you can do now – appreciate the process, plan for tomorrow and remain steadfast within you. 2. Gather more baby knowledge. There isn’t a perfect manual in becoming a parent; heck, there isn’t a manual at all when it comes to parenting/raising your kid. Yes, you can read plenty of parenting books and parenting classes you can join nowadays. In addition, your detective and researching skills will be heightened as you take on your new role. So, it’s good to boost your knowledge about baby’s development, what to expect, remedies in kids’ common ailments, and such. By doing so, you are more secured in handling new situations around you and your baby. You can not go wrong with equipping yourself with information to help your parenting journey. But, as always said, time and time again, experience is the best teacher. The same as parenting, you learn as you go through it, retain what works and change what didn’t. 3. Choose the advice you want to take. As you navigate motherhood, parenting advice floods in from well-meaning friends, in-laws, your parents, co-workers, and such. Their advice can give you more insight on both sides as to what you think is best for you and your kids. It doesn’t mean you’ll have to follow them; take them as a guide. Whatever advice that doesn’t align with what you believe and think is for your kids’ best interest and safety, you can keep them on the sideline. You decide what you do- you’re the parent. You know yourself and your kids, and you definitely know what works and what doesn’t. Please don’t dwell on parenting battles with whoever; they’re not the parent of your kids. At the end of the day, the mom who gets to go home with your kids is you. You’re the one whom your kids need. Criticisms can be hard to hear, especially from moms who are already ahead of the game. It might throw you off your path sometimes. Brush it off. Don’t get caught up in the battle of all other know-it-all moms. Stick with the values you uphold and your decisions; if changes need to happen, you can be flexible enough to do it. 4. Listen to your mom gut. This one goes with #3 as you take what you feel is best in the course you’re in, listen to your own instinct. Following your parental instinct is an intrinsic trait you do have. By doing so, you become confident in your actions. Moms rely on our instincts whether we are newly delivered or already an experienced mom. Remember, the times when your kid felt sick, and you brought your child to an ER, you get brushed off sometimes that it isn’t severe, only to find out it was after you’ve already left. We have the innate motherly voice that tells us – it just doesn’t seem right, and we push for further actions. I’ve been there myself. I always feel like I’m overboard, but in the end, it is my child, and their best interest is my priority. As a mom, I’d prefer to be on the safe side than be on the regret side. Yes, I’m a nurse, but I’m a mom first. I do everything I can at home to remedy any ailment, injury, etc. However, you’ll know in your heart when it’s time to see the doctor or visit the ER. 5. Practice positive self-talk can help boost your confidence as a mom. Why do we need positive self-talk? This practice helps us regain control of the flow in our lives. So we don’t linger around negative thoughts and overcome negative issues trying to crawl out of our space. Positive thoughts bring positive emotions and boost our worthiness and confidence. Of course, we can never negate all negative flow; however, we can reroute our thoughts and actions away from it. We have the will to choose what we feed our minds and what we allow ourselves to feel. I ‘m not saying for you not to feel these emotions; I’m saying find ways to cope positively and seek help when you get overwhelmed. You can be mindful of everything within and around you. Also, you can reflect on what you can do to make it better. So dive deep into your emotions and keep an eye on the everyday maternal mental stress that can occur anytime. 6. Reach out to your kids’ doctor. Taking in information from the experts can help you support your quest to gain more confidence in your parenting. Through that information, you can stretch the knowledge you’ve acquired about your kid’s development and health. So do your research and be informed. There may be instances that you’ll doubt yourself or not follow the recommendations. However, you as a parent have this choice. Additionally, being informed and knowing the facts – you can freely choose what’s best for your situation at a given moment. No kids are identical, even twin siblings. You parent your kid according to what you think is for the best. 7. Create a supportive mom circle as your village. Over time as you develop your mothering, there’ll be times you will also rely on your village. Other moms who have been there and moms are going through the same situation as you, although different. You share your joys of motherhood, and you carry the burdens of the journey – together with your circle. Basically, you don’t have to do this alone. Learning when to raise the flag and ask for help is a big step. When you learn other moms’ situations and see how they handle such matters – you get an insider’s perspective. You also extend your support to those moms in need and strengthen bonds among your circle. Having a strong support system is essential for moms. You can strengthen your confidence knowing you have fallback support when the going gets tough. 8. Embrace the journey head-on and hold on. Mothering is not an easy feat. There’s never a dull moment; you are always on the go. Your kids change in season, they grow up, they become more independent as the years come. You also need to adjust to these changes to handle the new season of your motherhood gracefully. Hold on to those tender moments of parenting, the feeling when your kid flourishes in front of your eyes. Enjoy those moments. Be brave in facing any challenges along the way of your parenting. Parenting can be messy, and I honestly can say it’s hard. No one denies that absolute fact. Yet, these too shall pass, your doubts will turn into a firm stance, your confidence will soar high as you learn from experience, and you adjust accordingly. 9. Get inspiration from God’s words. Starting your day with a prayer and reading His words will give you guidance in your parenting. Leaning on His plans for you helps you become centered in the daily grind of motherhood. You can rest assured that His words will not fail you. There’s always a lesson behind everything you’re going through and will go through. From there, your confidence will not fall nor become frail. Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 1 Peter 5:2-3 NIV Finding ways to boost your confidence as a Mom in whatever season you’re in. Your motherhood journey is your own. However, the lessons you gain from your experience will immensely help build your confidence in parenting. Working on yourself and solidifying your self-esteem can also aid in the growth of being a confident mom. Stand tall for yourself and take pride in your own mothering. In sum, boost your confidence as a mom through encouraging yourself, picking what advice to take, listening to your gut, and boosting your knowledge. Plus, practicing positive self-talk, reaching out to the experts, creating your circle, taking in your journey, and trusting God’s word. As time continues to roll, you will grow steadily on your own and be the confident mom you’ve set to be. What are ways you do to help build up your confidence as a mom? Do you feel like your parenting isn’t enough? Would you mind sharing your story to help another mom out there? Also, share this post with your friends and family. Thank you for your continued support. Want to read more about motherhood? Check out these motherhood posts.

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Barriers to Self-Care for Moms and How to Overcome Them

Jordan N. — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 06:12:19 +0000

Let me ask you these questions, what is it that you need to practice self-care? Have you identified barriers to Self-Care in your life? What are you doing to overcome them? When you think about self-care, it’s frequently associated with self-indulgence, self-love, self-worth, or other self-related avenues. However, you can recognize self-care creates the channel to reach those other branches in caring for yourself. No one can perfectly say they’ve mastered self-care along with motherhood. But, someone or somewhere in this journey we are on – a struggling mom is, of course, trying her best to maintain balance in her life. I perceive other moms are thinking about these matters. We all struggle to pull ourselves from the trenches or burnout trying. You may be one of many moms who needs to look at self-care in-depth and what’s preventing you from practicing them. If you are ready to know how to deal with these roadblocks to Self-Care, let’s go through them now. These barriers aren’t listed in any particular order. Overcoming Barriers To do Self-Care Lack of Motivation This barrier is a big one for most moms. When you think about Self-Care, you may be thinking that it’s just another task to check off your list. As a result, you’ll keep procrastinating these crucial practices until you reach your breaking point. God forbid you may end up in the hospital due to complete weariness — mental, physical, and emotional. Find the reason why you are choosing to do Self-Care. Search for the activities you enjoy the most and start from there. Embrace consistency of the Self-Care practices you’ve chosen. When you see the results of your actions, your motivation shoots high. As you feel more motivated, you’ll take on more daily self-care activities. Lack of Awareness of Needs for Self-Care The lack of awareness is rooted in not reflecting on what you need as a person. Not just what you need as a mom or wife. This barrier is a different kind of roadblock to self-care. However, recognizing your self-care needs can be overcome through self-reflection. Let yourself deeply determine and carefully understand your goals, needs, wants, and plan to achieve them. When it comes to Self-Care, you can ask yourself about the four areas of Self-Care – Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional. What is the essential need you decided to tackle first? Once you pinpoint these needs, then you can begin to formulate your self-care plan. Read Post: Admit It: Moms Need Self-Care In This Hard Year Setting Unrealistic Expectations as Barriers to Self-care Expectations can get the best of us. Sure, exemptions are handed out. But, right, you have expectations and plotting them in your mind, and seeing it, in reality, may not automatically sync, materialize, or maybe far from it. When moms set expectations up high, the downfall after realizing the inability to meet them may tear you down hard. So lower your expectations and be realistic. Our society nowadays can be overly critical of moms and may also be downright harsh. So steer clear of the shaming and shun away from negative circles. Begin on any attainable self-care methods, realistic goals, and celebrate the outcomes that make you proud of yourself. Although, be prepared that it’s not going to go as planned sometimes. But, your best effort will pay off no matter what. The Guilt as a self-care roadblock Who here hasn’t been on the Guilt train? This mental stressor is one of the massive barriers for moms in the world of self-care. Self-care is for you. However, you know when you indulge in self-care, you feel utterly wrong. Why is that? Possibly, you feel emotional and feel guilty when you leave your newborn with your spouse for a given time to care for your basic needs. The feeling of disdain when you’re going out to work out or take a walk by yourself. When you finally found someone to look after the kids and spend time with your spouse outside to dine. Buying something to improve your self-care practice can provoke a feeling of wasting resources instead of spending it on the family or the house. There are plenty of reasons to pile up on why you think you shouldn’t be wasting your time in Self-care. But unfortunately, that guilt will eventually get you to stop practicing Self-Care at all. Stand firm about your needs. Cater to yourself like you do others. You will feel recharged once you let go of this heavy emotion when caring for yourself. The guilt may inevitably show its head now and then. But, do remember that self-care isn’t a reward. It’s a necessity for your well-being. Negative Thoughts about self-care This ties with the above barrier. Why do you think you need Self-Care? Is it to boost yourself? Is it to improve your health? Your mind can be deceiving at times. However, you don’t need any vain endeavors to prop yourself up. Hence, the distressing thoughts – you need not be wasting any money on yourself, or you’re never going to be better than now. When you think negatively of self-care, you stop yourself from fulfilling what you set on to do. Stop neglecting self-care because you are telling yourself you’re not deserving. Take action on the negative self-talk. First, cut these negative thoughts filled with spiraling doubts and crippling guilt. Then, once you separate these clouds of mental stress, overcome them by setting up good coping skills. Self-affirmations can also help you in the road to kicking these negative thoughts to the curb. This practice of affirmations can help you establish your mindset to influence your thoughts and actions positively. It is a good stepping stone in overcoming barriers to your self-care habit. Not enough time. As moms, our time begins from waking up till we shut our eyes whenever that may be. Unfortunately, when we overload our responsibilities at home, we will never find the time. When we enroll our kids in extra after-school activities, that can fill up your time as well. I’m not saying you don’t even let the kids take classes that can help them out. However, you can prioritize which ones take the top list and readjust other activities for you to create time for downtime. Schedule your Self-care in the calendar. Take advantage of any downtime such as early morning, late evenings, or any part of the day. By scheduling your Me-time, you are also solidifying accountability on your part. So stick to it and show up. Putting yourself last is an obstacle to self-care Setting priorities amid everything can make a mom’s life easier to navigate. Moms will always care for the family, even if they are struggling. When you’re running empty, you’re sabotaging yourself and your family. Your busy schedule isn’t going to go away. However, your health will dive, and it will not remain the same when you keep pushing through it. Let 15 minutes of your time be about you daily. Let your kids/spouse know you’re taking a time out. You are setting boundaries that your time is sacred, and 15 minutes is just what you initially need. Also, you are setting an example to your daughter when she becomes a mother herself, that she’ll have to make time to care for herself. And then, your son will also learn that his wife will need the support to practice self-care for her wellbeing. Healthy self-care can be beneficial for our children to see and internalize if we model it for them. In addition, it sets the example that caring for ourselves matters, as much as caring for others. Self-Worth is dwindling Don’t short yourself out of what makes you happy. Instead, seize the chance when you can to overcome this barrier to your Self-care practices. Defining yourself and your worth doesn’t fall on being a mom; you most definitely are more than that. However, aligning yourself with what you truly desire in life and what you think can open that possibility is the way to go. So don’t let it pass you by. Affirm that – You are enough; never doubt that. Thus, taking the next step in loving yourself is also stretching your heart and strengthening your soul. Practice mindfulness in your daily life. You are intentional in your words toward yourself. Start seeing the good in you as a person; praise your strengths; turn away from self-sabotage. Indeed, happiness comes from within you. No one or nothing makes you feel this core of contentment, like welcoming your worth. Change is Difficult for You Change is scary. Believe me. I was in over myself when I resisted it. Back then, I wasn’t helping myself be the best of myself. It was the opposite. So, I made a choice, and so can you. Learn to open yourself to uncertainties. Take a chance to step into the unfamiliar, undiscovered aspect of your life. What you can discover beyond your life’s bounds may be the very thing that inspires you. Walk out of your comfort zone; it’s frightening to hear it. Moms, conquer change like you did when you became a new mom. Embrace this transformation emerging from your self-care practice. Stay positive of the change that’s happening or will happen. Start in small and manageable steps. Then, expand as you desire to. YOU as one of the barriers to Self-care? Now, let’s be honest. It’s all comes down to you. So choose yourself and take action. This section is the part for me to encourage you to be an active participant in making a more favorable territory for yourself and your health. Wouldn’t it be good to do something just for yourself? Yes! Then, why not start today? Do I hear the answer; I just can’t at the moment? So why not say, let me take this moment, instead! Let’s do it this way. You see a person struggling, and you know, she can somehow do something about it. So wouldn’t you tell her to try? Wouldn’t you offer your genuine support? Write to that person today, tell her what she can do to prioritize herself. Express encouragement that’ll help her get motivated and believe in herself. Write everything you think she can achieve when she’s willing to step out of bounds. Next, seal that envelope and write your name on it. Try not to read it today. Sleep on it and then read it tomorrow, first thing in the morning. Moreover, commit to yourself, be willing to show up, and show kindness towards yourself. **This post is not a sponsored post. However, this post may contain affiliate links. If you click on the product links and purchase through the links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See the Full Disclosure Here. Thank you for your continued support!** As Dr. Kristin Neff emphasized in her book, practice self-compassion, and also, at her website, you can do Self-Compassion Guided Practices and Exercises. In Tackling the Barriers to Self-Care Your willingness to overcome such barriers to self-care can be the key to taking the reigns of self-care. Of course, dealing with or overcoming these self-care obstacles could take a long time for some. But when you start today, you already changed something. You already went outside the linear path you’ve always been on. If you are struggling to manage on your own, the resources out there are limitless. Don’t walk alone. Seek assistance from someone who can: your spouse, family member, close friend, coach, doctor, therapist, or religious mentor. Remember asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. Moms may hesitate to open up to someone for help when they are vulnerable. But know that you are the bravest when you do. I challenge you to start today on your Self-care quest. Don’t let these obstacles to practicing Self-care prevent you from building the good you are into becoming the best you can be. Overcoming obstacles to self-care can be challenging. However, when you’re aware of the roadblocks to...

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C-Section Wound Care: How To Care For Your Incision at Home

Jordan N. — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 19:09:05 +0000

You delivered your baby via C-section and now have a low incision cut around the pubic area. You received your discharge papers and were hoping you’ll remember everything right after walking out the door. Now, you must be reading this post looking for instructions on how to care for your C-section wound. Remembering the nurse’s instructions the day of discharge and the excitement of going home isn’t a great combo. So, my nurse tip for you is to work with your nurse closely in having 1:1 wound care instructions a day before your planned discharge. It will also be beneficial if a family member is present during this wound care teaching. This way, you can ask questions, clarify wound care steps, and be prepared when you go home. Don’t forget to ask what kind of closing method the doctor/surgeon used to close your incision. You’ll know later why it’s crucial. In this post, you’ll learn about: How Do You Take Care of Your C-section Wound? Take a Close Look at Your Wound Steps for C-Section Wound Care How long does the wound healing take? What to watch out for? What to do? Signs and Symptoms of Wound Infection When does wound infection happen? What will happen next if an infection occurs? Complications of C-Section Wound Infections What can you do to prevent infection? Your C-section Wound Opening Up In Caring for your C-section Wound and Recovering You must be feeling glad that finally, after 3-4 days in the hospital, home is waiting for you. Now, you’re going to change into your home clothes, and the first thing you see is the bandaged area on your lower abdomen. How did the nurse say the wound care was? First, it’s necessary to follow your doctor’s instructions. If you forgot the instructions, your discharge papers would have your reminders. If you lost them for some reason, then keep on reading. Your following questions would be how you will change the dressing properly and how long the c-section wound will heal. When I had my two c-sections, it was reasonably easy to care for my wound despite the factors leading to them happening. Even though I was a post-surgical nurse at those times, my husband helped me for the first two days, and I took over afterward. However, if you aren’t used to seeing surgical wounds, not to mention your incision wound. So then, hang in there, and I’ll walk you step by step in dressing and caring for your c-section wound. How Do You Take Care of Your C-section Wound? Firstly, if you have your spouse or someone at home who can help you, the better; however, if it’s just you, that’s okay; you can do this from top to bottom. Secondly, you will need to gather all the dressing materials ahead of time you’ll need before opening your current bandage. Then, get some loose-fitting clothes ready, so you can wear them after your shower and wound care. Recommended Read: First-Time Mom? The Honest, Raw, and Obvious Truth Take a Close Look at Your Wound Your wound will look puffy for the first 2-3 days, and eventually, the slight swelling will subside. There may be a subtle pinkish tone because of the cut. Severe redness is something else. Your wound will also feel tender to touch. It usually goes away around 2-3 weeks. Steps for C-Section Wound Care: 1. Open the bandage tape slowly, taut the skin on the opposite side, so you’ll not feel a hard tug on the tender skin. Remove it gently. 2. Inspect the incision area. Is there swelling? Mild to moderately raised? Is there a discharge? Blood, pus, or clear discharge? What about pain? Mild to severe pain? 3. If you have steri-strips (keep it in place) while you shower. DO NOT remove the strips or glue (skin adhesive), and just let the water run through your body. You can use mild soap on the wound area. DO NOT scrub the area. 4. DO NOT soak in a tub, hot tub, or swim. 5. Pat dry the incision with a clean towel. DO NOT rub. 6. If your doctor instructed you to keep the incision covered, use non-adherent gauze and paper tape to secure it. DO NOT put any cream unless directed and prescribed by your doctor. 7. Change your dressing once a day or when it is soiled (wet or dirty). 8. You may use your abdominal binder over the bandaged wound. When you’re moving about, the binder can help support your lower abdomen. Important to note: The Steri-strips will fall off on their own in about seven days. However, if you have stitches, some may dissolve, and some may have to be taken off. For staple wound closures, the doctor will remove them before you are discharged, but sometimes you will have to follow up with your Obstetrician to remove them at a designated date. How long does the wound healing take? Your C-section wound will take about six weeks to heal in general initially. Every mom is different and depends on underlying circumstances or complications you’ll encounter at home. Another thing not to feel alarmed about is the loss of sensation in the area of the incision. The numbness is normal, and it’ll come back over time. Although, some moms have reported to have not felt the sensation back around the scar. What to watch out for? What to do? Every time you change your wound dressing, always keep an eye for anything out of the ordinary. You can monitor the appearance, smell, healing progress, and everything about your wound. Additionally, you can observe any abnormality on your C-section wound and around it and take the necessary steps to care and call for help immediately. Signs and Symptoms of Wound Infection: The wound is severely red, painful, and swollen. There’s a pus-like discharge and not healing correctly. The wound smells funky or a different smell. A high fever (100.5ºF to 103ºF, or 38ºC to 39.4ºC) and chills. You have severe lower abdominal pain not relieved by prescribed pain relievers. Foul-smelling vaginal discharges (you can still have light bleeding even up to six weeks with a C-section) It’s imperative to seek medical help immediately to prevent complications from your wound infection. When does wound infection happen? Be vigilant in your wound healing and overall health. Wound infection can happen before you leave the hospital, but most occur after a few weeks at home. Alert your doctor for any signs/symptoms above or anything you are concerned about. What will happen next if an infection occurs? Your doctor will diagnose wound infection after carefully assessing the wound appearance, the progress of wound healing, any present bacteria, or presence of infection symptoms. Your doctor will provide treatment based on the wound condition and your health. For example, if there’s pus, the doctor may drain the wound using a syringe or make a small opening in the skin. The wound fluid taken may be sent to a lab for further diagnostic testing. You may be given oral antibiotics to take at home. However, you may be re-admitted to the hospital for IV antibiotics therapy and wound care. If the doctor believes further investigation is needed, he may open your wound under anesthesia and make treatment recommendations. Complications of C-Section Wound Infections are as follows: Wound Cellulitis – a skin infection of the deep layers of the skin when bacteria enter your skin. Wound Abscess – a collection of pus build-up within the tissue of the body. Sepsis – a life-threatening response to an infection, a complication affecting your organs, tissues and can cause death. Other infections Read here for more detailed information on Complications of Wound infections after a C-section. What can you do to prevent infection? Keep your C-section wound dry, clean, and intact. Do not scratch the area when itchy. Always wash your hands before and after tending to your incision. Follow your doctor’s postoperative wound care instructions. Then, contact your doctor as soon as you have any signs/symptoms of wound infection. When your wound heals, there’s going to be a noticeable scar across your lower abdomen. As time permits, the C-section scar will look flatter and lighter, or even the same color as your skin. For information about C-Section Scar care, check here. Your C-section Wound Opening Up The incision wound can also open up, or rupture can be due to straining. Remember the instructions not to lift anything heavier than your newborn. It can be due to strenuous activities such as exercising too early or climbing a high flight of stairs. Another reason for the wound to be closely monitored is the healing process. Moms can have poor wound healing and can be due to underlying medical conditions, such as obesity or diabetes. Not enough oxygen around the wound can lead to the death of the surrounding areas, thereby preventing the site from healing. So you must make sure to inspect your wound daily closely. In case of emergency, call 911 and seek immediate medical help. In caring for your C-Section wound and Recovering Your outlook after C-section surgery underlies how you are recovering overall. Your body will adjust as the days and weeks continue after your major surgery. Therefore, caring for your C-section wound will need you to follow methods for preventing infections and promoting proper wound healing. Through careful c-section wound care, you’ll be able to heal and recover smoothly at home. So enjoy your newborn baby during this momentous time and stay healthy on the road to your full recovery. Are you having a planned C-section? List down all your questions for your healthcare provider. Are you recovering from a C-section surgery at home? Make a note of the wound care tips in this post. If you found this post helpful, let me know in the comments. Share this post or pin for later. You can also subscribe to the blog Newsletter for updates on motherhood.

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Affirmations for Moms as Self-Care Practice

Jordan N. — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 17:58:31 +0000

In practicing self-care for moms, you can include self-affirmations. There’s a collective statement; what we tell ourselves, our subconscious mind believes it. What we tell ourselves can translate into and shapes our reality one way or another. Self-talk does wonder. Positive self-talk can go beyond measure in your life. Practicing self-care affirmations can be beneficial for new or experienced mothers. Being a mom – you faced mental challenges, and you try to find ways to cope or overcome them. Meanwhile, you can uplift your motherhood journey in several ways. You could use some pick-me-ups throughout our day. You can boost your thoughts positively that, in turn, can help you get through any situation. Why not include self-affirmation in your daily mothering. Open yourself to a new way of reconnecting with yourself positively. Before you can move forward with using self-affirmations, you can examine yourself deeper with the core beliefs in your life. So today, we’ll be exploring all about positive affirmations for moms that you can include and how to practice them as part of self-care. What is an affirmation? What is Self-Affirmation? Do Self-Affirmations have any effect on you? Why moms are leaning towards Daily Self-Affirmations? How do I practice Self-Affirmations? When do you need positive affirmations? The 50 Self-Affirmations you can start using today. What is an affirmation? The definition of Affirmation – the act or an instance of affirming; state of being affirmed by Dictionary.com What is Self-Affirmation? According to Claude Mason Steele (social psychologist), “Self-affirmation processes are being activated by information that threatens the perceived adequacy or integrity of the self, and as running their course until this perception is restored through explanation, rationalization, and/or action.” Self-affirmations are positive remarks that can assist you in overcoming self-defeating and negative thinking. You can begin to see definite results if you repeat them regularly and have faith in them. Positive thinking can help you rewire your thought habits by repeating them frequently; thus, in the long run, bring about positive change in the way you act or think. Do Self-Affirmations have any effect on you? Lowers Stress and Helps with Problem-Solving Under Stress Improves Wellbeing and Self-Worth Increase Self-awareness Encourages Behavioral Changes Decreases negative talks Encourages Positive Mindset Why are Moms leaning towards Daily Self-Affirmations? An enormous amount of stimulation surrounds mom’s life. Every day, we interact with ourselves, others, and our surroundings. There are notably societal expectations that fall on top of a mother’s plate. It can affect how you feel inside. And, those emotions can manifest in the way you care for yourself and your mothering. When your self-worth or self-esteem is in question, affirmations can help us cope. You lean on these words in those times when you need to regain control over emotions or difficult experiences. When you need something to help you keep going or when you’re on the brink of giving up – you can definitely use affirmation to pull you up. It can be a great aid in lifting your confidence and boosting your esteem. Moms use and practice these phrases to help decrease mental overload, increase motivation, promote wellbeing, and calm emotions. Moreover, self-affirmations can significantly impact your emotional and mental health if you use them consciously. How to Practice Self-Affirmations? 1. Incorporate deep breathing to center yourself before starting and to let the words flow in as you end your session. 2. Start small: 3 minutes, twice daily. For example, when you wake up and at bedtime. Adjust the time and frequency as you improve. 3. Keep it positive, brief and specific. 4. Begin with the I AM words as a start. Then reword your affirmations accordingly. 5. Repeat the self-affirmations words ten times or multiple times as you want. 6. Say it out loud. Hear yourself say the affirmations. (Some people want to write it down, that’s okay too.) 7. Another way is to record yourself and listen to it while you go about your day. (During the commute, cleaning time, folding laundry, etc.) 8. Be patient and consistent with your daily practice. 9. Re-adjust your affirmations as you grow deeper into them. When Do You Need Positive Affirmations? The need to use self-affirmation is not limited to the things listed below. There are plenty of situations (positive or negative) where you’ll be needing to hold on to those words. Indeed, these are just a few samples of times you need to recite your affirmations. When you’re feeling exhausted As your days become overwhelming In any stressful situations Feeling unmotivated When your fears overtake During times of uncertainty When you’re hopeful Feeling grateful or joyful When you feel lost Feeling blessed Here are some Affirmations for Self-Care, Affirmations for Self-Worth, and Affirmations for Self-Love that moms practice. 50 Powerful Affirmations for Moms 1. I am stronger than my problems. 2. I am loved and cared for by my family. 3. I am honored and supported. 4. I am capable of overcoming hardships. 5. I am blessed beyond measure. 6. I am in control of any negative thoughts. 7. I can handle any problematic situation. 8. I am proud of my talents. 9. I am happy. 10. I am doing my best as a mom. 11. I am enough, and I accept myself. 12. I am brave to face my fears. 13. I choose to let go of any mental stress. 14. I choose to embrace my weakness. 15. I welcome joy in my life. 16. I choose self-care because I am a priority. 17. I believe I can achieve my goals. 18. I am open to ask for help. 19. I am what my children need. 20. I choose to teach my children important values. 21. My husband and my children love me. 22. I am choosing to let go of what I can’t control. 23. I am not perfect, and that’s okay. 24. I am choosing goodness in everything. 25. I am confident. More Self-Care Affirmations for Moms 26. I am kind and empathetic. 27. I set healthy boundaries. 28. I will live with purpose. 29. I will mother with intention. 30. I am safe. 31. I am beautiful. 32. I choose to live with content. 33. I trust myself and my body. 34. I choose to live in a moment. 35. I believe in myself to reach my goals. 36. I am a top priority in my life. 37. I choose to follow my passion. 38. I am committed to my overall health. 39. I am good. 40. I choose to celebrate life. 41. I am choosing happiness today. 42. I am worthy of respect. 43. I can, and I will. 44. I will overcome my fears. 45. I am choosing a healthy way of life.. 46. I can live with no regrets. 47. I am in charge of how I feel today. 48. I will let go of all that no longer serves me. 49. I am following my dreams. 50. I am choosing myself. Moms, let positive affirmations take you somewhere and make it a part of your commitment to your self-care. Use self-affirmations as another method of personal transformation for moms who are looking to improve any self-care practice. I recite these affirmations anytime, anywhere. It balances me and helps me focus. Lean in on these daily practices, keep yourself aligned with wherever you want to be in your life. Positive affirmations will help get you in a calm, intentional mindset. Allow these words to assist you in achieving the positive attention shift you’ve been seeking. You can start today, write down at least five self-affirmations you can use for the next five days. Then, practice them with solid accountability. Take control of your life, make your happiness a priority, lessen the mental burdens, and in turn, you’ll experience much joy and fulfillment. Let these simple steps help you begin to change your mindset. Positive shifts lead to good behavior towards yourself, thereby strengthening mental and emotional self-care practices. Think positive, love yourself, practice self-care, and become a better, happily adjusted mom. More on Self-Care for Moms: ♥ Self-Care for Working Moms: Embracing The Need of Caring for Yourself ♥ Admit It: Moms Need Self-Care In This Hard Year Do you practice self-care affirmations? Which self-affirmations did you need today? Let me know in the comments below, and I’d love to hear them. Share this post with your family and friends. Stay connected by subscribing to The Motherly Heap Newsletter!

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Rediscovering Yourself After Motherhood

Jordan N. — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 16:25:58 +0000

There’s nothing wrong with trying to step back from motherhood for a moment. It doesn’t mean you’re abandoning the ship. That’s not the case. You are embarking on a new sail of rediscovering yourself when motherhood tends to overpower everything. You may be realizing that something in your life is quite missing. You’re standing at a fork in the road, unsure of where you’re supposed to go or who you are. Motherhood is undoubtedly a blessing. Yes, you know that by heart. Are there times, however, when you just want to put the apron away? Those times that you just want to get out of the mothering loop? I feel you, right there. I know that eerie feeling in your gut. That inner sensation that’s crawling up to your throat. Your heart is where it is, but your mind is somehow drowning with questions and doubts. You look deep inside, and you don’t recognize yourself anymore. You are lost, and you feel you’re just scraping motherhood at its border. That spark of joy – in just being yourself. You. Not mom, not wife. You. It’s perfectly natural to experience feelings like this at some point in your life. It is your right to reclaim your identity. To look for something that you believe is missing. To re-discover you. How can one lose identity in motherhood? It is not black or white when it comes to losing one’s identity as a mother. There were hints, but it’s how things go sometimes. It’s as if you’ve just awoken from a long snooze and have no idea what day or hour it is. There could be a variety of reasons why you haven’t seen the sense of self-identity eroding day by day. It could be a result of a large number of obligations, an inability to see the bright side of things, a lack of coping skills, parental concerns, or a troubled marriage relationship. No matter your reasons acknowledge that it exists and own it. Then, choose the next step, to take action. The path of rediscovering yourself after motherhood isn’t one step and done. It’s an ongoing process of self-discovery of who you were in connection with your now. So, I want to share my thoughts and experiences of finding my way back. Now let’s break it down to the 6 Steps of Finding yourself again. How to Rediscover You after becoming a Mother. 1. Start a hobby or resume one. This is the time to reflect on what were the things that you loved to do before you became a mother. What made you flourished as a person. If you’ve put these hobbies on pause, maybe it’s time to resume them again. Also, you can find a new hobby to start. Whatever interests you at the moment, you can try it out. When you invest time in cultivating yourself, you find joy in what you do in the process. Let this hobby inspire you to seek out self-improvement skills or improve mastery of the skills you’ve already acquired. The great thing about starting a hobby these days is that you only need a reliable internet connection, to begin with. True, you can check out a book from a library or even call someone to help you out. Searching for what you are interested in and how-to’s are learning opportunities waiting to be explored. I picked up sewing again when my daughter was a toddler and much more so last year when I became a SAHM. Simply because being a full-time nurse, managing my home, and keeping my sanity while parenting my children didn’t allow me to indulge. I also pursued my passion for writing. There’s a calming, therapeutic effect when I write. I feel liberated and grounded. I’m able to express myself and share the lessons I learned being a mom myself. 2. Self-Care and how it can support rediscovering you after becoming a mom. The value of self-care for moms cannot be overstated. As a mom, I’ve never felt more alive and invigorated than when I make time for myself and stick to it. As mothers, we can become depleted and defeated as we go about our daily activities. When things get bad, what do you normally turn to? Retreat and surrender? Little mental wrecks and inability to concentrate? Throwing in the towel and locking ourselves in the bathroom to ugly cry for 5 minutes. Yes, I may be unaware of your difficulties. But I can understand the defeated feeling. But you’re a rational being. You’re courageous and resilient on the battlefield of parenting. You try to push through. You try to survive on little sustenance of motivation and energy. And you show a brave face and smile every single day. However, you do have your breaking point. I don’t want to sound alarming, but it can considerably impact your entire health. A crucial step is to acknowledge that you need to care for yourself. That this pivotal moment is life-changing and rewarding. Self-care saved me. That’s one of the main reasons why I’m passionate about it. When times in my life took a turn, putting myself as a priority changed me. I found the old me through practicing self-care, and I created ways to stay connected with myself. I also discovered new things that are replenishing my soul. So I challenge you to do the same. There’s no harm in trying out something that can improve your status quo. Find those activities that encourage you to practice self-love: read, exercise, go outside, and more. Free Challenge: If you are ready to jumpstart your self-care, but you don’t know where to begin? Download the 7 Days Commitment to Self-Care for Moms. FREE 7 Days Commitment for Self-Care for Moms Fill in the Info below and know that your privacy is important to me. Opt in to receive updates and more! Yes! Send it to me! Loading… GLAD YOU’VE TAKEN THIS STEP! Expect to see the FREE 7 Days Commitment to Self-Care For Moms delivered in your inbox! -The Motherly Heap- You’ll come out a better version of yourself if you’re motivated to do it and persistent in your dedication to self-care. “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” ~ Sean Patrick Flanery 3. Re-establishing connections outside your home. Have you been neglecting to respond to messages or not picking up phone calls lately? When was the last time you spoke with another parent friend? I can understand your point of view. We all have hectic schedules. We all have obligations that keep us in a tunnel vision state. Connecting with other people who understand you helps you remember what’s important outside of parenting. They understand your struggles as a mother and want to know how you’re doing. Talk about yourself and your current interests. Not jumping on talks about your children and home, which don’t have to be the only topic. Find ways to reach out, and don’t isolate yourself. You can share what’s been a struggle for you in your life. You don’t have to be alone in reconnecting with yourself. Set aside time to call them back or even react to their brief check-ins. I completely understand how valuable time is and how important it is to make the most of it. 4. Letting go in motherhood as part of rediscovering yourself Negative emotions are unavoidable in life. They show themselves at your most vulnerable moment. You don’t have to deny their presence. Instead, validate how you feel. Embrace the emotions, but don’t linger too much. Learn to walk away. Learn to put a limit in your mind on what you allow to wallow in. Negative thoughts bring negative vibes to your life. Whether you say you don’t dwell on it for long or you do. It affects your opinion of yourself and your interactions with others. Let go of the mental load that your mind is currently holding. Give yourself some space to clear your thoughts. How can you do that? Start doing mental clarity practice through meditation. You enter a condition of focusing yourself while you meditate. Concentrate your attention on stillness and let go of the stressful stimuli that are dragging you down. Try journaling. Write down how you feel. This humble pen and paper activity can do wonders when your feelings are all jumbled. What are your likes or even dislikes? What gave you joy before you become a mom? List down the activities that spark inspiration and creativity within you. You can definitely start wherever part of your life needs emptying at the moment. It could be your not-so-good feelings. Tap into why you are feeling this way. Dig deep for the reasons and solutions to deal with your feelings. What are your dreams? Where are you heading? The emotions apart from being a mom, write them down. You can also write about gratitude. Listing the people who you are grateful for or the experiences that are giving you joy. There’s no limit to what you can jot down. Being able to be positive and thankful for what matters most. Seek the power of praying. Praying for yourself. This is the time to seek assistance from the Absolute Power. Time to lay down your fears, regrets, and wins. You can bear yourself to God. Give thanks, ask for forgiveness, seek His guidance, acknowledge His ways, and follow His path. Through prayers, you can be enlightened, and it can be the one thing that truly moves you to rediscover yourself. Present everything with no reservations and discover who you are through His words. A humbling, transformational experience in rediscovering yourself when the heaps of motherhood can get really overwhelming, and you find yourself lost in the midst of it. Recommended read: Prayer will Change your Motherhood by Janet Quinlan 5. Welcome Help Firstly, take in what you can and delegate what you can’t. Subsequently, speak with your spouse. If there’s an imbalance at home and the load falls primarily on you, ask for help. Then, verbalize your needs to him. Sometimes, we assume our spouses see us struggling within. However, if we’re outstanding at hiding how we feel, they may not know that we are drowning. Basically, connect and have a heart-to-heart talk. You can only make it better when all cards are on the table. Spend some quality time together to reconnect deeply. Find answers and make changes together to help you create time for yourself. To discover ways to be able to cope with whatever you’re struggling with. Also, don’t forget about the people who are close to you. The people who know you and will gladly lend a hand to help you lighten the load. Reach out and be open if you must. If you feel you need professional guidance, seek help. It’s critical to contact your healthcare provider and start from there. This can be a form of finding coping strategies and creating a plan of action. 6. Be prepared. To accept what you find and trust in the process. Be willing to encourage yourself to keep going. No matter what has been in the past, be kind to yourself and step forward. Therefore, acknowledging your lapses and failures will help you accept what is to come. The one you’ve been seeking for or have lost track of. This is the time to take a step closer to determine who you want to be and where you want to be. As a result, learn to look forward to improving yourself and broadening your horizons. Finding yourself while mothering can be liberating and fulfilling. I never imagined that struggling to find myself was another turning point in my life. Part of the lessons I learned is that being a mom doesn’t limit my identity as to who I am. This time, together with navigating motherhood, I also enjoy experiences that align with myself wholly. I rediscovered myself, and so can you. Rediscovering and reclaiming yourself is going to be your next...

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Intentional Motherhood: Mothering with Purpose

Jordan N. — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 15:12:36 +0000

Intentional Motherhood is something to focus on nowadays to keep yourself in line with your personal and family values. It is being prepared, pausing to think before responding, and prioritizing what matters. This parenting way falls under the lines of Intentional Parenting. As I sat quietly typing about this particular post, I couldn’t help but think about where I was in my mothering. I’m still in the depths of learning through parenting, truth be told. But, my motherhood walk is what it is for my kids and myself. The values that I hold myself accountable for act as guards to my mothering heart and definitely keeping me on my toes. You asked yourself, do this situation you’re in, and your reaction, really matter? Had you responded differently last time, would it do any good? Are you distracted that you miss some opportunities to connect with your kids? What does it take to parent with intention? What are your expectations in the way you parent? Is there a particular type of parenting you are most leaning into? These questions are what helps you sort out your reasons for the way you parent your kids. So, when you take time to identify the core values; you want your children to learn and practice, you willfully model them every day. But, mainly, being focused on your parenting mission can assist you in how to become intentional in your mothering. You carve your own path by centering yourself with purpose, genuinely connecting yourself with your kids, and most especially relying on yourself to parent your kids the way you intend to. You are not getting influenced by outside your circle or comparing yourself to other moms. Instead, practice what’s right for you and your kids – what intentional motherhood is all about. You parent your kids to create a meaningful impact on their lives and yourself as well. As you go about your day, the long list of to-dos is infinite. In completing your daily list, find the approach that works on achieving them. So your time and energy are used efficiently. You also become intentional with spending time with your kids, and you find ways to complete those tasks at hand. Doing what’s needed at home at the same time being attentive to kids. For me, it helps me create purposeful daily routines by scribbling them down and checking them off. Although, it doesn’t automatically mean I have crossed everything off the list, or at least I try to at the end of the day. How to Become Intentional in Motherhood? 1. Your connection with your kids. Ask yourself if something is lacking. How can you fill the gap in creating a powerful connection? When you mother purposely, you strengthen the bond. Additionally, your kids’ need for love and belongingness is met as they grow and develop. Taking the time to listen to what your kids have to say about their day or activity. Get down on their level to share each moment, and they’ll see that you are invested in them wholeheartedly. Initiate time to celebrate any positive behavior around your home. Verbally acknowledge your kids’ actions or words that promote core family values. When my kids are sharing and helping out each other, we point out those moments and celebrate them. These simple acknowledgments will encourage more like behaviors shown by your kids. 2. Putting yourself ahead. Yes, you read it right. As you establish a priority on caring for yourself, you’ll be able to care for others. The daily strains in your mom life won’t rattle your drive to nurture. Moreover, doing planned self-care can help you reach your own mothering goals. Intend to create time for yourself. Find some realistic self-care tips to integrate into your busy life. One or two flexible enough to squeeze in without feeling guilty for taking a mommy time out. Consciously caring for yourself emotionally can prevent you from getting resentful of the people or things around you. So first, I put a time block for the times when mothering moments can get demanding. Then I reset myself as the situation began to calm down. More reading on self-care: Self-Care Tips for Working Moms 3. Believe that you can. Seeds of doubt that settle deep can hugely affect the way you parent your kids. You may be in a situation where you parent in fear, shame, or worse, guilt. Don’t let these shadows stop you. Self-condemnation is the culprit of negative parenting. Open your mind to the great possibility of parenting with a positive purpose. Commit to intentionally get there every day, even if some days aren’t just going your way. Believe that you’re chosen to mother these kids and that you’re someone who can mold them into better individuals and as members of society. Instilling good personal values in them and centering themselves with love and kindness. 4. Keep your life simple through intentional motherhood. Don’t overbook yourself. Don’t drown in chaos. Streamline what you need to keep your daily living simplified. You consciously carve out more precious time for you and your kids to spend. Your responsibilities and duties at home, at work, and all other branches in your life can get prioritized within the topmost MUST-DO that day. You DO NOT have to do it all, no matter how you think you’re failing. Take a step back and slow down. Eliminate distractions that can hinder fulfilling your mothering intentions. When we don’t intentionally pause, it’s effortless to get side swept by bits and pieces that can compromise connections with our family. 5. As mothers, we all have our village. Your spouse is your immediate lifeline in the primary circle. All others being dependent on who you let in the boundaries of your perimeter. Some days it can get exhausting. But, having someone acknowledging and validating your feelings without judgment is more than enough. Sometimes, you don’t need advice. But, mostly, all you need is someone to listen. Communication is vital when you are drowning in all that you’re supposed to rejoice in motherhood. So express what you need at the moment. Don’t expect your village to read your mind. Instead, make your intentions known when asking for advice or help. To adopt intentional motherhood is to accept it’s a journey. All in all, mothering isn’t a race to who ends up perfect at the finish line. Mothering with intentions does not have to be complicated. But let’s be honest, nobody has a perfect score. We can all learn from each other. You are perfectly validated when you don’t love mothering every second. Additionally, mothers don’t only have positive feelings towards being a mom. But also, the vulnerability of having negative emotions is lurking closer than you thought. Positive, intentional motherhood takes you to a different kind of mothering journey. This process involves setting purposeful goals and strengthening your connection with your kids. In addition, embracing yourself with care, simplifying your life, and reaching out to your circle. When I switched gears, it’s making a profound impression on my mothering these days. Yet, I don’t expect everyone to fall right into place in mothering with intentions. It takes willingness, patience, and humility to do so, and to which I could use some more in my motherhood lessons every day. This method of mothering with purpose is another route for any mother to walk on. I hope that every mom who’s willing to be intentional in their mothering will flourish. Therefore, find more meaning and purpose in their journey. Once you decide to parent with intention, I challenge you to discover ways that work for you. Search within you – what you truly desire and what outcome you want to achieve. Then, look to these steps for guidance when you’re unsure where to begin in mothering with purpose. In the end, you’re a mother who wants what’s best for her kids and wants to build a solid relationship with them. Let me know in the comments what goals you’ve set for yourself to mother intentionally. What are the steps you are embracing to reach these mothering goals? Thanks for being here. Share this post with your mom group or Pin on Pinterest.

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