This Mother’s Day is special for me, it’s my first! Now I am a Mum, I really understand why there is a day to celebrate Mums! It’s a bloody hard job. Of course there are also beautiful joys that come with it too. I thought I would share some of my reflections, things I knew but didnt fully appreciate about motherhood until I was a Mum. I hope it causes you to give your Mum an extra big bear hug of appreciation and if you’re a Mum, I hope it reminds you of how hard you work but how precious your efforts are! For one lucky Mum I also have a Soda Stream gift pack to giveaway. Happy Mother’s Day, Mums – every one of you is SO special.
Realisations from a newbie Mum
This list of things I knew but didn’t fully appreciate about being a Mum until I became one is in the context of the first year of life (my son, Finn, is now 9 months old). I am sure that this list will continue to grow as the seasons change and he grows. If you’re a Mum, I would love to hear what you would add to this list, especially those who are further along in the journey than me. Let me know in the comments below!
1. Your time is not your own
What you want no longer takes priority. Plan your day all you like, if bub needs you, your needs and wants (including the simple ones like a shower or the toilet) are put on pause. Mum is synonym with selflessness. The other thing I’ve found is even when I plan things to do, if Finn is awake, I want to spend time with him to invest in his learning as he builds his communication skills. Educating and building a strong bond with him is important to me. To be honest, before being a Mum, I hadn’t thought about this and just assumed I would have all this free time at home to get done all the things I had been dreaming of doing for so long. Mummas, are you laughing yet?! WHERE IS THIS FREE TIME?! And where is this magical baby that allows you to get stuff done?!
2. This is a long term, full time job
There’s no turning back, mothers are in it for the long haul. I look at how much my Mum does for me even now and I’m so surprised how she STILL prioritises me (thanks Mumma, you’re the best). Mum keeps telling me the first year is the hardest. Dad says the first 25 years are the hardest….I hope Mum’s right. Not sure if you’re ready for it yet? Watch this video:
3. It can be both confidence building and confidence shaking
Being a Mum is confidence building in that you give birth to a baby that YOU grew. It blows my mind that Finn grew inside my womb and I was able to withstand 46 hours of labour (the most pain I’ve ever been in by a long shot) to bring him into the world. WOW. I do feel like wonder woman when I reflect on what my body went through in pregnancy, birth and the recovery after birth (this photo below is the day after I gave birth to Finn). HATS OFF TO YOU MUMMAS. Especially those who have given birth more than once. SO. MUCH. RESPECT.
It can be confidence shaking in that your body goes through so many changes and like anything that’s difficult in life can leave you with some scars. These are things like, stretch marks, a leaking bladder, separated abdominal muscles, tears in very tender places, extra weight, different shaped boobs (mine went from ‘itty bitty misquitto bites’ to Dolly Parton style to then saggy-daggy)…And this list is for those of us who get through natural childbirth relatively well!
4. Mums don’t always know what they’re doing
Yep, it’s a guessing game and certainty is rare when it comes to what’s wrong with a baby or making the right decision for your child. What is beautiful though, is that a Mother’s love is able to extend beyond the uncertainty, creating a secure environment where the child feels they can fully rely on Mum! Mum is a safe place. Even now, my Mum’s cuddles are still the best. As an adult and a Mum myself, I now see my Mum doesn’t always have the answers, but her enduring love is so precious to me. What a beautiful safe place ‘Mummy cuddles’ are!
5. Mums have a resilience and strength like no other
Prior to giving birth I needed at least 8 hours sleep. Now I can function on 3-4 and thrive on 5-6. HOW DOES THE BODY DO THAT? AMAZING! Mother’s are strong and resilient. They able cope well under a lot of pressure and little sleep with the selfless goal of raising the next generation. Thank you Mums!
WIN a SodaStream on-the-go pack for your Mum!
Do terms like strong, loving, resilient and selfless describe your Mum? She deserves a gift, so why not win her this SodaStream on-the-go pack. SodaStream is a sparkling water maker for the bench top that allows you to enjoy sparkling water, fresh fruit infusions (try my berry-nice healthy mocktail recipe), punches, sparkling ice teas, tantalising cocktails, mixers and more.
The prize pack consists of:
- 1 x SodaStream PLAY White (has an auto-lift slider that returns to original position after carbonation)
- 2 x 1 Litre Pink Fuse Bottles
- 1 x on the go SodaStream Neoprene bottle cooler (not included in any other Soda Stream bundle, perfect for Mums on-the-go).
- Standard RRP: $130, you can purchase these packs discounted for $79 for Mother’s Day only.
Enter here:
SodaStream On-the-Go Mother’s Day Giveaway
Amy Darcy
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