Other Than a Mother

Becoming a mother can be one of the happiest times of your life, while one of the scariest! With the good days will come the bad and if you’re finding it harder than you imagined- you’re not alone! While you master the unimaginable, earning yourself the right to the label ‘Super Mom’, it is easy to let slip away the time spent looking after that Super Mom, you.

Without realizing it, this new reduction of time invested in yourself can cause feelings of exhaustion, loneliness and even that of losing your real sense of self. It is so important to not let your new responsibilities consume you and to maintain and celebrate the aspects of your life that contribute to your happiness and make you, you.

In order to be the best mom, partner and friend that you can be, you need to be making ‘me time’ a daily priority. Now, understandably you may be thinking, “Time!? Sorry, what is this time that you speak of!?” Trust me, I know. But also trust me when I say that helping yourself isn’t as hard (or as time-consuming) as you think.

Here are some simple, effective ways to maintain yourself amidst the craziness of being a mother:

Maintain Your Friendships

Don’t ever assume that friends who don’t have children, don’t understand or don’t want to help you. True friends will be ecstatic at your invitation to coffee at a local café, a walk in the park or even a quick visit. As little as 15 minutes spent with a friend will lift your mood and diminish any ‘FOMO’ that you may be developing as a new mom!

Ask for Help

Family, friends and your partner are there for a reason- to support you! Don’t be afraid to ask them to help out for a while. Whether for alone time or for some much-needed rest, a little time-out will allow you to re-charge.

Schedule Regular YOU Time

Set aside half an hour EVERY day just to focus on yourself. Read a book, make a few phone calls, paint your nails or have a relaxing bath. Doing something that you enjoy each day is CRUCIAL to your health, happiness, wellbeing and mood.

Get Active

Speaking of mood, what better way to get a quick boost than to get moving! Go for a stroll with the little one, attend a local yoga class or join a gym. Just 30 minutes of exercise per day will present you with more mind and body benefits than you know!

Try Something New

The introduction of a new hobby, class or interest during this time in your life will help you to feel that you do have more going on than motherhood. Your new activity or interest will give you something fresh and exciting to focus on, ensuring that you don’t begin to feel ‘bogged down’ by the new and constant responsibility that comes with parenthood.

Stay Positive

Easier said than done, I know! However, entertaining the simple thought that things could be much worse, will help you mentally deal with feelings such as exhaustion and being overwhelmed. You are healthy, have a roof over your head and have a beautiful new bundle of joy in your life. There are 3 very simple reasons to smile.

You are ‘other than a mother’. As an extremely good multi-tasker (you are after all a woman), let’s take ‘Super Mom’ up a notch. Let’s give both the little one and ourselves the love and enjoyment that we deserve, daily. With all of that accomplished, feel free to introduce yourself as ‘Super Woman’.