Being a new mommy means lots of sleepless nights, lots of new worries, and (it seems like) not a moment of my day to myself. My mom came to visit and so much got done around our house, but now that she has gone home, I find that I have 10 lbs of demanding screaming for me when I put him down so I can made myself some breakfast. Do babies come with a a sixth sense to wake up when mommy is trying to eat?
In the first week of mommyhood, I found myself with a constantly hungry newborn. The hardest day came when he was hungry every 15 minutes. By the time B got home from work, I was hungry, exhausted, and on the verge of tears. I’m learning, quicky, that I don’t have that many urgent needs. Most of the things I need can be put off, but that day, I realized that I have to take care of myself so that I can take care of my family.
Moms especially put off their own needs to nurture everyone else. Hungry, drained, crying, she wonders why she feels resentful of all the demands placed on her time. In this crazy season, take time to nurture yourself. Make a vegetable tray so you can grab a carrot instead of another cookie. Take time to exercise. Go out for a walk. Read a good book. Soak in a bubble bath. Take as much care with yourself as you do with your babies. When you baby yourself, you will feel more prepared to baby all those around you.
