Since I haven’t given you guys a post partum update, let’s consider this as such eh? Ok, now that you forgive me and you didn’t even have to pay me a penny for my thoughts, I’m keeping the intro short and diving right in. If you’re a first time mother or a veteran mom, we all can benefit from another mother’s open book. Today I’m sharing six areas of my life I had to revaluate as we welcomed another little person to our family.
PLANNING
Things may not go as plan, but plan anyway. Having a strategy or realistic checklist, allows me to be productive and not just goal hungry (less “I HAVE to do it all”, and more “I will TRY to do what I CAN”).
Thinking of the ins and out before hand can save time, provide quicker solutions, outweigh options, make better use of limited time. This is when soundness of mind come in to help with decision making and planning. (Ecclesiastes 10:10)
Even the days I feel like “Superwoman”, I know the power beyond normal (2 Corinthians 4:7) is God’s extended hand and support.
BE PRESENT AND PRACTICAL
Everything takes time.
Now-a-days, things take more of my time and I always feel like I don’t have enough of it!
The best I give, is different each day.
Give the kids what they need (present tense).
FAITH
Continue to teach them to serve Jehovah through my actions. The words, actions and behaviors I express are the ones I want my children to copy and inculcate in them.
This is my season for patience and mildness.
The more anxious and frustrated I became, the more I realized this was good practice for me to work on the mentioned fruitage of the spirit to become a better servant of God, a better wife and mother.
I’ve never been tested more in my life with self control, mildness, and patience, but the more I put in the effort to sew, the more I reap. (Galatians 6:9)
COMMITMENT
Mommy and daddy time is essential.
You must take time out for each other!
The house will be louder, and messier, but spending quality time with one another is SO worth it. Before them, there was us, and we owe it to our relationship to continue to be present and show active and present love displayed in front of our children. Especially as a young couple (we’ve been together since we were 17) it’s important to constantly “check-in” with one another. Can’t go around with the latest cell phone update and not be updated on your spouse’s (likes, dislikes, concerns, viewpoints etc).
SELF
Doing the little things that help me relax (glass of wine, getting out the house alone, massage therapy, soak in the tub, etc) or clear my head (bible reading, organize, list, notes, reading) makes a world of a difference. Taking time out for myself is pivotal if I plan to help others and be part of a family unit.
HEALTH
I already know this, but it’s one thing to know something and another to execute it!
I felt sluggish giving birth this time around and I’m still trying to heal my severe diastasis recti (some days I can easily look 4 months pregnant). Oh, also my pelvic floor muscles seemed to have memory fog too.
At seven months post partum, I finally felt comfortable enough to work out and regain my physical strengthen. I’ve never cared about “snapping back” because I am more concerned with my mental and emotional health, even though physical shortcoming can affect the other two easily.
Meal prepping and having nutritious and healthy meals available is easier said than done, but I’m still eating plant based and have a passion for nutrition and wellness, so that helps keep me on track. Lunch is an area I’m always working on, and not just having food available, it’s having time available to eat it. Nothing like trying to eat and having a little person smack a fork or spoon out of your hand (involuntarily of course).
I’m my best self when I get some sort of adequate rest. Sleeping straight through the night won’t happen for a while as a mother (I pick my battles with motherhood), but I’m a night owl who has come to love mid-day naps.
As far as accountability, I started a chiropractic treatment plan to get myself realigned and massage therapy, which helps with strain from breastfeeding, tension and stress.
And self affirmation is also great. Reminding myself that I am capable, can’t do it all, but industrious, and most importantly, loved, can make some feats seem infinitely smaller.
In May, my youngest, Noah, will be one and I’ll be a year postpartum and we’ll have 1 year in the books as a family of five. As jam packed as our days are, we couldn’t imagine our family without the very people who make it what it is now.
Hoping my realities and enlightenments can inspire you to make some healthier and wiser choices to overcome the hurdles that parenthood can sometimes throw at us. Continue to count your blessings, find ways to serve others and be a better version of yourself everyday. Everyday is the chance to start anew and not give up on yourself.
-xo Natasha
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