Motherhood is a Journey, Not a Destination! The constant learning that takes place as a mother amazes me and I feel like there is always something new for me to work on to make me a better mom. I want to talk about a few of these things and share with you some important things that I have learned over the past few years.
One thing that I have been working on most recently is understanding and valuing time to myself in the form of selfcare! This looks different for every woman, but the importance of it is the same for all of us! We need to take care of ourselves because if we do not, then there will be no one to take care of the rest of the family! What selfcare has looked like for me recently is taking a bath at least once a week, making sure that I am getting adjusted on a regular basis, taking naps when I am feeling over tired and asking for help when needed! Above and beyond this, I have been trying to schedule once a month to have an afternoon to myself where I can either get my hair done, get a massage or just go to a coffee shop and sit and relax by myself. I have found that after I take this time to myself, I am more energized and ready to give more to my family then I was before! And this is the beauty of self-care! When we take just a little time for ourselves, we are able to better serve! So, what does selfcare look like for you? The main component of it is that it needs to be something that fills you up and decreases your stress! I would love to hear what you enjoy doing to take care of you!
Another very important part of motherhood that I want to talk about is the beauty and benefits of breastfeeding your child! This was a struggle for me at first with Anna, but with a great support team I was able to nurse her for many months! The benefits of this time with her is priceless and hopefully something that I can establish with this new baby too! Some of the known benefits of breastfeeding a baby include an increase immunity, greater bonding between mom and baby, longer sleep periods by three months and a decrease in common ailments such as ear infections, allergies and asthma. If you are struggling with nursing your baby, chiropractic has been found to be very beneficial for fostering the nursing relationship, so please let us know if you are in need of anything! We are here to help, and we also have a great network of other professionals who are great at fostering a healthy nursing relationship!
The final thing I want to talk about is the benefits and safety of babywearing! For those of you that are unfamiliar with babywearing, it when a child is kept close and connected to you as you engage in daily activities through the use of a variety of types of baby carriers. There are so many benefits for baby and for the parent that is wearing baby! With Anna, I found wearing her when she was very young to be extremely beneficial because she had just spent 9 months in the womb experiencing constant motion, warmth, and physical contact with me and that is what baby wearing allowed us to continue to do after she was born. I honestly found that she was happier and calmer when I was wearing her, which then lead to me being happier and calmer! I want to go over a few babywearing reminders, but if you feel you need more instruction on proper babywearing, please reach out and I would love to either share what I know or connect you with other resources.
Here are the ABCs of Safe Babywearing!
A- Airway- Ensure baby’s airway stays open by keeping chin off of chest and allow for air to circulate around baby’s face. This can be done easily by making sure that baby is always close enough to kiss and view.
B- Body Positioning- be sure that the carrier supports baby in a way that is appropriate for their level of neck and trunk control and prevents slumping. Ideally baby’s knees should be higher than their bum and weight should be distributed on the thighs and bottom.
C-Comfort- the carrier should be comfortable for you and baby. If you do not feel comfortable and confident with the carry you are doing, have a spotter nearby to help. And if you cannot figure it out, continue to seek help to make sure that the carrier position is optimal for both you and for baby!
These might be new things for you, or you may have some experience with them. If there is anything that you need assistance with, make sure to ask for help and lean on your support team! There is no reason for us to go through the transition of becoming a mother by ourselves! Please share this is a mom that you feel may benefit from this information! Thanks for your continued support!