Finding Balance: Motherhood and Having your Own Life
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Parenting Advice
Becoming a mum, whether it is for the first time or fifth, is never a plain sailing task. Whilst your bundle of joy is everything you ever wished for and more perfect with every glance – you might not be feeling so beautiful yourself.
With breast feeding, endless washing loads and a couple of hours kip to contend with, it can feel impossible to even think about dressing up, doing your hair and carefully applying the make-up you had so much fun with before.
However, making the effort to feel good about yourself can help make the transition from a single person to a parent much easier. Dressing well can help you to return to normality after having a baby and make you feel as good as you can, when you might not have the greatest confidence in your body.
Spa days, shopping trips and date nights can also make a huge impact on your life. Having a baby can take over your diary, but finding time for yourself and your partner at least once a month can have a positive on the quality of your life.
Feeling Good
One of the easiest ways to return to normality after the birth of your child is to make time for you. Whether it is a monthly spa day, a little shopping trip or just a quick coffee with your girlfriends, it is important not to forget the things you enjoyed before your baby came along.
Whilst it is great fun to bring your new baby along on these trips with you, it is also fun to enjoy a couple of hours every month away from your baby – just focusing on you and your friends, ensuring that you get the rest bite you need and deserve.
It can be tough to leave your new baby with someone else, but it is important for both you and your baby that you have other people they know and trust to be left with for time to time. The first time you go out without your baby, leave them with your partner, or the grandparents and travel somewhere close. It’s always good to be able to get home within 30 minutes if you need to – it will help you feel more relaxed.
Dressing Well
Getting dressed can help you to feel less like a feeding, cleaning, laundry machine and more like a woman again. Mummy tums, stiches and sore breasts can make us opt for more comfortable, loungewear. However, it doesn’t need to mean wearing your PJ’s for three months.
Slipping into a loose dress or fashioned loungewear can help you to feel great and look great at the same time. It can also encourage you to leave the house more often, which you may be less inclined to do with a new baby.
A new wardrobe has to be shown off. Embrace your new body and dress to enhance your best assets – even if you are just in the house for the next couple of months. Getting dressed can make all the difference to your wellbeing.
Making Time for Others
Date nights, wine tasting with the girls and couples dinner parties can feel like a long forgotten memory. Whilst it might not be appropriate in the first few months of your child’s life it is of the upmost importance that you make time for the other loved ones in your life as soon as you are comfortable with leaving your baby.
Try to head out once a month with your partner and once a month with friends. Use trusted family members to help care for your baby whilst you are out. If you are not living close to any family, try a trusted babysitting service such as sitters.co.uk where you can find Ofsted registered and CRB checked nannies to take care of your child.
If leaving your child with someone else is not an option, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy special time with your loved ones. Invite friends for a late night dinner and put your baby down just as they arrive – with a bit of luck he may sleep through the meal and hopefully his first feed will happen after your guests have arrived.
It is also important to make time for your partner when a new baby comes along. It can be all too easy to forget about romance and fall into a routine of washing, cleaning, feeding and napping. Create a date night, when you dedicate a few hours to your partner and no one else - try to head out (or stay in when your baby is sleeping) at least twice a month.
Becoming parents is never an easy task and it can easily take over your life, but following these few steps and remembering who YOU are can make all of the difference when you make the transition into parenthood.
Robyn Edwards currently writes for Pink Clove, a UK based fashion clothing company who specialise in plus size clothing for the modern woman. Pink Clove design and make all of their products in the UK making them unique to the current market. Visit our online site to view our full collection of high quality, low cost clothing for all occasions.
With breast feeding, endless washing loads and a couple of hours kip to contend with, it can feel impossible to even think about dressing up, doing your hair and carefully applying the make-up you had so much fun with before.
However, making the effort to feel good about yourself can help make the transition from a single person to a parent much easier. Dressing well can help you to return to normality after having a baby and make you feel as good as you can, when you might not have the greatest confidence in your body.
Spa days, shopping trips and date nights can also make a huge impact on your life. Having a baby can take over your diary, but finding time for yourself and your partner at least once a month can have a positive on the quality of your life.
Feeling Good
One of the easiest ways to return to normality after the birth of your child is to make time for you. Whether it is a monthly spa day, a little shopping trip or just a quick coffee with your girlfriends, it is important not to forget the things you enjoyed before your baby came along.
Whilst it is great fun to bring your new baby along on these trips with you, it is also fun to enjoy a couple of hours every month away from your baby – just focusing on you and your friends, ensuring that you get the rest bite you need and deserve.
It can be tough to leave your new baby with someone else, but it is important for both you and your baby that you have other people they know and trust to be left with for time to time. The first time you go out without your baby, leave them with your partner, or the grandparents and travel somewhere close. It’s always good to be able to get home within 30 minutes if you need to – it will help you feel more relaxed.
Dressing Well
Getting dressed can help you to feel less like a feeding, cleaning, laundry machine and more like a woman again. Mummy tums, stiches and sore breasts can make us opt for more comfortable, loungewear. However, it doesn’t need to mean wearing your PJ’s for three months.
Slipping into a loose dress or fashioned loungewear can help you to feel great and look great at the same time. It can also encourage you to leave the house more often, which you may be less inclined to do with a new baby.
A new wardrobe has to be shown off. Embrace your new body and dress to enhance your best assets – even if you are just in the house for the next couple of months. Getting dressed can make all the difference to your wellbeing.
Making Time for Others
Date nights, wine tasting with the girls and couples dinner parties can feel like a long forgotten memory. Whilst it might not be appropriate in the first few months of your child’s life it is of the upmost importance that you make time for the other loved ones in your life as soon as you are comfortable with leaving your baby.
Try to head out once a month with your partner and once a month with friends. Use trusted family members to help care for your baby whilst you are out. If you are not living close to any family, try a trusted babysitting service such as sitters.co.uk where you can find Ofsted registered and CRB checked nannies to take care of your child.
If leaving your child with someone else is not an option, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy special time with your loved ones. Invite friends for a late night dinner and put your baby down just as they arrive – with a bit of luck he may sleep through the meal and hopefully his first feed will happen after your guests have arrived.
It is also important to make time for your partner when a new baby comes along. It can be all too easy to forget about romance and fall into a routine of washing, cleaning, feeding and napping. Create a date night, when you dedicate a few hours to your partner and no one else - try to head out (or stay in when your baby is sleeping) at least twice a month.
Becoming parents is never an easy task and it can easily take over your life, but following these few steps and remembering who YOU are can make all of the difference when you make the transition into parenthood.
Robyn Edwards currently writes for Pink Clove, a UK based fashion clothing company who specialise in plus size clothing for the modern woman. Pink Clove design and make all of their products in the UK making them unique to the current market. Visit our online site to view our full collection of high quality, low cost clothing for all occasions.
