Listening to your body and seeking medical advice is an important part of self-care as a mother.
I recently spent five days in the hospital for something I had just been chalking up to being a tired, working mom. I’m generally a very healthy person, and as a first-time mom, I thought I was dealing with normal mom exhaustion. This was not the case in the end, and was an important lesson in learning the parameters of mom life.
On organic food, cleaning products and finding my mom identity
One of the hardest things, when it comes time for the holiday season, is finding a balance between old and new, or between mourning those who aren't with you, and celebrating with those who are. Losing someone you love is never easy, and the circle of life goes on no matter what you have planned, which means that sometimes you have to live in a contradiction of feelings. This Christmas has been exactly that, for me and my family.
The first months of Payton’s life were also the last months of my father-in-law’s. The starkness of that contrast continues to weigh on our hearts, especially as we experience the holidays with her this year. While we rejoice in all of our daughter’s firsts, and enjoy every moment she shares with us, we also mourn the loss of her Nono, whom she will never know.
When I was on mat leave with my daughter, I prioritized my health and fitness. Some days the only thing that kept me sane was getting out to my stroller fit class and walking in the park with other mothers. I intuitively knew that having a destination and a scheduled program to join would help get me focused to get out the door.
As my daughter celebrates her 6 month birthday, I realize that I’m currently the owner of my fifth stroller. There’s so much to consider when purchasing a stroller - where you typically walk, how well it fits in your car or on transit, where you’re going to store it, the age and size of your child, budget and more. It's hard to predict these things before you're actually living it with your baby. I didn’t know any of this prior to having my first child, and I’ve learned a lot through my ups and downs with each of my 5 strollers - including how ridiculously HARD and frustrating it is to clean event smallest stain or spill off of them. And don't even get me started on car seats.
