Category: motherhood
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A therapist’s top five ways to prepare for your postpartum (that most people actually miss out)
Imagine you spent nine months preparing for your newborn’s arrival. You’ve asked around and researched for the best stroller, milk bottle, steriliser. You’ve figured out which one out of the ten types of crib mattress is going to reduce risks of SIDS and dust mites. You’ve rehearsed how you’re going to bathe and clothe your…
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How busy moms stay sane and teach their kids emotional resilience (tips from a mental health counsellor)
Your body – specifically, your autonomic nervous system (ANS), is always giving you information. The ANS has trackers, called “neuroception,” that scans your external environment (i.e. what you can see, hear, smell, taste or touch) and internal environment (i.e. your stomach, your heart rate). It then comes up with quick decisions on whether you’re safe…
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Start where you are.
This is my all-time favourite mantra since becoming a mother. I know myself, I’ve the habit of wanting to be an expert at everything because I’m anxious that I’d somehow miss something, and my child would get less than she deserves. When I first heard about environmental toxins, I nearly threw out all our baby…
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Every choice is a parenting decision.
Even those you think are made from societal pressure, circumstance, or ignorance. I know, that sounds kind of scary and overwhelming. I’ve a personal story. When my child turned 6 months and I was due back at work, I decided to place my child with my mother. Mothers, they can be strong convictions about how…
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It takes practice.
Parenting can be messy. You’re new to it – how do you discipline, how do you stay calm, how do you make decisions about everything from food to childcare to family values. Aside from the emotional turmoil of being uncertain, parenting is also quite literally messy. Think baby-led weaning. Think your child would never throw…
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It’s messy because you’re new at it.
Ask a breastfeeding mother. Have you stained your clothes and needed yet another change? Have you also sprayed milk all over your bra, your new bed covers and your newborn’s entire face? Have you struggled with the nursing cover while trying to keep your wailing newborn from falling? Have you skipped a pump because you…
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Be Mindful
Who has tried sitting for five minutes and was uninterrupted? I CELEBRATE WITH YOU. That is a rare gift for me. And for a while, it frustrated me. I’d snap at my poor toddler, “I’m meditating! Give me some time, please!” Yet, mindfulness is such a useful grounding technique. It also contributes to so much…
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Be Flexible
I don’t hear enough talk about the immediate postpartum. You’re holding your newborn in your hands. He cries. It might look adorable for five minutes, until you find that you’ve no clue why the baby is crying. Then, you might get anxious. It drives you to read and research voraciously, ask all the mom friends…
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Slow Down
Even if you’re a fit bunny pre-pregnancy and hitting the gym even in the third trimester, there is an inevitable slowing down when you’re in the later stages of pregnancy. From personal experience, we slow down even more once the baby is born. It takes us an extra 30-minutes to get out of the house…
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Reframes are lifesavers.
Reframes that are simple, easy to remember and quick to implement can COMPLETELY TRANSFORM YOUR MOTHERHOOD. When your child is throwing food on the floor (reality of baby-led weaning) or you’ve just stepped on a stray lego block, being able to ground yourself and reframe your perspective can change how you choose to respond. There…
Thriving New Mama 