As mothers, we want to give our children everything

As mothers, we want to give our children everything, even at the expense of our own comfort, and sometimes our own sanity.

We feel blessed to be entrusted with the care of a precious life, and we want to be worthy of that blessing. We proudly wear our heart outside our body and face every day with an exuberant desire to lay down everything we have in service of the little person we brought into the world.⠀⠀
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This is our beauty and our strength, but it’s also our weakness. In our quest to improve ourselves and equip ourselves with all the knowledge that can help us become our best, our armour becomes permeable and we become susceptible to messages that we are inadequate. But no matter what the daily details of your life may be, you are good. You are great. You are enough.⠀⠀
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Remember these things when it’s 3 a.m. and you can’t get your baby to sleep and you feel helpless and alone. Remember them when you’re looking in the mirror a few weeks after giving birth and nothing looks familiar. Remember them when you’re facing your return to work and are consumed by guilt. When we’re pregnant, the world cares a lot about how we’re doing.

Strangers take note of our “glow” and offer to feed us. By the end of our pregnancies, we have weekly doctor’s appointments, and all are attuned to our every pang and ache.

But once we give birth, all the focus shifts to the baby in our arms. Only just this past month has the official stance changed to recognize that new moms need better care in the “fourth trimester” than a single visit six weeks after delivery.

As new moms, our mental health matters. Our happiness matters. Having a support system matters. So whenever you can, take that moment for yourself. Let others step in and help you. Because while your baby is the center of your universe, you matter, too. ⠀⠀
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✏️Melody Akhaven Abbey @growupbrite on Instagram

Originally posted 2021-03-03 12:30:02.