Mel Watts, known online as The Modern Mumma, is a Central coast blogger, and last night she posted an honest and heartfelt Instagram snap with her youngest baby. And alongside the snap, she wrote an honest and heartfelt caption, calling on mothers to be a little kinder to themselves.
She writes, “9 months out of the womb.
“In the last 9 months I have never slept so little in my life.
“In the last nine months I have suffered my worst anxiety I have ever experienced. Having a new baby is exhausting and life just doesn’t stop. The bills still need to be paid, Groceries still need to be purchased and the pressure you put on yourself is overwhelming.
“We expect ourselves to know what we’re doing all the time. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first or if it’s your third you’re still learning daily. The first 9 months of your babies life is filled with guessing, rocking, smiling and crying. The amount of pressure we put ourselves isn’t fair.
Top Comments
I am always very dubious about posts like this. Yes! There is an adjustment period where you realise that life is no longer about you. Its a pretty decent shot of reality at that. But parenting in general just doesn't have to be so hard. I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey so far with my two blessings and I could never imagine complaining about the job I do to raise them. I wanted this job, I ensured I got, now I have to take all that comes with it. The love I feel for my two overrides everything else. I somethimes think younger generations that can be very self-serving are maladjusting to parenting because the fact is life is no longer about them, but about keeping your child alive, healthy and happy.
I think to a degree that is true, but I will say parents face more outside pressure than ever before. From parenting blogs, forums and social media to parenting books (of which there are about 17431578538) there is no shortage of 'gurus' telling us how we are doing it wrong, how badly we are permanently screwing up our kids and how we should be doing it right. I mean, for heavens sake, where are now at least a dozen different 'parenting styles', each proclaiming to be the one and only right way to do things. Its overwhelming. I know for the first six months I bought into it all, desperate to do the right thing. It led to a massive mummy meltdown where I threw out every single parenting book I owned ( I never did read the blogs or forums, thank goodness). Now I just figure it out on my own and if I needcadvice I ask my mum or the doctor when her routine checkups arrive. Much more relaxed. The world of parenting would be better off without all that pressure.
Good for you, ive found my only hard
She 6 now and posts like this make me wish i had seen them when she was younger, i would have felt normal, like i wanst crazy
I would have replied like this after my first, but after having PND with my second.... I need posts like Mels. Having kids can be so friken hard. So hard. It can ruin marriages, careers, your health (mental and physical). So it's great you find it easy. But not everyone does.
Doesn't make us love our kids any less.