We’ve all become mothers during the hardest, most tumultuous year in living memory. It’s been incredibly lonely these past three months, many of us are in lockdown or unable to see friends and family. This isn’t necessarily what we signed up for when we got pregnant but every single one of us has gone above and beyond, creating, birthing and nurturing a human life. I come on these message boards every day, I’ve come to know so many of you, your pictures and your babies likes and dislikes, who’s a FTM and who has which bassinet or and where you are in the world. Without you all I would have struggled so much more and I’m so grateful. So I wanted to share something that’s been on my mind since yesterday, and hopefully some of you might share too.
Yesterday, for the first time in 12 weeks, I felt the closest to my old self. Pre pregnancy, pre Covid, pre lockdown, pre 2020.
He slept through the night and I was awake before him, so I had time to do my hair and make up(!!!!!!). Sure I was wearing all black, there may have been spit up on my jeans and I didn’t have time for breakfast but I looked almost like myself again. We went out into the world and for a brief moment it felt like what motherhood should feel like.
I wanted to take a minute to celebrate, it’s a small achievement but before baby being put together was my “thing”. So I want as many of you as willing to take five seconds to celebrate the small things. Whether it’s shaving your legs, reading a whole chapter of a book, drinking a coffee in silence. Whatever it is that made you feel like YOU, celebrate it, no matter how small it may seem.
We’re all taking baby steps towards our new selves, whatever that looks like. The old me isn’t gone, she’s just a little shy and doesn’t know how she fits into this world anymore, but she’s there and she’s waiting patiently.
Share your joy, your little wins, the tiny spark of your former self, because it’s almost spring and momma, it’s time for you to bloom.