When Boy Child was just two and I was heavily pregnant with Girl Child I started attending a toddler group. By the time Girl Child was a few months old it was threatened with closure because the lady who had been running it was moving. With a baby and a toddler to look after I […]
Life with Babies and Toddlers
I found the baby years challenging to say the least. I had postnatal depression, struggled to bind with my babies and found the sleep deprivation very hard to cope with. Both of my babies had colic which meant hours of screaming every night and one was particularly sicky so I smelt of vomit for a good six months.
By the time they were toddlers I was coping a bit better but still found parenting relentless. As an introvert, I need a certain amount of alone time to function and unfortunately toddlers, who like to keep you company even on the toilet, don’t really allow for that.
Despite the challenges, we did have some good times. After my second was born I knew it was important for me to get out of the house so started attending a toddler group. I made friends and eventually ended up running the group which gave me a sense of purpose.
Society still pushes the image of women who are happy and fulfilled simply because they have had a baby however this isn’t the case for most women. Motherhood manages somehow to be both the hardest thing I’ve done as well as being mind numbingly boring for much of the time.
There is a big difference between loving your baby and loving motherhood. While I did slowly fall in love with my babies, I’ve never fallen in love with motherhood, and that’s ok. There are a hundred different ways to be a good mum, finding parenthood so tough in the early years has taught me not to judge others and I hope people afford me the same courtesy.
I found that the best way to cope with motherhood was through honestly and humour so many of the posts in this section laugh at the challenges or give honest accounts of them along with some advice on how to cope.
How to Start Combination Feeding – Mixing Breastmilk and Formula
Combination feeding isn’t often suggested as a feeding options to parents but it’s something that worked really well for us. This guide will explain how to start combination feeding as well as answering all of your questions on mixed feeding with breastmilk and formula. What is Combination Feeding? Combination feeding, sometimes called mixed feeding or […]
Becoming a Mum – The Many Shocks of New Motherhood
When I decided I wanted to have a baby I knew nothing about babies. Despite being almost 30, none of my close friends had babies and there were no babies in my family. In hindsight I think that was probably for the best. Had I known what I was letting myself in for I’d have […]
How to Do Toy Rotation
While I’m a pretty rubbish cleaner, I do like my house to be tidy and organised. Young children’s toys can make this somewhat challenging! Children in the UK have a huge number of toys these days and mine are no different. I’ve found that a toy rotation system helped me keep toys organised, as well […]
What is a Danger Nap?
If you move in parenting circles you may have heard the term danger nap uttered in whispered horror by mums and dads. You might even have experienced it for yourself. Personally, I was so frightened of them, I used to have nightmares that my toddler had taken a danger nap. But what is a danger […]
