The Birth of a Mother
Author Natasha Badhwar on five things mothers should do to beat stress
irst of all, new mothers, indeed all mothers, must know one thing clearly. You are the centre of the Universe. Nobody is more important than you. You are being mentored to be in charge of lives. You are a decision-maker-the boss of all you survey. Every birth is a miracle. You have chosen to surrender your body as the site of this miracle and you are entitled to huge benefits in return.
FPut yourself first When you need to sleep, you sleep. When you want a foot massage, you call your friends, lovers, mother or pedicurist and ask one of them to arrange it for you. You eat in bed if that’s the only way you can get some rest, nurse the baby and feed yourself. If you want to watch a movie, you ask for it, and let others organise the gadgets as you learn to adjust the nursing baby, your battered breast and your exhausted self. Learn to ask for help Your most important learning is not some divine skill or wisdom that is going to dawn on you. Quite simply, you remind yourself to ask for help. Efficiency is overrated. Get off all parenting websites and shopping sites Unsubscribe if your friends have added you to discussion boards or secret chat groups. Ignore all parenting gyan forwarded to you by well-meaning folks. Let there be silence between your baby and you. Shop for yourself Babies need nothing, once they have you. They get too many gifts anyway. You will notice that none of the clothes that you have saved for your post-pregnancy body fit you. You will not go from XL to XS like you had hoped. Buy books and fragrant soaps. They fit all sizes. Find ways to get away from everything and everyone No one knows the urgency of alone time like a new mother does. Turn off the Wi-fi. Delete all apps. Get walking shoes and new socks. Wear your baby around your body. Take selfies. Don’t post them. Write down your good, bad and ugly feelings. Before you know it, you might become qualified to write a bestseller on parenting all by yourself.