Hang in There, Mama; You Got This

To the pregnant mom,

Everything is uncomfortable. Your husband or employer or both are on your last nerve. If you have a child or children already, you are extra done. You’re peeing every five seconds, crying at the drop of a hat, and your house is never clean enough. As the baby grows and stretches your organs, even breathing becomes more difficult. You can’t wait for this time to be over, yet you want to hold onto these moments where it’s just you and your babe. Hang in there, mama, you got this.

To the brand new mom,

This new role of “mom” is foreign. You don’t know if the baby needs to eat, sleep or poop when she cries. While people told you to “enjoy sleep while you can” you couldn’t understand the level of torture sleep deprivation was until you were in the thick of it. Breastfeeding is hard. Formula feeding is hard. Did they sleep enough? Eat enough? Too much? How the hell do you work this baby device? Why do some of your friends look insta-ready when you are still rocking your maternity pants and unwashed hair? You question if you’re even cut out for this mothering gig. Don’t worry, you are. Hang in there, mama; you got this.

To the toddler mom,

you got this

Just when you started getting the hang of things, this sweet baby is pushing ALL your buttons, seemingly on purpose. You’ve been judged in the grocery store. You’ve been stretched to your limits. You lose your patience. Oh my gosh will they EVER learn to use the potty? Will they go to college with the pacifier? You wonder if you are doing a good job. Yes, you are. Hang in there, mama; you got this.

To the big kid mom,

Yes, it’s okay to sleep in. No, they aren’t watching too much TV. You might be going back and forth between hovering too much and being a free range mama – both are okay. You are doing your best. Your kids are alright. This is the sweet spot. They are growing and learning and bringing you less tantrums but new challenges. Hormones … already? Yes, already. They are growing rapidly, as you already know. You remember the new stage and sometimes even long for it. But all you

can do is enjoy the stage they’re in and prepare them for the next. Hang in there, mama; you got this.

To the teen mom,

They’re okay. They’re okay. The kids are okay. Set your limits, keep the lines of communication open and know they will make mistakes. Give them a place to reflect. They will get through these years, and so will you. You might get one word answers. You can’t even with the mess in their room, but you don’t know if you should clean it, burn it down, or let it be. Whatever you choose (aside from burning it down, obviously) will be the right thing. You love them and are doing your best. That’s all you can do. Hang in there, mama; you got this.

To the almost empty nester,

Your baby is leaving. The one you rocked and nursed and taught to walk, talk and pee on the potty is moving out. You don’t remember life before he came into your world, and you don’t exactly know what you’re going to do as he spreads his wings and begins to carve his own path. You will cry. You will reflect. You might have some regrets. But mama, you did your best and loved your hardest. That’s all you can do. You prepared him well. He knows where home is and he will always return. Hang in there, mama; you got this.

Yes, you got this. 

Myndee
Myndee is a 35ish year old New Orleans area native. She's an author, speaker and self-love advocate. As an introverted extrovert, Myndee loves being part of the generation where most of her friends live in her computer. She and her husband, Luis, live just outside the city with their three kids.

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