Being a parent for the first time can be an exciting yet daunting experience. The role is so new and different from anything else in your life, and for a lot of parents becomes a source of great concern and stress. That said, it’s very important to remember that those feelings are part of the ride and it just comes down to finding ways to keep yourself afloat through the storms brought on by anxiety while still enjoying every moment with your little one along the way! Here’s how you can reign in mom anxiety so that you can spend more quality time enjoying each other!
Take a deep breath and try to force yourself to chill. Anxiety is an overwhelming emotion, but it can be managed – but you need to understand how. When anxious, we tend to lose touch with something called rational thinking. Rational thinking is where we are prone at coming up with logical solutions or at the very least being able to process what s going on around us so that we don t find ourselves in a constant state of panic. When our body detects the onset of worry and anxiety, the logic center in our brains goes offline which puts us in fight or flight mode. This is why self-help books will often ask you to visualize your favorite place so that you can bring yourself back down from the ledge. However, if you’re an entrepreneur just trying to get through the day or deal with important decisions such as what flavor of cupcakes you should sell first or whether a certain design should go into production; all this anxiety can cause a lot of needless concern if not properly managed.
Sometimes when we feel stressed it may be a good idea to remove ourselves from the situation for a moment, then slowly breathe in through our nose and out through our mouth. This practice helps us to step away from the situation, slow down everything around us, and take care of ourselves. Once we have calmed down breathing-wise, our heart starts to slow and so does our mind’s racing activities. Our brain will register what is happening and it says “Okay, I am cool and collected or once again at peace”. If you are feeling on edge more often or feeling that your anxiety level is rising past the point of manageable confusion, or your sleeping patterns are becoming wonky or you find yourself having panic attacks versus calming anxiety that comes with awareness of your senses then as always it’s best to check in with your doctor!
A lot of women dedicate themselves entirely to being the best mother they can be. And while it is a noble thing to devote yourself so wholeheartedly to the growth and nurturing of your child, it is important not to neglect yourself entirely as you do this. While being a mother tends to be a full-time job in itself, it does not mean that you have to forget about who you are entirely and become nothing more than a mother for others. There comes a time when all moms need some time for them – just make sure you find that time!
Being a Mom is just one of the many roles that you are going to play. It can be very limiting when the stresses of motherhood weigh in, and it may be hard for you to focus on who you truly are as a person when faced with stressful situations. If this sounds like something you might struggle with, think about finding someone in your life who is more carefree and easy-going so that if your situation gets too overwhelming for you for whatever reason, they will have no problem handling all of the pressures involved with being a parent, leaving you free to totally concentrate on who you really are as an individual by doing whatever it is that makes you feel at peace and allowing yourself to fully express yourself without having to worry about everything else. Being a Mother is one of the greatest joys in life – don’t let it close off other parts of yourself along the way!
Try this: pamper yourself. Go ahead, it’s okay. We know this is your business, but you need to also make sure you take care of yourself. So go buy a cute outfit, get your hair done and treat yourself with whatever self-care regimen makes you feel good about yourself! Also, eat well, get regular exercise and try to get a good night s sleep. Because when you feel great from the inside out, not only will it shine through in how you begin to manage your work more effectively which ultimately is what many of us want for the family we are trying to support the added bonus will surely be an increase in productivity if even just a little!
While moms are better equipped to handle some of the pressures that come with parenting, it’s important to involve your spouse in some of the daily challenges as much if not more so than he/she is involving you. This arrangement can make all the difference later down the road when there are potentially stressful situations to deal with and hand holding will help each of you get through.
If you’re a couple that is expecting, find baby gifts together and then plan out the nursery to get an idea of what your child’s room will look like. Also buy gear for the little one like clothes and toys! By involving him in these family activities together, you are actually getting him ready to take over as a parent without making it too difficult on either of you.
If you have a baby girl on the way, you should go pick out some hair clips together. A baby girl’s hair can be very fine and sometimes more sensitive than that of an adult so it is important to choose clips that will be gentle on her head and not pull at her hair. Take one for a trial run by trying them on yourself first to see how they fit otherwise you may want to avoid buying tight accessories because they could cause discomfort.
Parenting is a skill that you master just like any other. The everyday challenges you encounter will make it a trial & error thing so don’t be hard on yourself if at first you don’t get it right every time. Just like anything else, as time goes one, the more experience you have, the better things will go for you! So make sure to take plenty of time for self-reflection along the way and keep doing your best to make things work out in the end. If your baby is growing up happy and healthy then that’s what really matters.
