10 Things I Did Not Expect With Motherhood

 

Here’s a random list of 10 things neutral, pleasant and not so pleasant that I did not expect on the new motherhood journey. 

1. Consequences of Sleep Deprivation- Almost every new or ttc mom will hear a lot about all the sleep they’ll lose but it’s a whole different thing imagining the consequences of it. Things like irritability, being on the verge of insanity or even being so sleep deprived  that things that once seemed so easy becomes 10 x harder.  
2. Random Opinions of Others- having people who’ve had kids a longggg time ago or who have never had kids insist on sharing their ‘best practices’ (Go right ahead and laugh at this - I’m laughing right along with you.)
3. Being Emotional towards all their younger baby pictures, outgrown baby clothes and toys, growth changes, everything! 
4. Being Touched Out! (I love you but get off me and give a Mami some personal space love.)
5. Being drained from Toddler Chatter(Polly want a cracker?) 
6. Oh the Research! For the very many non - textbook subjective, personal, familial and cultural parenting decisions we constantly have to make. From the circumcised vs. uncircumcised, piercings vs. no piercings, vaccine vs. no vaccine, schooling vs. homeschooling and the list goes on and on and on. 
7. The Inevitable Change in Social Circles. Don’t be surprised if people you were acquainted with politely excuse themselves from your life (or straight out ghost you) once you become a Mom. It is okay, even if you don’t understand it. Give them grace because you may also need to do the same. 
8. The Mom Friend Challenge. How challenging it is to make mom friends where you gel with the parent just as your kids gel with their kids. (Not talking about if you were friends before you became moms here because 99.9% of kids born into the friendship have no choice - they better get along). The friendship mismatch can be so real and the stars may not all align. Good luck out there!
9. Monkey Mom Syndrome or the Mom Comparison Trap. Caveat: I do believe comparison is healthy as a tool to discover best practices that can make the Mom journey easier. However, when it turns toxic, into a competition where you are more invested in other Moms tips and tricks than your own, then that’s the trap. Friends, get out and stay out. There is magic in being as present as possible in your own motherhood journey. 
10. How Fast & Slow Time Flies, at the same time, on the journey. As the saying goes - the days are long but the years are short. (Or whatever they said).

What are some things you did not expect about motherhood but came as a pleasant/unpleasant surprise? (Share your thoughts in the comments or with a mommy 

friend or two.) 💜

Corona Wellness Plan for Littles

Disclaimer: This is not medical advice just a mama sharing her experiences. Please consult your healthcare professional for medical advice. 

A new variant is making it’s rounds and while researchers are gathering evidence about it’s effects and especially as it relates to children; it may be another few months before we get a definite action plan for keeping little ones safe or helping them heal from a Covid 19 variant. In this post I'm sharing 5 tips for helping your little ones to recover from a cold:

Tip 1:  Prevention is the best defense. Be very discerning about where you go, if you have to go out with your little ones. Prevention is better than finding a cure. 

Tip 2: For stuffiness, a cool mist humidifier works  great for adding moisture to the air especially in cold/flu season and especially in places where the air is drier. Moisture helps loosen the mucous so it can make it's way out of the body. You may also use a vaporizer or steamer if it's all you have but be careful not to leave children unattended while it's in operation as the steam poses a burn risk if they get too close. Additionally you can run a vapor bath. Fill their bath tub with warm water and eucalyptus run the shower so the bathroom os filled with steam then place the child in the tub for normal bathtime. 

Johnsons Vapor Bath Soap

Tip 3: For an achy chest or chest cold, Vicks Baby Rub may help your child to breathe and sleep better. Children two and older can use the regular Vicks Rub. Try rubbing some on the soles of their feet (then placing them in socks) and also on the chest and back. Tiger Balm may also be used as an alternative on kids 3 and up.

Tip 4: For kids over the age of one you can give a little honey with lime/lemon and a bit of crushed garlic to ease a sore throat and help get rid of the virus. For kids ages 4 and up you can try getting them to suck on a cough drop to ease a sore throat. For this to work they nees to suck the cough drop produce more saliva in the mouth which when mixed with the lozenge, helps to soothe a sore throat.

Tip 5: The mucous needs to leave the body. Mucous is the body's way of binding the virus to eject it from the body. Drinking lots of fluids; water, juice and even milk helps loosen the mucous to help the body get rid of it. For breast fed babies, breast feed on demand. 

For the older kids encourage them to spit out the mucous when they get the sensation to cough it up. For the younger babies you an help them by squirting a few drops of saline in each nostril and sucking out excess mucous with nasal bulb or snot sucker. There are quite a few on the market. 

Takeaway

Any strain of the cold or covid is a virus that cannot be cured but has to run its course as the immune system works to expell the virus. Most cold medications for kids only work to alleviate symptoms such as fever, pain and sore throat. With all the above mentioned tips and consistency you should have success in helping your child to heal from the cold/covid virus.

Be sure to monitor your child's symptoms, especially in the event that they appear to be getting worse as the days go by. They may need immediate medical intervention.

Feel free to add your own experiences and recommendations in the comments below to help another mama out. 💜