Mothers play a significant role in the physical and mental growth of children. But the transition into motherhood isn’t always smooth. Many women today face challenges that affect their mental health. That’s why mothers have to look for ways to balance their lives and feel more fulfilled. We offer you tips and steps to meet the challenges of motherhood. You’ll find out how to have some “me” time, get some sleep, and have fun.
1. Get more sleep
From the moment the baby arrives, mothers will find it hard to sleep. The toddler will need your attention 100% and 24/7, so you need to be there at all times. During this period, many mothers will find it hard to sleep. The baby may wake up at 2 am crying for whatever reasons. Mummy must do the needful to salvage the situation. But we all need good sleep. Insufficient sleep may lead to serious health issues and mental health challenges. Mothers must find ways to get more sleep, no matter what it takes.
The first step to getting more sleep is to know your sleep needs. How much longer do you want to sleep? Once you know this, you can have a solid plan that will work for you. This planning for better sleep has to happen even before the baby arrives. That way, you have everything you need under control.
You may also need to use the hospital nursery, where you can have some good sleep while the nurses take care of your baby. Mothers can also get more sleep by worrying less about not hearing their baby cry. Sleep when the baby sleeps [1]. At least, then you know the two of you are even.Â
If someone offers to help watch your baby while you sleep, accept the help. Outsource tasks and say no to additional responsibilities that may increase stress.
2. Handling relationships and marriage
With motherhood come relationship and marriage issues. Suddenly, you don’t have time for your friends and cousins anymore. No more girls’ night outs and get-togethers are becoming less frequent. You don’t even have more time to spend with your husband anymore. So how do you fix things and make things right?
The secret to taking the proper steps to meet the challenges of motherhood is planning. Plan everything out with your husband, helper, or lover. Share chores in the house and know when you’re going to have more sex. Get used to couples time changing to family time. If your girls are going out for fun, plan and get help with your baby. Time out with your old friends can do so much good for your mental health.
Also, have some “me” time, even if it’s only a few hours in a week. While you’re on childbirth leave, start planning about getting back to work. Don’t wait till your vacation is over, so you don’t get everything messed up. Take charge of your life and connection with everyone else.
3. The Feeling of Being Out Of Shape
Motherhood is going to mess up your shape, no matter what you do. It’s one of the sacrifices women have to make to bring new life into the world. But it doesn’t have to end on a sad note. You can be a mother and at the same time be in good shape. There are ways for you to keep fit and gain your self-confidence with physical training.
Women are under pressure to get back in shape after having a baby. Ignore the public and stay focused. The idea is to start slow by taking baby steps, so to say. Make exercise and health habits a priority by scheduling your time and sticking to it. Eat a good and healthy breakfast to give you the energy and strength to complete 30 minutes of exercise.
Don’t make training look like a chore, but rather something fun and interesting [2]. You can achieve this by joining other mothers or a gym with like minds. Some couples also work out together, getting support and encouragement from their spouse. Good sleep is going to help you replenish lost vigor and to heal.Â
4. Mixing motherhood with work
With the increasing global economic hardships, more women find themselves working. They have to earn money to support the family. Mothers must learn steps to meeting the challenges of motherhood by balancing it with work.
Women need to make more to support their husbands and kids in paying school fees and settling bills. Some women have aged parents that depend on their support. You will need to stand firm and strong to do well as a mother and please your boss.
To balance motherhood and work, you need to set a routine. You also have to prioritize your tasks so you can focus more on what is essential. Efficient working saves time. The more time you save, the more time you’ll have to spend with your child. Whatever happens, you must be present in your child’s life and play the mother role.Â
Sometimes chores can weigh you down and make you feel challenged. Mothers need to go shopping, wash, or do so many things necessary for living. You should outsource as many chores as you can to save time. Treat family and community engagements like business meetings. Spend your time wisely and see how things work out fine for you.
5. Mothers are under pressure to be perfect.
If you’re like most mothers, you’re always under pressure to be perfect. This motherhood challenge affects the mental health of women in many ways. People expect your baby to be clean all the time and be well fed. They expect your house to the spotless and the lawn to be smooth. What about your garden? It must blossom and bring forth fruits.
If your kids misbehave at school, it must be your fault. You haven’t done enough to train them. You need to put more effort into bringing up responsible kids. All of these and more are the pressure women face when they become mothers.
The best way to cope with this challenge is to ignore criticism. Most of the talks by people around you are to make you feel inadequate. Don’t succumb to the pressure by ignoring them. Try to focus your energy and time on helping your baby have the best they can.
Have regular communication with your husband or anyone that has a stake in your baby’s life. Let them be the ones to correct you based on a proper observation and not mere observation. You’re going to make mistakes, and it’s not a bad thing. Learn from your errors and improve on your efforts every day.
6. Your partner is not there
There are many mothers today who have to raise their children on their own. The man may be late, they may be divorced or separated, or he’s just not interested. Single motherhood had extra pressure on the woman. There is no one to talk to and no second opinion on issues. Balancing motherhood and career becomes harder. Being alone is never fun at all; it puts severe stress on the mother.
However, there are steps to meeting the challenges of motherhood as a single mother. To be a successful single mom, you have to accept that you’re not getting help from anyone. It’s you and your child or kids all the way.
You also need to build confidence that you can do everything. You may find it challenging, but you will succeed. Hardships will come but know that they’re only temporary. Be flexible when dealing with co-workers, family, and friends, and yet firm.
Pay close attention to everything your children do because you are all things to them. Know that you can raise responsible kids as a single mom. Millions of women have done it before you and are still doing it, so; you can.
7. Connect with other women
You can have better motherhood by connecting with other women. Start by building a better relationship with people you can trust, like your mother or aunt. Be careful about taking advice from people you haven’t known for long.
Make friends and look out for people who are like minds. Some people belong to groups, online and offline, where they learn from other mothers. If that is something you think you want to do, go ahead and do it.Â
Connecting with other mothers is one of the steps to meeting the challenges of motherhood. You’ll learn so much about taking care of laundry, cooking, and feeding your child [4]. Mothers who have been there before can teach you about dealing with energetic kids.Â
You’ll also learn the importance of patience, housekeeping issues, and finances. Money is essential for everyone and getting cash is something you will need help with. You will also learn how to take care of your skin, kindness, avoid quarrels, and so on.Â
There are so many valuable lessons of life to learn from experienced mothers. If you’re smart, you will pay attention and get this wisdom. It will improve your life and that of your kids.
Summary
Motherhood comes with plenty of challenges and situations. However, you can live a better life by learning wisdom and essential steps to handle these challenges. For example, you need to connect to other women, mix motherhood with your career, and get in shape. Exercise and sleep will also help you boost your physical and mental health.
Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash
