Let your self-confidence win over tactless perfectionists – you have nothing to blush for! At least in these 10 cases.
Feeding a baby
Whether you breastfeed or formula feed is entirely up to you. If you decide to breastfeed your baby in a quiet corner of the park, you have every right to do so. Most people understand that if you had a choice, you would prefer a more secluded and comfortable place. And don’t worry about the opinions of those who consider breastfeeding in public places to be something terrible and shameful. Your baby needs to be fed, period. Shame on those who consider their opinion more important than the baby’s primary needs.
“Absenteeism” of events
When you become a mother, your schedule changes dramatically and at first your daily routine is entirely subordinated to your baby. Reasonable friends understand this perfectly well and will not take the refusal to meet personally. It is great if you are regularly invited to exhibitions, parties and just to chat, but in this difficult time the best leisure activity may be the opportunity to sleep for half an hour. Listen to yourself and your baby, he is your good reason to boldly ignore any events for which you do not have time and desire.
Depressed mood
A happy, carefree and smiling mother of a baby is often just an image in advertising of children’s products; in real life, women face postpartum depression, not to mention that childbirth itself is a serious test for the body. You are not obliged to always glow with joy simply because this is expected of you. But life’s difficulties do not cancel out the happiness of being a mother, although this does not oblige you to put your happiness on display. In addition, being a mother, you remain a person who can be sad with or without reason, and this is normal.
Method of delivery
Whether it’s a C-section, a natural birth with or without an epidural, you don’t have to spill all the medical details of this intimate process to everyone you meet. Not to mention that asking about your birth method is tactless, and someone might try to challenge or criticize your choice. Don’t take it to heart, especially since the baby has already been born and can’t be born again in the way that the self-proclaimed expert thinks is right.
Stains on clothes
We do not encourage you to wear a dirty T-shirt for weeks: of course, it is better to send dirty clothes to the wash at the first opportunity. But this does not mean that you should immediately hide from prying eyes if your baby burps on you or breast milk stains suddenly appear. All this is natural – you will change when it is convenient. There is no reason to burn with shame in such situations. After all, it is impossible to control.
Disorder in the house
Having dirty dishes in the kitchen does not make you a bad mother, nor do scattered toys. Taking care of a baby is a 24/7 job: if you do not have time to maintain perfect order, do not blame yourself. Your task is to ensure cleanliness for the safety of the baby, everything else will be done when the opportunity arises.
Requests for help
Each person has their own margin of safety: some people do extreme sports and feel as if nothing had happened, while others are driven crazy by a banal lack of sleep. It may seem that the inability to cope with all your responsibilities on your own means that you are not ready to be a parent, but this is not true. Your task is not to exhaust yourself, but to take care of your child’s well-being. Even if you need the help of a dozen people, this is not at all shameful.
Appearance
Some mothers happily dress themselves and their child in matching suits and look spick and span, while others prefer the simplest and most practical clothes. Both options are equally good, the main thing is to be comfortable. In addition, do not rush to get rid of excess weight immediately after childbirth: the body needs to recover. Remember more often that your body gave birth to a child, which means it is definitely worthy of love and care, and not exhausting diets!
Time for yourself
Immediately after giving birth, most women’s maternal instincts kick in — they want to be with their child 24/7. Over time, the need arises to organize the first absences, but this is where guilt comes into play. Do you deserve time for yourself? Yes, and yes, again! Remember that your emotional state directly affects the well-being of the child, and if an hour, say, on a manicure will make you happier, find a way to organize the opportunity to leave your child under the supervision of the father.
Financial difficulties
Good upbringing has nothing to do with financial solvency. In our rush to give our child “the best of everything,” we forget that trendy gadgets and an elite school will never compensate for the lack of communication with parents, who unwittingly become a role model for the growing individual. If your financial situation is dire, don’t hesitate to apply for benefits, because the more time you spend with your child, the better: it’s impossible to earn all the money in the world, and your offspring’s childhood will never be repeated.