Top Tips for Surviving Motherhood
- Georgia
- Jun 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 23
Summer, in the desert, means motherhood and pregnancy can be so intense and overwhelming.
There's no doubt that when a baby is born, a mother is born too. There's a word for it you know, it's called matrescence.
After labouring your baby (yes - it's labour!) you then have to nurse baby day and night, nurture them, change them, be at their beck and call.
Ofcourse, that's motherhood. But aside from the physical demands and changes, there's the mental transition too. While we love them, and it's all worth it, I won't deny, it's exhausting too.
Here's some tips to make motherhood easier...
1) Build your tribe - find other mums - whether that's on social media groups, antenatal courses or pregnancy exercise classes. Mums hang out a lot online, so it shouldn't be too difficult. Surround yourself with people who get it and lose the people who don’t. Start with The Mama Tribe, The Om Journey or Eklektic Mama.
2) Do a Hynobirthing course. Not only will you meet other mums, you will learn skills for life. I used my breathing skills to breastfeed - it was painful. I used the relaxation tapes to soothe my babies to sleep. And I use relaxation techniques when life gets too much, when dealing with a toddler tantrum for example. It's like a gift that keeps on giving.
2) Batch cook - Cook as many meals as you can before baby arrives and freeze them. You'll be so grateful when baby is here, to have some good home-cooked grub that you can just throw in the oven. Infact with a 5-year-old and 2-year-old I still batch cook for days when it's mad or I'm feeling lazy. It takes the pressure off.
3) Post-natal Doula - I only wish I had one after my babies. I had only ever heard of doulas for the labour, but not for the exhausting, overwhelming aftermath. The newborn phase. Having a doula to come round and cook for you, care for you, listen to you and offer advice is a no brainer. It's often said a mother is at her most vulnerable in those first few days and weeks. Why wouldn't you want an empathetic cheerleader come in to offer practical and emotional support? I'd highly recommend Charlotte of Gentle Beginnings.
4) Get Out - I know it's hot. You might not feel like it. You might look like you've been dragged through a bush backwards, but daylight first thing in the morning is sooo important for your circadian rhythm. This is when it's cooler, so just get up and get out. If it's possible to do it in nature, do it! Spending time in nature reduces our cortisol (stress levels) by 20%.
5) Say yes - This is something I'm still working on, ten years in! When friends, family, neighbours, whoever, offer you help. Big or small. Say YES. Take all the help you can get. Consider it a virtual hug. Forming a childcare support bubble in those early days may be something you want to consider, or even just people fetching the shopping for you, having a FaceTime chat, or meeting you for a walk...it all makes a difference to your wellbeing. Say YES!
They say it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to make a mum. Share the load, mentally and physically. You’ll feel better for it!
If you're interested in Hypnobirthing, why not join one of my Hypnobirthing Tasters. Find out more here.
And if you fancy taking control of your birth, and diving into the world of Hypnobirthing (it's a game changer!), then click here.
I'd love to support you!
Georgia x
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