The challenges I've experienced being a first time mum

Being a mum is quite fulfilling but it also comes with it's own set of challenges. Here are some of the difficulties I've faced the past one year of parenting:

1. Exhaustion 

It's not so easy to run a home and also take good care of a little human being. It takes alot of energy, sacrifice and time management. 

One might think that being a stay at home mum is equivalent to lazying around all day but that's not the case. This is because there are always things to be done around the house eg cleaning the dishes, doing laundry, mopping the floors and wiping surfaces, cooking etc. You have to do all those things and still ensure the overall wellness of a clingy and yet adventurous little human being. This includes; feeding him, giving him baths, changing his Diapers or clothes, sunbathing him, playing with him, soothing him for naps etc.

Therefore, being a mum is a full time job. By the end of the day, I hardly get a chance to relax because even at night, the baby can wake up a gazillion times to breastfeed.

At the end of it all, I feel physically, emotionally and mentally drained because even taking a shower has become a luxury. What makes me feel better is knowing that my baby is in the safest hands (me), I've been there through all his milestones and I get to bond more with him.

2. Feeling inadequate.

It hasn't been an easy transition from living alone and being financially independent to staying at home 24/7 with no job. Even engaging in my hobbies such as writing, cooking, watching movies, listening to music and going out has been very difficult. 

It's not easy being stuck at home with no financial income. What can compound this feeling of inadequacy is having some people around you think that you're just in your comfort zone. 

Well, I have applied for numerous jobs with no luck, I have even tried starting up businesses such as selling Pishori Rice and Baked goods but with low returns. However, I'm still not giving up yet and everyday I come across quotes on how we should be accepting of our current situations. I mean, you might be doing your best to get out of a situation but some things can only happen until God says so. I have learnt to accept and appreciate my current situation. When the right time comes for my breakthrough, I will be unstoppable.

3. Loneliness.

Spending all your days at home doing the same things over and over again can get quite lonely. The friends you used to hang out with sort of forget you and get busy with their own lives. This is understandable because your interests have shifted. You're now a parent and they maybe not. 

The only thing that gives me comfort is that feeling of fulfillment when I take care of my baby's needs and see a beautiful smile curve on his lips or hear his infectious laughter. 

4. Body changes.

Being pregnant and giving birth changes a woman's body. Your boobs may become bigger and saggy from breastfeeding, you might also be left with a bigger tummy and your hips get fuller. Being a stay at home mum does not also make this changes easier to readjust. 

However, as much as I may detest some of this changes I have come to accept that they're what it took to have my precious gift and I wouldn't want it any other way. 

5. Unsolicited advice. 

I have made plenty of choices which I won't divulge into, and some people felt that they have an opinion on them. 

Also, like other moms I have encountered people giving me unsolicited advice about parenting or baby's milestones. This can be irritating sometimes but all I can say is that there is no formula for parenting and as a mother, I do what I feel in my gut is best for my baby, for myself and for my family. 

Those are some of the challenges I've faced as a first time mum. However, as much as they have weighed me down at one point or another, I feel blessed and happy to be with my little champ everyday and to see him grow tremendously right under my nose.