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I’m no parenting expert (far from it!), but I have three kids, and in my experience the first six months of motherhood were the hardest. They mark a line in the sand of what life was like before and after. ‘Before’ being independence and freedom, and ‘after’ being an adjustment period – a weird mix of longing for the freedom of before and the overwhelming love that comes with becoming a parent. At least, that was my experience!
Below are five things that got me through the first six months of motherhood.
1. Weekly Mum Catch Ups
Shop the breastfeeding friendly Lizzy Tee here and Archie Top here, and bump and breastfeeding friendly jumpsuit here.
The first time around, I didn’t join an official mother’s group, but managed to form one of my own with women I’d met during prenatal classes. We’d all had our babies around the same time and met up about 6 weeks postpartum. It was the best thing I could have done. From then on, we met weekly, all through maternity leave, chatting about the shared experiences and challenges that come with being a new parent. Almost ten years later, we’re still friends, and seeing our children grow together has been an amazing thing.
2. Moving My Body
Exercise! Along with another group of friends who’d just had babies, we met weekly in parks to try to motivate each other to get fit again. Babies would sit on blankets while we attempted a few squats and push ups, which would inevitably morph into a long brunch. I’d also try to fit in moments of daily exercise at home. Feeling strong in my body again was so important, and it often doubled as entertainment for my new baby too.
3. Saying 'Yes' to Help
This was especially helpful in the first six weeks (when I was in the midst of newborn chaos). Family members offered to drop off groceries, tidy the house, or just hold the baby for a while. When you’ve spent years operating as a competent, capable adult pre-baby, it can feel uncomfortable to say yes when people offer to help. But it definitely helped me survive those early weeks.
4. Doing Something Just for Me
About three to four months into motherhood, once I’d found some sort of ‘routine’ again, I felt I needed to do something just for me. The first time around, I was inspired to try creative writing. I wrote a lot of short stories at that time and entered them into competitions. I didn’t win anything (ha!), but it was really good for me to have something separate from motherhood to focus on and feel good about.
Every maternity leave I’ve ended up doing something like this. The third time around, I started this business.
5. Working Out My New "Mum" Wardrobe
Shop the Archie Set Turquoise here and the Harper Dress Geometric here.
As a new mum, a lot of the clothes I wore pre-baby didn’t work anymore, but I wanted items that still felt like me and made me feel confident. It took a while, but I found pieces that worked for motherhood (practical for breastfeeding, or for sitting on a picnic rug at the park), while still making me feel good. And it’s probably no surprise that it was this experience that led me to starting Saturday Vibes. I built the wardrobe I felt was missing.
Becoming a mum is lifechanging, and I certainly found it challenging to adjust the first time around. Wonderful… but challenging too. So if you’re on the verge of motherhood, or currently in the thick of the first 6 months, I hope you find something useful from my experience. And if you have any tips of your own, I’d love to hear them, or share these tips with a fellow mum! What got you through the first six months?
