The Being Mum project is about capturing the reality of life for mums after pregnancy, birth and with a baby.
How tired you can be and how you’ll still carry on
The emotional toll, as well as the physical. The loss of identity and friendships
How easy it felt, all the worry and anxiety from pregnancy disappeared as soon as he was here. It just felt simple, he was mine and I was his and I knew we’d get through this together
How hard it really is. I used to think maternity leave was just a long holiday but it really is so hard!
How all encompassing it is and how selfless I am willing to be
The loss of control
The feeling of fierce protection I have towards my baby. Nothing else matters
The resilience of parents. I completely underestimated what other parents were going through and I didn’t appreciate how difficult it could be
The loss of friends, mainly those who do not have children
How little people understand about what it tales emotionally, physically and mentally – both the joy and the stress
That so many people choose to do it more than once
How much I love my son
How unfair the working system can be if you want to be a working mum
How instinctive and natural it felt but also how challenging it can be
The intensity of the emotions – the needs, the guilt, the worry and the love
How hard it is. Every day. Even you are having a good day because you have to be so switched on all of the time.
The impact on me and my partner – I thought having a baby together would bring us closer but there have been times when it has pulled us further apart – that’s been really hard
How I am not, in any way, the same person I was before
How lost and alone I can feel
Being Mum is about giving you a voice and a place to read other women’s experiences to normalise motherhood and to ease the isolation.
It’s also about starting a conversation about motherhood, about how individual it is and the impact it can have.
Please do read, share and take part.
With consultations, digital guides and courses, my practice is here for you every step of the way. You can also become a member for exclusive content, discussion and a place to ask questions.
North East Birth & Baby is where you can read about pregnancy, birth and early parenting.
As a doula I work with parents from across Newcastle and Tyneside.
Copyright: Janine Smith