The Changes and Challenges of Early Motherhood

Honoring the early period of mama-baby bonding

As in life, motherhood is one transition after another. Each new stage brings challenges and opportunities.  

From the early days of preconception through to menopause, a woman’s reproductive health is her barometer, reflecting her adaptability, flexibility and stability. 

Learning to listen to your body and your breath helps you attune to your internal rhythms including fluctuations. It also helps you learn to trust your intuition. 

The early days of motherhood, when your baby primary needs - to sleep, be held, fed and changed, are a priority, it’s natural to focus on this, sometimes forgetting about your own needs. It’s a time, though when you need time and space to heal from birth and get acquainted with your new Self and lifestyle.  In reality, there’s limited time and space for self-care practices. And because they’re also a priority, integrating simple practices into your daily routine is optimal. 

Simplicity, efficiency and discipline are key, especially for a new mom. 

How to Begin

Self-care takes many forms, and it can be overwhelming to nurture all the areas of your life that need attention. Deciding on one or two practices to focus on will lead to success. When you commit to a practice, establishing a regular and consistent pattern will positively impact the other areas in your life, and eventually help you expand your practices. 

The first year after my second child was born seems like a blur. Nursing an infant while my toddler bounced from room to room seemed all-consuming. My self-care was simple. I prioritized sleep. I also carved out time to read, to earn a graduate degree - one course/semester at a time while I was nursing and changing diapers. 

What do you need? What’s most important at this time? What area in your life needs attention- body, mind or spirit?

The Power of Your Breath

Transitions are difficult, even when change, like welcoming a baby home, is desired and excitedly anticipated. When my children were young, I didn’t yet have the mind-body practices I’d discover just a few years later.

Breath awareness is the #1 practice that supports you, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, and is especially helpful if you’re feeling unmoored, unsupported and isolated, like I was in the early early days. A breath awareness practice helps you reduce stress and stay centered and grounded. When I visit a new mom, sometimes she doesn’t even know how she’s feeling. Breath awareness connects you to your body, and it’s your body that reveals clues and indicators about your emotional and mental states. Your breath is a powerful tool, always available to you.

Here’s the How

Observe your inhale. Observe your exhale. 

Repeat. 

It’s that simple. 

Once you get started, you begin to build stamina. Try this: Observe 2-3 cycles of breath, and notice how your mind distracts you. Return to observing your breath. Eventually, you’ll be able to observe your breath for 2-3 minutes, and tune in to your needs and desires.

Here’s the Why 

The practice helps you regulate your nervous system and quiet your mind. It helps you release stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol and increase feel-good hormones like endorphins and dopamine. It’s a practice that helps you find safety. 

Breath awareness is ideal when you feel stressed or overwhelmed. Ultimately, it’s a  gateway your inner world that helps you access previously untapped inner resources like consciousness, calm and confidence. 

Be Kind and Gentle with Yourself 

A friend, who’s 97 and has raised four children and now enjoys grandchildren and great-grandchildren, recently said that life is one adaptation after another. Her wise words ring true. 

As a mother, having practices that keep you centered is vital. Life gets chaotic and laundry needs to get done. Making time and space for yourself amid the everyday is non-negotiable. It’s a top priority. 

Choose a single practice, like breath awareness, to get started. A practice that re-connects you to yourself, that creates time and space, even for just a moment, amid the diapers changes and feedings. 

Are You Ready?

Taking care of yourself is the #1 thing your family needs from you. My encouragement is to begin to explore breath awareness and notice what unfolds.

If this article’s been helpful, and you’d like to learn more about how I can guide and support you through your life-changing motherhood transition, contact me by email.

Be the woman and mother you want to be - conscious, calm and confident.