To become a Mother.

When you become a Mother you are at one with the tiny little Human in which you have created, they solely rely on you to become their provider and protector. As I write this I am slowly coming out of the road of postnatal depression, I am not going to lie I still have rough days, really rough days but now my mini me is reaching three months old I am finding Motherhood a little bit easier, I have adjusted.

From the moment you give birth you have your old life ripped away from you, nothing will ever be the same again, but I have slowly come to realise it has changed me for the better. I wasted so much time in my previous life, I never valued the little moments of silence and I for certain never made time for myself. Through the Mum guilt I now have started hobbies in which I always wanted to do but never could be bothered to get around doing before. Monday evenings I go to Yoga, on a Thursday I swim and once a month I make time to go for a massage. Even though I have become a Mother does not mean I am not entitled to a break or some down time, that is what the Father is there for right, to help take on the care of his little Human as well.

The first month of my baby's life I thought that was it, we were now stuck housebound and I would never see or do anything again. We could not have hobbies and if someone had said to me to go and do something by myself I would have slapped them in the face, leaving the room was impossible for me back then let alone actually doing something for myself. The Mum guilt in which I felt was overwhelming and made me so miserable on a day to day basis, I could not handle it. Three months down the line the one most valuable thing in which I have learnt is to accept help, to go and be yourself and be free, your baby will not love you any less if anything you will have more love to give by loving yourself and taking some time to regain energy and focus.

Here are my top 5 tips for surviving postnatal depression and the early stages of Motherhood.

1. Do not put too much pressure on yourself, it is ok to do things at your pace, never compare yourself to other Mums.

2. Get dressed in the morning, if you do nothing else make this one a must. I felt so much better within myself each day just by getting a wash and dressed.

3. Ditch Mum guilt, it is ok to have a hobby, it is ok to have you time away from your baby and also do not feel ashamed if you cannot breastfeed or if the birth in which you wanted did not go how you wanted it too, your baby is here safe and well and that is all that matters.

4. Do not worry about things that have not happened, this was a big one for me, I would already have made scenarios in my head that had not already happened, do not fill yourself with fear on things that are out of your control.

5. Making the most of the here and now, when my little one was born I was wishing the days away because I was depressed, looking at him now smiling and communicating more and more with me each day. I never want these days to end.

6. I know I said 5 tips but I had to just put this one in as well. Make sure to get out of the house! I was petrified at first to go on a day out or even down the road in fear of him crying. Now I prefer being outside to indoors, your life can become very repetitive and mundane when you are stuck inside, I found getting out and meeting other Mums has helped me a lot and also the fresh air has done wonders for both me and the baby.

Motherhood is the hardest journey yet the most rewarding, the key is never to lose your true self.