To The New Mom…
For the past 9 months, you have sacrificed your body and strength for your little baby. You changed your diet, you changed your wardrobe, and you watched your belly grow. The process might have been incredible for you, or every day might have been hard. Either way, for the past 9 months, you gave it your all. Then, you pushed your body more than you ever thought you could through labor. More sacrifice. But every second was worth it when you held your baby for the first time. It was finished…. or so you thought.
Then, motherhood continues. You give more and more. You loose sleep and your body goes through even more sacrifice breastfeeding. Every day might seem hard. As a new mom, sometimes its a win to even make it out of the house with matching clothes on (that may or may not have spit up on them). You are covered in pee or spit or both about 90% of the time. You give and give, all while being exhausted and recovering from labor.
New mom, you’ve got this. You need to hear it. You are doing amazing. You are a great mom. You may feel overwhelmed, most likely you do. You may feel underprepared or inadequate, but you are not. God gifted you this perfect tiny human. He gifted YOU. You are the perfect parent for your child. That doesn’t mean you won’t make mistakes, it just means God didn’t. So, be kind to yourself.
Be kind to yourself when you get it wrong. Be kind to yourself when you don’t know what to do. Be kind to yourself when the days seem long and impossible. And, be kind to yourself when you look in the mirror.
The sacrifice, every second, is so worth it. Motherhood (and parenting in general) reminds me so much of the cross. Jesus sacrificed. He gave it all. His body and soul were sacrificed. For Us. For you and for me. Because we are His children and He loves us. There is no greater gift. Its so hard to envision all of the pain He felt on the cross and how it doesn’t even compare to childbirth. I feel like parenting is the closest example I have felt of sacrifice in my life and it makes me incredibly grateful for my Savior and His sacrifice.
Grace, only grace. Love, only love. So, that is what I take into my parenting. Grace and love. Grace and love for my children. Grace and love for my husband. & Grace and love for myself. New mom, be kind to yourself. You’ve got this.
From: The New Mom