Kelly Mager - Vanquish Mom Stress: Tackle 15 Daily Situations And Reclaim Your Sanity In The Early Years!

For all the moms out there that have showed me the world needs this book!

Introduction

B rowsing articles that detail facets of pregnancy and life as a mom is commonplace for moms-to-be. You've probably read a book about being pregnant. Most likely you've read a book about what to expect after your baby is born. Popular articles mix humor with some truths and offer tips about sleeping when the baby sleeps, stocking up on freezer meals, or making sure you have a thermometer before you are running to the store at 11 pm during baby's first fever. Yet, in the articles and books catered toward pregnant women, one major piece is missing: actionable steps you can take to make things mentally easier for YOU. We are not talking about what you can buylike snot suckers and magical baby swingsbut coping strategies for new moms.

Your mental and physical well-being makes a difference in your ability to handle life as a parent. You cannot prepare for everything, but you can set yourself up for success. You've heard that before. Now, how do you do it?

While I was preparing for motherhood and doing a ridiculous amount of reading on this subject, I rarely came across anything on the actions I ended up taking to support my mental well-being. These strategies made the biggest difference in being able to cope as a new mom...and then continue to cope well 22 months later when I also became a mom of twins. Yes. That's right. My three kids were under age three for a year!

In addition, during the first three years, my closest family was 2.5 hours away. My husband worked standard daytime hours in an office outside the house. Together, this meant no easy babysitter options and no extra hands to help.

I have made it to the other side intact. Occasionally that meant I was reading a book to a toddler while burping one baby and finishing a nursing session for the other! I did it and so can you.

Working through those actions is what you'll find in this book. All momswhether you are a working mom, stay-at-home mom, single mom, or married momneed ways to stay sane when it feels like you aren't.

Part 1: Lets Talk About You

You Time

B efore kids, time to yourself was dictated by your preferences. You chose your hobbies, activities, and work schedule based on only your needs. After kids is a different story. Your time now takes on a whole new level of scheduling dedication. Picturing it may be hard until it is time to do it. Why? Lets be honest, bathroom visits are no longer private with an awake child in the house.

One way to ensure you are taking care of yourself is forcing "you time" into the equation. This is easiest when you have a partner or family in town. Have a discussion with whoever will be on kid duty and find a time you can get out of the house without the child for at least 30 minutes.

Aim to do this daily, knowing you'll probably end up missing or skipping a few. This might be for a run at 5 am before your child wakes up. This might be a walk around the neighborhood just after dinner. It can even be a grocery store shopping trip, library visit, or reading a book in a parking lot. Yes, these are all tactics I employed for myself early on, and still utilize today. Bonus if you can return the favor to your partner, as they need this too.

The point is to choose something that you find at least somewhat enjoyable, and your only concern is you during that time. This is not selfish; this is you taking time to recharge, fill your cup, and regroup. Your family will thank you for it when they see what a happier, healthier, and more rounded person you are when you take even just a little time for yourself.

Need more inspiration for how to spend 30 minutes? Most of these can be performed outside the house, but using a private room can also do the trick.

• Paint or draw.
• Journal.
• Meditate.
• Perform yoga.
• Nap (I have found a hammock to be a pleasant option to minimize the likelihood of interruption!)
• Call a friend.
• Talk with a neighbor.
• Visit a park (even if it is busy with kids, it is so much more relaxing when you arent currently needing to parent!).
• Go for a walk around the block.
• Enjoy a hot cup of coffee from start to finish.
• Listen to a podcast or music.
• Do your favorite workout (running, yoga, biking, kickboxing, etc. YouTube has so many free 30-minute exercise videos).
• Read a book in a quiet place.
• Take an uninterrupted shower. Give yourself a scalp massage. Do all the extra things you dont always have time for during your shower.
• Watch a show you love.

Tip #1:

Schedule 30 minutes daily for yourself to focus only on yourself.