You Can’t be Present when You’re Sleep Deprived: Taking Care of Momma

As we walk up and down the beach this week, I realize how many people adore Avery. Avery has this radiating energy of happiness and love that is just so infectious that makes people gravitate towards him. I’m extremely thankful to have such a happy baby and I try everyday to live in these moments with him. 🌈

Avery is probably the happiest and most fearless baby that I’ve ever met. He likes to greet new friends by walking up to them with the biggest smile on his face, waving, and offering a toy for them to play with. Sometimes I get worried about him being so fearless because I want him to understand the dangers of strangers. 👥

3 days into our trip, I had offers from ladies wanting to babysit Avery, all of the kids at the beach wanting to play in the water with him or in a game of pass the soccer ball to Avery, kids waving to him as we entered our condo exclaiming “there goes the cute baby!” and several older couples telling to me soak it all in because one day he will be older and I will miss these moments. ✨

I met a woman in the store right before our trip. She told me that she wished that she lived in the moments more with her child when they were younger. She said that her husband did but she couldn’t and when she did, her child was older and she regretted missing some of those magical moments that happen in the first several months of a babes life. 👶🏾

I told her what I’m going to tell you. As Momma’s, it can be exhausting trying to be Momma, caretaker, school teacher, chef, nurse, maid, and provider etc. It’s not always possible to relish in those first moments in a babes life. You can’t be present when you’re exhausted, sleep deprived, and taking care of a babe on your own. Know your limits and don’t allow anyone to make you feel guilty about anything you do. We’ve got to stop being so hard on ourselves and allow our village to step in when needed. 👩🏽‍⚕️👩🏽‍🌾👩🏽‍🍳👩🏽‍🏫

I truly enjoy my son and he is attached to Mommy and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But be sure to take care of your mental health also. What’s best for Momma is best for the baby. You can’t take care of someone if you are depleted and not taken care of yourself. 👸🏽