I’ve been a mum for around 9 months now. As prepared as anyone can be for such a huge event, I did not expect parenthood to be so full of contradictions. For every sleepless night you get a cracking laugh out of nowhere. For every floor you have to clean for the 3rd time in a day you hear a new sound coming out of that tiny mouth. For every minute you spend wishing you were somewhere else and alone you get a new cute facial expression. One thing’s for sure: it’s been a learning curve, not just in terms of the ins and outs of taking care of a little human, but also because as a parent, I am learning a lot just by observing my daughter. Here’s what she has taught me so far:
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If you’re hungry, eat. Babies are completely in tune with their bellies and if they are hungry, they will make sure to let you know. They won’t ignore their hunger cues and, unlike adults, they can’t use stimulants such as coffee or sugar for a short-lasting energy burst. I’ve ignored a slight headache caused by hunger many times. We can definitely benefit from listening to our bodies’ need for food.
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If you’re tired, sleep – and a sleep routine is handy. Babies get very cranky if they don’t get the amount of hours of sleep they need. As soon as they show they are tired, it’s time to get them ready for bed. I can’t count how many times I ignored signs that showed that I was tired and pushed through. Also, the same routine every night helps them fall asleep more easily, which is something that helps me fall asleep, too (though our routines are slightly different!).
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If something has hurt you, show it. Babies cry when they get hurt and generally show their feelings when something doesn’t go their way. I obviously wouldn’t be able to function in a society if I always did whatever I felt like doing, but I have buried my emotions and didn’t let them flow more often than not.
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Laugh is contagious. When she laughs, I can’t help but laugh too. I can choose to surround myself with people who like to be miserable about what they don’t have, or those who can be grateful for what they do have – both are contagious.
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Hugs have amazing healing powers. During this quarantine this is more obvious than ever! I am lucky to be living with my husband and daughter and have as many hugs as I want. Human touch is a sense that we can stimulate just as much as our sight, hearing and smell. It feels so good.
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Change is part of life. My daughter is changing every single day. Watching her transform from a tiny little thing to a little human with a character has helped me accept the fact that in life, nothing stays the same. Just like seasons come and go, plants live and die, temperature rises and falls, change is inevitable and nothing and no one ever stays the same.
When my daughter grows up and – like all of us – forgets the things that were so natural to her, I will make sure to remind her that she came into this world instinctively knowing exactly what she needed to be happy and healthy.