Motherhood stories by Marissa Anastasi: Don’t force baby into a routine society says you have to have. Find what works best for you and bubs. Even when everything is getting too hard and overwhelming, even when the toddler is struggling with emotions and the baby needs you at the same time, just remember to be loving and mindful. Live in the moment, and don’t worry about the future too much!
Do Less. “Most mamas in today’s culture think they are supposed to be busy doing so much for their children… What babies need more than anything is a present and self-aware mama who is gentle with herself and grounded,” says Dr. Colleen Crowley, a mother, child psychologist, and co-founder of Brushies. “This grounded presence is what helps wire a baby’s brain for the rest of their life,” she adds. What babies need more than anything is a present and self-aware mama who is gentle with herself and grounded. Sometimes It Really Is Just a Phase. “This is for real, so say it to yourself over and over and over. They won’t go to college with a soother. They will stop waking up three times a night. They will eat with a fork. So take it for what it is and don’t try and rush your littles ones through and age or stage; you’ll look back and wish you hadn’t,” Jen Kelly and Becca Perren, mothers and founders of Pehr advise.
Listen. Yeah, yeah, everyone says to listen. But you need to REALLY listen. Listen to the point that you can ask intelligent questions. Listen to the point that you know when your daughter has a certain smile on her face that she has a crush on a boy and you can discern from your conversations with her just who that boy is. Listen to what your child says and ask questions ON THEIR LEVEL, not “parental” questions. A question on their level would be, “What is the name of Seether’s new song again? I keep forgetting.” A parental question would be, “That boy in that band dresses all in black and wears eyeliner, you need to find someone else to like.” Explore a few extra details on Parenting blog.
For me, breastfeeding has been by far the biggest challenge. Not only was it painful but I was incredibly anxious about feeding in public which is not something I thought would ever affect me. After talking to all my girlfriends (Amen for girlfriends) they assured me it was totally normal to feel like that. We scheduled some trips out to a quiet local cafe to practice and take baby steps.
My blog is really about my passions in life and my struggles and it’s probably the same for many people. I feel like I could share a lot of experiences, good and bad and blogging also gives me a platform to share moments in our ever-changing life from babies, young kids to teenagers. There’s a mixture of topics, not just motherhood but lifestyle, house design, fashion, travel. I’m passionate about supporting small businesses, especially local ones and those that are run by mums like myself, as I know first-hand how difficult this is and how much the small shops need local support to survive. If YOU have a small business and would like to collaborate, please contact me…. ALL FOR SMALL!! See additional info at marissaanastasi.com.