Self care during my pregnancy was impossible to ignore.
Suddenly, I couldn’t get away with the things I used to ( skipping meals, not drinking enough water, coffee love affair, etc…).
My decisions were soley based around how it effect my daughter.
And with all the prenatal check ups, and baby preparation classes I was held accountable by many watching eyes.
Which draws me to this discovery:
Society hoovers over pregnant women, making sure we’re eating the right things, not missing any prenatal appointments, and encouraging moderate exercise.
Yet why isn’t this same urgency carried into our post partum & beyond?
Instead we’re often left to our own devices with our well-being reduced down to a quick 6 week checkup ( mine barely lasted 15 minutes.)
Good luck!
Post Partum Mental Health Epidemic
Parenthood in general has a lot of negative associations with it, with more people waiting to have children more than ever.
Is this solely due to a more career driven generation or is it due to a world that doesn’t allow parents to thrive?
My mind raced with too many questions on parenthood issues today, like:
Why are post partum mental disorders becoming more common? Why are many women coming out to say while they love their children, don’t like being a parent? Why do so marriages fail within the first year of having a baby? There has to be more to the picture than parenthood simply being a demanding role.
Number 1 award for most stressed?
I’ve heard countless stories of moms who have had to go back to work as little as two weeks post partum.
In fact, research reveals America’s mothers are the most stressed moms in the western world. (Grab my Creative Mother Guidebook 40 page guide on practices to prioritize self care)
Our society has no public policy in place that supports paid prenatal leave, afforble child care, flexible working, and adequate post natal services.
Instead we parent under a system that expects us to do it all. To be the perfect mother, to bounce back post partum, over work under in all circumstances while barely being able to afford childcare.
RECLAIMING MOTHERHOOD CALL TO ACTION
Of course, a big way to change support for parents is through voicing legislation change.
But I believe an even greater approach is to start advocating for parents in our communities.
Cultural stigmas( and hyper individualism) run rapid in our society. This places limitations on what policy makers can do based on the prejudices held against motherhood.
“I think there’s a stigma associated with caring for your own children. I have internalised this, and often feel if I’m not working a paid job then I’m wasting my potential. But raising a family is challenging, skilled work and should be recognised as such. Society shouldn’t tell you you’re not valuable just because your work isn’t paid. “
Khuner
It’s time for reclaiming motherhood with the underlying basis that we are enough.
For our communities to truly see parenthood as one of the most important job in the world.
Because once our neighbors start to change their bias on “just being a mom” our policies will slowly start to reflect that.