Thursday 5 June 2014

What a difference a day makes

I couldn't resist stealing the song title for my blog post.... ;-).

Finding myself mother to a newborn again, I am reminded of the stark contrast in days you typically face in any given week. One day, you're feeling on top of your game, baby is doing text book naps, smiling and generally being a pleasure. Another day, it's the reverse, baby's grizzly, lots of crying, they only want to be held and you're exhausted and wondering when you'll ever get to sit or lie down for a rest.

If you are a mother who likes routine with your children, the moment you think you are slipping into a nice routine with baby, they'll show you otherwise! Or just as you are getting some decent stretches of sleep, you'll have a shocker of a night that leaves you feeling unable to make it through the next day....

The good news is, it usually is just an odd day here and there. Unless your child is unwell or teething, you both might have a bad day but the next day tends to be much better and you can catch your breath again! I try to remind myself of that when I am experiencing a bad day.

Yesterday for me was a tough day. I had had a much more disturbed night's sleep than I have got used to of late so I was exhausted starting off the day. I had no time for a shower in the morning which always makes me feel less agreeable. Baby was not napping very much during the day and crying more than normal (probably as a consequence of the not napping!) and when I tried to sneak into bed for a quick lie-down when both girls were napping, my baby immediately woke up. So there was no nap for me! I was dead tired, it was a rainy day, everything was a bit of a struggle.

Today has so far been the opposite. A good night's sleep, a shower this morning, got some jobs done before taking my son to school, the sun is shining, baby has done great naps, I'm feeling cheery, proactive and like a completely different person to yesterday. Of course by writing those sentences I may have just jinxed the rest of the day ;-).

The same can be said of parenting older children too. You can have a great day followed by one you would rather forget. However with the lack of daily structure that comes with a young baby, the differences are more pronounced I find.

A new day really does make a difference. Make the most of the good days and however much a struggle you might be having on a not so good day, remind yourself that the next day will be different again, even if it still might not be as perfect as you would like!
"Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day". ~Author Unknown
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photo credit

6 comments:

  1. It's so true...
    I don't have a baby ( Damien is almost five) but I can remember how it feels...the utter exhaustion when putting one foot in front of the other is an effort and then you get a day where you can do all the housework, take baby out for a long walk and cook a decent tea.
    Good post. x

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    1. Sounds like you remember exactly what I've described! Thanks for your comment. x

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  2. Great encouragement to moms, new and experienced! And you're so right about how different the days can be! A bad day always makes me really appreciate a good one :)

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    1. You're definitely right about how a bad day gives us a better perspective to make us really appreciate a good day!

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  3. Yes, it's best to flow with it and have compassion for oneself. Being a mom is very hard work and also the best of the best job of all. Here's to long naps and sunny day! I'm glad to read you're all well despite an off day here and there.

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    1. 'Flow with it' is great advice! Thanks Maryse, yes things are going pretty well so far :-).

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Thank you for reading. I'd love to have your comments and thoughts!