Mama Matters AU | Medical service

Mama Matters AU

Add/Update information

Reviews

Tags

• Businesses
• Medical and health
• Alternative & holistic health service
• Medical service

25.01.2022 Knoxie has been creeping into our bed most nights recently. I asked him what was going on.. he said he was scared. "What are you scared about?"... "Baddies." "Baddies? Are you really scared of baddies?" "Yeah. I'm scared they're going to come and get me and take me to jail." Knoxie is 'big 4' as he would call it (closer to 5, but still 4 - not little 4). This is a version of a pretty normal fear that a kid at this age might have at bedtime. Recognising our kiddo's fears allows us to work with them. I could have said "oh don't be silly, baddies aren't real", but that probably wouldn't have brought him a lot of reassurance and comfort. He would have remained alone in his fears. Instead we talked about what the baddies might look like. We decided to give them funny faces. We talked about how they might try to sound scary but then when they talked they came out squeaky and made us laugh. We made the fear lighter and less scary. Then I reassured him that Mum & Dad are right there, and it's our job to keep him safe. That's a grown-up worry, not a kid worry. And we weren't worried about baddies in the night. Then he gave his worries to me - he reached into his pocket, pulled an invisible worry out and physically gave it to me. I told him I'll hold onto that worry and he just needs to worry about what games he might play with Zali and what he needs to teach her about life. Then he gave me some more worries. I'd like to say something profound, but basically he just went through every Avengers 'bad guy' one by one, and the game got old real quick. I felt like I'd earned all my 'good mum' brownie points before 7am so was keen to wrap it up and just drink wine and watch Bluey for the rest of the day (I didn’t). How old is your kiddo and what have been their bedtime fears? See more

25.01.2022 ON THE BLOG You just sat down to feed your hungry baby, and your milk was so full of the good stuff that they dozed off. You can’t move, because they will wake. You sure as hell can’t put them down- because they will wake. You weren’t prepared for this. The TV remote is out of arm’s reach and the bloody morning show is trying to sell you a pocket knife on a payment plan. Your water bottle is empty and your phone is out of battery. Al...l you can see in your peripheral is the dirty dishes piling up next to the sink. Of course your bladder is full. Perhaps the most common question I get asked, is how can I get my baby to sleep independently?. And I need to start by saying; what is independent to you? What are your expectations of your baby’s sleep, and is that realistic? I am not necessarily talking about getting your baby to fall asleep independently, here. Although, this approach can be applied to a number of situations- when your baby is developmentally ready. It’s true, most babies want to be on us- a lot. They especially like to be held while they sleep.. and rocked, and jiggled, and bounced, and sung to, and stroked, and patted, and shhhhhh’d and allllllll the things So, what’s the secret to helping babies to learn to sleep somewhere else? Well, I’ll tell you. There isn't a secret. There's no special sauce. But, this could help. More on the blog. Link in bio, friends. louiseagnewphotography See more

24.01.2022 As parents, we feel blamed for a lot don’t we? Sometimes it’s subtle, but it’s still felt. Every day I talk to incredible women who feel so much guilt. So much ‘I probably made him like that’ or, ‘that’s our fault because we...’.... But these are the messages we are hearing and seeing all the time. It’s no wonder so many of us feel like we are falling short. Your baby isn’t sleeping through the night? You must have made a negative sleep association. Your baby isn’t eating a lot of solids in the day? It must be because you still breastfeed at night. Your baby can’t self settle? You’re not following the routine properly. Your baby is high needs? That’s because you’re an anxious first time mum. Your baby cries when away from you? Your fault. Your baby wants to be held all the time? Your fault. Your baby is sensitive? Your fault. This is why I love the work I do around really getting to know your baby- not the baby you’ve created or shaped- but the baby that already is, has been and will be. Because we can do the exact same thing with two separate babies and have VERY different experiences and outcomes. Can you relate to this? Do you feel this subtle messaging at times? Let’s chat. @jasminsleeman & @daniellelguest

23.01.2022 If you have a Highly Sensitive Child, or if you are a Highly Sensitive Person; chances are, sometimes you have felt a little hard done by. The world can be too noisy. Too busy. Too chaotic. Too heartbreaking. Too big. With heightened sensitivity, the news can be devastating. The hurt can feel too deep. The sadness too sad. The overwhelm makes your head explode.... Your child melts down sometimes. He finds transitions hard. His fish is too fishy, his clothes are too scratchy, and the movie is too scary. Sometimes, it does feel hard. But it's also such a gift. To feel things deeply is not a burden. It is a blessing. To be attuned to others, to connect deeply with people, to notice subtleties. That is amazing! Feelings are there to be felt. You, or maybe your child, just feel them tenfold! With immense sadness, comes immense joy & immense excitement. Noticing the beauty in things that others take for granted. We need to talk about sensitivity as our superpower. "The opposite of sensitive is insensitive. And that's no badge of honour." - Glennon Doyle. Is your child highly sensitive? What are some of the gifts of this sensitivity? Share below! See more

23.01.2022 These guys. Yeah sure, likely well-meaning individuals. But still, a general suggestion to all of these Toms, Dicks & Harries, as I hear from a lot of mothers after a friend's or family member's off-the-cuff remark sent them on a downward spiral of shame, self-doubt & that new mama RAGE. So, unless they ask for it, please don't give it to them.... Yours sincerely. What's Tom, Dick or Harry offered you advice around lately? P.S. Get in touch if you are looking to quieten all the noise and the conflicting advice and gain confidence to do things your way. See more

23.01.2022 Stories from the community: Georgie shares her experiences with postnatal depression and the journey that led her there. . Thank you so much for sharing, this is such an important story . You deserved better, love.... . #perinatalmentalhealth #pandaweek2020 @ Gold Coast, Queensland See more

23.01.2022 Is your baby between 9 and 12 months old, and has their sleep gone cray? Let's chat. This is such a common time for parents to reach out- they have been responsive and sensitive for all this time, shouldn't it start paying off by now? Why is it WORSE? Is it allllllll their fault?! (Spoiler alert- it's not your fault ).... During this time, they are EXPLODING developmentally (not literally, of course): Separation anxiety- the main culprit. This begins around 6 months, peaks around 9 months and lasts until about 18 months (though these timelines change with whatever you read- every kid is different, go figure). Mastering milestones. Crawling, babbling, pulling to stand, some even learning to walk. So much to do, so little time. Teething. Yep. Forever. This is your life now. Illness. Everything is going in the mouth, AND they are getting more mobile- hello, newfound germs. Food. They have likely been on solids for a couple of months now and are taking in more, trying more, digesting more, and tolerating more. So what can you do? Reassure, respond, reassure some more, respond again, heaps and heaps of lovin'. Keep things quiet and consistent- not the time for drastic changes. Keep up your little sleepy routines & rituals at nap and bedtime. Ask for help! Call on whatever resources you have. Practice little hello & goodbye rituals when you leave the room- teach babe that when Mama says goodbye, she always comes back. Lovingly flip the bird to anyone who around this time implies that you have 'created a monster', 'made a rod for your back', or 'made her clingy'. Has this been a hard time for you or has your babe sailed on through? Check my IGTV for more on this one. @andieandolliephotgraphy @dearestchildren See more

22.01.2022 WAKE WINDOWS. I've got your attention, haven't I? With just one swifty mention of the trusty wake windows?! We are low-key obsessed with wake windows. I am not going to give them to you. ... (Well, maybe one day, but you need to promise me you won't get cray). Sure, they can be helpful for many parents who need a general idea of how to form a daily rhythm, or for newborns who we are still getting to know. I do appreciate that they help a lot of people- I am not taking that away from you if they have saved you. Just like everything in baby sleep, it works for a lot of people- but for a lot of others, it sends them into a spin. We need to remember that two babies of the same age can have up to 8 hours difference in total sleep needs over a 24 hour period.. this is HUGE! How can a generic table outlining wake windows for every single baby of the same age be appropriate? The best way to figure out YOUR babe's natural wake windows, are to slow down for a week. Tune into his cues. Help him to sleep when he's ready for sleep. Take note of the time he was awake, to the time he fell asleep- and work with that. No two days will ever be the same sleep wise so keep this in mind too. We need to stop making blanket statements about baby sleep. There is so much variation in needs, preferences and the way that babies sleep. I cannot tell you over DM what time your baby should go to bed if they are so-and-so age and had naps at so-and-so times. YOU are the expert on your baby, not me. What has been your experience with following wake windows? Have they helped you or caused you stress? Has your baby fallen within the guides or is he totally rogue?! Let’s chat! See more

18.01.2022 These words from Tracy @raisedgood . Posted @withregram @raisedgood Too many strong, brave, trailblazing mothers write to me saying that they feel like failures. Why? Because motherhood is exhausting enough without trying to maintain the illusion of perfection. As women, we are expected to not only multi-task our days but to multi-task our identities; to simultaneously be successful career women, nurturing mothers and sexy partners.... Now, more than ever, the temptation of comparison is at our fingertips. Curated little squares fill our heads with delusions; it is time to stop critiquing our lives against anyone else’s. Let’s give ourselves grace and acknowledge that parenting, especially in our culture, is tough. The hardest pressures are often beyond those presented by our kids. We’ve lost our village. Many of us have zero help from family and friends. Busy-ness has become a badge of honour. And most of us need two incomes to sustain our households or are frantically looking for creative ways to change it as we yearn to spend our kids’ childhoods with them. So, if you’re having a rough day (or night) here’s a virtual hug from me to you. You are an incredible mama. Take it easy on yourself. Nourish your soul. Carve out some time just for you. Release the pressure. Give yourself permission to say NO once in a while. Find some time to reconnect to yourself without the labels of who you are to someone else mother, sister, wife, daughter, friend. Who are you to you? We are all beautifully imperfect in our own ways. Trying to forge a conscious path in an unconscious world is a monumental feat; there are very few guides to help light the path. So, let’s be raw, honest & vulnerable with one another because that is where real strength is found - in vulnerability. Let’s redefine motherhood rather than be defeated by the new normal we’ve been asked to accept. And, let’s support one another, lifting each other up, no matter how different our day to day choices may seem. #raisedgood : @annieedmonds Please share with a mama who may need this today

16.01.2022 Beautiful words from one of my Snooze-Town package ladies. I have to be honest with you; sometimes what you come to me for is not what you get. I am going to challenge you at times. I am going to help you to establish where your worries and concerns have come from, and what purpose they are serving. I have a pretty good sense about who wants to make changes to their baby's sleep because things are no longer working for THEM - and I know sometimes who i...s on someone else's agenda or is doubting themselves. This mama was doing everything beautifully before she came to me. We still went through the processes of how she might make some parent-led changes if and when she is ready, so she will have those tools whenever she needs them. But she realised that she is pretty happy with how things are going, and she has a better understanding of the temperament of her little babe. I LOVED working with this family - like, really loved. I think our 30 min follow-up call blew out tremendously because we couldn't stop talking about our broken sleep society and the pressures and expectations in this day and age. If this resonates with you, please do get in touch. I'm always up for a chat. I only take on a small number of package support clients and I currently still have two spots left for September. #motherhood #honestmotherhood #motherhoodrising #motherhoodjourney #realmotherhood #motherhoodblogger #mummyblogger #mommyblogger #motherblog #maternalwisdom #mama #mumsofgoldcoast #babyledsleep #babysleepconsultant #sleepwithoutsleeptraining #sleepdeprivedmama #sleepdeprived #sleepcoach #babysleeptips #toddlersleep #sleepconsultant #sleepandwellbeingspecialist #babysleep #trustyourinstincts #tiredasamother #islagrace #babyledsleepandwellbeingspecialist #gentlesleep #attachmentcentredsleep @ Gold Coast, Queensland See more

15.01.2022 Flip the bird to that unhelpful mainstream parenting advice that makes you feel like a big fat failure- and learn, with your new gal pals, about biologically normal baby & toddler sleep, motherhood & a buttload more. Welcome to Mama Matters Academy: the mums group you always wished you had. Over the course of four weeks, you and your new pals will learn and grow together to feel more confident, knowledgeable, supported and relaxed around parenting and... your kiddo’s sleep. In a series of webinars, discussions, worksheets & downloadable PDFs, we will bust through the bullsh*t and empower ourselves (and each other) to parent from the heart, with confidence- and we have heaps of fun doing it. Doors are open now for our next live round on Monday 23rd November! Click on for more information and to secure your spot - places are limited. @ Gold Coast, Queensland See more

13.01.2022 There’s way too much advice on baby sleep out there. The truth is, there’s no one way to parent; there’s no right way; and no one knows your child like you do. Let me simplify it for you. It’s messy AF. It’s not linear. They need us to help regulate their emotions. It’s exhausting, and hard at times. And it’s messy. Individual temperaments play an enormous part in sleep. Their temperament, your temperament, and the nature of the parent-ch...ild relationship. We all want the best for our kids. I don’t doubt that for a minute. We are all doing the best we can with what we’ve got. Let’s not shame each other for our choices- no one’s story begins when they become a parent. Babies are human. We are in human relationships. There will be ruptures and repairs, smiles and tears, anger and love. You are so much more as a mother than your baby’s sleep. See your child for everything she is, because she is incredibly fascinating and wildly wonderful, just as she is. Beautiful photography by @jasminsleeman See more

13.01.2022 Baby Brain. So it’s a real thing guys, and it’s actually pretty cool. When we become mothers, our brain literally changes shape. The main changes are increased plasticity- which means our brain is more open to learning; and increased production in OXYTOCIN- which is the ‘falling in love’ chemical.... Although it may make us feel a little foggy, forgetful, and even a bit dumb... it all serves a magical purpose. We are better at reading body language (hello, baby cues), better at multi-tasking, we are more efficient. We are better able to tolerate boredom and monotony, and we are more relaxed (!) and contemplative. Our senses are heightened, and that’s a permanent change! It is designed to help protect our baby from things like lions and sabertooth tigers, and bad smelling food- but it also means we can get overwhelmed really easily, sensory overload in large crowds, and getting flustered when more than one person is talking to you! The brain changes during pregnancy and postpartum are so intense, and it is normal that we seek a little bit of control- those who were previously carefree and spontaneous () now need a plan and a back up plan (). We seek security and stability to balance out the shift. Seriously, this is the stuff I wish I had known about. Why doesn’t anyone tell us this?! How have you experienced Baby Brain? @emmawandphotography x See more

12.01.2022 Knowing that our children's fears are probably a version of normal, can help us to have compassion and understanding when connecting with them around their worries. When your child is expressing a fear, it might seem silly or unreasonable to you. Instead of dismissing it and telling them not to worry; - Connect with your kiddo. Hear them out. Explore their fears and worries a little more. We all long to feel felt.... - Play with their worries. Give them space to explore themes of their fears in their play - anything goes in play. There shouldn't be any consequences for exploring in play: i.e. refrain from telling them that they 'shouldn't say die'. Play is a safe space. - Have fun with the worries. Are they afraid of monsters? What do the monsters look like? Can we make them less scary somehow? What about if the monsters had meat pies for eyes and farts out lollies? - Reassure your kiddo. Let them know that you are there to keep them safe. Provide any extra reassurance they need particularly at times of separation, such as bedtime. This post is adapted from the article by Dr Deborah Macnamara - the link for you to read it in full is in my bio. @drdeborahmacnamara. Is your kiddo struggling with separation at bedtime? You might be interested in my upcoming Mama Matters Academy, where we learn about biologically normal infant & toddler sleep and troubleshoot strategies to help them to feel safer and more connected at bedtime. The next round begins on Monday! Link in bio. @ Gold Coast, Queensland See more

08.01.2022 Okay mamas, it's a 'choose your own adventure' night tonight. The amount of times I hear 'my husband says my baby is too attached and I need to spend less time with him', or; 'my mother-in-law says I've created a monster by tending to his every cry' or, 'my ex-partner's sister's second cousin twice-removed's neighbour's dog says I have made a rod for my back and he'll never get out of my bed'.. Attachment works in a funny way- the more our babies know that... we are available when they need us (most of the time, we aren't perfect); the less they have to fight for it. So, we don't create clingy babies by responding to them; 'clingy' is often a sign that our attachment relationship is unfolding as it should. Separation anxiety is a very normal part of development, and delaying or denying connection when our kiddos need it most is only going to make them more anxious, not knowing if they may or may not get it. I take responding to babies quite seriously, however I also allow a lot of room for misattunement. Circle of Security founders reassure us we only need to get it right 30% of the time for our babies to form a secure attachment with us- woohoo! That's totally achievable. Remember, there is no such thing as a perfect parent; and in fact, no-one wants one. We want our kiddos to grow up experiencing relationships as mostly reliable, predictable and nurturing. We are aiming for relaxed responsiveness; that means, not cancelling life every time your child has a feeling, but it is responding sensitively and in a timely manner when your child is communicating a need. There is NO such thing as too attached. You CANNOT spoil a baby with love. It is NOT your fault that your baby has separation anxiety, it is normal. You CANNOT force a child into independence. Happy to fight the good fight for anyone who needs backup. See more

07.01.2022 Hey, I’m Fiona, and I am addicted to buying books. #nerdalert Parenting, developmental psychology, attachment science, sleep, maternal & infant mental health, motherhood; give me allllll the resources. I get asked all the time about my favourite books - so I will update my highlight on this tomorrow.... But, I need to know - what are your favourite parenting books? I will start an extra list entitled ‘books that I haven’t read but someone else has and maybe one day I will buy said book and read a third of it like all the other books on my shelf’. Hit me! See more

06.01.2022 Fourth trimester advice: Hold your baby close, give them everything they need, enjoy the cuddles, don’t worry about bad habits Advice 4+ months:... That baby’s got you wrapped around his finger, don’t let him fall asleep feeding, nip those catnaps in the bud, shit look at all these bad sleep associations you’ve created, how could you let this happen??? Feel me?? Whyyyy though? Rest assured, if you work with me I won’t say a dang thing about ‘negative sleep associations’ or ‘bad habits’. Those terms aren’t even in my vocab. I’m all about doing what works now, now- and if down the track, it no longer feels right, we can look at (truly) gently shifting patterns. And, chances are, your baby will be more developmentally ready! DM me if you would like to book a free 15 min discovery call to talk about your babe’s sleep @janiemartinphotography See more

06.01.2022 I want to talk to you about what I mean when I talk about the importance of attachment. When people think of attachment IN parenting, they might think about attachment parenting. Attachment parenting is about babywearing, breastfeeding to term, cosleeping & bedsharing, and meeting baby's needs around the clock.... So, naturally a lot of that is what I do myself as a parent. Some of it I don't. Because, you don't need to babywear and cosleep in order to build a secure attachment relationship with your baby. And, you can do all of these things, and still not have a secure attachment relationship with your child! A secure attachment is about being responsive to your children and attuned to their needs MOST of the time. Trust me when I say, there is room for error. Yay! Good enough, is good enough. Your intention matters. When you have ruptures with your child, you focus on the repairs. Intentionally ignoring our children's needs is not the same as momentary lapses in attunement, or having to prioritise our own needs (like a poo or a shower) at times. So relax, mama. No-one needs a perfect parent. See more

05.01.2022 #rePLANOLY @taylorkulik Our society is hyper-focused on making our children more independent. As new moms, we hear messages that conflict with our innate maternal instincts such as: "Don't hold that baby so much, you'll spoil him."... "If you let him sleep with you now, he'll never get out of your bed!" "She doesn't need to nurse so often. Put her on a schedule." "She needs to be able to soothe herself to sleep, or she'll never learn." This is ALL wrong. We all want our children to grow up to be confident, intelligent, and independent beings. The problem is that healthy independence does not result from pushing our children towards independence before they are developmentally ready. They are born needing to be entirely dependent on us for their survival. When our kids are given freedom to be completely dependent on us, it enables them to feel unconditionally loved, supported, and comfortable enough to find their independence, but this does not happen overnight. Dr. Neufeld describes it well: "To foster independence we must first invite dependence; to promote individuation we must provide a sense of belonging and unity; to help the child separate we must assume the responsibility for keeping the child close. We help a child let go by providing more contact and connection than he himself is seeking. When he asks for a hug, we give him a warmer one than he is giving us. We liberate children not by making them work for our love, but by letting them rest in it. We help a child face the separation involved in going to sleep or going to school by satisfying his need for closeness. Thus the story of maturation is one of paradox: dependence and attachment foster independence and genuine separation."- Hold on to Your Kids. @wanderandsolasphoto See more

04.01.2022 Mothers and babies do not exist in isolation. A mother is part of her baby, is part of her mother. And, that baby and mother are often part of a larger family unit.... And they are allllllll intertwined. This is why my approach to baby sleep is relationship-based. Because to try to change a baby's behaviour, without working with the mother, is completely dismissing of the importance of that attachment relationship. We are way more complicated than that! This is why I put the power back to YOU, Mama. Because you are in this dance with your little one, and you are the expert on your child. I do not need to come into your home to show you settling techniques. That's not my place in your family. I will never tell you what to do. I will empower you to reflect on ways of being in relationship with your child, and to see things through a different lens as it's appropriate. I will empower you with the knowledge, insight and resources (that you actually already have, to be honest) so that you can venture forth with confidence and connection. I bloody love this work, and working with amazing, reflective parents. I have a couple more spots for my Snooze-Town package over the next few weeks. DM or head to the contact form on my website to get in touch. See more

03.01.2022 One happy camper from our first live round of Mama Matters Academy Seriously, these words never get old. Do you want to join the club? We would LOVE to have you. Word is, MMA is the Mums Group you always wish you'd had. ... Link in bio - doors close on Sunday. x @ Gold Coast, Queensland See more

01.01.2022 It's a dang GIVEAWAY! I got to 5k friends! I honestly thought I only had about 20 in me. I'm CHUFFED. I have virtually got together with five of my favourite Insta-friends to create a RIPPER of a digital giveaway, I am SO EXCITED ... One super-lucky human will receive the following: @raisedgood - The Lost Art of Natural Parenting Ebook ($27) @drsophiebrock - Letting Go of Mum Guilt Online Course ($111) @my.strong.little.body - My Strong Little Body Ebook ($17.95) @sick.happens - The Ultimate Immunity Collection ($42) @theplayfulpsychologist - The Ultimate Resource Guide for Parents ($12) @mamamatters.au - Get to Know Me, Baby Ebook ($27) Um, LINEUP! That's well-over 200 beans of parenting goodness. Get in on this one! To enter: Like this post. Follow all these amazing people in the giveaway. Tag a buddy or 20 who you think might be keen - every tag on a separate line is a separate entry. Want double bonus points? Share to your stories and tag me @mamamatters.au. Winner will be drawn Sunday evening 30th August (I'm not even going to give you an exact time because I am always late with my homework. But lets say, around 8:30pm-ish AEST) Why are you still here? GET IN THERE GF! This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram (blah, blah, blah) @ Gold Coast, Queensland See more

01.01.2022 Is your babe starting childcare soon? Are you panicking about how they sleep? This is such a common theme and especially one I have heard a lot lately; "I am feeding my baby to sleep, and I love it, but people keep telling me I need to sort it out before he starts childcare."... "My baby needs to be rocked or cuddled to sleep, but I need to nip it in the bud before he starts childcare." But, your baby is a clever little chicken! He knows he's not going to get breastfeed by another caregiver. Your baby will learn a new way of falling asleep, with a new person. It is their dance to dance. And what a wonderful way to get to know each other - to take the time to learn about each other and find something that works. Yeah, it might be a bit messy at the beginning - starting something new such as childcare is likely going to rock their world a little. It's okay, they will catch up. Take the pressure off. And if your new new caregiver refuses to cuddle or help them to sleep - find a new dang caregiver. If you want to make changes because things are no longer working for YOU, go for it - but don't do it out of panic. When we make changes out of panic, we are essentially parenting on someone else's agenda - and perhaps not parenting totally in line with OUR own values. If it works for you, keep it up lady. If it doesn't, consider why. Get creative in how you might make some gentle shifts to the way they fall asleep. And if you get lost - get in touch. We can nut it out together. beautiful smooshable baby feet by @jasmintarczonphotography See more

01.01.2022 I had a chat with a friend the other day about her 5mo twins. We were talking about how despite having the same pregnancy, the same birthday (but a different birth experience), the same parents and environment- they have wildly different temperaments and sleep needs. "My little girl is much more demanding of my time during the day, cries much more than her brother and needs more sleep. The upside of that is she sleeps a solid 12 hours straight each night (t...ouch wood). My little boy is a lot more chilled out during the day and very happy just playing and kicking about on the mat by himself. Unlike his sister, he often wakes during the night. In some ways having twins has been comforting for a first time mother especially when it comes to sleep and the pressure we seem to put on ourselves to have a baby sleeping through the night ASAP. I’ve quickly realised that they have different sleep needs. While I can’t take credit for my daughter’s marathon slumbers, I also don’t feel like a failure when my son constantly wakes during the night." How have your babes been different in their temperaments and sleep needs? Or, if you just have one; how have they been different to what you had expected? If you want to take a deep dive into your kiddos temperament and explore how it impacts on their sleep, my e-book might tickle your pickle. Hit the link in bio @janiemartinphotography See more

01.01.2022 Posted @withregram @mamamatters.au THE MENTAL LOAD . @common_wild Our bin is full. That's not a metaphor- literally, our bin is full. So, I delegate. I ask my husband to please empty the bin. Because no-one likes a martyr, and I ‘just need to ask’.... He ties up the bin liner, empties the bin, puts the new liner in. Donesies. A simple 3 step process. . Now, version 2: With the mental load. I see that our bin is full. It's bin day today. I tie up the bin, put it at the door. Get a second bag. I empty the fridge. Any leftover meat that has gone off, rotting vegetables, I put in another bag to go to the bin. I take the bags out. I put the bins on the road. The kitchen bin is dirty- something has leaked. I take it to the yard, hose it out. Back in the kitchen, I go through the empty containers from the leftovers I have thrown out, and go to put them in the dishwasher. But the dishwasher is full from this morning. I empty the dishwasher. I put the containers in. I briefly wipe down the fridge shelves. I use an old towel to wipe down the bins I have cleaned outside and throw it in the enormous pile of washing that I can't keep up with. I'm out of laundry detergent, I think to myself. I go to put a bin liner in. There's one liner left. "Bin liners" I write on the shopping list. It's shopping day tomorrow. I think about what else we need, and write that down too. I wipe out the cupboard in which the bin sits. There's spray and wipe in there. "That's poison" I think to myself, and start clearing another cupboard to put it in to keep the house baby-safe. Whilst I am in the other cupboard, I find a letter that had been ignored. I need to update my income with Centrelink for our child care subsidy. Cont in comments See more