Hi, my name is Kameron Sullivan. I am a stay at home mom to a 1 year old vibrant and energetic baby girl. I’m blessed to have the opportunity to have stayed at home with her since she was born. It has been amazing, BUT it has also been extremely challenging. I want to talk about the reality of taking care of a baby because it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.

Of course, having your new bundle of joy is an amazing experience and I am so joyful to be able to take care of my daughter. She brings out the best in me, she makes me laugh more than anyone else has, she brings adventure and changes into my everyday life, and is also the cutest baby in the whole world (is this bias? haha).

Now let’s talk more about the nitty-gritty of life. Taking care of my daughter is exhausting, draining, and downright hard. Don’t get me wrong, I love her, but… it would be nice to have a break sometimes. It would have also been nice to know these things before I became a mom.

Here is a list of some of the things you might not know about being a mom or parent.

1. Good luck going to the bathroom by yourself! Especially if you’re someone like me who drinks a lot of water and has to use the restroom every 30 minutes (I know… it’s a problem). Having to hold your child while using the restroom is not fun. Now that my daughter can walk I don’t have to hold her, but she still follows me into the bathroom and makes sure to keep me company (thanks sweetie).

Tips:

• Take some toys to the bathroom with you so they are distracted and won’t try to stare at you the whole time.
• For the younger baby who can’t sit by themselves, bring their bassinet or Boppy or something to be able to lay them on so you don’t have to hold them the entire time.
• For children closer to potty training age, use this time to help them understand how to go potty in the toilet.
• Try to have a good, positive attitude about it. They won’t be this little forever (cliché but the truth).

2. Be ready for people to not agree with your parenting style and try to give you unsolicited advice. Advice is so important and helpful in some ways and forms, but can also be quite annoying and frustrating. Some advice that I’ve gotten has made me feel bad about myself as a mother and of course mom guilt is so real!

Tips:

• Take people’s advice and do what you want with it. You are the parent not them so it’s ultimately your decision on how you chose to raise your child. That being said, there are people who are more wise than you that could have some helpful tips.
• Be understanding of where they’re coming from. Have they been in a similar situation and it ended badly? Are the trying to be nice/helpful or trying to make you feel bad about yourself?
• The best thing you can do is to pray and ask God if this is something you should change or if it is not necessary. God will answer you!
• Always be kind and polite even if you think their advice is horrible.

3. Loneliness is real. Everyone gets lonely from time to time, but no one talks about how lonely it can be to take care of a newborn or older baby by yourself everyday. That is something I’ve personally struggled with and I still do.

Tips:

• Pray for peace and to feel God’s presence. Deuteronomy 31:6 out of the NIV version of the Holy Bible says, “The LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
• Understand that you are not alone and that every mother goes through this.
• Reach out to friends/family that are understanding of your situation and talk with them.
• Busy yourself. Read a book, watch a show/movie, crochet, journal, and anything else that interests you.

4. Sleep deprivation is real. When you have a newborn, you don’t get to sleep much and most people understand that, but what people don’t understand is how that affects you and your mental health. It took a huge toll on me. I couldn’t function or remember anything. I was a wreck. Part of getting yourself to sleep is getting your little one to sleep better and the other part is taking care of yourself (eating well, drinking lots of water, taking necessary vitamins or medications, taking breaks, getting help from others, etc.). Everyone has heard “sleep when the baby sleeps”. That can be almost impossible for some moms to do. It might be helpful for others and that’s great, but for most people I think it is not practical. I personally couldn’t get myself to fall asleep when my baby napped. You also have a lot of stuff you’re supposed to get done around the house too. Always check with your doctor and let them know what’s going on with you and they’ll let you know if it’s normal or not.

Tips:

• Keep the room dark while doing night feeds and late night diaper changes. It can help the baby go back to sleep faster.
• Have a sound machine with white noise for better sleep for you and your baby.
• Get some help from others to help around the house or take care of your baby.
• Allow yourself to relax. Do something you enjoy (take a warm bath before bed, do your favorite skincare routine and face mask, take a nice walk outside, listen to music, read, pray, etc.) to help calm your body and brain down.
• Pray for rest. Everyday and it seemed like all the time, I prayed to be able to sleep and that my baby would sleep well. God will hear you and help you. The Holy Bible says in Matthew 7:7 in the ESV version, “‘Ask, and it will be given to you…’”.
• Seek professional help if needed.

5. Feeling mom guilt is very normal, but can take a toll on your mental health. I have mom guilt everyday and if I let it get to me, it can be detrimental to who I am as a person and how I mother my child.

Tips:

• Know the truth! The devil is a liar and will try to get you to believe his lies. In the Holy Bible ESV version in John 8:44 Jesus says, “‘When he [the devil] lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.’” John 8:32 of the same version says,”‘… and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”
• Fix the problem you feel guilty about. If you got overly mad and yelled at your child then work on changing how you show your anger.
• Surround yourself with people in your life that will be honest with you and that are willing to come along side you and help.
• When you start to feel overwhelmed with guilt and emotions pray for God to show you the truth and to change what you need to change. Pray for peace and allow God to give it to you.

In conclusion, motherhood is a difficult but beautiful journey. You don’t have to do it alone. Invite Jesus to walk along side you and to change your life. He loves you and wants to take your burdens from you. The Holy Bible in the NLT version in Psalm 55:22 says, “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.”.

Please leave this field empty

Oh hi there 👋
It’s nice to meet you.

Sign up to receive awesome content in your inbox, every month.

I don’t spam!

You’ve been successfully subscribed to our newsletter!