Hello,
You may have seen every hour come and go last night. You may have felt like the only one awake in your street, your neighbourhood, your city or maybe even the world. It’s tough. And I know some days it seems beyond tough.
Whether you have a tiny little newborn scrunched up on your shoulder, or a toddler resting their heavy head against you, sleep deprivations grip is tight and all encompassing.
It doesn’t matter if the books say this is what is supposed to happen. It doesn’t matter if you are making choices that feel right for you and your family. It can still be hard at the same time.
Social media sometimes fools us into thinking we’re not doing something right, or that we should be ‘cherishing every moment’. But let me tell you, parenting isn’t black and white. It’s not a this or that situation. How you feel as a parent is complex. It’s joy and sadness. It’s amazing and incredibly hard. All at the same time.
Please take it from a mum who has been there in the very depths of sleep exhaustion, (and a health professional too), 1) you’re doing amazing, 2) it won’t always be like this.
If you’re in those newborn days, weeks or months, the time will pass, and things will get easier. If you’ve made it through and sleep is still challenging, I see you too. It won’t always feel like this.
Keep showing up. Keep making those decisions that feel right for you and your family. You’ve got this.
And if it does feel like you haven’t. That’s ok too. Reach out to those around you and know it will pass. And feel free to reach out to me too. You don’t have do this alone.
You’ve got this.
Laura x
