Super Mum v Slummy Mummy…

I always saw myself being a “yummy mummy”.  You know the type of person I’m talking about don’t you? The Brie Hodges (Desperate Housewives) of the modern world.  A great Mum, always looks good, a good baker, perfect home, neat, tidy, clean… so why is it that somedays I just don’t even have a spare minute to shower or brush my teeth without a little baby screaming for me to hold her? How can I be a super mum or yummy mummy with a demanding baby? She isn’t always demanding, in fact, she is a really good baby and naps often and plays well, the thing is, when she’s napping, I’m doing my best to keep the house work up together, to make meals for James and I to have when he comes home from work and to be honest, the person I think of least is myself.  As long as Amelia and James are looked after, I rarely think or have time to think about me. 

You see, its not like there’s a magical way of looking after yourself, your home and your baby 24/7.  There isn’t a manual to teach you how to have the perfectly behaved baby or shortcuts on how to do things in zero amount of time, so you just have to keep learning, keep learning how your baby works, her habits, her timings, the signs to show you she’s bored, tired, hungry, over tired, etc.  I think now Amelia is almost 7 weeks old I know her quite well.  We do have a little routine, I know that she can’t stay awake much more than an hour after a feed without getting over stimulated or grumpy.  I also know that when she goes red in the face, grunts really, really loudly that she’s filling her nappy and I know as soon as she’s done, she’ll cry to ask me to change her.  It’s only then, when you start to really get to know your baby, that you feel more confident in not holding them all day long and are able to take a bit of time to do the other 101 things that need doing at home.

Do you think I’ll be able to talk James into getting a cleaner? okay, a chef? how about a gardener then? Hmmmm perhaps not!