Nothing has come more natural to me than parenting. Hear me out when I say I am not writing this to brag or shame anyone. I am writing this to share how you too can be confident in your motherhood journey. The most rewarding journey you will ever take!
Ask my husband what the one characteristic about me that annoys him the most is and he will quickly say my indecisiveness. I would live at the ‘I Don’t Care’ restaurant if one existed! I just can’t make up my mind to save my life sometimes.
I’ve convinced myself that this is just because I care too much and put way too much thought into all my decisions. You might be wondering then how in the world I made decisions about my parenting choices?! My secret, that’s not really a secret at all, is instinct. Pure, raw gut instinct {and a good ol’ dose of faith}.
I have read articles and researched till my eye balls about fell out of my head but nothing could change the fact that I knew in my gut what the right choice was. Believe me, we have had our fair share of ridicule and criticism on parenting choices, but that didn’t convince me to change my mind.
While I was pregnant and on bed rest, for 9 months, I had ample amounts of time to worry mull over the choices I would make as a new mom. In all honesty, I never even picked up a pregnancy book (which is totally unlike me). Instead I researched and observed.
Besides trusting my gut instinct, the power to prove others wrong fueled my fire.
I told myself before I was even pregnant that I wanted to give birth unmedicated. When I became pregnant there was a tinge of doubt in my doctors voice when I told her my plan but I didn’t care. I was going to do it. And I did.
Breastfeeding was another touchy topic. Our issues with pain and gassiness were met with ‘just give her formula.’ A tongue tie diagnosis at 5 weeks and a thrush diagnosis at 6 months finally made sense. But none of it phased us. We are 8 months into breastfeeding and still going strong!
We were given a little bit of shade, if you will, for deciding to get her tongue tie revised. My pain could have been erased had I just given her a bottle. But my gut told me to continue and my faith said don’t give up and we haven’t!
Cloth diapering was a fiery topic. Who knew so many people had opinions on where your baby poops!? It didn’t phase me when my husband’s friends told us we would ‘give up’ or ‘regret our decision.’ I knew deep down we could do it and that we’d ultimately prove them wrong. And we have.
The most recent big decision we had to make was how we were going to start solids. I had learned at this point don’t tell anyone if you don’t want the debate, so we didn’t. We just jumped feet first into Baby Led Weaning when we knew she was ready. I never even told her doctor because I thought what was the point? We had done the research, made sure we knew the difference between choking and gagging, and brushed up on our CPR/First Aid. And you know what she has done AMAZING!
There will come a time, I’m sure, where I question a parenting decision or may even regret one or two. I can never be mad though for trusting my instincts.
I urge new moms and experienced moms to hone in to your motherly instincts. Realizing you have an innate sixth sense is the first step.
Yes, we can research to make informed decisions.
Yes, we can bounce ideas off other moms.
Yes, we can be nervous about those decisions.
We do all of these because we care. Because we know that our decision affects someone who can’t decide for themselves. But that doesn’t change the fact that we know how to parent, it just has to be unearthed and you have to realize the potential to trust yourself.
The other piece of advice I have for you is to be confident. Be confident in your decisions even if you are nervous. I told myself I was going to make the hard decisions and that was that. Outside of motherhood I second guess myself all the time but mothering is hard. VERY hard. I wasn’t going to make it harder by trying ‘all the things’ if I was happy with my first choice.
Sometimes as moms we find ourselves jumping from decision to decision just because we are influenced by others. I will shout it from the rooftops, don’t fall into that comparison trap and just do you.
You got this mama! Keep mommin’ on!
Have you found your ‘mommy rhythm?’ Do decisions come natural to you or are you indecisive? How has that affected your decisions as a mom?
