This past March, a new phase in my life began: motherhood. Ever since, obviously everything changed. And I got myself thinking about all those doubts that I believe every new mom has: “wow, my entire life is about to change…am I gonna handle everything? Can I take care of a baby? How is our routine going to look like? Are we gonna have any? Am I gonna be a good mom? Will my relationship with my husband change? What about my work? How will I manage everything?” And I’m here to share my experience and tell you that yes, everything falls into place.
I know I’ve just become a mom very recently, but what I can tell you is that, with having well defined priorities, we can embrace all of our different sides: woman, mother, wife and working mom. Are you familiar with those circus guys that juggle plates? Well, that’s me: I now juggle all my “plates” to balance them all. And I can, for the most part, keep all of them in order. Sometimes a plate or two can be unbalanced, but none of them ever brakes. My son will always be my number one priority… but my husband also is, and so is myself. To me, is important that I have the time to take care of myself, brush my hair and feel beautiful. And my job is just as important. I’ve always known, even before getting pregnant, that I would never let that part of me go away. I’ve worked really hard to get where I am now, and I love what I do. When I’m working, I feel happy and fulfilled. And a happy woman is a happy mom, and has a happy baby.
Motherhood isn’t easy, for sure. It has already brought me countless challenges, and I know there’s still a lot more to come. But the main thing I’ve learned is that every woman has a different experience. We hear the most awful stories, of moms who can’t breastfeed, sleep, or even wash their hair. Of babies who suffer from terrible cramps, don’t gain weight, or simply demand a lot from their mom. There is no “right” motherhood, no mother is like the other, and no baby is like the other. Every motherhood is unique to those who experience it. What was easy for me may be hard for you. And what you dealt with easily, might be horrible for me. There is no comparison, and every mom knows what’s best for their child.
With that being said, in my motherhood there are two extremely important things for me: feeling good about myself, and my job. And if that’s not the case for you, it’s totally fine! But I decided to always make room for myself during my day and to get back to the salon as soon as I could. I’ve prepared myself for a long time to be able to do this, and being back at work has been incredible! Tiresome, of course, because now not only I have a job to do, but there is a little baby waiting for me at home, who needs care and attention. But I come home feeling happy, and that way my son gets the best of me. As I said before: happy mom = happy baby.
Motherhood has been, without a doubt, my most challenging task. And being able to juggle it with all the other sides of me has been a tiresome but also incredible adventure, which makes me feel very grateful. I like looking in the mirror and feeling good about myself, I like being at work, I like having my husband by my side, and most of all: I like seeing my son happy and healthy. His smile makes it all worth it.
And you mommy, reading this, know that I understand and support you in any decision you make. If you want to be a stay-at-home mom, if you want to go back to work, if you breastfeed your baby, if you give your baby formula… it doesn’t matter: you are doing a great job! Let’s share good things. No more comparing mothers, no more judgment. Motherhood is already hard on its own, we need to help and support one another. And the most important thing: everything will be ok, and we are already the best moms for our children.
Happy mother’s day!
With love,
Eliana Martt