The detox that comes with having babies… Yes, that is a thing. And it is a thing you probably didn’t know existed before you’re in the middle of it. It may seem like one of the tougher detoxes, but to be honest – it comes naturally, and that tiny little creature of yours is all worth it <3
#1 Cocktails and everything that comes with those
When I got pregnant I instantly put alcohol and cigarettes on the shelf (okay, one tiny glass of wine may have touched my lips…). Luckily it wasn’t that hard with the cigarettes as it was merely a once-in-while-guilty-pleasure of mine, as well as I instantly felt nauseated by them (even before I knew I was pregnant).
I really look forward to enjoying more than one glass now and then – but on the other hand, it is amazing not having hangovers, which I can only imagine is tougher when you have a little rascal as well.
Although a long night with broken sleep, can feel a lot like a hangover the next day…
#2 Shopping… for yourself
I quickly grew out of my normal trousers and had to look for something with a bit more room for the growing belly. Unfortunately, pregnancy clothing is far from interesting, and therefore most of my shopping for the past year (even though the little rascal is only 5 months old) has been tiny sizes.
However – I love it! I can go crazy about the sweet clothing, toys, books, weaning accessories and lots of other stuff. Luckily, I have discovered the world preloved by using the Reshopper app and Fara Kids around London, saving me quite a lot of money and passing on our out-grown stuff to new mamas.
Here are some of the bargains I’ve made on Reshopper, from Minimalisma, Baby Einstein and The White Company.
#3 Make-up, clean hair and chic outfits
Most days I do not wear make-up… Either because we are going to baby swimming, we are home all day, or we have a very early (10 am) yoga class.
And the same goes for clothing – except that I do wear it of course (!). I have a few, simple outfits that I wear almost every day, as it is convenient for breastfeeding, I can play on the floor and it is comfy. It looks something like this…
1/ Sweatshirt from Anine Bing x Gina Tricot 2/ Merino wool jumper from H&M 3/ Jeans from Re/Done 4/ Merino wool trousers from Envii 5/ Stan Smith sneakers from Adidas
One thing I do keep sacred is my night time routine; Dry brushing face and body with the amazing brushes from Karmameju, as well as I finish off every shower with a nice body oil (I previously wrote this post about some things to treat yourself with – and they are even mama-friendly).
It is liberating not thinking about these things, and when I finally do dress up and put on makeup, I really enjoy it.
#4 Snoozing and sleeping in
Getting out of bed is no longer a choice, as our little rascal does not seem to agree with sleeping in until 10 am anymore (we had a couple of amazing first months, where he was sleeping long every morning).
Instead I know eat lunch around 11 am and go to bed around 10 pm latest. Also, I have started doing nap time, which is something I normally rarely do. But waking up several times during the night AND getting up early is a tough cookie…
#5 The friends-and-baby-equation
This can be a sensitive subject for many new mamas… How to maintain the friendships with your friends who does not have any children (yet)? Or just in general? Aas your whole life all of a sudden revolves around breastfeeding, teething toys and which stroller you have got (among other stuff of course – but it does take up quite some time…).
I have been (un)lucky in the sense that we just moved to London when I got pregnant. So, most of my new friends here are fellow-mamas I have met, and therefore I have not experienced any of the above. On the contrary, I have made friends. And I guess this goes for every new mama – motherhood is a great way to meet and connect with people in your local area, and, if lucky, make new good friends.
With regards to the friends, my hubby and I have, who does not have children, we often meet up for lunch in the weekends. It is such a great way to meet up in a way that suits everyone, and have time to catch up, without being worried about if baby needs to sleep or that we need to leave in the middle of a bottle of wine.
#6 Career choices…
This is a big one… Getting a baby is a big one. For me it has meant that I have carefully considered what is worth it in terms of going back to my working career and putting my baby in (the craziest expensive) nursery. I mean, considering the pricing of nursery in this country and that it is my precious little bunch of happiness we’re talking about, the nursery must feel like a safe space, and my career must be meaningful to me – otherwise I’d rather stay home and be a full-time mama.
I have written a post on how motherhood is the world’s toughest project management crash course right here.
This is just to mention a few… There are many more detoxes, sacrifices or whatever you want to call it. In my case, I wouldn’t want to spend my life any other way (and it’s not only because of the big amounts of chocolate and cake I have been eating the past couple of months – and more months to come) <3
Love P
