Beating Mom Guilt

by Meredith Ethington | More from this Blogger

04 Mar 2011 02:05 PM

Maybe you are already feeling it now that you are pregnant. I'm talking about Mom guilt. It's a disease I tell you. Every woman that has a child has it at some point or another. And, some women are worse than others, but it seems that it is inescapable. It might already be creeping into your pregnancy. Maybe you are having thoughts like:

"Am I eating enough healthy foods?"

"I shouldn't have had that Diet Coke"

"I'm gaining too much weight"

or

"I'm not gaining enough weight!"

Whatever the thoughts are, the best way to stop it is by working on it now, before the baby arrives. Being a Mom is the hardest job out there. No matter if you decide to go back to work or not, you will have guilt. If you are a stay at home Mom, you can still easily find ways to beat yourself up. But, think for a moment of what is truly best for your child. Is it a Mom that is constantly feeling guilty, or a Mom that realizes she has a few things that she can be better at, but that she is doing the best she can right now with what she has.

No woman is born knowing how to be a perfect Mom. And, when that baby comes, you don't automatically figure it out perfectly the first time. You are going to make mistakes. There will be days that you will go to bed and wish you could do the whole day over again, but the truth is, your child will still love you, and the fact that you care shows that you are already a good Mom.

But, women can definitely take it to the extreme. There are many Moms out there that are depressed, and sad because of the own thoughts going on in their heads that they aren't good enough, or that they are messing up their child's life. Try to escape from those negative thoughts. To do so, try the following tips:

*Have a quiet moment for yourself each day. Reflect on what you could have done better, or start your day with a quiet moment to set a goal for the day, and make sure that you accomplish it!

*Talk to other Moms. This can erase Mommy guilt in a flash. Being around other Moms can help you know that they are struggling with the same issues, and that you don't have to be perfect, and you are still a good Mom. You will feel the need to reassure them that they are a doing a great job (because you know they are), but give yourself the same credit!

*Keep a journal. Try to set goals for motherhood, reflect on them, and work on overcoming them. Be accountable for your actions, but don't beat yourself up for mistakes. Vent on paper.

*Exercise. This will boost your self-esteem and the extra endorphins will boost your mood. This can only help you in being a more positive Mom. Don't focus on losing weight, focus on feeling better.

No matter if you just had a baby, or are about to have one, you can only try your best, and that is good enough. You are your toughest critic, so stop feeling the guilt, and start enjoying motherhood!!

Related Articles:

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Learn more about Meredith Ethington

Meredith is a native Texan who is currently living in Salt Lake City, UT. She graduated from the University of Utah in 2002 with a B.A.

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