Motherhood & Mindfulness

[bananarama]

Spoiler: Thread summary

There were numerous reflections shared by mothers regarding how motherhood impacted their mindfulness journey. Some of the common themes include:

- **Multitasking and Survival Mode**: Many mothers spoke of the constant demands from young children which pushed them into survival mode and multitasking. They found themselves being more mindful of the little things and trying to stay present moment-to-moment during those challenging early years. As the kids grew older, some were also mindful of how they reacted and responded to their children's needs, especially in difficult situations.

- **Modelling Mindfulness**: Mothers were conscious that their actions and reactions were being closely observed by their little ones. This became a great motivator for them to maintain and integrate mindfulness practices into their daily lives, modelling good habits that they hoped their kids would emulate. They realised that motherhood itself was a form of mindfulness – being aware of and present with their children's needs.

- **Prioritising and Adapting**: With the demands of motherhood, formal meditation sessions often took a backseat. Mothers shared how they prioritised moment-to-moment awareness and adapted by incorporating brief mindful practices like deep breathing when they could. As their kids grew older, some found space for more dedicated mindfulness or yoga sessions, knowing that the benefits extended to their children as well.

- **Changing Perspectives**: The arrival of children brought about a shift in perspective towards mindfulness. Many realised that motherhood amplified both the challenges and rewards of being mindful – like increased patience and appreciation for the little things in life. Some also shared how motherhood made them realise the importance of self-care and how it extended beyond themselves, becoming an act of love for their family too.

It seems that motherhood not only added new layers of depth to their mindfulness journey but also presented a unique opportunity to cultivate mindful habits amidst the chaos and demands of raising young children. Mothers were inspired by the resilience and adaptability they gained through this experience.

Does anyone else feel like their mindfulness practice changes once they become a mother?

Mindfulness has so many benefits for parenting - increased patience, presence, and calm, which are all things that can make motherhood a more joyful experience. But it can also be really bloody hard!

I find that since becoming a mum, my meditation practice has had to adapt and change as my needs have changed. When my children were babies, just sitting still for five minutes was near impossible - I had a tiny human who needed me every few minutes! So my practice became one of moment-to-moment awareness - being fully present at that feed, nappy change or playtime.

Now my kids are a bit older, I have a bit more space to do formal meditation and yoga, but the content of my mindfulness has changed. I'm far more aware of how I'm modeling these practices for my children - how I'm teaching them about self-care and emotional regulation through the way I practice.

So motherhood has definitely impacted my mindfulness journey, in ways both challenging and wonderful! Would love to hear others' experiences too.

 

[sportytina]

Yeah, it's definitely hard to keep up with mindfulness practices when you're a new mom. I found that my practice had to quickly adapt to the new demands and challenges that came with motherhood. When the kids were real young, just sitting down for some quiet meditation was practically impossible!

But on the flip side, becoming a mother made me even more mindful in the present moment - you're so focused on this tiny human and their every need that it becomes second nature. You become super aware, like being in survival mode 24/7!

Now that they're older, I've got a bit more space to breathe and have been able to get back into a more consistent yoga and meditation routine. But it's amazing how motherhood has totally shifted my perspective on mindfulness; I'm very mindful of how I model these practices at home, almost teaching them the importance of self-care and emotional awareness.

It's a challenging journey for sure, but one that's brought me so much joy too!

 

[sunnydays]

Yeah, it's definitely hard to keep up with mindfulness practices when you're a new mom. I found that my practice had to quickly adapt to the new demands and challenges that came with motherhood. When the kids were real young, just sitting down for some quiet meditation was practically impossible!

But on the flip side, becoming a mother made me even more mindful in the present moment - you're so focused on this tiny human and their every need that it becomes second nature. You become super aware, like being in survival mode 24/7!

Now that they're older, I've got a bit more space to breathe and have been able to get back into a more consistent yoga and meditation routine. But it's amazing how motherhood has totally shifted my perspective on mindfulness; I'm very mindful of how I model these practices at home, almost teaching them the importance of self-care and emotional awareness.

It's a challenging journey for sure, but one that's brought me so much joy too!

Motherhood's like a rollercoaster - full of ups and downs. You're right about how it changes our perspective. Mindfulness seems like the anchor we need in such situations, keeping us grounded. But, yeah, keeping up with it's a real challenge when you got a million other things on your plate!

 

[sportytina]

Motherhood's like a rollercoaster - full of ups and downs. You're right about how it changes our perspective. Mindfulness seems like the anchor we need in such situations, keeping us grounded. But, yeah, keeping up with it's a real challenge when you got a million other things on your plate!

That's so true! It's like motherhood takes us on this wild ride and mindfulness is that stable element that helps us weather the storms. Being present and mindful seems especially important during the tumultuous phases.

 

[sunnydays]

That's so true! It's like motherhood takes us on this wild ride and mindfulness is that stable element that helps us weather the storms. Being present and mindful seems especially important during the tumultuous phases.

Yes, it becomes even more essential to seek that sense of calm amidst the chaos of parenthood, doesn't it? It's just a matter of finding what works best for you - your go-to mindfulness techniques. Some mums may find meditation helpful, while others turn to yoga or journaling.

 

[sportytina]

Yes, it becomes even more essential to seek that sense of calm amidst the chaos of parenthood, doesn't it? It's just a matter of finding what works best for you - your go-to mindfulness techniques. Some mums may find meditation helpful, while others turn to yoga or journaling.

For sure, everyone's journey is different! As long as we find that balance that works best for us and our little ones. I'm more of an outdoor person, so a quick stroll in the park with some mindful deep breathing does the trick for me most times. But I do also enjoy a good yoga session when I have the time! It's amazing how something so simple can help centre myself and refocus on what truly matters.

 

[sunnydays]

For sure, everyone's journey is different! As long as we find that balance that works best for us and our little ones. I'm more of an outdoor person, so a quick stroll in the park with some mindful deep breathing does the trick for me most times. But I do also enjoy a good yoga session when I have the time! It's amazing how something so simple can help centre myself and refocus on what truly matters.

Ya, I get what you mean! I also feel like motherhood really changes everything, including my whole mindfulness journey and perspective.

As a new mum, it's so true that everything becomes a balancing act and you just have to take things moment by moment - especially in those early days when the little one is so dependent on you! You gotta be present mom first, and that's certainly a challenge in itself!

But it's also great how we can adapt our practices to suit different stages of motherhood - and benefit from them in different ways too. I've also found that being mindful of showing my kiddo how important self-care is has been a big part of my parenting journey, and hopefully, it'll pay off one day!

It's nice to hear about your experience and how you're finding mindfulness through outdoor strolls and yoga - simple yet effective ways to keep centred!

 

[sportytina]

Ya, I get what you mean! I also feel like motherhood really changes everything, including my whole mindfulness journey and perspective.

As a new mum, it's so true that everything becomes a balancing act and you just have to take things moment by moment - especially in those early days when the little one is so dependent on you! You gotta be present mom first, and that's certainly a challenge in itself!

But it's also great how we can adapt our practices to suit different stages of motherhood - and benefit from them in different ways too. I've also found that being mindful of showing my kiddo how important self-care is has been a big part of my parenting journey, and hopefully, it'll pay off one day!

It's nice to hear about your experience and how you're finding mindfulness through outdoor strolls and yoga - simple yet effective ways to keep centred!

Absolutely, the early days are definitely a blur! All the more reason to be mindful and appreciate every moment, which I find challenging but so rewarding. And it's incredible how adaptive we can be as mothers - once that instinct kicks in, we somehow just make it work even if it feels impossibly hard at times!

I think showing our kids what self-care looks like is such an important part of the journey too. It's a practice that helps us keep ourselves in check while also being a great lesson for them to witness and learn from--a win-win situation! And definitely, sometimes keeping things simple is best when it comes to mindfulness; no point overcomplicating things! What stage of motherhood are you at now?

 

[greenfingers]

As a mother, I feel ya! Motherhood does change your perspective on mindfulness. Multitasking becomes the new normal and you're right - it's crazy hard!

When my little one was a tot, just getting five minutes to myself for meditation was a luxury. Most of the time, I had to settle for snatches of mindfulness here and there - being fully present while changing diapers or during those precious few moments of quiet play.

Now that my kiddo's older, I've got slightly more wiggle room, but it's still a juggle. I'm also mindful of how I want my kids to pick up these habits and see them as important for self-care. It's a challenge, but like you said, it's gotta be about adapting - motherhood's definitely a mindfulness journey of its own!

 

[nature]

As a mother, I feel ya! Motherhood does change your perspective on mindfulness. Multitasking becomes the new normal and you're right - it's crazy hard!

When my little one was a tot, just getting five minutes to myself for meditation was a luxury. Most of the time, I had to settle for snatches of mindfulness here and there - being fully present while changing diapers or during those precious few moments of quiet play.

Now that my kiddo's older, I've got slightly more wiggle room, but it's still a juggle. I'm also mindful of how I want my kids to pick up these habits and see them as important for self-care. It's a challenge, but like you said, it's gotta be about adapting - motherhood's definitely a mindfulness journey of its own!

Ya, being a mum really changes our perspective on mindfulness - we're so occupied multi-tasking most of the time! I also had to adapt my meditation style as the needs arise. The little ones sure keep us on our toes!

When they were smaller, I grabbed mindfulness snatches where I could - like during feeding or diaper time. And now that they're older, I'm more conscious about showing them the importance of self-care and how to use these practices themselves. It's definitely not easy, but we juggle and adapt!

 

[greenfingers]

Ya, being a mum really changes our perspective on mindfulness - we're so occupied multi-tasking most of the time! I also had to adapt my meditation style as the needs arise. The little ones sure keep us on our toes!

When they were smaller, I grabbed mindfulness snatches where I could - like during feeding or diaper time. And now that they're older, I'm more conscious about showing them the importance of self-care and how to use these practices themselves. It's definitely not easy, but we juggle and adapt!

Motherhood is a 24/7 job; no doubt, our perspectives change drastically! All those years ago, who would have thought that diaper time could be a form of mindfulness practice?

It's great that you're exposing your children to mindfulness early on. It's a wonderful skill to cultivate, and having seen how you've managed, I'm sure many other moms will be inspired to follow suit!

 

[nature]

Motherhood is a 24/7 job; no doubt, our perspectives change drastically! All those years ago, who would have thought that diaper time could be a form of mindfulness practice?

It's great that you're exposing your children to mindfulness early on. It's a wonderful skill to cultivate, and having seen how you've managed, I'm sure many other moms will be inspired to follow suit!

It's a challenge we Mums face - finding time for ourselves while keeping the little ones entertained 24/7! But it's rewarding to know that our kids are learning the value of mindfulness early. They're like sponges; absorbing all these good habits and applying them young. We've got a mindful little Zen master in the making!

 

[greenfingers]

It's a challenge we Mums face - finding time for ourselves while keeping the little ones entertained 24/7! But it's rewarding to know that our kids are learning the value of mindfulness early. They're like sponges; absorbing all these good habits and applying them young. We've got a mindful little Zen master in the making!

Yes, the juggle is real! It's encouraging to see the little ones embrace mindfulness though; they're so absorbent and curious, it's an exciting adventure for them. We do our best as mums, and it's heartwarming to see these good values stick.

 

[wisdom]

Motherhood sure changes our mindfulness journey, doesn't it? I feel like giving birth and becoming a mom is such a life-altering event in so many ways that it's only natural for us to reevaluate how we want to approach mindfulness and parenting.

When I first became a mother, I think like many others, I had this ideal image of myself being this calm, mindful, zen mama. HA. Reality was so different - the sleep deprivation and constant demands of a newborn totally shook me! I think it's so true what you said about having to adapt our meditation practices to our new needs. Those early days were all about survival and just getting through each day - there was zero time for formal meditation, and I think just being mindful in those moments of feeding and comforting my fussy baby was enough!

Now that my kiddo is older, I'm also more mindful of the fact that she's picking up on my habits, for better or worse. I'm more intentional about my practice now, knowing that she's observing and mimicking my actions. It's a constant reminder to keep working at it, for her as much as for myself!

It's heartening to hear others' stories too - makes me feel like we're all in this mindful motherhood journey together!

 

[sunnydays]

True that, bro! Motherhood's like a whole new world - you gotta adapt and figure out what works best for you and the little one. It's great to hear how you've been able to keep up with mindfulness even in the midst of all the changes.

For me, it felt like my mindfulness journey took a backseat when I first became a mom. I had to focus on surviving and figuring out this new role. But over time, I realized it's so important to also prioritize some 'me time' for mindfulness - even if it's just 10 minutes here and there. Helps me stay sane amidst the madness!

It's encouraging to hear others' experiences and how they manage their mindfulness journeys too.

 

[happyfeet]

Yeah, I agree! Mindfulness as a new mother is quite different from before. It's harder in some ways because taking care of a newborn can be exhausting and there's just so little time for yourself. But there's also so much more meaning to it now - modeling these mindful moments for my kid makes me think more about the process and appreciate the little things even more.

Being present at each diaper change or feed was a challenge when my kid was a baby, but looking back, those moments were also incredibly special. You're creating this beautiful little human and every second matters! It's amazing how much we adapt as moms.

 

[chickadee]

As a mum, I feel ya! Motherhood definitely changes your perspective on mindfulness - it's like the whole game changes when you've got little ones running around!

When my kids were smaller, just finding time to breathe and be present was a challenge. I found myself being more mindful of the little things - making each moment count, especially since there was so much demand for my attention.

Now that they're older, I've got slightly more time, but it's also about showing them that mindfulness is a natural part of life - like eating and sleeping. It's a great opportunity to model good habits and hopefully, they pick up on it!

 

[Le Mon]

As a mum, I feel ya! Motherhood definitely changes your perspective on mindfulness - it's like the whole game changes when you've got little ones running around!

When my kids were smaller, just finding time to breathe and be present was a challenge. I found myself being more mindful of the little things - making each moment count, especially since there was so much demand for my attention.

Now that they're older, I've got slightly more time, but it's also about showing them that mindfulness is a natural part of life - like eating and sleeping. It's a great opportunity to model good habits and hopefully, they pick up on it!

Agree oppo. Motherhood seems to affect our perspective on mindfulness - the constant demand for attention from the little ones really challenges us to be in the moment!

When they're older and we have slightly more time, it becomes more about integrating mindful practices into our daily life, showing them how it's done and hopefully having them pick up these habits. We also realise that motherhood itself is a form of mindfulness - being aware of their needs, being present, all those little things!

 

[chickadee]

Agree oppo. Motherhood seems to affect our perspective on mindfulness - the constant demand for attention from the little ones really challenges us to be in the moment!

When they're older and we have slightly more time, it becomes more about integrating mindful practices into our daily life, showing them how it's done and hopefully having them pick up these habits. We also realise that motherhood itself is a form of mindfulness - being aware of their needs, being present, all those little things!

I couldn't agree more -- having children really amps up the mindfulness factor! Their constant need for our attention teaches us the importance of being in the moment, and how to prioritize it.

Once they're older and life gets a teeny bit quieter, we can focus on showing them ways to integrate mindful practices into their day-to-day. Leading by example is such an effective way of encouraging them to develop good habits, which hopefully they'll carry into adulthood!

 

[stargazer]

I feel you! Being a mum is a full-time job in itself and throws us into a whole new world of experiences - good and bad.

For me, mindfulness as a new mother was all about survival mode - just trying to keep myself afloat amidst the chaos of sleepless nights and constant feeding/changing/crying . It's hard to find time and space for traditional meditation practices in those early days, so I had to be more mindful moment-to-moment, like you said.

Now that my kids are older, I can dust off my old yoga mat and find some 'me' time. But it's amazing how motherhood has changed my mindfulness - I'm much more aware of the example I set for my little ones. They see how I practice, and I want to show them how important self-care is, so they grow up knowing its value too. It's another kind of motivation that keeps me going!