Mama Tag

I have been asked to take part in the Mama Tag by the lovely Rebecca over at With My Love & Courage. She was inspired to create this tag after watching the new mum/new mom tag videos on YouTube that were originally created by Emily Norris.

So, let’s get started!

1.) Favourite mum hack?

I don’t really have a favourite mum hack or even a mum hack at all. I like to think that I’m quite an organised person but the truth is when it comes to parenting I’m honestly just winging this whole thing and hoping for the best. Every day is a different challenge. Maybe that could be something for me to think about, what mum hack could make things easier for me?

2.) Most embarrassing mum moment?

My most embarrassing mum moment would be every time Kory acts up in public and I have to try and keep calm and stop his temper tantrum all whilst feeling everyones eyes watching and judging.

3.) My favourite part of the day?

My favourite part of the day is definitely tea time when Rory gets home from work. After a busy day it’s nice to see him walk through the door and it’s also nice when we all sit down as a family to have our tea and to watch tv together.

4.) My worst part of the day?

The worst part of the day for me is definitely morning. I have never been a morning person and that’s not about to change now that I’m a parent. It’s not that I hate mornings it’s just not fun being woke up really early every day when you still feel tired from the day before and hearing ‘mum mum mum’ whilst your eyeballs are only half open. I’m usually okay once that first cup of coffee hits my soul though.

5.) Worst thing someone said to you when you were pregnant?

Where do I begin! Well there was this one woman that asked me to lift up my top so that I could show her my belly so that she could see ‘how big I was’ – that made me feel really good about myself!

6.) A baby name you disagreed on?

There was loads of names that I really liked when we were choosing baby names and out of all of them my partner narrowed it down to just one so I would say we disagreed quite a lot but I suppose at the same time it did make deciding on a baby name a lot easier as well!

7.) Do you co-sleep?

We never co-slept with Kory when he was a small baby but if you class a toddler coming into your room in the middle of the night and climbing into your bed then yes we co-sleep.

8.) Baby products you never used?

I can’t think of any off the top of my head, we used lots of great products with Kory when he was a baby.

9.) Name 3 hospital bag must haves:

There are lots of useful things that you can pack in your hospital bag but my top 3 would be sanitary towels, trust me – you’re going to need them. Nickers, big comfy ones and lots of them and pyjamas, because that’s all you’re gonna want to wear for a while.

10.) Are you a go-with-the-flo or routine mum?

I guess I’m a bit of both really. I’m quite strict about some things, the things that I consider important such as bedtime because Kory can be a real grouch if he goes to bed too late which isn’t fun for anyone, making sure I keep his behaviour in check and I like to make sure he’s ate his dinner before he has any sweets and that sort of thing but I’m pretty easy going when it comes to everything else like screen time and what clothes he wears.

11.) What sort of labour and pain relief did you have?

I had a pretty straight forward labour considering Kory was born premature, I gave birth to him naturally and had gas and air for pain relief.

12.) Have you ever been mum shamed?

Yes on quite a few occasions actually. Once by a health visitor when Kory was around 4/5 months old because I gave him rusk with his milk which was my decision, another time when he was a bit older, I’d took him to the weigh-in clinic and because he’d had a sick bug which was the main reason for me taking him, it was pointed out to me rather rudely that he hadn’t put much weight on, I’ve been mum shamed online for giving my child ice cream, I’ve been mum shamed for giving him an iPad and I’ve been mum shamed for letting him climb into bed with us. It used to bother me a lot when I first had Kory but as he’s grown older and I can see that he’s happy and healthy and that he’s obviously not come to any harm from any of those things it bothers me a lot less. It’s so easy for other mums to have their say on how you parent when they’re sat behind a screen, or for people who aren’t parents themselves to judge because they haven’t a clue what they’re talking about. When you’re a young, new, first time mum these can all seem like big, important things but they’re really not. You just have to do what works for you and your baby, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.

13.) What have been the biggest challenges?

My biggest challenge as a parent has been trying to be the best mum that I can be even though I never believe in myself. It’s hard enough raising a child but when you constantly doubt yourself and think that you must be doing something wrong or that someone else other than you would be able to do a better job it’s a lot harder. A lot lot harder. I’m constantly in a battle with myself and I’m my own worst enemy but I do like to think that I have come a long way from the young, naive, first time mum that I was and that I am growing into a more confident person and giving myself a bit more credit where it’s due when it comes to being a parent.

14.) What is the best advice that you’ve had or been given?

The best advice that I have been given is simply just being reminded that I am Kory’s mum and that I know him best. A lot of judgement comes with parenting and when it comes to making decisions for your children, it can be easy to doubt yourself even when you know deep down in your gut that it’s what’s best. Many times I have made a decision regarding Kory and then changed my mind about it through other people voicing their opinions and having their say just for it to turn out that I was right and should have just listened to myself to begin with. This is something that does get a little easier the older your child gets. Being a parent to a new baby is scary!

15.) Who is your mum crush?

I know so many amazing mums in real life and follow so many fabulous mums on Instagram that I would feel a little unfair just choosing one, I think we’re all doing a fantastic job!

So that’s all from me. Thank you for reading my answers to the questions asked! I hope you enjoyed reading them. I would like to ask Megan over at www.withabandme.wordpress.com to take part in this tag. I look forward to reading her answers!