It's OK to shower

It is so easy to loose track of yourself when you have a newborn. It is so easy to start feeling like the feeding machine (or cow) rather than a mother or woman. It is so easy to get stuck in a rut. It is so easy to start feeling less than you are. To me it is a slippery slope that I swear starts with a shower. 

A shower refreshes you. A shower reminds you that you are more than a feeding machine. A shower reminds you that you are still human. 

I swear that taking a shower daily kept me sane during the newborn stage of my children. Lack of sleep, lack of time, lack of a life, it all can feel overwhelming at the time. But by taking a shower, I felt renewed each morning.

It is so hard sometimes to take 30 minutes for ourselves when another human being is completely dependent on us. But I swear to you, that if you take that 30 minutes to get showered and dressed and maybe even a little makeup, you will feel 100% better, more focused, and more in control of your day

Now, don't get me wrong. There are days that I don't shower, but 9 times out of 10, I do. I make time in our schedule for me to do it. If I was a working mother, I would shower and make the time, why shouldn't I do it even though I am staying home? 

Some mothers might love the fact that they get to stay in PJs for as long as they want as a stay-at-home mom and I can respect that. I just choose to shower because of how it makes me feel and I need to get my day started with a shower (and coffee). 

It is OK to put a priority on ourselves especially when dealing with a newborn and all the hormone issues that follow that. 

When I had Maisie, that first week home I tried to shower when I could. It was kind of a joke with me that either I had time to shower and blow-dry my hair or shower and put on makeup, but doing all 3 seemed impossible. However, it got better, we got more on a routine, and I was able to do all 3 in 30 minutes. 

Now, I know that their are babies that cry A LOT, which can make it hard for a mother to make time for a shower. But, I think those mothers need a shower the must just to refresh their spirit and patience. While not ideal, it is OK for your baby to cry. You might not be able to find 30 minutes, but even a 5 minute shower is better than nothing. Don't you think? I do. 

I have never been a mom who could wake up before her children, so I have always had to figure out a time to do it. Here are my tips on how to fit in a shower:

• Pick a safe space for your baby that you know you can let them be for at least 30 minutes. Before my kids were moving, I put them on their play mat or bouncy chair either in the bathroom or outside the door. After that stopped working, I used our pack-and-play and after that I utilized their bedroom. (I think that it is actually good for kids to play by themselves and not be able to see you during that time.)
• Schedule it. If you want to shower in the morning, work it into your daily routine. I usually shower after breakfast. Calan is usually playing in his room and Maisie is either napping if it is later than 9 a.m. or she is playing in her pack-and-play. 
• Let your children know what you are doing. All I have to do is tell Calan that mommy is taking a shower and he needs to play in his room till I am done and he does it. He doesn't try to leave his room or destroy his room. He usually sits in his chair and either reads, looks out the window, or plays with his cars. 
• Stay consistent. Like anything, with repetition it gets easier to figure out. Like I said at first, I couldn't seem to get it all done at once, but soon it all fell into place and I am showered with hair and makeup done usually by 9:30.

Mother-2-Mother is a blogging series where I am sharing some advice that I tend to give friends when they ask. Take from it what you will. Parenting is a touchy subject. I am by no means telling you how to parent.