Bonus Episode

I thought it would be a nice treat for you to take a few minute out of each day to concentrate on just yourself. We are heading into a holiday season that for many, is filled with excitement and wonder and for some, the first holiday season as a new mother. Along with all the joy and happiness comes stress for many families. The business of trying to get it all done, while maintaining peace and quite and a low level of stress on the home front can be difficult to achieve and maintain. In the midst of it all, funny enough, trying so hard to keep the stress low, by making sure you have taken care of all the shopping, cooking, holiday plans, keeping house clean, welcoming visitors, and in general keep the household organized and running smoothly, well this can actually create a lot of stress. While we can’t always change the stressful circumstances, we can change our response to what is going on around us.

One practice that helps me when I am feeling this way, is to take just 10 little baby minutes out of my day and be still, be quiet and concentrate on my breathing. It is simple and you don’t need to use or do anything special. Just figure out how to find a quiet space for 10 interrupted minutes. Your initial reaction might be – 10 minutes. You have to be crazy! I can’t even pee by myself. Perhaps a little creativity will help. Once baby is on and nursing. Pulled into driveway and everyone in car is quiet. Baby on chest. Partner for 5 minutes. May not be able to follow all instructions, but it will be good enough. Turn this show on and give yourself this gift once a day.