“Trying to keep things afloat”
They say comparison is the thief of joy, but it feels impossible not to do it when you’re a new mum.
You can’t help but notice the mums who have it together, the ones who went back to work with ease or the ones whose babies are already crawling or eating only organic, homemade breakfasts.
Instagram is full of joyful moments, major milestones, and happy family days out, but they don’t really represent the reality of motherhood. Of course, we’re going to post the photos in our best midi dress or of our daughter pottering around our tidy sitting room. These moments are just highlights, but it can be difficult to remember that especially when you’re scrolling through hundreds of them on a daily basis.
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One mum opened up about dealing with mum guilt in a refreshingly honest Instagram post and it’s the type of content we’re here for!
Blogger and new mum, Liv Purvis got real about maternity leave, mom guilt and the constant worrying she has dealt with since welcoming her baby boy.
“I feel like I’ve spent a huge amount of my maternity leave either working, worrying about when to ‘go back’, trying to keep things afloat, or comparing myself to others for not doing enough/doing too much.
“The mum guilt has been real, and especially working in this funny old sphere online, the thought of stepping back for too long and drifting into irrelevancy (lol, the absolute melodrama of it all) has felt poignant; and knowing how to step away from the content and work carousel when it feels everyone else has it together has been a lot.
Liv added: “I know I’m lucky to be able to work and be at home- and it doesn’t pass me by that perhaps this maternity leave is different; because I never really stopped I’ll never really have to properly ‘go back’. But it’s been a funny old line to tread, and honestly- I’m not ready to start back up yet.”
The writer said she has blog posts scheduled and ideas brewing, but she isn’t ready to go back.
Her honesty is so reassuring because the pressure and expectation to jump back into your old pre-baby roles are immense, especially in the digital age.
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“I want to keep savouring these moments (because if one things true it’s that the nights are long but the days are so short)- and they’ve already been so fleeting.”
Liv’s post will undoubtedly reassure other mums who are struggling with juggling motherhood and their professional lives. It’s no easy feat, but it is comforting to know that you’re not the only one.
“The world will keep turning if I don’t post on Instagram for a while. So I’ve given myself a couple of months more, because what is a ‘leave’ if not taking even a little break- and guilt-free if I can too.”
Liv’s post is a perfect reminder that we’re all just doing our best and we need to remember that it is, in fact, good enough.
