LET'S GET REAL; LIFE AFTER BABY
*This post is in partnership with Plum Organics
Hi mommas!
Let’s get real - the first year of parenting isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. When I had Yuli, I struggled with a lot of the things that first time parents deal with as they transition their adult life in parenthood. In a way, you almost have to mourn the loss of your previous life (kid-free, no real responsibilities, endless time for yourself) and start to navigate uncharted territory, with very little sleep no less!
Still, I think the fact that I had Ori and Romi soon after says it all. Kids are hard work but they are so worth every second of it.
No matter what, I think it’s important to talk about the difficulties of parenting - especially in the first year. It can be hard to keep it together, and breakdowns are not just inevitable they are also allowed, necessary and totally normal. I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve escaped the chaos of three kids by hiding in the bathroom for five semi-peaceful minutes. Or that I miss going out with friends until late at night without worrying about babysitters, bedtimes or next-day school activities. Or that Noam and I had our meltdowns over who was doing “more work” when each kid was a newborn. Bringing a new baby home is exciting, but it also bound to have a strain on your relationship as dynamics shifts into place naturally. I obviously spent more time with each newborn as I was nursing, so it took some time for us to figure out ways to have Noam bond equally. These are all feelings we are bound to have, especially in the “new life” transition period of first time parenting. By the time Romi was born we had figured these struggles out more, and have learned how to take time for ourselves, strengthen our relationship with date nights, breathe through tough times and have fun as a family.
Two weeks ago I attended a panel hosted by Plum Organics with amazing author/ relationships expert Esther Perel and Alexandra Sacks M.D., During the conversation, they cited some eye-opening stats from a recent survey Plum commissioned on new parents: 65% of parents downplay how challenging they feel parenting is when they speak with one another and 8 out of 10 parents have gone to extremes to “take a break” from their parenting duties, such as sitting on the toilet for longer than necessary and making up an excuse to run errands.
The more we talk about it, the less guilty we feel and the more support we can share with one another.
That’s why I’m excited to share information about my partnership with Plum Organics. They are breaking through the stigma of losing your sh**t during the first year of parenting with an amazing resource. Keeping It Together is part rallying cry, part field guide for the life-altering experience of becoming parents - a place for us to commiserate through the blowouts and celebrate the baby steps. As we share our stories and experiences, we build a stronger network of parents who prove that despite all the hard times and tantrums, we still got this.
Plum Organics is one of the few food brands I trust for the first year of babyhood - as you can tell with their Keeping It Together campaign authenticity is their main method. This means all of their baby food is USDA Organic, non-GMO and made from nutritious, simple ingredients. To check out the stories behind Keeping It Together, get great advice from experts and browse products check out: plumorganics.com/keepingittogether
I hope you all feel inspired and empowered to share your story because it’s important, cathartic and could connect with the struggles of another parent miles away. We are all in this together!
Neshikot= Xx,
Dikla
