Diary of a Postpartum Mother
Entry 32: ‘Overstimulated’ is a word I have heard regularly since becoming a mother.
There are many forms of sensory overload that we are all capable of feeling. Naturally, I have felt overwhelmed in the past but never to the extent of how I have experienced overwhelm during this first year of my son’s life. As mothers and parents, it is so easy for us to be functioning with a heightened sense of alertness and in a state of ‘doing’. There is much to manage, something to always be thinking ahead for and on top of all this, we are living in the very big and present moments of our children. We can be in a depleting condition of giving and while we are receiving back in many ways, it is not a two-way street that is harmonious for our wellbeing. Our environments feed our brain into a way of thinking which dictates our body into a way of being. If we are constantly in a high energy environment, it is only natural for our bodies to be operating similarly. Our bodies and minds only have the capacity to absorb so much and when there are no opportunities for expression and release, we are led to internalise and suppress thoughts, emotions and feelings. This can affect our physical, mental and emotional tolerances, leading us to understandably blow a fuse (irritability) or have a power failure (exhaustion). We feel so much internally while managing too much externally and the moments that can be restorative to our needs are few and far between. There are many layers to feeling overtired and overworked and when we are in a constant state of fight or flight and our senses are on a high end of receiving, we can reach our tipping point and even fall beyond into our nervous systems 'freeze' state. Particularly as postpartum mothers recovering from birth, it is easy to become overwhelmed and anxious. This is a normal response and our body is communicating that we are being exposed to too much. What is not normal is the continued demands of our lives during this time of recovery. There is no opportunity for us to exist in the deserved moments of quiet and still. It is so important that we find ways to regulate ourselves and reconnect to our inner peace (likely while still multitasking as mothers!). We need to ensure that we receive back for ourselves, even more so than what we give away to others.
The transition from Maiden to Mother is a profound experience. As women, we are adapting to and learning to trust the changes we are feeling in our body and constantly encountering external (and what is usually conflicting) information and opinion on societal expectations around pregnancy, birth and motherhood. To feel confident in your pregnancy and prepared for your labour and birth, contact Vanessa.
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