Posts tagged motherhood

My 7 Biggest Struggles as a New Mom

My 7 Biggest Struggles as a New Mom

in Mom Life on Share

That first year as a new mom is a completely life-altering experience.

Holding your baby for the first time.

Just living off of that sweet new baby scent.

Soft, quiet, blissed-out cuddles.

The first smile. That first laugh. The first word. (Seriously, “dog”? I CREATED YOU)

There is absolute joy beyond measure.

Happy Baby

I mean, come ON. Just look at that face.

But man, if it isn’t also one of the toughest years of your life.

And maybe you’re in a phase right now where it’s more tears than smiles.

Where you’re ending each day feeling like a failure and also like you stress-ate an entire cake on the couch while Googling “whatever happened to the cast of Family Matters?”  (Just an example, okay? Just an example.)

Maybe you need to read that it’s okay if you feel like you’re struggling, and HARD.

That it’s okay if you feel like you aren’t a natural at being a mother.

That it’s okay to want a break. To feel like you’re not strong enough. To count the hours until bed time. To not embrace every single moment, because holy cow, that’s a lot of moments.

For those of you currently in the trenches, let’s talk about the struggle.

Here are the seven biggest struggles that I faced as a new mom.

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OOTD by Mother Haggard: Sweaty Playground

OOTD: Sweaty Playground

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Welcome to OOTD with Mother Haggard!

Ahh, those lazy, hazy days of summer.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and your thighs are chafing because you thought it’d be fine to wear denim shorts on a ten minute walk to the grocery store. (…It’s never fine.)

This OOTD is perfect for drinking lemonade by the pool, or for waking up every day at 5:30AM with a toddler towering over you saying, “Playground? Playground? Go? Now?”

Today’s Look: “Sweaty Playground”

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Outfit of the Day with Mother Haggard

OOTD: Sleep Regression

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Welcome to OOTD with Mother Haggard!

(Get caught up with the latest looks here and here!)

Let’s start this OOTD with a few questions: 

-Has your child suddenly decided that he/she despises sleep?

-Have you gone from co-sleeping to no-sleeping?

-Is your toddler currently on a nap strike which is slowly destroying your life?

-Has your favorite pastime become staring at the baby monitor and weeping?

-Do you find yourself Googling “Sleep Regression Fashion Tips” and coming up empty?

If so, this is the OOTD for you!

Whether it be the four month, eight month, 12 month, 18 month (HELLO MY LIFE FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS), or two year sleep regression, you don’t need to worry—this look has got you covered!

Today’s Look: “Sleep Regression”

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Outfit of the Day with Mother Haggard

OOTD: Grocery Getaway

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Welcome to OOTD with Mother Haggard!

This week’s OOTD is for that rarest of rare occasions: a trip to the grocery store BY YOURSELF.

No teething toddler, no stroller, no diaper bag, no partner gently reminding you that you already have a cake at home so maybe you don’t need to buy another cake, and no concerned looks from customers because you just sang every single verse of the Wheels on the Bus full bore without even realizing it.

Just a long, luxurious, sexy stroll through those beautiful, peaceful grocery store aisles.

This is a special day, folks, and our OOTD is going to reflect that.

Today’s Look: “Grocery Getaway”

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OOTD: Pets & Sweats

OOTD: Sweats & Pets

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Welcome to OOTD with Mother Haggard!

In this week’s OOTD, we’re going GLAM.

Enough of the yoga pants, right?! No more huge, red sweatpants! No more bags of vomit-soaked clothes! Where’s the glitz? The razzle-dazzle? COME ON!

No. Good lord, no. I’m just kidding.

Today we’re taking the dog for a walk. In yoga pants.

This look is perfect for busy moms on the go, who also have an extremely stubborn dog who sits by the door waiting to go outside three to six times a day but when you take her outside, she prefers to eat garbage and then sit in one spot and not move, even when a homeless man who is screaming that the trees are on fire is fast approaching you.

This is a great look for that.

Today’s Look: “Sweats & Pets” 

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Outfit of the Day: Mama be Strollin'

OOTD: Mama Be Strollin’

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Welcome to OOTD with Mother Haggard!

This week, we’re stepping away from the grunge and the monochrome and we’re embracing the sweet, spring sunshine that has finally arrived.

This look is perfect for a casual stroll around the block with your little one.

Combining simple, elegant pieces with accessories both funky AND utilitarian, this outfit is a sure winner.

Today’s Look: “Mama Be Strollin'”

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15 Things I Learned in My First Year of Motherhood

15 Things I Learned in My First Year of Motherhood

in Mom Life Wise Mother Haggard on Share

Towards the end of my big, fat, long, hot, sick, swollen pregnancy, I started to finally feel that I was ready to do that whole “giving-birth-and-entering-motherhood” thing.

I had read the books.

Did the prenatal classes.

Had my weight recorded loudly by the receptionist at my OB’s office approximately 800 times. (Tell me, please, WHY would you put the scale in the always-crowded waiting room? What a cruel bit of interior design clearly not planned by a pregnant woman.)

I had studied the blogs; watched The Business of Being Born.

I knew some things.

I knew not to buy too many newborn-sized clothes or diapers because my baby might be huge and not fit into them. (I didn’t need to worry; she was 8 pounds and wore them for a month.)

I knew I didn’t want a C-section. (That’s how it works, right? You decide how you want your birth to go and you write it on your birth plan?…totally ended up with a C-section.)

I knew I would be too tired to cook, so I made three freezer meals. (Oh good…all set.)

I knew I would want to drink lots of coffee, so I bought a better coffee maker. (This was probably the one smart thing I did.)

I knew there would be no sleep, lots of diaper changes, spit up, and some crying.

I knew it would be hard. I thought I was prepared. (You just keep eating dessert with every meal and telling yourself that, dear…)

Approximately one hour after giving birth, I knew I was not prepared.

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