The 3rd thing you need to love your motherhood... Can you guess what it is?

Hi Reader!

We’ve talked about peace. We’ve discussed joy. Another thing that is really helpful for loving your motherhood is…

(Drumroll, please)

Flexibility.

One of the most difficult and frequent scenarios in motherhood is that things don’t go the way you thought they would. Some examples:

You lay baby down for a nap and plan to clean up the giant mess you made in the kitchen. (Or whatever your plans are: tackle the laundry, get some work done on the computer, work-out, weed the garden, organize the garage, make those phone calls, take a shower, pray, I could go on. You fill in the blank.) You lay baby down for a nap and 20 minutes later he is awake again and crying. This throws off your schedule because not only did you have the mindset to be super productive right now but you also have plans to meet your friend for lunch and this short nap will mess that up.

Or, you plan to take your toddlers to the splash pad with friends. It is going to be so fun and joyful. Sunshine for the win! But the toddlers don’t want to go. They just want to stay home and play magna tiles. They’re crying and in their drama someone gets hurts.

This is not how you thought the morning would go. You had plans. And ideas. And expectations.

How quickly you can change your plans and expectations to meet the needs of your little family in that moment is linked to how much joy you find in motherhood… or how much stress.

Your children have their own ideas, needs, and desires. Sometimes they don’t feel well. Just like us, sometimes they wake up on the wrong side of the bed. You’re working with a lot of different emotions within the walls of your home.

You can pivot your plans. You can take a deep breath and think about the various options you have.

Rather than digging your heals in and trying to fight tooth and nail for the plan you had, that you still want, before you decide or react, take a moment to think about the different ways you can move forward from this point. You have options.

Can you pour another cup of coffee, sit down on the floor, play magna-tiles with your toddlers and teach them their shapes? Let them bring you into their exciting world of castles and rockets?

Can you snuggle that baby who needs a bit more sleep and ask your friend to bring take-out over to your house instead? Your house doesn’t need to be clean for her visit, she’ll understand. She may even be grateful.

The point is, creativity and flexibility are really helpful for you to practice if you’re going to love your motherhood.

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3 ways to help you be more creative and flexible in your motherhood

1. Prayer. Whether you can manage a short time or a long time, talking to one person of the Trinity (The Father, Jesus, or The Holy Spirit) each morning will help you stay calm when things don’t go the way you expected. If you stay calm, you can brainstorm options of how to move forward. When you pray, you realize the big goals (getting to Heaven, getting your family to Heaven, growing in holiness, spreading the Gospel, whatever it may be that day). When your perspective is right, its easier to handle when small goals don’t go your way. Learn some of my favorite ways to pray.
2. Simply recognizing that you need flexibility and creativity in motherhood is really helpful. It reminds you when things get hard to think outside the box.
3. Get outside. Weather changes. It’s hot. It’s cold. It’s rainy or sunny. Sometimes it’s not what we expect. This helps us to practice flexibility and being joyful despite circumstances. Being outdoors reminds us we are not in control and we get better at pivoting plans and adjusting expectations quickly. Going outside is also helpful to distract crying babies and crabby toddlers. I'd say it's magic but it's not magic; it's God's beautiful design.

Breastfeeding can be flexible, too.

Breastfeeding does not need to be done one certain way. It can be tailored to your personality, your baby’s personality, or your circumstances.

God chose you as the mother of your child so have faith that the two of you can work this out together. God’s design of breastfeeding is not broken. It is how babies have been fed for thousands of years.

Be wary of the ads or posts you come across that try to tell you otherwise. Well-meaning comments from family and friends can make you doubt yourself without realizing it. Your breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for your baby. Nothing else compares. Plus, it’s custom wrapped for him or her in a package that brings great development and security by being close to you, mama.

You can breastfeed on a schedule or breastfeed on demand. It is great to learn things from others but remember that no "expert" knows your family. YOU know what is best for your family. So, learn from others but don't stress if their advice doesn't work for you.

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There’s more…

I have so much more to share! It has been beautifully collected in my Breezy Breastfeeding prenatal class. This class has over four hours of content, split up into 5-15 minute, easily digestible videos. You can watch at your own pace, with dad, at a time that works best for you! Message me your questions throughout the class and I will send a video answer that the whole class can benefit from.

​Learn how to breastfeed, save thousands of dollars by avoiding formula and bring joy to your motherhood. All protected by my worry-free guarantee that completely returns your money if you don’t think this class was worth it!​

I’m so excited for you to love your breastfeeding and motherhood journey. See you in class!

Cheers Mama,

Jill

Find more joyful encouragement for your motherhood at BreezyBreastfeeding.com.🪁

p.s. Did you know you can purchase the Breezy Breastfeeding Prenatal Class as a gift for a mom in your life? Just head to courses.breezybreastfeeding.com and while checking out, click the option to gift the class!