Have you ever suffered from the illness known as ‘Mummy Guilt’?

It’s a not so rare condition that I am sure most mothers have felt, right? Let’s face it, for most of us this illness rears its ugly the moment we get that positive pregnancy test result.

Symptoms during pregnancy may include;

  • Feeling guilty about eating a salad from a deli, or having that glass of wine, perhaps downing that ham sandwich you were craving, or popping the cracker with soft cheese in your mouth at that party.
  • Perhaps you felt guilty about not being sure you even wanted a baby yet, or if you really wanted 5 children!
  • Or maybe you found out you were expecting a boy, or girl, and you were really hoping for the opposite sex.
  • Or questioned whether we should be bringing a baby into a world after we saw something devastating on the evening news report!

I remember feeling guilty for helping paint the baby’s nursery, I spent forever  wondering if the fumes had damaged the baby we’d tried so desperately hard to be pregnant with in the first place!

Then with baby number 3 I was hospitalized with what they thought at the time was clots on my lungs and they insisted I have a test which meant exposing my precious cargo to radiation. According to them I HAD to take the risk because I could be dying. I had the test, feeling more guilt than ever, and it was all clear, and now my healthy baby boy is 7 and I still feel guilty. I was so relieved when he was born healthy, but I still worry if it had some effect that may manifest later in life, (yes I tend to Catastrophize!)

Symptoms during Motherhood may include; 

  • crying in the middle of the night because you are so desperately tired, and bub want STOP CRYING, (you may say to yourself “I feel so guilty, I love her/him so much I don’t want to seem ungrateful for this amazing gift, but I’m so damn tired!!!!!!!)
  • Or we may feel guilty for giving our baby a bottle, or for letting bub cry in the cot for five minutes just so you can have one coffee a week! Or take a shower because you are really starting to stink, and your hair looks like a commercial selling oil for a car, (let’s face it a girl needs a wash now and then! And a damn decent hot coffee! )

And it doesn’t stop at babyhood (sorry ladies if you thought that!)

  • You feel guilty for going to work, for going out for dinner with girlfriends, having a night away, sending a sick child to school, saying no to the million things we have to say no to, (don’t stress, this actually puts you in the ‘good mummy’ category, it teaches them resilience apparently, as long as you don’t say no to loving them, hugs and positive reinforcement that is always allowed.)
  • We feel guilty for yelling at them,
  • guilty for giving something to one child and not the other.
  • guilty that we had another baby so we don’t have enough time for the first baby now
  • guilty for not giving our only child a sibling

My parents still get parental guilt and now grandparent guilt. (Ahhhh, it’s hopeless we’re doomed!!!!!! Well I warned you that I catastrophize!)

Let’s face it we’re not perfect, we are mums, trying our best to be awesome mums, and awesome partners, sisters, daughters, work colleagues, bosses, friends, aunties, and much more. We make mistakes, we beat ourselves up, and then hopefully we move on!!

We occasionally all suffer Mummy Guilt, (or parent guilt for you dad’s out there), being a parent is a journey, with twists and turns, devastating lows, endless concerns and many sleepless nights!

And thankfully amazing beautiful surprises, uncontrollable laughter, proud parent moments, and the highest of possible highs.

So shake off the guilt, love your kids and love your life, and remember you are an inspiration to them because you are awesome just for being YOU!

In the spirit of Taylor Swift, “shake it off!” Go on you know you want to sing it!

Tweet me: “Shake off that Mummy Guilt! You are awesome!”

Thanks for joining me, love Mackenzie xx

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My #mg link up is on a break, but will return on Feb 6th so don’t forget to pop it in your calendars

 

Exciting new for 2017

I have decided to start a IG community Hashtag series. This year I have become even more focused on inspiring us to live more authentically. So in the spirit of that I have decided to create the #livingfearlesslyauthentic 

So what does that mean exactly?

It means that when sharing an authentic Instagram Post or Photo, you can add the #livingfearlesslyauthentic and I will go through all these posts and give them some Instagram love!

What photos can be shared with this hashtag?

Anything that represents you being you! It may be your kids playing, a fab inspiring quote, your coffee, a lazy day, a busy day, a messy room, you getting your hair done! It really is endless because Instagram is all about sharing photos of our lives! And if we are sharing what our lives are truly about then we are celebrating being authentic! Happy moments, proud moments, bed hair moments, sick kids, they are all part of real life! So let’s celebrate life together, the highs and the lows. Let’s share those moments and support one another in being REAL!

I am super excited to see what you share. All you have to do is add #livingfearlesslyauthentic and I will see your pics! It would be great if you can show other people in the community your support too by liking some pics. Comments are always a bonus too.

And remember you don’t have to have  blog to join in, all you need is an Instagram account. Don’t forget to follow me @macglanville 

And stay tuned as I will have another exciting announcement coming soon, in collaboration with a fab blogger!

Cuddle Fairy

Mummascribbles

#dreamteam
A Mom holding a glass of wine in one hand and a bottle in the other hand, with breastmilk staines on the nipple part of her shirt with the words #StayClassyMama and The Mum Project and Admissions of a Working Mother written on the right.

Mr and Mrs T Plus Three