20 December 2017, by Flora Isabelle

Being a Mum made me Superwoman

I expected my life to change once I became a Mum, and it sure did, but what I didn’t expect was that it would give me superpowers too.

Really.

I now have super bladder control that can last for hours when I’m carrying a sleeping baby. Ever tried to hold your poop for two days because you REALLY can’t find time time? Yup.

Forget ambidexterity. I can now not only use both hands equally well, I have even mastered the art of using my foot to pick up things and in many ways never thought possible. Next month I’ll be typing this blog post with my feet maybe!

Sleep, what’s that? Never heard of it for the last three months. Sometimes I wish I can go back to my pregnant self and whisper, “Get all the sleep you can now. You’ll probably not get any more for the next fifteen years.”

Yet when I finally manage to get some shuteye, the very second the baby stirs – no matter where, what, how – will have me jumping up alert and awake. The ready to go to war anytime kinda awake.

A shower takes me no more than three minutes. This includes washing my very long hair (with my ambidextrous hands, remember?), body, face and even sparing 10 seconds to apply moisturiser too.

Being quiet takes a whole new meaning now – I tip toe around the house, pump milk and wash bottles without even so breathing so as to not wake the sleeping dragon.

To add to my list of Commando-level skills, I can do all of the above not only in absolute silence. But in total darkness too. Guess how I’m typing this blog post at 3am? With my breast pump attached to me too by the way.

And  please don’t get me started on the working mum guilt. Every day, rain or shine, we toughen our hearts when we leave our children behind to give our best in the office. Yet we come home after a long day for an even longer night. Every day is a constant emotional battle and we soldier on relentlessly.

Then there are the literally, little, things. I don’t know how I can stare at him every single day, every single minute and not get bored. Those tiny feet, those small hands, those cheeks I wanna bury my lips into… sigh.

Being a Mum has taught me responsibility, compassion and love in ways I never knew existed. I have experienced the worst of days and then there are also those days that get so bad I question everything I have done and decision I have ever made in life. But all it takes is a smile of pure, unadulterated innocence from that tiny face to get me going again.

And just when I thought that I couldn’t love anyone or anything more, every day I find new meaning and purpose to life.

I certainly won’t trade my best day before having him for my worst day with him