Embracing motherhood: A journey of love

My name is Catherine and this is my story as a new mother. Firstly, my family and I can’t forget to praise God that our first attempt at getting pregnant was a successful one.

For one month, my fiancé and I had been planning to have our first child. Three months later, I had a craving for sausages from Capital Shoppers Ntinda. This was quite unusual since it had never happened to me before. We then made the decision to check for pregnancy, and guess what? It was positive.

The moment I saw those two pink lines of the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) strip, my motherhood journey started.

I fell in love with the fetus the moment I discovered that there is a life inside me. I started having all kinds of dreams for the baby, and pondering the kind of mother I would be.

I started recording everything in the journal, right from hearing that precious heartbeat to feeling the movements. I can’t explain how I enjoyed my pregnancy to the fullest, that I even had a tour in the jungle at 8 months.

On the day I finally held my baby boy in my arms, I felt like I was no longer so attached or much in love with anyone else.

It was quite overwhelming to even think that am now a parent for the first time. I experienced mixed feelings of happiness, anxiety, nervousness, thrill, and fatigue.

What was quite challenging was, I didn’t know how to hold him while breastfeeding. Talking about bathing him, it took me two months and a half to learn.

My heart was melting with much joy that I would wake up in the middle of the night just to stare at my baby.

Much as I was in a bed of roses, I had bad experiences too. One of them is the day my baby got circumcised, I couldn’t sleep the entire night as I held his legs because I didn’t want him to get hurt.

As a young mother, my tiny and delicate baby was a gift of life, and this made me believe in the miracles that happen in this world.

Life was never the same as my whole life revolved around my baby that nothing else mattered. Even the little smiles of my child had the power to banish all the sorrows I had faced in this world, and I felt that it was the best feeling and decision I made.

Motherhood means family, happiness, love and contentment. It brings out the best and the worst in you. Some days are hard while others are cool, but ultimately, the joy of raising a small human is so powerful.

Motherhood is the most challenging, humbling, exhausting and beautiful journey i have ever known. It’s late nights, deep worries, endless messes and somehow even more love. There are days I question everything but then one smile, one hug, one “I love u mummy” makes it all worth it. It’s not perfect, it’s not easy but it’s mine and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Nurturing with intentions -The heart of mindful parenting.

Parents are crucial to their children’s success. You’re your child’s biggest influence. Intentional parenting involves creating a good parent-child connection.

Social and emotional skills may be learned and practised in a good parent-child relationship. Social and emotional abilities are connected to lifelong benefits including decreased emotional well-being and academic failure.

Pastor Eddie Mwesigye, associate pastor of Watoto Church, says harsh or abusive parenting and dangerous environments negatively damage brain development.

This can cause children, adolescents, and adults mental, physical, and behavioral difficulties. Intentional parenting helps you and your kid develop social and emotional skills which include;

Be consistent and predictable, set boundaries, and practise purposeful communication with your child. These behaviours can help you create relationships with your child.

Strong, supportive, secure interactions help your child develop resilience, brain growth, and achievement. Your child can better manage stress, increase academic performance, self-regulate, and mental health when you’re involved.

Do things together; your youngster may open up more when busy. You can talk while undertaking age-appropriate activities.

Age-appropriate activities for 0-4 include cuddling, singing, reading, walking, blowing bubbles, and playing pretend games.

Being there is sometimes enough. It conveys your availability. Maintain frequent contact with your youngster.

Being open and talking to your child can help you learn about them. Their words may teach and instill ideals. As your child matures, always know where they are.

“When a child is born, it has a destiny, and that destiny involves a lot of processes and people, including God who has given this child destiny. Parents must cooperate with God and a child to bring forth this child.

Intentional parenting is following a strategy or guide to help this child become a responsible citizen, god-fearing, and the child they were created to be.

The Bible states, “Train the child in a way that he should grow and will not depart from the way.” God, the child, and the parents work together to achieve that goal.

Intentional parenting entails guiding a kid down a predetermined course that, with the help of the child and other relevant parties in society, is expected to lead to the greatest possible outcome for the child.

The post Embracing motherhood: A journey of love appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.