The mum guilt struggle is real

I was fully aware of the term ‘mum guilt’ before Harvey came along, but I never knew how hard it would hit me. I work 4 days a week in the office, and even though I absolutely love my job, I’m not going to lie, some days can be really tough. When I’m at the office I’ll often feel guilty for being away from Harvey (especially when he’s sick), and when I’m at home I feel bad for not giving KIC my full attention. One of my favourite quotes is ‘you can have it all, just not all at once’. When I feel any guilt creeping in, this is something I remind myself of.

It’s cool to be kind, to myself

Kindness has always been a core value of mine; science shows that when you’re kind to others it actually makes you a happier person. But what I’ve more recently learnt is the importance of being kind to myself too. I’ve found my groove being a working mum, however some weeks hit me harder than others and when I’m overwhelmed I can become quite hard on myself. Practicing patience and kindness towards myself is something I’m actively working on.

Trust my gut

Motherhood opens the floodgates to a lot of unwarranted judgement, both externally and internally. I’ve learnt that every family is unique, and there are so many ways to parent. What worked for one child may not work for Harvey, and even though there’s so many books on ‘how to parent’ there really is no ‘handbook’ to follow. Motherly instinct is real, and it’s something I need to lean into more, rather than second guessing myself and relying on the opinions and advice of others. I’m learning to back myself more, because the reality is, no one knows Harvey more than Josh and I do!

Me-time is so important

Depending on the day, me-time can look really different. The other day I went for a 7km beach walk, something that I used to do so often but don’t always find the time to do anymore, and far out, it felt good! If I’m feeling tired or overwhelmed, running a hot bath is the best medicine. My Mum used to have regular baths when we were growing up and now I understand why. Lighting a candle, putting on a face mask, and getting lost in a book is my little slice of heaven.

Short & sweet workouts are my go-to

At KIC, we’ve always believed that 20-minute workouts are the sweet spot, but now that I’m a mum, I’ve learnt that sometimes even having 20 minutes to yourself can be an absolute luxury! Majority of my workouts these days are no longer than 15 minutes, it’s just what I need to get an endorphin boost and feel a little bit more like me. I’m the biggest advocate of KIC minis (our latest workouts to have dropped in app), they’re 5-10 minute Barre, Pilates, Bootcamp and HIIT workouts, perfect for mummas like me, or anyone who is short on time!

Don’t forget, you can get 25% off Marquise nappies and wipes by using the promocode NAPPIES&WIPES25. I’ve been trialling the nappies with Harvey too and loving them!

A special offer for Marquise customers. Sign up to KIC and get your first month free on our month to month plan, usually $19.49. You can try hundreds of workouts including pregnancy friendly and tasty dietitian approved recipes. Redeem here.