Parenting With Chronic Illness: 6 Week Old Baby

Hi! Mummy A from Squishels and Me here again, and I'm happy to be continuing my series Parenting with Chronic Illness with you. Last month I shared with you my experience of being in the Mother and Family Unit, this month I'm giving you an insight into our life with a 6week old baby.

I’m writing this as my baby screams her head off, merely because it’s night-time and that’s what she does. Luckily, my husband takes night-shift, so that I can get some sleep as the benzo kidnaps me from the world of awake to take me to the world of nightmares.

Squishels inherited Daddy’s reflux, and so won’t sleep. But also, coincidentally, won’t take her medicine (not that I blame her; I’ve been told to give her 15mL of chalky water!). She’s spending more time awake during the day though, and giggling and talking heaps.

Being in the mother and family unit was a great introduction to motherhood, and gave me heaps of confidence in trying to parent this crazy baby.

I’m able to see her coming into me for support and going out to explore, and I’m able to delight in her being happy.

There are times that things are really difficult with my anxious, depressive or manic symptoms, and especially with the chronic fatigue, but the mother and family unit and my ongoing therapist have helped me to see that self-care and time out are vital for my health.

So a big part of my day is having my husband look after the baby while I watch some T.V. or play some computer games.

We have someone come help us cook once a fortnight, which helps me to eat more consistently, and I have alarms to remind me to take my meds morning and night.

I’ve been working out what my triggers are (I get massive touch overload by 7pm, and need a big break from everything!).

It’s a work in progress, but no-one becomes supermum or super-stable overnight.

You may also like Following Squishel's Lead by Empowering Her. Just click the picture to read more.

Please always supervise your infant/child at play.  Please stay within arms reach and never leave infants/children unattended.  You know you're infant/child best, use your own judgement-considering your infant/child's temperament, habits, behaviour and development before you play with a new play medium.

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