Navigating the Storm of Stress and Motherhood

Strategies for Handling Stress Under Pressure

Motherhood is a journey that brings immense joy and fulfillment, but it’s also no secret that it comes with its fair share of challenges. One of the most prevalent challenges faced by mothers is stress. From juggling responsibilities to maintaining a work-life balance, moms often find themselves navigating the complex terrain of stress. In this blog, we are going to get into the various aspects of motherhood and stress, exploring its sources, effects, and strategies for managing it.

The Multifaceted Sources of Stress

Modern mothers face a unique set of stressors. Balancing a career with parenting, managing household duties, and overseeing children’s activities can feel like an overwhelming juggling act. Additionally, societal expectations, the pressure of “perfect” parenting, and financial worries contribute to the stress load. This stress heavily impacts many mothers in today’s society, whether you have one child or eight. It constantly feels like this immense weight that bogs us down and keeps us on edge and unable to really relax because there is always more to do, more to make, more to experience and we feel like we can never keep up.
Stress can take a toll on both physical and mental well-being. Sleep disturbances, fatigue, and mood swings are common physical symptoms experienced by stressed-out moms. Mentally, stress can lead to anxiety, irritability, and even feelings of inadequacy. Recognizing these effects is crucial to addressing them effectively. If these symptoms go unaddressed, they can actually impact your hormone levels and therefore impact your long term physical and mental health.
Coping with stress is so incredibly challenging to do, but let me tell you, as an alternative medical physician, it’s vital to your life! It’s not an option. Stress can kill people. The longer you allow stress to be a constant daily part of your life, the more likely it is to affect your health negatively. Not just your quality of life but also the quantity of years you get! Below are some simple ways to cope with your stress and manage it before it takes over your entire being.

Coping Strategies

Self-Care: Prioritizing self-care is not selfish; it’s essential for overall well-being. Moms should set aside time for activities they enjoy, whether it’s reading, exercise, or a relaxing bath. I am an early riser, so my best time is before my children wake up. I wake up, sometimes I work out, sometimes I read, but the most important thing is that I do it all alone. There are definitely moments where I still struggle to take time for myself, but I do my best to take time daily to check out.

Social Support: Building a strong support network of friends, family, and other moms can provide an outlet for sharing experiences and advice. We have this incredible ability with social media to connect to other mothers and women around the world. Whether these women are local or not, it’s important to have other people to lean on that can help you feel a strong sense of connection and strength because as we all know, it’s needed to parent these little monsters.

Time Management: Effective time management helps reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed. Creating schedules, setting priorities, and delegating tasks can make a significant difference. I’m a lover of lists. I love writing lists, checking things off the list and feeling a sense of accomplishments. Sure, I often lose my list as the day goes on, but ultimately creating some organization and sense to my days really helps me and my husband know expectations of the day as well as what is to come throughout the week.

Mindfulness and Relaxation: Incorporating mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing, can help moms stay present and manage their stress responses. I’m always told that I should try yoga or pilates. I would probably feel better if I spent an hour a day silencing my brain and learning to focus on my breath. Yeah, wouldn’t we all? But I promise you, even if you don’t have an hour, five minutes of intentional deep breathing or meditating can make a huge difference in your cortisol levels, which can help rebalance your hormones and destress your mind and body. Try to set a timer so that 3 times a day, you intentionally stop, close your eyes, and take deep breaths. No need to sit on the floor or get into downward dog, although you’re more than welcome to. This isn’t meant to be all or nothing. Force the relaxation to happen, and it will sink into your body much deeper than you think.

Open Communication: Sharing feelings and challenges with a partner or spouse fosters understanding and can lead to collaborative solutions. This is not my strong suit. Feelings aren’t my favorite, and ultimately, that is the reason I have a therapist. Communication and talking about your needs is vital to relieve stress. For many years, I wanted my husband to think I could do everything, and not only that, but I could do everything incredibly well until the day I completely broke down. His response… “Please, just let me help you.” It made me so sad that all he wanted was to help me and be there for me, and I couldn’t even see it because I had this crazy notion that I had to be this perfect mom. For the health of not only yourself but also your relationship, it’s incredibly important that you communicate what you need.

Professional Help: If stress becomes overwhelming, seeking the guidance of a therapist or counselor can provide valuable tools for managing stress and building resilience. They can often help you realize some triggers that may cause anxiety or stress for you and also may be able to realize some trends you have. Going to therapy has given me great insight into myself and has allowed me the space to step back and restructure what I want my life to look like and what I want my experience in life to be. It has helped me step back into my power and realize my strengths far more than making me feel like I have weaknesses.

Moms often carry a heavy mental load, constantly striving to be the best for their families. However, acknowledging that perfection is unattainable and that mistakes are a part of parenting can alleviate the pressure and reduce stress. We are the pillars of strength in families, but we, too, need support and strategies to manage the stress that comes with these roles. By recognizing the sources of stress, implementing effective coping mechanisms, and embracing imperfection, I am learning that I can navigate the storm of stress while still finding moments of joy and fulfillment in this crazy, overwhelming journey. Remember, a well-supported and resilient mom benefits not only herself but also her entire family.