Dear Mama in 2021,
Motherhood has changed. The last 12 months have been increasingly difficult, for new and seasoned moms alike.
2020 caught us off guard. We blindly fought our way through inconvenient restrictions and assembled a new set of creative routines to keep our sanity. We stayed busy to avoid our worst fears in the headlines.
There was no map or instruction manual for you, new moms. You skipped the baby shower, birthed your babies wearing a mask, and were expected to solve your fears and insecurities remotely.
Mom life now means juggling our growing list of responsibilities alongside homeschooling and social distancing. Aren’t we all desperately wondering, “When will this end?”
Maternal mental health is suffering.
With the first weeks of the new year behind us, it’s clear that mom life has not returned to normal. The strain and impact of the pandemic have created a mental health crisis for women, specifically those who are juggling the demands of a baby and/or young children. With our family and friends kept at a distance and little time to take care of ourselves, it’s no wonder the rates of anxiety and depression are climbing.
Will 2021 be the same… or worse?
As we stumble into 2021 exhausted, depleted, and struggling with our own mental wellness, many of us are feeling our fears taking root in our chests. Working from homes that are harder to keep clean, many of us are feeling our finances tighten.
How can we make life better?
Find strength in the silver linings.
Dad is in the building!
These strange times have provided some notable silver linings for our families worth celebrating. Amid the chaos, fathers spend more time with their babies. Working from home means less commuting, lower gas bills, and rare daytime opportunities to fit in a snuggle or a snack time with little ones. I can’t imagine a more precious gift for a new dad.
Supermom shows strength and adaptability.
While the house may be a mess, the to-do list has been whittled down to the essentials. There isn’t time for anything else! We practice extreme patience and wrestle with intense isolation, all while tripping over our family members. Moms confront a scary pandemic every day and navigate tough circumstances with limited resources. If ever there was a time to give yourself a big high-five, it’s now. What you’re doing each day in your homes is extraordinary.
As families, we are more present than ever before.
The upside of spending enormous amounts of time together is our consistent proximity to each other. House arrest and changing restrictions also force us to take life day by day. We live in the moment and often decide to be present, not perfect.
We are connecting in new ways.
Moms are actively building virtual communities on a global scale. Mothers support each other from all over the world, and it’s thrilling to imagine the unity and strong networks that will evolve from these challenging circumstances.
There is hope.
Awareness is growing about the impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing of mothers. We can all feel the strain of these circumstances, and thankfully, many of us are finding ways to safely assemble outdoors and virtually maintain our relationships.
As we stumble into another uncertain year, juggling our babies and hoping for the best, I am convinced we’ll get through it together as a community. Let’s take care of each other as we navigate these difficult times. Stay connected mama, and be well.
Bio
Lindsay Kellar-Madsen is a writer, business developer, and mother to four young children including identical twin toddlers. She currently lives abroad with her family in the Danish countryside where they explore, go on adventures, and thrive in their everyday chaos. Her debut board book, The Lovely Haze of Baby Days, was published in January 2021. This tribute to moms and the chaos of life with babies is an honest and playful reminder that we are not alone in motherhood.
Lovely Haze of Baby Days is available here and through Amazon.
The Virtual Book Tour for The Lovely Haze of Baby Days is happening between January 24th-February 8th. Lindsay is also offering free shipping in the US & Canada for anyone who places an order through her website during her virtual book tour.
Enter to Win a Copy of The Lovely Haze of Baby Days!
Comment below to enter for a chance to win a copy of the adorable board book The Lovely Haze of Baby Days by Lindsay Kellar-Madsen. One winner will be chosen at random on Monday, February 8th.
Contact details:
lindsaykmadsen@gmail.com
www.lindsaykmadsen.com
The Lovely Haze of Baby Days
IG: @the.madsen.littles FB: Life & Love as Mama
Beautiful said! 💕
Beautifully and well said! 💕
This is such an adorable book!!
Lovely!
Gave myself a mental high five ✋ ❤️ 😊
I loved everything about this post! It really resonated with me. Thank you!
Is always nice to know we are not alone, with the bad parts but also the amazing parts of motherhood. 👩🏻🍼💛
This is all so so true and why I’m grateful to this community for giving me resources and virtual community meet ups when the times were toughest throughout the pandemic.
We are tough and adaptable, we shall overcome and we shall do it together!
This book looks beautiful!
This brought tears to my eyes because we are all fighting more than just a virus. We’re fighting to keep our jobs, fighting to keep our children entertained, fighting to keep our relationships and partners heard, understood and appreciated. All while running through a tunnel with no direction and no ETA. This was beautifully and brilliantly written. The book looks like it belongs in everyone’s library.
Thank you for sharing.
Lorena & Ana-Sofia – you’ve won a copy of the book! We will mail it directly to you! Woohoo!
Awesome!!! Thank you! Can’t wait!
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