Mommy Exhaustion

Ellen Mongan shares a wake-up call about one of the things no one ever told you about being a mom.

No one tells you how much labor will hurt or that the memory of pain vanishes when a new mom holds her baby for the first time. No one tells you that a mom is part octopus!

A mom's arm can reach for her toddler, who has climbed the kitchen counter while she is still holding her newborn baby. No one tells you that a mom has eyes behind her head!

Moms see everything, even when her teen thinks she is clueless. No one tells you that a mom’s heart is big enough to pray for her children through the night if her child faces a crisis. No one tells you that a mom can sport a smile on her face, even if she has a tear rolling down her face.  

These are the best-kept secrets of a mom’s life, but they are all true. God grows within her a mother's heart! It begins during those nine months of waiting for your baby to be born. This heart of love can withstand even the busiest schedule, go through the deepest trials, and climb the highest mountain to be there for her child. 

God grew within Mary a mother’s heart

God grew a mother's heart within the Blessed Mother, before Jesus was born. In early pregnancy, Mother Mary went to serve her cousin Elizabeth, great with child. Mary rode on a donkey when she was nine months pregnant and was blessed to have someplace to stay when there was no room at the inn. Even when she had to give birth to her baby boy in a stable, she was just glad that Jesus had a place to rest His head. Mary looked high and low when Jesus was left in the Temple, not stopping until He was safe in her arms again. With a broken heart, she stood at the cross, staying close to Jesus until He took His last breath. God always filled her with the love and the grace needed to be there for Jesus, no matter what!  

God fills our hearts with the love and grace to be there for our children. What a beautiful gift motherhood is to all. Treasure it. Let your mother's heart grow larger and larger each day with God’s grace. 

MOMMY EXHAUSTION sneaks up on a mom 

Wait! Keep reading; there is more. Most importantly, there is another thing that no one probably told you. Sometimes, along the way, moms get tired. Your “get up and go got up and went.” What is a mommy to do? Mommy exhaustion takes many forms: depression, boredom, or even sickness. You are tuckered out and do not even know it. MOMMY EXHAUSTION sneaks up on moms. They try everything to keep up the pace but to no avail.  

I was thinking about when mommy exhaustion knocked on the door of my life, causing me to take a nosedive. The blues often happen in January after running the marathon race to ensure it was the best Christmas ever. They happened again when I had newborns! One of the most significant mommy exhaustion episodes came in the fall after burning the candle at both ends to start the new school year! I'd spent the summer giving more than I had.  

While drafting this article, I noticed that the word “me” is in the title. You can see the word come to view if you write the title on two lines, putting “exhaustion” under the word “mommy.” I pondered and realized that the antidote for MOMMY EXHAUSTION is taking time for me. When I was a flight attendant, I had to share emergency information: In case the oxygen mask drops, put the mask on you first before you put it on your child.   

Moms, this is wise advice for everyday life. Take care of you so you can take care of your children. Do not wait until you crash into bed too sick to serve, or nosedive into a deep depression, or mommy exhaustion knocks on the door of your life. Take precautions now. Take care of yourself! 

Take care of you!   

Let your mother's heart rest in the arms of your Heavenly Father! Eat well, exercise, and get sleep. Get around women who stir your faith. Do those activities that you enjoy! Take the time you need to care for yourself so you can care for your family and build the Kingdom! No one ever told me! 

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2024 Ellen Mongan
Images: Canva