My most consistent pregnancy side-effect has been exhaustion. There have been days when I have fallen asleep at my desk (albeit briefly) and weeks where an afternoon nap is the only way I’ve gotten through the day. There have been more days and weeks where I could have pushed through and done less stellar work in the same number of hours, but I have given myself permission to take a nap. It is these days that I am most grateful for, because I am making the choice to take care of myself.
Note that I am aware of the privilege that it is in our culture to be able to do this. I am unspeakably lucky that I work in a job where I can take a nap in the afternoon and put in a couple of hours at 3 am when I’m wide awake. Whomever created Remote Access is my personal hero.
Recognizing how much better I feel in general, in spite of the fact that I’m in the process of growing a person, has made me realize how important it is to be able to care for ourselves without feeling guilty or ashamed. I think our culture does a great job of saying that prioritizing your own needs is always selfish. And sure, sometimes it is. But mostly I’m finding that I think it’s healthier to prioritize your own needs, then the needs of those closest to you, and so on and so forth.
This will change some after Bug is no longer able to kick me from the inside, as caring for someone who is helpless just about always takes priority over your own needs. Being able to at least take care of basic needs, however, is the beauty of having grandparents, partners, and the rest of our little community so close. Single parents and parents of multiples have my greatest admiration.
I’m curious though; for parents of young children, what do you do to make sure your basic needs are met, at least some of the time? Do you feel like you can give yourself permission to take care of yourself? What kinds of things are most rejuvenating for you?