motherhood Archives - Odds & Evans

My Toddler-Free Day

Posted on February 25, 2015 Posted in Personal .

Today my husband went to visit his mom (Mimi) and took our son along so that I could have an ENTIRE day to myself. A dream come true! Just what I had been wanting! Here’s my chance! This is going to be awesome! …What do I do though?… I have no freaking idea. How come it is so easy for me to think about what I would TOTALLY do right now if I could, on the majority of the past two years as a stay-at-home mom? Now here it is and I stumble to figure it out. The main reason I am putzing around at home without a plan is because I basically exhausted myself thinking of all the possibilities before I even got out of bed. I was giddy in anticipation last night. Oh boy, I can blog and watch some TV! Yes, I can finally clean up without anybody around.

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How Cloth Diapers Helped Me Through Postpartum Depression

Posted on October 28, 2014 Posted in Cloth Diapering, Personal .

Being a mom is hard, no matter how you slice it. It is even harder when you don’t feel well. A story about cloth diapers and postpartum depression is an oddly difficult tale to tell, but, alas…it is my personal story. It is a tale I wish had been different, but can only accept and find solace in sharing with others. My transition to motherhood was a very rocky one. I’m fairly certain that it is not perfectly easy for any mom, although that illusion is often in place around us. It is a charade that led me to feel inferior since I did not gracefully become a mom. At all. I tripped, stumbled, and barely treaded water for over a year. My son and I struggled to connect, my husband had to take care of both of us, and my life was challenged in ways I never imagined.

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Milking Up For Lost Time

Posted on August 3, 2014 Posted in Personal, Pregnancy/Childbirth/Babies .

Happy World Breastfeeding Week to all! Whether you breastfed for any length of time, if at all, the goal of WBW is to “protect, promote, and support breastfeeding worldwide”. From August 1-7 each year, photos abound of nursing babes and moms in various forms to lend support to the idea of a global breastfeeding culture filled with education and support for all-things-lactation. I recently aimed to join in this celebration by sharing photos of my breastfeeding relationship with my almost-two-year-old son, so I went in search through our photos since birth. I had anticipated I would find a few and share one each day on my Facebook – no big deal. Well, in true-to-form Mandy Evans fashion, I soon realized this wouldn’t be as straightforward as I imagined. Of course complex emotions quickly clouded this simple goal and I couldn’t stop the BITTERSWEET reflections that flooded me. In looking for a short story of my

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10 Ways To Feel Miserable As A New Mom

Posted on February 18, 2014 Posted in Personal, Pregnancy/Childbirth/Babies .

Here are some surefire tips to make sure your baby’s first year is your absolute worst! 1. Don’t Take Help from Anyone – This is your baby and your responsibility. You may as well get used to figuring out your new life taking care of a child while maintaining a house, relationships, career, etc as soon as you can. Allowing others to cook, clean, or tend your child while you rest will only delay the inevitable. The father can help since it is his child as well, if he is in the picture, however you are the MOTHER – which means everyone is looking at you to handle it all flawlessly. 2. Get Moving Right Away – The baby is out. What are you waiting for? There is laundry to do, girl! Yes, you still are practically wearing a diaper yourself for a while but your abs aren’t going to

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I Am Strong Because…

Posted on January 27, 2014 Posted in Personal, Pregnancy/Childbirth/Babies .

I feel very compelled to share this right now. I’m not sure why. Throughout my emotional and physical recovery from my first (and only, thus far) childbirth, I came across many wonderful networks of support. I often came across stories of women sharing their “I’m Strong Because…” statements, mostly through the wonderful Birth Without Fear page. My mind raced with thoughts of mine at times, although I didn’t dare write them down while I was in the midst of it all. I wasn’t ready. As these thoughts repeatedly entered my mind however…what choice did I have? Perhaps if you are struggling with anything in your life, you may benefit from this exercise as well. But now I’m ready. Boy, am I ever…I apologize in advance for the length, and wonder if anybody will really read this anyway… I am STRONG and LUCKY because I found my perfect partner

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