Stay strong, you’re doing a great job mum

Stay Strong Mummy! Yes, you… you’re doing a brilliant job. That’s the message from Kimberley Welman, creator of Stay Strong Mummy blog.

“I don’t think mums can hear it enough,” Kimberley says. “Its’ a big job, the best job in the world, but a tough job. Even a stranger telling you that you are doing a great job is sometimes the pick-me-up we need.”

Kimberley is mother to an almost-three year old girl and one-year old boy/girl twins; her husband runs the family bicycle shop business six days a week.

With the inspiration for a blog, she threw names around seeking something that would stand out for people.

“I wanted it to be a name that encompassed the physical and emotional side of strength,” she said.

And while it might feel like you are on a continuous spin cycle of washing, feeding, changing, running after, Kimberley reminds mums that you are “pouring your heart and soul and energy into your family.”

The circle of life

Life went full circle for Kimberley at the time of her first child’s birth. “I lost my father four months before I gave birth and I come from a tight knit family. I had always imagined having my baby, seeing the look on my partner’s face and then showing my parents their first grandchild.

“But I began to doubt myself because I was still grief stricken at the time of the birth,” she says. “I got through that natural birth with my first and the instant that I held her, the whole circle of life meaning come into play. I thought this isn’t about me anymore; I have to find the strength from somewhere.”

Putting routines into place

“I put mechanics in place for when I need a pick-me-up… relying on my emotional strength… trust the universe, have faith in it, take it day by day,” she says.

“As mums we get caught up in the daily grind, but I’m a huge believer in having a few goals and working on your passion; the time does go really quickly with kids.”

The post-baby body

Kimberley regularly hears from mothers that they are too self-conscious of their post-baby body to exercise in public.

“Our bodies change dramatically during this time, but it is all about mind set,” she says. “After about a month of eating clean and moving my body in short bursts of intensity training, things began to change for me. I found this new me… calmer, more energy and with that came a level of confidence… all from exercise and clean food.

“I didn’t have time to take an hour long run… I just had bursts of exercise maybe 15 minutes a few times a week.

“It’s not about punishing myself, it’s about nourishing, being energetic and keeping up with my three kids.”

Some tips from Kimberley:

• Start with a bit of discipline and commitment, after a few weeks this kicks-in—motivation turns into routine and then it becomes a natural part of life;
• Have the discipline and motivation to say it is time to spend some time on mummy;
• It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing, just a bit of time for your own emotional and physical help. The more I did this, the less fear was surfacing.

Time for your partner

“When the kids were younger it was really hard on us. We’d often be sitting at two a.m. together while I was feeding, and my husband would help me change and burp them. But a look or a gaze or smile would get us through,” she said.

“Now that they’re a bit older, we have the cliché date night but we don’t’ got out—we sit together and have a chat and a glass of wine. It’s the little text message at random times, the communication, that helps.”

As an ambassador for the 2016 Essential Baby & Toddler Show Kimberley recently spend time in Brisbane sharing her message with Brisbane mums.

“It’s such a growing community and mums on my page like to keep in touch and support each other,” she said.

You can join Kimberley’s network on her contacts below:

Catch Kimberley’s blog – here
Or connect on her on Facebook – here
Or on Twitter – here

Phototography by: Kit Wise Photography
Interview by: Helen Goltz for She Brisbane