Find a position that feels as comfortable and supported as possible.
Whether you're feeding now or just preparing to,
Take a slow breath.
Let's take a moment and listen to three sounds of the bell while you connect to your breathing.
Let your belly soften.
Inhale slowly through your nose.
Gently exhale through your mouth.
Now say to yourself,
Quietly,
Kindly,
Kindly,
This is hard right now.
I am feeling a lot.
And it's okay to feel this way.
You do not need to pretend to be calm.
You don't need to silence your emotions.
They're not wrong.
They're just present.
Notice when you feel the overwhelm in your body.
Is it in your chest?
Your throat?
Your eyes?
Just notice it without judgment.
Now breathe into that space.
Inhale,
I feel this.
Exhale,
I can hold it.
There is no shame and struggle.
There is no weakness and tears.
You are being stretched in every direction,
But still you are here.
Gently shift your attention to your baby.
Notice the small,
Real presence in your arms.
You don't have to feel bliss right now.
You don't have to feel peace.
You only need to be present enough to let this moment unfold one breath at a time.
If tears come,
Let them.
If anger or sadness rises,
Acknowledge it.
This is part of my experience,
Not all of me.
This will pass.
I am allowed to feel.
I am still a good mother.
You are not broken.
You are becoming.
You are not failing.
You are feeling.
You are not alone.
So many others sit in the same tender moment,
Quietly holding both love and sorrow.
Breathe again.
Inhale,
I am allowed to feel overwhelmed.
Exhale,
I will meet myself with compassion.
Let your breath rock you gently now,
Like a lullaby for both of you.
Soft,
Slow,
Steady.
If all you did today was hold your baby and feel a lot,
That was enough.
That is enough.
Take a moment now,
If it feels right,
To place one hand on your heart or your belly.
Let it be a gesture of kindness toward yourself.
Now,
Offer these words silently or aloud.
May I be patient with myself.
May I trust that I am doing enough.
May I find moments of rest even inside the heart.
And when you are ready,
Bring your awareness back to the room.
Back to this moment.
Back to your breath.
Back to your heart.
You are doing something brave.
You are not alone.
You are enough.
