Mamalogues: Using My Natural Instincts and Special Bonds With My Sons to Understand Their Needs 

Did you ever think about what being a mom would be like before you had kids? What did you imagine?

I have to admit that I always pictured the perfect home filled with the constant scent of fresh baked cookies. I always felt like I was “meant to be” a mom. It would be natural, easy and beautiful. It’s funny to me that I pictured it this way because I’m normally very logical and grounded. If you know my blog, The Analytical Mommy, you know that I’m all about being realistic.

The truth is… motherhood is much messier than I imagined!

Motherhood is a beautiful mess. An abstract painting coming together. It’s like those Magic Eye books where you have to stand back to see the picture within the chaos.

When I first became a mom, I felt bombarded and overwhelmed. Suddenly, I had this tiny life in my arms who depended on me and my husband 100%. He was also in the NICU for a few weeks so I had to be his advocate and fight for him – even though this was all new to me. It was so much to take on so quickly. I kept thinking,  “What makes me qualified to care for him?” Sure, I had babysat before but I had never cared for a newborn!

However, my natural instincts and intuition kicked in and I was able to do what was best for my son, and I have continued to just know what is best all three of my sons. Those special moments when your natural instincts and special intuition come together to help you realize exactly what your child needs is called a mamalogue. Philips Avent has been celebrating these moments and asking moms to share their mamalogues, just like in this video.

Every mom has beautiful mamalogues to share. For me, a lot of my mamalogues revolve around feeding my sons. From my oldest to my youngest, I’m always amazed at how I instinctively know when they need a nap or when they’re going to be hungry and start rooting.

 

 

Being able to exclusively breastfeed my youngest definitely helps me build my relationship with him and I’m so grateful. Recently, we have been transitioning from breast to bottle using the Philips Avent Natural bottle. His subtle cues for when he is hungry are now different, and I am the only one who knows when he is hungry. It is not a simple cry. He makes this certain face. His nose scrunches up, just like he would cry, and looks at me with those eyes. For anyone else who may see him make this face, they may assume that he is about to throw a tantrum. Instead, I know that it is time for me to remove his Philips Avent Natural bottle from the Philips Avent Fast Bottle Warmer, pick him up, and begin to feed him. Just before I wrote sat down to write this, we experienced this mamalogue. Each day it is more and more beautiful than the day before and something that is just ours because of our bond.

Almost 9 years later as a mom , I can step back and look at my mamalogues and I know that I was qualified! Do you know why? Because I love them with every ounce of me. From the moment each of my children were born, I loved them unconditionally and would have done anything and everything for them.

The reality is that motherhood is all about the love we feel for our little ones, and trusting in ourselves and our mamalogues. Our love fuels us to do the impossible and allows us to know more about our babies than anyone else. It triggers an instinct we didn’t have before and makes us incredibly strong!

So if you’re new to motherhood, or just had another baby… trust in yourself. Trust that you will have your own mamalogues. You’re stronger than you know. Your love for your little one will help you do so many amazing things. Spends hours looking in your beautiful baby’s eyes. You’ve got this—and I want to hear all about it! Share a mamalogue moment between you and your child on social media using #mamalogue to help encourage and inspire other moms.

P.S. I still try to fill my house with the scent of fresh baked cookies on occasion… but now that my first two kids are a bit older, we can bake the cookies together! That’s so much more rewarding.

Written by Rachel of The Analytical Mommy