Here’s Why Mums Are Most At Risk of Burnout
Dr. Ben Connolly
NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR
Being a Mum is the Most Difficult Job In The World
Being a mum is the most difficult job in the world with insane hours, no regularly scheduled breaks, weekends, or any vacation time. Mum also rarely focuses on themselves as all their attention is focused on the newborn. I don’t want to exclude fathers or any new parent either, however, if the mother is breastfeeding than the partner is most likely getting a bit more sleep than the new mum. Of course not only is a mum’s schedule erratic and changes from day to day, but also the stress of a newborn plays a large role in increasing the risk of burnout. There is no such thing as a baby that sleeps on command, eats only when mum is ready and when it is convenient and lets mum sleep as much as she needs. It is for this reason that new mums are at high risk for burnout.
Are You Burning Out?
Here’s What You Can Do
It is not just new mums that are at risk of burnout but almost all parents, especially as kids get older. The main reason for this is that once kids part of life, life speeds up. Not only is a parent managing their own schedule and taking care of themselves but now are responsible for a whole other human being if not multiple human beings. With various schedules, appointments, organized sports and school the responsibilities of a parent are astronomical and with that comes the burnout. It is critically important to set up healthy routines not only for your children but also for yourself. Setting up smart routines for your entire family is key to preventing burnout or treating burnout if you already have it, but also important to teach your children how to live a healthy life without burning themselves out by the time they get to grade 5. This looks like waking up early enough to have a healthy high fat and protein breakfast for the entire family. This looks like sitting down and eating breakfast and supper at the table, not in the car on the way to hockey practice or dance. This also means regular and healthy bedtime routines, avoid screens at least 2 hours before bedtime and ensuring that the bedrooms are as dark as possible. If you’re a parent than you most likely already have some level of burnout. It is never too early to start to address burnout, not only for yourself but for your children as well. The further your burnout progresses the less patience you will have with your children and your partner and ultimately your quality of life decreases.