One of my clients just gave birth to a happy, healthy baby boy. Mom is a high-powered marketing executive for a large professional services firm in Toronto. It’s her first baby and I’m sure she is over the moon just about now. I can honestly say that I know exactly what she is feeling and going through right about now ... a boatful of emotions ranging from pure joy to utter fear. She is a smart, driven, A-Type personality, but newborns know none of this! She’ll be teary and blurry eyed in no time, and checking her BlackBerry will be a distant memory. The house will look like a typhoon went through it, and the notion of dipping into high-heeled shoes or putting on makeup will be the furthest thing from her mind.Having a child is the most amazing gift. I remember giving birth to Rachel (how can I ever forget … it was 31 hours of pure agony!). I mean, I thought launching a business was exhilarating and fulfilling but nothing, absolutely nothing, can ever compare to becoming a Mom. Those without children will never know the purest form of unconditional love and how your whole life changes in an instant with that little human being consuming every bit of your existence. As Tiger Woods said when he recently became a Dad: “How can you love something so much that didn't exist the day before?” I couldn’t agree more!
My client, who is just entering motherhood, will be dealing with seemingly mundane tasks like changing poopie nappies and feeding at ungodly hours. It’s a far cry from her powerhouse meetings and big-time career, but she’ll be entering a new stage of her life that will yield more meaning than any accomplishment she may have achieved in her paid job.
Our firm has been dispensing PR advice to her for years, but here’s my personal counsel now that she’s a parent:
Take as much time off as you need and completely disconnect from the office – Your child needs you more than your boss does.
Don’t fuss over the house or your body – Forget the vacuuming and just sleep when the baby does. It’s more important than clean carpets.
Accept help – If anyone offers to take care of junior for the evening, say yes and pull out the calendar pronto!
Congratulations, my fellow Mom, and best wishes for the journey of a lifetime.
(Photo of my little Rachel and me circa summer 1999)
4 comments:
Childbirth is extremely empowering to women (and men). It's one of life moments that will be cherished forever.
Wonderful post, Julie! Took me back to April, 1984 when I had my son. At that time, mat leaves were only three months' long and I was too soon back to work heading up communications for a major school board. Days were long. Sleep was short. But, oh, the joys of this little person who put everything into the proper perspective. Thanks for the reminder of what's really important.
Thanks Christine! Children put everything in perspective don't they?
Oi julie rusciolelli, meu nome e vando rusciolelli, acho que vc seja meu parente, porque minha mãe falou que atilio rusciolelli bisavo dela
veio da italia para o brasil, bahia,figuei sabendo que so quem tem esse sobre nome da da familia.
so quereia que vc fica-se sabendo.
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