Being a first-time mother in this age of information overload can be extremely nerve-wracking. Sarah Lahbati clues us in on how she managed to persevere when she took on the role of real life mother for the first time in her life.
Often reserved about sharing her parenting techniques, Zion's Swiss-Filipina mother truly learned about motherhood by jumping from the deep end of the water. Her high-profile celebrity status and her popularly opinionated in-laws are just some of the things that she has to uniquely deal with while raising Zion.
Truth be told, there are no manuals or short courses that can adequately prepare a woman for such a role that comes with its rewards and demands. Practically everyone has an opinion on how children should be raised, from our own mothers to mothers-in-law to even random outsiders in public places and commenters on Facebook.
When taking responsibility for a child, doing it is not just enough. Doing it right is the goal every single time. And these are some of the things that worked for Sarah and Zion.
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Face your fears
Sarah admitted that she was initially fearful of a couple of things. But she discovered that facing the things she was afraid of, helped her become the strong mother that she is now. And like other first time moms, she also dealt with the challenge of not being able to sleep for three to four months to attend to Zion's needs. "I'm grateful to my family for helping me during those hard times."
Be hands on with your child's development
"Taking care of my baby and having special, amazing moments together is incomparable."
No matter how busy she is, Sarah makes sure that Zion and his well-being is always her top priority. Her partner Richard often praises her for being such an involved mother. Zion is already making a name for himself and now has his own busy schedule that Sarah religiously keeps track of.
Be firm with your decisions
"Choosing what's best for my child is one of the biggest responsibilities I have as a mother, especially when it comes to decisions that would impact my child's health, growth and development," explains Sarah. Her career decisions are perpetually anchored in the concept of work-life balance, ensuring that her son does not get the leftovers of her best energies during each day.
Involve the other family members, no matter what your differences
It takes a village to raise a child. During Zion's events, family members like grandparents, aunts, and uncles are given a chance to bond with Zion and reallyfeel what it's like to be part of a large family. "There are times when they would say different things, based on their personal experience or from the experience of other people close to them, so after hearing what they have to say, I take note of the good points and compare them with my own thoughts."
Read the fine print
Sarah reveals that she is more particular about details now more than ever. "I make it a point to read and actually understand what are written on the product labels. You'll be surprised to know how much information you can already get just from reading them!"
Always check your sources
An advocate of #CheckMoMuna, Sarah believes that it's best to have abundant resources about parenting practices, and not just to take things easily at face value. While it's important to gather as much information as you can, it's in filtering these pieces of information and comparing the data that you get that truly helps you become the best mother you can be.
"There were a lot of things about child-rearing that I didn't know about. I read some books as well as parenting articles online to help me out. [I] also asked my pedia, family and friends with kids for advice... Of course, as a mom, I wanted to make sure that I'm making the best and right decisions for Zion."
Taking a page from Sarah's parenting book is just the beginning. Getting the hang of motherhood is a continuous work in progress. There are many things that can accompany a mother's journey, such as a trusted milk product like Nido 3+ Powdered Milk Drink, which encourages you to #ChecktheLabel all the time.
NIDO® 3+ is not suitable for infant feeding and is not a breast milk substitute.
