For all the moms out there

Fed up with hearing the miseries of motherhood? Need a few reminders about why it’s all worthwhile? Lack of sleep, the demands of a crying baby, the endless feeding and changing can make it easy to lose sight of the sheer joy of parenting. Take heart and count your blessings-here are eight very good reasons to look on the bright side.

1. The first thing you can celebrate is the end of being pregnant! At last that great lump you were hulking around has gone and you’ve got your own body back again. Dust off your old jeans, slip on your favourite T-shirt-it’s great to race around in clothes you’ve only looked at for nine months. If you were nauseous you can now enjoy all those taboo treats like coffee again-in moderation of course!

2. There is nothing to beat the close relationship between you and your baby. Whether you’re completely overwhelmed by all the love you feel for her, or are taking it all in your stride, the depth of feeling you have for your little one will sustain your baby and help her to grow into a happy, secure human being. And you can be sure she is besotted with you, however grumpy you may feel at times. Enjoy your love and don’t be afraid to show it, a baby can never be ‘spoiled’ by having too many cuddles!

3. Being a mum can open doors to lots of new friendships. Sharing the trials and tribulations of parenthood with other mums is both a real pleasure and a useful safety net for when things get too much. Join a mother and baby group, an exercise class or a swimming group.

4. Motherhood can bring enormous confidence. Look at what you have achieved-you have created this wonderful human being and now you’re feeding, clothing and preparing her for life with your love and encouragement. Well done! If you used to lack confidence and found it difficult to stand up for yourself, having a young child can help. There’s nothing that gives a greater sense of purpose than having someone else to stand up for.

5. Now that you’ve had a baby you can enjoy showing her off to the rest of the your family, aunts, grannies or cousins who may have been quite distant before will love to admire your little one and, remember, children really can help bring families close together.

6. Your toddler’s world is a magical one. As a mum you can roll up your sleeves and enjoy playing with your child without a hint of embarrassment. Whether it’s rough and tumble, dressing up and make-believe, messy painting or building towers together, you can be sure of a staring role in your little one’s play world. It’ll be like going back to your own childhood-you’ll have such fun.

7. Time is at a premium now, so motherhood can help you to become more organised than before. This is particularly true if you are a working mum as well. Making the best use of your precious time will make you feel much more in control and may well result in your achieving greater heights than you ever thought possible.

8. Take pride in your man and enjoy him! Yes, of course, you are both feeling exhausted, and at times the responsibility can seem too great, but together you’ve made something unique and precious. This sense of achievement can help bring you even closer - so make sure you leave plenty of time to enjoy the company of each other as well as your little one!