I didn’t think it would have gotten this far, but it has and I am stronger for it. I hosted my monthly networking event and I was absolutely bricking it the entire run up to the event. Not only was I working on getting everything running again after having baby Ella, I was busy trying to get a 3 month old to take a bottle. Any mother out there will understand when I say, it has not been easy and I am still not there yet. She uses the nipple of the bottle as her chew toy to soothe her teething frustration. Although it is a means to an end for her teething, it definitely left me a little stressed as to what I was going to do on the day of the event if she refuses to take the bottle over the breast.
I even went ahead and bought a set of special bottles that are supposed to be super easy to transition to, but was I wrong or was I wrong? Yet another chew toy.
Time was running so close to the event and I was no closer than when I started. How do you get a 3 month old to drink the same milk, but from a bottle? She was giving me super diva mode the entire time. The evening of the event came and I was in panic mode — I reckon I was the most nervous I have been in a really long while. My hubby was there to ease the pressure, but when you know you are a little persons food supply and you are sitting next to an accomplished entrepreneur in a room filled with budding start-ups nothing could possibly change the anxiety.
Unless…unless, your beautiful daughter behaved so well and exceeded your expectations. She sat with Daddy and watched Mummy the entire time. I had to feed her once when she started getting a bit grumpy, but that’s a given. Everyone was so lovely, including the amazing Julian Hall, which made me feel so at ease.
Insert Mummy feeding baby selfy!
I have to say, we both did rather well. We are preparing for another on the 29th and here’s hoping it all goes exactly the same. She taught me that normal isn’t ok anymore and I will need to step outside of my comfort zone a lot more. I can just imagine how many working mothers are out there who are pushing for the same goal of getting bubba to take a bottle; especially when pushed for time.
Now I can truly say I have done everything there is to be done being a Mumpreneur. By the time she’s old enough, I am pretty sure she will be a serial entrepreneur in her own right with all this experience of meetings and conference calls under her belt.
She has eased my panic of not sounding professional when I’m on a call, because hearing her cooing in the background doesn’t mean I am any less capable of running a business. As a 3 month old she has taught me so much already and I am looking forward to what else she has in store for me. The journey of a Mumpreneur isn’t an easy one, we seem to have a lot of odds stacked against us, but where there is will there is the opportunity to be triumphant. I was not my best after giving birth, I was riddled with stress and anxiety, but I knew that sitting down would only make it worse.
All my attendees came to hear me talk and share actionable advice, but little did they know, they were pushing me out of my slump. Running that event, left me drained, but filled with a positive mindset, that I could do it.
Originally published at justentrepreneurs.co.uk.
Originally published at medium.com