by Kerala Taylor posted in Mom Stories

I?m only 4.5 months in, and I?m already suffering from the classic mommy guilt complex. We try to do it all, but we?re never doing enough.
Here's what I'm starting to wonder: Do I have to feel this way" Must I accept The Mother's Burden as a new fact of life, or can I simply choose to ignore my inner nag and adjust the impossibly high standards I?ve set for myself"

I'd like to think the latter, so I've written a list of 7 things I?m just not going to feel guilty about anymore -- judgers be damned. I?m sure this list will grow and change, but for now, it?s a start:
1. Leaving dishes in the sink: I used to abide by the rule that one dirty dish in the sink invites more dirty dishes. My new rule" If I can?t see them, they don?t exist. (This rule also applies to the mound of laundry in the closet, and the mound of random crap on the left side of the bed.) 2. Giving my daughter formula: I really wanted to breastfeed exclusively for a year, but as I ranted about in a previous post, breastfeeding and working full-time just do not go hand in hand. My goal was once to give my baby the healthiest possible start in life. My new goal is to keep her alive.
3. Working less: I used to be that overly enthusiastic employee -- the one staying late and taking on extra projects. Not anymore. My salary is based on a 40-hour work week, and right now, that?s about 40 hours too many.
4. Showering less: I showered daily in my pre-baby years. No...