Stress has caused massive issues in my life. I didn’t realise until recently, but it all started when I became a new mum and strived to be a perfect mum with a perfect baby.
Stressed as a New Mum
I could feel the tension rising inside me.
The adrenaline was pumping. I was so on edge that I lost my appetite.
The last time I felt like this was the day before my wedding (fyi… I wasn’t nervous about getting married, but about the big crowd coming to watch the wedding).
Fast forward 4 years and I was getting ready to attend my little brothers wedding – with my 6 month old! I was so nervous about my 6 month old crying during the wedding service as I knew we’d be sitting right up the front.
I practiced for weeks before the wedding getting my 6 month old baby into a schedule where she would sleep during the service. I also practiced getting her to sleep in the pram (she normally went to sleep in her cot).
Now it was the morning of the wedding and it was set to be 42 degrees Celsius – a real stinking hot day. To make matters worse there was no air conditioning in the church and my husband was on an overseas work trip!
I felt so much pressure to get this right, to get her to sleep so I could focus on the wedding and get up the front to do the bible reading without a crying baby by my side. I felt sick, I just wanted to get it done so I could relax.
We got to the church super early and sat in the front row. My 6 month old fell asleep in her pram before the service was due to start. Yes – I thought, it’s going to be ok!
But then as often happens at wedding – the bride was late. My baby woke up around the start of the service and started crying because it was so hot! Disaster!!
I took my baby outside and thankfully my mum had organised for family friends (who were also at the wedding) to take the baby so I could come back in for the rest of the wedding. I was so thankful for them but I also felt so bad at the same time that they had to leave the wedding and my baby was crying so much because she didn’t like strangers and because it was so hot!
I was a wreck at the end of the service. I broke down sobbing when we got back home. I felt so so drained, but I had to feed my baby and then drive an hour to the reception. I felt like I couldn’t take any more!
Looking back on that time I remember how I wanted to do things perfectly (I still do really). And now I realise how much my health suffered for the stress that I experienced as a new mum trying to do things right.
The Repercussions of Stress
A year or 2 later I developed a chronic neck pain which worsened over the years to include brain fogginess and extreme fatigue. My kids would often see me lying down on the couch or bed because I was so tired. And unfortunately I’m sure I was pretty snarky at them when my neck/should ached.
I went to see the GP, a natropath and tried acupuncture, but nothing eased my pain.
I changed my diet, exercised more, but it didn’t help much either.
An End to My Pain
A month ago I visited a therapist that specializes in pressure points and also a physiotherapist, and after a few visits my pain has disappeared! I feel like a new person! I could not be more thrilled!
My therapist said that during his years of study he’s learned that stress is a common factor in nearly all diseases.
Medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related. Stress can interfere with your physical functioning and bodily processes.
National Ag Safety Database
The Stress Solution
I thought back to the stress I felt as a young mum. The pressure to get it right. I never imagined that it would cause me pain for the next 10 years!
If I could do it over I would do what I do now to relieve my stress.
I would start every day on my knees handing my troubles over to God.
I know now the peace that I feel when I hand my worries to him and I have seen him time and time again deal with things that I didn’t know how to. He hasn’t let me down yet.
