Visit our Canada siteMotherhood is an extraordinary journey filled with immeasurable moments of joy and love. But amid these moments, mothers feel stress and anxiety too. A lot of this stems from what studies define as maternal guilt, a common emotional experience among mothers characterized by feelings of self-blame and regret over their parenting choices and behaviors.
This feeling of guilt intensifies when mothers feel as if their children are measuring up to other kids. For instance, moms often feel it is their fault when their children do not do as well in school compared to other students of the same age. They even blame themselves if their kids don’t measure up physically.
But during the recent Mommy Mundo Expo 2023 held at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City from May 12 to 14, mommies and experts agree that while maternal guilt is a very real and debilitating emotion, there are many ways to address it. One way to overcome maternal guilt: make sure your kids get proper nutrition to support and help their growth and development.
The impact of mom guilt
Moms agree that maternal guilt can have a detrimental impact on a mother’s mental well-being, as constantly feeling guilt can lead to heightened stress levels, anxiety, and depression. Social media can also aggravate this, as moms can easily compare themselves to other moms. Worse, it opens them up to comments from other people who may not always have the kindest things to say about their motherhood methods.
A mom shared this feeling of inadequacy brought about by maternal guilt during the Mommy Mundo Expo event. “Even if I plan and prepare all her meals, I’m not confident enough if I’m doing the right thing to give her the nutrition she needs.”
Celebrity mom Suzy Entrata-Abrera agreed that while maternal guilt can be difficult to deal with, it can be occasionally unavoidable. But Suzy also said that she uses this guilt to be at her best for her children. “The fact that we are asking the question if we are doing enough for our child makes us a good mother because that only means we desire to be the best,” she said.
A partner for development
Rosanne Araneta, an educator, and early learning advocate, shared the same sentiment. “Whatever you can measure, you can change. So you can add or lessen because you have control. No one sets the standard but you,” she said.
Mothers who feel maternal guilt should be aware when they feel this emotion—which could allow them to manage it. According to a scientific study published in the Journal of Child and Family Studies in 2018, among the methods to cope with mom guilt include self-care practices, self-acceptance, and seeking social support when needed.
Making sure that children receive the best nutrition to help with their IQ and EQ development is also instrumental in warding off feelings of guilt. When mothers know their children are receiving nutritional support to aid their mental and physical development, they will feel more secure and confident.
Support your child’s development with Enfagrow A+ Four Nurapro which is the only milk with MFGM and superior levels of DHA clinically proven to help give higher IQ and EQ development for your child. And for those with sensitive tummies, there’s the new Enfagrow Gentlease 3+ which has smaller proteins to help ease your child’s digestion, and it also has MFGM to help with brain development, with proper nutrition and stimulation.
Motherhood is not about being perfect. Rather, it’s about doing the best and giving the best for your kids.
For more information on how you can give the best and support your kids with proper nutrition, visit https://www.enfagrow.com.ph/.
1Li et al. J Pediatr. 2019. 215:24-31
2Veeraman-Wauters G et al. Nutrition. 2012. 28: 749-752.
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