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Motherhood and the changes in career paths

Why do we all work (work apart from the household requirements)? Multiple reasons:
1. Earning money to buy resources
2. Being a resource for someone as you feel you can value add
3. To do justice to what you have studied so far
4. To kill time
5. To feel good, meet people, interact socially

I used to enjoy working in the corporate and continued to work until the previous day of my delivery. But after Snugbub happened I understand, what I was doing was ticking off point no. 1, 3, 4, 5. I was happy but I definitely was not passionate. I was just 'doing what was required/ told' and I was deriving happiness from social interactions more than my work.

Like most of the women, I was in two minds when I delivered my babies, preterm, low birth weight, needing more care and attention. Being in a niche team asking for flexibility didn't work. I decided to just take a break, enjoy motherhood and go with the flow. I always had a liking towards babies and now was my time to live the phase..

Initially it did feel a lot more daunting, lack of information, right sources to get advice, feeling miserable, making mistakes, feeling you are not doing enough, feeling 'i am only doing this' and so on..

Gradually as I started learning new skills like OPOS cooking, sustainable living options, terrace gardening- Doing these little things added a lot of pleasure in my life, while caring for my little ones. I also learnt some multitasking skills- thanks to the nuclear set up and the decision of ditching nanny!

  • Babywearing
  • Time management: How to chalk the day, allocating tasks for husband when he is around, finding a little 'Me' time
  • Cutting down dependencies
  • Food- simple and fun and a 'non issue' topic

Gradually my friends, neighbors loved the parenting tools I was using- and thats how my journey of 'Knowledge transfers' began. Humbly from a group of friends growing organically. That's how Snugbub was born- my third child :) Started purely to help fellow mothers with skills like babywearing, OPOS cooking, spreading the sustainable living bug- it soon got a definite shape when I started with formal certifications.

Why was I working now? What kept me going?

1. Earning money to buy resources
2. Being a resource for someone as you feel you can value add
3. To do justice to what you have studied so far
4. To kill time
5. To feel good, meet people, interact socially
I realized- it is not the money, its not the boredom- it is purely the joy of making difference in someone's lives and meeting like minded people thats driving me- to do more, to help more... and to help mothers experience that motherhood does not stop you- it just slows you down, just to rise up higher..

In this journey, I also experienced that as a parent its not our duty to 'teach kids' or be their 'dictators' but to provide them with the right tools and environment to grow and self learn effectively. Below are some principles we followed when it came to raising our children:
- Nature the first teacher
- Investing in experiences than objects
- Access to the right tools than 'convenient' tools eg bril rider, pool noodles
- Age appropriate involvement and contribution
- Attachment parenting principles



Fast forward today- I am now a Babywearing Educator and a Pediatric Sleep Coach far far away from the former 'CA' prefix to my name. Snugbub completes 4 years- a closely knit community, trying to make a difference in the lives of many more mothers through whatever little ways possible. Kids are now 5 and have progressed to a 'learning space' an alternate school in Bangalore- still continue to surprise us every single day with their 'new learning and discoveries :)


Does motherhood affect your career- Yes, majorly
Is is always a negative impact- No, if you know what you want in life and what makes you happy!


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