By Ali McHugh, Mindful Mum, 22 August 2012

Babies don’t keep

This postcard goes out to all the mothers with a new baby in their arms. The most important thing you can do is spend time falling in love with your new baby. It reminds us that our priority is to put baby first. Remind yourself daily to breathe, enjoy holding your baby and just let the rest go.

Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

We have adapted this postcard from the beautiful poem by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton. Ruth had five children when she wrote this poem. As there was five years difference between her next youngest and her baby she had time to reflect on how quickly children grow up.

Song for a fifth child

Mother, O’ Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth.
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due,
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek – peekaboo.

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew,
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo.
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

~ by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton and first published in Ladies Home Journal in 1958

Learn to delegate!

Make the most of those precious moments gazing at your baby. Mundane chores, bills and washing up will always be there tomorrow, next month, next year… The time spent holding your baby is precious and something you can never get back.

So, don’t ever feel guilty about spending time with your baby. Go one better than Ruth and delegate. A take away meal every now and again won’t hurt. Neither will getting a partner, older children or friend to help with the house work!

Graphic by Ana Starhan

More lullabies

Lovely list of lullabies.